The World of Starvania, Part One

Welcome to a new post series/project. How long it will be, or if it will ever be completed is anyone's guest. No one can be sure how often posts will show up, either. It's being started on the spur of the moment, and despite the fact that time could be spent on more serious projects.

This first post is just going to be a little background on the setting. The second post will be some player character generation rules with additional setting information. The third post will be more character generation rules, with more setting information. (If this gets that far...)

And now... we bring you The World of Starvania!

THE WORLD OF STARVANIA: A CAMPAIGN SETTING

Design and Editing: Steve Miller

Based on "Starvania" by Felix Adler & Clyde Bruckman

A BRIEF HISTORY OF STARVANIA
In the beginning, the land of Starvania was ruled by cruel, alien gods from the Stars, foremost among them being Yog-Sogoth. Then a band of heroes banished those dark entities and the Age of Man dawned.
   For countless millennia, the peoples of Starvania warred against each other, building up and tearing down civilizations and generally rampaging back and forth across the landscape to prove who was superior and who deserved to rule others. The wars were on racial, ethnic, or national lines--and often a mixture or all three at the same time. The biggest animosity existed between the Salvians and the Moronicans, the two most populous races in Starvania. The less numerous Woovians and Skets could try to keep their heads down, or join with one side or the other... whatever they needed to do to keep what little life and liberty they could hang onto.

   Then, 654 years ago, the mighty bard-king Froot deLoom of Moronica succeeded in his life-long quest to unite all the peoples of Starvania in a shared love of beer-battered fish-sticks and accordion music. By the time King Froot passed the reins of power onto his eldest daughter, Loup, these cultural touchstones had become the foundation of a golden age of peace and prosperity.  

   This union of once-warring nations eventually came to be loosely governed by an elected parliament led a mostly ceremonial prime minister who, by law and tradition, had to be the current reigning monarch of  Moronica. Under the banner of Starvania, the people lived and worshiped and worked and played, in peace and equality, side by side. Nonetheless, discontent bubbled below the surface in some parts of the union. 

   For centuries, the citizens of the Isle of Cork and Great Mittens had resented Moronicans in general, but specifically those from the states of Moronica and Cast Toria. The islands had been settled by Salvians fleeing Moronican oppression two thousand years ago, but the waters around them had always been controlled by the Moronicans; the islanders have, ironically, never been great ship-builders but they have always excelled at sinking them. 

   Mainland Salvians felt great solidarity with their island-dwelling cousins. They had long insisted that control of the Corkscrew Straights and the Hot Sea, as well as all ports and harbors on the coasts, be surrendered to their exclusive controls. With the exception of some merchants and industrialists, and a minority of islanders who felt Salvians were superior in all ways to other Starvanians, the islanders in general didn't care terribly that the ports were controlled by Moronicans. But, this majority usually just let the radicals rant and rave, because nothing would come of their antics because no sensible person would listen to them. 

But five years ago, the Salvian Unity Party weaponized the simmering resentment in the loud minority and their allies elsewhere in Starvania. Using the rationale that the Moronicans had for too long denied the Salvians their birthrights of controlling Starvanian seas and harbors, they orchestrated a coup and overthrew King Herman of Moronica. A charismatic, but dimwitted, army corporal-turned-interior decorator named Moe Heilstone was named Grand Leader of Starvania, and any members of parliament and local governments that didn't swear allegiance to him specifically were at best hounded from office but more often than not imprisoned.

   Unsurprisingly, the people of Starvania tried to fight back against the overthrow of their government and the 600-year peace came to an end; even the Salvian-majority state of Bulge-Area . Also unsurprisingly, since the Salvians, both islanders and mainlanders, have long made up the majority of Starvanian armed forces, the rebellious states were swiftly subdued (but often with a great cost of life and property). Surprisingly, especially to Heilstone and his loyal supporters, the citizens of Great Mittens and the Isle of Cork did not accept him as their Grand Leader, but instead sent a steady stream of insults his way, declared themselves the home of the true Starvania and set up a Parliament-in-Exile with King Herman's youngest daughter, Princess Maddie as its ceremonial prime minister. 

