Wilderness

Mu-Pan – One-Eyed Boys

/ jstater / 2 Comments

One more before I post the update to Megacrawl 3000 …

0443. Three one-eyed boys (hitotsumi-kozo) dwell in this hex in a cave studded with sapphires (worth 100 gp each, a total of 23 are present). The cave is set in the side of a long hill, the base of which is cluttered with goji berry bushes. The one-eyed boys gather the goji berries and mash them into juice that they ferment in clay pots buried in the floor of their cave.

Although removal of the sapphires is very tempting, it is a dangerous thing to do. If a sapphire is plucked from the wall of the cave, a blue ray erupts from the wall and strikes the person holding the sapphire (no roll needed). The ray always strikes the person in the forehead and sets up a communication between the thief and something from beyond the void (per the contact other plane spell). The experience leaves most people a bit jumbled (1d8 points of ability damage spread between intelligene, wisdom and charisma as the player prefers). This damage can be healed with magic (restoration), but will not heal naturally.

If all of the sapphires are stolen from the cave, the rays create a portal through which 1d6+4 star warriors emerge. The star warriors are hairless humanoids with translucent, sapphire skin and eyes and wearing long, metallic coats of miniature scales (the material is aluminum – light weight and quite strong) and carrying two war hammers each. The star warriors track down the sapphire thieves and return them (the sapphires) to the cave. The thieves are either killed or they are taken back to the cave and taken through the portal.

| Hitotsumi-Kozo: HD 3; AC 6 [13]; Atk 1 weapon (1d4); Move 9; Save 14; CL/XP 7/600; Special: Bad luck, frightful appearance, ray of enfeeblement, silence, true seeing.

| Star Warrior: HD 5; AC 1 [18]; Atk 2 hammers (1d6); Move 12; Save 12; CL/XP 5/240; Special: Track sapphires unerringly, immunity to cold, ESP at will.

—

Also – to avoid confusion when talking about the Cloud Dragon, Gold Dragon etc kingdoms and the monsters of the same names, I’ve given the kingdoms alternate names:

Jin – Gold Dragon Kingdom
Meng – Mist Dragon Kingdom
Ying – Shadow Dragon Kingdom
Yun – Cloud Dragon Kingdom

Of the kingdoms, Meng no longer exists (at least, not in a normal way), its citizens now serving as the empire’s merchant class based in the coastal cities.

Mu-Pan – Red Goblins

/ jstater

0421. An army of 270 oni-aka (red goblins) raiders has encamped in this hex. The army is preparing to sack the city-state of Pantung [0322]. The raiders are working on behalf of a cabal of villains (an ogre magi, sorcerer ox and evil naga, themselves the puppets of an oni. The raiders are under the command of the hobgoblin marshal Valtrahar. Valtrahar rides atop a palanquin carried by four ogres. He wears a black bronze jingasa with a porcelain mask that bears starched whiskers. He is accompanied by a hired shugenja called Imyneda, a melancholy woman with fulvous skin, gray-green eyes and dark brown hair in braids. Imyneda has a large woman with a round, bland face who complains incessantly as she rides along on her yak. The army has three trebuchet pulled by teams of yaks.

| Valtrahar: HD 6 (34 hp); AC -1 [20]; Atk 1 weapon (1d6+1); Move 9; Save 11; CL/XP 6/400. O-yoroi, no-dachi, tanto.

| Imyneda, Shugenja Lvl 5: HP 13 [20]; AC 9 [10]; Save 11 (9 vs magic); CL/XP 4/120; Special: Spells (3rd). Bo staff, tanto, spellbook.

—

Picture found HERE.

Mu-Pan – Pantung

/ jstater

The fun of randomizing hex contents is, of course, that I don’t know what’s going to pop up and I have to try to make it fit (or delete it and pretend it didn’t come up). In this case – surprise, there’s a city in the high mountains!

0322. Pantung is an outpost city-state of 12,375 souls constructed between three dormant volcanoes. The clever engineers of Pantung have dug into the volcanoes, constructing large vents from which pour air and water warmed within the volcanoes. This has made the valley of Pantung warm all year around, despite being located at such a high elevation. The borders of the kingdom are protected by walls of ice that slowly melt and are re-built through the year.

The city-state itself is constructed on a radial pattern. The buildings are made of thick, cream-colored stone, much of it excavated from the aforementioned vents. Doors in the city-state are barred at night, for the citizenry fear the hobgoblins and yeti of the mountains. The city’s wall is 30 feet tall and has four large tower keeps protecting it. Each 1,000 foot section of the wall (there are 16 such sections) and the battlements of each tower are patrolled by 1d6+6 handgunners accompanied by a sergeant-at-arms and possibly (10% chance) a low level shugenja. Each tower has a number of war engines that launch flights of iron war rockets. Three paved roads lead from the city state, one into Tsanjan, the other two into Mu-Pan. These roads are lined by asters ranging in color from white to golden yellow to bright purple.

The primary business of Pantung is copper mining (the city-state has small mines up to 3 hexes away) and banditry. During the winter months, dozens of bandit gangs retreat into the mountains to stay in Pantung, bringing rich tributes of coins and slaves to the nu-gong. The bandit chiefs are treated as visiting royalty. The bandits never prey on the citizenry, who appreciate their bawdy tales and ample coin. The fields around Pantung support cherry and plum orchards and grazing for a breed of rugged mountain pony. The primary coin of Pantung is made of bronze (i.e. copper piece), and the average earnings of a commoner is about 2 cp per day.

Pantung is ruled by Nu-Gong Oonichay, a respected shugenja with ties to the black magicians of Tsanjan. She is assisted by a cabal of 4 noble houses, each headed by a master alchemist. Oonichay is a calculating and domineering. She has pale skin, hazel eyes and dark, brown hair that is bobbed short. Oonichay is an accomplished dancer (she was brought into Pantung as a dancing girl for the former gong). She has a small-featured, delicate face that never betrays her thoughts. She wears a cloak of gray and black vulture feathers (from the bearded vulture of the Tsanjan Plateau). Her palace is in the city-state’s center, surrounded by the legendary fruit market. The palace dungeon is a thing of legend.

