Mythic Races III – The Vedans

January 10, 2013March 12, 2021 / jstater / 5 Comments

From the jungles and deserts of the south come four new mythic races, collectively the vedans.

While the vedans share many traits, the most important is the unique way they multi-class. All vedans are capable of advancing in three classes simultaneously. Unlike most races, though, they only operate under the rules of a single class at a time. A fighter/magic-user/thief, for example, can choose to be a fighter one day, a magic-user the next, and a thief on another day. The choice must be made that night before the vedan sleeps, and it is the vedans heroic dreams that night that align their thinking that they may be born the next morning in their chosen class. Because they act in only one class at a time, they advance using the XP chart of their most expensive class.

YAMARA | THEY WHO WALK WITH DEATH
Yamarans are green-skinned humanoids associated by other vedans with death. While they have their morbid sides, most cultivate an image of decadent lethargy, lounging about, taking it all in and only acting when it is most advantageous to do so. Yamarans have grim senses of humor, and some hide rather potent tempers beneath their disinterested facades. Yamarans are never Lawful (Good), but they need not be Chaotic (Evil).

Yamarans stand about as tall as human beings. Other than their green skin (and sometimes oversized canine teeth), they generally look like human beings save that their arms fork at the elbow into two separate forearms – they have four hands, but only two arms emerging from their shoulders. Because of this anatomical oddity, armor costs are 10% greater for yamarans than for other humanoids. Because of their multiple hands, they can wield two bucklers in addition to wielding one or two weapons. Generally, their multiple hands are two closely spaced to allow them to wield more than two weapons at a time effectively.

Yamarans may multi-class as assassin/barbarian/cleric, using the rules mentioned above, or as assassin/clerics, assassin/magic-users or assassin/fighters using the normal multi-classing rules. A yamaran that awakens as an assassin finds that his skin has turned a deep blue color, giving him a +2 bonus to hide in shadows. A yamaran that awakens as a barbarian, he finds his skin as become blood red, and his lower canines have grown into tusks, giving him a bite attack that deals 1d3 points of damage. A yamaran who awakens as a cleric retains his green skin, and gains the ability to cast deathwatch once per day as a bonus spell.

Yamarans speak Common and Vedan. They might also speak Goblin, Ogre, Ogre Mage, Sylvan or Fiendish.

RUDRANA | THE STORM CHASERS
Rudrana are vedans of the mountains, storm chasers who thrill to the crack of thunder and flash of lightning. They are outdoorsmen with fiery tempers and an enormous hunger for life and experience. The rudrana become bored easily, and they delight in all the new fads and fashions.

Rudrana stand slightly taller than human beings. They have ruddy skin, three heads and four arms, all based on the human pattern. Because of their strange anatomies, armor costs are 50% greater for rudrana than for other humanoids. Due to their four arms, they can wield up to four weapons (with the normal rules applied for wielding multiple weapons), or replace additional weapons with bucklers.

Rudrana enjoy a +2 bonus to save vs. electricity damage, so in tune are they with lightning. Once per day, they can use the spell shout. Because of their multiple heads, rudrana are only surprised on a roll of 1 on 1d8. Unfortunately, three minds are often distracting, and rudrana suffer a -1 penalty to initiative rolls.

Rudrana may multi-class as druid/ranger/magic-users, using the rules mentioned above, or as ranger/druids or ranger/magic-users using the normal multi-classing rules.

Rudrana speak Common and Vedan. They might also speak Dwarf, Hobgoblin, Storm Giant or Sylvan.

VISHNARU | THE PRESERVERS
Vishnaru are the holy vedans, wise and philosophical preservers of cosmic order. They are intellectual and tend to be very beautiful. Vishnaru are often Lawful (Good), but are never Chaotic (Evil).

Vishnaru stand slightly taller than human beings. They have light blue skin and four arms. Because of their strange anatomies, armor costs are 50% greater for vishnaru than for other humanoids. Due to their four arms, they can wield up to four weapons (with the normal rules applied for wielding multiple weapons), or replace additional weapons with bucklers.

All Vishnaru are surrounded by a halo of light as bright as a torch. They can willingly suppress this halo.

