Thursday, August 5, 2021

RPG-a-Day #5: Throne

Continuing with the RPG-a-Day Challenge... while detailing another trophy from the Love Collection.

THE THRONE OF JUDGE MARSTON THE MERRY
In late 1927, silent movie star Bessie Love, in her secret life as a warrior against supernatural evils, squared off against and defeated a cult leader who not only trying to recruit Hollywood studio bosses to his twisted cause, but also tried to eliminate Bessie before she became a threat to his goals--and that was his mistake. From the ruins of his hideout, Bessie and an ally salvaged the ridiculously high-backed upholstered chair he had sat in while commanding his followers. Due to the presence of arcane symbols subtly included in the design of upholstery, Bessie was certain the chair held powerful magic. Although it radiates very faint magic, 
   Bessie was not able to discern the chair's purpose until after she had moved to England, where an occult historian recognized the chair as the creation of Judge Edward Marston, a judge from a rural part of Northern England who lived from 1802 to 1873. He held his judgeship from 1844 through 1860. Common history records him as a fair-minded man who put the law ahead of such things as wealth or accidents of birth and the social status and clout that came with it, as well as a man who enjoyed parties--both hosting and attending. Secret histories record him as a skilled artificer, who created, among other things, objects to help him excel as a lawyer and judge. Few details are known about his creations, and even fewer are known to still exist. (Aside from the chair, Marston is known to have created a magic gavel and judge wig, the purpose of either of which is unknown.)
   The Throne of Judge Marston the Merry was so nicknamed by close friends. Marston first created it when he was named judge, and he always sat in it while presiding over his court and passing. After he retired, he reupholstered the chair, and it then sat at the head of the banquet table in his manor's great hall--and just as he had presided over his court from it, he spent the rest of his life celebrating with his friends from it. 
   Marston died childless and his will divided his holdings and property among 12 different families of close friends or individuals he thought worthy. It is unknown how the Throne of Judge Marston the Merry ended up in the United States, let alone in Hollywood.
   Bessie Love initially had kept the Throne with most of the artifacts and magical souvenirs she collected during her adventures, but once it had been determined it was basically harmless, she moved it to her dining room.

Powers of the Throne of Judge Marston the Merry
When a character is seated in the throne, he or she gains a +10 bonus to Sense Motive skill checks, as well as a +10 bonus to Fortitude saves made to resist all resist all toxins and poisons.

Drawbacks of the Throne of Judge Marston the Merry
None.

Bessie Love, seated in the Throne of Judge Marston the Merry

After the Throne of Judge Marston the Merry became a fixture in Bessie Love's dining room, the small-framed Bessie delighted in having drinking contests with men and women who should be able to keep their liquor far better than she (because, as the saying goes, if you're not cheating, you're not trying). She would also tend to question suspicious characters in that room, while seated in the chair.
   After Bessie Love's death in 1987, the Throne of Marston the Merry returned to the United States and it presently stands in the study of a New York City-based mystic who is known as the Sorcerer Supreme.

Wednesday, August 4, 2021

RPG-a-Day #4: Weapon -- The Sword of Judgement

For the fourth installment of the 2021 RPG-a-Day month-long event, the theme is "Weapon" so here's a magic sword that's thematically related to some previous posts here at the blog, such as The Awakened: Blessings in Disguise. As with most of the posts in this series, this post is pure 1st draft material, so any feedback you care to offer is appreciated and may be used to guide future revisions.





THE SWORD OF JUDGEMENT 
The Sword of Judgement is one of several artifacts of unknown origin that have appeared and disappeared throughout human history. It is a broadsword with a blade that's just short of 4 feet in length, with a hilt that appears like flared wings, and a hilt that is made so the weapon can be wielded one- or two-handed.
   The Sword of Judgement is rumored to have been wielded by one of the Seven Archangels and to have fallen to Earth when that mighty being perished during the titanic battle between the Heavenly Host and those who joined Satan's rebellion against God. The fact that the blade is etched with script that has defied all translation and the mighty powers of the sword seem to support this notion.
   When drawn, the symbols etched on the blade light up with a reddish glow. At the end of the second round of combat, the blade seems to catch fire and transmute into a solid fiery beam. The process reverses itself when the last foe has surrendered or been slain

Benefits of the Sword of Judgement
This is a +4 weapon that deals base damage of 1d8+4 and gives the wielder a +4 bonus to attack rolls. Targets struck with an attack roll of a Natural 20 burst into flames that burn for 4 rounds. The target suffers 1d8 points of fire damage each round until the duration expires. The fire can only be extinguished by submerging the target in holy water for a full round.
   If the target is struck with another attack roll of a Natural 20, they burning duration is extended by an additional 4 rounds. If the target goes below -10 hit points while burning, his or her body crumbles into ash and cannot be resurrected by any means except through the direct intervention of a god or an extremely carefully worded wish spell. A burning target must roll a successful Fortitude save each around (DC12) to suffer only half damage.
   If wielded against an evil god, a devil, a demon, or a cleric who serves and evil god, the sword's attack and damage bonus increase to +8.
  The wielder of the Sword of Judgement gains a +4 bonus to Diplomacy skill checks and a +4 bonus to Intimidate skill checks.