The city-state’s alchemists are respected (and, to some extent, despised) throughout Mu-Pan. They put most of their efforts into discovering the elixir of life, but also produce copious amounts of black powder (mostly to fuel the iron war rockets and handguns that protect the city from invasion)

Pantung’s patron deity is Roon, the god of going. Roon’s grand temple is overseen by 10 female nsiain (Mu-Panese druids) and 300 lay brothers and sisters, most of them piao-ke (guides, former bandits). The worship of other deities is frowned upon in Pantung, and proselytizing is illegal. The nsiain of Pantung take vows of poverty (though their temple is quite wealthy) and celibacy. The temple’s wealth is used to maintain the roads (and the flowers, the aster is sacred to Roon). Priestesses wear robes of green sackcloth marked by dozens of white hand prints and carry tetsubos. They bleach their palms white. Holy days are observed by the people and priests with pilgrimages to visit shrines (actually noble crypts) in the mountains. The highest virtues preached by Roon’s church are kindness and charity, the most terrible sins blasphemy and envy.

Pantung has a shady tavern located just inside the east gate. The Golden Staff is run by Isekonall, a friendly, optimistic man who hails from the northern steppe and speaks with a thick accent. Most of the crowd in the Golden Staff is shady – bandits and slavers, for the most part. The place is usually crowded and noisy. The plum wine and short beer that Isekonall serves are a bit overpriced for their quality, but the four rooms (actually a loft partitioned with paper screens) are cheap (and mostly occupied, 1 in 6 chance of a room being vacant).

Some of the more interesting folk of Pantung include Newarada, the strinkingly beautiful high priestess of Roon that is really a disguised man (a ninja of the Black Dragon Kingdom who has played the role for over a decade, he is involved in many assassinations), Snomonchond, a flamboyant master alchemist and open heretic (he worships Sol Invictus, whom the Motherlanders call Apollo Helios), Hagravet, the well-connected captain of the guard who keeps company with Snomonchond, Zajinnes, an arrogant master alchemist and rival of Snomonchond who has a family closet full of skeletons and an unhealthy fixation on Hagravet, and Aschansary, a young official implicated in a bribery scandal – she’s had bad luck with former allies and finds it difficult to place her trust in others.

Ruler: Oonichay, Nu-Gong (Duchess), Shugenja Lvl 8
High Priestess: Newarada, Druid Lvl 8
Population: 12,375
Domain: 10 hexes
Size: 1 mile diameter
Arms: Three black dots on a field of white

Mu-Pan – Lord of Arising Smoke

/ jstater

Two more for wondrous Mu-Pan. I have decided to use the Gods of Pegana as the Gods of Mu-Pan. Should be fun. One of those Pegana gods also shows up in Hexcrawl Classics #1.

—

0232. A sect of lawful sohei dedicated to Kilooloogung, the Lord of Arising Smoke, has been established here in a deep valley rich in iron deposits. The mines are now worked by the lay brothers of the fortress monastery. The monastery is constructed of fired bricks. Each brick is stamped with a holy symbol and glazed red. A slow fire fed by fragrant herbs and woods is maintained at all times in the center of the monastery, the smoke escaping into the sky via three towering bronze chimneys made to look like dragons.

The abbot is called Jeneozen, a charming fanatic with dark yellow-brown skin and blue-gray eyes. Jeneozen is suffering under a curse that forces him to eat almost constantly, but still he loses weight. Once healthy and hale, he has become drawn and weak. The only cure for his condition, he believes, is a bitter, Y-shaped root from the Shadow Hills. Jeneozen commands ten lesser sohei.

Despite the dedication of the ten sohei of Kilooloogung to Law, the lay brothers of the monastery are a shifty lot – smugglers of dangerous narcotics from the high plateau of Tsanjan into the Celestial Hills. The lay brothers of the temple serve a hanu naga called Sebuthop of the Golden Scales (HD 6). She dwells in one of the abandoned iron mines, one that connects to a deep thermal vent, making it steamy and choked with fungal vines.

The monastery treasure horde consists of 19,300 sp, 730 gp.

| Sohei of Kilooloogong, Lvl 2: HP 2d6 [2d6+2]; AC 6 [13]; Save 13 (11 vs death & poisons); CL/XP 3/60; Special: Banish undead, spells (1st). Haramaki-do, sode, tetsubo (1d6), 3 darts, prayer beads.

| Jeneozen, Sohei Lvl 10: HP 8d6+2; AC 5 [14]; Save 5 (3 vs death & poisons); CL/XP 10/1400; Special: Banish undead, spells (5th). Haramaki-do (made of shark skin), sode, suneate, tetsubo (1d6), 3 darts, prayer beads.

0307. The mountains here are lightly forested with black alders. The slopes are home to thousands of locusts. A river of acid spills from a weird cave and down a series of waterfalls into a hole in the earth. Weathered granite pillars rise from the acid river at odd intervals. Above the cave from whence the river flows there is a small, shallow cave. Some ninjas of the Black Dragon Kingdom are trained here. The ninjas must leap from pillar to pillar, making their way up the river to the shallow cave to claim a random object. The object must be returned to the Black Dragon Chan within 3 months of the beginning of the test to pass. Those who fall into the river are either disintegrated by the acid or fall into the bowels of the earth. Those who fail to return to the Black Dragon Chan are hunted down and killed.

The cave and river are always watched by a dozen shadows, the souls of deceased ninja. Intruders into the gorge are attacked by these shadows at dusk or night, but not in the daytime. There is also a 1 in 6 chance that a band of 1d6 ninja are encountered in the gorge. If there is a single ninja, you can assume they are taking the test.

