“Who needs crack when you have cheese popcorn” – my wife
And she’s not joking. If you’ve never had the bagged popcorn made by the good folks at Popcorn, Indiana, think about rectifying this situation (unless you’re dieting like me – thanks honey!). This stuff is insanely good, and more than a little addictive.
What follows are a few of the encounters set in the map posted a few days ago.
0220 Zhitleg-Yiq: An eye of the deep called Zhitleg-Yiq dwells in a lightless chasm in this hex, ascending from the salty gloom when it senses easy prey above. Its lair is littered with treasures under the guard of crab exoskeletons (as many as the Referee thinks will challenge his players). The monster’s treasure consists of 2,140 gp, 2 x 5 gp gems, 6 x 50 gp gems, an orichalcum brazier (10 gp), a telescope (70 gp if repaired), a silver statuette of a greyhound (50 gp), a silver vase (120 gp), a choker with gold links shaped like dolphins (40 gp), a bamboo scroll (barely legible) on the music of the Mu-Pan Empire (50 gp), a silver vase (50 gp), a suit of +1 chainmail and a pair of bracers of defense, AC 4 [15]. The treasure is kept in a pile surrounded by poisonous sea urchins.
0223 Road of Glass: An ancient road constructed from cobblestones of sea glass runs for 2 miles through this hex, from northeast to southwest. The road is in bad repair. It emerges from tall sand dunes in the northeast and disappears beneath a bed of giant clams in the southwest. Midway along the road’s length there stands a monument that looks like an abstract column of greenish metal filled with irregular holes.
0316 Palace of Phasutep: Phasutep was a minor demon in the service of the demon lord Dagon who constructed for himself a fabulous palace beneath the sea floor in this hex. The entrance is a 20-foot diameter bronze grate that can only be opened by an offering of human blood (1 in 6 chance of attracting sharks).
Beyond the grate there is a sprawling complex of marine caverns crawling with poisonous vermin, giant eels and a were-eel called Ulic and multiple marble statues of Phasutep (a revolting creature that combines the torso of an athletic man, legs that are a mass of serpents, arms covered in chitin and tipped with crab pincers and a head covered in lamprey-like mouths) that randomly teleport creatures from one statue to another. Should multiple persons each touch a different statue, all are teleported to a subterranean vault several miles beneath the sea caves that holds Phasutep’s palace.
The palace consists of several levels of corridors and chambers clad in mother-of-pearl and garish designs in black bronze, and lit with an unnatural, gibbous light. The upper portions are inhabited by semi-intelligent sea slugs capable of causing confusion, bloated, water-logged zombies in silk raiment and armed with serrated swords and a cabal of immortal clerics wearing black robes, each of which bears the claws of a crab in place of their human hands. Deeper levels have corridors and chambers of titanic dimensions that degenerate chuul, fountains of living, primordial ooze and a tribe of fomorians. The deepest level is a grotto of blood-red coral walls inhabited by the spirits of beautiful women who drowned in the Tepid Sea kept as a harem to entertain Phasutep (long since slain) and his lord Dagon (who will appear 1% of the time when the place is disturbed). The grotto contains three shimmering pools, two of which rob a person of their soul, the other acting as a gateway to Dagon’s extradimensional domain.
0604 Shipwrecked Galley: An ancient merchant galley sank to the seafloor here over a century ago. An enterprising dragon turned it into his lair. The dragon, Tupporring, is a huge serpent with blue scales. Tupporring is incapable of speech or spell use. There is a 30% chance that it will be found asleep on its pile of 9,100 gp. It also owns a hyacinth gemstone (50 gp) and four bottles of expensive perfume (100 gp each).
1905 Workshop of Thros: Thros is an ancient mechanical man, a master leatherworker who specializes in shagreen armor (leather armor made from shark skin). He is made of black bronze, has phosphorescent eyes and his back is covered in barnacles. Thros has a collection of obsidian knives, bone needles and spools of copper wire that he uses as thread. His workshop is an ancient, submerged dolmen.
2603 Crumbling Ziggurat: The vestiges of a basalt ziggurat can be found here. The structure was built by the sahuagin but abandoned decades ago for unknown reasons. At the heart of the ziggurat there are strange machineries that create a area of becalmed winds in a 2-hex radius (marked on map as a shaded circle).
3010 Bathymora: Bathymora is a crystalline dome that contains a village of undines (120 males, 145 females, 9 children). The interior of the dome is filled with airy water. The dome can be entered through massive double doors of thick oak. Within the outer perimeter dome, which measures 1 mile in diameter, there is a stout keep surrounded by manicured gardens dotted with dozens of brightly colored pavilions, each the home of an undine warrior and his family. These pavilions are quite large, measuring 20 feet on each side, and stocked with all the comforts of home. The keep is built of coral blocks of orange and pink. Its master is Cammorvin, who has the abilities of a fighting-man, magic-user and cleric. Cammorvin’s lady-love is Duania. Also living in the keep are Cammorvin’s sons, Milell, Porondams and Anair and their wives and families. Cammorvin also keeps a pack of five barracuda that he uses as hounds, two small squid that fill the role of falcons, and eight hippocampi. The warriors of Bathymora carry spears and daggers and wear armor of mithril scales. The lord of Bathymora and his knights are haughty and ill-tempered, and not disposed toward mercy or chivalry. A knight has 6d10 gp in his purse. Cannorvin’s treasure consists of 3,000 gp, an ivory coronet (75 gp), a golden crown (100 gp) and a cursed scroll that turns readers into barracuda.
3019 Gilram-of-the-Mists: The coast here is clad in a thick fog all year long, night and day. Travelers picking their way through the fog run a heightened risk of tumbling into the sea. Inside the fog one can hear voices, sometimes mournful, sometimes merry, but always seductive. Colored lights bob in and out of the fog, sometimes appearing to be attached to the prows of silently gliding skiffs, other times swooping from the sky in formation and then scattering away into the fog. In the midst of the fog there is a simple tower of basalt blocks with a heavy door painted black. This is the tower of Gilram-of-the-Mists , a master illusionist.
Gilram is a deformed and amoral man. He despises visitors, but will sometimes lead travelers to his tower that he may torment them with his frightful illusions. Gilram has three apprentices, two of them, Galair and Paset, being mere quacksalvers, the other, Sadhu, a prestidigitator. The tower has three levels, the lower level a parlor filled with oddities and cunning (but not deadly) tricks and traps. The second level is a kitchen, Galair and Paset having straw mattresses by the hearth, Sadhu a tiny living cell. The third level is Gilram’s bedchamber and laboratory. The tower is protected by a mihstu called U’llhaib. U’llhaib usually lurks about in the immediate vicinity of the tower, but can be summoned by Gilram (and his apprentices, though they would not dare do so unless threatened with certain death) by speaking its name three times.