By Jamie Patterson

CURRENT DAY STARVANIA

Grand Leader Heilstone rules mainland Starvania with an iron fist, ensconced in his palace where the states of Moronica, Jug o' Salvia, and Staywayoff share borders. His troops and paramilitary forces are everywhere, and his secret police and informants lurk among the population, looking for anyone who might express even the slightest negative views of him and his government; when found, such people are swiftly arrested and anyone who failed to report their treasonous thoughts risks the same fate. King Herman and his family (aside from Princess Maddie) remain under house arrest in their ancenstral castle, high on the cliffs above the Lake of Loons in Moronica.

   All across Starvania, groups of rebels fight either against Heilstone's secret police, his army, or foreign troops who have been sent to the region from distant lands with whom the dictator has made alliances. Some even find themselves fighting threats from other worlds, because mystics and cultists on both sides of the the battle for Starvania's future have been setting about harnessing the power of the ancient gods that once held sway over the lands, hoping to use it to destroy their foes. So far, all anyone has managed to do is unleash demons upon the land, turn the population of villagers into zombies, and attract the attention of outside threats that hadn't been present in Starvania for 1,000 years. 

   Great Mittens and the Isle of Cork has so far been able to repel all attempts to force them to join Heilstone's Starvania. Although they have been joined in their by powerful allies--including a rumored ancient dragon--it is unclear how long they will be able to hold out. So far, they have resisted the temptation to seek power from the Elder Gods, but the calls to do so are getting louder...

   Things are growing evermore bleak in Starvania. The people's suffering grows greater with each passing day. Now is the time for heroes....

Next Up: Some Rules for Creating Starvanian Player Characters!

(Coming Soon)

The Amulet of Leng (for the d20 System)

Scattered across the world, are many artifacts that are legacies of ancients gods who ruled over long-dead civilizations in bygone eras; or that have been carried here from other dimensions by the dread beings that dwell in them. One such item, which was stolen from the Dreamlands by the Witchkind, and which many have sought because they either wish to harness its power or to return it from whence it came, is the Amulet of Leng.

THE AMULET OF LENG (for the d20 System)

Carved from a piece of green jade, this circular amulet is roughly four inches across and half an inch thick. It is usually found attached to a leather thong or sturdy silver chain so that it can be worn around a being's neck.

    The front side of the Amulet of Leng features a winged, sphinx-like creature with face that combines both human and wolf-like features; the eyes and forehead human, but the nose and mouth are snout-like and vicious fangs protrude from it. The back of the amulet is engraved with the image of a humanoid skull with an abnormally large cranium. Beneath that image are three symbols that appear vaguely Chinese in origin, but the meaning of which can only be discovered through magic (such as a read languages spell) or a Arcane Lore / Knowledge (Arcane) skill check against a DC22 for each of the three symbols. (From left to right, the symbols mean Time, Immortality, and Annihilation.)

   If examined through means that reveals magical properties of an item (via spell or devices), the Amulet of Leng registers a strong aura of protection and summoning enchantments. Its exact functions cannot be determined through any means short of a wish spell, or by direct communication with a god-like being.

Powers

When claimed and then worn by a sentient being, the Amulet of Leng provides the following protections to the wearer.

   * Immunity to aging, from natural or magical sources

   * Complete immunity to damage from all blunt or edged weapons, as well as missiles and falling damage. (Natural weapons, such as claws and fangs, are not covered by this effect.)

   * 50 percent reduction of damage suffered from spells and other magical sources.

   * 25 percent reduction of damage suffered from natural environmental sources, such as vacuum, extreme heat and extreme cold.

Drawbacks

The Amulet of Leng only bestows its magical protection on characters who have claimed it as their own, either by receiving it as a gift, purchasing it, stealing it for their own use, or looting it for their own use. The protections gained from Amulet of Leng only last for as long as it is worn. Once removed, the wearer once again ages at the normal rate, suffers full damage from attacks, and so on. 

   The great benefits of the Amulet of Leng are outweighed by hidden dangers. They are as follows.