—

Image from Stravag via DeviantArt.

Mu-Pan – Loutish Hunters

/ jstater / 1 Comment

Missed a day, so two Mu-Pan encounters today. Just click on the Mu-Pan tag at the end of the post to find other posts, including a map.

0129. A small village of loutish hunters is located in this hex, surrounded by a stone wall and four stout towers. The hunters are mainly trappers, setting snares in the mountain passes and wooded crevasses in the spring and summer and then retiring into their village to smoke their pipes and chew eat pickled meat. The villagers are skilled gamblers and even more skilled archers. Their greatest treasure is an opal jar that contains the imprisoned soul of an oni. The jar is kept in the crypt of the former ruler, a tsanjani monk that made a habit out of chaining the maidens of the village to the walls of his shrine and watching them slowly starve. The villagers do not miss the man and have done their best to prevent the tsanjani from discovering the death of their reeve.

0213. A large village of tsanjani peasants cultivates edible fungus in the steamy caves that line the walls of the valley. Pungent streams of piping hot water emerge from these caves and spill into medicinal pools, eventually finding their way into a gentle stream that flows into the valley of the qal. The village is surrounded by an ancient, weathered stone wall caked with sulfur. The village is ruled by an overbearing magistrate of the tsanjani named Quatherennee. Quatherennee has pale yellow skin, stubbly gray hair and steel-gray eyes. The village is defended by two companies of men-at-arms (archers and heavy infantry) as well as semi-tamed white babboons. The babboons are chained near the village’s large iron gate and outside the magistrates court. Patrols of warriors always use one or two babboons as scouts. Visitors can hire out Shoolinsth the piao-ke (armed escort) to guide them through the mountains.

| Shoolinsth, Bujin Lvl 5: HP 12 [32]; AC 3 [16]; Move 12; Save 12 (11 vs. death & poison); CL/XP 5/240; Special: Follow through. Hanburi, sode, kota, do-maru, suneate, nodachi (1d6+1), tanto (1d6-1), daikyu (100′, 2 shots per round, 1d6), 10 leaf head arrows, 10 armor-piercing arrows, 3 frog crotch arrows.

| Quatherenee, Aristocrat: HD 3 (8 hp); AC 5 [14]; Atk 1 weapon (1d6); Move 12; Save 14; CL/XP 3/60.

Mu-Pan – High Barbarians

/ jstater / 6 Comments

In the past, I have generally grabbed several encounters and posted them on the blog as a preview/freebie of my latest Nod sandbox. This time around, I’m going to use the 1 in 6 rule. Currently, I’m writing a few different supplements – Tome of Horrors Complete, Mu-Pan Hex-Crawl and Mystery Men! To keep up with them, I figure out in advance how many total “encounters” I need to write, figure out when I want to be done and then divide to figure out how many encounters a day I need to write. The key, of course, is to sit down and write every single day, even when you don’t want to.

For example, if I do about 4.5 monster conversions/encounters a day for Tome of Horrors Complete, I can finish the book by the end of March. In fact, I’m doing 6 a day to stay ahead of the game. Likewise, I’m trying to do about 6 encounters a day for Mu-Pan. My plan is to pick one encounter each day (rolled randomly, of course) and post it on the blog. For Mystery Men’s Shore City, I’ve actually been doing next to nothing – still need to draw the official map and figure out how to do a city-crawl. I think I’m going to do it block x block, classify the blocks as “downtown”, “industrial”, “suburban”, “waterfront” and then include some general urbo-morphs for the different types of cityscape. When I do it that process up and running, it will work on the same principle.

To go along with the Mu-Pan posts, I’ll be highlighting some of the more interesting bits of Asian art I’ve collected. They won’t always have anything to do with the encounter of the day, but c’est la vie. The encounter of the day for Mu-Pan is …

0113. Situated high in the mountains there is a small village of barbaric hunters. The village consists of about 20 wattle-and-daub houses surrounded by a palisade. The village is constructed on a wide shelf of black stone situated beneath a snow-capped peak. Due to the possibility of avalanches, and the necessities of hunting, the people of the village have learned never to raise their voices.

The barbarians of the village dress in shaggy, white coats and wear fur-lined boots. They have buff-colored skin and coarse black hair. The 60 hunters of the tribe paint their faced and knuckles with viridian paint. They are known for their brawn (+1 to hit and damage) and ability to move silently (they surprise in a roll of 1-2 on 1d6). The hunters carry bunches of six javelins and obsidian knives. They are commanded by a powerful chief called Narikit.

In the past month, a captured merchant (taken in a raid on the outskirts of the valley of the qal [XXX]) has captured the heart of the chief’s daughter, Dagusta, much to the chagrin of Hargene, the warrior who captured the merchant.

The tribe’s treasure consists of 900 gp worth of animal pelts.

—

Again, you’ll notice an “XXX”, this time as a placeholder for the hex number of a qal settlement. [Aside – don’t like the name of the qal – need to work on it].

Oh, and I think I’ve named my rivers:

West 1 = Puar-Sronjj (“String of Pearls”)
West 2 = Tauku (“Jade Tiger”)
West 3 = Maoukun (“Maiden”)
West 4 = Ronj (“King”)
East 1 = Sonossur (“Left Hand”)
East 2 = Ciphur (“Copper”)
East 3 = Jruas (“Great”)

The language is imaginary – actually I use the language mixer at Chaotic Shiny (my favorite random generator site, if it must be known) using “melodic 1” and then altering things as I see fit.

Guides Through the Wilderness

/ jstater / 2 Comments

Six guides to see your safely through the wilderness (or not!), listed in order of their “skill level” as a guide.

