The Power of the Ninja Cutie!

Every couple decades, it seems Ninjas enjoy a brief moment as "the new hotness" in pop culture. We think Ninjas are about to strike again... so we bring you this fabulous d20 System add-on! (All text in this post is released under the Open Game License and may be reproduced in accordance with its terms. Copyright Steve Miller 2018.)

NINJA CUTIES
A Ninja Cutie isn't made. Well, they're partly made, but they're also born. They are selected for the secret training from among the cutest, most outgoing children, and then trained in secret arts that only the prettiest and most handsome Ninjas will ever learn.
   A few rare individuals are brought into the Secret Circle of the Ninja Cuties after having impressed a Master Ninja Cutie... but these are few and far between indeed.
   Most Ninjas Cuties belong to the Bard or Rogue class (in D&D/Pathfinder); or the Charismatic Hero or Fast Hero class (in d20 Modern). but they can belong to any class. As part of the secret training, Ninja Cuties learn a special kind of magic. These spells are gained through the selection of feats and talents. If the character gains spells through class abilities, the Ninja Cutey spells are added to the number of spells that can be cast each day as indicated in the feat or talent descriptions.

NEW FEATS
These feats define the Ninja Cuties.

MASTER OF OBSCENITY [Bard. Rogue, Charismatic Hero]
Washing your mouth out with soap wouldn't even begin to make a difference.
   Prerequisite: Bluff 4 ranks, Cha 15
   Benefit: As a standard action, you can let lose with such an impressive string of obscenities (spoken and/or gestures) that you can bring all actions around you to a halt. The attention of everyone within earshot is momentarily focused on you.To use this feat, other characters must be able to hear you.
   All initiatives must be re-rolled. You gain a +2 bonus to re-rolling your initiative, as well as to Bluff, Diplomacy, and Intimidate skill checks for the rest of the encounter.
   Special: Other characters with the Master of Obscenity feat do not have to re-roll initiative, but are immune to its effects. They may choose to continue to attack targets, including the character who used the feat, on their initiative, or they may choose to engage him or her in an Obscenity Square-Off.
   In an Obscenity Square-Off, the character with the highest Charisma goes first (if tied, the one with the highest Intimidate skill rank goes first). Each player rolls a Bluff skill check, as they curse and swear and generally behave in as offensive a fashion as possible. The best two out of three Bluff checks wins, and the winner's allies share in the +2 bonus to the re-rolled initiatives.

NINJA CUTIE [Fast Hero, Rogue]
You're cute... and deadly!
Prerequisite: Combat Reflexes feat, Cha 13
   Benefit: Add your Charisma bonus to attack and damage rolls. (This bonus stacks with all other bonuses.)

   Special: Add twice your Charisma bonus to sneak attack rolls.

NINJA CUTIE MAGIC [Rogue, Fast Hero, Charismatic Hero, Minor Power]
You have learned the basic secrets of Ninja Cutie Magic
   Prerequisite: Cha 13
   Benefit: Each day you may, at will, cast a number of 0-level Ninja Cutie spells equal to your Charisma bonus. You also add your Cha bonus to Will saves when resisting spells and spell-like effects. Your character level is your caster level.
   Any material components listed in the spell description are unnecessary when the Ninja Cutie versions are cast.

NEW TALENT TREE
These talents give Ninja Cuties access additional magic power.

NINJA CUTIE MAGIC TALENTS
The talents from this tree model track the growing magical ability of powerful Ninja Cuties.
   Killer Cuteness: The DC for saving throws against. your Ninja Cutie spells is increased by your Charisma bonus.
   Prerequisite: Ninja Cutie Magic feat.
   Intermediate Cutie Caster: Each day, you may, at will, cast a number of 1st- and 2nd-level Ninja Cutie spells equal to your Charisma bonus. Your character level is your chaster level.
   Prerequisite: Ninja Cutie Magic feat
   Advanced Cutie Caster: Each day, you may, at will, cast a number of 3rd- and 4th-level Ninja Cutie spells equal to your Charisma bonus. Your character level is your chaster level. Any material components listed in the spell description are unnecessary when the Ninja Cutie versions are cast.
   Prerequisite: Intermediate Cutie Caster
   Superior Cutie Caster: Each day, you may, at will, cast a number of 5th- and 6th-level Ninja Cutie spells equal to your Charisma bonus. Your character level is your caster level. Any material components listed in the spell description are unnecessary when the Ninja Cutie versions are cast.
   Prerequisite: Advanced Cutie Caster

NINJA CUTIE SPELL LIST
The Ninja Cutie Magic feat and talents allow for the casting of the following spells.


0-level Spells: Daze, Ghost Sound, Message, Prestidigitation
1st-level Spells: Expeditious Retreat, Hypnotism, Obscuring Mist, Touch of Idiocy
2nd-level Spells: Darkvision, Gust of Wind, Pyrotechnics, Spider Climb
3rd-level Spells: Blink, Fly, Clairaudience/Clairvoyance, Sleet Storm
4th-level Spells: Arcane Eye, Charm Monster, Dimension Door, Fear
5th-level Spells: Dominate Person, Mind Fog, Sending, Telepathic Bond
6th-level Spells: Mislead, Probe Thoughts, Repulsion, Shadow Walk

Art by Rumiko Takahashi

Click here to read more about the Ninja Cuties!

Feats for Cheats... or Rules-Benders (to be more polite)!

You've got a cheatin' bastard at your table? Meet him or her halfway with these new Meta feats for most d20 System games!

If You're Not Cheating, You're Not Trying [Fast Hero, Bard, Rogue, Metagaming]
Failure is not an option!
   Prerequisite: 3rd level
   Benefit: Each game session, you may ignore and re-roll any failed d20 roll a number of times equal to your character's Charisma bonus. You must tell the GM you want to re-roll, but it is the GM's responsibility to keep track of the number of times you use this ability. After all... you're a cheater, so you're going to get away with what you can!

Rules Are For Other People [Fast Hero, Bard, Rogue, Metagaming]
Gain any feat available to your race!
   Benefit: When you select this feat, you instantly trade it for any feat available for your character's race, ignoring all listed prerequisites.
   Special: if at any time in the future you meet the prerequisites for the feat traded for Rules Are For Other People, you may immediately select a new feat available for your character's race.

All text in this post is released under the Open Game License and may be reproduced within its terms. Copyright Steve Miller 2018.

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In Observance of World Otter Day

We just learned that it's World Otter Day. We love otters, and if Black Cat wasn't already our unofficial mascot here at NUELOW Games, it would be an otter. With that in mind, here are two artifacts (otterfacts?) for your d20 System and Open D6 games! (All text in this post is released under the Open Game License. Copyright Steve Miller 2018.)


RINGS OF THE OTTER
These rings were recovered by occult investigator Marion K. Bassett on the site where legend holds that Atlantean Otter Mages used to meet. Their true origins remain unknown, but Bassett hopes to someday come across a ghost ancient enough to know their origins and what magic powers they may contain.

Ring of the Wet Otter
This ring raidiates a faint aura of water magic. It is silver and is inset with a piece of obsidian carved to look like a smiling otter face. It grants the person wearing it increased abilities while in water.
  D20 System: Gain a +6 bonus to all Swim skill checks. Gain a +4 bonus to all Craft and Perform skills used while floating or swimming in water. (These bonuses are only gained in water that's deeper than 1/2 the character's height.)
  OpenD6 System: Gain +1D to all Swim checks. Gain +1 to all Perception and Mechanical skills used while floating or swimming in water. (These bonuses are only gained in water that's deeper than 1/2 the character's height.)

Ring of the Nimble Otter
This ring radiates a faint aura of alteration magic. It enhances the dextrousness of the character wearing it. It is silver and is inset with a piece of obsidian carved to look like a smiling otter face that is winking.
   D20 System: Gain a +2 bonus to all Dexterity-based skill checks and Reflex saves.
  Open D6 System: Gain +1D in the Dexterity attribute.

Both Rings
In addition to the benefits decribed above, when either one of these rings is worn, the character is surrounded by an aura of cuteness. It detects as protective magic of a weak and unspecific sort.
  D20 System: +1 bonus to all Charisma-based skills, except for a -6 penalty to Interrogate and Intimidate and skill checks. These modifier double when both rings are worn.
  OpenD6 System: +1 bonus to all skills intended to entertain and amuse others. -1D to skills intended to scare or force others to reveal information to you that they want to keep to themselves.

