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| Cover art for Tara by Alex Schomburg |
Friday, December 16, 2016
If you liked 'Rogue One'...
... we think you'll also enjoy Gene Fawcette's Tara: Marauder of the Spacelanes. It tells of the exciting adventures of Tara and her crew of outlaws, as they battle evil and corruption throughout space.
This book brimming with swashbuckling space action can be found at DriveThruComics, RPGNow, and DriveThruRPG. In addition to the great comics, the book contains ROLF! game stats or Tara and her crew, and d20 System and OpenD6 game stats for Tara's weapon of choice--the atom sword. (Yeah... light sabres may be cool and all, but are they atom sword cool?!)
Friday, December 9, 2016
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen & A Christmas Western by R.E. Howard
Enjoy some Christmas music and an early short story by Robert E. Howard (written and published when he was still in high school). It's a Very Western Christmas today at NUELOW Games!
GOLDEN HOPE CHRISTMAS
--
In a certain valley, smoke curled from the chimney of a rude log cabin. High on the hillside, a man gave a grunt of satisfaction. The man lay in a hollow, from which he had scraped the drifted snow. Ever since the first hint of dawn, he had lain there, watching the cabin. A heavy rifle lay beneath his arm.
Down in the valley, the cabin door swung wide and a man stepped out. The watcher on the hill saw that it was the man he had come to kill.
--
If you enjoyed that story, written by Robert E. Howard when he was just a teenager, you'll love the westerns he wrote when his skills were at their sharpest. Check out The Last Ride from NUELOW Games.
GOLDEN HOPE CHRISTMAS
By Robert E. Howard
Chapter 1
Red Ghallinan was a gunman. Not a trade to be proud of,
perhaps, but Red was proud of it. Proud of his skill with a gun, proud of the
notches on the long blue barrel of his heavy .45s. Red was a wiry, medium-sized
man with a cruel, thin lipped mouth and close-set, shifty eyes. He was
bow-legged from much riding, and, with his slouching walk and hard face he was,
indeed, an unprepossessing figure. Red’s mind and soul were as warped as his
exterior. His insister reputation caused men to strive to avoid offending him
but at the same tome to cut him off from the fellowship of people. No man, good
or bad, cares to chum with a killer. Even the outlaws hated him and feared him
too much to admit him to their gang, so he was a lone wolf. But a lone wolf may
sometimes be more feared than the whole pack.
Let us not blame Red too much. He was born and reared in an
environment of evil. His father and his father’s father had been rustlers and
gun-fighters. Until he was a grown man, Red knew nothing but crime as a
legitimate way of making a living and by the time he learned that a man may
earn a sufficient livelihood and still remain within the law he was too set in
his ways to change. So it was not altogether his fault that he was a
gunfighter. Rather, it was the fault of those unscrupulous politicians and
mine-owners who hired him to kill their enemies. For that was the way Red
lived. He was a born gun-fighter. The killer instinct burned strongly in
him—the heritage of Cain. He had never seen the man who surpassed him or even
equalled him in the speed of the draw or in swift, straight shooting. These
qualities together with the cold nerve and reckless bravery that goes with red
hair, made him much in demand with rich men who had enemies. So he did a large
business.
But the forefront of the law began to come into Idaho and Red saw with hate the first sign of that organization which had driven him out of Texas a few years before—the vigilantes. Red’s jobs became fewer and fewer for he feared to kill unless he could make it appear self-defense.
At last it reached a point where Red was faced with the alternative of moving on or going to work. So he rode over to miner’s cabin and announced his intention of buying the miner’s claim. The miner, after one skittish glance at Red’s guns, sold his claim for fifty dollars, signed the deed and left the country precipitately.
Red worked the claim for a few days and then quit in disgust. He had not gotten one ounce of gold dust. This was due, partly to his distaste for work, partly to his ignorance of placer mining and mostly to the poorness of the claim.
He was standing in the front door of the saloon of the mining town, when the stage-coach drove in and a passenger alit.
He was a well built, frank-appearing young fellow and Red hated him instinctively. Hated him for his cleanliness, for his open, honest, pleasant face, because he was everything that Red was not.
The newcomer was very friendly and very soon the whole town knew his antecedents. His name was Hal Sharon, a tenderfoot from the east, who had come to Idaho with the hopes of striking a bonanza and going home wealthy. Of course there was a girl in the case, though Hal said little on that point. He had a few hundred dollars and wanted to buy a good claim. At this Red took a new interest in the young man.