Gilram keeps his treasures in plain sight, disguising them as mundane items using permanent illusions. The horde consists of 2,500 gp disguised as barrels of flour. He has four 10 gp gems and two 100 gp gems disguised as shriveled apples discarded in a corner of the kitchen. Gilram wears a spectacular array of jewelry, including a silver toe ring decorated with garnets (100 gp), an iron armband set with an oval hematite (50 gp) that he claims improves the balance of his bodily humors and a silver choker set with chips of rose quartz (25 gp). He also carries a silver dagger. His only other treasures are a dusty bottle of burgundy wine (200 gp), a pound of fine tobacco (100 gp) and an ounce of cloves (200 gp).
Gilram would like very much to bring Lord Krull to heel, or at least chase him from the Wyvern Coast . They were once adventurer’s together, and competed for the love of the same woman.
3103 Crumbling Tower of Kiquarua: Kiquarua was a sahuagin sorcerer who feuded for many years with Arivorth, an undine wizard who dwells in [3108]. In the end, Arivorth came out on top, and Kiquarua’s tower is now a crumbling heap of basalt stone surrounded by a forest of sinewy, reddish kelp. The tower is inhabited by Kiquarua’s three sahuagin apprentices, Zas, Gualt and Iacatuagyorn, and his former imp familiar, and now master of the ruins, Catugern. Most of Kiquarua’s treasure was lost in Arivorth’s final attack, but 4,000 sp and 600 gp still remains, hidden behind a loose stone.
3108 Arivorth’s Tower: Arivorth’s tower appears to be a single column of reddish volcanic rock marked with about one dozen crystalline windows that bulge outward. The place is entered through a heavy door of bronze marked with a glyph of warding that delivers an electrical shock (3d6 damage) to all within 20 feet. The interior of the tower is filled with airy water. It consists of a dozen levels, with access between levels via circular trapdoors of bronze. For many decades, Arivorth was locked in a struggle with a rival named Kiquarua (see [3103] for more details), finally destroying him just one year ago. The final eldritch assault cost Arivorth his vigor. He is now a tall, gaunt undine with wispy, silver hair and a single, purple eye with a puckered hole where his other eye should be. Arivorth’s own grimoire is tattooed onto flayed skins rolled into scrolls. Kiquarua’s grimoire is a collection of thin, metal plates etched with glyphs. This was the prize that drove Arivorth to destroy his old enemy, for it contains information relevant to the attainment of lich-hood, which Arivorth desires above all other things. He is now in a race with time to complete his preparations before he expires. Arivorth is assisted in this endeavor by five apprentices, Aernach, Berthach, Bruidian, Mortaig (all adepts) and Tristhiore, a soothsayer. The tower is also protected by the animated remains of Kiquarua, now stripped of his flesh. Arivorth owns 3,530 gp, an obsidian pendant (75 gp) and a huge chunk of turquoise (770 gp) that he plans on using as his phylactery.
3119 Corsair Cove: Corsair Cove provides a safe haven for pirates. There is no authority in the village, though an unwritten law forbids fighting and theft. It is a rare pirate who will break that law, for Corsair Cove is the only haven on the Tepid Sea not under Ophir’s control. The village is centered on the House of the Blood Red Skull, an inn owned by Old Thom, an ex-corsair. Thom employs several wenches and a temperamental boggart named Scraps as a cook. The inn is a raucous place with gambling, wrestling and competitive darts on Thursdays. The village also has a barber, leatherworker, jeweler (and fence), smith and shipwright.
3221 Bothazamast the Reaper: A deep, black pool, placid and cool, rests amidst the barren hills. Stinging flies swarm along the shore over bunches of purple coneflowers. The pool is the lair of Bothazamast the Reaper, a creature of chaos. Bothazamast appears as a 12-foot tall black mantis. It walks on its two rear-most legs, using the other four to attack. The creature’s arms are tipped with great scythes. The touch of these scythes corrodes and destroys non-magical metal. Bothazamast can charge into combat, dealing double damage if it attacks successfully. If its attack rolls beat its opponent’s Armor Class by more than 4, it deals an additional dice of damage. Bothazamast is immune to mental attack and to all spells except those involving light. It cannot be surprised. Bothazamast feeds off of the chaos and panic its appearance causes. It guards Qualag, a +3 shield once used by the forces of law. Qualag is surrounded by a faint golden aura in a 10’ radius. This aura suppresses all magical effects other than its own. In addition, the bearer’s sixth sense becomes so acute he cannot be surprised. Unfortunately, this effect also causes terrible insomnia, with the bearer only able to fall asleep each night on the roll of 1-2 on 1d6. After one week without sleep, the bearer must succeed at a saving throw each day to avoid insanity (per the spell of the same name).
3413 Citadel of Arkad the Humble: This crumbling vestige of the rule of Arkad, one of the most infamous of the Purple Kings, is now inhabited by a band of 76 red-robed religious fanatics (fight as berserkers) led by the warlord Xaathan. Xaathan and his men are devotees of the cult of Oanne, an unorthodox cleric whose body is interred in the winding catacombs beneath the citadel. Oanne lost his life exploring the catacombs in search of the Vessel of Mandukh, a relic of Dagon’s cult said to give prophetic powers to those who inhale the smoke of frankincense burned in the vessel. Xaathan is assisted by two fighters, Sumya and Dauruss, and a ritual chanter called Harath. The fanatics range along the coast (avoiding the fog-covered hex 3019) and into the interior, waylaying caravans for supplies. Their treasure, kept in stone caskets discovered in the catacombs, consists of a necklace of blue diamonds (900 gp) and 5,320 gp. They also have 2d6 weeks of standard rations and 2d6 vials of poison that deals 1d6 points of damage.
3611 Bbhal-Epho: A tribe of 80 oktomon warriors, 50 females and 70 young dwell in a large seamount riddled with caves. In the middle of the sea mount is a geothermal vent, giving these oktomon (who apparently have developed a resistance to the caustic and poisonous fumes) access to metalworking. The tribe is led by a warlord called Bhaegos and his four subordinates, Dhot, Rynghot, Bhagg and Boboguta. The tribe also has a cleric of Tiamat called Phalashu and a sisterhood of five psychics led by Hathotho. The tribe is served by 100 skum slaves. The deepest portion of their mountain lair, kept quite hot by its proximity to the vent, holds the tribe’s treasure of 4,160 gp is kept in scavenged amphorae. The tribe’s warriors carry bronze socket axes and bronze-tipped hooked swords*.
* Hooked swords grant a +1 bonus to make disarming and overbearing attacks to warriors skilled in their use.
