Tailslap

Vargyr Feywolves

2010-11-24T08:23:00.000-08:00

These savage beast-men hail from the dark woods of the Feywild, descended from both wolves and wild elves. Feral, they live in tribes and hunt the untrammeled moon-lit forests of the deepest depths of that enchanted land. In appearence they are much like wild elves, small of stature but strong and fast, with light beards that grow into wild sideburns, long, furry ears, and pronounced cannine teeth.

Occasionally a great warrior will arise from the Vargyr and lead their tribes in forays into the lands of the seelie fey, raiding, killing, and tearing down the strongholds of the Eladrin nobles.

This adventure is the tale of one Eladrin's war to revenge himself upon the horde of Vargyr who descended upon his family's lands, killed every member of his family and household, and left him for dead upon the battlefield. Now he quests for a group of heroes who will return with him to his family stronghold, drive the Vargyr warriors out, and slay the mighty warrior who leads them. This is the war of the last Silma-Eltha.

Vargyr Feywolf ✦ Level 16 Skirmishers
Size origin type ✦ XP 1,400

Initiative +15 Senses Perception +8
HP 148; Bloodied 74
AC 30; Fortitude 28, Reflex 28, Will 28
Speed 8

Powers

Claw ✦At-Will, Standard Action, Melee 1
melee basic
The wolf-elf lunges at you with tearing claws.
Attack: +21 vs. AC
Hit: 2d8 + 7 damage.

Short Bow ✦At-Will, Standard Action, Ranged 10/20
ranged basic
Attack: +19 vs. AC
Hit: 1d8 + 5 damage.

Longtooth Shifting ✦ Encounter, Minor Action, Personal
Healing
The wolf-elf unleashes the primal beast within and takes on a more savage countenance.
Special: The Vargyr Feywolf must be bloodied to use this power.
Effect: Until the end of the encounter or until rendered unconscious, the Vargyr Feywolf gains a +2 bonus to damage rolls. In addition, for as long as the Vargyr Feywolf is bloodied, it gains regeneration 4.

Alignment neutral Languages Common
Skills Athletics +20, Nature +13
Str 24 (+15) Dex 21 (+13) Wis 11 (+8)
Con 12 (+9) Int 10 (+8) Cha 21 (+13)

Equipment:small hand weapon, leather armor, short bow

MilleniumCon 13 & Pathfinder

2010-11-23T07:37:00.000-08:00

We rolled up to Round Rock last weekend to play some D&D, and ended up playing Pathfinder all weekend.

For those who don't know, MilleniumCon is a yearly convention put on by Lone Star Historical Miniatures and is primarily focused on, as their name implies, historical miniature wargames. It's pretty much the closest convention to us here in Austin, so we usually make it. They generously provide space for the RPGA folks, and this year they also had Pathfinder Organized Play set up in one of the four-table conference rooms.

contemplating the entrence to the dungeon

Originally Dan and I had intended to get in some XP for our 4e RPGA characters. I was looking forward to honing my tactics with my elven barbarian Sithadel, specifically figuring out how to play him without getting him killed. He tends to die once per convention - that's what I get for making a dex-based barbarian I guess. I like to play unconventional characters.

That all got derailed when I took the Pathfinder core book to work. Dan picked them up when they came out however long ago but I had only read the alpha version they put out online when Pathfinder was first announced. At any rate, I decided to roll up a character just for grins. I came up with Kes, a 1st level wizard specialized in abjuration and prohibited from casting evocation and necromancy. At the end of the process I was really curious to see how this character played, and how Pathfinder played.

So when we got to MilleniumCon we went ahead and jumped in on a Pathfinder game and played. It reminded me a bit of the old RPGA, with the adventure record sheets given out at the end of each session. I liked how some of the organized play elements were structured. For example, at the end of each adventure you get a list of magic items you can buy with the gold you've accumulated. By the end of four adventures we had a decently broad list to pick from. Overall it seems nicely structured to keep the characters balanced and play fun.

Facing an owlbear skeleton

So, we played two slots of Pathfinder on Friday night, and two more slots on Saturday. At the end of it all I have to say that I enjoyed playing Pathfinder quite a bit. Of course I think the changes to skills in PF are great moves: I've hated Hide vs Spot and Move Silently vs Listen since the first time I had to roll them both when 3e first came out. The changes to the classes are great, too. My 1st level wizard was able to contribute to the combat on every round because now 0th level spells aren't used up when you cast them, so I could throw an acid splash or cast daze every round. The changes to concentration and spell casting times also pleased me - I've always thought that spellcasters had it too easy in melee. Now you really have to think twice about where you put your wizard. The changes to how poison work also impressed me.

There were a few downsides, or course. Over and over again I had to hear from the other players how much more they liked Pathfinder then 4th edition D&D. I play 4e, 3.5e, and a little Pathfinder in one game, and I don't like the "us vs them" these conversations usually take, so I always get turned off when the topic comes up. And of course the Pathfinder fans trotted out the same old saw about how confusing grapple was in 3e. I have always disagreed - 3e grapple wasn't a blocker for us, and as far as I can tell it's pretty similar in Pathfinder.

But the real downside for me was all the minmaxing. Just like in the bad old days of ultimate 3.5 cheese some of the players were rolling with some uber powerful summoner class that they couldn't stop talking about. I was lucky enough to not actually have to play with the roll-players, but it reminded me of how much less 4e games seem to breed uber-powergamers. And I was reminded once again how much I disliked that.

But that was really minor for me and was totally overshadowed by how much fun I had and by how well-organized the mustering and gaming was. Kudos to the Pathfinder Organized Play folks. Next year I'll definitely be back for more.

my wizard Kes at the end of 4 adventures

Frost Maiden

2010-11-15T12:22:00.000-08:00

Daughters of the frost giants, these ice-cold maidens stalk the frozen wastes, luring unwary warriors to their death on the chill bettlefields of the north.

Frost Maiden ✦ Level 16 Controller
Medium elemental humanoid ✦ XP 1,400

Initiative +13 Senses Perception +10

HP 154; Bloodied 77

AC 29; Fortitude 28, Reflex 30, Will 28

Speed 6, Icewalk

Traits

Icewalk

Frost Maidens move at normal speed on difficult or challenging terrain that is icy or snowy.

Standard Action Powers

Maddening Mock ✦ At-Will, Close Burst 10

Charm, Psychic

Hahahahahahaha!

Target: one creature
Attack: +20 vs. Will
Hit: 3d8 + 11 psychic damage.

Minor Action Powers

Alluring Lure ✦ At-Will, Range 10
Charm, Psychic
Come, warrior, catch me if you can!
Target: One Creature
Attack: +20 vs. Will
Hit: The Target is pulled 4 squares and dazed until the end of the Frost Maiden's next turn.

Alignment neutral Languages Giant, Common Skills Intimidate +20, Thievery +18
Str 13 (+9) Dex 21 (+13) Wis 15 (+10)
Con 18 (+12) Int 10 (+8) Cha 24 (+15)

Equipment: Gossamer garment.

The Ruins of Soguer - The Mages's Guild Tower, Part 2

2010-11-08T09:34:00.000-08:00

Once again we return to the adventure The Ruins of Old Soguer, being posted piece-by-piece here on Tailslap. Today's post details the first two floors of the Mage's Guild Tower in the central portion of the ruins. There, a figure from the past languishes under a mysterious curse.

Previous sections of the adventure can be found here:
The Ruins of Soguer - Introduction
The Ruins of Soguer - Start of the Adventure in Aguies Town & Castle
The Ruins of Soguer - River Journey to the Ruins
The Ruins of Soguer - The Western Ruins
The Ruins of Soguer - the Central Ruins
The Ruins of Soguer - The Mages's Guild Tower, Part 1

Journeyman's Hall

I - Haunted Mirror - here a cursed magic mirror shows the night of Soguer's destruction and serves as a conduit to the Shadowfell.

Stepping into the thick fog at the top of the stairs you see the corpse of a long-dead man in worn leather armor. Patches of fog fill the room and partially conceal the tables and chairs scattered about. Corpses of men in ragged leather armor and light hand weapons surround a stand-up mirror near the center of the hall.

A DC 10 Arcana check reveals that the mirror is magic. DC 16 Arcana reveals that is is useful for scrying, DC 21 Arcana to know that it is somehow broken. A DC 25 Arcana check reveals that the barrier between the worlds is thin in the city, and that the mirror is stuck showing scenes from the land of the dead - the Shadowfell.

Looking at the mirror causes it to show scenes of the twilit city as it once was - bustling with people and commerce - with the regal king in gleaming mail astride a green dragon outside a magnificent palace. Then, the scene turns to night. Some type of calamity seems to grip the city. Some people shuffle down the street with blank looks, transfixed by some type of ominous droning, while others scream and flee in the opposite direction. Then shadowy figures are drawn to the scene, approach the mirror's view, and come out of the mirror into the hall.

Encounter (level 12 +, xp 2400 / 3000 / 3600)- Wraiths from the Shadowfell come through the mirror and attack the players. A DC 28 Arcana check is required to control the mirror enough to stop the additional wraiths from coming through, or a DC 25 Strength check to break it will stop the tide of wraiths. Otherwise another wraith comes through the mirror every other round.
2 x oblivion wraiths (level 14 brute - xp 1000)
1, 2, or 4 vortex wraiths (level 9 soldier - xp 400 each) + one additional vortex wraith every other round.

Treasure - the dead adventurers carry shoddy armor and weapons, and 500 gold worth of scavenged jewelry, flatware, and other art objects.

J - Dead Journeyman's Apartment - Here a dead journeyman, Malaki guards his chambers and his spellbook.

These chambers feature two small apartments, each with a disheveled bed, and a chair and small table broken and knocked to the ground. Debris litter the floor, including a large illuminated tome lying open on the floor, its pages open to reveal some type of arcane diagram. Standing above the book is a ghostly apparition of a young mage wearing robes and wielding a runed dagger and a wand of oak.

Encounter - xp 1200
1 x watchful ghost (with magic ritual dagger instead of sword and spectral wand instead of crossbow) - (Open Grave)

Treasure (parcel 8) - The ghost's ritual book contains the following rituals: Water Walk, Phantom Steed, Silence, Shadow Walk, Wizard's Sight, Water Breathing, Arcane Barrier, Detect Treasure and Shrink.

K - Crumbling Masonry - An open pit that falls through to area A.

Hazard
Level 10 Warder - xp 500

The bottom ten feet of these stairs have collapsed, leaving a large hole that plunges down to the floor of the main hall twenty feet below.

Hazard - Careful climbing or a great leap are needed to ascend these stairs. Failure results in a painful fall.

DC 21 perception or dungeonering check to notice the cracked stonework at the edges of the pit.

Trigger - If anyone comes within 5' of the edge of the pit.
Attack - immediate interrupt
Target - the first creature coming within 5' of the stairs
+13 vs Reflex
Hit - 2d10 falling damage and secondary attack from falling stones
-Secondary Attack - +13 vs Fortitude, 1d10+5 damage
-Effect - the floor at the edge of the pit crumbles, widening the pit that looks down into the Main Hall (area A).

Countermeasures
- DC 16 Acrobatics check to to gingerly stand at the edge of the pit without the masonry opening up further (player is attacked as above on failure).
- DC 21 Athletics or Acrobatics check to cross the pit (player falls for 2d10 damage on failure).

Master's Chambers - these rooms contain only fine furniture in various states of decay, except one chamber.

R - Alidol's chamber

This chamber's walls and ruined furniture bear are cracked, scorched, and twisted. Above the door a curse still burns on the wall in letters of cold black magical flame - it reads "Alidol - you are cursed to languish here, un-helped within your tower until you have died here."

Master's Workshops - The landing at the top of the stairs leading up to this floor features doors carved with stars and constellations over tall mountain peaks.

L - Master's Workshops - these chambers contain tables and a few pieces of discarded alchemical equipment but are otherwise empty.

M - Alidol's Private Laboratory - The door is arcane locked and requires a DC 21 Strength or Thievery check to open it. The laboratory is currently occupied by a mute, mad naked old man who is an incomplete simulacrum that looks just like Alidol, and a shield guardian that guards the clone.

Overturned tables and broken alchemical equipment litter this chamber. A stone door leading to a side chamber on the north wall lies broken on the ground. A large humanoid made or stone, wood and metal stands still near the southwest corner for the room, and in the middle of the chamber stands a naked old man with a long beard that hangs to his knees and a mad gleam in his eyes. Catching sight of you, he screams wordlessly and lunges at your throat!

A DC 16 Arcana check identifies the old man as some type of magical copy of Alidol. DC 21 Arcana reveals that it is a simulacrum - a copy made of snow - that is incomplete and therefore not controlled by its creator.

Encounter - level 12 - xp 2800
Uncontrolled simulacrum (use flesh golem stats) - xp 1400
shield guardian - xp 1400

N - Warded Treasury - The secret door to this area is DC 21 Perception check to find, unless they specifically search that wall, in such chase it is a DC 16 Perception check. Within is a magic staff and a tome guarded by two deadly traps.

Opening the secret door reveals a small vault, with a table at the west end. Upon the table are a steel staff tipped with a pointed mason's plumb and a brass-bound tome.

Traps - spectral tendrils - level 13 trap - xp 800 - (DMG p.91) will attack any entering the treasury, and a kinetic wave (level 19 trap - xp 2400) which wards the staff's display table and will also attack any who approach the table.

Treasure - PARCEL #1 - Architect's Staff +3 (level 15, Arcane Power), Summoner's Tome +1 (level 5, Arcane Power) - contains the Summon Fire Warrior (Arcane Power) and Summon Shadow Serpent (Arcane Power) powers.

O - Simulacrum Creation Chamber

The stone door to this chamber lies broken on the floor outside in the laboratory. Within a large metal coffin covered with runes lies empty, and various labeled vials and boxes of reagents stand on some shelves and a table.

A DC 16 Arcana check reveals that this coffin is the focus for a ritual used to make magical copies of oneself.

Treasure - PARCEL #9 - 1,000 gp worth of arcanum and 2 emeralds worth 500 gold each.

P - Master's Hall

A large stone table is set in the middle of this solemn hall, surrounded by four stately chairs and flanked by stout pillars. Surrounding the table is an engraved magic circle.

A DC 10 Arcana check reveals that the circle is some type of runes of protection or privacy, and a DC 16 Arcana check determines that the circle is inactive.

Q - Roof

From the wide, flat platform that is the top of the mage's guild tower there is a magnificent view of the ruins of the city - the river, the trees, the ruined buildings, the walls and gates, and towards the sea, another stone tower. Near the south edge of the roof there are faintly glowing arcane runes in several overlapping circles.

A DC 21 Arcana check reveals that these hastily summoned but very powerful runes ward the tower and permanently protect it from intrusion by demons.

Character Race: Treant

2010-11-04T17:39:00.000-07:00

Wise and long lived, these fey creatures are guardians of the forests and the wild places of the world. Sometimes, when they are very young, these tree-people will venture out into the world to explore it, or to defeat an evil that threatens their homes.

RACIAL TRAITS

Average Height: 4´ 2˝– 7´ 2˝

Average Weight: 150–520 lb.

Ability Scores: +2 Constitution, +2 Wisdom

Size: Medium

Speed: 5 squares

Vision: Normal

Languages: Common, Elven
Skill Bonuses: +2 Nature, +2 Insight
Nature's Health: You have one additional healing surge per day.

Firmly Rooted: You can use Firmly Rooted as an encounter power.

Firmly Rooted ✦ Treant Racial Power
Digging your root-toes in, you hunker down and stand your ground.Encounter ✦ Immediate Reaction when effected by a push, pull or slide
Target: Personal
Effect: You are not moved by the push, pull or slide that triggered the power.

Nature's Stilness ✦ Treant Racial Power
Composing yourself and standing still, you become indistingushable from a normal tree to the untrained eye.
Encounter - Standard Action
Target: Personal
Effect: As long as you stay still, you are indistingushable from a normal tree. An opposed Nature Skill Check is required for a observer to notice your true nature.

Play a Treant if you want . . .
✦ to play a tough character who is connected to the natural world
✦ to play a wise champion of nature
✦ to be a member of a race that favors the cleric, fighter, shaman, and warden classes.

Physical Qualities
Treant resemble humanoid trees, with two thick legs ending in many root-like toes, two arm-like branches with twiggy fingers, and generally with leaves and foliage sprinkling their bodies and as hair and beards. Young treants can be anywhere from 4 feet to 7 feet tall, and quite heavy due to their woody bodies.

Playing a Treant
To a Treant the natural state of the wilderness is home. Not hunted by predators, they are not combatative in the way most other humanoids are. Generally the only threat to their lives comes from those other humanoids, either by the destruction of their natural habitats or directly. Not requiring food or shelter the way most races do, they are generally uninterested in wealth and posessions beyond the simple things they need to live. Ocassionally, a young treant will have a curiosity about the world and will go wandering, generally unnoticed by those they pass among.

Treant Characteristics: Most treants are slow, thoughtful, sedentary, in tune with nature and the wilderness, solitary, and traditional.

Male Names: Treebeard, Quickbeam, Fangorn, Leaflock, Finglas, Skinbark, Fladrif, Beachbone, Bregalad,

Female Names: Fembrithil, Wandlimb

Treant Adventurers
Three sample Treant adventurers will appear in upcomming posts.

Jäällätaudin - Icetongue

2010-10-28T10:34:00.000-07:00

This ancient blade's full history is known only to the most studious Dwarven sages of the Dunheng Kingdoms. In its centuries of existence it has appeared in the hands of many heroes only to be lost again with their passing. Most recently it was wielded by Jak, a King of the Fridon people who in tales is called the Giant Slayer. He was a king of the Fridon many years ago, when his people were attacked by the giants from the Danor Mountains. He fought against them wearing the hide of a dragon and wielding Jäällätaudin, and drove them back to their burning peaks.

Icetongue - Paragon Level
Description
Icetongue is a +4 mithrail fullblade (Adventurer's Vault - superior weapon, +3 profeciency, 1d12 damage, high crit (+2d12 on crit))
Critical: +4d6 cold damage
Power (At-Will ✦ Cold): Free Action. All damage dealt by this weapon is cold damage. Another free action returns the damage to normal.
Power (Daily ✦ Cold): Free Action. Use this power when you hit with the weapon. The target takes an extra 2d8 cold damage and is slowed until the end of your next turn.

Goals
Cold forged of mithrail, Icetongue was made by the Dwarves of Danor to slay fire giants and all their thrall. Any creature with the fire subtype is an enemy to Icetongue, be it azer, elemental, or dragon, and it will demand their death without consideration.

Roleplaying Icetongue
Icetongue speaks in a clear, ringing voice. It speaks Common, Dwarven, Giant and Draconic.

Flame and passion are anathma to Icetongue, and its will is deliberate and implacable as a glacier. It will calculatedly drive its wielder to confrontation with its hated foes. Patient, unforgiving and heartless, Icetongue does not care what cost must be paid for victory.

Concordance
Starting Score 5
Wielder gains a level: +1d6
Wielder kills a creature with the fire subtype (max 1 / day) +1
Wielder refuses to fight a creature with the fire subtype -3
Wielder refuses to obey Icetongue's command -1

Pleased (16-20)
Icetongue becomes a +6 weapon that deals +6d6 cold damage on a critical.
Power (Daily ✦ Cold): Free Action. Use this power when you hit with the weapon. The target takes an extra 4d8 cold damage and is restrained until the end of your next turn.
Power (Encounter ✦ Cold): Standard Action, Melee 1. Thrust Icetongue into any normal fire to douse it. If the fire is magical in nature, such as a zone or conjuration of fire, make a weapon attack against the caster's Will defense to end the effect.

Satisfied (12-15)
Icetongue becomes a +5 weapon that deals +5d6 cold damage on a critical.
Power (Daily ✦ Cold): Free Action. Use this power when you hit with the weapon. The target takes an extra 3d8 cold damage and is immobilized until the end of your next turn.
Property: The wielder gains Icewalk, the ability to move through difficult icy or snowy terrain at normal speed.

Normal (5-11)
Icetongue's statistics are as listed above (+4 weapon, +4d6 cold on a critical).

Unsatisfied (1-4)
Icetongue becomes a +2 weapon that deals +2d6 cold damage on a critical.
Icetongue will not use its daily slow power.
The wielder gains vulnerable 5 cold.

Angered (0 or lower)
Icetongue is considered a non-magical weapon for the purposes of attack and damage.
If Icetongue's wielder rolls a 1 on an attack roll, they take 2d8 cold damage and are slowed for one turn.

Moving On
When Icetongue has defeated the fiery menace that it arose to battle it will leave the stage again. Typically it is buried with the corpse of whatever hero it chose to wield it for that battle, as Icetongue's heartless drive often causes the death of its bearer even as they slay its foes. If by terrific fortitude or cunning they win Icetongue's epic battle with their life intact he will either make them seek out a new fiery foe or else make them leave him in a desolate, icy location, such as thrust into the ice atop a glacier or hurled into a mountaintop lake.

The Ruins of Soguer - The Mages's Guild Tower, Part 1

2010-10-26T14:21:00.000-07:00

Once again we return to the adventure The Ruins of Old Soguer, being posted piece-by-piece here on Tailslap. Today's post details the first two floors of the Mage's Guild Tower in the central portion of the ruins. There, a figure from the past languishes under a mysterious curse.

Previous sections of the adventure can be found here:
The Ruins of Soguer - Introduction
The Ruins of Soguer - Start of the Adventure in Aguies Town & Castle
The Ruins of Soguer - River Journey to the Ruins
The Ruins of Soguer - The Western Ruins
The Ruins of Soguer - the Central Ruins

5 - The Mage's Guild Tower, A reclusive old mage named Alidol lives within this tower, trapped by a curse.

Standing here among the ruins of the city is a tall square tower with smooth, windowless, slightly tapered sides. The once-fine facade is cracked and crumbling and vines crawl up the walls. A single wide doorway stands open, the door long gone. You see an old man in tattered clothes and with long, tangled beard and hair peering at you from the doorway.

If the players apprach, the old man greets them cautiously. If not threatened, he will converse with them, telling them that his name is Alidol, and that he was the Master of the Mage's Guild of Soguer before the fall, and that he has lived in the tower since then. He is hesitant to reveal more detail then that, though he can be convinced to reveal some of his secrets with a skill challange (below).

What he cannot reveal are the details of the curse that he languishes under.

Skill challenge - xp 200 (4 successes before 3 failures)
DC - 14 Diplomacy, Bluff, Intimidate and Arcana skill checks to learn the old man's history - that when he was young the pleasures of the flesh and his ambition consumed him and he pledged his soul to Grazz't. After he amassed great power he became the high mage of the guild, and that then he used forbidden magic to share his soul to make simmalacrum of himself (magical copies who share his soul - and therefore his pact with Grazz't). He goes on to tell that when the city was attacked he used up all of his power to ward the tower against the demon god that rose up out of the sea and now has no more magic in him.

He then tries to say "With my power gone my simmalacrum were free to act as they willed. They made separate deals with Grazz't, I believe, then betrayed and cu... cur..." (as part of his curse he is unable to say that they cursed him and left him here to die, and will become angry at this point and begin tearing at his hair and beard in frustration. Once he calms down a bit he will implore the players to help him, though he is unable to say anything about the curse or its nature - he can't even say that he can't speak about it.

If asked about creatures in the tower, he will mention his shield guardian, but will say it should not be hostile - it will just protect him, though that's useless since it is trapped above, where he cannot reach due to the stairs having fallen apart.

If asked about his past and his pact with Grazz't, the old man will sadly relate that he once burned with ambition and lust, but that after spending forty years alone in the tower he has repented those things and now just wishes to live out the rest of his days in peace.

If the players try to leave the tower, Alidol warns them about the hezrou (toad demon) that stalks the ruins. He will go on to say that his final spell - a ward against demons - still protects the tower and that the Hezrou cannot enter.

Minor Quest (Level 10 - xp 500 for each player): Free the guildmaster from his tower.
The curse laid on Alidol prevents him from leaving the tower until he has died there. It also prohibits him from helping anyone lift his curse in any way. If the players kill his simmalacrum he has technically died in the tower and is then free to leave.

Success - If the players free Alidol from the tower, he will thank them gratefully and promise to assist them any way he can. If the subject of the inquisition comes up he will inquire about it, and if the church of Baccob is mentioned he will let them know that one of his simmalacrum was working to join the church of Boccob many years ago. He will accompany them out of the ruins if they will allow him to join them, eventaully making his way back to Aguies with them. While with the party, he will happily share his vast knowledge of the arcane, making Arcana skill checks to identify creatures and help with arcane skill challanges at +30.

Tower Locations

Much of the tower is shrouded with patches of dense fog, all corridors are filled with fog, all doors are Arcane Locked (DC 21 Theivery or Strength to open), and there are some illusionary features thoroughout. The entire tower is also warded by a spell that protects against demons - Alidol's ward from the fall of Soguer - that keeps the hezrou out.

Ground Floor

A - Main Hall

A chair stands alone near the door in this large open room. The floor is littered with dirt and bits of wood and fallen masonry. Pillars support the ceiling twenty feet above, which shows cracks and some dark holes where pieces of stone are missing. A door leads to a hallway with smaller chambers - also with long-rotted chairs and tables. At the end of the hall is a spiral staircase leading up. Empty sconces and burned out torches line the walls.