Vishnaru may multi-class as cleric/magic-user/fighters, using the rules mentioned above, or as cleric/magic-users or cleric/fighters using the normal multi-classing rules. Vishnaru that multi-class using the special rules gain the following benefits: In the cleric form, a vishnaru’s halo acts as a paladin’s protection from evil aura. In the fighter form, the vishnaru’s halo grants him extra-sensory powers, denying his opponent’s any bonuses from outnumbering him or attacking from behind. In the magic-user form, the vishnaru’s halo grants him a +2 bonus to Will saving throws vs. spells and spell-like effects.

Vishnaru speak Common and Vedan. They might also speak Elf, Gnome, Celestial, Dragon or Sylvan.

AGNIRI | THE FIRE-BORN
Agniri are born of flame, and enjoy deep passions and a preternatural ability to communicate with others. They are bright and engaging folk, rarely materialistic, who enjoy visiting and experiencing strange cultures. Despite their propensity for travel, agniri always seem to be at home, and they have a knack for making others feel at home.

Agniri stand as tall as human beings. They have bright red skin, two heads and four arms. Because of their strange anatomies, armor costs are 50% greater for agniri than for other humanoids. Due to their four arms, they can wield up to four weapons (with the normal rules applied for wielding multiple weapons), or replace additional weapons with bucklers.

Agniri enjoy resistance to fire and a +2 bonus to save vs. non-damaging fire effects. They have a knack for communicating (treat this as a task roll modified by charisma, allowing them to communicate in very simple terms in languages they do not already know).

Agniri may multi-class as bard/magic-user/fighters, using the rules mentioned above, or as bard/clerics, bard/magic-users or bard/fighters using the normal multi-classing rules.

Agniri speak Common and Vedan. They might also speak any other language they wish, though most learn Dragon, Fire Giant and/or Fire Elemental.

The Virgin Woode – The Next Nod Hexcrawl

January 7, 2013August 8, 2017 / jstater / 5 Comments

My original map of the region*

The Virgin Woode is a narrow coastal plain backed by a wide swathe of wooded hills. The woodland is composed of such trees as oak, hawthorn, elm, birch and magnolia. It runs along the eastern coast of Antilia, from the Bloody Mountains in the south to the Trow Hills in the north. To the west it is bordered by the Purple Mountains.

Upon the disappearance of the Emperor of Nomo and the subsequent decline and fall of that empire, the tributary city-states of the Motherlands sought to claim a portion of their old master’s power. This was first attempted in a series of ineffective wars, as no one city-state was powerful enough that it could best its rivals, separated as they were by vast tracts of wilderness.

Begrudgingly, the aristocracy was forced to turn to “vulgar commerce” to rake in the gold, chartering adventurers to delve into the underworld and merchants to ply the seas or take caravans through the wilderness. The city-state of Guelph really got the ball rolling by their establishment of Port Janus at the midway point in Mother Ocean between the eastern landmass and western landmass. From there, they skirted the Blustering Main and founded the colony of Argentum in Hybrasil, discovering rich veins of silver, gold and electrum.

As the Guelphlings moved this metal back home, the filibusters of Tremayne began sallying forth from their normal haunt, the Tepid Sea, and conducting piracy on the high seas. With the galleons of Guelph so harried on Mother Ocean, the merchants of Antigoon were able to move through Mother Ocean and through the stormwracked Blustering Main to found their own trading post in what came to be called Dweomer Bay, after the strange magical radiations of that landscape.

Eventually, Port Janus fell to the pirates of Tremayne, cutting Argentum off from its metropolis (confusing, I know, but I’m actually using the word “metropolis” properly here). Dweomer Bay continued to thrive, though, as the Virgin Woode beyond produced cargo ships more often than treasure ships, and because the Antigooners and their ilk proved a seafaring match for pirates, where the landlubber Guelphings did not. The wars between the colonists and the pirates continue to this day, of course, but Dweomer Bay’s libertine attitudes and focus on commerce has been an attractive lure to adventurers in search of lucre, merchants desperate to escape overbearing nobles and every weirdo in the world yearning to let his or her freak flag fly has kept brave, hearty souls traversing the pirate haunted waters of the Blustering Main to Dweomer Bay or one of the many village and towns that now dot the shore of the Virgin Woode.

These colonists, scalawags, adventurers, roustabouts and ne’er-do-wells have much to fear, though. By land, the fey and the wild elves harry them at every turn; many a trapper has survived a bear attack only to perish under the gnarled foot of a treant, who marks the occasion with no more than a casual shrug of its woody shoulders and a scrape of the foot on a handy boulder. By sea, an ancient empire has arisen “from the silt” – the aquatic elves of Atlantis desire to expand their empire on land, and seek to choke off the commerce that is Dweomer Bay’s lifeblood.