Red bought drinks and lauded his claim. Sharon proved singularly trustful. He did not ask to see the claim but took Red’s word for it. A trustfulness that would have touched a less hardened man than Red.
One or two men, angered at the deliberate swindle, tried to warn Hal but a cold glance from Red caused them to change their minds. Hal bought Red’s claim for five hundred dollars.
He toiled unceasingly all fall and early winter, barely making enough to keep him in food and clothes, while Red lived in the little town and sneered at his uncomplaining efforts. As winter deepened, everywhere the miners stopped work and came to town to live until the snow should have melted and the ground thawed out in the spring. Only Hal Sharon stayed at his claim, working on in the cold and snow, spurred on by the thought of riches—and a girl.
--But the forefront of the law began to come into Idaho and Red saw with hate the first sign of that organization which had driven him out of Texas a few years before—the vigilantes. Red’s jobs became fewer and fewer for he feared to kill unless he could make it appear self-defense.
At last it reached a point where Red was faced with the alternative of moving on or going to work. So he rode over to miner’s cabin and announced his intention of buying the miner’s claim. The miner, after one skittish glance at Red’s guns, sold his claim for fifty dollars, signed the deed and left the country precipitately.
Red worked the claim for a few days and then quit in disgust. He had not gotten one ounce of gold dust. This was due, partly to his distaste for work, partly to his ignorance of placer mining and mostly to the poorness of the claim.
He was standing in the front door of the saloon of the mining town, when the stage-coach drove in and a passenger alit.
He was a well built, frank-appearing young fellow and Red hated him instinctively. Hated him for his cleanliness, for his open, honest, pleasant face, because he was everything that Red was not.
The newcomer was very friendly and very soon the whole town knew his antecedents. His name was Hal Sharon, a tenderfoot from the east, who had come to Idaho with the hopes of striking a bonanza and going home wealthy. Of course there was a girl in the case, though Hal said little on that point. He had a few hundred dollars and wanted to buy a good claim. At this Red took a new interest in the young man.
Red bought drinks and lauded his claim. Sharon proved singularly trustful. He did not ask to see the claim but took Red’s word for it. A trustfulness that would have touched a less hardened man than Red.
One or two men, angered at the deliberate swindle, tried to warn Hal but a cold glance from Red caused them to change their minds. Hal bought Red’s claim for five hundred dollars.
He toiled unceasingly all fall and early winter, barely making enough to keep him in food and clothes, while Red lived in the little town and sneered at his uncomplaining efforts. As winter deepened, everywhere the miners stopped work and came to town to live until the snow should have melted and the ground thawed out in the spring. Only Hal Sharon stayed at his claim, working on in the cold and snow, spurred on by the thought of riches—and a girl.
It was a little over three weeks until Christmas when, one
cold night Red Ghallinan sat by the stove in the saloon and listened to the
blizzard outside. He though to Sharon, doubtless shivering in his cabin up on
the slopes, and he sneered. He listened idly to the talk of the miners and
cow-punchers who were discussing the coming festivals, a dance and so on.
Christmas meant nothing to Red. Though the one bright spot I his life had been one Christmas years ago when Red was a ragged waif, shivering on the snow covered streets of Kansas City.
He had passed a great church and, attracted by the warmth, had entered timidly. The people had sung, “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing!” and when the congregation exited, an old, white haired woman had seen the boy and had taken him home and fed him and clothed him. Red had lived in her home as one of the family until spring, but when the wild geese began to fly north and the trees began to bud, the wanderlust got into the boy’s blood and he ran away and came back to his native Texas prairies. But that was years ago and Red never thought of it now.
The door flew open and a furred and muffled figure strode in. It was Sharon—his hands shoved deep in his coat pockets.
Instantly Red was on his feet, hand twisting just above a gun. But Hal took no notice of him. He pushed his way to the bar.
“Boys,” he said: “I named my claim the Golden Hope, and it was a true name! Boys, I’ve struck it rich!”
And he threw a double handful of nuggets and gold-dust on the bar.
Christmas meant nothing to Red. Though the one bright spot I his life had been one Christmas years ago when Red was a ragged waif, shivering on the snow covered streets of Kansas City.