A d20 System feat for our time: Magnificent Mustache!

All text in this post is released under the Open Game License and may be reproduced according to its terms. Copyright 2018 Steve Miller.

NEW FEAT!

Magnificent Mustache [General]
You have spectacular display of hair on your upper lip!
   Benefit: Gain +2 bonus to all Buff, Diplomacy, and Intimidate skill checks. The bonus increases to +4 if the character is female.
   Special: If you fail a Buff, Diplomacy, or Intimidate skill check. You may immediately attempt to recover, and you may re-roll the check with a -4 penalty. If this second skill check fails, you suffer a -4 penalty to all Intelligence- and Charisma-based skill checks for 24 hours.
If your mustache is shaved off , you lose all benefits of this feat. It takes 1d2+2 weeks for your mustache to return to its former glory and regain the feat's benefit.

This feat was inspired by the events leading up to the cancelling of the US/North Korean Summit, as well as NUELOW Games' announced tie-in ROLF!: For the Love of Cake. 

Who Killed the Radio Star?

Roland Mann's voice was known to millions, and the news and rumors and just plain weirdness he discussed on his award-winning radio show amused, outraged, or angered those who listened for four hours every week day. But his voice has been brutally silenced. Forever.
Roll 1d12 against each of the tables below to randomly generate an outline for a murder mystery adventure that you can flesh out for the player characters in your campaign to solve.

WHERE WAS HE FOUND?
1. On the roof of the broadcast center.
2. In the recording studio.
3. In the engineering booth.
4. In the program director's office.
5. The parking garage.
6. Onboard his yacht.
7. In his living room.
8. In his backyard.
9. In the trunk of his car.
10. In his ex-wife's bedroom. (Roll for which ex-wife: 1-3. #1, 4-6, #2, 7-9, #3, 10-12, #4.)
11. In his agent's office.
12. In his lover's condo.

HOW WAS HE KILLED?
1. Electrocuted.
2. Stabbed 1d12 times.
3. Shot 1d6 times.
4. Hanged.
5. Strangled with a microphone cord.
6. Head bashed in with with one of his Radio Personality of the Year awards.
7. Poisoned.
8. Drug overdose.
9. Suffocated.
10. Beaten to death with a 1-5. baseball bat, 6-10. hammer, 11-12, bare hands.
11. Roll two more times on this table, ignoring and rerolling any results of 11 and 12. Both means of attack caused his death. If you roll the same result twice, the killer was REALLY throrough.
12. Roll three more times on this table, ignoring and rerolling any results of 11 and 12. All three means of attack caused his death.

WHO KILLED HIM?
1. His Wife.
2. His Ex-Wife. (Roll for which ex-wife: 1-3. #1, 4-6, #2, 7-9. #3, 10-12. #4.)
3. His Lover. (Roll for which sex. 1-8. Female, 9-12. Male.)
4. His Agent.
5. His Producer.
6. His Chief Rival.
7. The Television Producer.
8. The Investigative Reporter.
9. The Senator.
10. The Retired FBI Agent.
11. The Drug Dealer to the Stars
12. Roll two more times on this table, ignoring and rerolling any results of 12. If the same result is rolled twice, it indicates just one character, but he or she is being framed for the murder. Everyone BUT the indicated characters were involved with committing the murder.

WHY WAS HE KILLED?
1. Hatred.
2. Jealousy.
3. Lust.
4. Greed.
5. He broke a promise to the killer for the last time.
6. He was blackmailing the killer.
7. He was going to reveal the existence of a cult and had to be silenced. (Roll for the nature of the cult. 1-3. World domination through demon worship and subliminal messages in broadcasts, 4-5. Personal wealth and power through demon worship, 6-10. Eternal youth through human sacrifices, 11-12. World destruction through the worship of the Old Ones.
8. He was going to reveal the existence of a child sex abuse ring.
9. He was going to unmask the killer as being a foreign agent devoted to sowing distrust and discord among the American people.
10. To be a sacrifice to a demonic entity.
11. He was going to tell the world about his status as a foreign agent dedicated to distablizing American society, and the killer was his handler.
12. Roll two more times on this table, ignoring and rerolling results of 12.

Who Killed the Dealer?

To a few, she was Lady Luck personified. To most, she was merely the one who dealt the cards and took their chips. Now she's dead.

Melissa Blacktongue has been murdered, and the players in your game can solve the mystery surrounding her death. The basics of the case can be generated by rolling 1d12 against the tables below, and you can develop them into an adventure for your campaign.

WHERE WAS SHE FOUND?
1. In the Pit Boss's Office.
2. At the Back of the Cash Cage.
3. In the Casino's Vault.
4. On the Casino's Loading Dock.
5. In the High Roller Suite at the Casino's Hotel.
6. In the High Roller Suite at a Rival Casino's Hotel.
7. In the Casino Hotel's Swimming Pool.
8. On the Ancient Indian Burial Ground.
9. In Her Living Room.
10. On a Remote Desert Highway.
11. Behind the Strip Club.
12. In the VIP Lounge at the Strip Club.

HOW WAS SHE KILLED?
1. Strangled.
2. Stabbed 1d12 times.
3. Shot 1d6 times.
4. Skull crushed by 1d6 blows.
5. Beaten to death with 1-5. a baseball bat, 6-10. a hammer, 11-12, bare hands.
6. Poisoned.
7. Drug Overdose.
8. Sulphuric Acid Poured Down Throat.
9. Slender Spoke Driven Through the Left Ear and Into Her Brain.
10. Electrocuted.
11. Throat Slit.
12. Roll two more times on this table, re-rolling any results of 12. She was killed by a combination of the indicated methods.

WHO KILLED HER?
1. The Pit Boss.
2. The Degenerate Gambler.
3. The Illusionist.
4. The Exotic Dancer.
5. The Prostitute. (1-6. Male, 7-12. Female)
6. The Gangster.
7. The Con Artist
8. The Drug Dealer.
9. The Thief
10. The Private Detective.
11. Her Ex-Lover. (1-9. Male, 10-12. Female)
12. Her Current Lover (1-9. Male, 10-12. Female)

WHY WAS SHE KILLED?
1. Hatred.
2. Lust.
3. Greed.
4. Revenge.
5. The murderer thought she was having an affair with his/her spouse. (Roll two more time on the  WHO KILLED HER table to see who the spouse is. If the same result comes up again, they share professions/descriptors but there are still two people. If the spouse result is rolled twice, the Dealer was having an affair... if it doesn't, she was not cheating with the spouse.)
6. She tried to blackmail the murderer because he was having an affair. (Roll again on the WHO KILLED HER table to determine who he/she was having the affair with. If the murderer is rolled again, ignore and re-roll.
7. She discovered the killer was planning to rob the casino. (Roll three more times on the WHO KILLED HER table to determine who else was in on the plot. Do no re-roll duplicate results.)
8. She shared a plan to rob the casino with the killer, who killed her and took it.
9. She discovered the casino's game's are rigged.
10. To stop her from revealing the killer's dark secret. (Roll on the WHAT IS THE DARK SECRET table to determine what it is.)
11. She was the illegitimate child of a billionaire who left her a sizable protion of his fortune. The killer is also an heir, and he/she would get the her portion if she can't be located by the estate alive.
12. As above, except the killer frames the Private Detective for the murder. (He had identified the dealer as their heir but had not had a chance to notify the estate or make contact with her yet.)

WHAT IS THE DARK SECRET?
1-2. The killer is about to complete a ritual that will reanimate 1d12+12 of the dead in the ancient indian burial groud and cause them to attack the living. (Use wight statistics, or whatever other undead creature is suitable in your game system.)
3-6. The killer is looting a cave of Spanish gold and other artifacts that belong to the Native American tribe on the reservation.
7-10. The killer is a corrupt federal agent who has been helping the mob rig the casino games and steal winnings.
11-12. The killer raped and murdered the dealer's sister.


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Who Killed the Banker?

Peter Davis Blane's small bank was known for its fairness in giving loans, and even for sometimes being generous with extensions if a debtor fell behind in payments... but he never let kindness threaten the profitability of his business.  He ran his bank like he ran his life--efficiently and with a velvet-covered iron fist on the tiller. And now he's dead.


Can the player characters catch the killer in the dramatic adventure that can be created around the outline that can be randomly generated with these tables?

WHERE WAS HE FOUND?