Drawbacks of the Sword of Judgement
The wielder must never strike the first blow with the sword, unless they are moving to defend an innocent being who is under attack. Instead, the wielder of the Sword of Judgement must allow them to surrender or to attack him or her first; the wielder of the Sword of Judgement is permitted to parry the incoming attack or disarm the attacker. If an opening blow is parried, or an attacker disarmed, the wielder of the Sword must again allow the attacker to surrender. Only once blood has been drawn can the wielder attack without penalty.
   If the wielder of the Sword of Judgement strikes the first blow in combat, he or she must roll a Fortitude save (DC14) or suffer 1d4+4 points of fire damage. For the duration of the combat, the Sword only grants a +2 bonus to attack rolls and no bonus to damage.
   If the wielder of the Sword accepts the first blow and/or didn't attack a surrendering foe, the wielder of the Sword of Judgement rolls initiative and and engages in combat as normal, gaining all the benefits listed above.



(All text in this post is released under the Open Game License and may be reproduced in accordance with its terms. Copyright 2021 Steve Miller. All rights reserved.)

Tuesday, August 3, 2021

RPG-a-Day #3: Feat Ideas from Key Words

Here are some d20 System feats inspired by the key words for the third RPG-a-Day prompt. (I may be doing this wrong, but if you have comments or thoughts, feel free to share.)


These feats are strictly 1st-draft material that flowed straight from my head and onto your computer screen. Any comments you wish to make are welcomed. (All text in this post is presented under the Open Game License and may be reproduced in accordance with its terms. Copyright 2021 Steve Miller)

Grounded in Reality [General, Smart Hero]
You naturally form a strong mental image of your surroundings and are hard to fool by illusions and similar trickery.
   Prerequisite: Situational Awareness feat
   Benefit: By foregoing initiative (automatically going last in a combat, or taking a full round action), the character gains a +2 bonus to Will saves to resist illusions and all mind-effecting magic and environmental effects or creature abilities. This bonus stacks with other Will save bonuses. 
   Additionally, when re-entering a room or otherwise limited space that he or she has previously been in (even for just a moment), the character may instantly notice curious changes, like pictures on the walls changing, or furniture now standing at a different angle, or one bust of a matched set on a mantle that was there before but is now gone. The GM rolls a secret Spot check (base DC11, with any environmental modifiers that seem appropriate) for the character to notice, and then points out the possibly adventure-relevant or other curious changes in the space. 
   The character (or his or her allies) must still use other appropriate skills--such as Search or Research--to determine exactly what is going on in the area. The character with this feat gains a +2 bonus to skill checks related to the search, while granting all allies searching +1 bonuses to their skill checks.

Risk Assessment [General, Fast Hero]
You can quickly determine how dangerous a situation is and adjust accordingly.
   Prerequisite: Situational Awareness feat
   Benefit: At the beginning of a combat encounter before initiative is rolled, or before making a skill check to undertake a dangerous non-combat action, the character may take a full round action to evaluate the situation and carefully study opponents and surroundings. The character gains the full benefit of his or her Defense Rating during this round, and may take 5-foot adjustments to seek cover from ranged attacks if necessary. During this time, the character is observing foes and evaluating their skill levels and combat tactics, or performing an extra careful analysis of the risky action he or she is about to perform.
    If in a combat situation, the character rolls imitative at the beginning of the next round. The character gains a +2 bonus to all attack rolls, saving throws, and skill checks made  for the rest of the combat encounter.
   If the character was evaluating the circumstances under which to perform a non-combat action, the character gains a +4 bonus to whatever the main skill check for the action is, as well as a +2 bonus to any skill checks that are immediately related to the action 

Situational Awareness [General, Fast Hero]
You are keenly aware of your surroundings and any lurking threats.
   Benefit: Gain a +2 bonus to all Listen, Move Silently, Search, and Spot skill checks.


I suppose one can say these feats belong to the Situational Awareness group. Perhaps there's an idea for a little product collecting new and existing feats and perhaps a couple talent trees in that. (Something along the lines of Feats of Seduction and Subterfuge or Feats for Those Who Carry a Badge.)

Monday, August 2, 2021

The Lighthouse at Devastation Point

We've turned an old map of a lighthouse into an adventure location. This is strictly first-draft material, going from the brain, to the fingers, through the keyboard, and onto the screen. Feel free to leave comments and suggestions. 

Generally speaking, the content in this article is usable with any roleplaying game system, although there are some specific references that are for the d20 System, or other systems that resemble or are based on D&D. 



DEVASTATION POINT AND THE LIGHTHOUSE
For centuries, ships crashed upon the jagged coastline near Port Defiance, and no approach was more dangerous than that near Devastation Point. After the lighthouse was built, the number of ship wrecks subsided, but then that structure and the windy promontory upon which it stood became the center of strange deaths and disappearances.
   Lighthouse keepers committed suicide, killed their families, or were themselves killed by their wives. Entire families disappeared without a trace, sometimes with signs of violence having been done, other times it looked as if they were in the middle of a normal day and just walked out, leaving all their belongings behind. Further, as time passed, more and more tales of hauntings and mysterious happenings in and around the lighthouse.
   Many attempts have been made to identify and eliminate or put to rest the evil spirits or ghosts that haunt the lighthouse and the promontory--and a growing number of paranormal investigators have died or vanished during these attempts. Other psychics and ghost hunters have seen their reputations destroyed or careers ended when they've declared the lighthouse free of ghosts, only to have the hauntings resume and more lives be lost.