He had passed a great church and, attracted by the warmth, had entered timidly. The people had sung, “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing!” and when the congregation exited, an old, white haired woman had seen the boy and had taken him home and fed him and clothed him. Red had lived in her home as one of the family until spring, but when the wild geese began to fly north and the trees began to bud, the wanderlust got into the boy’s blood and he ran away and came back to his native Texas prairies. But that was years ago and Red never thought of it now.
The door flew open and a furred and muffled figure strode in. It was Sharon—his hands shoved deep in his coat pockets.
Instantly Red was on his feet, hand twisting just above a gun. But Hal took no notice of him. He pushed his way to the bar.
“Boys,” he said: “I named my claim the Golden Hope, and it was a true name! Boys, I’ve struck it rich!”
And he threw a double handful of nuggets and gold-dust on the bar.
--
Christmas Eve Red stood in the door of an eating house and
watched Sharon coming down the slope, whistling merrily. He had a right to be
merry. He was already worth twelve thousand dollars and had not exhausted his
claim by half. Red watched with hate in his eyes. Ever since the night that
Sharon had thrown his first gold on the bar, his hatred of the man had grown.
Hal’s fortune seemed a personal injury to Red. Had he not worked like a slave
on that claim without getting a pound of gold? And here this stranger had come
and gotten rich off the same claim! Thousands to him, a measly five hundred to
Red. To Red’s warped mind this assumed monstrous proportions—an outrage. He
hated Sharon as he had never hated a man before. And since with him to hate was
to kill, he determined to kill Hal Sharon. With a curse he reached for a gun
when a thought stayed his hand. The Vigilantes! They would get him sure if he
killed Sharon openly. A cunning light came to his eyes and he turned and strode
away toward the unpretentious boarding house where he stayed.
Hal Sharon walked into a saloon.
“Seen Ghallinan lately?” he asked.
The bartender shook his head.
Hal tossed a bulging buck-sack on the bar, and said: “Give that to him when you see him. It’s got about a thousand dollars worth of gold-dust in it.”
The bartender gasped. “What! You giving Red a thousand bucks after he tried to swindle you? Yes, it is safe here. Ain’t a galoot in camp touch anything belonging to a gun-fighter. But say—“
“Well,” answered Hal, “I don’t think he got enough for his claim; he practically gave it to me. And anyway, “ he laughed over his shoulder, “It’s Christmas!”
Hal Sharon walked into a saloon.
“Seen Ghallinan lately?” he asked.
The bartender shook his head.
Hal tossed a bulging buck-sack on the bar, and said: “Give that to him when you see him. It’s got about a thousand dollars worth of gold-dust in it.”
The bartender gasped. “What! You giving Red a thousand bucks after he tried to swindle you? Yes, it is safe here. Ain’t a galoot in camp touch anything belonging to a gun-fighter. But say—“
“Well,” answered Hal, “I don’t think he got enough for his claim; he practically gave it to me. And anyway, “ he laughed over his shoulder, “It’s Christmas!”
Chapter 2
Morning in the mountains. The highest peaks touched with a
delicate pink. The stars paling as the darkness grew grey. Light on the peaks,
shadow still in the valleys, as if the paint brush of the Master had but passed
lightly over the land, coloring openly the highest places, the places nearest
to Him. Now the light-legions began to invade the valleys, driving before them
the darkness; the light on the peaks grew stronger, the snow beginning to cast
back the light. But as yet no sun. The king had sent his courtiers before him
but he himself had not appeared.In a certain valley, smoke curled from the chimney of a rude log cabin. High on the hillside, a man gave a grunt of satisfaction. The man lay in a hollow, from which he had scraped the drifted snow. Ever since the first hint of dawn, he had lain there, watching the cabin. A heavy rifle lay beneath his arm.
Down in the valley, the cabin door swung wide and a man stepped out. The watcher on the hill saw that it was the man he had come to kill.
Hal Sharon threw his arms wide and laughed aloud in the
sheer joy of living. Up on the hill, Red Ghallinan watched the man over the sights
of a Sharpe .50 rifle. For the first time he noticed what a magnificent figure
the young man was. Tall, strong, handsome, with the glow of health on his
cheek.
For some reason Red was not getting the enjoyment he thought he would. He shook his shoulders impatiently. His finger tightened on the trigger—suddenly Hal broke into song; the words floated clearly to Red.
