Available Now: "Film Fun Comics Vol. 1"!

Click here to see previews or to get a copy of Film Fun Comics Vol. 1: Stuntman!

We've enjoyed some success with our ROLF!-based superhero releases, and we were happy with the sales on our first excursion into comics with "ROLF!: Turkey Shoot." Plus, we here at NUELOW Games like both comic books and classic superhero adventures, so we're upping the ante with a new series of books -- Film Fun Comics!

Each entry in this new series (which is projected to run at least 4 pdf-format e-books) will collect some great Golden Age comics set against the backdrop of the Golden Age of Hollywood... with actors and actresses putting on fighting togs to take on the criminal underworld!

Here's the cover image for Film Fun Comics, Vol. 1: Stuntman. It will contain four of Stuntman's greatest cases and a ROLF! battle scenario, along with several pre-generated characters. The Stuntman comics were all written and drawn by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, and they were selected from the pages of vintage issues of All-New Comics, Black Cat, The Green Hornet Fights Crime, and Thrills of Tomorrow.

By way of further preview, here are the ROLF! game stats for Stuntman and his supporting cast. Other characters and an all-new Trait will also be featured in the book.

DON DARING (Male)

Brawn 15; Body 18; Brains 4
Traits: Irrepressible Optimist, So Very British
Combat Maneuvers: Basic Attack, Seduce, Strike Pose, Withering Insult
Important Stuff Wielded/Worn: Notebook (Melee OR One-shot Ranged Weapon. Deals 1 point of damage). Expensive Suit, Deer-stalker Hat.

SANDRA SYLVAN (Female)
Brawn: 14; Body 19; Brains 6
   Traits: Busty, Improv Master, Nimble
   Combat Maneuvers: Basic Attack, Disarm, Dodge, Seduce, Strike Pose, The Look
   Important Stuff Wielded/Worn: Fashionable Clothes.

STUNTMAN (aka Fred Drake, Male)
Brawn 28 (includes +1 Hat bonus), Body 18, Brains 8
   Traits: Honorable, Nimble
   Combat Maneuver: Backflip, Basic Attack, Dodge, Human Cannonball, Knock Out, Murderous Mitts, Signature Move
   Important Stuff Wielded/Worn: Superhero Outfit (Armor, absorbs up to 2 points of damage), Stuntman Mask (Hat, +1 to Brawn when worn).

To save the future, they must fight in the past....

NUELOW Games celebrates the 40th anniversary of Peter Fonda's landmark sci-fi film about time-traveling without wearing pants, Idaho Transfer, with the release of our own pants-less time-travel epic for ROLF! -- Rise of the Trouser Snakes 2: Whacking Weiner.

ROLF!: Rise of the Trouser Snakes 2 is a stand-alone sequel to our cyberpunk spoof that pitted rebels in a dark future against teh corrupt forces of the plutocratic One World Government. Now, the brave members of the Trouser Snakes must travel into the past to stop the Time Killer from assassinating US politician and creepy sexter Anthony Weiner and altering the course of history. Like the great Idaho Transfer, it's got intrepid young people with no pants traveling through time to secure a better tomorrow! We're sure Fonda would approve... if he knew we existed.

Rise of the Trouser Snakes 2; Whacking Weiner presents five pregenerated characters--including Anthony Weiner ala ROLF!--several Traits and Combat Maneuvers not found in the core rulebook, and two linked battle scenaros. Click here to see previews at RPGNow and to download your own copy.

If you missed the original Rise of the Trouser Snakes, click here to check it out. You might also be interested in Anthony Weiner's first ROLF! appearance, which saw him in pitched battle with a former president of the United States in Bill Clinton and the Secret City of Women.

Features the debut of the Trouser Snakes

Features Anthony Weiner's ROLF! debut.

Help NUELOW Games donate to Oklahoma disaster relief

NUELOW Games's editor L.L. Hundal was greatly saddened by the devastation visited upon Oklahoma this week when the unstoppable forces of Nature tore through communities there. She prompted me to design a ROLF! scenario expressly intended to raise some funds to donate to the relief efforts.

The result was ROLF!: The Tornado vs. Steve Costigan. It is available for sale now, and I urge everyone who plays ROLF! to get a copy. All of NUELOW Games's proceeds from sales on this booklet through the end of September 2013 will be donated to Feed the Children's tornado relief fund. Click here to see previews and to get a copy of your own.

The Tornado vs. Steve Costigan is also one 11 items that are included in a bundle of products we've collected and discounted as part of this fund-raising effort.

If you've never checked out ROLF!, or if you've never bothered to see why I hold Robert E. Howard's humor stories in higher regard than his famous Conan and Solomon Kane tales, now is your chance to discover both at a 45% discount on the total price of the individual items. All proceeds of sales on this bundle will be donated to Feed the Children's Oklahoma tornado relief, and it will be available through at least June 1. If it proves to be a successful fund-raising tool, I'll extend its shelf-life.

When Howard Met ROLF! includes the following products:

Fists of Foolishness -- The first ten stories about sea-faring boxing champ Steve Costigan--a man with fists of steel, a heart of gold, and a head of wood. This book also includes the complete ROLF!-powered roleplaying game The Violent Worlds of Robert E. Howard. Fiction by Robert E. Howard (with one story featuring revisions by Steve Miller), game design by Steve Miller and L/L. Hundal.

Shanghaied Mitts -- Eleven more tales of the boxing exploits and misadventures of Steve Costigan. Includes a game adventure that can be played solo or used with The Violent Worlds of Robert E. Howard or ROLF!. Fiction by Howard (with one story featuring revisions by Miller), game design by Miller.

The Sheik: A Literary (?) Spoof and Battle Scenario: An Arab prince bites off more than he can chew in this spoof of cheesy bodice rippers. Features one of Howard's earliest publications. Fiction by Howard, game design by Hundal.

Bathtime at Bear Creek: Breckenridge Elkins takes a bath once a year whether he needs it or not... but this year's bathtime is interrupted by the nefarious Black Phantom Gang. Includes the very first story featuring Howard's dimwitted cowboy hero, and an additiional little story plus game scenario where he crosses paths with Frank Bolle's Black Phantom. Fiction by Howard and Miller, game design by Miller.

Hammerin' Tongs: Steve Costigan teams crosses paths with Steve Harrison, Howard's hardboiled detective with a habit of catching horrific cases. Game design by Miller.

Cap'n Jack on the Isle of Pirate's Doom: Three Cap'n Jacks join forces with Howard's Caribbean Pirate Queen Helen Taverel in a fight for survival against ninjas and the mysterious Mustache. Game design by Miller

Conan vs. Conan: A joke-slinging late-night talk show host meets a sword-swinging barbarian--will the mouth prove mightier than the sword? Game design by Miller & Hundal.

Pirates vs. Fairies: Howard's legendary pirate Black Vulmea meets the NUELOW Fairies. Game design by Miller & Hundal.

R.L. McSterlingthong and Nikola Tesla vs. the Daughter of Skull-Face: Partly inspired by Howard's "Yellow Meance" character. Fiction by Miller, game design by Miller and Lisa Harding

The Tornado vs. Steve Costigan: The sea-faring boxing champ makes landfall to save a friend's farm by winning a prize fight against Tornado Thommerson... but things don't go quite as planned. Fiction and game design by Miller.