Wild elves, cunning fey, avaricious Atlanteans, dangerous elven ruins … there’s plenty to see and do in the Virgin Woode.

* I just recently resurrected an external hard drive that had a ton of my original work on the Land of Nod! So excited!

Mythic Races II – The Olympians

January 3, 2013August 8, 2017 / jstater / 3 Comments

Continuing with the mythic races, today we have the Olympians. In this case, I imagined them as looking like metallic statues of the gods they are named for – enjoy.

HERCULOIDS

Herculoids are large, robust mechanical men with bronze skin. They were built for strength and battle, primarily in arenas, and relish taking on large and huge monsters in front of a crowd. Herculoids like to stay well-oiled and polished. They tend to be arrogant and brash, but more often than not they can back up their bravado with their deeds.

Herculoids stand about 8 feet tall and count as medium-sized creatures. However, when their ire is raised (or when they want to show off for a crowd), they can “flex” their “muscles”, increasing their size to large and gaining the bonuses and penalties associated with that size. They have a movement rate of 30 feet per round and can see up to 60 feet in the dark. Their metallic skin gives them a natural AC of 13. Their construction makes it impossible for them to wear platemail and plate armor.

Herculoids are quite strong, adding two points to their starting strength score. They are not built for brain power, though, and thus lose two points from their starting intelligence score. A herculoid’s starting ability scores cannot be altered above 19 or below 3.

A herculoid’s braggadocio makes them stubborn foes; they enjoy a +2 bonus to save vs. fear and fatigue, and have a knack for bending bars and breaking down doors. They are, however, easily goaded into fights, suffering a -2 penalty to save vs. such mind-affecting effects.

Herculoids are +1 to hit huge monsters, and increase their AC by +4 against dragons and hydras.

Herculoids speak Common and Olympian. They might also speak Earth and Fire Elemental, Cyclopes, Harpy, Sylvan and Dwarf.

Herculoids cannot multi-class, as they have one track minds.

APOLLOIDS
Apolloids look like peerless sculptures of male humans. Their skin is made of gilded steel and dazzles the eyes when struck with sunlight (or magical light). Beautiful and conscious of their beauty, apolloids have a penchant for waxing poetic and commanding the stage. They are generally narcissists with the beauty and charm to get away with it – at least for a while.

Apolloids are medium-sized creatures with a base speed of 30 feet. Their metallic skin gives them a natural AC of 12. Their construction makes it impossible for them to wear platemail and plate armor.

Apolloids are graceful and charming, increasing their starting dexterity and charisma scores by one point. Their egotism and delicate construction mean they suffer the loss of one point to their starting wisdom and constitution scores. These ability modifications cannot increase a score above 18 or reduce it a score below 3.

Apolloids are creatures of light, and can see up to 120 feet in complete darkness. Their honeyed words give them a knack for trickery and a +1 bonus to reaction rolls with all creatures but those who hate the Sun. Apolloids receive a +1 bonus to hit with all bows.

Apolloids can shed light (per the spell) for up to 10 minutes per day. These minutes need not be consecutive. Once per day they can cast daylight.

Apolloids speak Common and Olympian. They might also speak Elf, Sylvan, Air Elemental, Fire Elemental and Dragon.

Apolloids may multi-class as bard/magic-users, bard/clerics and bard/fighters.

ATHENOIDS
Athenoids are warriors born, statuesque fem-bots with steel skin and the minds of tacticians. Athenoids do not look for battle, but never shy from it. They enjoy taking the lead in any situation, but have a tendency to think things through before jumping into battle, unlike the herculoids. They are never Chaotic (Evil) in alignment.

Athenoids are medium-sized creatures with a base movement of 30 feet per round. They can see up to 60 feet in the dark. Their metallic skin gives them a natural AC of 14. Their construction makes it impossible for them to wear platemail and plate armor.

Athenoids are wise and steadfast, enjoying a +1 bonus to their starting wisdom and constitution scores. Their deep thinking, however, makes them slow to act and hard to communicate with, meaning they lose one point from their starting dexterity and charisma scores. These ability modifications cannot increase a score above 18 or reduce it below 3.