1. In the bank vault.

2. In his office.

3. In his bedroom.
4. In his misstress's bedroom.
5. In the Impressionists gallery at the art museum.
6. In the VIP lounge at the strip club.
7. Behind the orphanage.
8. In the crackhouse.
9. In the sauna at the health club.
10. In the kitchen of his beach house.
11. In the park.
12. On a dock at the marina.


HOW WAS HE KILLED?
1. Decapitated.
2. Stabbed through the heart with a gold-plated letter opener.
3. Shot in the back of the head, execution style.
4. Shot 1d6 times.
5. Stabbed 1d12 times.
6. Suffocated.
7. Choked by pages of Das Kaptial shoved down his throat.
8. Broken Neck.
9. Drug Overdose.
10. Skull Crushed with a Heavy Object.
11. Beaten to Death with Fists.
12. Forced to Drink Bleach.

WHO KILLED HIM?
1. His Wife.
2. His Mistress.
3. His Drug-Addicted Son.
4. His Rebellious Daughter.
5. His Secretary.
6. The Professional Hitman.
7. The Bankrupt Business Owner.
8. The Foreclosed-on Farmer.
9. The Anarchist.
10. The Terrorist.
11. The Bank Robber.
12. Roll two more times on this table, re-rolling any additional results of 12. The first result is being framed for the murder. The second result is the actual killer.

WHY WAS HE KILLED?
1. Greed.
2. Jealousy.
3. Hatred.
4. Revenge.
5. He refused to cooperate with the killer in robbing the bank.
6. He refused to cooperate with the killer in embezzling money from the bank.
7. He cheated the killer out of his full share of money stolen from the bank.
8. He took money from a account belonging to a dead person that he thought no one knew existed.
9. The killer was hired by someone else. (Roll again on the "Who Killed Him" table, as well as on the Dark Secrets table to learn why the killer wanted the banker dead.)
10. He was going to come clean to the world about his own dark secret, and the killer had to stop him. (Roll on the Dark Secrets table to determine what the secret was.)
11. The murderer is insane, and will kill the other people on the "Who Killed Him" list every three days until the party stops the slaughter. (All the victims knew both the banker and the killer.)
12. As 11, but roll on the Dark Secrets table to see why the murderer is on a killing spree.


WHAT IS THE DARK SECRET?
1. The bank is funded with Nazi gold (and the same is true of the banker's personal fortune).
2. The bank's main business is laundering money for a drug cartel.
3. The bank's main business is to manage CIA black budget funds, including all expenses relating to black-bag torture sites.
4. The bank's main business is funneling money to terrorist groups and "rogue regimes".
5. The killer comitted rape and the banker covered it up.
6. The killer comitted rape and got tired of paying blackmail to the banker, who had witnessed it.
7. The banker operates a child pornography and sex slave ring.
8. The killer was sexually abused by the banker years ago.
9. The banker could no longer bear keeping the secret that he (1-8 accidentially, 9-12 intentionally) killed the murderer's best friend years ago.
10. His mistress was pregant with their child.
11. He forced his mistress to abort their love child.
12. The banker killed a girl while in college, and killer had been blackmailing him about it. He was going to turn himself and the killer in to the authories.

A d20 System feat in observance of Mother's Day!

And its text is presented under the Open Game License, so you can republish it accordingly. Copyright Steve Miller 2018.

MOM VOICE [General]

You can make people knock that crap off with just a few words.

   Prerequisite: Mom

   Benefit: Roll a Bluff or Intimidate skill check. All beings with an Intelligence of 3 or higher must roll Will saves with a target equal to your skill check +6. Those who fail the saving throw must immediately stop whatever they're doing for a number of rounds equal to your Charisma bonus, during which time you may attempt to reason with them using Diplomacy or Bluff.

    Those who save against the Mom Voice suffer a -2 penalty to attack rolls and skill checks for a number of rounds equal to your Charisma bonus. If they attack a target who didn't save, the target may attack back with the same -2 penalty.

    All initiatives must be re-rolled at the beginning of the round following the use of Mom Voice.

    Special: Targets of the Mom Voice must be able to hear the user, but they do not need to understand the words spoken; the tone is universal.

The Artifacts of the Sharp-Dressed Man (for d20 Modern)

How this collection of artifacts came into existence is unknown. They were first documented by paranormal investigator Marion K. Bassett when she was hired to inventory the belongings of occultist Ulysses Sheltner. Like most of the magical items that had been owned by Sheltner, they were stolen soon thereafter. The whereabouts of the artifacts are currently unknown.


CUFFLINKS OF PRESTIDIGITATION
This matched set of gold cufflinks, engraved with the initials U.S., give the wearer a +2 bonus to all Open Locks and Sleight of Hand skill checks, as well as a +1 bonus to all other Dexterity checks that involved manipulating small items and delicate equipment or machinery.


DIAMOND RING OF PERCEPTION
This broad, gold pinky ring with a diamond inset gives the wearer a +2 bonus to all Search and Spot skill checks.


FAT WALLET
This bulging alligator skin billfold increases the Wealth score of the person carrying it by 2.


POCKET WATCH OF TIMELINESS
This ornate pocket watc--with a flip-cover that sports a highly styalized pentagram and a face featuring small roman numerals--is on a 10-inch gold chain that must be fastened to an item of the character's clothing. When the watch on the chain is spun rapidly in a clockwise direction for a round, it puts the wearer under the effects of a haste spell for six rounds. When spun rapidly in a counter-clockwise direction, all other creatures within a 12-foot radius must roll Will saves of be subjected to the effects of a Slow spell for six rounds. The watch can only evoke a magical effect once every 12 hours, but it tells perfect time.


STICK PIN OF PERSONALITY
This golden stick pin has a small ruby in a sunburst-themed housing at its top. It provies the wearer with a +2 bonus to all Charisma-based skill checks.
   The stick pin also can be used as an improvised weapon that deals a base of 1 point piercing damage. For purposes of resistances, it is a +1 weapon.


TOP COAT OF PROTECTION
This black overcoat grants the wearer a +1 bonus to Defense Rating, as well as a +2 bonus to all Fortitude saves made against damage from any elemental source (like the fireball or ice storm spells).




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Who Killed the Triathlete?

Marlon Booker had never met a sport he didn't like and didn't engage in at least once. He skied and swam and bike-raced and played hockey and basketball and soccer and baseball, and so on and so forth. His claim to fame, though, were marathons and triathlons, and everyone felt he was guaranteed to win the Guardian City Triathlon and thus the greatest completion of his life.

But on the eve of the big event, he was found dead.

Can the heroes discover who killed the triathlete in this randomly generated mystery adventure?

WHERE WAS HE FOUND?
1. Floating in the lake.
2. In the high school gymnasium.
3. In the stadium parking lot.
4. In the strip club.
5. Outside the headquarters of the sports apparel manufacturer.
6. Outside his coach's home.
7. In his main competitor's living room.
8. In his bedroom.
9. In his shower.
10. In his living room.
11. In the doctor's office.
12. In the alley behind the health club.

HOW WAS HE KILLED?
1.Drug Overdose.
2. Heart attack (induced with an undetectable drug).
3. Stabbed 1d12 times.
4. Shot 1d6 times.
5. Hanged.
6. Suffocated.
7. Hit by a car.
8. Bludgeoned to death with a sports trophy.
9. Choked on Speedo swimwear forced down his throat.
10. Beaten to death with his bicycle.
11. His organs were harvested, his blood drained.
12. Garroted.

WHO KILLED HIM?
1. His Coach.
2. His Main Competitor
3. The Sports Company Ad Executive.
4. The High School Science Teacher.
5. The High School Cheerleader.
6. The Sports Reporter
7. The Conspiracy Theorist.
8. The Retired Marine.
9. The Cultist.
10. His Wife (1-6. Current, 7-12. Former).
11. His Physician.
12. Roll two more times on this table. Ignore and re-roll results of 12. The first result is being framed for murder. The second result is the actual killer.