B - Meeting Rooms - These chambers contain only the broken remains of tables and chairs.

C - Guest Chambers - Here three bedrooms hold simple furniture that looks fragile with age - a bed, chair, table, and empty chest.

D - Kitchen - This kitchen features a large rusty stove, and some tables and shelves still stand among the debris.

A simple wooden spoon lies on the table, next to a worn wooden bowl. The spoon is magical - if it is placed in the bowl or any container it fills with plain-tasting but nutritious gruel (as Everlastng Provisions - it provides food and water for up to 5 people a day). If Alidol sees the players examining with the spoon - his only source of food - he becomes agitated and takes it away from them.

Novice's Chambers

E - Warded Door (Arcane Locked - DC 21 Theivery or Strength to open) - The password is "korth" (draconic for danger), but Alidol's curse prevents him from telling them what it is.

F - Scribe's Workshop

Two long tables with benches and a bookshelf fill this chamber. Scraps of paper and a set of quills sit on the tables. Some books stand on the shelves. A few small vials, bits of paper and a few books sit among the thick dust that coats the floor.

This is where books and documents were copied and some scrolls were made - a search of the papers on the floor (easy perception check - DC 10) will turn up a complete scroll of water breathing. The books on the shelves that have survived the ages and vermin cover arcane and mundane topics, history "Wars of the Fridon", philosophy "Natural Science of the Rivers", "On Rulership", religion "Tracts of Truth and Guidance", fiction "There and Back Again", erotica "Ten Tales of Romance". There are 10 salvagable books all told.

G - Novice's Dormotories

These simple rooms hold a single bed, a footlocker, a small table and a chair in various stages of decay.

The rooms are empty, the novices having taken their posessions with them as they left the city after the fall.

H - Unstable Masonry - Hazard

Level 10 Lurker - XP 500

Small debris litter the dusty staircase here.

Hazard - These crumbling stairs could collapse at any moment - plunging the unwary down to the hall below and leaving a pit that must be climbed or jumped over.

Perception - A DC 21 Perception or Dungeoneering notices the cracked and dangerous stonework on the stairs.

Trigger - The first creature to climb the stairs causes them to crumble under them. The stairs make the following attack.

Attack - immedeate interrupt
Target - the first creature climbing the stairs
+13 vs Reflex
Hit - 2d10 falling damage and secondary attack from falling stones
-Secondary Attack - +13 vs Fortitide, 1d10+5 damage
-Effect - the staircase crumbles, opening up a pit that looks down into the Main Hall (area A). Once the pit opens, a DC 21 Athletics or Acrobatics check is required to cross it.

Countermeasures
- DC 16 Acrobatics check to carefully cross the stairs one at a time without triggering the stairs to collapse (player is attacked as above on failure).
- DC 16 Athletics check to run and jump over the stairs without triggering the collapse (player is attacked as above on failure).
- DC 21 Athletics or Acrobatics check to cross once the stairs have collapsed (player falls for 2d10 damage on failure).

New Structures for Skill Challanges

2010-10-07T09:21:00.000-07:00

Skill challenges are a great addition to Dungeons & Dragons. They take those non-combat obstacles that players face and turn them into legitimate encounters with clear criteria and consequences for success and failure.  Perhaps more importantly for the players they also provide experience point rewards for overcoming the challenges.

However, I have found that when I'm DMing the structure presented in the DMG for skill challenges doesn't always make a lot of sense for the encounter I'm presenting the players. Sometimes I present a challenge that requires a single skill check - one success or failure right there and the challenge is over - like climbing over a wall or jumping a chasm. Other times the skill challenges I present have a clear chain of skill checks that need to be performed in the correct order, and the traditional skill challenge structure doesn't make sense for those challenges. For example, if the players fail their Perception skill check to notice the scrap of parchment in the top branches of a tree, there's no reason for them to make Athletics checks to climb up there. Some puzzles and trap skill challenges benefit from this structure as well.

Because of these structural differences in how skill challenges can be played, I came up with two new structures for skill challenges that I run: minion skill challenges and chain skill challenges.

Minion Skill Challenges

Structure

As mentioned above, some skill challenges are a simple yes or no, success of failure on one skill check. Can the party sneak past the napping guard dog? Can they bribe the watchman? Can they swing on the rope across the chasm? One skill check is all it takes, and if they succeed, they pass the challenge and move on to the next one. If they fail, there are consequences. The watchman rejects their bribe and shouts the alarm. The guard dog wakes up and begins barking. They lose their grip on the rope and plunge into the chasm.

The minion skill challenge is also useful when playing in a more free-form fashion. The players may be at court on a diplomatic mission, trying to win over allies to their side. I may be presenting the players with NPCs that they meet, but I don't have any specific goals in mind for most of them. But I know that they players are going to find some hook about some NPCs interesting and try to win them over as allies, or stymie their plans if they become enemies. So I let them make skill checks as they want, treating each as a minion skill challenge: if they succeed they impress the NPC, if they fail they make a bad impression and likely an enemy. The minion skill challenge structure lets me DM this scene in a nice free-form fashion, awarding XP for success and consequences for failure as I go.

As mentioned in the DMG, every skill check does not qualify as a minion skill challenge. Only when there are consequences for failure should a skill check be considered a minion skill challenge.

Skill challenge DCs for minion skill challenges should be set by level, using the DCs by level chart in the DMG.

Experience

For each successful minion skill challenge, award experience points for a minion of the level used to set the skill challenge's DC.

Chain Skill Challenges

Structure

Chain skill challenges are designed for situations where skills have to be used in a certain order in order to successfully complete the whole challenge. Often, these skill challenges might be part of overcoming a trap or a hazard.

An example of this might be a magically protected, hidden wall safe. Step one of the skill challenge would be a Perception skill check to determine if any of the party members notices the hidden safe. If no one makes that check the challenge can't proceed and ends. If someone notices the safe, they then must overcome the magical ward protecting it. This might be an arcana check to disable the Glyph of Warding, or a Strength or Thievery check to bypass the Arcane Lock placed on the safe. If they can open the safe they get experience and whatever valuables are in the safe. If not they might get blasted, or else are just unable to open the safe. If they spend a lot of time retrying their Thievery checks, a monster is likely to come to investigate the noise. Either way the skill challenge fails and there are consequences.

Skill challenge DCs for chain skill challenges should be set by level, using the DCs by level chart in the DMG.

Experience

To award experience points for a chain skill challenge, count up the total number of successful skill checks needed to complete the challenge and compare them to the following chart:

Complexity Successes      XP
     1                4-5           1 monster worth
     2                6-7           2 monsters worth
     3                8-9           3 monsters worth
     4                10-11       4 monsters worth
     5                12-13       5 monsters worth

Award XP for successfully completed chain skill challenges by handing out XP for a number of monsters of the skill challenge's level equal to the complexity of the challenge. For example, if a 10th level chain skill challange requires 7 sucessful skill checks to complete, award 1000 XP for the challange upon success.

If the chain skill challenge requires less than 4 successes, award experience for a number of minion monsters equal to the number of surceases required.

Other Thoughts on Running Skill Challanges

For more on different ways to handle skill challanges in your game, check out this post at At-Will.

Talk Like a Pirate Day!

2010-09-17T11:02:00.000-07:00

Ahoy there! As ye my know this Sunday be international Talk Like a Pirate Day!

To celebrate we're shanghing you to embark on a grand adventure to search for 20 hidden treasure chests, containing all sorts of fantastic and TOTALLLY FREE eBooks!

So get to hunting, ye scurvey dogs!

-C'pn Thompson, ISS Unicorn Rampant

Two-Headed Hound

2010-08-16T13:47:00.000-07:00

Living in small packs in the deepest wilds of the Feywild, these Two-Headed Hounds are terrifying monsters that the seelie fey tell their children frightening tales of. Those who wander into the green depths of the Feywild sometimes find that the tales are no exaggeration. Occasionally, some of the wilder Fey will befriend a lone male of these creatures and accompany them through the wilds.

Standing almost as tall as a horse at their shoulders, these shaggy wolves bear two heads where most have one, each large enough to eat a child up in one bite.

Two-Headed Hound ✦ Level 16 Elite Soldier
Medium Fey Magical Beast ✦ XP 2,800
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Initiative +17 Senses Perception +8
HP 296; Bloodied 148
AC 34; Fortitude 30, Reflex 28, Will 30
Saving Throws +2
Action Points 1
Speed 8
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Powers

Bite ✦At-Will, Standard Action, Melee 2
melee basic
Attack: +21 vs. AC
Hit: 3d8 + 11 damage.

Horror of Tearing Teeth ✦At-Will, Standard Action
Effect: The hound makes two bite attacks.

Leaping Death ✦Encounter, Standard Action, Melee 2, Recharge 6
The hound hurls itself across the battlefield, knocking down and tearing those it lands on.
Special: The hound may make this attack as part of a charge.
Attack: +23 vs. Reflex against up to 4 targets
Hit: 3d6 + 8 and the target is slid 1 and knocked prone.

Overwatch ✦ At-Will, Minor Action, Melee 2
The hound's heads look around, ready to take advantage of any opportunity to strike.
Effect: The Hound marks one or two targets within 2 squares. If those targets make an attack that does not include the Hound, the Hound may make an opportunity attack against that target.

Rending Counterattack ✦ Encounter, Immedeate Reaction
Special: Triggered when first bloodied.
Effect: the hound's Leaping Death power recharges and the hound uses the Leaping Death attack as a free action. For the rest of the encounter, while still bloodied, the hound recieves a +2 to damage.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alignment neutral Languages Sylvan
Skills Athletics +20, Nature +13
Str 24 (+15) Dex 21 (+13) Wis 11 (+8)
Con 12 (+9) Int 10 (+8) Cha 21 (+13)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Two-Headed Hound Lore
The following can be recalled about Two-Headed Hounds with the following Nature skill checks:
15: Two-Headed Hounds are dangerous predators from the depths of the feywild. Though some understand Sylvan, few choose to speak it.
20: Two-Headed Hounds prefer to leap upon their prey and knock them down, and become very dangerous when seriously hurt.

GenCon 2010

2010-08-13T12:17:00.000-07:00

I'm just now getting a chance to write about the great time I had at GenCon this year, but I wanted to make sure y'all saw the pictures I got of all the great games, costumes, and miniatures I got. So welcome to Unicorn Rampant's virtual walking tour of GenCon 2010!

Games and Minis

In the "big tables" category, I saw a giant version of Ticket to Ride that looked like a lot of fun. Also present but not pictured were giant Settlers of Catan and a few other giant versions of some great board games.

Geek Chic had their beautiful gaming tables in evidence as well. This year they've branched out some and have many styles of hand-made, beautifully finished game tables, end tables, coffee tables, all with lots of neat hidden compartments, removable tops, drink holders, die cubbies, and such.

I love Babba Yaga, and these guys had put together a fun 3' x 3' piece of terraced terrain for her hut to live on.

Close up of the chicken-legged hut itself.

Speaking of terrain, if you want to make assloads of walls and caverns for cheap, this is for you. Molds that you pour your own resin into and then paint the resulting walls yourself. Available in castle flavor, gothic cathedral flavor...

...and of course Egyptian flavor.

I was really impressed by the level of detail, and the multiple levels of these paper playscapes. Also, super-affordable compared to any of the resin pieces.

Arr, that be a fine-lookin' vessel, ripe for the plundering! And a bargain at twice the price!

In terms of high-quality finished work, these guys always stand out head and shoulders above everyone else. Of course you get what you pay for in this case. This Caribbean Spanish settlement actually gave me flashbacks to my trip to San Juan in Puerto Rico.

And of course the miniatures. First of all, you need a bunch of dragons.

No. More dragons.

One of Reaper's display cases. I love those guy's work.

Close up of a Remorahaz.

Frost giants! We got your frost giants!

Scorpion-man-things and dinosaurs.

A good specimen of a Type 6 demon.

Demons, djinn and dastardly dark steps.

And of course a plague rat-a-pult?

I love digging around for old gaming books, particularly anything from the late 70's and early 80's when I first started gaming. I found some real gems, like this. Who doesn't love a game of hot man-to-man combat?

My assembled loot from the Exhibitor's hall; the 1980 D&D red box, just like the one I bought in the toy store at 7 years old, a couple of AD&D adventures from the same era, and a couple of vinyl transfers from Berserk.

Costumes

One of the highlights of GenCon for me is always all the great costumes everyone puts together. Most are hand-made.

Satyr girls always make me horny (pun intended - sorry).

Not sure if these girls were officially supporting the new DC comics game that just came out, but I really liked the costumes either way.

Steampunk, Victorian styles, corsets and bustiers continued to be popular costume themes this year. I also saw a lot of savage or primitive costumes this year, a newer trend.

Nice brass jetpack!

A couple of Paizo's iconic characters made an appearance at their booth.

A picture of me enjoying the costumes. That's my renfaire garb, minus the cowl.

Some fun and overtly sexy costumes - I particularly like the caution tape miniskirt. Caution indeed! In seriousness, I really like the atmosphere of acceptance at GenCon when folks want to let their freak flag fly. Last year there were kids going around with "gay gamer" shirts, and this year there was a fair amount of cosplay / anime / genderqueer / raver costuming going on.

This lady put together an excellent Goblin King costume, a'la David Bowie in Labyrinth. I tried to take several pictures of her costume, but I think she cast blur on my camera.

The blur spell took a while to wear off my camera.

Another savage-looking outfit from this pink-haired elven sorceress or shaman.

The world's tallest leprechaun.

Games

And of course, I played a lot of games at GenCon this year. In years past I had made a point of trying to promote Unicorn Rampant, either by meeting people in the industry that we have partnerships with, like Paizo and RPGnow, or by running games. Of course that meant I was either exhausted or missed out on having fun playing myself. This year I tried to maximize the fun by playing as much as I wanted to, and giving myself breathers between games if I wanted. As a result, I had the most fun this year that I've had a GenCon.

I played some great RPGA games - the Ravens of Winter's Mourning game was lots of good investigative fun, and the Curse of the Gray Hag was simply awesome. Here are a few pics from the Curse of the Gray Hag game.

Here we're trying to get away from the shambling mounds and into the Hag's tower, since I had convinced her that we were there to help free her. I played the eladrin priestess of Loth that is in the rear of the party there.

Some of the unfortunate other players in the Curse game. Notice the 'cursed' status markers on half the party? That meant they took 20 damage or lost their highest level spell every time they attacked the hag or her defenders.

The actual battle against the Hag, a solo monster, and her flesh golem, an elite monster. With half the party unable to effectively attack, this ended up being too tough of a fight for us, and some of the players got frustrated and called it quits when we hit the end of the time slot. Since my character had already accomplished her objective of getting some deadly nightshade from the surrounding fey-swamps, she had no problem bailing on the fight at that point. In one of my prouder moments, I took no damage at all in the entire adventure, and managed to parley past two of the combat encounters. Note my strategic position hiding on the stairs.

Then, of course, there was the Tower of Gygax. This event has become the highlight of the con for me. I even got a chance to run the Tower for a bit late Saturday night. Now with a Facebook group, even! Check it out for even more pics and memories from the Tower: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=145288208818624

I feel like this character sheet I found illustrates the excitement that the tower created.

Here's Steve, another of Unicorn Rampant's writers, running a room he contributed to the Tower of Gygax. We had lots of girls playing in the Tower, which is always nice to see. In fact, it seemed like more women come to GenCon to play every year.

The chamber that Steve ran: a chasm, rope bridges, sinkholes in the floor, rushing torrents, and an enormous air elemental.

The master of the Tower: Save Versus Death and Kobold Quarterly's Scott A. Muarry running The Tomb of Horrors for the Tower players Saturday night. I was thrilled to survive a few rooms delving into the Tomb.

One of the Tower's deadly rooms: the Arcane Monolith. I won't ruin the details, but I'm stealing parts of this for my home game.

Towards the wee hours, Scott decided to throw out the books and wing it off the cuff. Hilarity and death ensued.

Finally, in the wee hours of the night, I stepped in to run a few rooms in the Tower. This is me explaining how the chest they just opened is full of poisonous vipers that are now biting them.

Here I am describing how the lever that they just pulled has sent half the party to their deaths at the bottom of a 100 foot pit.

Finally, once they removed the treasure from one of the tests, a fusillade of darts strikes those nearby. The dwarf grabbing the box survived and got away with a magic ring of protection. Those who dare win!

Of course, this was just a fraction of the gaming going on, but with 20,000 gamers gathered and playing, there's no way I could see everything. It was awesome.

One of the many rooms full of gamers.

Until next year, thanks for reading, and happy gaming!

-Adam A. Thompson

Unicorn Rampant

Arc-Inquisitor Liodla

2010-06-25T09:53:00.000-07:00

Arc-Inquisitor Liodla is the leader of the Shan'n'nur Inquisition. Many years ago he was a powerful wizard who lived at a temple of Boccob. When the An-Magus Crusade was declared by the High Pointiff of Heironeous and the knights of the Sword of Light began raiding the temples of Boccob. Liodla was captured and forced to convert and renounce the use of magic along with many other worshipers of Boccob. Too canny to die in the inquisition's jails, Liodla emerged from the Sword of Light's clutches an apparently zealous supporter of the Crusade.

Some time after his conversion Liodla approached Mikail Brightbrow, the leader of the Sword of Light, with an idea. He suggested that a cult to Heironeous be established. This cult could be composed of former mages, sanctified by Heironeous's priests, and sworn to the eradication of non-sanctified arcane magic. He suggested that the cult be called the Shan'n'nur - from the Nimberlan Elvish tongue - which translates as "those who hate magic". Liodla put forth a convincing argument at a time when the Sword of Light was meeting more organized resistance from the worshipers of Boccob, lead by their hated enemy Barael, and Mikail agreed.

Thus were the Shan'n'nur established. Liodla recruited some of his former comrades from the temples of Boccob, and through their use of magic helped the knights of the Sword of Light defeat those who resisted them in Boccob's houses of worship. Among those captured the Shan'n'nur forced more conversions and their ranks grew.

Now that the An-Magus crusade is over the Shan'n'nur Inquisition polices magery in the counties of former Soguer and the middle kingdoms to the west. There is a sanctum of the Shan'n'nur Inquisition, as they are now known, in most major cities throughout the region. Whenever they find the use of magic they descend upon the practitioner and take them back to their temples to be purified either through conversion or death.

Throughout all of these events Liodla's secret patron Graz'zt reveled in all of the anguish and betrayal. What no one knows even now is that Liodla is one of several simulacrum created by the wizard Alidol when he was First Mage of the Mage's Guild of Soguer. When Alidol lost his powers during the Fall of Soguer his magical slaves gained their freedom and took their revenge upon him. They left him trapped in the Mage's Guild tower in the ruins of Soguer and went their separate ways in the world. Like his original, Liodla's soul is bound to Graz'zt in a dark pact and he has worked the Dark Prince's will to this day.

Using Liodla in your game

The Arc-Inquisitor is a major villain. In the Heir of Soguer campaign he is the leader of the Inquisition, and as such leads forces who confront the players throughout the campaign.

After many social and martial confrontations throughout the campaign, one or several of the players with the arcane power source will be captured by the Inquisition and taken to their headquarters in Merton for cleansing - either by death or conversion.

At that point the players must either submit to the Inquisition's regiment of drugs and enchantment, or face the tortures of the Inquisition's pits - a very dramatic challenge. During the long conversion process Liodla will converse with the PCs many times, attempting to coerce them into converting by hook or by crook. Generally he plays the benevolent father-priest figure, offering the tortured player his love and protection if only they will renounce their former allies and gods, sign false confessions, and other repugnant acts. His goal is to break down their wills and make them his minions, and also to enjoy seeing them suffer as they betray the things they love.

The climax to the Inquisitor's sub-plot would be a dramatic rescue & escape adventure, where the imprisoned must resist the tortures and deceit of the Inquisitors, and the rest of the party must find their comrade's prison and break in to rescue them. Re-united the party would then confront Liodla and, if victorious, discover the secret of his demonic pacts.

Arc-Inquisitor Liodla ✦ Elite Level 20 Controller
medium construct humanoid (human simmalacrum)✦ XP 5,600

Initiative +12 Perception +11
HP 380; Bloodied 190
Healing Surges 2; Healing Surge Value 95
AC 36; Fortitude 31, Reflex 34, Will 35
Saving Throws +2
Speed 6

Action Points: 1

Powers

Eyebite Warlock (Fey) Attack 1
You glare at your enemy, and your eyes briefly gleam with brilliant colors. Your foe reels under your mental assault, and you vanish from his sight.
At-Will ✦ Arcane, Charm, Implement, Psychic
Standard Action Ranged 10
Target: One creature
Attack: +25 vs. Will
Hit: 1d6 + 15 psychic damage, and you are invisible to the target until the start of your next turn.

Quickened Arcane Blast
At-Will ✦ Arcane, Force
Minor Action Close Blast 3
+25 vs Fort, 1d6 + 15 force damage, and the target is pushed 3 squares.

Killing Flames Warlock Attack 13
You use an enemy's recent injury to fuel infernal flames and sear the foe.
Encounter + Arcane, Fire, Implement
Immediate Reaction Ranged 10
Trigger: An enemy within 10 squares of you becomes
bloodied
Target: The triggering enemy
Attack: +25 vs. Fortitude
Hit: 3d8 + 15 fire damage.
Infernal Pact: The damage ignores resistance to fire.

Vile Lightning (Infernal) Attack 17
Black lightning leaps from your hand and wracks your foe. The evil energy allows you to feed on his life essence.
Encounter ✦ Arcane, Healing, Implement
Standard Action Ranged 10
Target: One creature
Attack: +25 vs. Fortitude
Hit: 3d6 + 15 damage, the target is weakened until the end of your next turn, and you can spend a healing surge.

Void Star Warlock Attack 19 - Recharge & use when bloodied
You summon a fragment of a dark star and hurl it at your foe, causing the creature's flesh to slough away.
Daily. Arcane, Healing, Implement, Necrotic
Standard Action Ranged 1 0
Target: One creature
Attack: +23 vs. Reflex
Hit: 4d8 + 13 modifier necrotic damage. The target takes ongoing 10 necrotic damage, and whenever the target would regain hit points, you regain the hit points instead (save ends both).
Miss: Half damage, and ongoing 5 necrotic damage (save ends).

Summon Seducer - 20th level Attack
Daily - Minor Action (Minor sustain)
Liodla summons* a succubus that has Speed: 6, fly 6 and the following powers:

Corrupting Touch (standard; at-will)
+25 vs. AC; 1d6 + Int. Modifier damage.
Dominate (standard; at-will) ✦ Charm
Ranged 5; +25 vs. Will; the target is dominated until the end of the succubus’s next turn.
Change Shape (minor; at-will) ✦ Polymorph
The succubus can alter its physical form to take on the appearance of any Medium humanoid, including a unique individual (see Change Shape, page 280).

* Per the summoning rules detailed in Arcane Power, p. 98.

Infuriating Elusiveness Warlock (Fey) Utility 16
You will yourself across the boundary between worlds, teleporting a short distance. When you appear from the Feywild, you are surrounded by a glamor of invisibility.
Encounter ✦ Arcane, Illusion, Teleportation
Move Action Personal
Effect: You become invisible and then teleport 4 squares.
The invisibility lasts until the start of your next turn.

Spell Betrayal (11th level) - Once a round, when you hit a target with an arcane power against whom you have combat advantage you deal an extra 1d8 damage.

Dark Charisma (11th level) - You gain a +2 vile bonus on Diplomacy and Bluff checks against evil creatures. This bonus increases to +4 at 21st level.

Spellstrike (16th level) - When you spend an action point to cast an arcane power at a foe who is engaged in melee or against whom you have combat advantage, you deal an additional 1d12 damage with the power.

Alignment evil Languages Common, Draconic, Elven, Abyssal, Promordial
Skills arcana + 23, bluff +21
Str 12 (+11) Dex 15 (+12) Wis 13 (+11)
Con 22 (+16) Int 23 (+16) Cha 26 (+18)

Equipment: Robes, Master's Mask of the Shan'n'nur, Wand, Amulet, Dagger

Altar of Transfixion

2010-06-21T08:46:00.000-07:00

Level 5 Warder (500 XP)

The ziggurat altar ahead has a swirling aura about it, oscillating wildly in scintillating patterns.

Trap: This shrine is linked to the Abyss, and attempts to daze those in its area of of effect while its worshipers strike.

Perception: No skill check required.

Additional Skills: Religion
DC 20: Recognizes the altar as a source of active, malevolent evil.
DC 30: Read runes - see Additional Description, below.

Trigger: Approach within 3 squares.

Attack: Attack again when others enter.
Free Action Close Burst 3
Attack: +10 vs. Will

Hit: Target is dazed (save ends).
Countermeasure: An adjacent character can disable the trap with a DC 24 Thievery check or a DC 24 Religion check (with a holy symbol).

Additional Description:
Runes run along the steps of the ziggurat spelling out the name “Tharizdun” in Abyssal and the horrors that he inspires.

Additional Effect:
If Tharizdun’s name is uttered in Abyssal in the aura of the altar, the altar makes a +10 Will attack, dealing 3d10 damage to all affected.

Red Nails - a Classic Tale of Conan

2010-06-18T09:12:00.000-07:00

Among fantasy gamers of my generation, Conan the Barbarian stands as one of the best fantasy movies ever produced, along with Dragonslayer, Legend, Fritz Lang's Sigfried, and a few others. But even John Milius and Dino DeLurentis's masterful screen adaptation of Robert Howard's tales of Conan pales in comparison to the original stories.