   * Every time the wearer goes to sleep, he or she has dreams of large wolf-like creatures, apparently made partially of flames, roaming an alien landscape dotted with ruined towers. The character feels like the creatures are searching--hunting--for something. As time passes and dreams continue, the character in the dream comes to the realization that they are looking for the Amulet of Leng. The character must roll a successful Fortitude Save (DC15) upon waking, or be fatigued during the day (per the Condition). Spells may be memorized or recovered as normal.
   * The GM keeps a running total of how much damage the character would have suffered if he or she had not been wearing the Amulet of Leng. Once that damage is equals or exceeds an amount that would have killed the character, the character is filled with a sudden, paralyzing fear and cannot take any more actions that round. He or she must roll a successful Will save (DC22), or be set upon by 1d3+1 Hellhounds (with maximum possible hit points)--the Hounds of Tindalos.
   The Hounds emerge from different corners in whatever area the character is in, one at a time in successive rounds until all our present. Each Hellhound rolls initiative on the round it arrives, and attacks the wearer of the Amulet. They only attack other characters if they come to the defense of their target. (If the character is outside, the Hounds emerge from angles made by branches, rocks on the ground, or other natural conditions.)
   If the wearer survives the attack of the Hounds, the Amulet is "reset" and the GM starts a new running total of hit points avoided. The new tally starts at -10, so the character can suffer "free" damage.
   If the wearer does not survive the attack, one of the Hounds tries to grab the Amulet with its fiery jaws and tear it from around the wearer's neck, but as soon as it and other Hounds dissolve into wisps of smoke and seem to evaporate. The Amulet of Leng remains with the mangled corpse.
   * When the character who has claimed and worn the Amulet of Leng takes it off, he or she must roll a Will save (DC18). He or she is filled with a sudden, indescribable dread and hears the sound of wolves howling in the distance. No one else can hear this sound.
   If the saving throw was successful, the character instinctively knows that unless he or she puts the Amulet of Leng back on, certain death is coming. If he or she does not put the Amulet back on within two rounds, 1d3+1 Hounds of Tindalos arrive and attack as described above. If he or she puts the Amulet back on, he or she hears a mournful wolf-howl fading into the distance.
   If the saving throw failed, the character is paralyzed with overwhelming fear for 1d2+1 rounds. Hounds of Tindalos begin to arrive at the end of first round and attack as described above. They continue to arrive, one at a time on successive rounds to a maximum of 8, until the possessor of the Amulet is dead, or until someone has put it on. If the possessor dies without wearing the Amulet, a Hound snatches it up and takes it with it when the Hounds dissolve into smoke and vanish.
   If the possessor of the Amulet of Leng took it off and survives the attack of the Hounds, he or she is free of the Amulet's magic... at least until he or she decides to wear it again.

Safely Removing the Amulet of Leng

A character can only safely remove the Amulet of Leng while submerged in the legendary Pool of All. While submerged, the character must make a Fortitude save (DC22). 

   If the save is successful, the character has a vision of a shadow-draped figure that offers him or her the opportunity to join the ranks of the Immortals or to leave the Pool as he or she entered, but free of the Amulet's magic. Whether the character chooses to be transformed and become an Immortal or not, he or she emerges with the Amulet of Leng in hand and free of its magic. 

   If the save fails, the character is transformed into an Immortal, as per the regular effects of the Pool of All, but is still liberated from the Amulet of Leng.

Destruction

While on this plane, the Amulet of Leng cannot be destroyed. It must be returned to the Dreamlands from whence it was stolen. Once there, it can be shattered with an magical weapon with a +1 or better enchantment.

--
The text from the "Powers" heading" through the end of the section labeled "Destruction" is released under the Open Game License. It may be reproduced in accordance with its terms. Copyright 2020 Steve Miller.

Feats for Feet!

Here are some feats for characters who are light on their feet! (The text in this post is released under the Open Game License and it may be reproduced in accordance with its terms. Copyright 2020 Steve Miller.)

… BUT DON'T FALL DOWN [General]
You're hard to knock and keep off your feet..
   Prerequisite: Dexterity 15
   Benefit: If you fail an attribute check to resist a trip attempt, you may roll a Reflex saving throw (DC14) to avoid being tripped. Further, standing up from a prone position is a free action. 
   Normal: Standing is normally a move-equivalent action.