THE HAUNTING OF DEVASTATION POINT
Devastation Point Lighthouse is a focal point of necromantic energy that is drawn here through two sources--a dark artifact that was incorporated into the housing of the lighthouse's refractor; and the restless spirits of a coven of sirines who were murdered as construction began on the lighthouse.
   The eddy of magical energy is so strong that not only is there a very good chance that anyone who dies within the walls of the lighthouse, the residence attached to it, or within 10 meters of the structure in any direction, will join the many ghosts that haunt the place. Similarly, until the ghostly sirines are destroyed and the artifact removed from the lighthouse, the hauntings will never cease.

THE HAUNTINGS IN GENERAL
The following apply to all the hauntings in the lighthouse and attached structure, as well as the immediate surroundings:
  * The hauntings occur between sunset and sunrise, or when the fog is so thick that visibility is less than 5 feet.
   *. Each room in the structure has 2-3 hauntings. The haunting, or lack there-of, in any given room on any given night, is random. Sometimes, multiple hauntings may overlap in the same room. Entities may pursue the living from the rooms they are first encountered in, resulting in a battle against an increasing number of hostile spirits. The GM can roll a check for a haunting each time a new investigator enters a room, or he can just roll when the first or last one enters. A roll should be made whenever an investigator comes or go from any given room.
   * If spirits and ghosts in the lighthouse and its immediate surroundings are destroyed or otherwise exorcised, they may return on the night of the next full moon.
   * The only hauntings in the lighthouse proper are on the ground floor and on the upper and lower galleries at the tower's upper levels. Climbing the tower, however, presents dangers as well.
   * The restless spirits of three regular sirines and the sirine priestess who led them haunt a cave deep below the promontory. It is only visible from the ocean's surface when the tide is at its lowest.


SPECIFIC HAUNTINGS
Roll 1d4 to see what hauntings paranormal investigators or ghost hunters encounter while exploring the Devastation Point Lighthouse and immediate surroundings between sunset and sunrise, or during heavy fog. Creatures always vanish after being defeated, no matter how solid they seemed. They same is true of any damage they did to their environment--although damage done by investigators to the house remains. If a spirit is exorcised or destroyed, and rolled again, it is treated as a "Nothing" result. Creatures always vanish after being defeated, no matter how solid they seem 

THE RESIDENCE
This two-story structure is attached to the Lighthouse. It can be accessed through the Front Door (see Front Door and Vestibule) and through the door on the side of the Oil House (see Oil House). Both doors are locked, and they keep relocking on their own volition, unless the investigators break them outright.

The Immediate Surroundings (Ground Level)
1-2: Nothing.
3: The faint sounds of several female voices, harmonizing a haunting tune.
4. Characters must roll Will saves (DC8). If failed, they feel as if something is watching them. They also think they catch a flicker of light from the top of the lighthouse tower.

The Front of the Residence (Ground Level)
1. Nothing.
2. Spot skill check (DC5). They see movement in the widow above the main entrance.
3. The faint sound of children's laughter is heard from somewhere inside the house.
4. The sound of a concertina is heard from within the residence, and lights glow faintly in all visible windows. The music and glows stop as soon as the front door is opened.

The Front Door and Vestibule  (Ground Level)
1. Nothing.
2. The Front Door must be forced (Strength check DC11) or broken down.
3. The Front Door locks itself, as soon as investigators leave or enter.
4. There is a bright yellow oilskin hat and coat hanging on a hook. They are sprayed with blood. They vanish when touched.

The Hall  (Ground Level)
1. Nothing
2. One of the investigator's thinks he sees someone darting up the stairs. Another thinks he heard the sound of the person's footsteps.
3. The sound of a man and a woman happily chatting, intermingled with the sound of knives and forks on dinnerware heard from the left (the "Dining Room").
4. The sound of a woman sobbing is heard from the right (the "Parlor").

The Dining Room  (Ground Level)
1. Nothing.
2. A ghostly man and woman in their 20s, dressed in 19th century garb are having dinner. If approached, they attack the investigators. They are ghosts. If left be, the scene fades after 1d4 minutes.
3. A ghostly family of a father, mother, and two young boys, dressed in early 20th century garb, are having dinner. If approached, they solidify into ghouls and attack. If left be, the scene fades after 1d4 minutes.
4. The faint sounds of a man and woman arguing, while a young child cries, are heard. If an investigator uses magic or technology to examine the room, two poltergeists attack.

The Parlor (Ground Level)
1. Nothing.
2. A strong smell of pipe smoke and faint sounds of men chatting is in the air. This persists for 1d4 minutes, the fades away.
3. The sounds of rhythmic creaking can be heard from the room above. After 1d4 minutes, a woman is heard crying out, then all sound stops.
4. A woman in 19th century garb is sitting in an easy chair, sobbing with her face in her hands. If approached or otherwise disturbed, she turns into a banshee and attacks.