Now, Project Gutenburg has made available to the public one of the most gripping adventures Conan faced, Red Nails. Originally published in 1936's Wierd Tales magazine.

Enjoy this thrilling tale of adventure here: http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/32759

Thug Scurf

2010-05-23T13:09:00.000-07:00

The first in a series of humanoid thugs that can be applied to any of the humanoid races. Place these creatures on windy roads between towns or in salty warehouse districts riddled with slippery docks, or even in dungeons as parties who are on their own looting raids.

Thug Scurf Level 6 Minion
Medium natural humanoid XP 63

Initiative +4 Senses Perception +3
HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion.
AC 18; Fortitude 16, Reflex 14, Will 15
Speed 6

Powers
Short sword (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon
+12 vs. AC; 6 damage.

Cut to Shreds
At-will ✦ Weapon
Immediate Reaction
The thug scurf receives an attack of opportunity whenever their allies make a critical hit.

Alignment Any Languages Common
Skills Acrobatics +8, Athletics +7, Endurance +5, Perception +8, Streetwise +10
Str 16 (+6) Dex 13 (+4) Wis 12 (+4)
Con 14 (+5) Int 10 (+3) Cha 13 (+4)

Equipment leather armor, short sword

Tailslap issue #1 Released!

2010-05-12T10:13:00.000-07:00

Tailslap is a new 4th edition magazine of articles detailing new characters, creatures, magic items, encounters, spells, powers, rituals, plot hooks, adventure seeds, playable classes, races, campaign settings and area descriptions for use in your games. We also like to mix in cool little details and intriguing features that will enrich your game world.

These features are intended to be ready for you, be you player or gamemaster, to drop into your games as you see fit. In addition, many of these articles will combine to form complete adventures and campaigns that you can play. We work hard to make this material as easy to use as it is fantastic, and we hope that you enjoy using it in your games. To this end Tailslap is formatted in landscape for easy online reading.

The inaugural issue of Tailslap contains the following articles:

Vault of the Clay Medusa - a trap-filled encounter by Save Versus Death's Scott A Murray
Player's Corner - new feats and races for players
Wizard Paths and Powers - two new paragon paths for arcane casters
The Lair of Jurgen the Learned - an encounter where solving puzzles leads to a sage
The Lands of Soralia - geography and history of a region for use in your campaigns
People of Soralia - NPCs with stats, backgrounds and suggestions for use in your games
Leviathans & Other Aquatic Terrors - new aquatic monsters for players to conquer
All That Glitters - powerful magical treasure for your hordes
Mundane Equipment - new equipment for your players to wield against their foes

So don't delay: get your copy of Tailslap now!

Gourgh the Beast Man

2010-05-07T09:43:00.000-07:00

Gourgh grew up in the Naahaogo society deep in the hills, in which adolescents are forced to fight to assert their position in the tribe. Every year, on the summer solstice, a competition of strength and physical prowess is held to establish the pecking order. Only the top half are allowed to remain in the tribe, and in the 17th year of his birth, Gourgh was narrowly beaten out for a place as an adult in the tribe by his good friend. Because of his fond feelings for his friend, he was unable to bring himself to exact revenge, which would have allowed him to return to society.

Exiled from his homeland, he wanders the forests and hills in anguish, searching for adventure to make his name for himself, and for peace and a new home.

Gourgh’s powers are defined by his humility. Considered a failure by his society’s terms, he has embraced the monk’s way of life, channeling his psionic energy into a new way of being. He has taken on a new surname, and now goes by Gourgh Do-Au.

Gourgh Do-Au ✦ Level 1 Monk

Medium natural humanoid ✦ XP 300

Initiative +9 Senses Perception +8 Insight +8

HP 22; Bloodied 11; Healing Surge 5; Healing Surges: 7

AC 17; Fortitude 12, Reflex 16, Will 14

Speed 6

Action Points 1

Powers

Unarmed Strike ✦ At-Will, Standard, Melee 1, Weapon

+3 vs. AC, 1d8 + 5 damage

Centered Flury of Blows ✦ At-Will, Standard, Melee 1

Trigger: You hit with an attack during your turn

Target: One creature

Effect: The target takes 5 damage, and you slide it 1 square to a square adjacent to you, or 1 square in any direction if the target wasn't targeted by the triggering attack.

Special: You can use this power only once per round.

Dragon's Tail ✦ At-Will, Standard, Melee touch

+5 vs Fortitude, 1d6+5 damage, and you knock the target prone.

Movement Technique

Move Action, Melee 1

Effect: You swap places with the target.

Five Storms ✦ At-Will, Standard, Each enemy you can see in close burst 1

+5 vs. Reflex, 1d8 + 5 damage

Movement Technique

Move Action, Personal

Effect: You shift 2 squares.

Open the Gate of Battle ✦ Encounter, Standard, Melee Weapon

+5 vs Reflex, 2d10+5 damage and the target takes 1d10 extra damage if it was at full hit points when you hit it with this attack.

Movement Technique

Move Action Personal

Effect: You move your speed + 2. During this movement, you don't provoke opportunity attacks from the first enemy you move away from.

Whirling Mantis Step ✦ Daily, Standard, Melee touch

Effect: You shift your speed. If you enter a square adjacent to any enemy during this shift, you slide that enemy 1 square.

You can slide each enemy only once during the shift. After the shift, make the following attack.

Target: One, two, or three creatures

Attack: +5 vs. Fortitude

Hit: 2d10 + +5 damage, and the target is slowed (save ends).

Miss: Half damage, and the target is slowed until the end of your next turn.

Second Wind ✦ Encounter, Personal

Effect: You spend a healing surge and regain 5

hit points. You gain a +2 bonus to all defenses

until the start of your next turn.

Alignment Alignment Languages Common, Naahaogo

Feats Improved Initiative

Skills Acrobatics +10, Athletics +5, Endurance +5, Insight +8, Perception +8

Str 11 (+0) Dex 20 (+5) Wis 16 (+3)

Con 10 (+0) Int 10 (+0) Cha 8 (-1)

Equipment: Wool Clothes, Backpack, 5 days of food

The Ruins of Soguer - the Central Ruins

2010-04-28T08:22:00.000-07:00

Once again we return to the adventure The Ruins of Old Soguer, being posted piece-by-piece here on Tailslap. Today's post details some of the notable locations in the central area of the vast ruined city. There, the remains of a great cathedral, the overgrown market square, and a mysterious still-intact tower beckon to brave explorers.

Previous sections of the adventure can be found here:
The Ruins of Soguer - Introduction
The Ruins of Soguer - Start of the Adventure in Aguies Town & Castle
The Ruins of Soguer - River Journey to the Ruins
The Ruins of Soguer - The Western Ruins

3 - The Broken Cathedral - The following can be seen from the streets of the ruins.

An iron fence, twisted and flattened in several places, surrounds the grounds of a large cathedral here. The south face of the cathedral is tumbled down into rubble that chokes the steps leading up to its open doors. The windows of the cathedral still hold a few shards of stained glass. The wind makes a low moaning sounds as it blows through the empty openings. A cemetery occupies he northwestern portion of the grounds, and low stone walls - all that remain of several smaller buildings stand to the west and north of the cathedral. Carvings on the cornerstones of buildings at the intersection indicate that the large road heading east-west is Market Road, and the road leading north is Gods Road.

A search of the grounds and the remains of the rectory and other buildings with a successful DC 10 Perception check reveals old and weathered personal belongings such as combs, bits of wooden dishes, and even some human bones. A successful DC 21 Perception check uncovers a dirt-encrusted golden holy symbol of Pelor worth 150 gold.

Should the players enter the cathedral they see the following:

Climbing up the steps over piles of stone blocks and rubble, you enter through the open doorways, through a entryway with two side passages, both filled with rubble, and into the large chapel. Wild birds, disturbed by your entrance, screech in alarm and fly up and out of the chapel. Large stone pillars rise up to support what remains of the ceiling above. Much of the southern part of the roof is missing, revealing the sky above. Before you, wooden pews are smashed beneath more stone rubble. At the far end of the chapel is a raised dais upon which a bare stone altar stands, carved with a relief of a sunburst, an eight-pointed star, and a gauntlet holding a sword. Detritus lies on the ground around the altar, and three large windows stand open to the sky on the far wall.

A DC 10 Religion check allows a character to recognize the carvings on the altar as the holy symbols of Pelor, Kord, and Heironeous.

If the players investigate the north side of the chapel they see the following:

The floor of the dais, like the rest of the chapel, is covered with dirt, some leaves, and bits of broken stained glass. There, behind the altar, lies a gruesome sight: the dessicated corpse of a priest in age-browned robes. His face is twisted in a horrible rictus of fear, and his outstretched arm points to the rear face of the altar. Following his dead gesture, you read the single word that is written there in long-dried blood: DOOM.

Searching the rest of the cathedral reveals side passages which lead to a staircase leading down. Beneath are long-ago-ransacked offices and catacombs with cardinal's and bishop's sepulchers there, opened up and looted.

Treasure - A search of the side chambers and offices can yield the following treasure with the corresponding Perception skill checks; DC 10: 5 gold worth of Sanctified Incense, DC 16: 50 gold worth of Sanctified Incense, DC 21: 100 gold worth of Sanctified Incense and 100 gold worth of Residuum.

4 - Overgrown Market Square - Traveling east down Market Road leads to the overgrown remains of the market square.

A grove of trees hundreds of feet across fills this large open area between the ruins. The roots of the trees have pushed aside the cobblestones and their branches spread out above the walls of the empty buildings surrounding the grove. Walking through the woods briefly, you come upon the remains of a large fountain in the center. The large round stone basin contains some muddy dirt and chunks of stone, and in the center, upon a pedestal a set of stone legs stand broken off at the knees.

A DC 16 History check brings to mind the tale of the statue of the King of Soguer that once stood in the vast market square of this city. During the height of Soguer's power goods from all corners of the known world were traded here. Over them stood a statue of the Lidwen Staledo, King of Soguer 70 years ago, carved holding aloft the scales of justice and a sword. A DC 21 History check reminds the observer that the statue was depicted wielding the royal family's sword The Judge's Tongue, the family's symbol of the supremacy of law.

5 - The Mage's Guild Tower, A reclusive old mage named Alidol lives within this tower, trapped by a curse.

Standing here among the ruins of the city is a tall square tower with smooth, windowless, slightly tapered sides. The once-fine facade is cracked and crumbling and vines crawl up the walls. A single wide doorway stands open, the door long gone.

Details of what can be found within the tower coming in the next installment of The Ruins of Old Soguer....

Adventure Backdrop: Deep Roads

2010-03-22T14:35:00.000-07:00

I've been playing a lot of the computer game Dragon Age: Origins recently and I've really enjoyed the great writing of the game: they really put together a deep and interesting history for the game's setting. One of the elements of this history keeps inspiring me with adventure ideas and encounters every time I think about it: The Deep Roads.

In the game's history the dwarven people once had a vast underground empire. The cities of this empire were connected by a massive series of tunnels that the dwarves had dug and that spanned hundreds of miles underground.

This idea, a series of underground highways, just keeps inspiring me as a DM. What heroic adventures must have been undertaken as those roads were first carved? What difficulties must have faced those undertaking the creation of such an ambitious work? What troubles and opportunities did the Deep Roads create during the heyday of the dwarven empire? And after the empire's fall, when the deep roads were lost to them, taken over by horrors from below, what opportunities for adventure do they present? Who could resist the lure of the lost treasures of a dwarven empire? What needful items might be lost down their dark and crumbling avenues?

In the coming days I will be posting some encounters, creatures, and adventure seeds that take place against this inspiring backdrop. For today, I refer you to one of the creatures that slithers along the dark passages of the underdark: the Crawling Drake.

Crawling Drake

This creature's common name is something of a misnomer, as this dragon-like creature has no legs, just a scaly, sinuous, serpentine body and a pair of muscular wings. Able to rise and strike by propping itself up with its wings, these drakes deliver vicious wounds with their snapping jaws.

The origin of their species is speculated to be a mixture of dark things of the underlands, such as a corruption of fang dragon touched by creatures from the outer realms of cruelty and madness. Able to speak a few words of broken draconic and undercommon, crawling drakes are not especially intelligent, but they are tremendously fearsome, nasty and cruel.

Crawling drakes are crafty combatants and adept stalkers, and so will ambush their prey when possible. Once they pick a target, they will attempt to crush them in their coils while delivering bite after bite. If possible they will attack the weakest-looking member of a group first.

Presented below is the wyrmling version of this monstrosity, as it is encountered while still young and relatively small.

Wyrmling Crawling Drake Level 5 Elite Lurker
Medium Aberrant Magical Beast (Reptile)- XP 400

Initiative +11 Senses Perception +9
HP 96; Bloodied 48
AC 19 Fortitude 17, Reflex 18, Will 16
Vulnerable 5 poison
Saving Throws +2
Speed 4, fly 8
Action Points 1

Powers

Venomus Bite - At-Will, Standard Action, Poison
+10 vs AC, 1d10 + 4 damage, the target is grabbed, and make a secondary attack:
Secondary Attack - Venom
+8 vs Fortitude, 1d6 + 4 posion damage and ongoing 5 poison damage (Save Ends).

Crushing Coils - At-Will, Minor Action
Target must be grabbed
+8 vs Fortitude, 3d8 + 4 damage and the target is weakened until the end of its next turn.

Hypnotic Coils - Immediate Interrupt when Attacked, One target within close blast 5, Recharge 4-6
As you prepare to strike the loathsome beast, its moving coils cause a sudden disorienting vertigo.
+6 vs Will, the target is dazed (save ends) and takes -4 on the triggering attack's to-hit roll.

Alignment Evil - Languages some Undercommon, Draconic
Skills Perception +9, Stealth +12
Str 18 (+6) Dex 21 (+7) Wis 15 (+4)
Con 12 (+3) Int 9 (+1) Cha 9 (+1)

A character knows the following about crawling drakes with the following Dungeoneering skill checks:
DC 15: These large aberrant reptiles, called Crawling Drakes by the dwarves, are dangerous hunters of the caverns below the surface.
DC 20: Crawling Drakes use a venomous bite and their crushing coils to kill their prey, and have strangely hypnotic power over men's minds.
DC 25: Ironically, though venomous, Crawling Drakes are themselves particularly susceptible to poison.

Phylactery of Faithfulness

2010-03-18T11:16:00.000-07:00

This small container holds pieces of parchment bearing holy tracts. Worn tied to the head with leather straps it serves as a constant reminder of your god's commandments.

Level 8
3,400 gold
Head Slot Item

Effect: while worn this item gives a +2 sacred bonus to your Will defense against attacks with the Charm keyword.

Power (At-Will, Standard Action): by praying to your god for guidance, you learn weather a stated course of action will violate your god's code of conduct or offend your god's principals.

Altar of Transfixion

2010-03-15T11:56:00.000-07:00

Altar of Transfixion
Level 5 Warder (500 XP)

The ziggurat altar ahead has a swirling aura about it, oscillating wildly in scintillating patterns.

Trap: This shrine is linked to the Abyss, and attempts to daze those in its area of of effect while its allies strike.

Perception: No skill check required.
Additional Skills: Religion
DC 20: PC recognizes the altar.
DC 30: PC can read the runes on the altar.

Trigger: An enemy approaches within 3 squares.
Free Action, One enemy within Close Burst 3 Attack: +10 vs. Will
Hit: Target is pulled 1 square and dazed (save ends)

Countermeasure: An adjacent character can disable the trap with a DC 24 Thievery check or a DC 24 Religion check (with a holy symbol).

Additional Description: Runes run along the steps of the ziggurat spelling out the name "Tharizdun" in Abyssal and the horrors that he inspires.

Additional Effect: If Tharizdun's name is uttered in Abyssal in the aura of the altar, the altar makes an attack at +10 vs. Will against all enemies within close burst 3, dealing 3d10 damage to all affected.

Mirror & Door Puzzle

2010-03-03T16:34:00.000-08:00

Everyone loves puzzles thrown into their games every now and then. They provide an opportunity to stretch the player's brain-muscles in a different way, and can really draw the players into the adventure by giving them a compelling reason to explore their surroundings carefully. This area is a locked and warded room with a puzzle-locked door and a couple of trapped items.

Comfortable furniture adorns this room - a chair and small table with a lit oil lamp, and a closed wooden chest. On the walls hang several paintings of priests ministering to the needy, and a small framed mirror hangs on the west wall. Other than the door you entered by two closed doors lead out - one north and one east.

Upon the false door to the north and the empty chest are magical petrification traps (Hard DC Thievery or Arcana check to spot, DC hard + 5 Thievery to disarm) for intruders that trigger when opened - blackness pours out and attacks at +(Level -2) vs Fortitude, on a hit the target is slowed (save ends), on first failed save target is immobilized (save ends), on second failed save target is petrified.

This door is arcane locked (DC Level + 26 Thievery or strength to open) with an inscription: "I am deaf, dumb and blind, but I always tell the truth" Reading the inscription phonetically backwards opens the door.

New Figures: Reaper, Dwarven Forge, and others

2010-02-26T09:35:00.001-08:00

Here's pictures of a couple of figures I painted last night.

The armored lady is Reaper's undead hunter, a figure I got because I loved the pose - very dynamic - and the flames on the sword so much. I feel like I did a good job, but of course my camera doesn't capture it.

And here's one of her backside, since we all love a lady's backside. Seriously though, I like this figure because she's in full armor instead of a chainmail bikini. Another part of me is happy that they left a generous amount of cleavage showing through a low neckline on the breastplate. I'm complicated like that.

The spider is another Reaper figure, and the paintjob on it was pretty perfunctory. Sometimes it's nice to not care too much how a figure turns out. I just need painted spiders to throw at the players every so often. Now my monster collection is that much closer to being complete!

The third guy is some type of space-centurion one of my friends gave me. Not sure who made him. I'm having fun painting him blue-green and purple with white details. He just has his base coat and a blackwash on him at this point.

I also received a box from Dwarven Forge last night, and we used the dungeon furniture I got in the game. I was suprised at how quickly the figures arrived. I also got a whole mess of pre-painted skeletons for half price. Not bad! I really like how the archers have real string for their bowstrings. It gives them a nice texture that you don't usually see in archer minis, and of course they came pre-painted which I appreciate in large mobs like this. Also, they are cast from a nice hard plastic and so aren't deformed or bent like Reaper's pre-painted plastic figures or Wizard's D&D minis. I'm sure it means they will break instead :)

Click thumbnail for larger image.

You can see our party enjoying a meal at a table in the background - all the furniture and food are from Dwarven Froge's dungeon & tavern furniture sets.

Gremlins!

2010-02-24T02:39:00.000-08:00

Of all the unseliee fey none are better known for causing annoying mischeif then gremlins. Cruel pranksters of the first order, gremlins love to untie knots, steal linchpins, pull stoppers out of drains, or anything else that will cause consternation in their victims. So sneaky are gremlins that their victims usually never see them, only hearing cruel, sniggering laughter as the gremlin's pranks come to fruition.

Gremlins make their homes in caves and caverns, and are found in large numbers in the feywild's underdark. They live by theft, and usually take food from a target. If retaliated against they will make a career out of harassing someone with dangerous pranks and sabotage.

Gremlins - Level 2 Lurker
small fey humanoid - XP125
Initiative +6 Senses darkvision, Perception +3
HP 25 Bloodied 12
AC 15 Fortitude 12 Reflex 16 Will 13
Speed 6

Powers
Dagger (At-Will, Standard, melee 1)
+6 vs AC, 1d4-1 damage.

Steal (At-Will, Standard, only usable while invisible)
Younk!
+6 vs Reflex (note: Gremlin will usually have combat advantage while making this attack)
Hit: the gremlin has stolen a small piece of non-held equipment, such as a purse or a loaf of bread, from the target without being noticed. If the target is aware of the Gremlin's presence they take a -10 on this check.
Special: if the gremlin misses by 5 or more the target notices the attempted theft.

Sneak (At-Will, Standard)
As stealthy as a kitten in mittens, the gremlins tiptoe towards their victims.
The gremlin becomes invisible until the end of its next turn.

Disappear (At-Will, Immediate Interrupt, when attacked)
You raise your weapon to strike the horrid little thing, only to find it is no longer there!
The gremlin becomes invisible until the beginning of its next turn and teleports 2.

Alignment Evil - Languages Elven, Common
Skills Acrobatics +11 Stealth +11 Theivery +11
Str 8 Dex 20 Wis 14
Con 13 Int 12 Cha 6
Equipment leather clothes, dagger

Tactics
Gremlins who come upon adventurers will often sneak up on them and steal all of their food, though they may instead take an object that the heroes consider especially important or valuable, such as a quest item. Usually this happens during several surprise rounds, since the gremlins are so stealthy. This can then lead to a rollicking chase, perhaps culminating in a challenge of riddles or some other such frustrating confrontation.
Gremlins will never simply attack someone. They would rather set a trap or, better still, sabotage their victim's equipment and watch them die as a result. Climbing kits and ropes are favorite targets for this treatment.
As cowardly as they are cruel, gremlins will never stand and fight. If somehow cornered or caught they will bite and scratch desperately to try to escape, and may plead for their lives if unable to do so.

Gremlin Lore
The following can be recalled with a successful Arcana check of the following DCs:
DC 15 - That horrid little madly grinning goblin is a Gremlin, awful pranksters from the faerie lands.
DC 20 - Gremlins like to steal and sabotage things, and can disappear at will.

Ale Break: 24 Hours in Faerun

2010-02-22T02:29:00.000-08:00

Update: more OwlCon photos available here!

I just spent 24 hours in the Forgotten Realms, and boy am I tired!

This weekend Steve and I packed up our PHBs and trekked on over to Houston for OwlCon 2010. We left early Friday because I wanted to play some D&D, actually I wanted to play a lot of D&D, and I got what I wanted!

When we got to Rice University, where OwlCon is put on, we were really pleased at how well organized everything was. Steve had the foresight to book a hotel just a few blocks from campus, so every day started and ended with a nice walk across their stately campus to the buildings where the games were. Inside, we got our packets, peeked into the exhibit hall, noting the Battletech Pods with excitement, and made our way over the the building where the RPGA games were held.

Now, in my experience, with the exception of GenCon, RPGA is the red-headed stepchild of convention events. That is to say the RPGA events tend to get shuffled off to a corner of the convention, and I usually get the impression that the convention organizers either don't really care too much about them, or, at some historical-miniatures-focused conventions I could name, seem downright hostile towards them.

OwlCon was different. When we arrived at the nice large room the RPGA events were in there were plenty of comfortable chairs and large tables. I was directed to the Houston RPGA organizer and right away started to have my socks blown off. My pre-registeration on Warhorn was indicated on his printout of all the weekend's games, he directed me to the GM for my game, and we sat down and started playing. We didn't have to stand around for an hour trying to muster, we didn't have to fight other players for a GM, we just showed up and started playing. Pow.

And that was just the start. On Saturday the morning slot started at 10 AM instead of 8 AM as you usually see at a con. That meant we got a good night's sleep and didn't have to rush breakfast or run like mad to catch our games. Steve headed off to play some Advanced Civ and Rail Baron, while I put on my dragon-skull helmet and headed back to Ferun for more bloody fun.

As a side-note, I've always been a Greyhawk fan, and was a little disappointed to see it replaced by Forgotten Realms by WoTC. But I really liked the stories that they ran this weekend. The organizers had put a lot of work into the scenarios and it showed. The adventures dove-tailed into each other and after an adventure or two you really had the impression that you were in a living setting where your actions would have an effect on what was ahead. They even played a round where the player's success or failure at the other tables affected what was happening at the other tables.

After my elven barbarian got his ass handed to him by were-rats (actually, a total party kill) the organizers went around and got sandwich orders from everyone from the campus deli. 30 Minutes later lunch arrived. That meant we didn't have to rush to wrap up our game, run off to find some lunch, and run back to make the next slot. This convention had a very atypical relaxation component to it that I could really get used to. I pretty much couldn't believe it.

After the third slot of the day finished at midnight we strolled over to the dealers room, perused the wares on display, and played a round of the Battletech PODS, which I had never had a chance to try before. It was every bit as fun as I imagined it would be. I was once again impressed by the fact that the dealer's room didn't close up at 7pm or so as is typical at conventions I've been to. Usually, even at GenCon, I have to decide between playing a game or skipping something to shop at the dealer's room. Not so at OwlCon.

Sunday followed Saturday's great lead with more of the same: friendly, if tired, GMs and players playing two more slots of RPGA events. At the end of the weekend my elf was 3rd level, I was tired and satisfied, but not frazled or exhausted as is ofter the case after a con, and we headed on home to Austin. We had met a bunch of great players and GMs from all over, and we had hit the monsters until the gold came out.

I'm already looking forward to OwlCon 2011. Thanks for a great time, guys!

River Dragon, Elder

2010-02-17T10:59:00.000-08:00

These cruel river dragons crawl from their wet shells an icy blue color highlighted by tiny white spines in rows along their backs and limbs. Their long sinuous bodies are powerfully muscled making them excellent swimmers. As they age they spend long periods lying amongst the rocks and mud at the bottoms of progressively deeper rivers. As they do their hides take on the coloration of the river they inhabit, be it mossy, muddy, or rocky as their scales become impregnated with those materials.