In addition to all of that, we're also donating proceeds on sales on a bundle of our best-selling Oriental Stories anthologies to Feed the Children's tornado relief effort through June 1. Click here for details on the four books featured, and to contribute to a good cause.

Alfred's Scepters--for three different game systems

I am finishing up the latest for NUELOW Games... a little product which will be our first straight-up fantasty-themed d20 System release. (Well, sort of... the artifacts in question were inspired by the real-world 9th century King of Wessex, Alfred the Great.)

By way of a preview, here's Alfred's Scepters... with stats for OGL d20, OpenD6, and ROLF! (Everything here is released under the Open Gaming License, except the paragraph starting "ROLF! System Rules" although if someone is really interested in ROLF! OGL, I will make an SRD and work up a license. :) )

Alfred, King of Wessex

Alfred's Scepters
Two feet in length Afred's Scepters are a matched set of gilded wooded rods crowned with highly stylized, floriated gold Celtic crosses covered in a delicate web-like pattern of silver. The head-pieces can be removed from the wooden rods by simply twisting them off; this does not disrupt the magic inherent in these artifacts, as it resides in the gold crosses.
   When subjected to spells that reveal enchantments, the scepters radiate mild divination magic.

D6 System Rules
When separated, one of Alfred's Scepters grants the character holding it a +1 enchantment bonus to Strength checks to avoid damage. However, the real power of this two-part artifact are revealed when the same character is wielding both of them--one in each hand. To gain the full benefit of Alfred's Scepters, the character cannot be wielding any other weapons.
   When both scepters are used at the same time, the character still gains the +1 enchantment bonus to Strength checks, but gains limited precognative abilities that means he or she gains automatic initiative in any round that he or she is attacked. Essentially, when wielding Alfred's Scepters, the character cannot be taken by surprise. Additionally, he or she gains a +2 bonus to all Diplomacy skill checks and Sense Motive skill checks.
   When out-of-doors, characters wielding both of Alfred's Scepters may, as a full round action, commune with trees and other plant-life to discover what Intelligent beings hostile to the user or his or her subjects, allies, and loved ones, have most recently (within the past month) passed nearby. The level of success and detail of the information gained depends on a Perception roll against the follow target numbers:

Target Number    Result
1-4                      Whether someone has passed.
5-8                      Roughly how many creatures have passed
9-12                    Exactly how many have passed, what race/nationality
13-17                  Same as above, the exact day they passed, name of leader
18+                     Same as above, where they were traveling to.

D20 System Rules
When separated, one of Alfred Scepter's grants the character holding it a +2 enchantment bonus to Armor Class or Defense Rating. However, the real power of this two-part artifact are revealed when the same character is wielding both of them--one in each hand. To gain the full benefit of Alfred's Scepters, the character cannot be wielding any other weapons.
   When both scepters are used at the same time, the character still gains the +2 enchantment bonus to AC/DR, but also cannot be surprised by an attacker and never suffers any penalties from being flat-footed or flanked. Additionally, he or she gains a +4 bonus to all Diplomacy skill checks and Sense Motive skill checks.
   When out of doors, characters wielding both of Alfred's Scepters may, as a full round action, commune with trees and other plant-life to discover what Intelligent beings hostile to the user or his or her subjects, allies, and loved ones, have most recently (within the past month) passed nearby. The level of success and detail of the information gained depends on a Wisdom check against the following DCs:

Wis Check DC    Result
1-7                        Whether someone has passed.
8-10                      Roughly how many creatures have passed
11-15                    Exactly how many have passed, what race/nationality
16-20                    Same as above, the exact day they passed, name of leader
21+                       Same as above, where they were traveling to.


ROLF! System Rules
Alfred's Scepters are small items. They are melee weapons that deal 2 points of damage each, although the character can only strike with one each action. While wielding them--carrying one in each hand--all damage suffered is reduced by 2 after Armor has been subtracted (to a minimum of 0). If the character loses one, through a successful Disarm from an enemy, the reduction is lowered to 1 point

Bring a taste of terror to your OGL d20 campaigns

The latest in NUELOW Games's Modern Basics series presents revised bits and pieces that originally appeared on this very blog, and adds a pair of all-new talent trees and a dozen or so additional brand new feats--all of them being perfect Tools of Terror and Blood.

Modern Basics: Tools of Terror and Blood was designed by Steve Miller-- contributor to the classic Ravneloft gothic horror game setting--with help from NUELOW Games regular contributors L.L. Hundal and Dave Mendez. It presents OGL game mechanics to bring elements of slasher films and supernatural thrillers to your gaming table by injecting standards of those genres straight into core of the characters through feats and talent trees.

Although designed primarily with the OGL Modern system in mind. Modern Basics: Tools of Terror and Blood is easily adaptable to other d20-based systems, and it should prove a valuable asset to any GM and players who have wished their favorite game would include the means to more effectively mirror their favorite genre.

Modern Basics: Tools of Terror and Blood is available for purchase and download from RPGNow and DriveThruRPG. Click here to see previews or get your very own copy for less than a dollar.

Is it a sign the global economy is strengthening?

This spam comment showed up on the "waiting for approval" list today here at the NUELOW Games blog:

Unravel the history regarding rubber production over Kerala on rubberized plantation tours. Kinds of exotic plantations allow for an fantastic retreat in Kerala. Stop by my page :: imprezy integracyjne

While I'm sure a tour of rubberized plantations of Kerala are absolutely fascinating--even more so if one visits them as part of a trip conducted by a Polish company--I don't see what that has to do with "Sinbad and the Seven Golden Skeletons" or ROLF!: The Rollplaying Game of Big Dumb Fighters.

When even spammers can't find good help, it probably means the global economy is picking up. I say everyone should celebrate by buying some NUELOW Games products!

(In all seriousness, I think someone just doesn't know how to properly filter an image-based search result.)

All this, however, gives me a perfect excuse to dust off a couple old-time NUELOW OGL d20 feats and bring them into the 21st century with some minor revisions. The rest of this post (save the illo) is Open Gaming Content published under this license.

Craptacular [General, Dedicated Hero, Hardcore Activist] (By Steve Miller & Dave Mendez)
The character is of mediocre, or even limited, talent and skill in his or her chosen field, but excels at self-promotion and convincing others how great he or she is. Sometimes, fans and fellow professionals can't see through the ruse, but mostly the end result reveals the person's true colors.
   Prerequisite: 3 ranks in Bluff
   Benefit: The character receives a +4 bonus to all Bluff nd Diplomacy checks.
   Special: The character suffers a -1 penalty to all class skill checks, and a -2 penalty to all cross-class skill checks. These penalties do not apply to Bluff and Diplomacy checks.

Spammer [General] (By Steve Miller)
This feat allows you to vomit forth off-topic drivel to the first 100,000 blogs and forums you can think of, or a search engine can find. 