WHY WAS HE KILLED?
1. Jealousy.
2. Hatred.
3. For the Life Insurance Money.
4. Revenge.
5. Extremely Unhealthy Competition.
6. To Protect a Loved One.
7. To Prevent a Scandal.
8. To Preserve the Existence of an Evil Secret Society. (Roll 1d12. 1-3. He was a member; 7-12. He was not a member but learned of its existence.)
9. Because he was going to expose the murderer's dark secret. (Roll on the What is the Dark Secret table to find out what it was.)
10. Because was going to tell the world about his dark secret, and the murderer wanted him silenced. (Roll on the What is the Dark Secret table to find out what it was.)
11. It was part of a larger cover-up. (Roll on the What is the Dark Secret table to determine what is being covered up. Roll three times on the Who Killed Him table, ignoring results of 12. The killer and the indicated characters are involved in the cover up.)
12. Roll two more times on this table. Ignore and re-roll results of 12.

WHAT IS THE DARK SECRET?
1. Teachers at the local high school are grooming cheerleaders and student athletes for nefarious purposes. (Roll a d12 to find out what: 1-3. Indoctrination into a demonic cult, 4-6. Recruitment into a secret super assassin training program, 7-9. Vessels for alien minds, 10-12. Sex slaves.)
2. Teachers are dealing drugs to the students at the local high school.
3. A teacher at the local high school is having an affair. (Roll d12 to determine with whom: 1-4. The triathlete, 5-6. The Cheerleader, 7-9. The Science Teacher, 10-12. The Sports Company Ad Executive.)
4. A High School Cheerleader who apparently died in an accident was murdered to cover up the fact that (1-4. he, 5-12 she) was assaulted and raped.
5. The Physician has been testing experimental steroids on his patients without their knowledge or permission.
6. Aliens are using the local health club as a source of bodies to transfer the minds of their overlords into.
7. The Triathlete was a secret agent. (Roll 1d12 to determine who he was working for. 1-3. A CIA assassin, 4-6. Russian intelligence agent sent to undermine US society and unity, 7-9. US Marine in secret task force devoted to stopping a hidden alien invasion, 10-12. Enforcer for a cult devoted to bringing about the end of the world).
8. The Sports Company Ad Executive is inserting subliminal mind-control messages into his company's marketing materials. (Roll 1d12 to determine who he was working for. 1-3. The Russians, 4-6. The Iranians, 7-9. Aliens., 10-12. The Illuminati.)
9. The Triathlete and his murderer are superhuman because: (Roll 1d12 to determine the reason. 1-4. They were the product of a secret genetic engineering program, 5-8. The are human/alien hybrids, 9-12. They are literally the spawns of Satan--part human, part fallen angel.
10. A cult is performing rituals designed to open the Gates of Hell under the high school.
11. An artificial, undetectable endurance enhancer is being provided to athletes, but long-term use drives them insane.
12. Roll twice on this table, ignoring and re-rolling any results of 12. Both dark secrets were contributing factors to the Triathlete's murder.

--
A theme song for this murder mystery...

Who Killed the Psychic?

She told top movie stars and pop musicians which projects to pursue, she spoke to the spirits about the afterlife and the future... but she didn't foresee her own murder!

Zaynah, Clairvoyant to the Stars, has been killed, and it's up to the player characters to discover who did it and why in this randomly generated murder mystery!

WHERE WAS SHE FOUND?
1. In a woodland grove, deep within a National Park.
2. In the celebrity chef's personal vegetable garden.
3. In the bedroom of a rival psychic.
4. In her bedroom.
5. In the parlor where she conducted her psychic readings.
6. In the shower at the gym.
7. On the altar at the cathedral.
8. Outside the state attorney's home.
9. In the famous director's pool.
10. In the VIP lounge at a hot night club (and rumored organized crime front)
11. In the ally next to a police station.
12. On the beach.

HOW WAS SHE KILLED?
1. Strangled.
2. Beaten to death.
3. Stabbed.
4. Throat Slit.
5. Choked by Tarot cards shoved violently down her throat. (Roll 1d12 to see where the Tarot deck came from. 1-4. Her own Tarot cards. 5-8; Tarot cards belonging to a rival psychic; 9-12. An antique deck of Tarot cards that once belonged to a notorious devil worshiper.)
6. Skull bashed in with a crystal ball. (Roll 1d12 to see where the crystal ball came from. 1-4. Her own crystal ball; 5-8. A crystal ball belonging to a rival psychic; 9-12. A prop crystal ball from a horror movie.)
7. Drowned. (Roll 1d12 for the kind of water in her lungs. 1-4. Sea Water; 5-8. Chlorinated Pool Water; 9-12. Fresh Water.)
8 Shot 1d6 times.
9. Hanged.
10. Poisoned.
11. Impaled on an ancient spear with a tip made from a stag's antler and coated with juiced wolfsbane.
12. Roll two more times on this table, ignoring additional results of 12. She was killed by both methods. If the same result is rolled twice, the killer was particularly thorough and brutal.

WHO KILLED HER?
1. The up-and-coming 1-4 actor; 5-8 actress; 9-12. singer.
2. The has-been 1-4 actor; 5-8 actress; 9-12. singer.
3. The hot 1-3. actor; 4-6 actress; 7-8 singer; 9-12. director.
4. The television executive.
5. The celebrity chef.
6. The screen writer.
7. The priest.
8. Her lover. (Roll 1d12 to see status. 1-6. Current; 7-12. Former.)
9. The private detective.
10. The crimelord.
11. The rival psychic.
12. Roll two more times on this table, ignoring additional results of 12. The first result is the murderer. The second result is being framed as the murderer.

WHY WAS SHE KILLED?
1. Hatred
2. Jealousy
3. She spurned the murderer's romantic advances.
4. She was blackmailing the murderer. (Roll on WHAT WAS THE DARK SECRET to see what she knew.)
5. The murderer feared she had discovered his or her dark secret through her psychic powers.
6. She was the latest victim of a serial killer targeting psychics. (If the Rival Psychic isn't the murderer, he will be murdered in 1d3 days if the characters don't crack the case before then.)
7. The murderer was angry over a bad reading she gave.
8. The murderer wanted to make sure she never revealed her dark secret to anyone. (Roll on WHAT WAS THE DARK SECRET to see what it was.)
9. She was going to tell the murderer's spouse about the affair he or she was having. (Roll on the WHO KILLED HER table to determine who the murderer was having the affair with. Ignore rolls that duplicate the killer; if 12 is rolled, the killer was having multiple affairs.)
10. Revenge.
11. Greed.
12. For a ritual that required she be sacrificed to an evil god so that the murderer would gain her powers of Second Sight. (Roll 1d12. 1-4. The murderer is insane and there is no evil god; 5-8. The murderer gained her psychic powers and uses them in an attempt to avoid being caught by the party; 9-12. The evil god tricked the murderer, because the psychic was a fraud.

WHAT WAS THE DARK SECRET?
1. The big entertainment companies are infiltrated and mostly run by demon worshipers and actual demons, and they are using their products to spread corrupting magic around the world.
2. She was finishing a tell-all book about sexual harrassers and rapists in the entertainment business, and she was going to identify them all by name.
3. The psychic was selling information gleaned during her readings to tabloids and rival studios and recording companies.
4. She was preparing a ritual that would have opened the literal Gates of Hell and give Earth to Satan, but had a change of heart.
5. Her 1-4 Husband, 5-8 Male Lover, 9-12 Female Lover is a Russian agent devoted to disrupted US society through popular media, and his or her secret had to be protected. (The Russian agent may not even know that she was murdered to protect him or her.)
6. She was the heiress to a massive fortune, but was abducted as a young child. Her identity had been traced, and she was killed by those who have been benefitting from what should have been hers.
7. She not only told fortunes, but she also took money to cast curses that ruined careers and ended lives.
8. She was helping the government build cases against a variety of criminals who provided her clients with services.
9. She was once raped by the murderer, and she had decided to go public.
10. She was the literal daughter of Satan, but she refused to embrace her heritage and assume leadership of his servants.
11. She was the literal daughter of Satan and was about to help the Anti-Christ come to power.
12. She and the Rival Psychic were actually business partners who exchanged information on each other's clients and sold trade secrets and plot ideas and drafts of songs and artwork to competitors--but she only did it to those who were the rival's clients and visa-versa.

And now they're purging their own...

The RPG industry crusaders and protectors of all that is good and pure, and the promoters of inclusive inclusivity of the highest calibre are running out of miscreants to spotlight and throw into the pit. So now they appear to be going after their own.

Christopher Helton has authored this naked hit piece on Sean Patrick Fannon: New Allegations Show More Work Needs to be Done. Fannon has been a reliable and outspoken supporter of efforts to destroy the evil sexists and racists and bigots and anyone else who fails to demonstrate how much they hate fascists and oppressors by beaving like a fascist and oppressor. And yet, Helton has reached back several years to "expose" accusations leveled by mostly anonymous individuals... and accusations that, as far as I recall, predate Fannon's required public affermation of his status as a Crusader and Protector of All That is Good and Right and True.