The Kitchen (Ground Level)
1. Nothing.
2. A mouthwatering smell of delightful food is strongly in the air. After 1d2 minutes, investigators must roll successful Fortitude saves (DC11) as the odor suddenly turns foul and rotten, or be sickened for 1d4 minutes.
3. 1d4+2 knives appear spinning through the air. They deal 1d4 points of damage each and have a +2 bonus to attack rolls. Each knife goes inert after two successful hits on investigators.
4. A ghastly scene of a battered, blood-soaked woman in a torn slip, who is shrieking as she chops with a meat cleaver at a prone man in dark clothes. Both are in their mid-30s. She is a ghost and attacks any investigator who approaches her. She has a +4 attack bonus against male investigators. The scene fades after 1d4 minutes.

The Sitting Room (Ground Level)
1. Nothing.
2. A creaking sound is heard from the ceiling, as if someone is pacing around in the room above.
3. Investigators must make Will saves (DC8). Those who succeed feel like there's a presence in the room. watching them. Those who fail are filled with blind rage toward the male character standing nearest to them. They attack that character with murderous intent for 1d4 rounds, after which they fall unconscious. When they revive, they don't remember what they did.
4. A bearded man sits in an easy chair, reading a fairy tale to three young girls who are seated in a halfmoon shape on the floor in front of him. If approached, they solidify into ghouls and attack. If left be, the scene fades after 1d4 minutes.

Oil House (Ground Level, structure that connects the residence to the lighthouse)
1-2. Nothing.
3. The room feels strangely hot. There's a faint smell of something burning that grows stronger over a couple of rounds. Then the door to the outside bursts open and a man on fire, screaming and flailing, bursts in, promising to take the investigators to Hell with him. He is a small fire elemental.
4. There's a sudden crash overhead and a muscular man in a lighthouse keepers uniform comes crashing through the ceiling. Investigators near the center of the Oil Room must roll Dexterity attribute checks (DC13) or take 2d4 points of damage from the impact of the falling body and debris. The body, the wreckage, and the damage to the roof and ceiling vanish after 1d4 rounds, but not the injuries to any investigators. Characters gain a cumulative +4 bonus to the Dexterity skill check each time they experience this haunting.

Hall (Upper Level)
1. Nothing
2-3. A body plummets past the window facing the lighthouse tower, crashing onto and through the Oil House roof with a terrible sound of breaking wood and tearing flesh and bone. If the investigators look out the window or run downstairs to check the damage, it's as if nothing happened.
4. The sound of clapping and someone playing a hurdy-gurdy while a woman sings "What Shall We Do With a Druken Sailor" drifts up the stairs from below.

Bed Room (Upper Level)
1. A damp and musty smell grows strong in the room. Investigators in the room must roll successful Will saves (DC12) or suddenly be underwater and feel like they are being dragged deeper into the depths. They must immediately roll successful Fort saves (DC14). The investigators who failed the Will saves find themselves in the room, just as suddenly as they felt like they were in the water. They are soaked to the skin with salt water, any electronic equipment carried is damaged beyond repair, but  otherwise they are fine. Those who failed Fort saves suffer 1d4+2 points of damage and are sickened for 1d4 rounds while they cough up sea water. The whole process barely takes a round. The room and everyone else in it remain dry. (Characters may avoid the affect of this if it is rolled additional times by leaving the room as soon as the air stars to grow musty and damp. Cruel DMs can roll initiative for the effect and the players, to see if they manage to escape.)
2. A bare-chested young man stands with his back to the room, gazing out the window. He is a ghost, and if approached he attacks the investigators. He fades away after 1d4 rounds otherwise.
3. A young woman in a gauzy nightgown stands with her back to the room, gazing out the window. She is a ghost, and if approached she attacks the investigators.
4. A couple is having sex in the bed, causing it and the floor to creak. They get increasingly loud in their excitement. After 1d4+2 rounds, they start to melt into brackish water, soaking the bed and the floor. If approached or otherwise disturbed, they turn into small water elementals and attack the investigators, soaking the room. One round after the couple melts or are slain, the room is perfectly dry again.

Room (Upper Level)
1-2. Nothing.
3. The mutilated bodies of two young boys lay in a bloody, tangled mess on the floor. If disturbed, they animate and attack as half-strength Ghouls. If left alone, they fade away after 1d4 rounds.
4. Three girls in their late teens, wearing old fashioned nightgowns sit around a small statue of some strange creature. They are holding hands and chanting. If the scene is viewed for more than 1d4+1 rounds, witnessing investigators must roll successful Will saves (DC12) or become filled with such intense and overwhelming fear that they must flee the building. They must roll successful Dexterity checks (DC18) or tumble down the stairs and suffer 2d4+2 points of damage. If the chanting girls are approached, they turn into succubae and attack. If left alone, they fade away within 1d4+2 rounds.