1. Percivius is a haughty, arrogant escaped slave who would like to believe himself a leader of men. He primarily worked as a clerk for his master. When his master expired one night from a heart attack, the manor slaves rose up, killed the guards and torched the manor, leaving Percivius out of a job (so to speak) and in just as much trouble as the others. He struck out into the greenwood and nearly died on more than one occasion, but finally made it over the mountains to a city-state where he was unknown. He now works as a wilderness guide, lecturing his charges and scoffing at every survival mistake they make along the way (and doing his best to explain away his own errors). Percivius is short and, thanks to his new life, well muscled and fit. He is balding (hiding it under a Phrygian cap), but still has a few platinum blond ringlets. He has beady eyes that suggest a life of reading by lamp light.

2. Ghadra is a sergeant in the local guard who works on the side as a guide through the wilderness. She makes patrols with her company of crossbowmen every two weeks, and tailor’s her journey to suit her employers. Ghadra is no woodsman, but she knows enough to get along. She primarily relies on strength of numbers and a knowledge of the terrain (the trails, the pitfalls, etc) to get from point A to B safely. If she perceives weakness on the part of her employers, she isn’t above a little brigandry and knows the best places to hide the bodies.

3. Northstarr is a barbarian who clings painfully to the image of the half-naked savage popularized in copper-dreadfuls throughout the Motherlands. A city boy, he set out to remake himself as a barbarian hero, dressing in a red kilt and mail shirt and carrying a bastard sword (the love of his life!). On his head he wears an ornate dragon helm that imposes a -1 penalty to hit on him in combat, but is suits him so he doesn’t really care. Northstarr is a competent woodsman, possessed of mighty thews and, though he adopts a Thulian accent and plays the strong, silent type, has an active and imaginative mind.

4. Fiona appears to be the ultimate guide – tall, fit, competent and self-confident, beautiful. Pity she’s actually a succubus who leads a party into the wilderness and then abandons them there, stealing away the most powerful warrior they have and leaving that warrior’s withered remains on the trail back to town as a taunt. She never appears in the same town twice – at least not without a couple hundred years in between appearances.

5. Mavewyn in an ex-soldier, a pioneer who fought in three major campaigns before retiring and setting up shop on the newly conquered frontier as a guide. Rugged and quiet, he has a good relationship with the barbarian and humanoid tribes in the area – they may not like the incursion into their homeland, but they know he’s a man of honor and they fear his bow and blade. He balks at taking adventurers into the wilderness who aren’t at least 4th level, for after all, if Gygax had intended 1st to 3rd level characters to explore the wild, wilderness rules would have appears in the Basic Set.

6. St. Eudoxius appears to people as a young man in a woolen tunic and blue cloak and carrying a crooked staff. The patron saint of homesteaders, he often appears to those who are lost or in dire straits in the middle of the night, holding a lantern (illuminates 120-foot diameter area as though it were daylight) in one hand and a brace of conies (or whatever game is most appropriate) in the other. After a quick repast (his water skin never seems to empty), he will head off into the night, beckoning people to follow him. Saint Eudoxius knows the location of all strongholds and freeholds in an area and his presence assures one a night of safety (though if he knows a lord or yeoman to be wicked, he will advise the adventurers to quickly be on their way the next morning). He accepts donations of gold that always appear in the nearest Lawful temple or shrine the next morning.

—

Image from HERE

Venatia – Alien Mazes, Tranquil Ponds and the Castle of the Beast

/ jstater / 2 Comments

NOD #6 is written – it will probably be around 100 pages. Now I just need to edit and illuminate, fix some maps (it’s always something with the dang maps) and get this puppy out there. If anyone out there would like to advertise something in this issue (gratis), let me know. I can’t promise to accommodate everything (nor can I expect to get anything), but contact me and I’ll see what I can work out. My goal is to publish by the 14th, so consider the 12th a hard deadline.

Now – time for the final Western Venatia preview …

2846. Sometime in the mists of antiquity, the alien tsalakians, for reasons known only to them, constructed a vast maze of corridors, tunnels and vaults plucked from the sea floor beneath the waves. As the waters of Nod receeded, this maze came closer to the surface, so close in fact that it now lurks just beneath the calm surface of the Tepid Sea. The maze is difficult to spot, and many a ship has been dashed against its walls, the inhabitants of the dungeon’s upper levels preying on the shipwrecked sailors. Denizens of the maze include aquatic ogres and trolls, sharks, a team of squid-man adventurers and a veritable zoo of alien aquatic predators.

3023. There is a tranquil pond here filled with lily pads and surrounded by tiny cottages woven from grass, leaves, twigs and reeds. A village of 200 of frog fairies is situated around the pond. The frog fairies are ruled by Queen Anabeth. Although they are not welcoming of most strangers, those of lawful alignment will be allowed to rest and refresh themselves and give tribute to the queen. Besides its warriors, the village is protected by a dozen giant frogs.

| Queen Anabeth, Illusionist Lvl 8: HP 24; AC 3 [16]; Save 8 (6 vs. illusions); CL/XP 8/800; Special: Spells known (4th), spell points 28, silver tongue, +3 to hit with darts, magic resistance 20%, frog fairy spells.

| Frog Fairy (100): HD 1; AC 3 [16]; Atk 2 darts (1d3) or 1 dagger (1d4); Move 9; Save 14; CL/XP 1/15; Special: +3 to hit with darts, magic resistance 20%, cast hold person, invisibility and pyrotechnics.

| Giant Frog: HD 1; AC 7 [12]; Atk 1 bite (1d3); Move 3 (or 150’ leap); Save 17; CL/XP 1/15; Special: Leap.

3106. In the southern reaches of the forest, not far from the banks of the Danu, lies the infamous Castle of the Beast. The castle’s inhabitants were cursed years ago, its master twisted into the form of a beast (treat as a werewolf in hybrid form but without lycanthropy) and the souls of his servants trapped inside objects, unable to speak but still capable of carrying out their duties. Here, the beast broods and hunts and prays that someday the curse will be lifted.