I suppose the lesson here is that once you're a sinner, you're always a sinner. There's no redemption, no forgiveness, no hope of ever gaining grace... because no matter what, once your fellow believers run out of the wicked to pursue and crush, they will turn inward and start purging the ranks. And those who have confessed their sins provide a ready-made target list for lazy people like Helton to work off.
Or maybe Fannon became a target because didn't praise the right game product in the right way... or maybe he praised the wrong one? (For those who might not know, Sean Patrick Fannon is a game designer and reviewer who is perhaps best known these days for Sean's Pick of the Day.)

Whatever the motivation, Helton has unleashed the shrieking angels of vengeance upon Fannon with a by-the-book hitpiece. I have seen his post referred to as "journalism." As a one-time feature writer and features editor, I wouldn't have wanted my name on this sort of badly sourced rumor mongering, nor would I accepted this trash as an editor, even with the lower standards for what is good reporting and what isn't. Except the purpose here was almost certainly not to practice good journalism.

It's worth noting that Fannon has posted a response to Helton's character assassination--a response that even starts and ends with the Litany of the Protectors of All That is Good and Right and True. You can read that here. It's much better written, and much better supported with sources and quotes, and generally shows Fannon to be the superior writer (and journalist for that matter).

So... if you've made a confession because you wanted to prove your Righteousness in the eyes of the Inquistion, beware. They may come for you as they came for Fannon.

Who Killed the....?

Welcome to a very special edition of our ongoing series of Random Murder Mystery Outline Generators! This time, we're breaking a bit with the format, and the first step is to roll a random murder victim!

WHO WAS MURDERED? (Roll 1d6)
1-2. The Antifa Goon.
3-4. The Lion of Islam.
5-6. The White Supremecist.


WHERE WAS HE FOUND? (Roll 1d6)
1. In the park.
2-3. In his home.
4-5. In his parents' basement.
6. Outside the Masonic Temple.


HOW WAS HE KILLED? (Roll 1d6)
1. Choked on a ballgag.
2. Stabbed.
3. Poisoned.
4. Shot.
5. Improvised Explosive Device.
6. Impaled on a giant dildo.


WHY WAS HE KILLED? (Roll 1d6)
1. Hatred.
2. Disgust.
3. Revenge
4. It was an accident.
5-6. Does anyone really need a reason with an asshole like this?


WHO KILLED HIM?
1. His Lover. (Roll 1d6 for sex. 1-2. Female, 3-6. Male.)
2. His Child Bride.
3. No one. The dumb bastard killed himself by accident.
4. His Mother, who could no longer live with the shame of what she'd brought into this world.
5. Chuck Norris.
6. The Jews. Because it's ALWAYS the Jews.

Who Killed the Airline Pilot?

He flew jets through the friendly skies, but on the ground someone was decidedly unfriendly toward him... because they killed him.

Welcome to another Random Murder Mystery for your RPG campaigns. This one can even be easily converted to a sci-fi setting--just make the airline pilot a spaceship pilot. Roll 1d12 against the tables below to generate the outline for a murder mystery for the player characters to solve!

WHERE WAS HE FOUND?
1. In the plane's cockpit.
2. In the first class restroom.
3. In an overhead bin in coach.
4. In the plane's rear storage compartment.
5. On a luggage carousel.
6. In the 1st Class departure lounge.
7. In the airport parking garage.
8. In a suite at the Airport Hilton.
9. In the alley behind a strip club.
10. In the ally behind a gay bar and sushi restaurant.
11. Outside the home of his ex-wife. (Roll 1d12 to see which one. 1-3. Ex-Wife #1, 4-6, Ex-Wife #2, 7-8 Ex-Wife #3, 9-12 Ex-Wife #4.)
12. Roll Two More Times. His body was found at the first location indicated, but he was actually murdered at the second. If the same result is rolled twice, the location where the body was found and the place he was murdered are the same. Ignore additional results of 12.

HOW WAS HE KILLED?
1. Electrocuted.
2. Strangled.
3. Drug Overdose.
4. Frozen to Death.
5. Stabbed Once.
6. Stabbed 1d12+2 times.
7. Shot Once.
8. Shot 1d6+1 times.
9. Asphyxiated.
10. Poisoned.
11. Drowned. (Roll 1d12 to see what kind of water he drowned in. 1-4. Chlorinated pool water, 5-8. Soapy bath water, 9-12. Fresh water fish tank.)
12. Roll Two More Times. His death resulted from a combination of methods. If the same number is rolled twice, there was only one reason for his death. Ignore additional results of 12.

WHO KILLED HIM?
1. The Ex-Wife. (Roll 1d12 to see which one. 1-3. Ex-Wife #1, 4-6, Ex-Wife #2, 7-8 Ex-Wife #3, 9-12 Ex-Wife #4.)
2. The Co-Pilot.
3. The Flight Attendant.
4. The Air Marshall.
5. The Frequent Flier.
6. The Congressman's Wife.
7. The Aircraft Mechanic.
8. The Rabbi.
9. The Safety Inspector.
10. The Luggage Handler.
11. The Has-Been Pop Star (1-6. Male, 7-12 Female).
12. His Current Wife.

WHY WAS HE KILLED?
1. He spurned the murderer's romantic advances.
2. He discovered the killer's criminal past and was going to reveal it.
3. He discovered the killer was blackmailing one of the other suspects and started blackmailing both of them. (Roll 1d12 on "Who Killed Him" to see who was being blackmailed.)
4. He discovered the killer was being bribed and threatened to expose him or her (1-6); blackmailed him or her for a large portion of the money (7-12).
5. He discovered the killer's criminal past and was blackmailing him or her, and the killer finally had enough of his demands.
6. He discovered the killer was key to the effort to hid the existence of UFOs.
7. He discovered the killer was involved with an ongoing criminal enterprise. Roll 1d12 to determine what it is: 1-2. Smuggling Drugs, 3-4. Human Trafficking. 5-6. International Industrial Espionage. 7-8. Murder for Hire. 9-10. Kidnapping Ring. 11-12. Art Theft and/or Forgery.
9. Roll again on the "Who Killed Him" table. The pilot was having affairs with both people indicated. They found out and they teamed up to kill him and then to provide each other with alibis.
10. He broke off the affair with the killer, because he was also having an affair with one of the other suspects. (Roll 1d12 on "Who Killed Him" to determine who this other person was. If the result is the same as the killer, there was no other affair, just the pilot wanting to get away from an insane partner.)
11. Revenge for his well-compensated role in a cover-up of a mechanical issue that led to the crashes of several planes.
12. Roll two more times on "Why Was He Killed". Both reasons apply. Ignore additional results of 12. If you roll the same number twice, only one reason applies, but the killer was VERY strongly motivated by it.

--
And here's a theme song for this mystery: "Five Miles Out" by Mike Oldfield. Enjoy!

Remains of Atlantis: Teleportation Circles

This article became necessary because of a couple elements I felt obligated to include in Part Two of the Codex of Doom post series. Enjoy, as I continue to work on Part Two!


--
The Atlanteans were a civilization that fused magic and technology into a well-balanced whole. Science, engineering, and spellcraft were intellectual and practical disciplines that cross-polinated each other, and the Atlanteans spread their imperial colonies across the galaxy and even onto other planes of existence.
   While spaceships were used to move the vast amounts of people an equipment between worlds, magic teleportation circles were often used to move around on individual planets. Nobles, high-ranking military and government officials, and skilled sorcerers preferred this modie of travel because of its safety and swiftness.
   Up to 12 living beings and any items they are wearing or carrying may be transported via a teleportation circle at one time. Once all travelers are within the circle, the command word is spoken, and they are all teleported to their destination with a flash of magical energy.