3623 Maze of Pharos: In a broad valley of salt flats there is a maze dug directly into the hard-packed earth and lined with blue tiles. The maze is all that remains of the catacombs of an ancient city that thrived during the time of the Nabu Empire. The catacombs are patrolled by giant scarab beetles and cobras. Shelves in the walls of the catacombs hold urns that contain the ashen remains of the ancient city’s dead. Secret passages in the walls lead to narrow flights of stairs and private tombs protected by glyphs of warding and cunning poison gas traps. At the center of the maze there is a gaping hole over 100 feet deep. This was a once a well fed by an artesian well. At the bottom of this hole lie the remains of King Pharos, a necromancer of great repute in his time. He lies atop a magical seal that, if broken by an agent of law, will open a crack in the hillside above and release an undead army under the command of Old King Pharos, now a specter.
3711 Lord Krull: Perched above the sea is a motte-and-bailey castle, the stronghold of Krull, a merciless warlord who defies the lords of Ophir at every turn. Krull’s orcs include 20 crossbowmen, 30 heavy infantry, 10 sergeants-at-arms to keep them in line, an artillerist and crew for his cannon (5d6 damage) and a cleric called Perduc. Huddled around the stronghold is a village of 50 shepherds and their families living in simple hovels built of stone. Krull’s arms are a field or with party per pall sable emblazoned with a wyvern gules (memorializing an adventure he once had in the mountains of the Wyvern Coast ). Krull is especially moody these days, for he is mourning the loss of his love, away far too long exploring the Palace of Phasutep in [0316]. Krull’s treasure amounts to 2,850 gp.
Krull’s heraldry made possible by the generous programming of Inkwell Ideas.
This post continues the look at the hybrid character classes I used in my last campaign, featuring the barbarian and bard. What follows is open game content.
The Barbarian Sub-Class
The barbarian is a sub-class of fighting-man. Where fighting-men rely on training and skill to win the day, the barbarian uses ferocity and instinct. Most barbarians are members of uncivilized tribes of humans, demi-humans or humanoids. “Civilized” barbarians can represent men and women with hair-trigger tempers and a zest for violence.
Attacks from the flank receive no bonus to hit a barbarian. Bonuses for attacks against a barbarian’s back are halved.
Barbarians mistrust the doings of magic-users and illusionists. When presented with displays of such magic they must succeed at a saving throw or be stunned with fear for 1 round.
At third level, the barbarian can go berserk in combat, gaining a +2 bonus to hit and damage, but suffering a -2 penalty to her armor class. The barbarian’s berserk fury lasts for a number of rounds equal to 1 + the barbarian’s level. While in her rage, the barbarian focuses on her foes until they are dead. If her rage continues after her foes are gone, she will attack her nearest ally unless she makes a successful saving throw. This ability can be used whenever the barbarian engages in combat.
At fifth level, a barbarian can continue to fight after losing all of her hit points if she is in a berserk fury. When the berserk fury ends, the barbarian succumbs to death.
| Level | Experience | Hit Dice | Attack | Save | Title |
| 1 | 0 | 1 | +0 | 17 | Tribesman |
| 2 | 2,100 | 2 | +1 | 16 | Savage |
| 3 | 4,700 | 3 | +2 | 15 | Plunderer |
| 4 | 9,400 | 4 | +3 | 14 | Raider |
| 5 | 20,000 | 5 | +4 | 13 | Reaver |
| 6 | 40,000 | 6 | +5 | 12 | Shield-Biter |
| 7 | 80,000 | 7 | +6 | 11 | Berserker |
| 8 | 160,000 | 8 | +7 | 10 | Conqueror |
| 9 | 320,000 | 9 | +8 | 9 | Barbarian Prince |
| 10 | 600,000 | 10 | +9 | 8 | Barbarian Prince |
| 11 | 800,000 | +5 hp |
+10 | 7 | Barbarian Prince |
| 12 | 1,000,000 | +10 hp |
+11 | 6 | Barbarian Prince |
S&W Format
Hit Dice: 1d6+3 per level, +3 hit points per level after level 9
Armor Permitted: Leather, ring and shields
| Level | Experience | Hit Dice | Attack | Save | Title |
| 1 | 0 | 1 | +0 | 15 | Tribesman |
| 2 | 2,500 | 2 | +0 | 14 | Savage |
| 3 | 5,000 | 3 | +1 | 13 | Plunderer |
| 4 | 10,000 | 4 | +2 | 12 | Raider |
| 5 | 20,000 | 5 | +2 | 11 | Reaver |
| 6 | 40,000 | 6 | +3 | 10 | Shield-Biter |
| 7 | 80,000 | 7 | +4 | 9 | Berserker |
| 8 | 160,000 | 8 | +5 | 8 | Conqueror |
| 9 | 320,000 | 9 | +6 | 7 | Barbarian Prince |
| 10 | 440,000 | +3 hp |
+7 | 6 | Barbarian Prince |
| 11 | 560,000 | +6 hp |
+7 | 5 | Barbarian Prince |
| 12 | 680,000 | +9 hp |
+8 | 4 | Barbarian Prince |
The Bard Sub-Class
The bard is a sub-class of fighting-man, a warrior-poet whose music works magic. Bards are usually charismatic rogues, stealing hearts as readily as they cross steel. They are walking repositories of legends and stories. Their music is capable of stiffening the resolve of comrades, lulling guards into a daze, or charming lads and lasses.
Bards can decipher and interpret legends and secret writings by making an saving throw modified by their intelligence bonus/penalty. This includes unfamiliar languages, codes and incomplete messages. Bards can also use this ability to decipher and then cast spells from arcane scrolls, though the intelligence saving throw to do so is made at a penalty equal to the level of the spell being cast.
By playing music, singing or reciting heroic verse, bards can inspire listeners to surpass their normal level of performance, granting allies a +1 bonus to all saving throws for a number of rounds equal to the bard’s level. A bard can do this a number of times per day equal to their level. The bonus imparted increases with the bard’s level, to +2 at sixth level and +3 at twelfth level.
With a successful saving throw, a bard acquires or remembers some information pertaining to local notables, a legendary item, a noteworthy place or any other relevant bit of information. Acquiring the information may involve speaking to the locals or doing research in a library. It can also lead to a partial or complete understanding of a local or secret language, including the thieves’ cant, the secret language of druids or the trail signs of rangers. This ability cannot reveal the exact powers of a magic item, but may give a hint to its history, general function or activation. The Referee may make the saving throw harder based on the obscurity of the knowledge.
At fourth level, a bard gains the ability to place a single creature into a trance with a performance. The bard can use this ability three times per day, and can maintain the effect for a number of rounds equal to the character’s level.
When attempting to fascinate, the target makes a saving throw to resist. If the saving throw fails, the creature sits quietly and listens to the bard for the duration of the effect. While fascinated, the creature is considered prone and suffers a -4 penalty to saving throws and armor class. If the creature’s saving throw succeeds, the bard cannot attempt to fascinate that creature again for 24 hours. Any obvious threat to the fascinated creature, such as the casting of a spell, drawing a sword, or aiming of a weapon, automatically breaks the effect.