The castle has a sinister cast to it. It is surrounded by well-tended gardens and vineyards, but the fields surrounding the castle are fallow and wild pigs and cattle can be found in the surrounding woods. There is a dilapidated landing and boat house on the Danu about 1 mile away from the castle. The landing is connected to the castle with an overgrown stone path. Warnings have been carved on the boathouse walls by the claws of the Beast himself.

Those who would storm the castle for its treasures will be sorely disappointed, for though the castle holds many valuable items (see below), those who possess them for more than a day have their souls trapped within them (per Magic Jar spell) until the curse is removed by a cleric of at least 10th level.

Treasure: The Beast’s treasure is in multiple trapped chests. It consists of 11,000 gold pieces. There is a winter wolf rug worth 1,000 gp stretched in front of the hearth of his great hall. The Beast wears an ivory broach carved in the image of his mother (worth 500 gp) and a weapon belt held with a silver belt buckle (worth 250 gp). Above his torn and tattered bed hangs a now-inverted holy symbol made of silver and platinum worth 750 gp.

| The Beast: HD 4 (26 hp); AC 3 [16]; Atk 1 bite (2d4); Move 15; Save 13; CL/XP 4/120.

| Animated Object (Small): HD 1; AC 5 [14]; Atk 1 slam (1d3); Move 15; Save 17; CL/XP 1/15.

| Animated Object (Medium): HD 2; AC 5 [14]; Atk 1 slam (1d6); Move 12; Save 16; CL/XP 2/30.

| Animated Object (Large): HD 4; AC 5 [14]; Atk 1 slam (1d8); Move 9; Save 13; CL/XP 4/120.

3211. A deep, natural trench in this hex holds thousands of writhing man-sized giant centipedes, attracted, apparently, to a magic helm at the bottom of the trench. The helm is made of gold, and thus heavy and offering little protection. It is shaped like a skull-cap with a nasal guard and a crest composed of a number of rounded nubs. Wearing the helm makes it possible for you to communicate with vermin and for them to communicate with you. In addition, you gain the ability to “turn” vermin and oozes as a 3rd level cleric, but at the cost of 1d6 points of temporary wisdom damage.

3310. A seemingly abandoned village in this hex contains a remarkable sight – dozens of villagers and twenty ogres frozen into statues of quartz by some unknown agency. Some searching will reveal one robed individual, on hands and knees in a doorway looking out at the slaughter, hand raised as though in the process of casting a spell. In fact, the wizard is responsible for the spell and the attack. The ogres had been tracking him for several days, he being injured in a previous encounter and seeking healing. The villagers took him in, and he rested for a few days before the ogres arrived. The quartz effect is merely an optical illusion of people frozen in time until some other equally powerful wizard (Morthern is a level 9 wizard) can undo the incantation (known colloquially as Morthern’s Moment in Time).

—

Illustration by N. C. Wyeth

Venatia – Gnomes, Bugbears and Invisible Men

/ jstater / 2 Comments

Done Done Done! Finally done writing the text for the Western Venatia hexcrawl. All I need to finish now for NOD #6 is another dungeon level for Izrigul’s Pleasure Palace, and hot diggity that magazine is ready to go. So, probably one more Western Venatia preview after this one. Here goes …

—

2235. The hither gnome village of Borbet overlooks the sea. Its inhabitants make their living by fishing, keeping guinea fowl, and growing vegetables in well-tended gardens. The village’s population stands at 150 gnome-wives, 80 gnomelings and 230 gnomes. They dwell in several dozen stone cottages built around a central square that contains a stone well. A low stone wall surrounds the village. It has two gates on the east and west sides of the village, each overlooked by a tall wooden tower. The walls and towers are covered by creeping, flowered vines.

Borbet is known for its fine, pale ale and its smith-work. The smiths of Borbet maintain a forge in a sea cave, allowing them to harness the elemental power of wind and wave when manufacturing their magical weapons and shields.

The village milita consists of 115 gnome warriors under the command of Nereva. The village is governed by a warlock called Kindle.

Treasure: The town treasury holds 4,085 sp, 2,860 gp, a hematite worth 65 gp, a bronze statue of Mercurius worth 3 gp and 3 sq. yd. of linen worth 12 gp. It is locked in an iron chest with a complicated lock in the cellar of the mayor and guarded by a bull mastiff.

| Kindle, Gnome Magic-User Lvl 9: HP 20; AC 9 [10]; Save 7 (5 vs. spells); CL/XP 11/1700; Special: Spells (5th), phantsmal force 1/day. Golden amulet of office worth 1,000 gp, beechwood staff carved with gnome faces, silver dagger, money pouch stuffed in right boot containing 30 gp.

| Nereva, Gnome Fighter Lvl 5: HP 19; AC 4 [15]; Save 10; CL/XP 5/240; Special: Phantasmal force 1/day. Chainmail, shield, boots of elvenkind, short sword, short bow, dagger.

2337. On a granite promontory that juts into the sea there is an ancient, weathered stone chair. Legends say that those who spend the night of a full moon sitting in the chair will learn the secret of their doom and how to avoid it. In truth, they will probably be killed by the enormous black pudding that lives inside the promontory and seeps out the cracks to engulf the chair each night.

| Black Pudding: HD 10 (60 hp); AC 6 [13]; Atk 1 attack (3d8); Move 6; Save 5; CL/XP 11/1700; Special: Acidic surface, immune to cold, divides when hit by lightning.

2410. The Blood Hawks are the most northerly of the orc clans and the weakest, having recently been decimated by the adventuring company from Blackpoort. The Blood Hawks have 100 warriors. They are ruled by Nar, who is assisted by Zhor, a shaman of the Gods of the Lake (see Blackmere Lake). The Blood Hawks dwell in a cavern lair set amidst rugged cliffs. They fletch their arrows with blood hawk feathers and paint the birds on their shields.

| Nar: HD 5 (21 hp); AC 4 [15]; Atk 1 battle axe (1d8); Move 9; Save 12; CL/XP 5/240; Special: None. Chainmail, shield, battle axe.

| Zhor, Orc Adept Lvl 3: HP 10; AC 7 [12]; Save 13; CL/XP 4/120; Special: Spells (1st), alchemist (brews poisons).

| Blood Hawk Orc: HD 1; AC 6 [13]; Atk 1 spear (1d6) or short bow (1d6 + poison); Move 9; Save 17; CL/XP 2/30; Special: Poison on arrows causes paralysis for 1d3 rounds.