ATLANTEAN TELEPORTATION CIRCLES
There were two kinds of teleportation circles in wide use during the Golden Age of Atlantis, which included the centuries they maintained colonies on Earth: Permanant and Temporary Circles.
   Regardless of what kind of teleportation circle being used at the point of departure, Atlantean teleportation circles always took travelers to a preset destination. There, a permanent ritual circle designed to recieve arriving teleporters was carved into the floor of an otherwise barren room that typically only had one obvious exit. The destination circles, were often warded by secondary enchantments (25% chance), such as forcefields that required a password or passkey to deactivate. Back before the destruction of Atlantis's colonies on Earth, there would be guards present in these rooms who could vett those arriving and release any wards. Now, if someone were to end up in one of these warded circle, they may well die trapped within it before discovered.
   Permanent Circles: Permanent teleportation circles are carved into the floors of caves, at the center of stone circles, or in chambers deep within Atlantean pyramids or underground fortfications. They are usually ten feet in diameter and at the center of a space that is at least twice the size of the circle. While most are obvious to all but the most unobservant, some may blend into the patterns of tiled floors with elaborate patterns.
   Only specially trained magical artisans in ancient Atlantis knew how to make these circles, and they used highly specialized tools and components to create them. It usually took thirty hours (spread over three days) to create a permanent circle, with a main artisan and his or her apprentice working steadily.
   Permanent circles are works of art. While their designs contain certain basic symbols and patterns needed to focus and channel, as well as the command word to activate the magic, each circle is adorned with lines of poetry, artful patterns, symbols representing various magical traditions, and whatever else  the creator of the circle might find beautiful, moving, and worth preserving and sharing with others. No two permanent circles are alike.
   Indviduals with knowledge of Atlantean magic systems or culture may take a full round action to examine the circle and make a Spellcraft skill check (DC12) to determine the phrase that activates the circle--which is usually the circle's destination. ("Posideon's Citadel", "Imperial Guard Head Quarters", "Beachhead", "Gardens of Olympus", "Immortal's Rest" and so on.)
   Permanent circles are always created at locations where ley lines intersect. There is no chance of failure unless the destination circle has been damaged or is at least partially buried. In such instances, the teleport circle doesn't function.
   Temporary Circles: Temporary teleportation circles may be created by any character who has the ability to cast 5th-level spells and has at least 7 ranks in Spellcraft. The creator must also have a stick of red or green chalk and a stick of charchoal that have been enchanted by an Atlantean Master of Conjuration.
   The creator of a temporary circle must either have a diagram to work from, or have memorized the diagram at some point in the past. (A character working from memory must make a Spellcraft skill check of DC17 to successfully). It takes 10 minutes minus the character's Dexterity bonus to draw the circle correctly. Just before it is completed, all characters who are to be transported must be within the circle, as well as the creator. Once the circle is complete--with the outer circumference being the last part to be finalized. The teleportation circle is then consumed in a flash of magical energy, and all within it are transported to the destination determined by the circle's design, leaving no trace behind except a faint aura of conjuration magic.
   Designs for temporary circles are always bare-bones and feature none of the artistry of the permament circles; they are strictly utilitarian. They usually take travelers to the same locations as the permanent circles--with the destinations built into the design and automatically triggered once the circle is completed--but they may also be tailored to pre-arranged locations where a temporary arrival circle has been made. For this to work, an arrival circle must be created.
   Creating a temporary arrival for a teleportation circle requires either a diagram of a destination circle, two hours of time, and a successul Spellcraft skill check of DC20; or extensive knowledge of Atlantean magic systems with an emphasis on Conjuration, five hours of time, and a succssful Spellcraft skill check of DC25. Like the temporary teleportation circles, the arrival circles are also one-and-done ritual circles--they are consumed by the magic that brings travelers to them.
   Circles going to temporary destinations have the same chance of going awry as regular teleport spells. A check is made seperately for each person being teleported, and they are based off how familiar the creator of the teleportation circle is with the location of the temporary destination circle.

Who Killed the Pothead?

Everywhere he went, the unmistakable smell of ganja wafted through the air. Everyone he met was greeted with a friendly (if extremely mellow), "Hey, dude!". No one could imagine life-long pothead Laurel Yannay having an enemy in the world... and yet, someone has murdered him!

Use the tables below to generate an outline for a murder mystery for the player characters in your RPG campaign to solve! (Click here to see all the Random Murder Mysteries I've posted!)

WHERE WAS HE FOUND? (Roll 1d12)

1. On his couch.

2. On the beach.

3. In the park.

4. In the church parking lot.

5. Behind the smoke shop.

6. In the marijuana field.

7. In the congresswoman's office.
8. In  his pot-plot, in his parents' backyard shed.
9. In his mom's basement.
10. On the steps of city hall.
11. In the alley by the mosque.

12. Roll twice on this table. He was killed at the first location, but his body was left at the second. If the same result comes up twice, he was killed where he was found. Ignore additional results of 8.

HOW WAS HE KILLED? (Roll 1d12)

1. Crushed to death.

2. Strangled.

3. Poisoned.

4. Suffocated with hundreds of jelly beans.

5. Stabbed 1d12.

6. Shot 1d6 times.

7. Beaten to death.
8. Skull crushed with a blunt object.
9. Broken neck.
10. Electrocuted.
11. Thoat slit.

12. Roll two more times on this table; he died from both methods. If the same result comes up twice, he was killed by a single method, but MAN was the killer thorough. Ignore additional results of 8.

WHO KILLED HIM? (Roll 1d12)

1. His dealer.

2. His mother.

3. His lover. (Roll 1d8. 1-6 female, 7-12 male.)
4. His ex-lover. (Roll 1d12. 1-6. female, 7-12 male.)

5. The stripper. (Roll 1d12. 1-6 female, 7-12 male.)

6. The professional assassin.

7. The anti-legalization activist.
8. The pro-legalization activist.

9. The congress woman.
10.The congress woman's husband.
11. The DEA agent.

12. Roll two more times on this table. The first result is the killer. The second result is a person who helped over up the murder. Roll on the DARK SECRET table to determine the motivation as to why they worked together to kill the pothead. Ignore and reroll additional results of 8.

WHY WAS HE KILLED? (Roll 1d12)

1. Hatred.

2. Jealousy.

3. Greed.
4. Revenge

5. Dispute over who had eaten all the Doritos chips.

6. Crazed fanaticism. (Roll 1d12. 1-6 pro-pot legalization, 7-12 anti-pot legalization.)

7. Because his parents were sick of him living in their basement and growing pot in their tool shed.

8. As a sacrifice to a demon-possessed bong.
9. It was a mistake. The killer thought he was someone else. That person will be murdered in 1d4 days if the heroes don't solve the case. (Roll on the WHO KILLED HIM table to determine who the next victim will be. Ignore and re-roll if you roll the killer again.)
10. One of the player characters is the true victim. Killing the pothead was just a way for the killer to draw that person to a killing ground of his or her choosing.
11. The killer is a maniac who believes the pothead was possessed by an evil spirit. He now believes the spirit is in one of the other people on the WHO KILLED HIM table. He will kill another victim every three days until the party stops him. Roll on the "Who Killed Him" table after each death to determine the new victim. If a victim, or the killer, ever repeats, the next target is one of the player characters.

12. To stop him from revealing the dark secret. (Roll on the WHAT IS THE DARK SECRET table?)

WHAT IS THE DARK SECRET? (Roll 1d12)

1. The pothead and the killer were having a secret love affair that he was going to reveal publicly.

2. The pothead was going to reveal that the killer is a Russian spy.

3. He had discovered a local dealer/store owner was lacing the pot with a highly addictive substance of mysterious origin.

4. He discovered a cult devoted to infusing bongs with evil spirits that would then possess users.

5. He was the illegitimate child of the killer, and he was going to reveal that fact to the world.

6. He was going to publicize the membership list of the secret society, Potheads for Trump.

7. He discovered the truth about the Eleven Herbs and Spices.

8. He had proof that Donald Trump's hair is an alien symbiote.
9. He had discovered a mixture of pot and 'shrooms that provided a non-addictive super high, and the killer wanted the rcipie to profit on by himself.
10. As 9, except the mixture of pot and 'shrooms is one that's been known to the Society of the Green Hand for thousands of years, and it allows for spirit travel to their secret meeting place. He had to silenced.
11. He was a police informant and the murderer thought he had dirt on him. (1-6 he did, 7-12 he did not.)
12. Roll two more times on this table. Both secrets apply. If you roll the same secret twice, roll again on the WHO KILLED HIM table. The indicated character also knew the secret and will be murdered in two days if the killer isn't unmasked. 

If you enjoyed this post, click here to see all the other Random Murder Mysteries!

And here's a song to help you get in the mood for the adventure...