At fifth level, the bard may attempt to charm (as the spell charm person) a fascinated creature. At eighth level, the bard may attempt to implant a suggestion (as the spell) in a fascinated creature. At twelfth level, a bard may attempt to instill antipathy/sympathy (as the spell) on a fascinated creature. In each case, the creature receives an additional saving throw to resist the additional effect.
The number of creatures the bard can fascinate at once is equal to two less than the level of the bard. Thus, a fourth level bard can fascinate two creatures, a sixth level bard can fascinate 4 creatures and a twelfth level bard can fascinate 10 creatures.
At ninth level, a bard can inspire heroism in one other creature. For every two levels the bard attains beyond ninth level, the bard can inspire heroism in one additional creature. To inspire heroism, the bard must use song, poetry or some sort of oration. A creature inspired gains a +2 bonus to attacks and saving throws and +2 hit points per level for one minute.
| Level | Experience | Hit Dice | Attack | Save | Title |
| 1 | 0 | 1 | +0 | 18 | Dilettante |
| 2 | 1,500 | 2 | +1 | 17 | Raconteur |
| 3 | 3,250 | 3 | +2 | 16 | Jongleur |
| 4 | 7,500 | 4 | +3 | 15 | Versifer |
| 5 | 15,000 | 5 | +4 | 14 | Goliard |
| 6 | 30,000 | 6 | +5 | 13 | Poet |
| 7 | 60,000 | 7 | +6 | 12 | Minstral |
| 8 | 120,000 | 8 | +7 | 11 | Troubadour |
| 9 | 240,000 | 9 | +8 | 10 | Meistersinger |
| 10 | 450,000 | 10 | +9 | 9 | Meistersinger |
| 11 | 625,000 | +4 hp |
+10 | 8 | Meistersinger |
| 12 | 800,000 | +8 hp |
+11 | 7 | Meistersinger |
S&W Format
Hit Dice: 1d6+2 per level, +3 hit points per level after level 9
| Level | Experience | Hit Dice | Attack | Save | Title |
| 1 | 0 | 1 | +0 | 16 | Dilettante |
| 2 | 1,700 | 2 | +0 | 15 | Raconteur |
| 3 | 3,400 | 3 | +1 | 14 | Jongleur |
| 4 | 6,800 | 4 | +2 | 13 | Versifer |
| 5 | 13,600 | 5 | +2 | 12 | Goliard |
| 6 | 25,000 | 6 | +3 | 11 | Poet |
| 7 | 50,000 | 7 | +4 | 10 | Minstral |
| 8 | 100,000 | 8 | +5 | 9 | Troubadour |
| 9 | 200,000 | 9 | +6 | 8 | Meistersinger |
| 10 | 320,000 | +3 hp |
+7 | 7 | Meistersinger |
| 11 | 440,000 | +6 hp |
+7 | 6 | Meistersinger |
| 12 | 560,000 | +9 hp |
+8 | 5 | Meistersinger |
Saw this at Magic Carpet Burn (scroll down to see picture in question). It’s too bad that monsters in fantasy games need to be engines of destruction, because the Kitchy-Koo Creature would be a great way to disturb the hell out of a bunch of PCs. Maybe just make it completely immune to attack and let it follow the PCs around, tickling when things get boring and only leaving when they feed it some sugar.
Ah, what the hey …
The kitchy-koo creature materializes behind a party of adventurers and begins to tickle the rear-most member of the group. Tickled adventurers will begin to laugh loudly (possibly attracting wandering monsters) and will find it difficult (saving throw) to do anything else. If attacked, the creature will seemingly disappear only to reappear later to repeat its bizarre “attack”. The creature can be bought off with honey and nothing else. If communicated with, it is capable of using its clairaudience and clairvoyance abilities to see beyond doors and otherwise aid adventurers. Such help is only rendered in exchange for honey. Kitchy-koo creatures seem to inhabit specific dungeons, though their true home is somewhere between dimensions. Once attacked or communicated with, it will continue to appear at random intervals to harass a party of adventurers.
Kitchy-Koo Creature: HD 4, AC 5 [14], Atk 4 tongues (see below), Move 12, Save 13, CL/XP 5/240; Special: Tickle, dematerialize, clairaudience, clairvoyance.
The space bat isn’t bad either, for those forays into the Astral Plane.
This post will cover the Northwest quadrant of map J11, giving some information the geographies involved and random encounters. My next post will highlight some of the encounter areas. This post is not open content.
Tepid Sea
The Tepid Sea is a warm, shallow sea known for its sea turtles and the depredations of corsairs from the Wyvern Coast and filibusters from Brigantia. Storms are rare on the Tepid Sea, and most of the water is clear enough that one can see the sea floor. The eastern shores of the Tepid Sea are home to mollusks that produce a rare (and thus expensive) purple dye that remains in favor throughout the Motherlands. The “Purple Kings” of the Wyvern Coast built their fortunes upon the trade in this dye.
Random Encounters
3 Turtle, Giant Sea (1d4)
4 Nymph (1d6)
5 Sea Cat (1d6)
6 Crocodile, Giant (1d6)
7 Mermaid (2d6) and Merrow (1d6)
8 Crab, Giant (2d6)
9 Dolphin (3d6)
10 Shark, Small (2d6)
11 Merchant Galley (80%) or Merchant Cog (20%)
12 Aquatic Humanoids (see table below)
13 Eel, Giant Electric (2d6)
14 Pirate Galley (see below)
15 Aquatic Troll (1d6)
16 Sea Hag (1d3) and Merrow (1d6)
17 Ray, Giant Manta (1d4)
18 Tusked Whale (1d4)
Random Humanoid Encounters
1-2 Crabmen (2d6)
3 Oktomon (3d6)
4 Sahuagin (2d6)
5 Triton (2d6)
6 Undine (3d6)
Random Battlefield Terrain
1-3 Sandy Ground – half movement
4-7 Rocky Ground – chance to lose footing at top speed
8-9 Kelp Forest – half movement, obscuring cover
10 Chasm – chance of falling
Merchant Galley: A merchant vessel with a single oar deck carrying about 2,000 gp worth of mundane cargo. The galley is crewed by six sailors and twenty rowers. They are commanded by a ship captain and first mate. The sailors are armed with light crossbows and axes, while the rowers can fight with clubs. Leaders wear leather armor and carry scimitars and daggers.
• Sailor/Rower: HD 1; AC 8 [11]; Atk 1 weapon (1d8); Move 12; Save 17; CL/XP 1/15; Special: None.
