Mindspur of the Depths

Mindspur of the Depths

The Mindspur is a tentacle segment one inch in diameter, from a creature deep below the surface.  Wizards and others of their ilk driven to knowledge have formulated a technique to alter the tentacle length to provide increase mental prowess typical of the species. A properly prepared tentacle with dig into the exposed flesh of a living beings head, worming it's way beneath the skulls.  The use of this item is not without cost, as the use gets a hunger for the brains of the sentient and under examination the presence of the tentacle can be seen writhing beneath skin.

Once in place the character gains a +1 to intelligence, but only as long as he consume the brain of another member of his species once a year.  Failure to consume the brainmeat results in a loss of the gained point of Intelligence and the doubling of the hunger (i.e., two brains a year).  The tentacle can only be removed through the use of magic or the death of the host.

Higgins Armory Museum to close

The collection will be relocated a a nearby museum, but the current building (and arrangement) is beautiful.  Check it out if you're in/near Boston this year.

http://www.telegram.com/article/20130307/NEWS/130309688

Houses of the Gygax

If you're familiar with some of the ancient history of D&D, you know that some of the regions of Blackmoor and Greyhawk were laid out through wargames, where original wargamers named, led leaders of, and fought over the lands that were later codified into maps of settings used in various supplements and books.

The combination of my current nonavailability for actual regular D&D sessions, a fondness for "domain/resource building" games, and those stories of the old days drive me to do something similar.  Here's my first brainstorm for a setting-build email game that becomes a setting for a D&D campaign, primarily using the structure of Houses of the Blooded, though I expect to steal liberally from Game of Thrones, Aria, Warhammer, and other sources as it rounds into form.


1.  Start with a copy of these for reference:

• http://housesoftheblooded.net/downloads/HotB_CharGenReference.pdf
• http://housesoftheblooded.net/downloads/HotB_SeasonsReference.pdf

2.  Create a character with the following in mind:
A.  Pick a house, noting that Bear/Fox are non-human:

• Bear (Strength) = Dwarf
• Elk (Cunning) = Human
• Falcon (Courage) = Human
• Fox (Beauty) = Elf
• Serpent (Wisdom) = Human
• Wolf (Prowess) = Human

B.  Start in the Spring Season
C.  Don't worry about Aspects, just count how many you have.
D.  Skip Step 4 (Devotions)
E.  I'm making this up as I go along, so don't spend your bonus points yet.
F.  Give everyone and everyplace names.

3.  Send out a character summary  (Name, House, Province, any special) to the list so people can have you as a contact/enemy/frenemy.

D&D Combat on TV

Has anyone seen the last two weeks of The Walking Dead (Season Three) ?  I'm talking about the fights in the prison and the surrounding grounds.  People attempting some sort of close formation, covering each other, blocking with shields, attacking in ranks, and guys with missile weapons waiting for a clean line of fire. *THAT* is what I imagine D&D combat to be (particular in dungeons).  None of that chessboard, taking turns crap.

Six Demon Bag

Six Demon Bag
GP Value: 3,000
XP Value: 20,000

The bag is the size of a large belt pouch, and is constructed of heavy black velvet with runes stitched in red.  When found, the Dungeon Master rolls 1d6 (in secret), representing the number of demons left in the Six Demon Bag.

If the the command word is utter and one reaches into the bag, a slimy fist-size blob is felt.  Upon pulling it out, it takes shape 10' away from the summoner.  The Dungeon Master rolls 1d6, representing the type (Type I through Type V, with a roll of "6" indicating a simple Manes demon) of demon summoned.  The demon will remain for 2 turns, otherwise acting as if summoned by Monster Summoning I.

Once summoned, a demon can not be returned to the Six Demon Bag.  Once all of the remaining demons have been summoned from the bag, the velvet fades to a dark gray and becomes inert.

Black Blood of the Earth

Jack Burton: That is not water. 
Egg Shen: Black blood of the earth. 
Jack Burton: Do you mean oil? 
Egg Shen: I mean black blood of the earth. 

Stay Tuned!  I'm mapping my house and detecting traps in each room.

New Thief Ability - Skim off the Top

Skim off the Top
New Class Ability of Thieves and Burglars

Members of the underworld can't keep their hands off loot.  Characters of the thief (and burglar) class automatically get %1 per level of coin and non-precious stones loot collected by the party before any shares or divisions are calculated.  This represents their penchant for being the first with their hands in the sack, lifting of small amounts of coins during sorting, and intentional miscalculations during the actual division of shares ("one for you, two for me").

Thieves and burglars gain experience points for any of the above skimming activity as they would for any other treasure.

d4 as a d12 Relinked for the Awesome.

http://hackslashmaster.blogspot.com/2012/07/on-rollable-d4.html

I need to buy a handful.

Stay tuned for posts of actual content.   I may have found a purpose for 4th Edition!

Clerics, Prophets, Priests, and Wackos.

The post on clerics at Necropraxis reminded me of Prophets Not Clerics, which had made my mind go crazy a few weeks back. Anything with schools of the mysteries and lodges floats my boat.

PCs are "magic power-wielding" members of a church/religion and most NPC Clerics are "magic non-power-wielding" members of a church/religion. Spellcasting divine NPCs are either clerics or prophets. Priests are 0-Level guys with no spells. Maybe some bless rituals for fertility, but that's it.

The PCs aren't the Isiahs of established churches, they're the Jesus' - forming offshoot sects and being disparaged by the authorities. Even better - they're the David Koreshes, which is why you get a stronghold at 9th level. Watch out before the King's Inquisition comes after you for hoarding too many magics maces.

Demihuman Ability Adjustments

Inspired by my Alfar rules, here's a different way to handle demihuman ability score adjustments in "roll in order" rulesets:

• Dwarfs:  can swap any score with Constitution.
• Elves:  can swap any score with Dexterity.
• Gnomes:  have big noses.
• Hobbits, etc: can swap any score with Charisma.
• Half-orcs:  can swap any score with Strength.
• Humans: can swap any two scores.

Any swapping of scores must result in the ability listed become higher than initially (i.e, a Dwarf could not swap an Intelligence of 10 with a Constitution of 12).