River dragons live in rivers; from cold mountain headwaters at young ages, to wide deltas once older. They spend their long lives hiding underwater, controlling currents, overwhelming boats and capriciously drowning people. They tend to bury their hordes in caches and caves they dig at the bottom of their rivers and in cavernous aquifers.

Occasionally, as they age and move slowly from their mountaintop springs to deeper waters, they will encounter another river dragon. When these encounters take place the two dragons will generally fight for dominance and control of the river. Losers are slain if they cannot escape back upriver. On the occasions when they are of opposite sexes mating may occur before or after the fight for dominance. The victor will send the loser upriver to hide the eggs amongst the stones at the springs and headwaters of the river.

River Dragon, Elder✦ Level 16 Solo Controller
Large natural magical beast (dragon, aquatic, cold) ✦ XP 7,000
Initiative +13 ✦ Senses Perception +11; darkvision
HP 628; Bloodied 314
AC 30; Fortitude 28, Reflex 28, Will 28
Resist 10 cold
Saving Throws +5
Speed 4, Swim 9

Action Points 1

Powers
Bite (melee 2; Standard; At-Will)
The dragon lashes out in a spray of water and a flash of teeth, catching its prey and tearing at it.
+21 vs. AC; 2d8 + 7 damage, and the target is grabbed (until escape). Cannot make bite attacks while grabbing a creature this way. A grabbed creature takes ongoing 10 damage.

Claw (melee 1; Standard; At-Will)
+21 vs. AC; 1d10 + 7 damage.

Tailslap (close blast 3; Standard; At-Will)
+19 vs. Reflex; 2d8 + 7 damage.

Claw / Claw / Bite (Standard; At-Will)
The river dragon can make two claw attacks and a bite attack.

Breath Weapon (close blast 5; standard; recharge 5,6) ✦ Cold
The dragon unleashes a torrent of icy water, overwhelming those caught within.
+19 vs. Reflex; 3d10 + 6 cold damage, and the target is pushed 4 squares.
Miss: half damage.

Maelstrom (area burst 4 within 10; standard; encounter) ✦ Cold
With a flick of its mighty tail, the river dragon creates a freezing whirlpool.
+19 vs Reflex; 3d10 + 6 cold damage, and all affected creatures are immobilized (save ends).
Effect: The maelstrom creates a zone of powerful, frigid eddies. Any creature that enters or starts their turn in the eddies takes 10 cold damage.

Bloodied Breath (free, when first bloodied, encounter) ✦ Cold
The dragon's breath weapon recharges automatically, and the dragon uses it immediately.

Frightful Presence (Close burst 10; targets enemies; standard; encounter) ✦ Fear
+19 vs. Will; the target is stunned until the end of the dragon’s next turn. Aftereffect: The target takes a –2 penalty to attack rolls (save ends).

Change Shape (minor; at-will) ✦ Polymorph
A river drake can alter its physical form to take on the appearance of any small to huge humanoid, including a unique individual.

Alignment Evil ✦ Languages Draconic, Common
Skills Arcana +17, Bluff +17, Stealth +18
Str 24 (+15) Dex 21 (+13) Wis 16 (+11)
Con 21 (+13) Int 18 (+12) Cha 19 (+12)

Tactics: River dragons are rarely found out of their rivers, and use the water as cover from which to make quick strikes and then disappear. Often they will create a Maelstrom around them so that those attacking them take ongoing damage.

River Dragon Lore: The following can be learned with an Arcana check:
Arcana DC 10: These aquatic dragons are known to attack anything on their rivers without provocation.
Arcana DC 15: Highly adapted to the cold waters in which they are hatched, these dragons have some resistance to the cold. They can also control the waters of their rivers.
Arcana DC 20: These cruel dragons have the ability to mimic the shapes of people to trick their prey.

Fresco of Entrapment - Variable Level Warder

2010-02-16T17:01:00.000-08:00

Powerful magic users will sometimes enchant their fortress's walls with these Frescoes of Entrapment - brightly painted images of guardians with the power to absorb those who touch the walls.

This wall or door is painted with colorful, gilded images of guardians - each unique.

Perception (easy) - the images of warriors are very detailed, and there seems to be little in common among them.
Arcana (easy) - the observer realizes that this is an enchanted wall. (medium) - the observer understands the nature of the trap. (hard) the observer gains or can grant a +2 on thievery checks to disable the trap.
Thievery (medium) - the observer can tell that the painted wall stinks of magic and almost seems to pull at you, as though trying to draw you in. (hard) the observer disables a 5 foot section of the wall by scraping off or covering up the paintings. Failure on this check results in an attack by the wall.
History (easy) - the images do not seem to depict any historical event or personages that you know of.
Attack - Immediate Reaction, when a creature touches the wall - trap level +2 vs. Will
Hit: the target is stuck to the wall and immobilized (save ends). A Strength check (DC: hard) can free the target and end the effect. First failed save - the painted figure the target is touching begins to take on the appearance of the target. Second failed save - if still touching the wall, the target is absorbed into the painted figure which now looks exactly like a painting of the target. Once absorbed, a Break Enchantment or similar ritual is required to free the target.

Encounters - brutes who can push and controllers can up the ante of this warder by pushing characters against the wall where they become trapped. Artillery can be stationed on battlements atop the wall, melee fighters on the field in front of it.

Heroic

Fresco of Entrapment (level 8 warder)
Young Chimera (level 8 solo controller)

Paragon

Fresco of Entrapment (level 13 warder)
1 balhannoth (level 13 elite lurker)
2 kuo-toa marauders (level 12 skirmisher)
2 kuo-toa harpooners (level 14 soldier)

Epic

Fresco of Entrapment (level 24 warder)
2 bluespawn godslayers (level 22 elite brute)
1 storm giant (level 24 controller)

Sithadel

2010-02-15T11:19:00.000-08:00

Sithadel is an elf of the Kitel Woods to the west of the former kingdom of Soguer. There he lives a solitary life in the wilderness hunting the game of the feywild for meat, hides, sinew, bone and teeth. He claims no allegiance to any of the elven houses, though he is not hostile to any of them as a whole. He has a fierce hatred for anything that encroaches on the elven lands, be it orc, goblin, man or dwarf, and has fought all of them both alone and at his elven brethren's sides.

A wild and spontaneous elf, his heart burns with passion for life, whether dancing with fey beneath the open sky, running through the woods after his prey, or standing on a mountaintop watching the sunrise. All these things make his heart swell with joy at creation's raw glory. Not one to plan or analyze, Sithadel acts decisively based on his instincts.

Sithadel ✦ Level 11 Barbarian (Frenzied Berserker)
Medium Natural Elf ✦ XP 600

Initiative +15 Senses Perception +13
HP 85; Bloodied 42 Healing Surges 8
AC 22 (+5 on full defense or second wind); Fortitude 20, Reflex 20, Will 18
Resist 5 cold and fire
Speed 7

Attack
+15 longspear, 1d10+8 (+3 when raging, +1d6 when charging)

Features

Frenzied Blood (when spending an action point to attack, deal half damage on a miss)
Warpath (+2 damage while raging, must attack when starting adjacent to an enemy)
Feral Might: Swift Charge (Encounter, Free Action - when dropping a target to 0 HP, gain 6 temp HP and charge an enemy, use a healing surge if charge hits)
Rampage (make a free melee basic after a crit)

Powers
At-Will

Wild Shape
Howling Strike (can use with charge (+2 speed when raging) Str vs AC, 2[w]+str)
Pressing Strike (shift 2, attack Str vs AC, [w]+str (+1d6 while raging), push 1)

Encounter

Pounce (Beast Form, Can use when charging, Wisdom vs. Reflex, 1d8 + wisdom damage, Target provides combat advantage to the next attack that targets it within 1 turn)
Great Cleave
Hammer Fall
Curtain of Steel
Persistent Frenzy

Daily

Rage Strike (2 / day)
Mace Tail's Rage (3[w] + knock prone, gain 5 temp HP on any hit)
Silver Pheonix Rage (2[w] + ongoing 5 fire, gain regen 3, and can spend a HS when dropped to 0 HP)
White Tiger Rage (2[w] cold damage + immobilized, adjacent enemies are slowed)

Utility

Combat Sprint (move 11 squares)
Instinctive Charge (at start of combat get +5 init, +2 to first attack)
Black Harbinger (wild shape to a tiny raven, fly 7)

Alignment neutral Languages Common
Feats Initiate of the Old Faith (Multiclass Druid), Paragon Defenses, Rageblood Recovery, Improved Initiative, Quickdraw, Deadly Rage (+1 damage when raging), Acolyte Power (Multiclass Utility)
Skills Acrobatics +14, Athletics +15, Nature +13, Perception +13
Str 21 (+10) Dex 18 (+9) Wis 16 (+8)
Con 11 (+5) Int 9 (+4) Cha 11 (+5)

Equipment: defensive longspear +3 (+3 to defenses on full defense or second wind), wounding longbow +1, pinning dagger +1, elven battle hide armor +2, cloak of survival +2, Bracers of Defense (interrupt - reduce damage or an attack that just hit by 10), Horned Helm (+1d6 damage on a charge), Ironskin Belt (daily - gain resist 5 for 1 turn), Bag of Holding, Parry Gauntlets (+2 defenses on full defense or second wind), 4 potions of healing, 220 gold worth of carved ivory

Heritage Feats

2010-02-12T01:00:00.000-08:00

These feats represent mixed ancestry from another race and give your character powers or abilities inherited form their other bloodlines. You can use these feats to represent the arcane tendencies that come from having an eladrin great-grandmother, or the temper from a distant dragon in your family tree.

Characters of any race can take these heritage feats - even from the race that your character already has. When you take a heritage feat from your own race, it represents a particularly strong bloodline that your family has.

Once you take a heritage feat from a particular race, you count as a member of that race for the purposes of meeting prerequisites for that race's racial feats. In this way heritage feats work somewhat like multiclass feats, in that they give your character access to feats they did not already have. Of course, just because you have access to the feat does not mean you can take advantage of it. For example, a little dragonborn heritage does not give a character a breath weapon, so the feats that modify that breath weapon would do nothing for your character.

These feats do not count as prerequisites for racial paragon paths or epic destinies.

All the feats presented below are available to characters in the Heroic tier.

Dragonborn

Dragonborn Anger - Encounter, Free Action - You receive +1 to your next single attack roll. Usable only when bloodied.
Dragonborn Recovery - Daily, Free Action - Add your Constitution modifier to the next healing surge you use.

Dwarf

Dwarven Gut - Gain resist 1 poison, and a +2 to saves against ingested poisons.

Eladrin

A Touch of Fey Magic - Your character gains use of the wizard cantrips.
Roots in Another World - Add +1 to the distance of all your teleports.

Elf

Lively Step - Encounter, Free Action - Add +2 to your move speed until the beginning of your next turn.
Elven Senses - Gain a +1 to your Perception checks.

Half-Elf

Turn on the Charm - Encounter, Minor Action - Add +2 to your diplomacy or bluff checks for the remainder of this encounter or the next 5 minutes.

Halfling

Just a Little More - Daily, Free Action - Add +1 to one roll that you just failed.
Big Heart - Receive a +2 racial bonus to saves vs powers with the fear keyword.

Human

Heave Together - When successfully assisting on a skill check, add +3 instead of +2 to the total skill check.

Tiefling

Arcane Blood - Receive a +1 racial bonus to Arcana skill checks.
Feindish Skin - Gain resist 2 to either cold, poison, electricity, or thunder.

Dunheng Side Door

2010-02-11T09:48:00.000-08:00

Invented by the dwarves of the Dunheng Kingdoms, these hidden and trapped doors are also used by the gnomes and ice kobolds in the northern reaches of the Stokaraz Mountains.

Dunheng side doors are typically used as a secondary entrance to a dwarven complex, or as the main entrance to a secret area.

For DCs and damage for this variable level trap, refer to the Difficulty Class and Damage by Level chart in the DMG.

Perception: DC (medium): Success - you notice the concealed door.

Looking over the stone cliff face, you notice that an oval, 5 foot high rock leaning against the cliff looks like it might be easy to move.

If the characters open the door, they see the following:

Opening the hidden door, you find that it swings out on hidden metal hinges to reveal a ten foot long, four foot wide passage of worked stone walls with a flagstone floor and a low ceiling. At the far end of the passage stands a stone door.

The door at the end of these hallways is generally locked.

Perception: DC (hard + 2): Success - you notice a small pressure plate under the flagstones.

As you are about to step into the passage you notice that a small flagstone to the side of the passage has no mortar around it. Touching it gingerly, you notice that it moves slightly.

Once a character enters the hallway, they may notice the following:

Perception: DC (hard + 2): Success - you notice the suspended stone block at the end of the passage.

Looking at the low ceiling, you notice that the last 5 feet of the ceiling in this hall has a seam running around it, delineating a 4 foot wide stone square. Closer examination reveals that the seam appears to run up into the ceiling some way.

Perception: DC (hard + 2): Success - you notice a second pressure plate under the flagstones at the end of the passage.

As you are about to proceed to the end of the passage you notice that a large flagstone in the middle of the passage has no mortar around it. Touching it gingerly, you notice that it moves slightly.

How it works - When a character enters the hallway they can disable the trap by standing on the pressure plate and closing the door behind them. If they do this, the second pressure plate does not drop the stone block.

When a character enters the second square of the hallway and steps on the pressure plate the stone block suspended above to drops on them, possibly trapping them beneath it and blocking the hallway.

Trap
Attack (Immediate Interrupt, when a character enters the square at the end of the hallway): Level +3 vs Reflex
Hit: Limited High Damage, and the target is pinned. While pinned, the target takes ongoing 5 damage per tier and is immobilized. A creature can free themselves or an adjacent pinned creature with a DC Hard Strength check as a Standard Action.
Miss: Half damage and the target is pushed 1 Square back into the hallway.
Effect: The weighty stone block that has fallen now completely blocks the hallway. As a Standard Action a character can make a DC Hard + 10 Strength check to lift up the block, and must make the same check every round they hold the block up, or else be subject to the attack again. The block has 80 HP.

Countermeasures
Acrobatics: if a character has noticed the second pressure plate at the end of the hallway, they can make a DC Medium Acrobatics check to balance on flagstones around the pressure plate as they unlock and open the door and pass through the trapped square. Failing this check sets off the trap.

Thievery: DC Hard thievery check to disable the second pressure plate. Failing this check by more than 5 results in the trap being set off, attacking the character making the thievery check and any assisting them.

Strength: DC Hard Strength check to brace or block the stone block - though holding the block up bodily require a new Strength check every round as above. Using pitons or another object to wedge the block gives a +2 on this check, though they will only hold the great block's weight for 1d12 rounds after the trap is triggered.

XP: Award XP for bypassing this variable level trap according to the XP chart in the DMG.

Magic Mirror

2010-02-01T10:00:00.000-08:00

This large oval gold-framed mirror stands on three thick legs. The carvings at the base depict winged lion-women supporting the mirror, and the top arch of the frame is decorated with moons, from crescent, ascending to half, to full at the top center, then descending to half and to crescent again.

Magic Mirror

Wondrous Item
level 30
3,125,000 Gold

Power (Daily, 10 minutes activation time) - Standing before the mirror allows one to cast the Observe Creature ritual without having to know the ritual or expend any components.

Power (Monthly, Standard Action) - Standing before the mirror allows one to open a magic teleportation portal to the place that is being observed by the mirror's Observe Creature power. The mirror forms one side of the portal, and a faintly glowing doorway appears at the point being observed. As long as the portal remains open it can be passed through both ways. When opening the portal, make an Arcana check to determine how long the portal remains open:

Arcana DC 19 or lower - 1 Round
Arcana DC 20-29 - 3 rounds
Arcana DC 30-39 - 5 rounds
Arcana DC 40 or higher - 10 rounds

Inquisition Mage Hunter

2010-01-31T11:23:00.000-08:00

Shan'n'nur Inquisitor Mage Hunter - Level 14 controller (leader)
Medium natural human ✦ XP 1,000

Initiative +8 Senses Perception +10
HP 140; Bloodied 70
AC 28; Fortitude 25, Reflex 26, Will 27
- also see witchwarden shield
Speed 6

Powers

Arcane Blast ✦ At-Will, Standard Action, Close Burst 3
arcane, force
A transparent wave of force batters you away from the Inquisitor.
Target: Enemies in burst
Attack: +16 vs. Fortitude
Hit: 1d10 + 6 force damage, and push the target 3 squares.

Cleansing Fire ✦ At-Will, Standard Action Range 10
arcane, radiant
"Defilers! May the holy flames cleanse your impurities!"
Attack: +18 vs. Reflex
Hit: 1d10 + 6 radiant damage. All Shan'n'nur within 5 squares of the target receive 4 temporary hit points and +1 to attacks until the end of the Inquisitor's next turn.

Inquisition's Chains ✦ Encounter (recharge 4-6), Standard Action, Range 10
arcane, force
Glowing chains of energy bind you with a grip stronger than iron.
Attack: +18 vs. Reflex
Hit: 3d10 + 6 force damage, and the target is Stunned (save ends).

Spell Fumble ✦ Encounter, Immediate Interrupt Action, Range 10
arcane, force
Magical counter-words cancel key elements of your arcane formula, ruining the spell.
Trigger: Someone uses a power with the "arcane" keyword.
Attack: +18 vs. Will
Hit: The triggering arcane power is expended but has no effects.

Cloak of Black ✦ Encounter, Standard Action, Burst 3 Range 5
arcane
With a gesture and a magic phrase the inquisitor creates a silent darkness shrouds the corridor.
Effect: The burst creates a zone of silent darkness that is difficult terrain and lasts until the end of the caster's next turn. No sound or sight can percieve into or through the zone.
Sustain, Minor Action: the zone persists.

Alignment neutral Languages Common, Draconic, Abyssal
Skills Arcana +18, Insight +15
Str 12 (+8) Dex 13 (+8) Wis 17 (+10)
Con 20 (+12) Int 23 (+13) Cha 20 (+12)

Equipment: inquisitor's black cloak and inquisitor's mask, witchwarden shield, ritual dagger, wand, orb.

Inquisitor's Mask

2010-01-30T09:50:00.000-08:00

The officials of the Shan'n'nur Inquisition wear these masks during rituals and when in public performing their mysterious duties and enforcing the will of their cult.

The masks give the Inquisitors several abilities they find useful as they police the use of magic in the areas they control.

Mask of the Shan'n'nur
Head Slot
Level 15
25,000 gold

Power (Encounter, Standard Action): Charming Gaze - +5 to your next Intimidate, Diplomacy or Bluff check this encounter.

Power (Encounter, Standard Action): Terrifying Gaze - one target in close blast 5, Int. or Cha. vs. Will, chose either: the target is dazed until the end of your next turn, or weakened (save ends).

Power (At-Will, Minor Action): +5 on your next arcana check to detect or identify magic.

Power (At-Will, Minor Action): Detect Evil/Good/Law/Chaos: the wearer can detect alignments opposite to their own.

Inquisition Jailer

2010-01-29T13:40:00.000-08:00

As heroes confront the forces of the Shan'nur Inquisition at their headquarters, they face the most hardened veterans of the order.

Sword of Light Jailers -Level 14 Brute - XP 1,000
Medium natural humanoid

Initiative +12 Senses Perception +7
HP 162; Bloodied 81
AC 26; Fortitude 26, Reflex 26, Will 25
Speed 6

Thump and Lash (standard; at-will) • Weapon
+17 vs. AC; 3d6 + 6 damage, and the target takes a -2 penalty to melee attack rolls until the end of its next turn.

Jailer's Tangle (standard; requires a scourge; recharge 5-6) - Weapon
+17 vs. AC; 3d6 + 6 damage, and the target is immobilized and takes a -2 penalty to melee attack rolls until the end of its next turn.

Alignment Evil Languages Common
Skills Insight +13, Intimidate +16
Str 23 (+13) Dex 20 (+12) Wis 10 (+7)
Con 12 (+8) Int 10 (+7) Cha 18 (+11)
Equipment ring mail, mace, scourge (whip)

The Ruins of Soguer - The Western Ruins

2010-01-19T13:55:00.000-08:00

Presented below is the overview of the Ruins of Soguer, a map of the ruins, and descriptions of the western gates and the palace - the two locations where players are likely to enter the city. Following posts will describe the remaining sections of the city.

Previous sections of the adventure can be found here:
The Ruins of Soguer - Introduction
The Ruins of Soguer - Start of the Adventure in Aguies Town & Castle
The Ruins of Soguer - River Journey to the Ruins

The Ruins of Soguer

Running the Adventure: This section of the adventure details locations in the ruins of the city of Soguer. As the players explore these locations they will learn the events surrounding the fall of Soguer forty years prior. Notable locations they may explore are the mage's guild tower, where they can meet and help the former guildmaster of the mage's guild, a sea-side ruin where the Auroch priestess-princess Ijer'svern is held, and the skeletal remains of the old king's dragon, which is itself a portal to the Shadowfell where the players may find the old king's sword.

There are also several locations that are not central to the main plot, such as the old palace, the elven and dwarven districts, the cathedral, the lighthouse, the market square, and various gatehouses. These locations contain lurking monsters and hidden hazards, treasure, and interesting locations to explore that add to the city's atmosphere. Finally, there are dangers that threaten those who stay in the Ruins of Soguer. Restless spirits and wandering monsters will haunt visitor's dreams and stalk them when they rest, as detailed below.

Hazard - Dreams of Things That Should Not Be - The ruins are a haunted place. By night, horrible nightmares of inhuman things coming out of the sea beset those who sleep here. Sleeping results in an attack at +13 vs the Will defense of the sleeper. A hit prevents the recovery of 1d6 healing surges. Those who do not sleep see faint ghosts of townsfolk pawing at the sleepers. If the ghosts are confronted, likely waking the sleeper, they dissipate, returning when the sleeper is once again left unguarded.
Random Encounters - Taking an extended rest in or around the ruins brings a 25% chance of a random encounter. Feel free to roll randomly or pick an encounter from this list.

level 7 - Dwarven scavengers. An expedition of 5 dwarven bolters and 4 dwarven hammerers, traveling stealthily (+9 stealth), searching the ruins for valuables and trying to avoid the Hezrou. They will be wary of or hostile towards anyone they encounter.
level 8 - The Saurian Hunters detailed below are encountered searching the ruins for valuables. They will be unfriendly when encountered.
level 9 - A pack of worgs or spectral panthers finds and attacks the players.
level 10 -A bog hag from the swamps and her pets, a venom-eye basilisk, 2 shambling mounds, and 2 trolls are hunting in the ruins and gleefully attack the players.
level 11 -A group of 2-3 Spirit Devourers (MM p. 68) attack the party.
level 12 -The Fen Hydra from the palace is out hunting, and finds the players.
level 13 - The Hezrou that stalks these ruins finds the players and attacks them.

Location Descriptions The player characters are likely to enter the city through the west gates - start this portion of the adventure there. The locations described are presented from west to east, which is the most likely order the party will come upon them as they explore the city.

1 - West Gates - The walls are falling in places, but the towers and tall gates still stand here. There are some gems and precious inlays still intact near the tops of the enormous doors. As they approach read or paraphrase the following:
Each open door of these enormous gates stands fifty feet across and one hundred feet tall. The gates are made of rusted iron, decorated with the remains of an enormous inlay depicting royal lords at the head of an army, standing before a walled city, with many ships in full sail on the sea nearby. In the sky above the city are reliefs of two flying dragons - one on each door.
Skill Challenge, Level 11, XP 600, to get the precious inlays. The skill checks must be done in the following order to succeed. In this skill challenge, the players only fail and cannot proceed if they fail the Perception check to begin the challenge. Once they spot the inlays they are free to continue to try to retrieve them, and risk falling, for as long as they like. Only award the XP for this skill challenge if they retrieve the inlays from the gates.

DC 16 Perception check to spot the precious inlays remaining in the dragons at the top of the gates, or DC 21 History check to recall tales of the fabulous jeweled gates of Soguer. Failure at this stage ends the skill challenge.
Two DC 16 Athletics checks to climb up the 80 ft. to reach them. Failure on the first check results in a fall for 3d10 damage, failure on the second results in a fall for 6d10 damage.
DC 16 Acrobatics check to balance on footholds on the wall as they work on freeing the inlays. Failure at this stage results in 8d10 falling damage.
DC 16 Thievery to get the inlays loose. Failure at this stage results in a fall for 8d10 damage.

Treasure, Level 11, Parcel #10: 1,000 gold worth of ebony, ivory, and semi-precious stones, weighing 50 pounds in total.

2 - Palace - A hydra lives in the hilltop pool that was once the palace. Submerged passages connect the palace and a nearby empty keep and lead to the royal armory. As they enter this area read or paraphrase the following:

The river borders a large walled area here. Near the river a wide, low hill stands, surmounted by several large columns surrounding a large square pool of water. Ruined remains of small buildings lie near a gate in the northwest corner of the walls, and the burned remains of a large stone keep stand by another gate to the east.