• First Mate: HD 3; AC 6 [13]; Atk 1 weapon (1d8); Move 12; Save 14; CL/XP 3/60; Special: None.
• Captain: HD 5; AC 4 [15]; Atk 1 weapon (1d8); Move 12; Save 12; CL/XP 5/240; Special: +1 to moral checks, troops +1 to hit.
Merchant Cog: A merchant cog is used for long voyages, and thus carries a more exotic cargo – rare woods, exotic armor and weapons, silk, spices, etc. Assume 5,000 gp worth of cargo. The cog is manned by twelve sailors. They are commanded by a ship captain and first mate. There is a 2 in 6 chance of a priest aboard and a 1 in 6 chance of a mage. The sailors are armed with light crossbows and axes, while the leaders wear leather armor and carry broad swords and pistols.
Oktomon: The oktomon fulfill a roll in the submarine ecology of the Tepid Sea like that of the Vikings. They are plunderers, especially of the surface world, but also traders and explorers. They typically lair in low-ceilinged caves that other species find difficult to negotiate, and they stock those cave lairs with an astounding array of traps. When encountered away from their lairs, the okotomons are either seeking plunder or trade. In either event, they are equipped with serrated spears, one or two gaff hooks, nets (primarily used for carrying items, but also useful in a fight) and round, polished shields. If more than twelve oktomons are encountered, they will be led by a captain.
• Oktomon: HD 3; AC 5 [14]; Atk 4 weapons (1d6); Move 12 (Swim 18); Save 14; CL/XP 4/120; Special: None.
• Captain: HD 6; AC 5 [14]; Atk 1 weapon (1d8); Move 12 (Swim 18); Save 11; CL/XP 6/400; Special: None.
Pirate Galley: A pirate vessel with two oar decks, the galley is crewed by twelve pirates and thirty rowers. They are commanded by a ship captain and first mate. The pirates are armed with light crossbows and axes, while the rowers can fight with clubs. Pirate leaders wear leather armor and carry scimitars and pistols. There is a 1 in 6 chance of a mage being aboard.
• Pirate: HD 2; AC 7 [12]; Atk 1 weapon (1d8); Move 12; Save 16; CL/XP 3/60; Special: +1 hit and damage in round 1, backstab for double damage.
• First Mate: HD 3; AC 6 [13]; Atk 1 weapon (1d8); Move 12; Save 14; CL/XP 4/120; Special: Backstab for double damage.
• Pirate Captain: HD 5; AC 6 [13]; Atk 1 weapon (1d8); Move 12; Save 12; CL/XP 6/400; Special: Backstab for triple damage; +1 morale; troops +1 to hit
• Pirate Mage: HD 2d6; AC 8 [11]; Atk 1 weapon (1d4); Move 12; Save 16; CL/XP 3/60; Special: Two first level magic-user spells, backstab for double damage.
Sahuagin: Sahuagins are aggressive, territorial fish-men. They are matriarchal and are ruled by priestesses. A sahuagin settlement will consist of a basalt ziggurat topped by a temple to their shark deity, Omoo. Within the ziggurat are the living quarters of the priest-queen, her attendants, her consorts and other minor nobles. The ziggurat is surrounded by dozens of stone huts and slave quarters. Sahuagin encountered away from their settlements are always on the hunt for meat, plunder or slaves. A sahuagin war party is always led by a noble. If more than 8 sahuagin are encountered, they will also be accompanied by a priestess riding atop a shark. Sahuagin are equipped with obsidian axes and nets.
• Sahuagin: HD 2+1; AC 5 [14]; Atk 1 weapon (1d8); Move 12 (Swim 18); Save 16; CL/XP 2/30; Special: None.
• Noble: HD 4+1; AC 5 [14]; Atk 1 weapon (2d6); Move 12 (Swim 18); Save 13; CL/XP 4/120; Special: None.
• Priestess: HD 3+1; AC 5 [14]; Atk 1 weapon (1d8); Move 12 (Swim 18); Save 14; CL/XP 4/120; Special: Cleric spells (2 x 1st level), banish undead.
• Small Shark: HD 4; AC 6[13]; Atk 1 bite (1d4+1); Move 0 (Swim 24); Save 13; CL/XP 4/120; Special: Feeding frenzy.
Triton: Tritons live in coral towers decorated with riches taken from sunken ships. Bands of tritons encountered at sea are equipped with shields, tridents and daggers and always ride hippocampi. Tritons are always led by a knight. If more than eight tritons are encountered, they are also accompanied by a priest.
• Triton: HD 3; AC 5[14]; Atk 1 trident (1d8+1); Move 1 (Swim 18); Save 14; CL/XP 4/120; Special: Magic resistance 90%.
• Knight: HD 6; AC 5[14]; Atk 1 trident (1d8+2); Move 1 (Swim 18); Save 11; CL/XP 7/600; Special: Magic resistance 90%.
• Priest: HD 4; AC 5[14]; Atk 1 trident (1d8+1); Move 1 (Swim 18); Save 13; CL/XP 6/400; Special: Magic resistance 90%, cleric spells (2 x 1st level, 1 x 2nd level).
• Hippocampus: HD 4; AC 5[14]; Atk 1 bite 1d4); Move (Swim 24); Save 13; CL/XP 4/120; Special: None.
Undine: Undines are aquatic relatives of the elves. Unsullied by the blood of mortals, the undine are taller than their surface cousins, with pale, gaunt skin, silvery hair, long, webbed fingers and toes and large, violet eyes. They live in exquisite keeps constructed from white stone and decorated with banners made of linked, multi-colored scales. Most undines use giant seahorses as mounts, and keep small hunting squids and swift barracuda for use in their hunts. Undines encountered away from their home will usually be on a hunt, and the party will include no more than one hunting squid or barracuda per three undines. If more than twelve undines are encountered they are led by a warlock. Undines are equipped with scale armor, tridents and daggers and are usually mounted on giant seahorses.
• Undine: HD 2+1; AC 5 [14]; Atk 1 weapon (1d8); Move 12 (Swim 15); Save 16; CL/XP 2/30; Special: Telepathic communication with humanoids and aquatic creatures.
• Warlock: HD 5; AC 5 [14]; Atk 1 weapon (1d8+1); Move 12 (Swim 15); Save 12; CL/XP 7/600; Special: Magic-user spells (3/2/1), telepathic communication with humanoids and aquatic creatures.
• Barracuda: HD 1; AC 6[13]; Atk 1 bite (1d8); Move (swim 24); Save 17; CL/XP 1/15; Special: None.
• Giant Seahorse: HD 4; AC 7[12]; Atk 1 bite (1d6); Move 0 (Swim 24); Save 13; CL/XP 4/120; Special: None.