   Prerequisite: You must be a moron; Maximum INT 6, Maximum WIS 8.
   Benefit: The character receives +4 to Computer Use skill checks. He or she is also able to win over huge amounts of business from any blog or forum who willingly accepts the posts with open arms--especially if the character can't spell and has the grammatical powers of a chipmunk.

This Just In: Kate Moss Poses Nude!

A recent headline that came across my news-feed read "Kate Moss Poses Nude!" (The article was a blurb about an article about a photo-spread for a suntan product she uses and models for, which you can read here.)

My first thought was "That's note-worthy? Is it the first time this year or something?"--because it seems that Moss has a habit of posing in less rather than more clothing... and her posing nude isn't exactly something she has done before, many times.

My second thought was "Kate Moss Poses Nude" would be great title for another ROLF! match-up of Bill Clinton and Anthony Weiner."

Ultimately, we decided that we didn't have quite strong enough a hook for a product... but there may be a sequel to "ROLF!: Supermodel Slapfest" percolating. In the meantime, here are stats for Kate Moss if you want to cook up a Battle Scenario of some sort featuring her. (And if you do, please send it to us. :) )

Kate Moss (Female)
Brawn 13, Body 15, Brain 7
  Traits: Improv Master, Nimble, So Very British
  Combat Maneuvers: Basic Attack, Dodge, Double Strike, Seduce, Strike Pose, The Walk, Withering Insult
  Important Stuff Worn/Wielded: Nothing of note, as birthday suits don't have pockets.

A new mini RPG -- You vs. Me!

The latest release from NUELOW Games is You vs. Me. In this stand-alone game designed for two players, you and a friend make characters based on each other, swap them, and then do battle.

It's a quirky game that shares its core system with NUELOW Games's flagship ROLF! game, and it's a great way to pass the time with a close friend between convention games or during a regular game session where you're left at the table while the GM is away with another player for a Serious and Secret Roleplaying Encounter. Characters can be made in five or minutes... and fights usually don't take much longer.

L.L. Hundal posted slightly expanded design notes for the game as part of the "A to Z April Blogging Challenge" last month, filling the requirement for the letter Y. This final version was designed by Steve Miller & L.L. Hundal, co-creators of ROLF! and the lunatics behind NUELOW Games. Miller is a long-time veteran of the game industry whose credits include work for Wizards of the Coast, White Wolf, West End Games, TSR, and others. Hundal has always been smart enough to hold down a real job and just do games for fun and otherwise leads life as a Woman of International Mystery.

You vs. Me is a self-contained mini RPG that includes everything you need to play except for a couple of pencils, four six-sided dice, and a friend. It is available for download from RPGNow for a mere $1.50.

Sinbad and the Seven Golden Skeletons: A ROLF! Battle Scenario

I was saddened to hear about Ray Harryhausen's passing today. Many of the movies he produced and/or did stop-action animation for are ranked among my favorite films ever. It's not much a tribute to his great work, but here is a little ROLF! Battle Scenario that 'borrows" the famous Harryhausen skeletons (which I so loved in "The 7th Voyage of Sinbad" and "Jason and the Argonauts"), Sinbad and Margiana from "The Golden Voyage of Sinbad" (portrayed by John Philip Law and Caroline Munro, who probably jump-puberty for a number of people reading this, or that of their parents).

You will need a copy of ROLF!: Old Skool or ROLF!: The Rollplaying Game to play this scenario (as well as a friend). A copy of the free Something About Hats might also be useful, as would The Mummy's Tune supplement.

SINBAD AND THE SEVEN GOLDEN SKELETONS

A ROLF! Battle Scenario for 2 - 3 Players

By Steve Miller

Getting Ready to Play

If two gamers are playig this battle scenario, then one controls Sinbad and Margianna and the other the skeletons. If three gamers are playing, then one gamer each controls Sidbad, Margianna, and the skeletons.

   Another option for a two-player game could be to remove Margianna from play and reduce the number of skeletons to four.

Background

On a beautiful Wednesday afternoon, sometime early in the 8th century A.D., the pirate captain Sinbad and his lovely sidekick Margianna make landfall on a lush island. They are here to check out a cave containing a legendary treasure hoard, and to then have a nice a picnic lunch.

They easily locate the cave... and the treasure within seems likewise easy to access, as it's just scattered about the cave floor or overflowing open chests. The partially decayed, dismembered corpses scattered about are sure evidence that this treasure is indeed not as easily accessible as it seems.

The adventurers move warily forward, but as they do, seven gold-coated skeletons that seemed to be no more than macabre wall decorations, come to life. The gold coating flakes from their bones as they move jerkily toward Sinbad and Margiana.

The Battle

There are a total of seven skeletons--hence the title of the scenario. In the first round, two skeletons attack Sinbad and one attacks Margianna. When the first skeleton on each of the heroes is defeated, two more rush forward to take its place. The fight continues until all the skeletons or Sinbad and Margianna are defeated.

Pre-Generated Characters

Here are the characters featured in "Sinbad and the Seven Golden Skeletons."

Skeletons (Undead)

Brawn 12, Body 3, Brains 3

Traits: Dead

Combat Maneuvers: Bitch Slap, Disarm, Double Strike

Important Stuff Word/Wielded: Sword (Medium Melee Weapon. Deals 3 points of damage).

Sinbad the Sailor (Male)

Brawn 27 (includes +1 Hat Bonus), Body 17, Brains 7

Traits: Honorable, Nimble, Too Sexy for My Shirt

Combat Maneuvers: Basic Attack, Disarm, Dodge, Disembowel, Double Strike, Murderous Mitts, Strike Pose

Important Stuff Worn/Wielded: Turban (Hat. +1 to Brawn while worn). Sword (Medium Melee Weapon,deals 3 points of damage,

Margiana (Female)

Brawn 22, Body 18, Brains 6

Traits: Improv Master, Nimble

Comb:at Maneuvers Basic Attack, Dance Move, Dodge, Seduce, Strike Pose, The Look

Important Stuff Worn/Wielded: Kris Dagger (Small Melee Weapon, deals 2 points of damage).

It's a one-day only sale at NUELOW Games!

The entire NUELOW Games line-up is on sale for 33-44 percent off! Through 23:59 Pacific Time on May 7 only! Click here!

In celebration of my birthday (today, May 7), all NUELOW Games products are 33 to 44 percent off their usual price! (A few of the fiction anthologies are discounted less steeply than everything else.)

If you've ever been curious about ROLF! or one of our Robert E. Howard e-books, now is a great chance to check them out at even lower than our usually low prices!

Treat yourself, and give me the gift the of royalties as you do so! And let me know what you think of the products you get!

Z is for Zenobia

And we finish A to Z April BARELY under the wire, with moments to spare, here on the West Coast of the United States! We ran behind for the second half of the month, but we made it! It's not much of a triumph, but one must take victories where one can find them.

Here at the end, we present a character for use in ROLF! games, either set in ancient times or using John Kendirck Bangs' Houseboat on the River Styx setting.It's the ROLF! version of Zenobia, one of L.L. Hundal's favorite historical figures. She's been bugging me to put her in an Battle Scenario, to which I've always responded, "do it yourself."

Now that Zenobia has stats, maybe Ms. Hundal will be inspired. Perhaps she could even bring back another of her favorite historical figures, Amelia Earhart, had have them team up to do battle against evil.