Encounter - Level 12, XP 3500 - a fen hydra lives in the pool on the hill, a structure that was once a lowered ballroom in the palace. Anyone approaching the pool will attract the hydra's attention, and it will attack them, fighting to the death.
Trap - The 5' of ground at the edge of the pool is slippery and unstable, which a character can notice with a DC 23 Nature or Dungeoneering check, or a DC 28 Perception check. The edge of the pool gives way under a character's feet: upon entering one of the squares at the edge of the pool the trap attacks at a +14 vs. Reflex; on a hit the target falls into the water of the pool and must begin swimming or sink beneath the surface.
Trap - The palace grounds are peppered with sinkholes which will open up in this area and plunge characters into the pool or submerged halls under the palace. A character can notice these sinkholes with a DC 23 Nature or Dungeoneering check, or a DC 28 Perception check. The sinkholes give way under a character's feet: upon entering one of the squares that is a sinkhole the trap attacks at a +14 vs. Reflex; on a hit the target plunges into a submerged passage below, and must swim 100 feet to escape to the hydra's pool.

2 a - Palace Pool - Characters entering the pool of water on the hill that was once the palace will see the following:

This deep, murky pool is wider below than the stonework that borders the surface. The cold water descends to a flat, muddy floor thirty feet below. Pillars support the overhang and a balcony that runs around the circumference of this submerged hall, and passages lead off in all directions.

If characters swim down and explore the side passages, they will eventually find that all are caved in after a short distance except for one passage. This passage leads north for fifty feet and then turns east and continues for three hundred feet. The last section is lined with the remains of rusted suits of armor standing in display before ending at a bent and open iron door. This door leads to area 2c, the treasury. With DC 10 Athletics checks to swim explorers should be able to swim to the door and back with 4 rounds to spare before having to make Endurance checks to drown on the return trip (DMG p159).

2 b - Palace Keep - Approaching the keep reveals the following details to the PC's:

The burned out remains of a keep stand against the wall separating the palace area from the rest of the town. The keystone of the arch above the door-less entrance is inscribed with the words "The Lord's Word is Law." Within, the keep is empty except for a large mound of rubble where the southwest tower has fallen and a staircase in the northwest corner leading down into a water-filled passage.

If the players descend into the passage with some type of waterproof light source they see the following:

The staircase descends into a water-filled passage. Three muck-filled store rooms open on the south wall of the corridor, which continues four hundred feet to an iron door.

This door is barred from the other side, is a DC 27 Strength check to break down, and leads to area 2c, the treasury. With DC 10 Athletics check to swim explorers should be able to swim to the door and back with 3 rounds to spare before having to make Endurance checks to drown on the return trip (DMG p159).

2 c - Treasury and Armory - If the players reach the submerged treasury, read or paraphrase the following:

This plain room's ceiling is supported by pillars. The rotted remains of two empty chests are in this otherwise empty room. An iron door with a keyhole stands closed to the south, and another door, barred from this side, leads east.

Searching the muck on the floor and succeeding at a DC 16 Perception check will reveal 5 gold left behind by those who looted this chamber. A DC 16 Thievery check to pick the lock or a DC 27 Strength check to break down the iron door allows access to the Palace Armory. Here, weapon racks and armor stands hold once-fine examples of every type of armor and weapon, now ruined by the murky water that fills this chamber.

Treasure - Level 11 Treasure parcels 4 & 9 - Examining this gear and succeeding on A DC 10 Perception check reveals that two pieces of equipment have weathered the water without damage: an ornate quiver with 4 level 13 magic arrows in it and a level 12 suit of armor.

Brevity vs. Bloat

2010-01-14T11:55:00.000-08:00

I just read Wolfgang's editorial "Keep it Short" in the latest issue of Kobold Quarterly. In it he extols the virtues of short books with lots of impact. I don't disagree with him - short and clear is good - but his article rails against long works as though they are bad in and of themselves. Maybe he's used to seeing writers pad their word count excessively because they're payed by the word.

In any case, his editorial got me to thinking about the subject of word count, brevity, and bloat and about how I approach writing RPG supplements, specifically in regards to what I see as one of the biggest pitfalls in RPG writing - skimming over material the DM needs to run the adventure.

When I write an adventure I have several goals in mind. Of course, I want it to be fun, fantastic, compelling, believable and exciting. That almost goes without saying. Beyond that one of my number one goal is to make my adventures easy for DMs to run. I want my adventures to leave a casual or first-time DM and their players saying "that was great!" instead of wondering how to start.

In my many years as a player I've read lots of adventures. Some do a great job of laying out the adventure for the DM, other less so. The bad ones are the adventures that have weak introductions or transitions, and require the DM to ad-lib or completely make up sections of the adventure to keep the story moving along. Many DMs are up for this task, but for many DMs, especially new DMs with less experience, being left hanging by the adventure you're trying to run can really demoralize you. I feel like this just adds to the steep learning curve that new DMs face, and I want Unicorn Rampant to produce adventures that ease this learning curve, increase the fun everyone is having, and help the hobby grow.

To that effect, when I write an adventure, my goal is to provide the DM with everything he needs to present the story from start to finish. Many DMs may not use all of this material, especially the hook or introduction material. But for a first time DM, I want to make sure they have something that they can use to get the action started without having to rely on telling the players that they're all gathered at the inn and see a wanted poster. Remember, not all of us are in the midst of playing epic campaigns. Many players, especially those new to the hobby, can really use a way to get the story rolling easily.

Now, including summaries of the course of the adventure and read-aloud text for every transition and important location in the adventure can add to the word count, but all of it is included for a purpose. Organizing it cleanly and keeping the summaries brief and clear is all part of making the adventure easy to run. If that adds to the word count, so be it. I would rather provide DMs and players with more than they need then not enough.

-Adam A. Thompson

A Journey on the River Styx

2010-01-05T09:00:00.000-08:00

Here's a bit of description I wrote for the Savage Tide game I'm running. Feel free to borrow it or use it for inspiration for your game's journeys through the underworld.

And so the journey begins. Throwing off the mooring ropes and raising the anchor, the Sea Wyvern leaves the docks and sails upstream on the river Styx.

Thick fog blankets the moors and cliffs of hades. As the hours pass the cliffs to the right fall away and the flow of the Styx slows. The sky above is black, broken by several orbs of different sizes - some large as platters, other smaller than Greyhawk copper half-pennies. Sarial's skeletal styxian linnorm and conjured hell-wind continue to propel the ship upstream through the swamps. Green, gray and black foliage stretch out as far as can be seen. Hunger and thirst come to some, sleep to others, but there is no measuring of days here. No sun ever shines in the middle underworld.

But eventually there is a dawn, of sorts. The swamps run against a range of moutians, and the river you sail upon flows down out of a valley between the peaks. A stronger wind is summoned and the ship sails up into the mountains. Behind the peaks the sky is lit by a fiery radiance. As you sail into the mountains you see a bleak and lifeless landscape, punctuated by pits in the ground. Atop one of the mountains you spot a iron fortress with horrible winged things aloft above it. You have returned to Pazunia - the plane of infinate portals. Soon a braying of hounds is heard echoing against the steep rocky slopes. A pack of wild dogs, their bodies aflame, run along the ship for a time snarling, barking, and aventually stop to let their tongues of flame drape over their fangs.

More days pass sailing across this barren hellscape. Eventually the river's course winds into a mountain-side cave, and you sail in. A wind picks up and quickly escilates to a howling roar. Conversation is only possible by shouting, and Sarial's conjured wind fails. Only the linnorm's tireless swimming pulls the ship against the sometimes raging current in the tunnels you now navigate. Some take refuge from the wind below decks but even in their fitful sleep's dreams the wind screams.

After a maddening eternity of deafening wind the tunnels you follow open up onto the middle of a steep cliffisde. Rock looms above to to port. The river runs along a jagged channel on the steep slope, and to starboard a vast void is filled with twisting rivulets of flame, floating rocky debris, and globules of liquid, all constantly stirred by a whipping wind. As you sail beside this sight the elemental mixture you see changes constantly, fire becomming water, only to vanish into air, then to solidify into stone again.

Healing Call

2009-12-11T22:34:00.000-08:00

You call out to your companion, inspiring her to fight through her wounds.

Level 1 Utility • Conjuration, Divine
Encounter, Minor Action • Close Burst 5

Effect: You allow a companion within the burst to spend a healing surge and heal an additional 5 hit points.

Note: This power is similar to Healing Word, except the effect's range scales instead of the d6 with each tier, reaching 10 at paragon and 15 at epic.

The Ruins of Soguer - River Journey to the Ruins

2009-12-01T10:56:00.000-08:00

Presented below is the first leg of the adventure The Ruins of Soguer. Previously the players had been tasked with traveling to the nation's fallen capital to find the old king's sword so that their liege can be coronated.

Previous sections of the adventure can be found here:
The Ruins of Soguer - Introduction
The Ruins of Soguer - Start of the Adventure in Aguies Town & Castle

Running the adventure - This section of the adventure details the player character's travel from Aguies town to the ruins of Soguer. There is an important encounter along the way, where they meet a ship crewed by Aurochs who are searching for a kidnapped member of their royal family. There are also a few encounters with dangerous creatures and terrain as they travel the wild marsh near Soguer.

Read or paraphrase the following as the players begin their travel to the ruins:

You step aboard the riverboat. Like many of the boats that ply these waters, this 30 foot long boat features a single mast on a broad, flat deck, a small cabin behind the mast, and a low-ceilinged hold below the deck for cargo. The boat's crew - four weathered men - push off from the docks in Aguies town, pushing off from the pier with long poles and then drawing in the mooring ropes once clear of the docks. Soon the sail is hoisted and the boat begins speeding downriver, pulled by the current and pushed by the wind. One of the crew sits in the rear with his hand on the rudder, and the other three watch the sails, occasionally tightening or loosening a rope before retying the crossbeam in a new position. And so goes the journey. For several days your boat travels downriver through farmland and woods, among low hills, and past the towns and keeps of humanity. After a week or so of travel the farmhouses and towns along the river grow fewer. Occasionally you pass the remains of a town or house ruined or burned. The riverboat crew grumbles that this part of the river is subject to pirates and raiders sailing up from the south. As the days pass the land lies lower, and small trees and marshy plants line the riverbanks. Occasionally you pass a small hut, but you see no inhabitants.

Encounter - A boat full of lizards - During the last stretch of the journey before the ruins, they PC's encounter a mercenary ship of auroch warriors on the way.

Sailing down the river among the marshes another boat comes around the bend - a long boat with red crossed swords painted on the high forecastle and a monstrous figurehead. A roaring cry goes up from the other vessel and you see many reptilian men on the decks wearing mail and bearing spears and bows. As the other boat nears you can see that at the base of the mast is a shrine surmounted by two gilded dragons. The sails are furled slightly and oars put out. The boat turns and glides swiftly towards you, and at the very prow is a large armored dragonborn, wearing a helm crested with a dorsal line of many horns. He roars as they near.

Any characters who speak draconic will understand Captain Gamora's hail - which is a demand that the player's identify themselves. If the players try to communicate it is a simple social skill challenge.

Skill Challenge - Treat with the Aurochs (level 10, DC 16 diplomacy, 3 successes before 4 failures, XP 500)

Success: If they succeed in convincing Gamora that they are friendly, they give them some information and a quest. Read the following:

Having introduced yourselves, Captain Gamora takes off his helmet and scratches his scaly head for a moment. "I'm Captain Gamora of the Clashing Red Swords. Sorry about the scare - my men are in a strong rage. One of the holy family is missing - she was kidnapped from the royal shrine!" He narrows his eyes, staring at you for a moment and continues, "Have you heard anything of a young dragonborn lady with fine, pale scales in your travels? Where are you going on this river?"

Seeming to accept your answer, he nods and says, "I would consider it a personal favor, and indeed all our people would be grateful if you hear any word to send it to us. And if you should by chance come upon her, I would expect you to lend her aid in any way you can." After asking for your help thusly, his anger returns, "and if I hear tell you met her and did not - by Chronopsis I will hunt you down and have my vengeance upon you."

After a moment, Captain Gamora begins climbing aboard his ship. As he goes he says "Also, I would not go further down river. There are ruins there of a city of your men that lies there. Demons haunt those ruins, and the spirits of the dead. The gods curse that place."

Minor Quest - level 12, XP 700
Goal - rescue the Auroch princess - Iejir'svern.

Failure: If the players fail the skill challenge, the Auroch mercenaries will demand to board their ship and inspect it. Resistance is met with violence - and the Aurochs swarm the player's smaller riverboat - jumping across, swinging over on ropes and swimming to the attack. All told there are 4 Dragonborn Raiders, 6 Dragonborn Gladiators, and 20 Dragonborn Soldiers who attack. If the players manage to defeat the Aurochs, any captured or left alive will reveal that they are searching for their princess, Ijer'svern. If the players allow the dragonborn to search the ship, they do so and then Gamora imparts the above information.

Encounter - Crocodiles!
level 10, XP 2000 or 3000

This is an encounter with crocodiles in what were once the surrounding farmlands - now swallowed by the marsh. As the journey continues, read or paraphrase the following:

For the next few days you ravel further downriver through thick swamps. The river is wide and slow here, and the boat's crew work the sails and their poles to keep the boat moving east towards the sea and the ruins of the city. Occasionally you spot a few peasants in wooden huts on the low, marshy hills the river winds through. As you push your boat through a fen of high grasses one of the fallen logs in the water leaps to life and reveals itself as a huge scaly monster!

Creatures - 2 or 3 x feymire crocodile - hiding in the river (stealth +13) - These crocodiles attack the boat as they pass it.

Reaching the Ruins

After the crocodile encounter the player characters come to the ruins of the city of Soguer. As they approach they may encounter a patch of quicksand. Read or paraphrase the following:

You sail downriver for another day and the faint smell of salt water begins to tinge the air. Rounding a bend in the river you catch a glimpse of tall walls through the drooping cypress and willow trees. The cracked and vine-strewn walls must stand at least 50 feet high, but you can see no one upon the battlements. As you float closer you can see that the walls end at the river with a fallen tower that makes a hill of stone on the banks. From there the wall stretches inland. Through the foliage you think you can see another set of towers - perhaps an entrance? The riverboat crew poles over to the shore and moors the boat to a large tree on the river bank. The remains of a road lead through the trees, roughly along the wall towards the gates to the north. As you proceed you see the remains of farmhouses and fences - now fallen down and overgrown with the swamp's fecundity.

As the players walk this path towards the ruins they will pass over a patch of quicksand. Unless one of them makes their perception checks, it is likely the first player or two will fall into the hazard.

Hazard - Quicksand - level 11 elite hazard - XP 1200.

Leaves and dirt cover this stretch of flat ground.

Hazard: This hazard consists of a roughly 5 square by 5 square area of quicksand, which is difficult terrain. When characters enter these squares, or try to move in these squares, the hazard attacks. Attempts to escape can also hasten a character's demise in this deadly hazard.

Perception or Nature

- DC 29: The character can discern if any adjacent squares are quicksand.

Additional Skill: Nature

- DC 25: The character’s knowledge provides a +2 bonus to Athletics or Acrobatics checks to escape or help another escape.

Trigger

When a creature enters, begins its turn in, or makes a map move in a quicksand square, the trap attacks that creature.

Attack
Free Action Melee 0
Target: Creature in a trapped square
Attack: +14 vs. Reflex
Hit: The creature falls into the quicksand, is restrained until they escape and begins sinking (see Effect - Sinking below).
Miss: The character is slowed in the quicksand square but is not yet sinking.
Effect - Sinking: After one hit, a character sinks up to their waist. A second hit or a failed Athletics check means they sink to their neck. A third hit or failed athletics check indicates they sink completely and begin suffering the effects of suffocation (DMG p. 159).

Countermeasures

- An character can extract themselves or an adjacent sinking comrade with a DC 29 Athletics or Acrobatics check. A rope or similar tool can give a +2 to this check. Failing this check by 10 means that the helping character falls into the quicksand or that the sinking character sinks further.
-A character wearing light or no armor can make a DC 24 Nature check to know that if they hold still they will float, and can then do so. While floating in this way the character is not subject to any more attacks from the quicksand. Any move or standard action will end the float and cause the character to be subject to further attacks by the quicksand.

If you wish to add a greater threat to this encounter, feel free to add a few hungry stirge swarms to up the threat.
Creatures - stirge swarms - XP 700 each.

Cursed Ring of Conflict - Level 16

2009-11-30T09:00:00.000-08:00

This ring, made of tarnished silver in the shape of two hands holding long knives, was once worn by the evil mage Bernardin. He used its powers to destroy his enemies and torment his defeated foes by making them fight their loved ones to the death.

Item Slot: Ring
25,000 gold

Power -Daily, Standard Action,
Enchantment,
Two targets within close blast 5.
Cha, Wis or Int +4 vs. Will.
Hit - the targets attack each other as though they were dominated to do so (save ends).

Property: Every time the wearer of this cursed ring meets someone for the first time roll on the following table to determine the way that person feels about the wearer:
1-5: the person hates and despises the wearer.
6-10: the person feels a very strong dislike for the wearer.
11-15: the person feels uneasy and afraid of the wearer.
16-20: the person reacts as they normally would to the wearer.

Corpser

2009-11-16T10:00:00.000-08:00

Horrifying creatures from the underworld, no one knows what these burrowing creatures look like. From those who have escaped their attacks it is known that they have strong tentacles with which they drag their prey underground and powerful jaws that they gnaw on their captives with. They are most often found in catacombs, where they are believed to dig into coffins and feed on corpses. In spite of their fearsome nature, they have somewhat sensitive palates, and will tend to spit creatures out that put up a fight.

Corpser - Level 11 elite brute
Aberrant Magical Beast - XP 1,200

Senses tremmorsense 60, blind, Perception +14
HP 280, Bloodied 140
AC 25 Fort 27 Ref 25 Will 23
Saving Throws +2
Speed 5, burrow 4
Action Points: 1

Powers

Lash & Grab - At-Will, Standard Action, Melee 3
A tentacle snakes up through the ground and comes crashing down upon you.
+14 vs Reflex - 3d6+5 damage and the target is grabbed.

Double Lash - At-Will, Standard Action, Melee 3
The corpser can make two Lash & Grab attacks.

Quarter - Encounter, Standard Action, Melee 3
Several tentacles burst out of the ground, grab you and try to pull you limb from limb.
+14 vs Reflex, 4d8+5 and the target is grabbed.

Bloodied Fury - Encounter, Immediate Reaction when first bloodied
The corpser recharges its Quarter power and can use it immediately as a free action.

Drag Under - At-Will, Minor Action, Melee, grabbed target only
+14 vs Fortitude, 2d6+5 damage and the target is pulled into an adjacent underground square. While buried in this way allies do not have line of effect to the target and non-burrowing creatures cannot reach the target.

Gnaw - At-Will, Standard Action, Melee, adjacent grabbed target only
+14 vs Reflex, 3d6+5 damage and the target is swallowed and restrained (no save) and takes 10 damage on subsequent rounds at the start of the corpser's turn. The swallowed creature can make melee basic attacks only, and only with one-handed or natural weapons. If the corpser dies, any creature trapped in the gullet can escape as a move action, ending that action in a square formerly occupied by the corpser.

Regurgitate - Immediate Reaction, Melee, when hit by a swallowed creature
Striking the creature's insides causes a violent reaction, and you are heaved up past the sharp teeth and back onto the ground.
+14 vs Reflex, 2d6+5 damage, ongoing 5 acid damage (save ends) and the target is pushed 3 squares.
Miss - the target is pushed 3 squares.

Burrow - At-Will, Standard Action
The corpser withdraws its tentacles and burrows down into the earth. While buried in this way the corpser is concealed, enemies do not have line of effect to the corpser and non-burrowing creatures cannot reach the corpser. This effect ends if the corpser attacks.

Alignment neutral, Languages none
Skills: Perception +14, Stealth +16
Str 26 (+13) Dex 23 (+11) Wis 18 (+9)
Con 20 (+10) Int 5 (+2) Cha 8 (+4)

Saurian Cleric ✦ Level 13 Controller

2009-11-09T09:14:00.000-08:00

Medium natural humanoid (lizardfolk) ✦ XP 800

Initiative +7 Senses Perception +11
HP 125; Bloodied 62
AC 27; Fortitude 25, Reflex 23, Will 27
Speed 5

Powers
Mace ✦ At-Will, Standard Action, Melee
+18 vs. AC, 1d8 + 9 damage.

(un)Holy Smite ✦ At-Will, Standard Action, Close Blast 3, Radiant or Necrotic, Target: Each enemy in blast
The cleric brandishes his holy wymbol, speaks sacred words and energy from his god smites his enemies.
+17 vs. Will, Hit: 1d10+6 radiant or necrotic damage, and the target is weakened until the end of their next turn.

Dragon God's Claw ✦ Encounter (recharge 5-6), Standard Action, Ranged 10, Force, Fire
In answer to the cleric's prayer a ghostly claw of flame descends and pins the foe to the ground.
+17 vs. Reflex, 4d8+6 force and fire damage and the target is knocked prone, restrained and takes ongoing 5 fire damage (save ends).

Alignment neutral Languages Common
Skills Athletics +15, Religion +17

Str 19 (+10) Dex 12 (+7) Wis 22 (+12)
Con 13 (+7) Int 16 (+9) Cha 14 (+8)

Equipment: robes, scale mail, mace, holy symbol

These statistics can be used for either of the two high priests of the new temple to the gods in Veth'achuak'arux - the green valley of the Aurochs. The two priest revere Tiamat and Bahomet respectively and their Smite powers deal radiant or necrotic damage as befits their patrons.

Their creed includes the compatible commandments from those two gods and is primarilly focused on being mighty warriors. The priest of Tiamat tends to extole gaining wealth as a source of power and a benefit of power as well. The priest of Bahomet tends to focus on the importance of defending your family, clan or comrades in arms. Their teachings are very popular and well recieved by the mercanary companies that bivouac near the temple. The mercanaries tend to have a small shrine to these dragon gods on their ships and pray to them before battle. At the urging of the clerics these warriors have taken to calling themselves the Saurians to distinguish themselves from the rest of Aurochs who revere the royal shamans and their less martial spirits.

The Ruins of Soguer - Start of the Adventure in Aguies Town & Castle

2009-11-04T13:44:00.000-08:00

Welcome back for part two of The Ruins of Soguer, an adventure you'll see here piece by piece over the next few weeks. In the previous post you saw the introduction of the adventure for the dungeon master. Below is the start of the adventure to be read to the players at the beginning of the adventure, and some detail about the town where the adventure starts.

Castle Aguies - Holding Court as the Count of Aguies: At the start of the adventure, read or paraphrase the following:

Having arrived in Aguies town to answer the call for heroes, you walk up the hill upon which Castle Aguies is built to the large stone gatehouse. Towers to the left and right are topped with battlements upon which fly a flag with a green dragon on a white field. A young guard in mail looks down at you from the battlements as you walk up the road to the open doors between the towers. Another guard standing at the door nods to you as you pass through the gatehouse into the castle's courtyard. Within the well-trodden dirt courtyard a group of soldiers practice their sword-work at the direction of a gruff veteran barking orders at them. A wagon loaded with goods stand unhitched. Servants in simple clothes are busy unloading the sacks and barrels from the wagon while a groom brushes down the horses nearby. Across the courtyard the castle stands, its towers stretching up into the sky.

Crossing the busy courtyard you enter the stone castle by the open double doors below battlements two stories above. Inside this vestibule there are passages that lead left, and right, guarded by soldiers holding halberds. A long hallway with a polished stone floor and pillars flanking the walkway stretches before you, and the sounds of several voices conversing can be heard ahead.

Walking down the hallway between the stone pillars you come into a large hall filled with tables and people. Knights, squires, servants and a few people in fine dress sit or stand talking, eating and drinking. A line of petitioners stands before a scribe awaiting audience with the Count.

At the far side of the hall seated on a wooden throne atop a dais is a young man dressed in a fine green tunic and wearing a golden signet ring. At his shoulder stands a tall dragonborn also in a lordly tunic and with an ornate sword strapped to his hip. The two are in the midst of a discussion with an middle-aged priest in red robes wearing a holy symbol of Kord. As you cross the hall the young lord and his attendant take note of you. The dragonborn speaks in with a hissing accent. "Who approachesss Count Ludwig?"

After you introduce yourselves the young lord says, "I am Ludwig Staledwo, Count of Aguies and heir to the throne of Soguer. This is Gix'varie, leader of my Knights of the Order of Dragonforce, and this is Father Dirk of the Three Brothers. Thank you for answering my call. I am in need of brave heroes such as yourselves."

The young Count stands up and begins to pace about the dais as he talks. He is young - perhaps seventeen - but speaks with passion and has a friendly presence. "As you may have heard, I am grandson to King Ludwig Staledwo, the last King of Soguer. I have made it my life's work to unite the warring lords of this wounded and divided land in peace again. To that end I have asked the Fathers of the Church of the Three Brothers, Kord, Pelor and Heironeous - the same holy order that once ministered to the people of Soguer from their cathedral in the capitol - to coronate me the Heir to the throne of Soguer."

At this the priest of Kord speaks up, "Yes, Ludwig, and after consulting the Brothers in prayer I was sent a message from Kord. I was in prayer in the chapel when a strong man appeared at my side. I could tell that he was a messenger from the gods. This herald of the gods told me that only if the boy speaks with the tongue of the law can he be the heir of Soguer."

The dragonborn warrior interjects, "And of coursssse everyone knowssss he mussst be talking about his grandfather'sss sssword, the Judge'ssss Tounge. Which was losssst when the city of Ssssoguer was dessstroyed by the godsssss."