Remains of Atlantis: The Codex of Doom (Part One)

This is the first of a pair of posts that tie into our Atlantis-rooted products, like Secrets of the Witchkind and Love Witch. The posts stand on their own, however.

THE CODEX OF DOOM: LETHAL LORE
The Codex of Doom is an ancient tome originally created by Atleantean sorcerers as an addition to Atlantis's magical arsenal. It was deemed too dangerous by the Triumpharate of Poseidon to be left in mortal hands, yet it was too imbued with too much magic to be destroyed. Instead, it was hidden away in a cavern, in a region on the far northern shores of Greenland that was then covered by a perpetual storm.
   The creators of the Codex and their allies were unhappy with their masterpiece being so consigned to oblivion, and they feared a day would come when their descendants would need the magic contained within it. They hid maps to the Codex's resting place throughout the Atlantis and its far-flung colonies. Several of those maps have survived to modern times, just waiting for those brave enough and power-hungry enough to retrieve the Codex of Doom.
   The maps mark two locations on what appears to be a highly stylized map of the Earth with different coastlines on some continents and a large island in the Atlantic Ocean where none exists today--Atlantis.
   The first location is that of the Cave of the Codex, where the Codex of Doom has been placed. The second is quite literally at the the other end of the world, as it shows a location on the South Pole where something called the Time Cube can be found. Notations on the maps indicate the Time Cube will transport the person holding it to one of six locations, one of which is the Cave of the Codex.

GETTING TO THE CAVE OF THE CODEX
The Codex is in a cave, located at the end of a fjord between Cape Morris Jessup and North Station. It can be reached by rappelling down a steep cliff-face from the landward side, or sailing int the fjord from the ocean side, and taking the last of the trip. But there's the magical storm to deal with.
   Unless there's already bad weather in the area, the area seems safe to approach, but once the characters are within two miles of the cave, a violent ice storm suddenly forms around them. Within moments, the temperature drops to lethal sub-zero levels and the water in the fjord turns to solid ice almost instantaneously, trapping any ships. Even the mightiest of ice breakers will find itself flash-frozen in the fjord. Eventually, the ice will crush any ships so trapped and cause them to sink to the bottom.
   Characters exposed to the storm suffer 1d4+1 points of cold damage per round (Fort save for half, round up) until they find shelter. The only natural shelter in the area is the Cave of the Codex). Magical protection from cold negates the damage.
   Visibility in the storm is reduced to near-Zero. Characters that aren't tethered to each other must roll Survival skill checks (DC19) to not be separated from each other. Survival skill checks (DC15) are also necessary to continue in the right direction to reach the cave. Attempts to climb down the cliff-face to the cave require the appropriate gear as well as Climb skill checks (DC15).

THE CAVE OF THE CODEX
The mouth of the cave is ten feet wide and seven feet high, and it provides shelter from the raging ice storm. It narrows to a natural tunnel that is roughly six feet wide and six feet high. This tunnel winds its way in total darkness,sloping slightly downward until is opens into a round, obviously carved cave that's 13 feet in circumferance with a dome-shaped ceiling that's 13 feet from the floor at its highest point. The floor, walls, and celling are At the center of the cave, a massive, closed tome rests on a reading stand that is fixed to the cave floor--appearing as if it was carved from the rock itself when the cave was formed. The book is the Codex of Doom.
   As soon as the first character enters the cave, they trigger the guardians, who have remained dormant under the snow on the shore outside. These guardians, the frozen and cursed corpses of those who have previously tried and failed to acquire the Codex, come shuffling down the tunnel, intent on adding the party to their number. Use ghoul stats, but all damage inflicted is cold-based, including the paralysis. There are two guardians per party member.

Guardians of the Codex [Ghouls] (OGL Content)

There will be details on the Codex of Doom itself and the Time Cube in "The Codex of Doom (Part Two)", coming soon to this blog! In the meantime, here's the song that inspired this post (and the one to follow.)



Open Game Content: The Guardians of the Codex are Open Game Content and may be reproduced in accordance with the Open Game License. The rest of this post is defined as Product Identity. Copyright 2018 Steve Miller. Special Thanks to Alestorm for the inspiration. (And, yeah, we know where their inspiration for the song came from. I will echo that in the next post, but am also going in a different direction.)

Who Killed the Clown?

They say "Everybody loves a clown." Well, someone didn't love HoHo the Clown, because she's been murdered. Can the player characters unravel the mystery surrounding HoHo's death and catch the killer?

HoHo the Clown in Happier Times
(like the ones before she was murdered)

WHO KILLED THE CLOWN?
Roll 1d12 against the tables below to randomly generate a murder mystery adventure outline for your campaign.

WHERE WAS SHE FOUND?
  1. In a crate of uninflated balloons.
  2. Stuffed into a clown car.
  3. Inside the illusionist's "vanishing lady" trick box.
  4. On the playground.
  5. In the mailroom of a high-rise building of luxery condos.
  6. At home, in her bedroom.
  7. At home, in her shower.
  8. In the sauna at the health club.
  9. In the alley behind a seedy nightclub
 10. In the cemetery.
 11. On the beach.
 12. In the pool at the bank president's home.

HOW WAS SHE KILLED?
  1. Hanged.
  2. Stabbed.
  3. Choked by a balloon animal forced down her throat.
  4. Garrotted.
  5. Suffocated.
  6. Strangled.
  7. Multiple blows to the head.
  8. One blow to the head.
  9. Shot once through the back of the head.
 10. Shot once in the chest.
 11. Shot 1d4+1 times.
 12. Drowned. (Roll an additional 1d12 to see what kind of water she drowned in. 1-3. Chlorinated Water, 4-6. Salt Water. 7-9. Soapy Bathwater, 10-12. Fresh Water.)

WHO KILLED HER? (This is also a list of suspects.)
  1. The Retired Clown.
  2. The Up-and-Coming Clown.
  3. The Illusionist (for whom she had once been an assistant).
  4. Her Male Lover. (Roll an additional 1d12. 1-6 it’s her ex-lover.)
  5. Her Female Lover. (Roll an additional 1d12. 1-6 it’s her ex-lover.)
  6. Her Estranged Relative (Roll an additional 1d12 to determine which relative; she was estranged from her entire family. 1-2. Father, 3-4. Mother, 5-6. Brother, 7-8. Sister, 9-10. Uncle, 11-12. Aunt.)
  7. Her College Drama Instructor.
  8. The Bank President.
  9. The Television Producer.
 10. The Human Trafficker.
 11. The Baptist Minister.
 12. Killjoy the Demon Clown.


WHY WAS SHE KILLED?
  1. So she couldn’t reveal a dark secret to the world. (Roll on WHAT IS THE DARK SECRET table.)
  2. To protect the killer’s dark secret. (Roll on WHAT IS THE DARK SECRET table.)
  3. To protect a secret organization.
  4. Shame.
  5. Jealousy.
  6. Revenge.
  7. Hatred.
  8. Lust.
  9. To stop her plan to open a clown-themed strip club.
 10. As a sacrifice to Killjoy the Demon Clown.
 11. It was an accident. The killer and the clown were engaged in a weird sex game that went horribly wrong. (Roll an additional 1d12 to determine the identity of the killer. 1-3 the Up-and-Coming Clown; 4-6 her Male Lover; 7-9 her Female Lover, 10-12. the Baptist Minister. The person originally indicated as the killer helped move the body--if the location and the method by which HoHo was killed don't line up--or otherwise helped cover up and serve as the killer's alibi. If the person she was having sex with is the same person as indicated here, the killer acted alone.)
 12. Roll again on this table. Both reasons apply for why she was killed. Ignore repeated results.