2516. In a dry gulch called the Valley of the Angel there is a small village of folk who make their living collecting the valuable resins from the acacia trees that grow therein. The valley is named for a rock formation that looks vaguely like a winged creature bent down on one knee. The village is built around the base of this natural monument and consists of small hovels woven from the branches of the acacia. It is protected by a dry moat and a low wall of stacked stones. The village is ruled by Baron Nestor the Mad, an outcase of Antigoon who seized control of the village with his hired goons as a young man and has ruled it ever since. He is now pushing 60, not long for the world and fretting over the fate of his only child, Krapahild, now 30 and unwed. Krapahild, of course, is not in the least worried. She longs for freedom from her impetuous, often schizophrenic father, and enjoys a fine reputation among the villagers, who often seek her wise council and will almost certainly accept her as their new baroness on the passing of her father. The 20 warriors of the village wear ring armor and dashing white capes and wield shield and longsword. They are commanded by Morward, a man of 50 years who has served the baron since before his exile. Morward is an unassuming man, grey-haired and slight of build, who happens to be a very skilled assassin. Morward is quite a bit less excited about Krapahild assuming command of the village, and would gladly marry her or kill her to remain in power.

Treasure: 1,800 sp, 102 gp and a hematite arrow worth 105 gp.

| Morward, Assassin Lvl 6: HP 25; AC 7 [12]; Save 10 (9 vs. death); CL/XP 6/400; Special: Decipher script, disguise, sneak attack x3, skullduggery, poison. Leather armor, buckler, long sword, several daggers and poisoned darts hidden on his person.

2710. A small band of bugbears is traveling to join the hobgoblin army in [2505] before they cease being. The bugbears travel only at night, and are a strange band indeed. The leader of the band is Zorion, a yawahu bugbear, albino sorcerers akin to ogre magi. His comrades are the product of his dealings with demons, mutants possessed of extraordinary powers.

Treasure: 100 gp each.

| Zorion, Elder Yawahu: HD 6 (36 hp); AC 5 [14]; Atk 1 spear (1d6+1) or 1 shortbow (1d6); Move 12; Save 11; CL/XP 7/600; Special: Spells – charm person, magic missile, cause blindness, invisibility, weakness (rev. of strength) and rope trick. Wears a cloak of elvenkind he stole from a hapless adventurer on the way.

| Zunx, Undead Charred Skeletal Bugbear: HD 3+3 (22 hp); AC 5 [14]; Atk 1 bite (1d8+1); Move 9; Save 14; CL/XP 7/600; Special: Surprise on 1-3 on 1d6, surrounded by cloud of ash (10’ radius, save or cough and choke, suffer 1d3 damage, -5 to hit from obscurement), touch causes metal to heat (per heat metal spell), rebuke undead as lvl 3 cleric, only harmed by magic weapons, at 0 hp explodes into 3 dice fireball.

| Nobbit, Tenebrous Bugbear: HD 3+1 (20 hp); AC 2 [17]; Atk 1 bite (1d10+1 + 1d6 acid); Move 9; Save 14; CL/XP 4/120; Special: Surprise on 1-3 on 1d6, acidic bite, filiments on head inject poison into unarmed attackers (paralysis 1d4 rounds).

| Unog, Demonic Bugbear: HD 3+1; AC 4 [15]; Atk 2 claw (1d6), bite (1d8+1); Move 9 (F9); Save 14; CL/XP 7/600; Special: Surprise on 1-3 on 1d6, immune to poison, half damage from acid, cold, electricity and fire, only harmed by magic weapons, magic resistance 15%, cast darkness 15’ radius and inflict light wounds 1/day. Unog is a distant relation to Melchom, Paymaster of Hell.

| Tmor, Blink Bugbear: HD 3+3 (16 hp); AC 5 [14]; Atk 1 bite (1d8+1); Move 9; Save 14; CL/XP 4/120; Special: Surprise on 1-3 on 1d6, cast dimension door, blink as blink dog.

| Gux, Undead Bloody Bugbear: HD 3+3 (21 hp); AC 2 [17]; Atk 1 bite (1d8+1); Move 9; Save 14; CL/XP 6/400; Special: Surprise on 1-3 on 1d6, damage from bite adds to its own hit point (up to 27), creatures killed by it become zombie spawn, magic resistance 15%, only harmed by magic weapons.

| Zbugod, Giant Bugbear: HD 4+1; AC 3 [16]; Atk 1 bite (1d10+1); Move 12; Save 13; CL/XP 4/120; Special: Surprise on 1-3 on 1d6, throw boulders (40’ range, 1d10 damage).

[This was me playing with some old d20 templates, I guess they’re like the X-Bugbears]

2735. The sea dragon Zavicus makes its lair here in the submerged dome of some ancient sea fortress. Zavicus is a small dragon, about the size of a horse, with smooth, black skin and markings reminiscent of an orca. He is highly intelligent, but unable to speak or cast magical spells. Zavicus keeps its treasure in a large, round pit in the center of its lair. Seven mer-maids of exquisite beauty are kept there as the dragon’s prisoners, all chained to metal hoops that circle the treasure pit.

| Zavicus: HD 9 (36 hp); AC 4 [15]; Atk 2 claws (1d6), bite (1d8); Move 12 (S24); Save 6; CL/XP 12/2000; Special: Only harmed by magic weapons, can emit a cone of sound (30’ long, 20’ at base, 9d8 damage and deafness, save for half damage and to negate deafness), claws are so sharp one must save against them or begin bleeding (1d4 damage per round until cured by magic or staunched by normal means).