“Hark, the Herald Angels Sing!”
Where had he heard that song before? Suddenly a mist floated across Red Ghallinan’s eyes; the rifle slipped unnoticed from his hands, He drew his hand across his eyes and looked toward the east. There, alone hung one great star and as he looked, over the shoulder of a great mountain came the great sun.
“Gawd!” gulped Red, why—it is Christmas!”
For some reason Red was not getting the enjoyment he thought he would. He shook his shoulders impatiently. His finger tightened on the trigger—suddenly Hal broke into song; the words floated clearly to Red.
“Hark, the Herald Angels Sing!”
Where had he heard that song before? Suddenly a mist floated across Red Ghallinan’s eyes; the rifle slipped unnoticed from his hands, He drew his hand across his eyes and looked toward the east. There, alone hung one great star and as he looked, over the shoulder of a great mountain came the great sun.
“Gawd!” gulped Red, why—it is Christmas!”
--
If you enjoyed that story, written by Robert E. Howard when he was just a teenager, you'll love the westerns he wrote when his skills were at their sharpest. Check out The Last Ride from NUELOW Games.
Tuesday, December 6, 2016
Oh Tannenbaum... in the Style of Rammstein
(plus something for your d20 Modern game)
Psychostick and NUELOW Games want to help jumpstart your Christmas Spirit with this Rammstein parody. Or... maybe not. You be the judge!
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(Our resident Christmas Aficionado, L.L. Hundal, said. "Are you kidding me?!" when she first started watching. Then she began to laugh. Christmas Cheer Unlocked!)
And speaking of Christmas Cheer, here's something that's offered for you enjoyment under the Open Game license.
Bobble Hat of Christmas Good Will (for d20 System games)
This unique artifact radiates a faint magic aura from December 1 to January 5. During this time, it causes the wearer to radiate cheerful Christmas energy--but there is a price to pay should he or she abuse the status as an incarnation of the Christmas Spirit.
d20 System Game Mechanics: Grants the wearer a +2 bonus to all Charisma-based skill checks. In addition, the wearer gains a +1 supernatural modifier to AC/DR and a 1 point per die of damage dealt by an attack, because those that would harm the character are hesitant to do so. If the wearer uses Bluff or Diplomacy skills to defraud or cause trouble for another person, all benefits of the Bobble Hat of Christmas Good Will are lost and the character comes under a curse that results in a -4 penalty to all Charisma-based skill checks. The only way the curse can be removed is through the power of a god, or by the character giving a Christmas gift to his most hated enemy, as well as giving away the Bobble Hat of Christmas Good Will to a more worthy owner.
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(Our resident Christmas Aficionado, L.L. Hundal, said. "Are you kidding me?!" when she first started watching. Then she began to laugh. Christmas Cheer Unlocked!)
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| The Members of Pyschostick wish you a happy Christmas! |
And speaking of Christmas Cheer, here's something that's offered for you enjoyment under the Open Game license.
Bobble Hat of Christmas Good Will (for d20 System games)
This unique artifact radiates a faint magic aura from December 1 to January 5. During this time, it causes the wearer to radiate cheerful Christmas energy--but there is a price to pay should he or she abuse the status as an incarnation of the Christmas Spirit.
d20 System Game Mechanics: Grants the wearer a +2 bonus to all Charisma-based skill checks. In addition, the wearer gains a +1 supernatural modifier to AC/DR and a 1 point per die of damage dealt by an attack, because those that would harm the character are hesitant to do so. If the wearer uses Bluff or Diplomacy skills to defraud or cause trouble for another person, all benefits of the Bobble Hat of Christmas Good Will are lost and the character comes under a curse that results in a -4 penalty to all Charisma-based skill checks. The only way the curse can be removed is through the power of a god, or by the character giving a Christmas gift to his most hated enemy, as well as giving away the Bobble Hat of Christmas Good Will to a more worthy owner.
Thursday, December 1, 2016
Welcome to December 2016!
Christmas time is near, and you're going to find lots of Christmas weirdness here... because it's our favorite time of year!
We're kicking off a month-long Christmas celebration here at NUELOW Games with this great little adaptation of one of Steve Miller's favorite Christmas tunes!
Sunday, November 27, 2016
Telepaths for the d20 Supers System
Here's another addition to the feats and talent-based superpowers system that's been developing here at the NUELOW Games blog, and in our comics/RPG-hybrid books over the past few years. All text in this post is released under the Open Game License. Copyright 2016 Steve Miller.