Wyvern Coast
The Wyvern Coast is a range of sun-baked badlands between the Nabu Desert and the Tepid Sea. Its shoreline hosts a multitude of caves and coves that provide hiding places for the pirates that roam the Tepid Sea. The hills provide little of value other than volcanic glass and some fancy stones. The only city-state on the Wyvern Coast is Ophir, infamous for its bazaars, slave market and assassin’s guild. Ophir was once the main seat of power for the ancient Purple Kings that ruled the coast.
Random Encounters
3 Cyclops (1d4)
4 Lamia (1d4)
5 Scorpion, Giant (1d4)
6 Insectaur (1d6)
7 Eagle, Giant (2d6)
8 Pirates (3d6) and First Mate (see below)
9 Dragon Man (2d6) and Warlock (see below)
10 Lion (2d6)
11 Lizard, Giant (2d6)
12 Tick, Giant (2d6)
13 Igniguana (1d6) or Shocker Lizard (2d6)
14 Slavers (6d6), Slave Master and x 10 slaves
15 Wyvern (1d4)
16 Leucrota (1d6)
17 Basilisk (1d4)
18 Shedu (1d4)
Random Battlefield Terrain
1 Meadow – no penalties
2-5 Gentle Slope – slight chance to lose footing
6-9 Steep Slope – chance to lose footing, higher ground bonus
10 Cliff – chance of falling
Dragon Men: The dragon men of the Wyvern Coast live in settlements composed of bronze domes surrounded by gardens of colored stones and succulents. Dragon men wear no armor. They arm themselves with two-handed axes and longbows. Dragon men encountered outside their settlements are led by warlocks.
• Dragon Man: HD 1+1; AC 6 [13]; Atk 1 bite (1d4 + 1d4) or 1 weapon (1d8); Move 15; Save 17; CL/XP 3/60; Special: Spell (1 level 1), bite.
• Warlock: HD 5; AC 6 [13]; Atk 1 bite (2d4) or 1 weapon (1d8+1); Move 15; Save 12; CL/XP 7/600; Special: Magic-user spells (3/2/1).
Pirates: The pirates of the coast are found in secluded coves, licking their wounds and preparing for their next venture. They sometimes have established camps protected by earthworks that they share with camp followers – traders, craftsmen and wenches. Other times they simply hide their galley and head for a high cave that gives them a good view of the sea. Groups encountered away from this lair are usually on hunting expeditions and armed with crossbows and axes.
If fewer than fifteen pirates are encountered they are led by a first mate. If more than fifteen pirates are in a group they are led by a captain. The first mate and captain will be armed with a broad sword, musket and three pistols.
• Pirate: HD 2; AC 7 [12]; Atk 1 weapon (1d8); Move 12; Save 16; CL/XP 3/60; Special: +1 hit and damage in first round of combat, backstab for double damage.
• First Mate: HD 3; AC 6 [13]; Atk 1 weapon (1d8); Move 12; Save 14; CL/XP 4/120; Special: Backstab for double damage.
• Pirate Captain: HD 5; AC 6 [13]; Atk 1 weapon (1d8); Move 12; Save 12; CL/XP 6/400; Special: Backstab for triple damage; +1 morale; troops +1 to hit.
Slavers: A band of slavers is probably moving their victims to a mine or to their secret lair within the hills. There will be ten slaves for every slaver encountered. Slavers are equipped with leather armor, whip, light crossbow, club and man-catcher. Slave masters are equipped with leather armor, whip, short sword and light crossbow.
• Slaver: HD 1; AC 7 [12]; Atk 1 weapon (1d8); Move 12; Save 17; CL/XP 2/30; Special: Backstab for double damage, man-catchers.
• Slave Master: HD 5; AC 6 [13]; Atk 1 weapon (1d8); Move 12; Save 12; CL/XP 6/400; Special: Backstab for triple damage.
What follows is the fighting-man class I used for my last campaign. Nothing ground-breaking here, but I do include some original level titles that I’m pretty happy with. The following content is declared open game content.
THE FIGHTING-MAN
You are a warrior, trained in battle and in the use of armor and weapons. Whatever type of fighting-man you choose to play, you will probably end up on the front lines of your adventuring party, going toe-to-toe with dragons, goblins, and evil cultists, hacking your way through them and taking the brunt of their attacks. The fighting-man character is best equipped of all the character classes to dish out damage and absorb it, too. Clerics heal, and magic-users cast spells, but the down-and-dirty hack and slash work is up to you. You’re going to serve as the party’s sword and shield, protecting the weaker party members and taking down the enemies before you. Perhaps one day they will tell legends of your battle prowess, and followers will flock to your castle stronghold where you revel in your fame, riches, and newly earned nobility. Fail, of course, and you’ll die, just another forgotten warrior in a dangerous world.
Against creatures with one hit dice, a fighting-man makes one attack per level each round.
Fighting-men may choose one weapon with which to specialize. Once a specialized weapon is chosen, it cannot be changed. For fighters between 1st and 6th level, this specialization imparts a +1 bonus to hit and a +1 bonus to damage using that weapon. At 7th level the bonuses increase to +2 to hit and +2 to damage.
At 10th level, a fighting-man can make two attacks per combat round against creatures with 2 or more Hit Dice.
| Level | Experience | Hit Dice | Attack | Save | Title |
| 1 | 0 | 1 | +1 | 18 | Yeoman |
| 2 | 2,000 | 2 | +2 | 17 | Warrior |
| 3 | 4,000 | 3 | +3 | 16 | Champion |
| 4 | 8,500 | 4 | +4 | 15 | Duelist |
| 5 | 17,000 | 5 | +5 | 14 | Swashbuckler |
| 6 | 34,000 | 6 | +6 | 13 | Grognard |
| 7 | 68,000 | 7 | +7 | 12 | Freelance |
| 8 | 136,000 | 8 | +8 | 11 | Hero |
| 9 | 272,000 | 9 | +9 | 10 | Warlord |
| 10 | 500,000 | 10 | +10 | 9 | Warlord |
| 11 | 750,000 | +4 hp |
+11 | 8 | Warlord |
| 12 | 1,000,000 | +8 hp |
+12 | 7 | Warlord |
Note on Saving Throws: I should explain that in my hybrid game saving throws were modified by ability score bonuses/penalties. Thus, I would tell a player to make a “strength saving throw”, requiring them to modify their roll with their character’s strength bonus or penalty.