 

THE LIGHTHOUSE
As previously mentioned, the Lighthouse has few hauntings, but is possessed by a different sort of supernatural danger. 
   It is accessed through a doorway in the Oil House, and a circular staircase allows investigators and ghost hunters to climb to the Lower Gallery and Upper Gallery at the top of the tower. 
   As the stairs are climbed into the tower, characters pass five landings. They must roll Will saves at each one. At the first landing, the Will save is DC8. Each time a Will save is failed, the DC increases by 2, so if all five Will saves are failed, the final roll is at DC18.
   With each failed saving throw, climbers feel an increasingly level of self-doubt and a feeling that whatever they want to try to achieve in life will always fail. At the same time, they have a feeling that if they make it to the top of the lighthouse, maybe there can be hope yet. (If players wonder, GMs shouldn't hesitate to let them know that thoughts like these are not typical for their character--well, unless the character has been an emo with self-defeatish tendencies up to this point.) 
   If the character fails the fifth Will save, they are consumed with the idea that there is no point in living anymore and that they must end it all by leaping off the top of the tower. The character climbs all the way to the Upper Gallery where he or she may roll one final Will check (DC14) before leaping to their near-certain doom of 10d6 points of damage. 
   If another player character tries to stop the despairing investigator at any time on the way up the tower, he or she immediately snaps out of the spell and realizes that something was affecting his or her mind and emotions. Additional Will saves must still be made as described above (with the base reset to DC8), but even awareness of the influence the lighthouse has on those who climb it does not negate it.
   The saving throws only have to be made during an ascent. Characters may safely descend from the top of the lighthouse via the stairs... assuming the gallery ghosts don't get them...

Lower Gallery (Lighthouse)
1. Nothing.
2. A grizzled old man in a lighthouse keeper's uniform stands and looks out over the sea. If left alone, he fades away after 1d4 rounds. If approached, he turns into a Gargoyle and attacks.
3. Three girls in their late teens, dressed in 19th century clothing, stand side-by-side at the railing, looking out. If left alone, they fade after 1d4 rounds. If approached, they turn into Harpies and attack.
4. A young man and woman, dressed in early 20th century garb, are arguing and fighting. The man declares that if he will kill her before he will let her leave. If the characters watch the scene unfold, the struggle results in the man and woman falling over the railing and disappearing. If anyone tries to intervene, the couple attacks the would-be mediator. They are Ghosts.

Upper Gallery (Lighthouse) 
1. Nothing
2. The upper gallery shudders and creaks and shakes and bends beneath the investigators feet. They must roll Reflex saves (DC11) or tumble from the Upper Gallery to the Lower Galler, suffering 1d6 points of damage. If this occurs more than once, additional Reflex saves are DC8.
3. The lamp suddenly blazes to life, turns and sweeps a powerful beam of light across the investigators. Each person on the Upper Gallery must roll a Fortitude save (DC15) or be blinded. The blindness lasts for 2d4 days, during which the impacted characters' eyesight gradually returns to normal. Blind characters who attempt to climb down the steep stairs of the lighthouse must descend at 1/3 their normal movement rate and roll five different successful Dexterity checks (DC8), one for each landing. A failed save means the character has tripped and fallen down a stretch of stairs, and suffers 2d6 points of damage. If the character tries to descend at his or her normal movement rate, the Dexterity check is at DC14.
4. As the result of 3, but the light is also searing hot. Characters who fail their Fortitude saves suffer 1d6+2 points of heat damage.

THE SIRINE CAVE
At some point, we'll reveal something about these placce and the creatures that haunt it, too, as well as how to break the curse on the Devastation Point Lighthouse.

WHAT ABOUT THAT "DARK ARTIFACT"?
Oh, we'll almost certainly get to this one soon. Perhaps it'll even be Bessie Love who recovers it...

--
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Sunday, August 1, 2021

RPG-a-Day #1: Scenario

 We're going to try to do this year's RPG-a-Day Challenge here at NUELOW Games; each day has a different theme and will get a different post. Be sure to stop by to join us in victory or defeat as the month progresses!

DAY #1: Scenario
The following is more of an outline that a full-fledged adventure scenario. We hope you'll feel inspired enough to want to flesh it out and use it. (This is also completely raw, first draft text; it is flowing from the keyboard onto the blog and then posted for the world to see. No editing or revision is taking place, so we apologize for dropped words or incomprehensible sentences.)


THE DEADLINE FROM HELL 
A modern-day horror scenario for any game system

Setting Up the Adventure
A party member gets a frantic phone call from a journalist friend. He says that his current story has put him on the trail of a Satanic cult and that they discovered him snooping around their secret lair. He knows they are hunting for him, and he begs the character to come to his home to before they get there, so they can help protect him and get him to safety.

Options
The following situations occur depending on what the character does.
   If the character notifies other party members, asks them to meet him somewhere and then heads to the journalists home: Go to The Chase below.
  If the character notifies other party members as asks him to meet at the journalists home: Go to Converging, below.
   If the character rushes over there without notifying others: Go to The Trap below.
   If the character ignores the plea, he hears that his friend's dead body was found on an isolated stretch of road, burned to the point where only dental records were useful in identifying him. Whoops.

The Chase
As the characters arrive at the journalist's home, they see him being hustled into a cargo van by three burly men. 
   If the party tries to fight them: One cultist per party member that leaps from behind bushes or other cover to stop them. They fight the party to subdue rather than kill them.
   An extra cultist--a particularly large man in a hoodie--stands back and watches. As the party fights, the van takes off. Once all the cultists have been defeated, the man in the hoodie faces the party... and his hood falls back to reveal that he has devil horns. He is quite a challenge for the heroes. As they defeat him, he burns into flame and ash. As they finish the fight, the van leaves, but they can see what direction its heading in, and with some skillful (and fast) driving, they can catch up with it. During their pursuit, the following complications occur:
   --Nuns and orphans in a crosswalk. Driving check to not run them them down.
  --A police car gives chase, only to crash.
  --The van seems to get away, but a party member catches sight of it just as it's almost too late (with an appropriate attribute or skill check), and then a Driving check lets the pursuit continue.
   The van eventually goes to an isolated clearing in the woods, near a burned out cabin. See "The Climax: Defeat in Victory?" below.
   If the party is defeated, go the The Trap below.