New Feat
Telepathy [Minor Power]
You can communicate telepathically with other intelligent beings.
Benefit: As a free action, you may broadcast your thoughts to a number of intelligent beings (Intelligence score 3 or higher) up to your Wisdom bonus, and you hear their thoughts in return. If you wish to perform other actions, or take damage while maintaining telepathic contact, you must roll a Concentration skill check (DC12, plus the amount of damage suffered if injured). You may re-establish contact on the following round if it is lost. Ending the telepathic connection with a target is also a free action.
The range of your telepathy is line-of-sight and a 50-foot radius. The telepathic link is always two ways; you broadcast your thoughts to the targets and you in turn can hear theirs. Unwilling targets may roll Willpower saves (DC15) to push you from their minds.
If you establish a connection with multiple minds at once, making sense of the babble of thoughts you receive back from them as difficult as if you were trying to keep track of several conversations at once. You may roll an Intelligence check (+1 to the roll for each being beyond the first one linked to) to successfully keep the mind-babble straight in your head.
New Talent Tree
Telepathy Superpower Talent Tree
The talents in this tree grant or enhance telepathic powers.
Enhanced Telepathy: As the Telepathy feat, but you may choose to broadcast your thoughts to all intelligent beings within a 100-foot radius, or to a number of specified intelligent beings up to twice your Wisdom bonus. With a standard action and a successful Will save (DC12), you can isolate the thoughts of a specific being, causing all the others to fade into background noise. You may switch to a different mind to emphasize every round you maintain mental contact.
Prerequisite: Telepathy minor power feat
Mental Eavesdropping: As the Telepathy minor power feat, except the connection is one-way; you hear the thoughts of the targets, but they cannot hear yours. The GM should roll a secret Will save (DC12) for each target. If the Will save is successful, they feel as though someone is watching them. Targets that possesses the Telepathy feat or talents from the Telepathy tree are certain that someone is listening in on their thoughts if they successfully save and may make a second Will save (DC15) to force the eavesdropping telepath from their minds.
Prerequisite: Any one minor power feat
Superior Telepathy: As Enhanced Telepathy, but you may choose to broadcast your thoughts across great distances. The range and number of people you contact depend on level of success you have with a Willpower save, made as a free action when establishing the telepathic links.
DC11: 10-mile radius, choose to limit contact to targets up 5 times your Wisdom bonus.
DC13: 100-mile radius, choose to limit contact to targets up 10 times your Wisdom bonus.
DC15: 1,000-mile radius, choose to limit contact to targets up 20 times your Wisdom bonus.
DC17: 10,000-mile radius, choose to limit contact to targets up 50 times your Wisdom bonus.
DC19: 100,000-mile radius, choose to limit contact to targets up 100 times your Wisdom bonus.
DC21: One million-mile radius, choose to limit contact to targets up 200 times your Wisdom bonus.
DC23: 10 light year radius, choose to limit contact to targets up 500 times your Wisdom bonus.
DC25: 100 light year radius, choose to limit contact to targets up 1,000 times your Wisdom bonus.
Further, with Superior Telepathy, you only hear the thoughts of those specific beings you choose to hear; this is strictly a one-way broadcast unless you wish otherwise.
Prerequisite: Enhanced Telepathy
Telepathic Hub: Establish telepathic contact with other characters possessing the Telepathy minor power feat. For each such character contacted, every person gains a +2 bonus to telepathy-, Intelligence-, and Wisdom-related skill checks and saving throws while the link is maintain. If more than one character possesses the Telepathic Hub talent, the bonus is still only applied once.
Prerequisite: Telepathy minor power feat
New Feat
Telepathy [Minor Power]
You can communicate telepathically with other intelligent beings.
Benefit: As a free action, you may broadcast your thoughts to a number of intelligent beings (Intelligence score 3 or higher) up to your Wisdom bonus, and you hear their thoughts in return. If you wish to perform other actions, or take damage while maintaining telepathic contact, you must roll a Concentration skill check (DC12, plus the amount of damage suffered if injured). You may re-establish contact on the following round if it is lost. Ending the telepathic connection with a target is also a free action.