Zenobia (Female)
Brawn 28 (includes +1 Hat bonus), Body 16, Brains 8
   Traits: Busty, Nimble
   Combat Maneuvers: Basic Attack, Castrate, Disarm, Debate Philosophy, Disembowel, Dodge, Seduce, Strike Pose
   Important Items Worn/Wielded: Egyptian-style Bikini Armor (barely covers nakedness, absorbs 2 points of damage). Imperial Crown (Hat, gives +1 Brawn bonus when worn). Sword (Medium Melee Weapon, deals 3 points of damage).

Or if one of you out there has a great idea for a Battle Scenario featuring Zenobia, feel free to share it with us. We may put it in a product and you will be able to say that you're a published game designer!

Y is for You vs. Me: The Rollplaying Game

As the second-to-last post in the A to Z Blogging Challenge, we represent a ROLF! variant by L.L. Hundal.

YOU vs. ME: A ROLLPLAYING GAME POWERED BY ROLF!

Designed by L.L. Hundal * Edited by Steve Miller

Copyright Steve Miller 2013. All Rights Reserved.

About This Game

You vs. Me is a quick-playing game for two players. They each make a character based on the other player, trade them with each other, and then have the characters beat each other up until one is dead. If you have a friend you don't mind losing, try playing this game with them when you have nothing better to do.

What You Need to Play

You need a friend, four six-sided dice, two sheets of paper, and something to write with. At the very least, you  will also need a copy of ROLF!: Old Skool (which can be downloaded free of charge by clicking here). 

How to Play

First you create characters, then you trade the characters with each other, and then you fight the characters. Just like I mentioned above. 

Create Characters

Consider the friend sitting across the table from you. Then consider what he or she would be like as a ROLF! character. Then start creating.

   Each character has three Attributes, like any other ROLF! character--Brawn, Body, and Brains. The basic function of these Attributes are described in the ROLF! rules, but they are generated differently in the You vs. Me variant.

   1. Assign Attribute  Ratings: Rate your friend's Brawn score between 6 and 30; the Body score between 4 and 20, and the Brains between 2 and 10. You do not need to maximize the Attribute. Unspent points are not used for anything but instead go the way of a European or African country's national debt--they just vanish.

   2. Pick Traits: Characters have a number of Traits equal to half their Brains Attribute score. Traits are listed in the ROLF! rule books and supplements; you may use any Trait that has been introduced into the game or you can create new ones. If you create new Traits, make sure you send it to us, so we have something to post on the blog. Remember that you are picking Traits that you think your friend possesses.

   3. Pick Battle Maneuvers. Battle Maneuvers  are listed in the ROLF! rule books and supplements; you may use any Battle Maneuver that has been introduced into the game. You can also make up new ones if you don't think any that exist accurately capture the talents of your friend if he or she were to become a violent brute, but keep in mind that the existing Battle Maneuvers were created by professional game designers and carefully play-tested and balanced against the rest of the ROLF! game. If you're not careful, you may unbalance the intricate--oh, who am I kidding? Just make up Battle Maneuvers that you think are fun, funny, or capture the essence of your friend--that's what I do. And, sure, I play-test.... most of the time.. Designing for ROLF! isn't rocket-science... but you do have to be mindful of the dice mechanics and how modifiers work in the system.

   4. Create Equipment: Each character has two items that can be used as weapons, You should pick things you associate with your friend. One item deals 2 points of damage and the other deals 4 points of damage.Both are melee weapons. There are no ranged weapons in You vs. Me.

Trade Characters

Pass the character you've created to your friend and let him or her absorb the impression you have of them while you do the same with the character your friend created based on their perception of you. Consult the ROLF! rules if there are Traits and Battle Maneuvers you are not familiar with.. or make your friend explain them to you.

Fight

By "fight" I mean the characters fight. If you or your friend are offended by the character that was created, one or both of you need to get over yourselves and realize that this is all for fun... or maybe consider making some changes in your lives. That might mean getting other friends, although more likely it means doing a little soul-searching and self-evaluating to understand why your friend views your the way he or she does.

   The fights in You vs. Me continue until one character is defeated. Combat and damage work just like they do in the standard ROLF! game. Each player has their own pair of six-sided dice to roll Attribute Checks and Combat Maneuvers with.

Afterword

The idea for You vs. Me has its genesis in Steve Miller and I making each other as ROLF! characters for Apocalypse Not (The Final Final Battle), together with a bizarre little Battle Scenario. We both agreed that we captured one another quite well, and there were no hurt feelings. Then again, we are both comfortable with the fact that we are dorky jerks.

   The rules here were play-tested with my long-suffering girlfriend. We are still living together.

   I hope you have fun with this ROLF! variant. Please send us any new Traits or Battle Maneuvers you may come up with. We need content for the blog.

X is for XXX

Long-time NUELOW Games fans and followers know that we've been including "mature content" in our game products since the earliest days. We've not often made a big deal out of it, because we just include what seems right for the game we're doing.

So when comic book publisher got lots of attention and praise for turning a Golden Age superhero gay, it annoyed Steve Miller, because we'd been there and done that in ROLF! products. And when L.L. Hundal read that a certain RPG publisher was being praised for creating the "ultimate inclusive RPG" because they'd included some homosexual characters in a supplement, she virtually trembled with righteous indignation because we put that stuff in our core rulebooks... and no one's ever bestowed us with outrageously hyperbolic praise. She was so irritated that she wrote a string of feats she labeled "Feats of Diversity and Ultimateness."

Those feats, first presented on this very blog, have now been revised and included with a bunch of others in our latest OGL Modern supplement--Modern Basics: Feats of an Adult Nature. You can read more about the product by clicking on that link.. and if you order one after using that link, you'll receive a small discount on the already low price.

We hope you will enjoy making your game more socially relevant and intellectually challenging with sex-related feats. Lord knows we're looking forward to watching the accolades and award nominations roll in!

Continuing that effort, here are a couple of "mature" feats and a talent tree that will add some artistic value and intellectual heft to your OGL d20 System game. (And we're also doing this as part of the A to Z April Blogging Challenge. All material in this post is presented under the Open Gaming License.)

Anything With a Pulse [General, Social] (By L.L. Hundal)
Your character will have sex with (and can seduce) just about any sentient creature.
   Prerequisite: Adventuresome feat, No Shame feat, Sexual Prowess feat
  Benefit: The character can lay down with just about anything, anywhere. The feat can only be used on sexually mature creatures with Intelligence of 3 or higher. The character makes a Bluff check (or Seduce skill check if you are using the skill introduced in Feats of Seduction and Subterfuge) with the target's Will save as the DC. If the target is of a human or demi-human race, the Will save is made with a -2 penalty, because the character is just that sexy. If the target is humanoid but is somehow significantly different in appearance from the character, the Will save is made with no modifier. If the target is of a completely different physical build, the Will save is made with a +4 bonus.

Dubious Gender [General] (By Steve Miller)
Either through a quirk of genetics or careful personal grooming, it's hard to tell if your character is a man or a woman.
   Prerequisite: Charisma 12.
  Benefit: +2 bonus to all Bluff and Disguise skill checks.