"Too true," continues the young lord. "They say they will not coronate me without my grandfather's sword. Such is the gods' will." He shrugs.

"So that brings me to you, noble heroes. I have just conquered this county, and am fully occupied restoring order and seeing to the needs of the people. The Knights of Dragonforce are similarly occupied, or else I would send Gix'varie here and his men to search for the sword." Ludwig continues, pointing to the dragonborn warrior.

Looking you in the eyes he says, "What say you, will you travel the River Daren to the ruined capitol of Soguer and retrieve the Judge's Tongue? I will provide you with a boat and crew, and if you succeed then as the anointed King of Soguer I will happily reward you as dear friends. In the name of peace in this land I ask this of you."

If the players accept this task Ludwig asks Gix'varie to see to the provisioning of a daren riverboat for the PCs and fares them well. Give the players the following major quest:

Major Quest - Crown Ludwig the Heir of Soguer
12th level - xp 700 for each player that completes the quest.
Goal: Go to the ruins of Soguer and retrieve the sword of the last King of Soguer, so that the priests may coronate Ludwig as the Heir of Soguer.

After that, give the players time to explore the city at their leisure and provision themselves as they see fit. Gix'varie will accompany them and tell them that by boat is should be a week or so's journey downriver from here to the ruins of the city at the mouth of the river.

Aguies town

A large human town, and capital of Aguies county, Aguies is peopled by farmers on the river's banks and traders on its docks. A large town square with a fountain stands at the foot of the hill upon which the castle stands. Farmlands spread out on the banks of the river east and west, and the Pitore Wood borders the town to the south.

Population: 4,000 people call Aguies their home, mostly human serfs, tradespeople and merchants but with a handful of elves and gnomes from the woods to the south and eladrin from Linton to the southwest. A sprinkling of members of all the other races can be found here as well among the citizenry - especially halfling traders. A few knight's families from throughout the county also have town homes here.

Government: Ludwig Staledwo has just conquered this city, having defeated and killed the Count Aguies in a short war. Mayor Balwin - appointed by the late Count Aguies - oversees the administration of the town's day-to-day business.

Defenses: Ludwig's five Knights of the Order of Dragonforce lead the city's defenses, assisted by 20 cavalry, 40 archers and 50 footmen. In times of need Ludwig also has the right to call up the other lords of the County to aid him in war, adding 15 knights, 60 cavalry, 100 archers and 150 footmen to his forces.

Taverns & Inns: The Old Crow is a busy tavern and public house on the town square, the Wagon Wheel serves mainly merchants and sits at an intersection on the road to Linton, and the Knucklebone caters to gamblers and carousers north near the docks.

Supplies: A few merchants set up stalls in the town square, and most any good can be purchased from the town's many craftspeople and traders. Fynn's Imports by the docks is the front for the local branch of the thieves' guild. Nickad the armor-smith is the famous royal armorer.

Temples: The Cathedral of the Three Brothers (Kord, Pelor and Heironeous) stands on the town square and is the head of the church in Aguies County, the Shan'n'nur Sanctum (Inquisition - Heironeous) stands near the cathedral, a temple to Erathis between the square and the docks, a sailor's shrine to Melora at the docks, and a shrine to Avandra on the road east to Halton.

Oracular Statues

2009-11-01T10:00:00.000-08:00

Before him, on an altar of jet, was the dark, gigantic statue of Thasaidon which a devil-begotten sculptor had wrought in ancient days for an evil king of Tasuun, called Pharnoc. The archdemon was depicted in the guise of a full-armored warrior, lifting a spiky mace as if in heroic battle. Long had the statue lain in the desert-sunken palace of Pharnoc, whose very site was disputed by the nomads; and Namirrha, by his divination, had found it and had reared up the infernal image to abide with him always thereafter. And often, through the mouth of the statue, Thasaidon would utter oracles to Namirrha, or would answer interrogations.
-Clark Ashton Smith

Often great works depicting the Gods or the Lords of Hell are fashioned. On occasion the beings they represent will use their likenesses to communicate with mortals. Coveted by seekers of secrets and devoted priests, these statues are kept in warded sanctums, and sometimes are warded by the gods themselves.

These statues can be used to commune with the deities or powers that they represent by the faithful. Either through long devotion or sacrifice a supplicant can attempt to receive a message from their patrons. With a sacrifice of a nature suitable to the deity and the spending of healing surges the supplicant can ask questions of the statue as though they had cast a divination ritual such as Consult Mystic Sages or Consult Oracle, according to the DM's discretion.

If desicrated or disrespected, these statues often become the conduit of their original's wrath. Exploding, coming to life, pronouncing curses, or blasting with lightning and fire are all forms of vengance a powerful being may visit upon defilers through a statue of this type.

As heroes rise in power such a statue could come to be in their possession, and be used by the powers to give the heroes needful information. This could even be the foundation of an entire campaign, with the players doing the bidding of a god who communicates to them from a statue secured in a holy place.

The Ruins of Soguer - Introduction

2009-10-29T10:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome back to Tailslap!, Unicorn Rampant's 4th edition Dungeons & Dragons publication.

Today I'm releasing the first on many dungeon-a-day style posts for our latest adventure: The Ruins of Soguer. I'm super excited to be sharing this adventure with y'all in this great format! Every few days you'll see a new section of the adventure, be it a location in town, a interlude, and overview of an area or an encounter.

So without further fanfare, I present the introduction to The Ruins of Soguer!
Look for the details of Aguies town to follow shortly, followed by the start of the meat of the adventure: a trip by riverboat down the river Daren to the Ruins of Soguer!

Introductory Text: Called upon to retrieve the old king's sword and crown from the ruins of the god-destroyed capitol, the heroes must brave the crumbling remains of the once-great city to find the royal insignia. Destroyed, overgrown and daemon-haunted, the ruins of the city of Soguer are said to be cursed, and do not relinquish their secrets easily. It will take heroes of true mettle to return alive with their prize and crown their lord the new King of Soguer!

Background: A year ago, in the war-torn country once known as Soguer, a young man named Ludwig appeared claiming to be the heir to the throne of the shattered kingdom. Pursuing a daring campaign this young warrior captured Castle Devyn from the orcs of the Yellow Snake Clan. As peace spread around Devyn town Ludwig was pressed to become a vassal by the neighboring Count of Aguies. Ludwig, claiming himself the true heir to the kingdom, and that Aguies was thereby rightful vassal to him, refused and forged an alliance with other lords in the County. Ludwig and his allies fought a brief, victorious war against Count Aguies.

Now Count of Aguies, one of the five Counties that composed the kingdom of Soguer, Ludwig has asked the priests of the Church of the Three Brothers to coronate him as King of Soguer. Hesitant, the priests of Kord, Pelor and Herionious cloistered themselves to pray upon the matter.

Several days later Father Dirk, the priest of Kord in the Aguies Cathedral announced that he had received a vision from The Brawler. In Ludwig's hall he tells how a strong man appeared to him and told him that "only if the boy speaks with the tongue of the law can he be the heir of Soguer". All agree that this must refer to Ludwig's grandfather's sword, the Judge's Tongue, and that this is a sign from the gods that if this task can be mastered Ludwig should be coronated.

Thus does a call go out for heroes to retrieve the old king's sword and crown from the ruins of the god-destroyed capitol at the mouth of the river Daren. The heroes are asked to brave the crumbling remains of the once-great city to find the royal insignia. Promised great reward and Ludwig's eternal gratitude they are asked to return alive with their prize and crown Ludwig the new King of Soguer!

Adventure Hooks: This adventure was written as part of a larger campaign, called The Heir of Soguer, where the players are knight-vassals to Ludwig, and are assisting him to establish peace in the war-torn and fractured land that was his grandfather's prosperous kingdom. In this context Ludwig simply asks them as friends to try to find the Judge's Tongue.

If you are playing this adventure as a stand-alone adventure or as part of your own campaign, you may simply announce that a call has gone out for heroes to retrieve the royal sword and start play in that way.

Alternatively, you may wish to replace the sword with some other item or person that the players seek. It could be treasure they want or an important item in your story. Simply run the adventure as written and replace all references to the Judge's Tongue with the item they are questing after.

Adventure on sale to celebrate one year of 4th Edition on Tailslap! Only $2.50!

2009-10-16T09:26:00.000-07:00

That's right, here at Unicorn Rampant we've been putting together 4th edition material for over a year now! It's been a long, fun year for me: we started playing a 4th edition game as soon as the material came out, starting with Keep on the Shadowfell, and then switching to my homebrew The Heir of Soguer game. Those characters are now 11th level, and the players are loving it. You can see a bit of the action on the Unicorn Rampant boards here.

It's also been a year since we released our first 4th edition adventure: Anointing the Seer. This dark fairy tale adventure for 5th level characters has been a great seller, and I had a lot of fun writing it and playtestng it at Millenium Con here in Austin. Now, as a special thank you to our readers I'm releasing Anointing the Seer for half price - only $2.50!

Follow this link to get your half-price copy from RPGnow.com!

In this adventure, a malevolent warlock appears at the coronation of the new priestess at a flourishing temple, renowned for it's high priest's abilities as an augury, and lays a curse on all there. A call goes out for some brave souls who must enter the now dangerous temple, discover the nature of the woe laid upon the priestess and set all to right. Before all is done, they will face a witch and her minions, a warlock in his aerie and a dragon in its lair.

Featuring beautiful art, full color maps, and new monsters, spells and magic items!

This dark, fairy-tale style adventure is designed for 4th Edition Dungeons & Dragons characters of 5th level. It is set in the western end of the Verdant Woods at the edge of the Middle Kingdoms in the Soralic lands, a campaign setting by Unicorn Rampant. As such is is suitable for any wooded area with some mountainous terrain that is near the edge of civilized lands or in a very rural area between kingdoms. The adventure is location-based and character driven, with fairy-tale elements and plenty of crunchy dungeon crawling goodness.

Great care has been taken to make this adventure easy for you to run, with notes for the gamemaster preceding each section of the adventure. All stats are presented in an easy to read format, and the adventure features great art from three professional artists.

Follow this link to get your half-price copy from RPGnow.com!

Water Wyrd

2009-10-12T14:04:00.000-07:00

A powerful serpent made of water rises up from the surface of the pool. Spray wets your face as it sways for a moment, then it lunges at you with blinding speed!

Used as guardians, or among some cults as sacred animals, these ceratures from the elemental chaos are unperdictable and violent. Striking unexpectedly from the water, they drag creatures under and drown them.

Water Wyrd ✦ Level 13 Lurker ✦ XP 800
Medium elemental magical beast

Initiative +12 Senses Perception +6
HP 98; Bloodied 49
AC 27; Fortitude 24, Reflex 26, Will 24
Speed Swim 8

Powers

Snatching Strike ✦ At-Will, Standard Action, Melee reach 2
A snake made of water lunges out of the pool and pulls you in.
+16 vs. Reflex, 2d8 + 6 damage, and the target is grabbed and slid 2 squares.

Squeeze! ✦ At-Will, Standard Action, Melee
The creature, invisible in the water, crushes the life - and the air - from your body.
Usable against grabbed targets only.
+16 vs. Fortitude, 4d8 + 6 damage, and if the target is underwater, they must succeed on a DC 20 Endurance check or lose a healing surge or, if out of healing surges, lose hit points equal to their healing surge value.

Dissappear ✦ At-Will, Minor Action
The water-snake dives beneath the water and from sight.
The Water Wyrd takes cover in water and becomes invisible.

Alignment neutral Languages none
Skills Athletics +15, Stealth +17
Str 19 (+10) Dex 22 (+12) Wis 11 (+6)
Con 14 (+8) Int 5 (+3) Cha 19 (+10)

Sylvanthread Armor

2009-10-11T23:30:00.000-07:00

This extremely light, non-magical cloth armor is made of finely-woven sylvanthread, a durable elven fabric base.

Sylvanthread Armor:

Armor Bonus: +4
Price: 3,250 Gold
Check: 0
Weight: 5 lbs.

Steadfast Helm

2009-10-08T12:39:00.001-07:00

This greathelm protects it's wearer from blows that might otherwise send them reeling.

Level 3 - 680 gold
Item Slot: Head
Property: +2 bonus to saves against dazed or stunned conditions.
Power (Daily - immedeate reaction): when dazed or stunned, make a save against the condition.

Ring Mail

2009-10-08T12:30:00.000-07:00

An armor made by taking a hardend leather jerkin or coat and sewing rings to the outer surface, this armor provides slightly better protection against blades, but is also more encumbering than regular leather.

Ring mail (leather armor - light):

Armor Bonus: +3
Price: 35 Gold
Check: -1
Weight: 25 lbs.

Saurian Assassin

2009-10-01T16:28:00.000-07:00

This hunter, along with the priest of Tiamat, is in charge of the expidition to deliver the Auroch Princess to Baldric Ostov. He has been lurking at the ruined house where they plan to sacrifice her, observing the ritual from hiding in case anything goes wrong. If the players rescue the princess, he will attempt to kill her himself so that she cannot report the Saurian's treachery to the royal family.

Saurian Assassin✦ Level 12 Elite Lurker
Medium natural dragonborn ✦ XP 1400

Initiative +12 Senses Perception +15
HP 194; Bloodied 92
AC 28; Fortitude 24, Reflex 24, Will 22
+2 to Saving Throws
Action Points: 1
Speed 6

Powers

Bite ✦ At-Will, Standard, Melee
+17 vs. AC, 2d6 + 3 damage.

Blowgun ✦ At-Will, Standard, Ranged 6
+17 vs AC, 1d4 + 6 damage and ongoing poison 10 (save ends).

Executioner's Noose ✦ At-Will, Standard, Ranged 5
Force, Implement, Shadow
+17 vs. AC, 1d6 + 6 force damage, the target is pulled 2 squares and slowed for 1 turn.

Quickened Breath ✦ At-Will, Minor Action (only usable once per turn), Close burst 5
+15 vs. Reflex, 1d6 + 4 poison damage.

Flury of Talons ✦ Encounter (Recharge 5-6), Standard, Melee
Implement, Shadow
Fly 6 to a square adjacent to an enemy and then make three attacks at:
+15 vs. Reflex dealing 1d8+3 damage per hit.

Bloodied Talons ✦ Encounter, Immedeate Reaction
Flury of Talons recharges and the Assassin uses it immedeately.

Alignment evil Languages Draconic
Skills nature +11, perception + 15, stealth + 17
Str 16 (+9) Dex 22 (+12) Wis 10 (+6)
Con 19 (+10) Int 12 (+7) Cha 19 (+10)

Equipment: blowgun, poisoned darts, torc with dragon heads

Temptation

2009-09-28T15:58:00.000-07:00

I was doing some research on the theme of temptation in art, and came upon some very interesting historical practices that resulted. There were people who took up an anchoritic life - a life seperated as much as possible from the temporal world. You can't make this stuff up:

The anchoritic life became widespread during the early and high Middle Ages. Examples of the dwellings of anchorites and anchoresses survive. They tended to be a simple cell (also called "anchorhold"), built against one of the walls of the local village church. Once the inhabitant had taken up residence, the bishop permanently bricked up the door in a special ceremony.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anchorite

One of the reasons the hermitic and monastic traditions were popular in mideval european culture was the existance of a written tale of the life of St. Anthony the Great (a 3rd century Egyptian Christian) that had been translated into latin and perputuated.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_the_Great

Alltogether it makes for very interesting reading....

Thrall of Graz'zt

2009-09-25T09:00:00.000-07:00

Arcane Paragon Path

Prerequisite: Evil alignment, Arcane Power Source.

By engaging in a vile rite known as the Hollow Feast, those with a lust for power and a penchant for depravity and betrayal attract the attention of agents of Graz'zt and enter into foul pacts. Traded secrets of power and given demonic servents these fallen souls carry out the creed of the Dark Prince - seduce and betray.

Path Features

Spell Betrayal (11th level) - Once a round, when you hit a target with an arcane power against whom you have combat advantage you deal an extra 1d8 damage.

Dark Charisma (11th level) - You gain a +2 vile bonus on Diplomacy and Bluff checks against evil creatures. This bonus increases to +4 at 21st level.

Spellstrike (16th level) - When you spend an action point to cast an arcane power at a foe who is engaged in melee, you deal an additional 1d12 damage with the power.

Powers

Summon Minor Demon - 11th level Attack
Encounter - Minor Action (Minor Sustain)
You summon* a quasit that has Speed: 4, fly 6 and the following powers:

Venomous Claws - Standard ✦ Poison
Inteligence vs. AC; 1d8 + Inteligence Modifier damage, and the quasit makes a secondary
attack against the same target.
Secondary Attack: +Inteligence - 3 vs. Fortitude; the target takes ongoing 5 poison damage and a –2 penalty to
Will defense (save ends both).
Vanish (standard; at-will) ✦ Illusion
The quasit becomes invisible until the end of its next turn or until it attacks.

Silver Tounge - 12th level Utility
Encounter - Arcane - Minor Action
You gain a +5 power bonus to Bluff and Diplomacy checks until the end of your next turn.

Summon Seducer - 20th level Attack
Daily - Minor Action (Minor sustain)
You summon* a succubus that has Speed: 6, fly 6 and the following powers:

Corrupting Touch (standard; at-will)
+Int. vs. AC; 1d6 + Int. Modifier damage.
Dominate (standard; at-will) ✦ Charm
Ranged 5; +12 vs. Will; the target is dominated until the end of the succubus’s next turn.
Change Shape (minor; at-will) ✦ Polymorph
The succubus can alter its physical form to take on the appearance of any Medium humanoid, including a unique individual (see Change Shape, page 280).

* Per the summoning rules detailed in Arcane Power, p. 98.

Forgotten Spells

2009-09-13T08:50:00.000-07:00

These spells were discovered in the ruins of Old Soguer, in the halls of the Mages Guild. The tome containing them - formerly used for teaching the novice mages - details magical techniques lost to those living in the current age after the Anmagus Crusade.

Daze - Wizard Attack 1

A magic word evokes a burst of bright light that causes your foe to reel back.

At-Will - Arcane, Radiant, Implement
Standard Action - Area burst 1 within 10 squares
Attack: Intelligence vs. Will.
Hit: 1d4 + Intelligence Modifier Radiant Damage and the target is dazed until the end of its next turn.

Darkness - Wizard Utility 2

A shroud of magical darkness flows from your implement to conceal you from the enemy.

Daily - Arcane, Conjuration
Standard Action - Area burst 1 within 10 squares
Effect: You conjure a field of magical darkness that blocks line of sight - even for creatures with darkvision.
Sustain Minor: The darkness persists.

Vampyric Runeblade

2009-09-07T09:55:00.000-07:00

This black blade's length is engraved with mystical runes that glow evily when it draws blood.

Level 20 +4 - 125,000 gold
Level 25 +5 - 625,000 gold
Level 30 +6 - 3,125,000 gold

Weapon: Heavy Blade, Light Blade
Enhancement: Attack rolls and damage rolls
Critical: +1d10 damage per plus
Power (daily): when you kill a nattural, fey or immortal target with this weapon you may spend a healing surge.

A Princess of the Aurochs

2009-09-06T09:42:00.000-07:00

Iejir'svern is a member of the royal family of the Aurochs, a civilization of dragonborn and lizardfolk who inhabit the swamps of southern Soguer - a land they call Veth'achuak'arux (our green valley). The royal family are also the shamanistic priesthood of the Aurochs, and Iejir'svern is a young but powerful spiritual leader of her people - she is well-liked by her subjects. She publically lives out the priesthood's principals of harmony with nature, respect, patientce, and wisdom.

Currently she has been kidnapped by the Saurians, a group of priests in the Auroch society that worship gods rather than nature - a new phenemon within their society that has sprung up in the last few generations. They mainly revere Tiamat and Bahomet, viewing them as powerful complimentary dieties that extol them to become mighty, wealthy and powerful. Some among them also worship other dieties such as Errithul and Hextor. The Saurians resent the power and respect the royal line holds in Veth'achuak'arux and many among them wish to usurp the religious leadership of their people from the Aurochs. A bold group of Timat worshipers among them has kidnapped Iejir'svern to remove her charismatic hold over the people. But this treasonus sacralige was not their own plan - it was suggested to them by an agent of Brashel Ocktor - the priest of Orcus who is carefully building up his power in these lands.

A slender young dragonborn female with light blue-green scales, a small frill above her head, and curving horns, Iejir'svern tends to tap her fingers when nervous, and has a star-shaped patch of white scales on the end of her snout.

Iejir'svern ✦ Level 9 Shaman
medium natural humanoid ✦ XP 400

Initiative +5 Senses Perception +9
HP 64; Bloodied 32
AC 20; Fortitude 21, Reflex 18, Will 23
Speed 6

At-Will Powers
Companion Spirit - Sprit's Shield - opportunity action - when an enemy leaves a square adjacent to the spirit companion. wisdom vs reflex - 4 damage.

Watcher's Strike - Wisdon vs. Reflex, 1d8 + 7 damage and you and allies gain +1 to attack and +5 to perception for 1 turn.

Defending Strike - Wisdon (+12) vs. Reflex, 1d8 + 7 damage and you and allies gain +1 power bonus to AC while adjacent to the spirit companion.

Encoutner Powers
healing spirit - spend healing surge + 2d6 hp

speak with spirits

Dragon Breath - close blast 3, +8 vs Reflex, 1d6 + 6 lightning damage.

Thunderstorm Spirit - ranged 5, Wisdom (+12) vs. Reflex, 1d12 + 7 lightning and thunder damage, and when you and your allies hit a target adjacent to the spirit companion they deal an extra 1d6 lightning and thunder damage.

Daily Powers
Raging Storm Spirit - area burst 5 within 10, Wisdom (+12) vs. Reflex, 3d6 + 7 damage. Effect: creates a zone of thunder that grants allies within it 1d6 extra thunder damage on enemies within the zone.

Blessing of the Iron Tree - one bloodied ally withing 5 gains resist 5 to all until the end of the encounter.

Alignment neutral Languages Common
Skills Arcana +10, Heal +14, History +12, Nature +14
Str 13 (+5) Dex 13 (+5) Wis 18 (+9)
Con 16 (+7) Int 12 (+5) Cha 17 (+7)
Equipment: leather armor, dragon totem, mace

Flask of Renewal

2009-09-04T08:07:00.000-07:00

This carved horn flask seems be about a third full of liquid. The strange old lady that gave it to you said that if you drink sparingly from it you will be refreshed and sustained in times of need. Strange.... This enchanted flask, when sipped from, renews and refreshes the drinker. As long as the flask is not emptied, it remains about a third full. If the entire contents are drank, however, the drinker feels completely refreshed and renewed, but the flask is afterwards forever empty.

Flask of Renewal - Level 6

Reusable Potion - 1,800 gold

Power (Daily): Taking a small sip from the flask, the player may spend a healing surge to regain 10 Hit Points.

Power (Consumable): Drinking from the flask for the second time in a day empties every bit of of liquid left in the flask and allows the player may spend up to 3 healing surges - each for the full Healing Surge value.

The Tyrant

2009-08-24T10:35:00.000-07:00

When the tyrant arrives upon the scene, he seems a mere boy. Young and as impetuous as the PC's liege Ludwig, he seems a child among giants next to the players. But even in the first encounters he speaks with eloquence, emotionally manipulating his listeners with skill. After speaking to him, most feel used, that that they have agreed to do something that makes them feel dirty. With his innocent appearance he makes an appeal to his audience's vanity, be it to their morals or desire for power, offering them a course of action that is presented as furtherance of that goal and plays them like an apprentice's lute.

When next they meet him, during the war for Aguies County he is with the Count Aguies, and outfitted in the regalia of war. His shield bears a gold guantlet holding 3 swords on a red field, and he wears a holy symbol of Hextor.

Trent ✦ Level 9 Paladin (Soldier)
Medium natural humanoid ✦ XP 400
Initiative +5 Senses Perception +4
HP 83; Bloodied 41; Healing Surge: 20; Healing Surges: 1
AC 28; Fortitude 22, Reflex 23, Will 23
Speed 6 (10 on warhorse)

Powers

triple-headed flail ✦ At-Will, Standard Action, melee weapon, melee basic
Attack: +13 vs. AC
Hit: 1d10 + 6 damage

Enfeebling Strike ✦ At-Will, Standard Action, Melee, melee weapon
Attack: +12 vs. AC
Hit: 1d10 + 8 damage. If marked, the target takes -2 to attack rolls until the end of Trent's next turn.

Divine Challenge ✦ At-Will, Minor Action, Close burst 5, Divine, Necrotic
Effect: the target is marked, taking a -2 penalty to attacks that do not include Trent as a target, and the first time the target makes such an attack it takes 8 points of necrotic damage.

Lay on Hands ✦ 4 times / Encounter, Minor Action, Melee Touch Divine, healing, Divine Reverence ✦ Encounter, Standard Action, Close burst 1Divine, Necrotic, implement
Attack: +12 vs Will
Hit: 1d8 + 8 necrotic damage, and the target is dazed until the end of your next turn.

Necrotic Pulse ✦ Daily, Standard Action, Ranged 10
Divine, Necrotic
Attack: +12 vs Fortitude
Hit: 1d10 + 8 necrotic damage, and make a secondary attack
Secondary Attack: +12 vs Fortitude on each enemy adjacent to the primary target.
Hit: 1d10 + 8 necrotic damage and the target is pushed 3 squares.
Sustain Minor: repeat the secondary attack.