The range of your telepathy is line-of-sight and a 50-foot radius. The telepathic link is always two ways; you broadcast your thoughts to the targets and you in turn can hear theirs. Unwilling targets may roll Willpower saves (DC15) to push you from their minds.
If you establish a connection with multiple minds at once, making sense of the babble of thoughts you receive back from them as difficult as if you were trying to keep track of several conversations at once. You may roll an Intelligence check (+1 to the roll for each being beyond the first one linked to) to successfully keep the mind-babble straight in your head.
New Talent Tree
Telepathy Superpower Talent Tree
The talents in this tree grant or enhance telepathic powers.
Enhanced Telepathy: As the Telepathy feat, but you may choose to broadcast your thoughts to all intelligent beings within a 100-foot radius, or to a number of specified intelligent beings up to twice your Wisdom bonus. With a standard action and a successful Will save (DC12), you can isolate the thoughts of a specific being, causing all the others to fade into background noise. You may switch to a different mind to emphasize every round you maintain mental contact.
Prerequisite: Telepathy minor power feat
Mental Eavesdropping: As the Telepathy minor power feat, except the connection is one-way; you hear the thoughts of the targets, but they cannot hear yours. The GM should roll a secret Will save (DC12) for each target. If the Will save is successful, they feel as though someone is watching them. Targets that possesses the Telepathy feat or talents from the Telepathy tree are certain that someone is listening in on their thoughts if they successfully save and may make a second Will save (DC15) to force the eavesdropping telepath from their minds.
Prerequisite: Any one minor power feat
Superior Telepathy: As Enhanced Telepathy, but you may choose to broadcast your thoughts across great distances. The range and number of people you contact depend on level of success you have with a Willpower save, made as a free action when establishing the telepathic links.
DC11: 10-mile radius, choose to limit contact to targets up 5 times your Wisdom bonus.
DC13: 100-mile radius, choose to limit contact to targets up 10 times your Wisdom bonus.
DC15: 1,000-mile radius, choose to limit contact to targets up 20 times your Wisdom bonus.
DC17: 10,000-mile radius, choose to limit contact to targets up 50 times your Wisdom bonus.
DC19: 100,000-mile radius, choose to limit contact to targets up 100 times your Wisdom bonus.
DC21: One million-mile radius, choose to limit contact to targets up 200 times your Wisdom bonus.
DC23: 10 light year radius, choose to limit contact to targets up 500 times your Wisdom bonus.
DC25: 100 light year radius, choose to limit contact to targets up 1,000 times your Wisdom bonus.
Further, with Superior Telepathy, you only hear the thoughts of those specific beings you choose to hear; this is strictly a one-way broadcast unless you wish otherwise.
Prerequisite: Enhanced Telepathy
Telepathic Hub: Establish telepathic contact with other characters possessing the Telepathy minor power feat. For each such character contacted, every person gains a +2 bonus to telepathy-, Intelligence-, and Wisdom-related skill checks and saving throws while the link is maintain. If more than one character possesses the Telepathic Hub talent, the bonus is still only applied once.
Prerequisite: Telepathy minor power feat
Saturday, November 26, 2016
Castro vs. Kennedy (A ROLF!: Houseboat on the River Styx Battle Scenario)
On November 25, 2016, the long-time dictator of the Cuban communist regime, Fidel Castro, passed away. This is some of what happened next, as Castro joins the cast of characters in NUELOW Games' A Houseboat on the River Styx setting. Based on the writings of John Kendrick Bangs, it's a place where historical figures and fictional characters meet, have adventures, and fight with each other.
This post contains ROLF! stats for Kennedy and Castro, so you can play out their first meeting in the afterlife.
ON THE SHORES OF THE RIVER STYX, NOT TOO LONG AGO....
"Ay caramba!" exclaimed Fidel Casto. "You mean I really, truly am dead?!"
"Yes." Charon nodded almost imperceptibly within the shadows of his voluminous hood. "The land you have arrived in is Hades, and the river we just crossed is Styx."
"But there is a city here! And over there--a houseboat with a gringo dressed up like Shakespeare! And there are people riding horses, people riding in cars, people--people riding on dragons?!"
Castro pointed skyward where a sleek, scaly azure dragon was winging its way way through the cloudy sky after a furry white one; on the back of each, a human form could be discearned, and a woman's voice drifted down, "Fates curse you, Atreyu--you bring back my helmet, or I'll make you wish you'd been swallowed up by Despair and Hopelessness!"