Porn Star Talent Tree (By L.L. Hundal)
This talent tree is available to all OGL Modern hero classes.
   Friends in Weird Places: +4 bonus to all Streetwise checks
   Dual Identity: You have a porn star name under which you enjoy a +2 bonus to renown and a +4 to Bluff or Seduction skill checks designed to bed NPCs while visiting game conventions, biker bars and strip clubs. If you use your real name, you remain relatively anonymous.
   Bonus Feat: You gain Adventuresome, Anything with a Pulse, Concentration, Focused, Staying Power, or Wardrobe Malfunction. You must meet all prerequisites before selecting the feat.

W is for Wizard's Bane

Here's another entry in the A to Z April Blogging Challenge... we've been running behind since around 4/15, but we may still may cross the finish-line in a timely fashion! Like most other posts in this series, the material here is presented under the Open Gaming License. If you chose to reproduce it, please give acknowledgement and copyright credit to NUELOW Games and Steve Miller.

 Wizard's Bane (By Steve Miller) 
These small white flowers grow in clumps on rocks, fallen trees, or mossy hills. They are a hardy plant that spreads rapidly, especially in moist and shadowed environments.
   The wizard's bane plant was developed by the decree of King Nazekennezor of Reylar following the infidelity of his first queen with his court wizard. Initially, they were merely planted around the castle and capitol city to make life hard for any arcane spellcasters in the area, but when Nazekeneezor's grandson Neylhir the Brash lost the first campaign against the Wizard-Kings of Harth, the wizard's bane plants were heavily seeded in the border region. Agents were even sent deep into Harth territory to secretly put the plant in forests so it could spread like a weed.
   The wizard's bane flower saps arcane magic from the area around them--in fact, the plant is partially nourished by magic--making spells less effective or completely useless. When the plant was introduced into Harth, the Wizard-Kings found they had to first abandon entire magic academies and send in non-spellusing workers to destroy the plants, because the area became so overgrown and choked by them.

OGL d20 Stats
Wizard's bane flowers grow in clumps of 2d10+10. They suppress arcane magic within a radius equal to 1-foot per flower. When an arcane spellcaster is within the area of effect of wizard's bane, all 0 through 2nd-level spells fail automatically and all other spells are treated as if cast at three levels lower than the caster's actual level.

V is for Vulmea's Cutlass

Still working our way through the alphabet in hopes of running out of letters before April runs out of days. Here's another item for use in OGL d20 System games. It's being released under the Open Gaming License, so please acknowledge and give copyright credit to NUELOW Games and Steve Miller if you choose to reproduce it.

Vulmea's Cutless (By Steve Miller; Black Vulmea created by Robert E. Howard)
The original maker of this famous sword, which was the last weapon known to be wielded by the infamous pirate Black Vulmea during the late 16th century during his final adventures in the New World before returning home to Ireland and disappearing into what is assumed to be a life of leisure and anonymity bought with his stolen treasure.
     Of German make, with a wickedly serrated cutting edge and a baskethilt engraved with indecipherable symbols and vaguely demonic-looking faces, the weapon reportedly cuts through skin and bone as if it were soft butter and grants its wielder combat prowess of which the mighty hero Siegfried would be envious.Legend holds that, after miraculously escaping certain death during the raid that led to the destruction of Hoodoo Jim's stronghold on the Colombian coast, he gifted the sword to Mason Brightsmith, the son of a former shipmate who had been abducted and held prisoner by Hoodoo Jim. The young Brightsmith felt he had experienced enough adventure of an entire lifetime, so the sword was relegated to being a conversation piece as it hung on display in the family home.

d20 System Statistics
Vulmea's Cutlass appears to be a +2 sword (base slashing damage 1d8; crit 19-20/x2) with the following unique properties:
   1. As the wielder becomes fatigued in combat, the sword's more powerful enchantments are activated. When the wielder is reduced to 50% or less of his starting hit points, the sword's magical bonus is increased to +4.
   2. If the wielder is reduced to 0 or fewer hit points, he immediately regains 2d6 hit points. The sword returns to its +2 base attack and damage bonus.
   3. If owner of the sword is ever killed while carrying or wielding the sword, he is instantly transported to a safe location 2d6 miles from the place of his "death," restored to full health and free of any conditions or attribute damage that he may have suffered during the events that led to his demise. He has a strong urge to pass the sword onto someone else who might benefit from it. In fact, the sword no longer grants any bonus to that particular character ever again.

OpenD6 System Statistics

Vulmea's Cutlass is an enchanted sword(slashing damage STR+1+1D) with the following properties:
   1. As the wielder becomes fatigued in combat, the sword's more powerful enchantments are activated. When the wielder is Wounded Twice, the sword grants the wielder a +1D bonus to his Melee Combat skill, while the sword's damage  magical bonus is increased to 1+D2.).
   2. If the wielder is Incapacitated, he is immediately healed to Wounded. He loses the bonus to his Melee Combat skill and the sword returns to its base damage of STR+1+1D.
   3. If owner of the sword is ever killed while carrying or wielding the sword, he is instantly transported to a safe location 2d6 miles from the place of his "death," restored to full health and free of any conditions or attribute damage that he may have suffered during the events that led to his demise. He has a strong urge to pass the sword onto someone else who might benefit from it. In fact, the sword no longer grants any bonus to that particular character ever again.

U is for Undergarments of Temptation

I don't know if we'll get through the alphabet before the month runs out, but here's another magic item for use in your RPG games. This one is usable for the d20 System. It's presented under the Open Gaming License, and the entirety of this post is Open Gaming Content. Please give credit and copyright acknowledgement to NUELOW Ganes.

  Undergarments of Temptation (By L.L. Hundal)
These items appear on first glance to be ordinary panties, boxers, briefs, undershirts, bras--whatever bit of underwear you can think of. When worn, they begin to radiate faint enchantment magic. When visible to onlookers--for example because the wearer's pants are drooping or of a low-rise style, or the wearer's top is unbuttoned or low-cut, or because the underwear is worn on the outside instead of under other clothing--they have the following effects:
    1. Anyone seeing the character's undergarments of temptation must roll a Will save (DC18). If the saving throw fails, the wearer gains a +4 enhancement bonus to all Charisma-based skill checks involving those individuals, because they think the wearer is just that cool and sexy.
   2. If the wearer directs attention at a specific person who failed the Will save mentioned above, the target is considered to be under the effects of a charm monster spell.
    3. If creatures successfully save against the undergarments of temptation, the wearer suffers a -4 penalty to all Intelligence- and Charisma-based actions directed at them, because they think he or she must be some sort of simpleton who can't dress themselves properly.

T is for the Terrorist Talent Tree

Psychotic dipshits who like to murder innocent people and claim they're doing it for a cause have been front and center in American news sources again, thanks to the Brothers Dumb and Dumber and their killing spree in and around Boston, MA.

As usual, I've seen blather about how we have to reach out to terrorists with empathy in order to understand the source of their rage and/or address whatever made them kill. Yeah... just like the way we have to show empathy to a rapist and seek to understand why he does what he does.