Wrath of the Gods ✦ Daily, Minor Action, Close burst 1, Divine
Trent and each ally in burst gain +5 to damage rolls until the end of the encounter.

Alignment neutral Languages Common
Skills religion +9, bluff +13
Str 16 (+7) Dex 12 (+5) Wis 10 (+4)
Con 11 (+4) Int 14 (+6) Cha 21 (+9)
Equipment: layered plate mail (A.V.), heavy shield, cape of the mountebank +1, triple-headed flail, holy symbol of hextor, heavy warhorse

A Gnomish barbarian

2009-08-18T13:24:00.000-07:00

Hello, again. Just got back from GenCon on Sunday, and I must say I had a blast. Anyway, I thought I'd take a shot at doing an unusual character that avoids the typical Min/Maxing I constantly see in D20/4th ed DnD. If you roll over to Claw/Claw/Bite, our D20 system blog, you can see this guy's stats as I did them for Pathfinder, which is now officially out.
-damp

Luk was not born terribly lucky, despite what his name would tell. His parents were outcast from gnome society while his mother was with him. By the time of his birth, they were destitute, and were forced to abandon him in the heart of the deepest woods. There he was rescued by a pack of wolves, whose alpha female happened to be awakened. Everything was fine, until the month the wolf he called "mother" was killed in the jaws of a hidden trap. He brutally avenged her death by fur collecters, and left the pack to seek his fortune, so that no more of his family would suffer the same fate.
This gnomish warrior could be considered strange even by the standards of his race. Mercrurial and tactless, Luk will pick the absolute worst time to speak the truth with nary a negative intention. But while the insulting replies he receives will roll off his tough hide, the mistreatment of animals--especially wolves and dogs--will immediately send him flying off the handle in a violent rage.

Luk, level 1 Gnome, Barbarian
Feral Might: Thaneborn Triumph
Background: Gnome - Estranged Fey

Initiative +1 Senses Perception +0
AC: 15 Fort: 15 Reflex: 12 Will: 11
HP: 30 Surges: 10 Surge Value: 7

POWERS
Barbarian at-will 1: Howling Strike
Barbarian at-will 1: Devastating Strike
Barbarian encounter 1: Great Cleave
Barbarian daily 1: Swift Panther Rage

Alignment neutral Languages Common, Gnomish, Lupine
FEATS: Fey Trickster
Skills Perception +5, Intimidate +6, Athletics +7, Acrobatics +1, Arcana +2, Bluff +1, Diplomacy +1, Dungeoneering +0, Endurance +1, Heal +0, History +0, Insight +0, Nature +0, Religion +0, Stealth +2, Streetwise +1, Thievery +1
Str 17, Dex 12, Wis 11
Con 15, Int 10, Cha 12

Equipment: Hide Armor, Battleaxe, Spiked gauntlet, Adventurer's Kit

Boots of Certain Gravity

2009-08-06T19:51:00.000-07:00

Level 28 Magic Item

Kard thought he had his foe, Percivin, backed against the wall. That is, until Percivin ran up the wall to the ceiling!

Item Slot: Feet
Price: 2,125,000 GP

Property: Gain a climb speed equal to your speed. You can use this movement across any solid surface. You must end your movement on the ground or else you fall.

Power (daily): Free. Choose a direction. That direction becomes down for you for the duration of the encounter or for 5 minutes. You may dismiss this effect and return down to its regular direction as a free action.

Broken Camp

2009-08-03T19:45:00.000-07:00

The following is a preview of our latest 4th edition Dungeons & Dragons adventure "What's Mine's Yours", now available here.

In this encounter, while traveling through the wilderness to root a group of kobolds out of a mine, the party's slumber is disturbed by a group of kobolds intent on protecting their claim.

Encounter: Broken Camp

The PCs are attacked in the night, during second watch.

The evening's fire dies down to a few embers, with most of the party drifting into a weary traveler's slumber.

Skill Challenge: The PCs who remain awake on watch will have to make DC 15 Perception (to hear the rustling in the leaves) and DC 15 Endurance (to stay awake) checks. Each of these two checks will have to be succeeded two out of three rolls.

Success: If the PCs remain awake and perceive the kobolds:

The sound of a twig breaking on the ground brings your attention to the uphill side of the camp.

The PCs on watch will have time to wake the rest of the party before the attack below.

Failure: If not:

The sound of bowstrings startles you on your watch, as arrows fly through the camp, casting fast shadows across your companions' faces.

See tactics below for more information on starting this combat.

Creatures: 2 Kobold Slingers (p168 MM), 2 Kobold Skirmisher (p 167 MM)

Tactics: As the PCs slumber, on second watch, the kobold sneakers will make their way to positions where they can deliver critical missile attacks upon the stronger party members. Those on watch can make perception checks to notice the sneakers moving into place and call an alarm, disrupting their plans. The two brawlers wait for the arrows to be fired, then charge into the fray, the darkness and smoke of the dying fire providing cover for their actions. They will start by attacking the stronger member of the party, hopefully weakened by the first volley of arrows. If the sneakers are discovered, the four kobolds attack as normal.

Development: When the kobolds are defeated, one will notice the party, cursing, "You greedy ssscum, you'll get yoursss!” If the party carefully checks them over in the morning or with a strong light source, they will notice the Guild’s logo branded onto them.

XP: 400

New Adventure - What's Mine's Yours

2009-08-02T19:39:00.000-07:00

What's Mine's Yours is a 4th edition Dungeons & Dragons adventure for 1st level characters. This adventure begins in the marketplace in the town of Fort Wood, where the players are approached by representatives of the Guild, a Merchant collective heavily invested in mining operations. They are escorted to a courtyard at the Guild headquarters in Fort Wood, where they are provided with the setting. Kobolds have taken control of a mine of great importance to the Guild. Their task is to free the mine of the kobolds. Over the course of the adventure, the party discovers there is a more sinister story surrounding the Guild's doings in the mine.

This adventure easily serves as the first adventure undertaken by a new party of 1st level characters.

Buy it here for $2.99 -- cheap!

New Comic!

2009-07-29T12:53:00.000-07:00

I've been enjoying Mike 'Mortellan' Bridges' W.o.G. comic for some time now, and am pleased to announce that he's given us permission to run it here on Tailslap!

I know it may seem weird to run a comic that focuses on Grayhawk in a magazine for 4th edition D&D, but it's all D&D to me, and for me all D&D goes back to Grayhawk. And on his site Mike muses quite humerously about those old adventures and supliments.

So without further ado: this is the first of the W.o.G. "Cultist" comics, which chronicle the hijinks of a couple of Cultists of Tharizdun in their misadventures across the multiverse.

Mike's inspiration for the comic, and the rest of his work can be seen here: grayhawkonline.com/greyhawkcomic

Ceevok

2009-07-22T08:49:00.000-07:00

Ceevok is one of the characters available for the players in the upcoming 30th level game we'll be running at GenCon next month. The rest of the characters are available to view here.

Silent and mysterious, Ceevok speaks only on matters of life and death. As one of the greatest warriors in the grim and mysterious Shadar-kai society, this does not come as much of a surprise. With bow in hand, she has been responsible for slaying some of the most heinous monsters in five planes. At this time, she is entrenched in a quest to release the Chained God, Thardizum, from the Abyss. The vision for this goal came in a dream to her from the Raven Queen, who told her that beings from the Realms beyond the stars threatened the Universe. Only Thardizum has the power to defeat these utterly foreign beings, and must reluctantly be released.

Ceevock
Female Shadar-kai ranger 30 Size: Med
Initiative: +26 Senses: Passive Perception: 32 Passive Insight: 32 Low-light Vision

HP: 173 Bloodied: 86 Surge Value: 43 Surges per day: 9
AC: 43 (45 vs opportunity attacks) Fort 38 Ref 41 Will 38
Resist 15 cold and fire

Speed: 7 squares

Class Features
Style: Archer Ranger Paragon Path: Battlefield Archer Epic Destiny: Epic Trickster
Prime Shot: +1 to attack against a target if you are nearer to it than any other ally.
Hunter's Quarry (+3d8)

Powers:
At will: Nimble Strike: +33 vs AC / 2d10+ 13, Twin Strike +33 vs Reflex (two attacks) / 2d10 + 6
Encounter: Combined Fire(p), Triple Shot, Manticore's Volley, Lightning Shot
Daily: Quarry's Bane(p), Great Ram Arrow, Tiger's Reflex, Three in one Shot
Utility: Yield Ground, Weave Through the fray, Expeditious Stride, Momentary Respite, Safe Stride, Archer's Glory (P), Epic Trick (E)

Feats:
Defensive Mobility(free)
Heroic: Lethal Hunter, Escape Artist, Durable, Jack of all trades, Weapon Focus: Longbow, Improved Initiative, Paragon: Blood Thirst, Iron Will, Danger Sense, Great Fortitude, Sly Hunter, Point Blank Shot, Epic: Unfettered Stride, Triumphant Attack, Flanking Maneuver, Skill Focus: Dungeoneering and Perception, Armor Specialization: Hide.

Skills: Acrobatics: +30, Arcana +20, Athletics +22, Bluff +17, Diplomacy +17, Dungeoneering +25, Endurance +28, Heal +22, History +20, Insight +20, Intimidate +17, Nature +25, Perception +22, Religion +20, Stealth +25, Streetwise +17, Thievery +23

Alignment: Unaligned Languages: Common
Str 16 (+18) Con 16 (+18) Dex 24 (+22) Int 16 (+18) Wis 20 (+20) Cha 11 (+15)

Equipment: Vicious Longbow +6 (+6d12 per critical hit), +6 Trollskin Elderhide (+5 masterwork), Star Opal Ring, Flying Carpet, Cloak of Survival

For Love of Evil

2009-07-20T21:09:00.001-07:00

For those readers who will be playing in "For Love of Evil" at GenCon in a month, we have finished the PCs.

Follow the link below for the D&D Character Builder and PDF versions of the 10 evil 30th level characters. They would also all make suitable villains in any game.

http://unicornrampant.com/ForLoveofEvilCharacters.zip

Astral Archers

2009-07-19T21:23:00.000-07:00

You conjure two ghostly, elven archers armed with radiant bows. They fire along with the caster, providing a volley of arrows that deal divine damage to enemies.

Daily • Conjuration, Divine, Implement, Radiant
Standard Action • Ranged 10

Effect: You conjure two elven archers, each occupying 1 square within range. When the caster makes ranged attacks, the conjured archers also fire. If the caster is successful in his attack, the archers also hit, dealing 1d10 + Wisdom modifier radiant damage.

You can move one archer or both a total of 3 squares as a move action. Creatures can move through the spaces occupied by the archers. The archers last until the end of the encounter.

Diseases, Parasites and Afflictions

2009-07-13T09:10:00.000-07:00

Before the advent of sanitation and scientific medicine people suffered a broad range of afflictions that we don't ever have to think about. In order to present some medieval flavor to my games I've come up with a few unpleasant conditions for the players to suffer through and overcome.

Ranging form the merely pesky, like an infestation of fleas, to the deadly, such as The Black Death, these conditions can bring your players more fully into the setting you're trying to establish. Are they adventuring in the slums of this city? Better not drink that water unless you want Dysentery! Digging through the ogre's bed looking for lose gold? You're likely to take away some fleas with you along with that coin.

Many of these afflictions can be treated with simple care, bathing, proper diet or simple medicine - aka a Heal skill check. Others can be difficult to treat with the poor mundane techniques available to ancient physicians, wise women and barbers and may require a trip to the temple for the gods' intervention. Whichever disease you chose to afflict on your PCs, these diseases serve as a bit of detail to draw them into character, and perhaps relieve them of some of their coin, without becoming a game-stopper if you don't want it to be one.

These Diseases follow the standard rules for diseases (see DMG p.49). Characters who contract the disease begin at "Initial Effect" on the disease tract, and move towards Cured or Worsened and then Final Stage depending on the results of the Endurance or Heal check they make at the end of each extended rest.

Diseases

Fleas - Level 1 Disease
Tiny bloodsucking insects that cause painful itching bites.
Attack: +4 vs Fortitude upon touch exposure to a source of fleas.
Endurance: improve DC 16, maintain DC 11, worsen DC 10 or lower. Bathing and washing one's clothes gives a +4 on this check.
Cured: The target has freed itself from fleas, or is ignoring them completely.
Initial Effect: Painful itching from flea bites cause the target to lose one healing surge that they cannot regain.
Worsened: The infestation has grown, causing the loss of another healing surge that cannot be regained, and the fleas can attack to infest those in close proximity to the afflicted character (such as the other party members).
Final Stage: The target is constantly itching the fleas, taking a -1 penalty to skill checks in addition to the above effects. Also, the sores from itching may become subject to Infection (see below).

Food Poisoning - Level 3 Disease
Consumption of uncooked, spoiled or tainted foods can result in severe stomach and intestinal distress.
Attack: +6 vs Fortitude upon consumption of tainted food or water.
Endurance: improve DC 18, maintain DC 13, worsen DC 12 or lower
Cured: The illness passes and the character recovers.
Initial Effect: Queasiness results in a -1 penalty to all attacks and skill checks, and the character loses one Healing Surge that cannot be recovered.
Worsened: Weakness and frequent vomiting and dihereah result in a -2 penalty to all attacks and skill checks, and the character loses two Healing Surges that cannot be recovered.
Worsened Further: As Worsened and the character is immobilized until they improve.
Final Stage: The character dies from dehydration.

Dysentery (aka the bloody flux) - Level 6 Disease
A disorder of the digestive system often caused by parasites that results in severe diarrhea containing mucus and blood in the feces. If left untreated, dysentery can and usually will be fatal.
Attack: +9 vs Fortitude upon drinking tainted water.
Endurance: improve DC 21, maintain DC 16, worsen DC 15 or lower
Cured: The illness passes and the character recovers.
Initial Effect: Queasiness results in a -2 penalty to all attacks and skill checks, and the character loses two Healing Surges that cannot be recovered.
Worsened: Weakness and frequent vomiting and dihereah result in a -4 penalty to all attacks and skill checks, and the character loses four Healing Surges that cannot be recovered.
Worsened Further: As Worsened and the character is immobilized until they improve.
Final Stage: The character dies from dehydration.

Pox - Level 8 Disease
The pox begins with fever, aches and maliase. Then lesions form on the body and develop into inflamed ulcers that then cover over with thick black crusts.
Attack: +11 vs Fortitude upon physical contact with an infected creature.
Endurance: improve DC 23, maintain DC 18, worsen DC 17 or lower
Cured: The pox clears, usually leaving extensive scars on the skin.
Initial Effect: About 12 days after exposure fevers set in and the target sufferes fatigue, headache and possible vomiting or dhiarreha. The character takes a -2 penalty to all attacks and skill checks and loses two healing surges that cannot be ragianed. In addition, the victim is contagious to others within 1 square for 5 rounds.
Worsened: The pox (red pimples) appears on the target, beginning in the mouth and spreading to the face, then chest, then the limbs. The character suffers the Initial Effect and is immobilized, but is no longer contagious.
Final Stage: Roll Percentile die: the character either dies (%1-75), is permanently blinded by pox on the eyes (%76-85) or suffers a permanent -1 to all attacks and skill checks (%86-100). If the character survives the disease has run its course and the character moves to Cured.

Infected Wounds - Level 9 Disease
Wounds that prevent sufficent bloodflow to the extremeties or that are not properly cleaned may become infected and begin to rot, turning black or green and exhuding a terrible stench.
Attack: +12 vs. Fortitude if the character has open wounds that are not cleaned.
Endurance: improve DC 24, maintain DC 19, worsen DC 18 or lower
Cured: The infection clears up.
Initial Effect: The wound becomes red and inflamed, and pus or fluid drains from the wound. Lose one healing surge that cannot be regianed.
Worsened: Fever sets in. The tissue around the wound begins to turn an ugly dark color and smell like rotten meat. Red streaks may appear under the skin heading towards the character's heart. Lose two healing surges that cannot be regianed and take a -2 penalty to all attacks and skill checks.
Final Stage: The character dies from the infection.

Black Death - Level 12 Disease

Adieu, farewell earths blisse,

This world uncertaine is,
Fond are lifes lustful joyes,
Death proves them all but toyes,
None from his darts can flye;
I am sick, I must dye:

Lord, have mercy on us.

—"A Litany in Time of Plague"
by Thomas Nashe

Attack: +15 vs. Fortitude
Endurance: improve DC 27, maintain DC 22, worsen DC 21 or lower
Cured: The target recovers.
Initial Effect: The target experiences fever, headaches, painful aching joints, nausea and vomiting, and a general feeling of malaise. The target loses two healing surges that cannot be regained, is -2 to all attacks and skill checks, and cannot spend any action points.
Worsened: Painful buboes appear at the groin, armpits and neck and ooze pus and bleed, the target begins coughing up blood or purple skin patches appear on the target. The target is dazed in addition to the Initial Effect.
Final Stage: The target dies.

Ale Break: Keep on the Borderlands

2009-07-09T08:25:00.000-07:00

It all started when I ordered a copy of the AD&D adventure "Vault of the Drow". I like to read over these old modules and see how the original writers of this game conceived adventures. I was so taken with "Vault" that I also got "Descent into the Depths of the Earth". I liked them so much that I decided I wanted to run or play in them. But with the two weekly games I run in mid-progress I felt like I was pretty much booked up.

Wednesdays we play "Savage Tide". At 16th level, they're in the home stretch: 4 more adventures to go, and I don't want to lose momentum on this game.

Sundays I run a D&D game for some friends and co-contributors to Unicorn Rampant. I've been running a homebrew campaign I call "The Heir of Soguer", but have had a little writer's block lately. So I thought, here's a chance for us to take a little break from "Heir" and revisit some old adventures I haven't played since high school or have never had a chance to play.

So far it's been a blast running "Keep on the Borderlands". I came up with a place to put the keep in my campaign world and told the players the story was taking place 10 years before the story I'm telling in "Heir". I then told them they were from the Temple of the Stars, a historically important location they're headed to in "Heir" and worked on backgrounds for their characters. I then and gave them their quest: go to the Keep on the Borderlands, where bandits are raiding travelers, and lend a hand however they can. This gave me a way to tie this side trek into the current game: it gives the players some foreshadowing of what they're about to encounter in "Heir". The quest is also the type of cheesy, simple old-school adventure hook that gave the game a great starting flavor.

It's been wonderfully nostalgic running Keep. The players got to the famous "Castallian Keep" and started wandering around, meeting the locals and soaking up the medieval flavor.

I had to come up with names for all the NPCs, since that's the one detail omitted from the town descriptions. For those who have never seen Keep on the Borderlands, there are elaborate descriptions of lots of things, including the contents of every drawer in the moneylender's shop and the traps guarding each drawer, but the people there are "scribe: mu2, ac:9, at:1, dmg: 1-4, spells: ventriloquism, grease". And you thought 4e stat blocks were short :) All together the adventure is about 20 pages with the area descriptions, treasure, hidden features and stats all run together in a single paragraph for each area. Adventures have come a long way in 30 years, although you still sometimes see this.

Once they got to the Caves of Chaos and started in on the meat of the dungeon, I started converting the encounters on the fly. According to the 4e DMG, each 1st level character in the encounter merits 100 xp worth of monsters, up to 175 xp for a really tough challenge. The adventure says there are 6 goblins in the first room, and I have 3 players. So I went with four goblin minions at 25 xp each, and two 1st level goblins at 100 xp each for a total of 300 xp worth of monsters. If there were only 3 goblins called for I made them all 1st level goblins at 100 xp each, or two 2nd level at 150 xp each and a minion for 25 xp. It worked out quite nicely; I was able to run the adventure from a single page in the monster manual, so there wasn't a bunch of flipping around from book to book. Between this and buying 14 goblin minis this kept the players from guessing who were minions and who weren't.

All of this made me think about how simple the monsters were in AD&D. They had a HD, which determined their "BAB", and a number of attacks and damage. They also had a morale score, and if they were special they had a "saves as" entry. Unless they had spells or special abilities, that was it. Compare that to the 3e stat block for a goblin: 23 lines of information jammed together in a poorly orgznized format. Of course, that format was inherited form the old AD&D monster manual. Paizo improved drastically on the readability of that format in their Dungeon Magazine by organizing the stats in sections, and we use that format here at Unicorn Rampant for our Claw/Claw/Bite! line of products, but there can still be a lot of digging around required of the DM compared to having only 5 or 6 numbers as stats for a monster. Now, in 4e, you can almost run all your monsters from a single chart again. I keep thinking I'm going to write up a spreadsheet that takes monster level and roll and spits out complete stats.

For running the dungeon I used our big Chessex mondomat, as usual, and tried out the Dungeon Mastery dungeon tiles from Piazo that I got at GenCon last year. I was really happy with them: they add a lot of good-looking detail to the game without taking a lot of time to draw. Lack of good corridors is the only real weakness of the tiles, but it's easy enough to draw the corridors and use the tiles for the rooms along the way. I'm thinking I'm going to pick up another set or two and copy some of the corridors in the back of the DMG for the next session.

I just got all three modules of the "Against the Giants" series, so hopefully we'll keep enjoying these old adventures enough to string together a campaign out of them.

Thanks to W.o.G. for inspiring me to get "Vault of the Drow" and starting me down this path.

-Adam

Dragonrider Paragon Path

2009-06-24T10:00:00.000-07:00

Ride the Dragon toward the Crimson eye/ Flap the wings under Mars' red sky/The reptile pushes itself out into space/Leaving behind the human race - Hakius, Pike, and Cisneros

Dragonrider

“Once more to battle, my faithful friend!”

Prerequisite: Mounted Combat Feat and either Weapon Focus Feat with spear, or training in Nature.

You and your mount have developed an extraordinary bond of friendship and trust. You fight as one with each other, protect each other, live and die together.

Dragonrider Path Features

Furious Onslaught (11th level): When you spend an action point to attack, your mount can also make an attack.

Two Hearts as One (11th level): When spending a healing surge for a Second Wind, you or your mount may chose to spend an additional healing surge to also allow your mount to use Second Wind as a free action.

Threatening Jaws (16th level): When your mount attacks a target you may choose to have your mount mark that target. The mark lasts until the end of your next turn. Any attacks by marked targets that do not include your mount take a -2 penalty.

Soulbound Mount (11th level): Chose one of the mount categories from the below list.
A mount’s category determines most of its game statistics, although all mounts share a few characteristics.
Level: Your mount’s level is always equal to yours. The mount’s defenses, hit points, and attack bonus improve with level.
Ability Scores: Your mount’s category determines its ability scores, which go up with level.
Add 1 to two of your mount’s ability scores at 14th, 18th, 24th, and 28th level. All of your mount’s ability scores improve by 1 at 21st level.
Healing Surges: Your mount has two healing surges. The mount’s healing surge value is equal to a quarter of its maximum hit points, as normal.
Vision: Your mount has low-light vision.

Mount Categories:

Rage Drake
Your furious draconic companion dominates every battlefield you set foot on.
RAGE DRAKE STATISTICS
Ability Scores:
Strength 20, Constitution 16, Dexterity 13, Intelligence 7, Wisdom 15, Charisma 7
Size: Large
Speed: 8 squares
Defenses: AC 14 + level, Fortitude 14 + level, Reflex 11 + level, Will 11 + level
Hit Points: 16 + 8 per level
Attack Bonus: Level + 4
Melee Basic Attack: Bite; level + 4 vs. AC; 1d10 + Strength modifier damage.
or Claw; level +4 vs. AC; 1d6 + 4 damage; see also bloodied rage.
M Raking Charge (standard; at-will)
When the rage drake charges, it makes two claw attacks against a single target.
Bloodied Rage (while bloodied)
The rage drake gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls and deals an extra 5 damage per attack.
Raging Mount (while bloodied and mounted by a friendly rider of 5th level or higher; at-will) - Mount
The rage drake grants its rider a +2 bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls with melee attacks.
Trained Skills: none

Dragon
The fierce elemental heart of your dragon companion infuses you with might.
Pick either fire, cold, lightning, or posion for your dragon's breath weapon damage and its resistance.
DRAGON STATISTICS
Ability Scores:
Strength 17, Constitution 16, Dexterity 16, Intelligence 7, Wisdom 15, Charisma 7
Size: Large
Speed: 8, fly 10, overland flight 15 squares
Defenses: AC 13 + level, Fortitude 12 + level, Reflex 13 + level, Will 12 + level. Resist level + 5 fire, cold, lightning, or poison.
Hit Points: 16 + 8 per level
Attack Bonus: Level + 4
Melee Basic Attack: Bite; level + 4 vs. AC; 1d8 + Strength modifier damage + 1/2 level fire, cold, lightning, or poison damage.
Breath Weapon (standard; recharge 5-6 ) - fire, cold, lightning, or poison
Close blast 5; level + 4 vs. Fortitude; 1d10 + 3 fire, cold, lightning, or poison damage, and the target takes ongoing 5 fire, cold, lightning, or poison damage.
Bloodied Breath (free, when first bloodied; encounter) -fire, cold, lightning, or poison
The dragon’s breath weapon recharges, and the dragon uses it immediately.
C Frightful Presence (standard; encounter) - Fear
Close burst 5; targets enemies; level + 4 vs. Will; the target is stunned until the end of the dragon’s next turn. Aftereffect: The target takes a –2 penalty to attack rolls (save ends).
Trained Skills: none.