WHAT IS THE DARK SECRET?
  1. She had discovered that several of her fellow clowns were part of cult dedicated to Killjoy the Demon Clown. Roll on WHO KILLED HER to determine who is the cult's leader. If it’s a different person than the killer, both characters are involved with the cult, but the leader might not know who the murderer is, or even why HoHo was killed.
  2. HoHo was part of a cult that worshipped Killjoy the Demon Clown. She was killled to prevent her from performing the ritual that would make her displace Batty Boop in the Demon Clown Ranks.
  3. A terrorist and kidnapping-for-ransom cell is using party clowns to identify targets, and HoHo discovered this. Roll on WHO KILLED HER to determine who is in charge of this evil enterprise. If it’s a different person than the killer, both characters are involved, but the leader might not know who the murderer is or why HoHo was killed.
  4. She uncovered a plot to drive clowns insane using poisoned greasepaint. Roll on WHO KILLED HER to determine who is in charge of this evil enterprise. If it’s a different person than the killer, both characters are involved in the ring, but the leader might not know who the murderer is.
  5. The Human Trafficker is using circuses to transport victims, and HoHo was killed to stop her from revealing the enterprise. Roll on WHO KILLED HER to determine who is in charge of this evil enterprise. If it’s a different person than the killer, both characters are involved, but the leader might not know who the murderer is or why HoHo was killed.
  6. The Baptist Minister has a homosexual clown fetish, and HoHo was killed to put an end to her blackmailing him. The killer identified on the WHO KILLED HER table committed the murder on behalf of the Baptist Minister--with his full knowledge.
  7. The Bank President raped her as a teenager and she was going to go public. The killer identified on the WHO KILLED HER table committed the murder on behalf of the Bank President--with his full knowledge.
  8. She was going to reveal the Illusionists secrets on a TV special. The killer identified on the WHO KILLED HER table committed the murder on behalf of the Illusionist--with his full knowledge. If the killer is the TV Producer, HoHo was killed because she backed out of revealing the Illusionist's secrets.
 10. She found the long lost wreck of a Spanish galleon while skindiving in the Carribean. The killer murdered her to keep the entire treasure .
11. Her 1-4 Estranged Mother, 5-8 Male Lover, 9-12 College Drama Instructor is a Russian assassin, and his or her secret had to be protected.
 12. Roll twice on this table. The two results are intertwined in one monstrous conspiracy. Ignore repeated results and roll again.


--
This random murder mystery contains completely and totally unauthorized references to Full Moon's demonic clown characters from the Killjoy movie series. My apologies to Full Moon and Charles Band if they take offense. (Click here to read more about the films featuring Killjoy, Batty Boop, and the rest of the demonic clown gang at the Charles Band Collection.)

Now available: 'Tricks of the Mind' for d20 Modern

We've just released our latest supplement for the d20 System--Tricks of the Mind. It lets you add psychic powers (both real and fake) to your games that use feats and talents without needing to layer additional systems onto the game, like psionic points or keeping track of how many spells of which level per level. Click to get a copy, or see previews, at DriveThruRPG or RPGNow.

Cover art from Tricks of the Mind by Jack Kirby.

Since we like to do added value to our promo posts, here's a new starting occupation, for any all-new psychics you want to create! (The rest of this post is presented under the Open Game License. Copyright 2018 Steve Miller.)


STARTING PROFESSION: PSYCHIC
You either have a supernatural gift, or you have a talet for flim-flam. You may have been prepared for life as a professiona psychic from an early age, or it's a life you stumbled into. Either way, you were good at it--good at seeing people's inner needs and helping them through their problems... or maybe just helping seperate them from their money.
   Prerequisite: Age 18+
   Skills: Choose two of the following skills as a permanent class skill. If a skill the character selects is already a class skill, he or she receives a +1 competence bonus on checks using that skill. Bluff, Concentrate, Knowledge (Arcane Lore), Knowledge (Mysticism), Move Silently, Perform (Acting), Search, Sense Motive, Sleight of Hand, Spot.
   Feats*: Select one of the following feats to receive as a bonus feat. The character must meet any prerequisites. Dream Viewer, Empathy, Foresight, Informant Network, Shameless.
   *All feats listed are contained in Tricks of the Mind, but may also have appeared (possibly in a different form) on this blog or in other NUELOW Games releases.

Who Killed the Gun Rights Activist?

It was the night of the big debate between anti-gun and pro-gun activists... but when showtime arrived, one podium was empty on the stage.
   "They're scared to face us," the debater who was present crowed, "because they know they don't have any real argument to support their extreme positions!"
   But it wasn't fear that had kept him away; it was death. Hours later, he was found murdered. And it's up to the player characters to solve the mystery of Who Killed the Gun Rights Activist!

WHO KILLED THE GUN RIGHTS ACTIVIST?
To randomly generate the outline of a mystery adventure, roll 1d12 against the each of the following tables.

WHERE WAS HE FOUND?
1. In the park, near the sight of a major protest.
2. In the parking lot.
3. In the men’s room.
4. In his office.
5. In his living room.
6. In his bedroom.
7. In a room at a seedy motel.
8. In the VIP lounge in the Blue Oyster Nightclub.
9. Outside a gun store.
10. At a gun range.
11. Outside the headquarters of an anti-gun group.
12. Roll Twice on this table. First result is where the body was found. Second result is where he was actually killed.

HOW WAS HE KILLED?
1. Poisoned.
2. Stabbed 1d12 times.
3. Shot 1d12 times.
4. Shot through the back of the head, execution style.
5. Bashed in the head 1d12 times.
6. Garrotted.
7. Hanged.
8. Electrocuted.
9. Suffocated.
10. Decapitated.
11. Beaten to death.
12. Roll twice on the table. He was killed by a combination of the indicated methods.

WHO KILLED HIM? (This is the list of suspects; the killer is among them.)
1. The Second Amendment Extremist (1-6 In Favor, 7-12 Against).
2. The Lobbyist.
3. The State Senator.
4. The Grieving Parent. (1-6 Dad, 7-12 Mom).
5. His Wife.
6. His Teenaged Daughter.
7. His Teenaged Son.
8. His Mistress (1-6 Current, 7-12 Former).
9. The Angry Protest Leader.
10. The Cult Leader.
11. The Prostitute.
12. Roll twice on the table. The two results worked together to commit the murder, and they serve as each other’s alibis. If you roll a duplicated result, roll again. Instead of working together, the first result is framing the second result for the murder.

WHY WAS HE KILLED?
1. Revenge.
2. Hatred.
3. Crazed Fanaticism (1-6 Pro-Gun Rights, 7-12 Anti-Gun Rights).
4. Jealousy.
5. To cover up a conspiracy to cause more gun violence.
6. Because he was about to switch sides in the gun debate.
7. Because he wouldn’t switch sides in the gun debate.
8. To keep the killer’s dark secret (Roll on the WHAT IS THE DARK SECRET? table.)
9. To keep him from revealing a dark secret (Roll on the WHAT IS THE DARK SECRET? table.)
10. To inflame tensions between Pro- and Anti-Gun Rights factions.
11. To stop him from revealing a dark secret held by a suspect other than the killer, but which the killer felt needed to be protected nonetheless. Roll on the WHO KILLED HIM TABLE?, and then the WHAT IS THE DARK SECRET? Table, to determine who has the secret and what it is.)
12. Roll twice on this table. He was killed for both reasons indicated. If a duplicate result is rolled, roll on the WHAT IS THE DARK SECRET? table. The indicated secret is why he was killed.

WHAT IS THE DARK SECRET?
1. He (or another indicated character) is the leader of a death cult who wants to generate as much gun violence as possible, thus making the Dark Blood God happy.
2. An agent for a foreign nation whose mission it is to disrupt the American democracy needed to have his or her cover preserved.
3. Thousands of faulty guns are about to be intentionally released into the market, and many gun enthusiasts will be hurt or killed and a company will be bankrupted due to internal sabotage.
4. Aliens hide among us, and they are sowing discord and madness, trying to make humanity self-destruct.
5. The State Senator murdered a prostitute ten years ago. (If another character is indicated as knowing this secret and is the murderer, the Gun Rights Activist was killed either to protect a blackmail scheme, or because the murderer and the character with the secret are working together.)
6. The Lobbiest murdered his wife five years ago and made it look like an accidental shooting. (If another character is indicated as knowing this secret and is the murderer, the Gun Rights Activist was killed either to protect a blackmail scheme, or because the murderer and the character with the secret are working together.)
7. The Wife murdered her romantic rival for the Gun Rights Activist when they were in college.
8. The Pro- and Anti-Gun movements are being funded from the same source who hopes to use the tensions to get the State Senator reelected.
9. One of the Gun Rights Activist’s children (1-6 Daughter, 7-12 Son) was actually stillborn but was swapped with another infant at birth. The other mother killed herself in a fit of depression.
10. Devil worshippers are deploying Soul Traps around schools and preparing mass-shootings so they can capture young souls for Satan.
11. The Angry Protest Leader is the Gun Rights Activist illegitimate son (or daughter).
12. The Gun Rights Activist was blackmailing all the suspects except his wife and children, and the murderer killed him to take over his “portfolio.”