While I may feel that there is absolutely no reason to feel any empathy for any terrorist whatsoever, I am willing to lend a hand to those who do want to "walk a mile in their shoes." Roleplaying games are a great medium for exploring such tings safely, as you are with friends and around a snack-laden table in a private house.

To that end, I present a talent tree and some feats usable in the creation of Muslim terrorists of all stripes, Basque separatists of the ETA, Irish drunkards of the IRA, or Friends of the U.S. President formerly of the Weather Underground. This talent tree will let you create a character who is the ultimate asshole, where the term "hero" is applied in purely a game mechanical sense.

Everything in this post is presented under the Open Gaming License. If you chose to reproduce this material, give credit and copyright acknowledgement to Steve Miller and NUELOW Games.

THE TERRORIST TALENT TREE (By Steve Miller)
The terrorist talent tree is open to all hero classes, but it is most suitable for tough heroes and dedicated heroes. Most smart heroes are excluded form this talent tree as they won't meet the prerequisites.
   Undying Enemy: Pick an outrageously broad category of people to hate, such as Christians, Spaniards, Stock Brokers, Homosexuals, the Lefthanded, or Redheads. The hero gains a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls against these vile people, while gaining a +4 competency bonus on all skill checks specifically made in efforts to kill them.
   Prerequisite: Int 10 or lower, Wis 9 or lower. Allegiance to a terrorist organization or movement.
   False Allegiance: Pick an allegiance related to the category selected under Undying Enemy. You gain a +4 bonus to Bluff skill checks when interacting with those who have the same allegiance. The hero does actually change allegiances when picking this talent.
   Prerequisite: Undying Enemy.
   Bonus Feat: The hero gains Alertness, Cautious, Confident, Fanatic, or Misogynist. The hero must meet all prerequisites before he can gain a feat.
   Coward's Strike: The hero excels at attacking unsuspecting targets, but is otherwise a loser in battle. When attacking characters who are flat-footed or otherwise unable to properly defend themselves, a confirmed critical hit results in an instant kill. The hero suffers a -2 adjustment to attack and damage rolls made against characters who are ready to defend themselves.
   Too Dumb to Die: When reduced to 0 or fewer hit points in combat,or at risk of going on conscious due to conditions, the hero roll an Int check against DC12.. If the check is successful, the hero immediately regains 2d6 hit points, or is able to ignore the threatening condition for a number of rounds equal to his Con bonus.
   Prerequisite: Int 10 or lower, Wis 9 or lower.
 

NEW FEATS
Feats fit for terrorists and similar trash.

Fanatic [General]
The hero is filled with hatred toward those who don't believe as he or she does.
Prerequisite: 10 INT Maximum
Benefit: When faced with people who don't believe as he or she does, the hero gains a +2 Will save.to resist any suggestions they make, no matter how reasonable.  The hero also gains a +1 bonus to all Bluff and Intimidate skill checks involving these non-believers, but suffers a -1 to all Diplomacy checks involving them.
Special: The hero can designated a Chosen Enemy every three levels; this must be a stupidly broad category, such as "Americans," "Muslims," "Faries," or "Gwyneth Paltrow Fans." The character gains a +2 bonus to all attack and damage rolls made against these vile beings!


Misogynist [Social]
You hate women and you want to demean and hurt them whenever possible.
Prerequisite: Int 11 or lower, Wis 10 or lower.
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to all attack and damage rolls against female characters.
Special: If your Int or Wis scores are ever raised above the maximum allowed, you lose the benefits granted by this feat.

S is for Sin-Eater and Spirit Armor

It's plain to see that for NUELOW Games one of the preferred iterations of the OGL d20 is the OGL Modern--otherwise, we probably wouldn't have released these products. With that in mind, here's a talent tree for use with your OGL Modern Games. This material is presented under the Open Gaming License. If you choose to reproduce it, please give credit and copyright acknowledgement to Steve Miller and NUELOW Games.

Sin-Eater: A Talent Tree for Dedicated Heroes (By Steve Miller)

This dedicated hero has the mystical ability to absorb the power of evil spirits and turn it to his advantage.

   Spirit Sense: When the character enters a structure or other defined area, where an evil spirit or restless ghost is present, he receives a Will save (rolled secretly by the GM).. If successful, he knows "something is wrong" and cannot be surprised or caught flat-footed by spirits or mortal enemies

   Transfer Condition: By sharing a brief meal with a character who is poisoned or suffering from a condition, the dedicated hero transfers the condition onto himself; this takes 3 rounds and the ritual meal must not be interrupted by attacks or the participants performing other actions. The character from whom the condition was transferred is restored to normal status and fully healed if applicable.

   The dedicated hero suffers from the effect of the condition for one round, but can then make a Fortitude save (DC12) to neutralize it. If the saving throw fails, the Sin Eater is now subject to the condition unless cured through normal means.

   This talent can only be used on poisons and the following conditions: Ability Damaged, Blinded, Confused, Deafened, and Sickened.

   Transfer Curse: The dedicated hero can transfer magical curses from their target characters by sharing a meal with them. This ritual meal takes 30 minutes and cannot be interrupted by combat or other skill use. At the end of the 30 minutes, the cursed characters are immediately liberated from the ill effects of the curses, and the dedicated hero is now subject to them.

   The dedicated hero suffers from the effects of transferred curses for one round. He may then roll a Will save (DC15) to neutralize them. If all the characters from whom curses were transferred were under the same effect, only one roll is needed, but if there was more than one kind of curse, the dedicated hero must roll once for each kind.  

   If the dedicated hero is absorbing a curse from a structure, the Will save is made against a DC18.

   If the Will save fails, the dedicated hero is subject to the curses transferred until they are removed through magical means.

   Prerequisite: Transfer Condition

and from a building or other defined area, by 

   Bonus Feat: The hero gains one of the following as a bonus feat: Alertness, Focused, Ghost Spotter, Ghost Whisperer, or Spirit Armor. All prerequisites must still be met to gain the feat.

   Consume Sin: By eating a meal in a place haunted by an evil spirit or ghost, the dedocated hero absorbs some of the creature's power, weakening it while empowering himself. The effectiveness of this ritual depends on how long the hero spends performing it. The effects are cumulative.

Time Spent on Meal    Penalty to Ghost/Spirit   Bonus for Hero

3 rounds                     -1 to attack rolls             +1 to Defense vs. ghosts

15 minutes                 -1 to attack rolls and       +1 to Defense and saving

                                   saving throws                  throws

30 minutes                  -2 to attack rolls,            +2 to saving throws and skill

                                  saving throws, and            checks

                                  skill checks

1 hour                        -2 to attack rolls,             +4 to attack rolls

                                  -10 hit points                     and skill checks, +10 hit points

While consuming the ritual meal, the hero cannot engage in combat or perform actions other than engaging other characters or creatures in conversation. If the hero suffers damage or other disruptions, he can make a Concentration check to maintain the inner calm necessary to successfully absorb the ghost's evil. If the hero is interrupted or chooses to stop the ritual, the benefits gained at the last achieved benchmark are gained. (If a hero decides to attack a ghost after 50 minutes, the creature has all the penalties up to the 30-minute mark while the hero has all the benefits).