3427. Loquash, the mythic “Invisible City” is situated near the banks of the Vrusk River. The city and its inhabitants are only visible in the moonlight, becoming completely visible during the full moon and otherwise existing in an invisible, quasi-real state the rest of the time. The Loquashi have ophidian blood flowing through their veins, and their time under the curse has diminished them, making them about 5-ft tall on average. Their skin glistens like thousands of pink and yellow diamonds, their features would be elven save for the fact that their arms are more swept back and their torsos are a bit longer. They are terribly graceful, and sneak through the world, collecting secrets and knowledge and stealing precious articles, leaving clues to the location of the Invisible City to lure those from whom they have stolen to them during the full moon. These intrepid investigators are greeted warmly, their property returned to them, and they are permitted to feast on delicacies, the food being poisoned to turn the guests into Loquashi themselves.

Loquash has walls of pearly stone that gleam and shimmer in the moonlight, and thirty tall towers of dark, polished wood that rise 30-ft above the 30-ft stone walls. The city’s gates are polished steel and decorated with whimsical arabesques. The buildings within the city walls are graceful, most in the style of slim towers that taper gently from base to peak. They are topped with observation decks to permit the inhabitants to gaze at the stars. The streets of the city that are paved are paved with grey cobblestones. The city’s primary industries are the exchange of secrets and knowledge (their invisible lurkings around the world have brought them much knowledge) and the catching of fish in the Vrusk River using nets that, for most of the year, are completely invisible. The lands around Loquash appear to be barren under the light of day, but the moon reveals them to be lush croplands of beets, dates and pears and durum. Goats are kept for their milk, but they are never killed.

Loquash, in the days of the Lizard Kings when it was a normal city-state, was known for its fine metalwork, and in fact is still produces exceptional work. The city is also known for its lush parklands and its race track, where the locals watch the newt derbies.

Loquash once had a ruling monarch, but it was the king’s sinful ways that brought the curse of the gods down on the people’s heads. Since then, the palace has been allowed to sit empty, a monument to vice, and the priesthood has ruled the city with a gentle hand. The Loquashi, most of whom are not born, but rather made, have few family ties. Instead, people are stratified by classes based on their skills. The wise make up the ruling class of priests, while the dextrous and intelligent make up the middle class of artisans, sages, mages and thieves. The strong and tough make up the lower class of warriors, servants and laborers, while the charismatic make up the slave class of jugglers, actors, poets and storytellers.

The Loquashi worship the old gods of the ophidians, from whom they received their curse and to whom they beg for forgiveness. The two main deities of Loquash are Saclist, the goddess of virtue (which the ophidians define as loyalty and dilligence) and Phu’abbo, the lustful god of dreams. Minor divinities include Latha, god of craftsmen, Azol, goddess of wealth and Phothar, goddess of winter and dreaded hibernation. The days of the full moon are grand celebrations in Loquash in which the people travel a cirrcuit around the city to each temple, reciting prayers and leaving offerings of flowers and prayer scrolls scribed in their own blood. During the full moon, the taboo on physical contact is lifted and much revelry ensues. It is also during this festival that most outsiders come to Loquash and are tricked into consuming the city’s accursed food. The priests of the city-state wear bronze masks and go everywhere carrying censers burning sweet resins.

The soldiers of Loquash are apathetic and poorly trained. They wield morninstars and light crossbows, and primarily fight in the hopes of taking slaves. The army numbers 350 men-at-arms (HD 1d6), 20 sergeants (HD 3d6) and 2 captains (HD 5d6).

The Hanged Man is the finest tavern in Loquash. Located in the center of the city, it features service and fare fit for a lord (and priced for a lord as well). The tavern has two medium-sized rooms for rent, though they are occupied about 50% of the time. The Hanged Man is always loud and bustling, with dozens of tables featuring card games. They serve fermented goat milk and curds of goat cheese as well as many fine raw fish dishes.

Some of the more interesting people of Loquash include Shollo, a member of the old royal family who has suffered many financial setbacks since the overthrow (and who insists he has amble gold in his old apartment in the royal palace, if only someone would retrieve it); a seductive mage named Zhaua who is toiling under the threat of blackmail; Thath, a wealthy garrison commander whose schemes go far beyond Loquash and Thigomin, a wealthy courtesan who has dabbled with many powerful priests and who spends money very freely.

Loquashi Characters: The fact that the Loquashi spend most of their time invisible makes them problematic as player characters, but excellent foils with which to challenge the player characters.

Treat the Loquashi as elves with a +2 bonus to save against poison instead of an immunity to Charm Person and Sleep. In addition, their “class versatility” ability replaces Fighting-Man with Thief (the one published in NOD #2 or any other version you favor).

—

Miniature from Otherworld Miniatures, painted by Richard Scott.

Venatia – Marching Lepers, Bloody Fangs and the Sailor’s Rest

/ jstater / 2 Comments

About 3 weeks out from publishing NOD #6 (I hope). I have about 80 more encounters to write and a few other things to polish off, including level 3 of Izrigul’s Pleasure Palace. Busy busy.