Again, near-invisible nod of Charon's head. "Yes... Hades is a land where creations of the imagination and the spirits of those who have fired imaginations live and mingle. You will find that--"
"Well, I'll be! If it isn't Fidel Castro!"
Charon and Fidel turned in the direction of the voice. John F. Kennedy came striding onto the boat dock.
"Kennedy," Castro said coldly, his eyes narrowing under his bushy brows.
"Fidel," Kennedy said, smiling. "I guess the cigars finally killed you, eh?"
"Indeed. But it took 50 years longer than the bullet that finished you off."
"Why, you commie bastard!"
"Capitalist pig!"
"Gentlemen, gentlemen," Charon said, waving his gnarled hands to get their attention. "There is no need to--"
"Stay out of this," roared Kennedy and Castro in unison, each turning their baleful stares on Charon--causing him to shrink further into the shadows of his robe--before locking eyes with each other.
"You're about to get your ass kicked so hard you're going to wish you were alive again," Kennedy snarled.
"Less talk, more fight, bourgeois dog!"
As the fists started to fly, Charon boarded his boat and shoved off. "I'll be back," he said, "when you gentlemen are finished. Nikita, Che, and Karl wanted me to bring Fidel by so they could get a bridge game going."
THE FIGHT
Castro and Kennedy start fighting at close range. The fight ends when one defeats the other.
FIDEL CASTRO (Male)
Brawn 20, Body 13, Brains 5
Traits: Coldhearted, Egomaniac, Stone Cold Killer
Combat Maneuvers: Basic Attack, Bitch Slap, Debate Philosophy, Dodge, Withering Insult
Important Stuff Worn/Wielded. Beard (Armor, absorbs 1 point of damage).
JOHN F. KENNEDY (Male)
Brawn: 19; Body: 18; Brains: 7
Traits: Egomaniac, Irrepressible Optimist, Limousine Liberal
Combat Maneuvers: Basic Attack, Debate Philosophy, Knock Out, Seduction, Strike Pose, Run Away!, Walk and Chew Gum
Important Stuff Worn/Wielded: Nice Suit and Tie (clothes).
This post contains ROLF! stats for Kennedy and Castro, so you can play out their first meeting in the afterlife.
ON THE SHORES OF THE RIVER STYX, NOT TOO LONG AGO....
"Ay caramba!" exclaimed Fidel Casto. "You mean I really, truly am dead?!"
"Yes." Charon nodded almost imperceptibly within the shadows of his voluminous hood. "The land you have arrived in is Hades, and the river we just crossed is Styx."
"But there is a city here! And over there--a houseboat with a gringo dressed up like Shakespeare! And there are people riding horses, people riding in cars, people--people riding on dragons?!"
Castro pointed skyward where a sleek, scaly azure dragon was winging its way way through the cloudy sky after a furry white one; on the back of each, a human form could be discearned, and a woman's voice drifted down, "Fates curse you, Atreyu--you bring back my helmet, or I'll make you wish you'd been swallowed up by Despair and Hopelessness!"
Again, near-invisible nod of Charon's head. "Yes... Hades is a land where creations of the imagination and the spirits of those who have fired imaginations live and mingle. You will find that--"
"Well, I'll be! If it isn't Fidel Castro!"
Charon and Fidel turned in the direction of the voice. John F. Kennedy came striding onto the boat dock.
"Kennedy," Castro said coldly, his eyes narrowing under his bushy brows.
"Fidel," Kennedy said, smiling. "I guess the cigars finally killed you, eh?"
"Indeed. But it took 50 years longer than the bullet that finished you off."
"Why, you commie bastard!"
"Capitalist pig!"
"Gentlemen, gentlemen," Charon said, waving his gnarled hands to get their attention. "There is no need to--"
"Stay out of this," roared Kennedy and Castro in unison, each turning their baleful stares on Charon--causing him to shrink further into the shadows of his robe--before locking eyes with each other.
"You're about to get your ass kicked so hard you're going to wish you were alive again," Kennedy snarled.
"Less talk, more fight, bourgeois dog!"
As the fists started to fly, Charon boarded his boat and shoved off. "I'll be back," he said, "when you gentlemen are finished. Nikita, Che, and Karl wanted me to bring Fidel by so they could get a bridge game going."
THE FIGHT
Castro and Kennedy start fighting at close range. The fight ends when one defeats the other.