   The penalties and benefits remain until the ghost targeted with the ritual is destroyed or otherwise laid to rest, or the next sunrise. If the dedicated hero should be killed before either event, his soul rises as a restless, destructive and hate-filled ghost.

New Feat

GMs who incorporate this feat into their games should add it to the list of bonus feats for the dedicated hero.

Spirit Armor [General]

Your spirit fortifies your body against assaults by incorporeal creatures and spirits.

   Prerequisite: Wisdom 17, Focused.

   Benefit: The hero gains +4 to Defense and +2 to Fort saves against physical attacks made by incorporeal beings.

   Prerequisite: Focused

Q is for Quest Stones

Here's another entry in the A to Z April Blogging Challenge--will we make it to the end of the alphabet before the month runs out? Does anyone care? Today's offering is presented in its entirety under the Open Gaming License. If you chose to reproduce it, please give credit and copyright acknowledgement to Steve
Miller and NUELOW Games.

Quest Stones (By Steve Miller)
The fist-sized, basalt stones are engraved with the marks of the sorcerers and wizards who originally created them. Commonly used in the ancient Kingdom of Lodareno, they would be given to messengers and hirelings dispatched for specific missions. So long as the minion stayed on task, he would receive magical aid, but if he strayed from his assigned purpose, a dire curse would fall upon him. Once the assigned task is successfully completed, the stone loses all magic.
   Caches of these stones are occasionally recovered by explorers and tomb robbers venturing into the crypts of Lodareno. Modern arcane researchers have yet to uncover the means by which the stones were created, so each discovered cache becomes a highly sought commodity for government and criminal organizations alike who want to insure extra dedication and loyalty among operatives.

OGL d20 System Stats
The magic of a quest stone takes effect when a character accepts it as part of an agreement to perform a task for a superior or an employer in exchange for payment or other reward. So long as the character works toward his assigned goal, he enjoys a +1 bonus to all skill checks, attack rolls, and saving throws.
   If the character spends more than a day on activities not related to his assigned duty, he loses the previously described bonus and is subject to a -2 penalty to all skill checks, attack rolls, and saving throws. Once the character returns to his assigned task, the penalties are lifted, but he must remain focused for another full day before the bonus is restored.
   Discarding the stone does not lift its effect upon the character; only the completion of the task, formal release from it by the person who assigned it, or a dispel magic cast at a 24th level effectiveness can do that.

P is for Paula's Apron Strings

And we continue to design our way through the alphabet here at NUELOW Games, as part of our bumbling, stumbling unofficial participation in the A to Z April Blogging Challenge. This post is presented under the Open Gaming License, with the text under the header "OGL d20 System Game Rules" being Open Gaming content. Enjoy!

Paula's Apron Strings (By Steve Miller)
Paula Noreville was one of America's premiere coven leaders of the 1950s and early 1960s. From behind the facade of the perfect housewife, she led her band of witches and warlocks to victory against dark forces time and again. But for all the good she did, Paula was a domineering woman whose kind smiles and mom-and-apple-pie attitude also concealed a pathological need to have absolute control over everyone in her life.
   Paula dominated her coven and family with clever and sugar-coated psychological manipulation and the occasional application of an oven mitt-covered iron fist. As her children grew into adulthood, rebelled against her, and eventually struck out on their own, she resorted to magic in order to guarantee they would never be far from her control.
   Using the strings from her favorite apron, Paula created two unique magic items, one for each of her children. They consist of two matched sets of three-inch light blue strips of cloth cut from the apron's strings and enchanted. She hid one string in each of her children's homes and whenever she held its counterpart, the child was compelled to return home to Paula, no matter where they might be in the world.
   Paula was eventually murdered by her son after, presumably, he discovered how she had been interfering with his life. His own family had been killed shortly in a car crash after his wife decided to follow him on one of his sudden trips back to his childhood home.

OGL d20 and OpenD6 System Rules
Paula's Apron Strings consists of a matched set of two light blue strips of cloth, each 2 inches in length, They radiate faint Summoning and Necromantic magic. The user hides one of the strings in the home of the target. When he or she holds the counterpart and concentrates on the target for a full two minutes, the target is filled with an overwhelming need to the user's home and to help him or her with whatever challenges that might be facing her.
   The target can ignore the urge, but for each day of not making an effort to travel to the user, the target suffers a cumulative -1 penalty to all skill checks and attack rolls. The progression of the penalty can be stopped for a single day by target phoning or writing and sending a letter to the user, but existing penalties are not removed and it continues to grow the next day.
   The only way to be released from the bond of Paula's Apron Strings is for the target to find the one in his home and return it to the user who hid it there. The user need not willingly accept it from the target, but he or she is free of the magic once this step has been taken.

Drawback: The target of Paula's Apron Strings gradually comes to loathe the user. After being compelled three times, he or she holds a level of resentment equal to a character that has been misused while under the influence of a charm person spell. After six times, the target so dislikes the user that only the Apron Strings can even make him or her think about the user. After 12 times, the target so hates the user that a small provocation will cause him or her to become violent toward the user.

O is for Ot's Armband of Faithfulness

Here's another magic item for use in your RPG games. It's published under this license, and everything in this post (except the graphic) is Open Gaming Content. Please give acknowledgement to Steve Miller and NUELOW Games if you decide to republish it,.

Ot's Armband of Faithfulness (By Steve Miller)
Three of these delicate gold armband are known to exist, each engraved with the symbol of Ott, They were created by Mongolian shamans during the years 800-1300. C.E. Ott is the Mongolian goddess of marriage and fire, and these items are reported to make the bond of marriage unbreakable between a husband and wife. Once one spouse makes a gift of an armband of faithfulnesss, neither of them can betray the other without dire consequences.
   One of these items was originally been owned by Borte, the wife and true love Temujin, the Mongol emperor known as Genghis Khan. Legend holds that she insisted it be used to bond her and Temujin together after she was abducted and raped by members of the Merkit tribe, because she wanted to know her husband would never doubt her love and faithfulness to him. Although Temujin never doubted her, he acquiessed to her demand.

OGL d20 System Game Mechanics
Once an armband of faithfulness is exchanged between duly married partners, the giver and receiver are both subject to a powerful curse that can only be lifted by the goddess Ot herself. The curse manifests itself in two different ways:
   The recipient feels a compulsion to wear the armband at all times and could be said to feel naked without it. If the character should ever attempt to betray his or her spouse, all skill checks or saving throws involved are subject to a -4 penalty. When the betrayal is complete, any characters actively taking part in the action must roll a successful Will save (DC23) or be filled with a homicidal rage that only subsides when the recipient is dead. If the save is successful. the characters are filled with disgust and loathing for the recipient.
   The giver suffers no ill effects until he or she commits an act of betrayal against the Recipient. The moment the act is complete, the character immediately bursts into fire that cannot be extinguished, suffering 6d6 points of damage. The character continues to burn for three more rounds, suffering 4d6 points of damage, 2d6 points of damage, and finally 1d6 points of damage. If the character drops below 0 hit points, his or her body dissolves into a fine ash from which no resurrection is possible. If the character lives, he or she is horribly disfigured and crippled, immediately suffering a 10-point reduction to Strength, Dex, and Charisma attribute scores (to a minimum of 1).