BACKWARDS AND IN HEELS [Ninja Cutie, Sister of Bastet]

Not only do high heels not slow you down, they make you deadlier!
   Prerequisite: 3rd level, Dex 14, Cha 14
   Benefit: When wearing high heels, except for stiletto heels, the character gains a +2 bonus to all the following skills: Balance, Bluff, Climb, Jump, Move Silently, and Perform (dance).

BACKWARDS AND IN STILETTO HEELS [Ninja Cutie, Sister of Bastet]
Whether you have them on your feet or in your hands, you make stiletto-heeled shoes as dangerous as the knife they are named for.
   Prerequisite: Backwards and in Heels feat
   Benefit: When wearing stilettos, you gain a +2 bonus to Diplomacy and Intimidation skill checks. Additionally, you wield a stiletto as a melee weapon that deals a based damage of 1d6 points.

   Special: When this feat is selected, the character automatically gains Exotic Melee Weapon Proficiency (stiletto heel shoe) as a bonus feat. Additionally, the character can wield two stiletto-heeled shoes at once without any penalties if she possesses the Two-Weapons Fighting feat.

DANCING QUEEN [Fast Hero, Bard, Fighter, Rogue]

You can dance, you can fight!

   Prerequisite: Perform [dance] 2 ranks

   Benefit: The character practices mixed martial arts. Add 1/2 of the character's ranks (round down) in the Perform [dance] skill to all melee attack rolls.

FEETS DON'T FAIL ME NOW [General]
Running away is something you're good at.
   Prerequisite: Run, Dexterity 13
   Benefit: You are not subject to attacks of opportunity, nor flanking attacks, nor loss of Dexterity bonuses, when retreating from melee combat or other situations where they might occur, so long as you are moving at your base speed or higher.

(Thanks to L.L. Hundal for these!)

A new release, now at DriveThruRPG!

It's been a while since we've produced an actual product. That changes today! For A Song and a Dance is now available at DriveThruRPG, and it can be yours for... well, whatever you feel like paying for it.

The content of the product was all inspired by popular music and Christmas songs. Much of it originally appeared here on the blog, but it has been revised to a greater or lesser degree based on feedback from readers or the players in L.L. Hundal's game group.

Here's a list of the songs and artists that inspired the material in For a Song and a Dance, along with the type and amount of content they gave rise to:

Clothes of the Dead by Bongos, Bass, and Bob: Radom Tables to Generate Clothes Found in Thrift Stores.
Daddy Cool by Boney M: One Talent Tree (Five Talents)
Dancing Queen by Abba: One Feat
Dude Looks Like a Lady by Aerosmith: One Feat
I'll Be There by The Escape Club: One Character Template
Jingle Bells: One Magic Item
Little Drummer Boy: One Artifact, Two Magic Items
Never Gonna Give You Up by Rick Astley: One Talent Tree (Four Talents)
Safety Dance by Men Without Hats: Two Feats
Sharped Dressed Man by ZZ Top: Six Artifacts
Simply Irresistible by Robert Palmer: One Feat
We Three Kings: One Feat, One Magic Item

And, just because, here are videos for some of those great songs that we've not yet featured here on the blog...

Aerosmith's "Dude Looks Like a Lady":

Robert Palmer's "Simply Irresistible":


and finally...

The Escape Club's immortal "I'll Be There":

Please check out For a Song and a Dance at DriveThruRPG... and let us know what you think of it. We'll be here.

Who Killed the Young Housewife?

Hannah Brymann had seemed to all to be the perfect wife--happily staying at home and hosting gatherings for the friends and neighbors. Everyone claims to have loved her... but someone must be lying, because someone murdered her.

It's been a while, but here's another one of our Random Murder Mysteries. The idea is that you roll an eight-sided die against the tables below to randomly generate the outline of a murder mystery for the player characters in your roleplaying game campaign to solve. Some of the main results have sub-results that must also be generated. (If some results don't seem to match, you can either re-roll, or use them to deepen the mystery... or make the murderer seem more insane or evil.

WHERE WAS SHE FOUND?