FIDEL CASTRO (Male)
Brawn 20, Body 13, Brains 5
Traits: Coldhearted, Egomaniac, Stone Cold Killer
Combat Maneuvers: Basic Attack, Bitch Slap, Debate Philosophy, Dodge, Withering Insult
Important Stuff Worn/Wielded. Beard (Armor, absorbs 1 point of damage).
JOHN F. KENNEDY (Male)
Brawn: 19; Body: 18; Brains: 7
Traits: Egomaniac, Irrepressible Optimist, Limousine Liberal
Combat Maneuvers: Basic Attack, Debate Philosophy, Knock Out, Seduction, Strike Pose, Run Away!, Walk and Chew Gum
Important Stuff Worn/Wielded: Nice Suit and Tie (clothes).
Saturday, November 19, 2016
Snuggies for the Witchkind
Suggested by Dave Mendez--a pair of magic items for use by the Witchkind!
Satanic Snuggy
Favored by evil witchkind for lounging around the house and for coven meetings or castings of group spells in particularly chilly locations. The Satanic Snuggy is available in dark red, deep purple, and midnight black. Gold or silver trim featuring snippits of your favorite spells, the motto of your coven, or the names or symbols of the dark gods to which you’re dedicated can be added. All words and phrases are rendered in High Atlantean, Lemurian, Latin, or Esperanto.
When worn by an intended character, the Satanic Snuggy provide a +1 bonus to all morale checks and Will saves, as well as a +2 bonus to saving throws against cold spells. If a character of good alignment or allegiance wears a Satanic Snuggy, he or she suffers a -1 penalty to all saving throws and attack rolls because of a sense of unease. The feeling and penalties end once the Snuggy is removed.
Seraphic Snuggy
Favored by good witchkind for lounging around the house and for coven meetings or castings of group spells in particularly chilly locations. The Seraphic Snuggy is available in snow white, heavenly blue, and heartfelt red. Gold or black trim featuring snippits of your favorite spells, the motto of your coven, or the names or symbols of the dark gods to which you’re dedicated can be added. All words and phrases are rendered in High Atlantean, Lemurian, Latin, or Esperanto.
When worn by an intended character, the Seraphic Snuggy provide a +1 bonus to all morale checks and Will saves, as well as a +2 bonus to saving throws against cold spells. If a character of evil alignment or allegiance wears a Seraphic Snuggy, he or she suffers a -1 penalty to all saving throws and attack rolls because of a sense of unease. The feeling and penalties end once the Snuggy is removed.
All text in this post was presented under the Open Game License. For more, check out Secrets of the Witchkind from NUELOW Games.
Satanic Snuggy
Favored by evil witchkind for lounging around the house and for coven meetings or castings of group spells in particularly chilly locations. The Satanic Snuggy is available in dark red, deep purple, and midnight black. Gold or silver trim featuring snippits of your favorite spells, the motto of your coven, or the names or symbols of the dark gods to which you’re dedicated can be added. All words and phrases are rendered in High Atlantean, Lemurian, Latin, or Esperanto.
When worn by an intended character, the Satanic Snuggy provide a +1 bonus to all morale checks and Will saves, as well as a +2 bonus to saving throws against cold spells. If a character of good alignment or allegiance wears a Satanic Snuggy, he or she suffers a -1 penalty to all saving throws and attack rolls because of a sense of unease. The feeling and penalties end once the Snuggy is removed.
Seraphic Snuggy
Favored by good witchkind for lounging around the house and for coven meetings or castings of group spells in particularly chilly locations. The Seraphic Snuggy is available in snow white, heavenly blue, and heartfelt red. Gold or black trim featuring snippits of your favorite spells, the motto of your coven, or the names or symbols of the dark gods to which you’re dedicated can be added. All words and phrases are rendered in High Atlantean, Lemurian, Latin, or Esperanto.
When worn by an intended character, the Seraphic Snuggy provide a +1 bonus to all morale checks and Will saves, as well as a +2 bonus to saving throws against cold spells. If a character of evil alignment or allegiance wears a Seraphic Snuggy, he or she suffers a -1 penalty to all saving throws and attack rolls because of a sense of unease. The feeling and penalties end once the Snuggy is removed.
All text in this post was presented under the Open Game License. For more, check out Secrets of the Witchkind from NUELOW Games.
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