OpenD6 System Game Mechanics
Once an armband of faithfulness is exchanged between duly married partners, the giver and receiver are both subject to a powerful curse that can only be lifted by the goddess Ot herself. The curse manifests itself in two different ways:
   The recipient feels a compulsion to wear the armband at all times and could be said to feel naked without it. If the character should ever attempt to betray his or her spouse, all difficulty levels are adjusted by +8. When the betrayal is complete, any characters actively taking part in the action must roll a successful Willpower check against a difficulty 23 or be filled with a homicidal rage that only subsides when the recipient is dead. If the save is successful. the characters are filled with disgust and loathing for the recipient.
   The giver suffers no ill effects until he or she commits an act of betrayal against the Recipient. The moment the act is complete, the character immediately bursts into fire that cannot be extinguished, suffering 6d6 points of damage. The character continues to burn for three more rounds, suffering 4d6 points of damage, 2d6 points of damage, and finally 1d6 points of damage. If the character drops below 0 hit points, his or her body dissolves into a fine ash from which no resurrection is possible. If the character lives, he or she is horribly disfigured and crippled, with Strength, Dexterity, and Attractiveness (if used) immediately being reduced to 1D each.

N is for Nadia's Needle

We're limping along with the A to Z April Blogging Challenge here at NUELOW Games. If we get to Z before the end of the month, I think we will have done good, given what's going on. That said, here's N (a little late, but here it is!) This item is presented under this license and everything in the post, except the illo and the paragraph labeled "The History of Nadia's Needle", is Open Gaming Content.
   This item is usable for any RPG that features magic items.

Nadia's Needle (By Steve Miller)
This item is a small sewing needle with an inch of silvery thread  run through the eye. It radiates faint magic of an indeterminate nature, which has caused many treasure seekers to overlook it while looting this or that hoard, or to discard it when it appears to be useless.
   However, this item, a camel can literally pass through the eye of the needle.When stuck into a flat surface--such as a door, wall, or floor--the needle becomes the center of a faintly glowing blue circle with a 7-foot in diameter. It is invisible to anyone further than 6 inches away from it. The circle is actually a short-range dimensional portal that allows up to four living beings (along with any gear that will fit through the opening) to pass through to the area on the other side before it closes. The needle stays embedded in the original surface, and the portal ceases to exist immediately after the needle is removed or the fourth living creature passes through it.
   The Needle is also rumored to have a second use--the ability to close portals to the City of Silver Towers, home to a pantheon of evil gods. This has not been confirmed, however.

The Background of Nadia's Needle
The true origin of Nadia's Needle is unknown. It draws its modern name from its most recently known owner, Nadia Tokareva. She was a young Soviet agent active in Germany during World War II who used the Needle as part of efforts to help those hunted by Nazis to escape to safety. Later, as the Cold War came into effect and she came to understand how tyrannical the Soviet government was, she became a double agent for the Western powers and helped people escape from East Germany and elsewhere behind the Iron Curtain. Nadia vanished without a trace in 1962 after reporting to a contact in the CIA that she was setting out to investigate what she believed to be a secret military facility codenamed Silver Tower.

M is for Mary Jane

 Today's entry in the A to Z April Blogging Challenge celebrates the the legalization of pot in Washington State. While no one here at NUELOW Games actually smokes the Whacky Weed (although apparently L.L is apparently one of the slang terms for marijuana), we don't mind those who do. So long as they treat their habits like drunks treat theirs and stay the hell away from their cars while high/stoned/bombed/whatever.

So here's a pre-generated character for use in a ROLF! battle scenario--Mary Jane, the Mistress of Mellow.  (A perfect foe for her would be the Tee-totaler featured in ROLF!: St. Patty vs. The Snake.)

Mary Jane, the Mistress of Mellow (By L.L. Hundal)
The mysterious dark-tressed Mary Jane has been a tireless crusader for the right to get high and mellow whenever and whereever ever since she first appeared in a cloud of sweet-smelling smoke and her green-and-yellow superhero outfit in Seattle's Pioneer Square. Her greatest foes are Buzzkill, Frigid Fanny, and the Tee-totaler.

Mary Jane (Female)
(aka Mary Jo Verde)
Brawn 21, Body 15, Brains 7
Traits: Busty, Martial Arts Master, Nimble
Combat Maneuvers:  Basic Attack, Furious Fists, Disarm, Dodge, Strike Pose, Spelling (After Me, Mellow Haze).
Important Items Worn/Wielded: Superhero Outfit (Armor. Absorbs up to 2 points of damage).

New Spelling
Mellow Haze: The Speller causes a pale green gas to form over the battle area. All characters must roll Brawn ATT checks or lose the will to fight. Unless attacked, they will leave the battle area in search of something to snack on. Characters so effected are removed from the battle scenario and considered defeated.

(This post is  Copyright 2013 NUELOW Games and Steve Miller, but permission is granted for duplication for personal use,)

L is for Lich Lantern

Continuing our RPG design trek through the alphabet, here's another entry in the A to Z April Blogging Challenge. The entirety of this post is Open Gaming Content and is published under this license. Please give copyright acknowledgement to Steve Miller if you chose to reproduce the content.
   Although nominally designed for d20-based RPGs, this item is easily adapted to other games,.

The Lich Lantern (By Steve Miller)
Looted from within a labyrinth of tombs beneath a temple so ancient no one remembers the gods it was devoted to, this item is a storm lantern made from fused bones inset with glass that has a slight green tint. A sputtering black candle burns within, seeming to always be on the verge of going out yet never doing so. In other words, it always shines with a pale green light that can only be dowsed by covering it with a thick cloth or putting it inside a box. It radiates powerful necromantic and abjuration magic.
   The Lich Latern has the following effects:
   1/ All invisible creatures within the 20-foot radius of the lantern's light become visible.
   2. Ghosts and other non-corporeal beings lose any damage reduction, spell resistance, and abilities tied to being non-corporeal  while within the 20-foot radius of the lantern's light; these beings essentially briefly become corporeal..
    3. If the latched face covering on the lantern is opened while turned toward a ghost or other non-corporeal spirit, the creature must roll a Will save (DC 24) or be sucked into the lantern. The candle burns a little brighter for each entity so captured, and the person carrying the lantern gains a +1 bonus to Armor Class (or Defense Rating) for each spirit trapped.
    4. By spinning the lantern while spirits are trapped inside, the character causes it to send forth a burst of energy that harms all undead creatures within the 20-foot radius of the lamp's light. The damage is 1d6 for each ghost or spirit trapped in the lantern. This use destroys the trapped creatures.

Drawback
The Lich Lantern is actually a lich's phylactery or soul cage. The spirit of a powerful and deeply evil necromancer slumbers within, having retreated into the item when the adventurers who first recovered the lantern destroyed his undead body. If the person carrying the lantern ever has more than five ghosts or spirits trapped within it at once, he or she must instantly roll a Will save (DC 24) or be possessed by the lich. The bearer's spirit is then trapped in the phylactery.