Athenoids have a natural affinity for divine spells. An athenoid with a wisdom score of 10 or higher can cast the following spells, each once per day: Virtue, resistance and bless. Athenoids receive a +2 bonus on Will saving throws against chaotic (evil) cleric spells.

Athenoids speak Common and Olympian. They might also speak Celestial, Dwarf, Sylvan, Earth and Air Elemental and Dragon.

Athenoids can multi-class as fighter/war priests (a specialty cleric), fighter/warlocks (a variant of sorcerer) or fighter/scouts (a variant of thief).

PLUTOIDS
The plutoids are grim mechanical men with skin of black bronze. Cthonic folk, they take to darkness and dim deeds like a fish takes to water. Plutoids favor gravity, brevity and dignity; they are not popular at parties. Plutoids are never Lawful (Good), but they need not be Chaotic (Evil).

Plutoids are imposing creatures, always 6 to 7 feet tall, with unsympathetic eyes that can see up to 120 feet in complete darkness. They are medium-sized creatures with a base movement of 30 feet per round. Their metallic skin gives them a natural AC of 13. Their construction makes it impossible for them to wear platemail and plate armor.

Plutoids increase their starting intelligence and wisdom scores by one point, but must deduct two points from their starting charisma scores. These ability modifications cannot increase a score above 18 or reduce it a score below 3.

As creatures of the underworld, they can detect treasures of precious metals and gemstones worth at least 20 gp as though detecting evil or magic (per the spells). In addition, a plutoid with a wisdom score of 10 or higher can cast the following spells, each once per day: Deathwatch, detect undead and detect poison.

Plutoids speak Common and Olympian. They might also speak Goblin, Sylvan, Earth Elemental, Fiendish and Dragon.

Plutoids may multi-class as assassin/cleric, assassin/magic-user or assassin/fighters.

In My Day … The Curmudgeon Class

January 1, 2013August 8, 2017 / jstater / 13 Comments

Not every adventuring warrior is a young pup, fresh out of learning the ropes as a caravan guard. A few of those men-at-arms stay on the job until they become sergeants-at-arms and then stay on a bit longer until, old and grey, they finally decide to go out with a bang. Thus, we have the curmudgeon.

Curmudgeons are a bit different than most starting PC’s. For one thing, they begin the game mired in old age, and suffering whatever penalties you decide to a lot to the elderly in your game. For another, while they’re not any more experienced as adventurers than the young folks, they are a bit more experienced than the young ones in other ways.

ROLL D6 FOR HIT POINTS

REQUIREMENTS

A curmudgeon must be old (and suffer all penalties that go with being old), and must have a Strength score of 9 or higher and a Wisdom score of 13 or higher. It also helps if they’re grumpy.

ARMOR ALLOWED

Any armor, all shields.

WEAPONS

Any weapon.

SKILLS

Bend bars, break down doors, find secret doors, riding, trickery.

CLASS ABILITIES

Curmudgeons are men and women who have done years and years of service as men-at-arms, sergeants-at-arms, caravan guards, town guards, etc. In essence, they’ve been NPC’s all their life, and only when their hair turned silver did they finally decide to become adventurers. As such, they aren’t as green as the average 1st level character, and therefore begin the game with 2 Hit Dice.

Curmudgeons tend to be a bit on the grumpy side, and thus suffer a -1 penalty on reaction checks. They don’t scare easily, and enjoy a +1 bonus on saves vs. fear, but they also suffer a -1 penalty on saves vs. fatigue.

Curmudgeons have been around the block a few times, and have probably forgotten more stories and legends than they remember. As such, they can use the legend lore ability of a bard of equal level.

Curmudgeons are famous for their stubbornness and their so-called “old man strength”. Curmudgeons can continue fighting until they have reached -5 hit points, provided they have something worth fighting for. Once per day, they can boost their strength score by 1d6 points for 1 round per level (max. 6 rounds).

Curmudgeons have long experience in mentoring young whippersnappers. When adventuring with characters of 1st to 3rd level, they can, once per day, lend them a bonus equal to the curmudgeon’s own Wisdom bonus on a single attack roll or saving throw.

At 9th level, a curmudgeon can retire to a favorite tavern, attracting a retinue of 1d4 men-at-arms per level as flunkies and admirers. The curmudgeon gets free room and board at the tavern, and also receives 1d3 free rumors each month concerning possible adventures or opportunities.