   1. In the backyard.
   2. In the master bedroom.
   3. In the dining room.
   4. In the kitchen.
   5. In the garage.
   6. In the bathroom.
   7. In the trunk of her car.
   8. Stuffed into the yard waste recycling bin.


HOW WAS SHE DRESSED?
   1-2. What she commonly wore around the house.
   3-4. Exercise clothes.
   5-6. Clothes for working in the yard.
   7. Underwear and dressing gown..
   8. A bath towel.


HOW WAS SHE KILLED?
   1. Hanged.
   2. Drowned in the bath tub (1-6); in the pool (7-8).
   3. Strangled with a power cord (1-2); blinds cord (3-4); scarf (5-7); bed sheet (8).
   4. Head bashed in with a (1-3) meat tenderizer; (4-6) hammer; (7-8) silver candlestick.
   5. Suffocated with a throw pillow.
   6. Throat slit.
   7. Run over with her car.
   8. Stabbed 1-8 times.


WHO KILLED HER?
   1. Her Husband.
   2. Her Mother-in-Law.
   3. The Postman.
   4. The Poolboy
   5. The Pastor.
   6. The Police Officer.
   7. Her Ex (1-4) Boyfriend; (5-6) Girlfriend; (7-8) Husband.
   8. Her Estranged Step-Sister.


WHY WAS SHE KILLED?
   1. Revenge. (Roll on the Dark Secrets table.)
   2. Jealousy.
   3. So she wouldn't reveal killer's secret. (Roll on Dark Secrets table.)
   4. So her soul could be married to a demon in a paranormal shotgun-style wedding.
   5. She rebuffed the murderer's sexual advances.
   6. She was the latest victim of a serial killer. Another victim will die in 1-8 days.
   7. Revenge for her husband's betraying a (1-3) drug cartel; (4-5) demonic cult; (6-8) secret assassins guild.
   8. She was blackmailing the killer with pictures of kinky sex acts. (If the Husband was indicated as the killer, he is being framed by the actual killer. Roll again on the Who Killed Her table to see who it is. Ignore and reroll additional results of 1.)


WHAT IS THE DARK SECRET?
   1-3. The Young Housewife had been given a new identity after testifying against a mob hitman who was sent to prison for the rest of his life. She was recognized by the killer, and he killed her for the bounty the mob put on her.
   4-5. The killer and the Young Housewife were members of the same cult devoted to serving and worshipping a demonic entity. She wanted to leave the cult behind.
   6-7. The Young Housewife and the killer were con-artist partners, and she was supposed to rob her husband of all his money. She truly fell in love with him, and she wanted nothing more to do with the killer. (If the Husband is the killer, he murdered her in a fit of rage, and is framing her partner for her death. Roll on the Who Killed Her table to determine who the partner in the con was.)
   8. The Young Housewife was raised and trained to be an assassin and agent for an international cabal, but she wanted to leave that life behind. The killer was sent to eliminate her... and will target investigators when they start snooping around.

--
If you found this post useful and entertaining, check out Murder Most Random, a collection of 12 random murder mystery outline generators. Sales will encourage us to make more... as would comments on this post. For example, is there a generic type of person you'd like to see made a murder victim? Let us know!

The Necklace of Harmonia (for the d20 System)

We now return to the secretive world of the Amazons with a description of the legendary Necklace of Harmonia. It has been lost to the Amazons for millennia, and if player characters come into possession of it, they might gain them as powerful allies or deadly enemies.


THE NECKLACE OF HARMONIA
The Necklace of Harmonia was given by the goddess Harmonia as a gift to an Amazon who fell in love with an outside male, Cadmus, the first king of the ancient Grecian city-state of Thebes, and left her people behind to be with him. The necklace was meant to bring her health and happiness and for a time it did... but she was eventually assassinated by a cult of sorcerers in revenge for Cadmus slaying the water dragon they worshipped. They stole the necklace, and, although Cadmus had every member of the cult and their families hunted down and killed, it was never recovered.
   The Necklace of Harmonia has for centuries been a much-sought after treasure, because it is rumored give any woman who wears it eternal youth, beauty, and good fortune. However, the reality has been quite different for those who have found themselves in possession of it: They have come to swift and brutal ends, or have vanished without a trace... and the necklace has always gone missing again.
   The Necklace of Harmonia is crafted from gem-encrusted gold and shaped like two serpents with their tails intertwined and whose bodies are draped around the wearer's neck, with their heads meeting below the jugular notch. If inspected with detect magic, it radiates faint transmutation and abjuration magic.