Converging
If the characters are arriving separately at the journalist's home, roll 1d4 once on the table below to see what encounters they have en-route. 
   1. No Complications.
   2. A policeman stops the character near the journalist's home. The policeman is a cultist. He ambushes the character and attempts to render him or her unconscious. If the character is defeated, he is found by other characters in the panel van mentioned in "The Chase".
   3. A group of nuns and orphans flag the character down. Their bus has broken down, the head nun's cellphone is dead, and they need help calling the rectory or a tow truck.
   4. A traffic accident happens right in front of the character. Unless he or she makes a fancy Driving check, the character ends up becoming part of the accident, too, when it becomes a pile-up. The character is rendered unconscious in the crash, and he or she is found by the other characters in the panel van mentioned in "The Chase".
   Characters who have "No Complications" arrive at the home to find everything appearing fine. If they wait for other player characters to arrive, they will see the panel van described in "The Chase" pull up. Other characters (if not in the van) arrive in an order determined randomly (roll 1d4). Each time another character arrives, the GM should roll 1d4. On a result of 4, three men get out of the van and head into the journalist's home. The events of "The Chase" unfold. If any character approaches the van, the attack described under The Chase takes place.
  If characters with "No Complication" don't wait for others to arrive, or doesn't wait for anyone to leave the van but heads into the journalist's home, the events of "The Trap" take place.



The Trap
If the characters burst into the journalist's home, they find him kneeling at the center of a pentagram, surrounded by robed cultists. There is one cultist per player character. The journalist remains in the pentagram, watching the fight with an increasingly insanely gleeful look on his face.
   The cultists fight to subdue the player characters. If it looks like the cultists are going to lose, three more join in (having emerged from the van). They continue their attempt to subdue the characters. 
   If the player characters lose the battle, go to "The Climax: Victory in Defeat?".
   If the player characters look like they're going to win, the events of "The Climax: Victory in Defeat?" unfold in the house instead of at the remote ritual site. See "The Climax: Victory in Defeat?", below.

The Climax: Defeat in Victory?
If the characters chased the panel van, their pursuit ends in an isolated woodland clearing, near a burned-out building. They are confronted by cultists (one for each character) who fight them to the death while the journalist heads with three individuals from the van to a ritual site nearby that is by a burned out building. Here, there is a Satanic ritual site with a large pentagram on the ground. Once the journalist and others have reached the ritual site, the cultists battling the player characters will try to move the fight toward the pentagram. As the characters are led toward the pentagram, the journalist speaks, with a mad gleam in his eye: "Don't make this any harder than it needs to be--you will die and your "righteousness" will be consumed by Satan and your life energy will become mine! I promised him your lives, he promised me immortality! Surrender--don't let your last few moments on Earth be filled with pain!"
   The battle lasts for six rounds, or until it seems clear the characters are going to win. Then the journa list chants and a burly man with devil horns appears and joins the fight. The battle continues for three more rounds, or until it appears certain the player characters are going to win.
   Then, the pentagram flares with magical energy and smokey figure rises from it, "My charity extends only so far," a voice boomed. "You were given a deadline and you failed to meet it."
   "No! There is still time!" the journalist screams. He rushes to attack the player character who is the most injured. If the player character survives 2 rounds of combat against the journalist, he and all the cultists burst into flame and die screaming as they disintegrate into fine ash.

The Climax: Victory in Defeat?
If the characters were defeated by cultists previously, they wake up in the pentagram at a Satanic ritual site. The journalist is there with three cultists, plus one addition per player character. He speaks to them, with a mad gleam in his eye: "Don't make this any harder than it needs to be--you will die and your "righteousness" will be consumed by Satan and your life energy will become mine! I promised him your lives, he promised me immortality! Surrender--don't let your last few moments on Earth be filled with pain!"
   The battle lasts for six rounds, or until it seems clear the characters are going to win. Then the journa list chants and a burly man with devil horns appears and joins the fight. The battle continues for three more rounds, or until it appears certain the player characters are going to win.
   Then, the pentagram flares with magical energy and smokey figure rises from it, "My charity extends only so far," a voice boomed. "You were given a deadline and you failed to meet it."
   "No! There is still time!" the journalist screams. He rushes to attack the player character who is the most injured. If the player character survives 2 rounds of combat against the journalist, he and all the cultists burst into flame and die screaming as they disintegrate into fine ash.

The Wrap-Up
Further investigation will reveal to the player characters that the journalist joint the cult while investigating it.
  
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Tuesday, July 6, 2021

The Terror of the Killdozer!

Here's a series of tables that you can use to randomly generate ideas for an adventure inspired by artwork from the great Gil Kane for a rejected cover for a comic book adaptation of the 1941 short story "Killdozer" by Theodore Sturgeon.

Roll a six-sided die and record the result to make your basic outline. If results seem incompatible, you can re-roll, or you can use them as a mysterious element in your story and/or an avenue to come up with a truly outlandish and unique backstory for the rampage of the Killdozer!