Griffon
Wild as the mountain winds, your griffon's screech fills your foes with terror.
GRIFFON STATISTICS
Ability Scores:
Strength 20, Constitution 15, Dexterity 14, Intelligence 7, Wisdom 15, Charisma 7
Size: Large
Speed 6, fly 10, overland flight 15
Defenses: AC 14 + level, Fortitude 14 + level, Reflex 12 + level, Will 10 + level
Hit Points: 15 + 8 per level
Attack Bonus: Level + 4
Melee Basic Attack: Claws; level + 4 vs. AC; 2d6 + Strength modifier damage.
+10 vs. AC; 2d6 + 7 damage.
Rabid Charger (while mounted by a friendly rider of 7th level or higher; at-will) - Mount
When it charges, the griffon makes two claws attacks in addition to its rider’s charge attack.
Blood Frenzy (only while bloodied)
The griffon can take an extra move action each turn. It also gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls and takes a –2 penalty to all defenses.
Thunder Charge (standard; only while flying; at-will)
When the griffon charges, it gains a +4 bonus to its attack roll instead of the normal +1 bonus.
Trained Skills: none

Celestial Charger
Your horse has fought with you through many a battle, and you have come to think of it as a gift from the gods.
CELESTIAL CHARGER STATISTICS
Ability Scores:
Strength 18, Constitution 17, Dexterity 14, Intelligence 7, Wisdom 15, Charisma 7
Size: Large
Speed: 8 squares
Defenses: AC 14 + level, Fortitude 13 + level, Reflex 12 + level, Will 11 + level
Hit Points: 17 + 8 per level
Attack Bonus: Level + 4
Damage: 1d8 + Strength modifier
Melee Basic Attack: Kick; level + 4 vs. AC; 1d8 + Strength modifier damage.
Trained Skills: Endurance
Trample (standard; at-will)
The celestial charger can move up to its speed and enter enemies’ spaces. This movement provokes opportunity attacks, and the celestial charger must end its move in an unoccupied space. When it enters an enemy’s space, the charger makes a trample attack: level +4 vs. Reflex; 1d8 + Strength modifier damage, and the target is knocked prone.
Celestial Charge (while mounted by a friendly rider of 10th level or higher; at-will) - Mount, Radiant
On charge attacks, a celestial charger’s rider deals an extra 2d6 radiant damage.
Zephyr Footing
The celestial charger ignores diffi cult terrain and can move across
any solid or liquid surface.

Nightmare
Your mount's dark spirit smolders with a flame equal to your burning ambition.
NIGHTMARE STATISTICS
Ability Scores:
Strength 18, Constitution 18, Dexterity 13, Intelligence 7, Wisdom 15, Charisma 7
Size: Large
Speed: 8, fly 10 (hover) squares
Defenses: AC 14 + level, Fortitude 14 + level, Reflex 10 + level, Will 12 + level. Resist 20 fire.
Hit Points: 18 + 8 per level
Attack Bonus: Level + 4
Melee Basic Attack: Hooves; level + 4 vs. AC; 1d8 + Strength modifier damage and ongoing 5 fire damage (save ends).
Hell’s Ride (while mounted by a friendly rider of 13th level or higher; at-will) - Fire, Mount
The nightmare’s rider gains resist 10 fire.
Underworld Leap (move; encounter; while mounted by a friendly rider of 13th level or higher; at-will) - Teleport, Mount
The nightmare and its rider teleport 10.
Hooves of Hell (standard; recharge 5-6 ) - Fire
The nightmare moves up to 10 squares. Each square the nightmare leaves is fi lled with fi re to a height of 10 feet until the end of the nightmare’s next turn. Any creature that hits the nightmare with a melee attack during this move, or that enters one of the flaming squares, takes 10 fire damage.
Trained Skills: Endurance

Wolf
The hunt's thrill howls through your veins every time you ride your furry friend.
WOLF STATISTICS
Ability Scores:
Strength 17, Constitution 17, Dexterity 15, Intelligence 7, Wisdom 15, Charisma 7
Size: Large
Speed: 8 squares
Defenses: AC 14 + level, Fortitude 13 + level, Reflex 12 + level, Will 11 + level
Hit Points: 17 + 8 per level
Attack Bonus: Level + 4
Melee Basic Attack: Bite; level + 4 vs. AC; 1d8 + Srength modifier damage, or 2d8 + Strength modifier damage against a prone target.
Combat Advantage
The dire wolf gains combat advantage against a target that has one or more of the dire wolf’s allies adjacent to it. If the dire wolf has combat advantage against the target, the target is also knocked prone on a hit.
Pack Hunter (while mounted by a friendly rider of 5th level or higher; at-will) - Mount
The dire wolf’s rider gains combat advantage against an enemy if it has at least one ally other than its mount adjacent to the target.
Trained Skills: none.

Boar
As gruff and strong as the earth itself, you and your boar can withstand any onslaught.
BOAR STATISTICS
Ability Scores:
Strength 19, Constitution 18, Dexterity 12, Intelligence 7, Wisdom 15, Charisma 7
Size: Large
Speed: 8 squares
Defenses: AC 13 + level, Fortitude 14 + level, Reflex 12 + level, Will 12 + level
Hit Points: 18 + 8 per level
Attack Bonus: Level + 4
Melee Basic Attack: Gore; level + 4 vs. AC; 1d10 + Strength modifier damage, or 1d10 + Strength modifier + 5 damage against a prone target.
Death Strike (when reduced to 0 hit points)
The dire boar makes a gore attack.
Rabid Charger (while mounted by a friendly rider of 6th level or
higher; at-will) - Mount
When it charges, the dire boar makes a gore attack in addition to its rider’s charge attack; see also furious charge.
Furious Charge
When a dire boar charges, its gore deals an extra 5 damage, pushes the target 2 squares, and knocks the target prone on a hit.
Trained Skills: none.

For mounts not described here, use the following base stats and add the mount's movement, skills and special attacks:
Ability Scores:
Strength 17, Constitution 16, Dexterity 16, Intelligence 7, Wisdom 15, Charisma 7
Size: Large
Speed: 8 squares
Defenses: AC 14 + level, Fortitude 12 + level, Reflex 12 + level, Will 12 + level
Hit Points: 16 + 8 per level
Attack Bonus: Level + 4
Melee Basic Attack: type; level + 4 vs. AC; 1d8 + Strength modifier damage.

Dragonrider Exploits

Twin Attack Dragonrider Attack 11
In a flurry of claws and teeth you and your mount fall upon your foe.
Encounter - Martial
Standard Action
Effect: You and your mount can both make either a melee basic or an At-Will attack that includes the same target.

Sacrificail Lunge Dragonrider Utility 12
Your or your mount dive forward and intercept a blow intended for the other.
Encounter - Martial
Immediate Interrupt
Effect: When an attack hits your or your mount you may chose to apply the damage to either yourself or your mount.

Rampant Assault Dragonrider Attack 20
You and your mount rear up and come crashing down upon your foe with unstoppable force.
Daily - Martial
Standard Action
Effect: You and your mount can both make either a melee basic, At-Will or Encounter attack that includes the same target. The powers used can already
be expended, and if they are not, using them through this power
doesn’t expend it.
Miss: Attacks used in this way do 1/2 damage on a miss.

If your mount is ever slain, you can resuscitate it with the following special ritual which you know and can use regardless of your ability to use normal rituals:

Raise Mount
Through prayer, magic, or medicine, you devote all of your energy to bring your bonded companion back to you.
Level: 1
Category: Restoration
Time: 4 hours
Duration: Instantaneous
Component Cost: 50 gp
Market Price: None
Key Skill: Nature (no check)
This ritual allows you to restore life to your slain mount. This ritual works only for characters who have chosen the Dragonrider Paragon Path.
The ritual functions as the Raise Dead ritual, with the following exceptions:
- You need not have any part of your mount’s corpse.
- The death penalty lasts until you have reached three milestones.
- A paragon tier mount costs 500 gp to raise, and an epic tier mount costs 5,000 gp to raise.

Using your mount: just as with normal mounts, animal companions or familiars, your and your mount share the same 3 actions every turn: a Standard, Move and Minor action each of which can be taken by either you or your mount.

Secondary Skills

2009-06-06T08:28:00.000-07:00

Presented here are lose rules for all the flavor skills that aren't part of 4th edition D&D: the craft and profession or trade skills, riding, sailing, forgery, performance, or any other skill that may add flavor to your characters.

These secondary skills can be useful mainly for providing another dimension of detail to characters, or, as a DM, if you intend the players to be involved in some skill challenges that go beyond the primary skills. For example, you might introduce the secondary skills Navigation (Int) and Sailing (Dex) in a swashbuckling adventure and make them available to the players. You could then put the players through skill challenges or even shipboard combat encounters that gave the players an opportunity to use these skills.

Characters may chose a number of secondary skills based on their class, or alternatively, they can get training in as many secondary skills as are appropriate to their backgrounds. Around 2 or 3 skills seems right for most PCs, with NPCs getting more or fewer depending on their class (look for NPC classes here in a later article).

Training in a Secondary Skill, much like a primary skill, gives the character a +5 bonus to rolls involving the skill.

Possible Secondary Skills include:

Craft (choose an object type to craft) (Int, Dex, or Str)
Profession (choose a profession to be skilled in) (Could be any attribute)
Navigation (Int or Wis)
Sailing (Dex)
Riding (Dex)
Engineering (Int)
... or any other skill as deemed appropriate in conjunction with your DM....

Atavistic Onslaught 4

2009-06-04T14:20:00.001-07:00

Another illustrated moment from the Savage Tide game I'm running. This occurred in the basement of the Seventh Coil minting house in Scuttlecove - Frank's Vannaran shaman, "Tirapiki" is coup'de-grac-ing a stunned Yaun-Ti.

Art courtesy of Daniel Smith, colored by myself.

2009-05-22T10:37:00.000-07:00

Monte Cook (co-designer of 3rd Edition Dungeons & Dragons and author of the awesome Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil and Ptolus) has a cool new project out: DungeonADay.com. He's designing a megadungeon (hundreds of rooms, according to his definition) and posting them a room at a time. I've read over the preview of some of the rooms on the first level, and I have to say I'm super excited about this project. The art and maps look great, there's background and handouts for the players, and, of course, the encounters are super interesting (spoiler alert).

To get access to the full content, there's a subscription of $10 / month, with discounts for quarterly and yearly subscriptions. Personally, I have my plate full with games to run, but if I could find a DM to run this adventure for me, I'd gladly pay for the subscription.

Here's a bit form Monte's site describing the assumptions behind his design:

Whether you're playing out of the little white box, the Basic Set, 1st Edition, 2nd Edition, 3rd Edition (or 3.5), or 4th edition, dungeons come into the game. But dungeons mean different things to different people. At Dungeonaday.com, I plan on taking a rather old school approach--but even the meaning of that term varies depending on who you ask. So, I thought it valuable to share the assumptions I'm making as I design the dungeon.
These, then, are my Ten Tenets of Dungeon Design.
1. Things get more dangerous as you go deeper....

Manners, Customs and Dress During the Middle Ages

2009-05-20T15:06:00.000-07:00

I just found this book on the Project Gutenburg site, and wanted to share it. It's currently the #5 most popular book on the project's site.

Although most modern games gloss over historical cultural and political structures, as a student of history I find the minutiae of such fascinating. Occasionally I will find something that I can write into a game that gives flavor, and sometimes it becomes a major underpinning of the story. For example, in "The Heir of Soguer", the system of vassalage is really central to the story. I've tried to engage the players in that by having it brought up by NPCs, making it the source of the current major conflict in the story, and even knighting the player's characters in the game. All of this has been wonderful detail that helps create a historical feel for my game, as well as informing the central conflict.

I'm hoping that this book yields more of such wonderful details. It has more than 400 woodblock prints, as well.

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/10940/10940-h/10940-h.htm

Traveling to Minwood

2009-05-14T13:21:00.000-07:00

After the battle of Clommel Bridge the players and their liege, Ludwig Staledwo, take their army in pursuit of Count Aguies and his protege, Trent. The most direct route is the road through Minwood. Once there they must decide how to deal with the hostile lord of Minwood, and possibally Oltorf as well.

Encounters

Treatment of prisoners - if the players captured any Knights in the previous encounters (such as Ilúvënis, the haughty Eledrin Lord of Linton, and Jack the young human son of Lord Erding) they must decide how they are to be treated.

As you survey the battlefield that Aguies has just fled, one of your troops approaches, looking uncertainly back at Iluvenis and Jack, the knights who have surrendered to you. "What should I do with these two, m'lord?"

If given general liberty, good food and wine and otherwise treated as guests they will be social with the players, riding and talking with them, and may be disposed to ally with the party's liege Ludwig later. If kept harshly they may try to escape or stir up trouble - Iluvens can teleport, so keeping him prisoner will be hard. If killed their families will greatly resent Ludwig during the reconciliation later.

Skill Challenge Level 5, complexity 1, XP 200, 3 successes before 3 failures -
Primary Skills (DC 12); Diplomacy, Intimidate to make friends or control the prisoners, can be carried out over the course of the journey to Castle Aguies.
Success - the players make a good impression on their prisoners or frighten them into submission.
Failure - the prisoners may attempt to convince some of the player's troops to join them or they may try to escape (use Knight of the Realm stats for Jack, and Eladrin Knight stats (see Monster Manual) for Iluvens.
During the journey to Castle Aguies, the players may have a minor encounter if they want to attack the lightly defended Oltorf and Minwood - who may just surrender with a skill challenge. Lord Jared of Oltorf is still with Count Aguies, but Lord Toel of Minwood was injured at the battle at the bridge and is recuperating in his keep with his family and a small contingent of guards.

The trip to Minwood takes 2-3 days for the player's army.

Description - they party comes upon the town, and it seems deserted - the keep is closed up and archers watch from their positions on the battlements / arrow slits. If parleyed with, they say that Duke Aguies rode by and warned them that Ludwig's army was coming. They will gladly say that they will not attack the army's flank in an attempt to convince the players to continue on (Insight or History DC 14 to realize that this is probably not ture).

Skill Challenge - Level 7, complexity 4 - xp 1200. 10 successes before 3 failures. Primary skills - (DC 14) Intimidate checks to bully them into surrendering, Bluff checks to trick them into giving up, Diplomacy checks to convince them they will not be hurt if they surrender, History to make the argument that Ludwig is the rightful lord of these lands, Stealth checks to sneak into the castle, Athletics checks to scale the walls.
Secondary skills - (DC 19) Endurance checks to keep watch while blockading them, keeping supplies from getting in or out, Nature to notice the spring feeding water to the keep, and to block or taint it, Stealth and then Acrobatics to squeeze in through the grate that lets the spring water in.
Success - The castle's defenders surrender to Ludwig's army and if they succeeded at at least one Diplomacy check, the Lord swears fealty to Ludwig. Otherwise they merely surrender and the party faces a dilemma - what do they do with the captured troops? The sword of war suggests conscription or execution.
Failure - The defenders refuse to surrender: to take the castle they must defeat the well-fortified 20 troops defending the place (see encounter below). If they do not take Minwood and Oltorf there is a counter attack from these troops during the siege of Aguies detailed below.
Development - given the opportunity, the Sword of War will make it's bearer attack the keep.

Encounter - Level 7 - XP 1400 -

If the players do not convince the defenders to surrender, they must defeat the well-fortified troops defending the keep. While the player's troops help fight the rest of the forces off-screen (or are repelled by archers if sent in alone), the players make the main assault on the keep and fight:

Creatures
- Knight - xp 250
- pikeman - xp 250
- 3 x human guards (see MM) - xp 150 ea
- 6 x human lackeys (see MM) - xp 75 ea
Treasure - small money parcel as the keep and town are looted. Simple skill challenge to keep the looting from turning into pandemonium as their troops grab everything not bolted down, including livestock, furniture, erc. - the Sword of War tries to encourage the looting. Failure - flush with their loot, four of the player's troops desert in the night.

Development - If they do not take Minwood and Oltorf there is a counter attack from these troops during the siege of Aguies (to be detailed later).

War Spear

2009-05-11T10:21:00.000-07:00

This heavy reinforced spear is made to pierce heavy armor of battlefield troops, or the iron skin hide of the toughest beasts.

Superior Weapon
+3 proficiency bonus
1d8 damage
versatile, brutal 1

Death Knight Paragon Path

2009-04-30T13:38:00.000-07:00

We came up with the following Paragon Path for one of the PC's that will be available at the game we're running at GenCon this year: For Love of Evil. In that game, the players will be playing evil 30th level characters trying to free the evil god chained in the depths of the abyss.

One of those characters is Kard Bad-Dorum, an orcish paladin who has become a death knight.

Path Features

11th Level: Become Undead
Giving yourself over wholly to evil, your life ends in a vile ritual and your rise - immortal!
Your type changes to Undead. Gain Resist 15 necrotic, Immune to disease & poison, Vulnerable 10 radiant.
11th level: Terrifying Onslaught
When you spend an action point to attack, adjacent enemies take -2 to AC until the end of your next turn.
16th level: Undeath Mastery
Your attacks ignore the resistances of undead creatures (but not immunities).

Powers

Control Undead - Death Knight Attack 11
Encounter - Divine, Soul Weapon
Standard Action - Close Burst 5
Target: One undead creature within the burst.
Attack: Cha vs. Will
Hit: 2(w) + Charisma modifier psychic damage, and as a free action, the target charges your enemy nearest to it that it can charge and makes a melee basic attack.
Unholy Healing - Death Knight Utility 12
Daily - Divine, Implement
Minor Action - Personal
Gain Regeneration 5 until the end of the encounter. You do not regain hit points each round if you took radiant damage since your last turn.
Unholy Flames - Death Knight Attack 20
Diving, Fire, Necrotic
Daily - Close Burst 2
Attack: Constitution vs. Reflex
Hit: 6d8 + Constitution modifier necrotic and fire damage to non-undead targets and you deal an additional 2d6 fire damage with melee attacks until the end of your next turn.

Unicorn Rampant Heading to GenCon

2009-04-24T08:25:00.000-07:00

Just a quick note to let everyone know we'll be there in Indy from the 12th-16th of August. Looking forward to 4 days of non-stop gaming.

We'll post which games we expect to attend once we register for them.

See you there!

PS - One of the games we'll be DM'ing at GenCon is "For Love of Evil", an adventure for evil 30th level characters. Find out more here.

Shan'n'nur Buckler

2009-04-22T08:23:00.000-07:00

Also known as witchwarden shields, these small shields are made of the finest metals and engraved with the arcane symbols of Shan'n'nur warding. These bucklers grants the Inquisitors protection from the powers of the mages they hunt. They also leave the hand free to perform the arcane gestures needed to cast spells.

When the Shan'n'nur assemble to confront a rogue spellcaster, they do so en mass. They are a unnerving sight, dressed lightly beneath their long cloaks, wearing ceremonial masks, bucklers on their arms, and wand or sword in their hands. Seeing them, none can doubt that their prey are doomed.

Witchwarden Shield - Level 9
This small, rune-covered shield amazingly turns aside the torrents of wizard's fire.
Level 9 - 4,200 gold.
Type: light shield
Item Slot: Arms
Power (Daily, Immediate Interrupt) - when you would be hit by an arcane effect, you can raise your defense against the attacking power by 4.

Runes - Wizard Implement

2009-04-21T10:00:00.000-07:00

Inscribed upon precious stones, dragon scales, specially made tiles or bones, these characters of power are collected and prized by wizardly folk, who use them to improve their spells.

Runes are a new type of secondary arcane implement. Characters can use runes to alter the effects of arcane spells they cast. There are specific runes arcane casters can acquire that add small bonuses to their spells.

They operate somewhat like stances, in that the character has a selection of available runes they have collected, and as a minor action they can draw and invoke a new rune each turn, which stays active while held until they draw and invoke another rune, or until the end of the encounter.

Runes are an "off-hand" implement, in that they can be used in one hand and their bonuses add to whatever other implement the arcane caster is wielding.

A player might start out with one rune and then gain more in their adventures.

Presented here are Heroic tier runes. Paragon tier runes bonuses are one higher than Heroic tier runes, and Epic tier runes are another one higher than Paragon tier runes.

Runes
Secondary Arcane Implement - can be used in the off-hand and the effect is in addition to the primary arcane implement.
Invoke (Minor Action) - draw and invoke a rune as a minor action to activate its effects. Only one rune can be active at a time. The rune's effect remains while held. The effect ends when another rune is invoked, the encounter ends, or the caster ends the effect.
Effect - bonus as listed below to any arcane power used while the rune is active.

Heroic Tier Runes
Eye - add +1 to perception and insight skill checks - level 2, 520 gold.
Mouth - add +1 to charisma-based skill checks - level 2, 520 gold.
Fire - add +1 to fire damage - level 3, 680 gold.
Frost - add +1 to frost damage - level 3, 680 gold.
Lightning - add +1 to electricity damage - level 3, 680 gold.
Thunder - add +1 to thunder damage - level 3, 680 gold.
Sun - add +1 to radiant damage - level 3, 680 gold.
Water - add +1 to acid damage - level 3, 680 gold.
Dream - add +1 to psychic damage - level 3, 680 gold.
Night - add +1 to necrotic damage - level 3, 680 gold.
Hand - add +1 to any one defense (chosen when invoking the rune) - level 5, 1,000 gold.
Foot - +1 to movement speed while wearing light or no armor - level 9, 4,200 gold

Paragon Tier Runes
Water - add +1 to distance of a power's push, pull or slide - level 15, 25,000 gold.

Summon Elemental

2009-04-17T13:44:00.000-07:00

Summon Elemental - Wizard Attack level 9
You call upon an ancient pact between your order of wizards and a tribe of primordials. An elemental appears, summoned from the Elemental Chaos, and it attacks your foes.

Daily - Arcane, Conjuration
Minor Action Ranged 5
Effect: You conjure either a fire, water, air or earth elemental. This elemental has your defenses and has hit points equal to your bloodied value.
Earth elementals have a move of 4, earth glide 4, and +3 to AC and Fort.
Air elementals have a move of fly 8.
Water elementals have a move of 4, swim 8.
Fire elementals have a move of 7.
As a standard action you can cause the elemental can make the following attack:
Attack (At-Will, Standard Action, Melee 1): Int vs. AC (earth), Reflex (fire, air) or Fort (water)
Hit: 2d6 + Intelligence Modifier fire (fire elemental), cold (water elemental), lightning (air elemental) or untyped damage (earth elemental).

Effect: Until the end of the encounter when the elemental disappears, as a standard action you can direct the elemental to attack. As a minor action you can direct the elemental to move using its move speed. As a minor action you can dismiss the elemental.

Ale Break: Debunking the Role-playing vs. Roll-playing dichotomy

2009-04-15T01:00:00.000-07:00

I would like to take a moment to debunk the often-touted Role-playing vs. Roll-playing argument.

Let me start by saying that there are many things about RPGs that are enjoyable. There's getting together with your friends and having social time, joking around, catching up. In most RPGs there's also a significant tactical or combat game aspect to them - RPGs without a heavy focus on combat in the rules are the rare exception. Then there's what many consider the holy grail of RPGs - the actual role-playing.

In my decades running and playing role-playing games, I have seen players that are good and bad at both. Sure, I've seen the powergamer who can't come up with a name for his character. I've seen the roleplayer who lives for a well-developed, consistently played character - rarely. I've even been in a few games where I made characters purely for their flavor, ignoring what would make them effective within the rules, and not been able to get into character properly - I've been bad at both role and roll at the same time.

I've seen players that complain about the lack of role-playing in games completely fail to do any role-playing when presented with attempts to engage them directly.

And I've seen the player that is not much of a role-player and who's characters are very effective within the rules turn into quite a role-player over time.

Some players are easy to engage, others not so easy.

It's a given that in any game there will be people who are better, or more interested than others, in making characters that are powerful. Even in game systems like Amber, where there are almost no game mechanics, someone who is good at it can dominate the other players in overcoming the challenges presented. But that's going to be the nature in any game: humans are very clever monkeys and will always be looking for better ways to succeed at what they do.

I think that setting expectations in games, both as a player and a DM, is much more important in determining how much role-playing is seen at the table than how good someone is at making characters that are very effective within the rules.

I had an interesting experience the other day. I wasn't feeling up to DMing on Sunday, so Dan graciously ran a pre-written adventure on the fly. I made a 4e version of one of my reoccurring characters, Kylissa Flamebraid - a female dwarven sorcerer, who's kind of a teenage runaway, rebelling against her father, with a magic powers she inherited from her maternal grandmother (usually skips a generation in dwarves). I have a small stock of characters I've worked out the backgrounds of because it takes me a while to come up with new ideas, and Kylissa is one of them.

Because it was a pre-written adventure that Dan was running on short notice, we were mostly sticking to the canned text and not doing a lot of role-playing. But a number of times during the adventure I found that if I stuck to talking in character, espically when talking to the other players about events in the adventure, they tended to respond in kind.

I'm going to try to find a way to gently encourage everyone in future games to stay in character. Roleplaying cam be a very contagious type of fun, and the more I have in my games the better I like it.

So, to those who are endlessly complaining about those who come only to "roll-play" my question is what are you doing, as a player or as a gamemaster, to draw those players into their roles, or to help them develop them?