Powers of the Necklace of Harmonia
The rest of the text in this post is released under the Open Game License and may be reproduced in accordance with its terms.
   Standard Powers: A female who ages in the fashion similar to that of a typical human wears the Necklace of Harmonia for at least 8 hours every day from one full moon to the next sees her physical age gradually reverse itself a year. The continues until she is physically 27 years old. She remains this age until she stops wearing the Necklace of Harmonia for the time between two full moons, at which point she begins to age normally again.
   A female who wears the Necklace of Harmonia as described above, gains a +2 bonus to all saving throws and initiative rolls, as well as a +4 bonus to all Charisma-based skill checks.
   Amazon-Specific Powers: When worn by an Amazon, the Necklace also grants immunity to attribute- and level-draining attacks, spells, and spell-like effects from any creature who isn't a literal god--a divine being with the ability to grant spells to followers and so on.
   For Amazons who possess the True Love feat, the saving throw and initiative roll bonuses are extended to the identified object of her affection. Additionally, that person will age more slowly so long as the Amazon wears the Necklace of Harmonia, aging only 1 year for every 10 that pass. (To activate this effect, the Amazon must offer a prayer to Harmonia under a full moon. The target must be aware of the Amazon's desire and willing to have his life extended.)

   Drawbacks: For an Amazons, there are no drawbacks to the Necklace of Harmonia, so long she does not blaspheme against Harmonia or Harmonia's parents, intentionally betrays an Amazon or Consort, or intentionally betrays someone she has said she loves and who has been a loyal lover and friend to her in return. In such a circumstance, the Amazon loses all benefits from the Necklace and is immediately subjected to a curse that imposes a -4 enhancement penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, ability checks, and skill checks. The curse remains in effect until the Amazon atones for her transgressions and begs forgiveness from both Harmonia and the person she betrayed.
   When a non-Amazon wears the Necklace of Harmonia, she must roll a successful Fortitude save (DC18) or lose the benefits of the Necklace. Additionally, she is subjected to a -2 penalty to all Charisma checks, as well as automatic Hostile reactions from NPCs in any situation that might warrant it. These curses remain until she prays to Harmonia for forgiveness and passes the Necklace onto another person, or until she gives the Necklace to a representative of the Amazons. No matter what, she will never enjoy the benefits of the Necklace ever again.
   If a non-Amazon who is gaining benefit from the Necklace of Harmonia intentionally betrays someone she has said she loves and who has been a loyal lover, she loses all benefits of the Necklace and immediately ages 1d20 years. Every hour thereafter, she must roll a successful Fortitude save (DC22) or age 1d20+10 years.
   This rapid aging persists until the woman atones for her transgressions and gains forgiveness from the person she betrayed. If the aging is stopped before she dies, the woman still remains aged. If not stopped, the aging continues, causing the body to rapidly decay and eventually turn to dust.

In Observation of April 1st...

A d20 System feat like no other....

MOE OPTIONS [General]
When you wake up in the morning, you are blessed with a supernatural benefit granted by the Three Great Spirits of Nyuk-Nyuk-Nyuk.

   Benefit: Roll 1d6 once per day and consult the table below. The character gains the indicated benefit until he or she goes to sleep that night or is dropped below 0 hit points.
   1-2. Damage reduction 10 for injuries suffered from unarmed attacks and blunt weapons.
   3-4. Successful unarmed attacks deal no damage, but instead you poke the opponent in the eyes, blinding them for 1d2+1 rounds.
   5-6. When in the company of at least two other PCs, the character may force all opponents to make Will saves (DC5+your character level) at the beginning of an encounter. Those who fail the saves are confused for 1d2+1 rounds. This is a standard action.

(All text in this post is presented under the Open Game License and may be reproduced in accordance with its terms. Copyright 2020 by Steve Miller.)