—

2109. A horde of 50 lepers are on the march through this hex, pilgrims from Lyonesse making their way to the medicinal springs in [2013] that are now menaced by giant rock weasels. The pilgrims are led by the paladin Sir Juste, and his companions, Friar Owelle, Sir Tadith and ten fighting-men. All are mounted on warhorses and armed with platemail and shield. They are currently making camp, the named characters and men-ar-arms in pavilions, the lepers under the stars. Friar Owelle owns a magic rope, the silk entwined with silver thread. When laid on the ground in a roughly circular shape, it acts as a Protection from Evil spell for those located inside the circle.

| Sir Juste, Knight of the Jaguar, Paladin Lvl 6: HP 41; AC 2 [17]; Save 11; CL/XP 7/600; Special: Detect evil, protection from evil, immune to disease, cure disease 2/week, lay on hands (12 hp), turn undead as 4th level cleric, immune to fear, allies are +2 to save vs. fear. Platemail, shield, lance, long sword, holy symbol, jaguar skin worth 25 gp worn as a cape, 20 pp.

| Friar Owelle, Cleric Lvl 4: HP 16; AC 2 [17]; Save 12 (10 vs. paralysis & poison); CL/XP 5/240; Special: Spells (2nd), turn undead. Platemail, shield, mace, holy symbol, magic rope (see above), 17 pp.

| Sir Tadith, Fighting-Man Lvl 4: HP 24; AC 2 [17]; Save 11; CL/XP 4/120. Platemail, shield, horseman’s axe, lance, dagger, 16 pp.

2115. The most poweful clan of orcs in the Gaestly Hills are the Bloody Fangs. The Fangs are the most barbaric and superstitious of the orc clans, as their territory borders the land of the Barrow Fiends. The Bloody Fangs consist of 250 black orc warriors. Black orcs have blue-black skin and red-rimmed eyes. They are devotees of the demon prince Orcus, and many show signs of demonic heritage. Black orcs wear armor of iron scales, iron shields painted with bloody fangs, light crossbows and battle axes. The Bloody Fangs dwell in a cavern lair. The entrance is about ten feet above a boulder-strewn field.

The Bloody Fangs are led by Thangblad. Thangblad maintains a bodyguard of six zombies. He is assisted by 20 sergeants.

Treasure: Kept in a locked chest. Consists of 150 gp, 800 sp and 1,700 cp.

| Thangblad, Orc Adept Lvl 6: HP 28; AC 5 [14]; Save 10 (6 vs. undead); CL/XP 7/600; Special: Rebuke undead as 3rd level cleric, spells (2nd), berserker. Leather, shield, rusty spear caked with dried blood.

| Black Orc: HD 2+2; AC 3 [16]; Atk 1 weapon (1d8+1); Move 9; Save 16 (12 vs. undead); CL/XP 2/30.

| Black Orc Sergeant: HD 4+4; AC 3 [16]; Atk 1 weapon (1d8+1); Move 9; Save 13 (9 vs. undead); CL/XP 4/120.

| Zombie: HD 2; AC 7 [12]; Atk 1 weapon (1d8); Move 6; Save 16; CL/XP 2/30; Special: Immune to sleep and charm.

2128. This area of the Grete Myre, nicknamed the Pismyre, receives most of the run-off from Antigoon’s open sewers. It is inhabited by several gangs of gulguths and at least thirty otyughs. Encounters with one or both occur whenever one travels through the area (1-3 = 1d8 gulguths, 4-5 = 1 otyugh, 6 = both), so the locals avoid it at all costs.

2138. Sailor’s Rest is an interdimensional rest home for sailors. One will spot Vikings, New England whalers, Chinese merchants and Napoleonic sailors in this place, all living in a large manse that appears to have been built from ship wrecks. The men are stereotypical old salts. They live off of fishing and crates of foodstuffs and spirits salvaged by mermaids from lost ships. Visitors are welcome, and can expect a supper of hard tack, salt pork, fish stew, turtle soup, grog and plenty of tall tales.

The sailors never leave their home (except by death, when they are given a Viking funeral), so they know little of the surrounding area. Since most do not come from Nod, only a few are knowledgeable about the Tepid Sea or Mother Ocean. All of them know of the Meistersinger [1229], for he visits every few months to swap stories and sing shanties.

The old men have no real treasure, for they’ve little need of it. One might find a silver pocket watch or some scrimshaw. They arm themselves with broad swords and hafted hooks.

| Old Salt (25): HD 4; AC 7 [12]; Atk 1 weapon (1d8); Move 12; Save 13; CL/XP 4/120; Special: None.

2207. Wulum the Bald, a hefty barbarian prince has built a small motte-and-bailey fort in this hex in a wide valley of soft, green meadows watered by a sparkling stream. The southern half of the valley is hemmed in by chalk cliffs (worked by a few stout halfling miners in Wulum’s employ), while the northern walls of the valley are old, weathered basalt and studded with small caves.

The castle is constructed of creamy, white stone and pine and inhabited by a small court of servants and laborers, 12 tawny-headed berserkers and 15 men-at-arms equipped with ring armor, shields, spears and short bows. Wulum is tall and quite fat, and despite his wild, ice-blue eyes and unkempt black beard, very logical and intelligent, traits not normally associated with barbarians. He hails from the Chimeria (located north and west of this region). He is happily wed to his court magician, Orandjia the Grey, a high-born exile from Blackpoort with grey eyes, long, black hair worn in braids and a delicate face that belies the woman’s powerful ambition and hatred for her city of birth.

The castle is surrounded by several hovels inhabited by a mix of human, halfling and dwarf yeomen – mostly herders of sheep and cultivators of flax and rye. They are currently constructing a dye house.

Wulum is a tremendous host, sharing all he has with visitors provided they show he, his wife and his people respect and provide good company.

Treasure: 2,790 gp, 5 lb of cocoa (100 gp/lb), 2 lb of tobacco (100 gp/lb), 12 barrels of ale (30 gal., 250 lb, 6 gp each).

| Wulum the Bald, Barbarian Lvl 12: HP 84; AC 6 [13]; Save 4; CL/XP 12/2000; Special: Immune to backstab and flank bonuses, berserker (+2 to hit and damage, -2 to AC for 12 rounds, fights beyond 0 hit points while berserk).

| Orandjia, Magic-User Lvl 8: HP 18; AC 9 [10]; Save 8 (6 vs. spells); CL/XP 10/1400; Special: Spells (4th). Robes of dark blue velvet over comfortable clothing, a slim crystal wand and silver dagger.