S&W Format
Hit Dice: 1d6+2 per level, +3 hit points per level after level 9
| Level | Experience | Hit Dice | Attack | Save | Title |
| 1 | 0 | 1 | +0 | 16 | Yeoman |
| 2 | 2,000 | 2 | +0 | 15 | Warrior |
| 3 | 4,000 | 3 | +1 | 14 | Champion |
| 4 | 8,000 | 4 | +2 | 13 | Duelist |
| 5 | 16,000 | 5 | +2 | 12 | Swashbuckler |
| 6 | 30,000 | 6 | +3 | 11 | Grognard |
| 7 | 60,000 | 7 | +4 | 10 | Freelance |
| 8 | 120,000 | 8 | +5 | 9 | Hero |
| 9 | 240,000 | 9 | +6 | 8 | Warlord |
| 10 | 360,000 | +3 hp |
+7 | 7 | Warlord |
| 11 | 480,000 | +6 hp |
+7 | 6 | Warlord |
| 12 | 600,000 | +9 hp |
+8 | 5 | Warlord |
These are the three “new races” I worked up for my Land of Nod campaign. The centaur owes its creation to Denis Beauvais‘ excellent painting Bridge of Sorrows (he could do the covers for my fantasy rules any day). Looking at that centaur knight, how can you not want to play one? The beastman was a replacement for the half-orc, and was intended as a simple way to introduce all sorts of bestial humanoids into the game as playable races. The mechanical man is a nod to pulp sci-fi and stories of Hephaestus’ automatons in Greek myth, as well as the venerable tin woodsman of Oz fame. The following content is declared open game content.
BEASTMAN
Beastman is not a race per se’, but rather a category of bestial humanoids. This category can include such humanoids as gnolls, orcs and hobgoblins or crossbreeds between such humanoids and humans. The most common “beastmen” in Nod are the half-orcs.
Half-orc characters are usually crossbred from human stock, and can almost pass for human. As they are often the product of rape, half-orcs frequently have a rough childhood. Their orc blood puts them at a disadvantage with most people, as orcs are known for their violent and criminal tendencies.
Half-orcs average from six to seven feet in height, and they are usually built like gorillas. Their skin often has a pink, grey or green cast to it. Half-orcs often have one of the following facial features: turned up nose, pointed ears, thick eyebrows, a heavy forehead, vestigal tusks and/or pointed teeth. Half-orc hair is coarse and unruly, and usually black, dark brown or dark red. Half-orc eyes are almost always brown, brownish green or greyish green.
Half-orcs usually speak the common tongue of men and often (60%) the language of orcs. It is not uncommon for them to learn the language of dwarves, goblins, ogres and giants. Players of half-orcs may wish to affect a deep, gutteral, grunting accent to their speech when communicating as their character.
CENTAUR
A centaur has the head, arms and torso of a human or elf and the lower body of a pony or ass. Centaurs dwell in meadows and glades surrounded by thick woodlands. They are known for their lack of temper and their fondness for women, war and song.
Centaurs are usually eight to nine feet tall from hoof to head. Even though their equine bodies are smaller than normal horses, they are still quite heavy and find it difficult to scale sheer surfaces without help from others. A centaur’s equine body may have any pattern common to normal horses, and the hair on their heads often follows suit. Centaurs usually have nut brown skin.
Centaurs speak their own language and often (50%) the language of elves. They occaisionally speak the common tongue of men. Many centaurs learn the languages of gnomes, goblins, halflings, kobolds and orcs. Because of their size, centaurs have booming voices. Players of centaurs may want to use a Greek accent when speaking as their characters.
MECHANICAL MAN
Mechanical men are intelligent, artificial lifeforms created by ancient peoples (elves, fish men, ophidians), wizards and Vulcanus, god of the forge. They are as sentient as any living creature, and can “procreate” by building children and endowing them with a portion of their own souls.
Mechanical men are humanoid creatures composed of tin, wood, bronze, porcelain, ivory, steel or other such materials. The actual form of a mechanical man is highly variable. Mechanical fighting-men often have suits of armor attached to their bodies, while thieves may streamline their bodies to make fitting into small places easier.
Mechanical men usually speak the common tongue of men and the language of their creators.
The first map grid I’m going to detail on this blog is J11, which contains the Wyvern Coast and the Nabu Desert. This first post will give an overview of the area.
Map J11 – History
During the Pandiluvian Age, what is now the Nabu Desert and Pwenet savanna was a shallow sea and the Wyvern Coast was a series of rocky islands. The elder things and fish men built their cities in this shallow sea, leaving the rocky islands to wyverns, chimera and a few primitive men.
When the waters receded, they left a great grassland dotted with trees and a range of highlands and mountains along the sea. The elder things and fish men retreated with the sea, with the ancient lizard kings and their human slaves filling the void. For centuries the lizard kings fought over the savanna and left the coast to monsters and primitive hill tribes. Finally, human slaves overthrew their reptilian masters and established themselves in the city-states they once built and labored in as slaves.
In the northern reaches of the savanna, the humans established a sorcerous empire under the command of a mysterious king called Nabu, who ruled from a city-state called Per-Nabu. The Nabu Empire made war against their neighbors and established colonies and tributary states along the Wyvern Coast, into the barbarian-infested woodlands of Venatia to the north, and into Pwenet, the southern reaches of the grasslands. Eventually, they came into contact with the rival empires of Kolos in the jungles of Cush and Irem far away in the west. These ancient superpowers clashed at sea and on the land, and eventually summoned up powers well beyond their control. Kolos became a lost city, its people scattered through the jungles. Irem and Nabu, on the other hand, were blasted by the gods (or so it is said), their domains becoming wastelands.
In the aftermath of the cataclysm that struck Nabu, its colonies either became independent city-states in their own right, or simply melted into the wilderness. Nabu’s northern forts in Venatia were overcome by the barbarians and destroyed, not to be colonized again until the great expansion of the Nomo Empire. Nabu’s port of Ibis on the Golden Sea became a powerful city-state and remains one to this day. The tributary ports on the Wyvern Coast rose to prominence for a short time, their rulers being called the “Purple Kings” due to the dies that help make their fortune. Nabu itself is now known as the City of Death on the aptly named River of Death, its vast treasures and terrible knowledge waiting to be discovered by courageous adventurers.
Geography
Map J11 is mostly hot and arid, with the coast, grasslands and high mountains being slightly more pleasant than the sun-baked hills and desert sands. The four geographic regions represented on the map are the Nabu Desert, the Pwenet Grasslands, the Tepid Sea and the Wyvern Hills.
The Wyvern Hills were once controlled by a dynasty that is now referred to as the “Purple Kings”. At the height of their power, these kings established many colonies on the Tepid Sea. In their later years they fell under the dominance of the Nabu Empire. When that empire was destroyed and its grasslands scorched, most of the Purple City-States were abandoned and fell into ruin. Only Ophir, the greatest of them, exists to this day.
The people of the coast and hills are a bronze-skinned mixture of Motherlander and Lemurian. The grasslands are home to pure-blooded, swarthy Lemurians.
Each day and night the Referee should dice for the chance of a dangerous encounter. Generally, there is a 1 in 6 chance of such an encounter, or a 1 in 8 chance if a ranger is present. There is an equal chance of becoming lost.