NIGHT OF THE KILLDOZER
A Randomly Generated Roleplaying Game Adventure Outline

A series of mishaps and accidents at a worksite culminate with a bulldozer rampaging through the area, crushing everything and everyone in its path. Will the player characters put an end to the nightmare, or will it put an end to them?

WHEN DOES THE STORY TAKE PLACE [optional]
1. In the early 1930s.
2. In the mid-1940s.
3. In the late 1950s.
4. In mid-1970s.
5. In the early 1990s.
6. In the late 2020s.

REGION WHERE DOES THE STORY TAKE PLACE [optional]?
1. In Main, in the north-eastern United States.
2. Near Hadrian's Wall in northern England
3. Near Four Corners in the American Southwest.
4. In southern Afghanistan.
5. In the Amazonian Jungle.
6. In Egypt, not far from Cairo.

WHERE DOES THE STORY TAKE PLACE (SPECIFICALLY)?
1. At a newly opening mine.
2. At a mine that is reopening.
3. At a construction site.
4. At an archeological site.
5. At a lumber camp near a river or lake
6. At a decommissioned military facility

"Killdozer" by Gil Kane

HOW DO THE HEROES BECOME INVOLVED?
1-2. They are hired to provide security.
3-5. They are part of the project from the beginning.
6. They uncover rumors of strange events that have happened at 
     the site through the centuries, and they come to investigate.

WHAT IS THE WORK TAKING PLACE?
1. Mining
2. Logging
3. Road Construction
4. Demolition of an Abandoned Mental Hospital/Secret 
    Government Research Facility
5. Archeological Excavation of an Area Once Home to a 
    Mysterious and Long-Lost Civilization
6. Construction of a Housing Development

WHAT GIVES LIFE TO THE KILLDOZER?
1. Spells protecting a buried Atlantean artifact that have been 
    activated because the vault housing it has been partially 
    unearthed and damaged.
2. Angry spirits (3d6, maximum of 13) of those interred at an 
    ancient burial ground on the site.
3. Demons (3d6, maximum of 13) who were trapped in buried 
    containers but were released when they were damaged.
4. Nature spirits (1d3+1) summoned by militant environmentalist 
    mystics who want to avenge the damage the project is doing 
    to the Earth.
5. An alien device has projected its awareness into the Killdozer.
6. Highly advanced circuitry and an IA, created and installed 
    by a mad scientist.

The Killdozer attacks!


WHO GAVE LIFE TO THE KILLDOZER AND WHY?
1-3. The "who" and "why" are the same as the "what"; the very 
     activity on the site animated the Killdozer.
4. A crazed mystic seeking revenge against the funders or leaders 
    of the project.
5-6. A mysterious cabal that wants to keep things buried on the site 
     exactly where they are.

WHAT DOES THE KILLDOZER WANT?
1-2. To destroy everyone and everything in its path, for the sake 
    of destruction.
3. To avenge the damage to nature that has been caused by the work 
     at the site.
4. To have proper respect shown to the location and the supernatural 
     beings who dwell there via the performance of ancient, now very 
     obscure, rituals.
5-6. To be transported to another world/dimension.

HOW CAN THE KILLDOZER BE STOPPED?
1-2. Explosives. Lots of explosives.
3. Ramming it with other heavy machinery until it's destroyed.
4. Finding a way to communicate with the spirits/demons animating 
    it and putting them to rest.
5. Letting it run out of gas.
6. Uncovering an ancient artifact hidden at the site (or nearby) and 
    turning it on the Killdozer.

IS IT TRULY OVER?
1. Yes. The Killdozer is destroyed and work can continue safely.
2. More or less. The root cause of what animated the Killdozer may 
     cause more mayhem unless additional action is taken.
3. No. Once the Killdozer is stopped, the force animating it seizes 
    control of another vehicle on the site. (Treat as #2 if the solution
    is to put angry spirits/demons to rest.)
4. No. Once the Killdozer is stopped the force animating it possesses 
    workers and the site, turning them into homicidal puppets. 
    (Treat as #2 if the solution is to put angry spirits/demons to rest.)
5. No. Once the kill Killdozer is stopped, the force animating it turns 
    ALL vehicles at the construction site in murderous engines 
    of destruction.
6. No. Once the Killdozer is stopped, a mystical burst of 
    energy transports everyone at the site to the distant past (1-2); 
    an alien planet (3-4); a nightmarish other-dimensional hellscape 
    (4-6).


Tuesday, June 8, 2021

Meet Myron the Living Voodoo Doll

In issues of the anthology title "Dork" and elsewhere, writer and artist, Evan Dorkin brought us tales of Myron the Living Voodoo Doll. Here's an example of one.

Myron the Living Voodoo Doll by Evan Dorkin

Each strip saw Myron have a mishap and that mishap was passed onto some unfortunate victim elsewhere in the world. For reasons that are probably too disturbing to dwell on, NUELOW Games's head honcho finds Myron hilarious. He also thinks he would be an interesting addition to your games.



Myron the Living Voodoo Doll by Evan Dorkin
AN RPG SUPPLEMENT

Design: Steve Miller * Eye Rolls: L.L. Hundal
Based on "Myron the Living Voodoo Doll" by Evan Dorkin
(Myron the Living Voodoo Doll is used without permission... 
and in the hopes that Mr. Dorkin doesn't sic lawyers or Myron on us.)