In the next couple of days I will show the northeast quadrant of Map J11, describe the Tepid Sea and Wyvern Coast, provide some random encounter tables and describe some major set encounters.
As I mentioned in previous entries, my most recent game began using the 3rd edition rules for D-n-D. Gradually, we switched over to Castles & Crusades, as I wanted a more simple system of rules that would allow me to spend less time calculating Difficulty Classes and more time coming up with interesting things for the players to discover. I watched with interest when Basic Fantasy Role-Playing, Labyrinth Lord and OSRIC appeared on the scene, and then really fell in love with Swords & Wizardry. The rules my group used took bits and pieces from all of these games (spell research rules from Basic Fantasy Role-Playing, saving throws from Swords & Wizardry with a nod to the prime attribute concept in Castles & Crusades, the classes from Castles & Crusades, many of the spells in OSRIC, etc). In the end, the players were using a house-ruled version of Castles & Crusades, and I was using a house-ruled version of Swords & Wizardry.
There was one thing in 3rd edition D-n-D that I did like, at least in theory, and that was feats. I thought that feats could be a very clever way for players to construct the archetype they wanted to play without the need for creating dozens of new classes. Unfortunately, feats ultimately became a revenue source for WOTC; there were too many feats, too many sub-rules concerning those feats, and too many feat chains. I think that the feat chains were especially troublesome. After all, if a player goes to the trouble of making his character the greatest acrobat he can possibly be, the Referee kinda feels guilty if he doesn’t design adventures that allow the player to show off his acrobatic skills.
Just the same, I eventually decided that I liked giving the players some tools to tweak their characters. To this end, I adapted some of the d20 feats into what I called boons. The following content is declared open game content.
BOONS
As characters advance in level, they pick up specialized skills and abilities called boons. Boons are small bonuses that help to make characters unique. Players may choose a boon for their character at 3rd, 6th, 9th and 12th level. Unless otherwise noted, a boon cannot be chosen more than once. The boons a character may possess are as follows:
AGILE: You have a 2 in 6 chance to avoid falling into pits and a 2 in 6 chance to escape from simple bonds (i.e. ropes).
ATTRIBUTE BONUS: You may increase one of your attributes (i.e. Strength, Intelligence, etc) by +1. You can choose this boon and apply it to the same attribute more than once. You cannot increase an attribute beyond 18.
CLEAVE: When you drop an opponent to 0 or fewer hit points in melee combat, you may make a second attack with the same weapon at the end of the combat round against another creature within range of your weapon.
CLIMB WALLS: You can climb walls on a roll of 1 to 2 on 1d6.
DELAY POISON: You can delay (but not neutralize) poison on a roll of 1 to 2 on 1d6.
DODGE: You improve your Armor Class by 1. You lose this bonus when surprised or otherwise unable to move.
EMPOWER SPELL: You can cast one spell per day with all of its variables increased by 150%.
ENLARGE SPELL: You can double the range of one spell per day.
EXPERTISE: You can accept a -2 penalty to your attack rolls and gain a +2 bonus to your Armor Class.
EXTEND SPELL: You can cast one spell per day with a double duration.
FAST MOVEMENT: You improve your unencumbered movement rate by 3.
GREAT FORTITUDE: You gain a +1 bonus to saving throws against poison and disease.
HEAR NOISE: You can hear noises on a roll of 1 to 2 on 1d6 (or 1 to 3 on 1d6 if a nonhuman).
IMPROVED BANISHMENT: You gain a +1 bonus on rolls made to banish the undead.
IMPROVED DISARM: You gain a +1 bonus to make disarm attacks.
IMPROVED GRAPPLE: You gain a +1 bonus to make grapple attacks.
IMPROVED OVERBEARING: You gain a +1 bonus to make overbearing attacks.
IMPROVED PUMMELING: Your pummeling attacks deal 1d3 damage instead of 1d2 damage.
IMPROVED SUNDER: You gain a +1 bonus to make sundering attacks.
IRON WILL: You gain a +1 bonus to saving throws vs. magic.
LEADERSHIP: The morale of your henchmen improved by 2.
LEGENDS AND LORE: You can recall ancient legends and obscure lore on the roll of 1 on 1d6.
LIGHTNING REFLEXES: You gain a +1 bonus to saving throws against breath weapons and death rays.
MAGICAL APTITUDE: You learn to cast one first level magic-user or illusionist spell per day. Magic-users and illusionists may not choose this boon. You may choose this boon more than once, applying it to a different spell each time. To use these spells, you must keep a spellbook and memorize your spell or spells each day. Your referee may restrict which spells you can learn with this boon, and the armor class restrictions faced by magic-users and illusionists apply.
MOUNTED COMBAT: You can make attacks atop a mount without the usual penalty. When fighting atop a warhorse, you can direct the mount’s attacks and still make your own.
MOVE SILENTLY: You can move without making a sound on a roll of 1 to 2 on 1d6.
NEW SPELL: If you are a magic-user or illusionist, you can add an additional spell (of a level you can cast) to your spellbook.
PICK LOCK: You can pick locks on a roll of 1 to 2 on 1d6. You must have burglary tools to use this ability.
PICK POCKETS: You can pick pockets on a roll of 1 to 2 on 1d6.
POINT BLANK SHOT: You gain a +1 bonus to hit with missile weapons when your target is no more than 30 feet away.
POWER ATTACK: You can accept a -2 penalty to your melee attack rolls and gain a +1 bonus to melee damage.
SILENT SPELL: You can cast one spell per day without needing to vocalize it.
SKILL FOCUS: You gain a +1 bonus to saving throws when using a chosen skill associated with your class (such as thievery or woodcraft).
STILL SPELL: You can cast one spell per day without needing to move your hands.
SURVIVAL: You can hunt well enough to feed 6 people on a roll of 1 to 2 on 1d6.
TWO-WEAPON DEFENSE: When wielding two weapons you can forgo making an additional attack and instead improve your Armor Class by 1 as though you were using a shield.
TWO-WEAPON FIGHTING: Your penalties to attack with two weapons are reduced to -1 (primary) and -2 (off-hand). Normal penalties are -2 (primary) and -4 (off-hand).
TOUGHNESS: You gain 3 hit points.
WEAPON FINESSE: When wielding a dagger, hand axe, light hammer, light mace, short sword, sickle or whip you can use your dexterity bonus in place of your strength bonus when making attack rolls.
WEAPON FOCUS: You gain a +1 bonus to hit with a weapon usable by your class. Fighting-men cannot mix this boon with their weapon specialization ability.
WEAPON PROFICIENCY: You learn to use a weapon normally not usable by members of your class.
WIDEN SPELL: Once per day, you can double the coverage of a spell you cast.
Land of Nod 