INTRODUCING MYRON
Myron is the most unusual of voodoo dolls. He is alive, and he wanders about of his own volition. He does not initially seem different from other voodoo doll, but he has the following unique traits:
   * Myron is self-aware and he can speak. If a person thinks to talk to him, he will respond. He will explain his unique nature, but only if asked. (Myron is too busy contemplating the meaningless nature of existence to volunteer information to those he encounters.)
   * Myron can't help but become bonded either to the last person who handles him, or a person that individual chooses to place a curse upon. Whatever harm (or other extreme physical situation, such as being flung across a room) that subsequently befalls Myron also happens to the person who is subject to his inherent voodoo magic. Once bonded to Myron through his voodoo enchantment, (Myron doesn't necessarily want bad things to happen to people, but he is a voodoo doll so he can't help it.)
   * Myron is a tireless wanderer who is forever seeking new horizons. He never remains in one place for more than a few days. He is also one of the greatest escape artists to ever exist. Once he decides it's time for him to move on, there is nothing that prevent him from doing so. (Myron is completely immune to magic that tries to bind him or keep him trapped. Any such attempts cause him to teleport to a random location far, far away... while the person who attempted to magically trap him is subjected to Myron's inherent voodoo curse.)
   * If Myron is destroyed, he reforms 1d6 days later at a random location (see "Where in the World is Myron?, below). If someone had intentionally tried to destroy him that person is now subject to Myron's inherent voodoo curse--until it is shifted onto someone else. (Myron cannot be destroyed by any conventional--or even unconventional--means. The only ways to put an end to his existence and the inherent voodoo curse he carries is to either convince him that he doesn't exist via philosophical debate, or to bring him into the presence of God [the Clockmaker, the Creator, the Big Guy Himself], which will make Myron realize that existence is not meaningless.)

HOW DO THE HEROES ENCOUNTER MYRON? (Roll 1d6)
This table is used to both determine how the party first meets Myron, as well as how they might randomly encounter him again later. 

1-2. They find him among the property of a foe they've just defeated.
3. One of them receives a package from an unknown sender. Myron is inside.
4. His is found laying outside one of their homes.
5. A friend (or even an enemy) contacts them and begs them to track Myron, because he or she has fallen victim to Myron's curse and is suffering from random injuries and other mishaps.
6. He drops into one of their laps. Literally.

The GM should roll 1d20 once per game month after the party's first experience with Myron is resolved. On a roll of 1, they cross paths with him again.



WHERE IN THE WORLD IS MYRON (Roll 2d20)
This table is used to determine where Myron can be found.

2. On a city street
3. In a daycare center
4. In a prison
5. In a city dump
6. At a train station
7. At a bus depot
8. By the sea shore
9. Along a busy highway
10. Along a country road
11. In the highlands
12. In a swamp
13. In a forest
14. In a jungle
15. In a desert
16. On a golf course
17. In a school
18. At a construction site
19. In the mountains
20. In a coal mine
21. In a cemetery
22. In a war zone
23. In a crack house
24. In a teenaged girl's bedroom
25. In a teenaged boy's bedroom
26. In a church
27. In a mosque
28. In a synagogue
29. In a serial killer's lair
30. In a politician's office
31. Floating on a lake
32. On a weather balloon
33. Floating on a river
34. In a high-rise office building
35. In a top secret government lab
36. On Paradise Island
37. On Gilligan's Island
38. At John Wick's house
39. At the home of a player character's loved ones
40. At a NASA or other space-exploration launch site.


HOW LONG DOES MYRON STAY? (Roll 1d6)
Myron stays in any given area for a limited amount of time, even if the party arranges for him to be trapped (as indicated in "Introducing Myron"). This table determines how long he can be found in the area determined by rolling on "Where in the World is Myron?"

1. 24 hours
2. 48 hours
3. 72 hours
4. 1d6 days
5. 1d6 weeks
6. 1d20+10 hours
   After the indicated period of time has passed, the GM rolls on on "Where in the World is Myron?" to determine where he can next be found.

DAMAGE SUFFERED FROM VOODOO CURSE (Roll 1d12)
Each day, it's relevant to determine if a character is injured due to being subject to Myron's inherent  voodoo curse, the GM must roll 1d12. On a "12" he or she rolls on the table below to determine what harm comes to the sufferer. If 1-2 hit points are taken, the character suffers minor discomfort or a sudden appearance of bruises or mild burns. Anything beyond that is painful and possibly lethal. Charactes may roll appropriate saving throws and benefit from any resistances to types of damage they may possess.
   Myron is destroyed if he takes more than 30 hit points of damage. He reappears at a random location 1d6 days later. While Myron is out of commission, there is no need to see if a cursed character suffers an injury.

Types and Amount of Damage
1. Cold Damage: 2d10
2. Crushing Damage: 2d10
3. Drowning Damage: 2d10
4. Electrical/Energy Damage: 2d10
5. Falling Damage:  2d10
6. Fire Damage: 2d10
7. Cold Damage: 4d10
8. Crushing Damage: 4d10
9. Drowning Damage: 4d10
10. Electrical/Energy Damage: 4d10
11. Falling Damage:  4d10
12. Fire Damage: 4d10

'Myron the Living Voodoo Doll' by Evan Dorkin