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Back in February, I backed several Kickstarters.

They have begun to arrive, and I just want to share how awesome they are and how excited I am to make use of them!

Gig Economy by Colin Sproule

As the title and picture imply, Gig Economy is a book of retainers.  Products like this have been seen before, in the heyday of TSR with Rogue's Gallery and The Shady Dragon Inn, and elsewhere.  Aside from ruleset, Gig Economy's main difference lies in ease of use, through a nifty d20 mechanic, names, and short personalities.  

I've already made use of it in our most recent DnD session, and the players seemed to enjoy the NPCs.

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Through the Valley of the Manticore by Jacob Fleming, founder of Gelatinous Cubism Press

Though I missed his earlier kickstarter for the adventure In the Shadow of Tower Silveraxe, a print copy of it was an add-on I gladly added on.  While I have not yet gotten to use these (literally arriving yesterday), Jacob's reputation speaks for him, so I am confident it will be awesome.  If nothing else, they're an excellent model of what a published adventure should aspire to, format-wise.  

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Yes, this image is from the Bundle sale at Drivethrurpg.

Lastly is a trio of books by Courtney Campbell of the blog Hack & Slash.  I've been reading his blog for almost ten years, and have wanted to get print versions of these three compilations for some time.  As they were on sale at Drivethrurpg, I decided that the time is now, and am glad I did.  These also arrived yesterday, so all I have done is flip through them, but wow, fun and useful stuff, with the BECMI book being most immediately useful to me.  I took advantage of the bundle pricing and now have three fine hardbacks to add to my gaming shelf.

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I backed a few other kickstarters that are in various stages of readiness.  When they arrive, I will sing their praises, too.

Ironguard Summer 2022: Session 2

In attendance - Elren the Woodelf Druid 5 and Yelrah the HalfOrc Barbarian 5, backed by a half-dozen meatshields outlined HERE.

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Our game picks up where it left off last time - with the PCs hunting missing hunters.

Tracking the goblins to their lair, our heroes found themselves overlooking a valley full of goblins, as well as 5 humans tied to stakes near a large fire and a larger tent.  Elren summoned a pair of giant vultures to distract the goblins while Yelrah led a daring raid (himself, the Dwarf, and several people-at-arms) into the camp to free the captives.  

Cries of 'Bree-Yark' in all its variations filled the air as the vultures successfully distracted goblins.

As the minions were freeing the prisoners, a goblin stepped out of the central tent, laughed and growled 'another soul to power my ascension!' as its flesh rippled and it grew and grew into a 7-8 foot hairy goblin thing - definitely the source of the unknown scent!

Yelrah was unphased and uttered, 'eat this' then rolled initiative.  Winning by a large amount, Yelrah rolled first with advantage (raging) and connected critically.  Cascading damage dice houserule kicked in and the end state was a very dead goblin-thing (71 damage total between two hits).  With his first blow, Yelrah kneecapped the fiend, and as it fell forward, he pulped its skull.  The fiend collapsed onto the ground and immediately began smoking and bubbling, a sulfur stench filling the air until - within seconds - all that was left was a body-shaped outline of scorched earth.  

As the fiend melted away, the sounds of 'bree-Yark' grew closer as two groups of goblins rounded the large tent - a trio to the south and a trio to the north.  Boltag let fly a crossbow bolt at the south group, missing utterly, while Elren sent his vultures directly into combat - one missing as a Goblin ducked, and the other goblin getting its head crushed in a mighty beak, cutting off its words in mid-Bree.

Galrik the Dwarf charged the north trio and the vultures, while Yelrah walked towards the south trio.  Elren cast Thorn Whip, missing at first, but then catching the rhythm of it, sheared off a goblin's head.

The northern goblins knocked Galrik down and bleeding (maybe that is why he hates Goblins - he loses fights to them?), while the southern Goblns fell steadily to Yelrah's mighty blade.  Cries of 'Bree-Yark' filled the air as both trios were quickly dispatched and the remaining goblins failed their morale roll and bolted into the surrounding forest.

A healing word later had Galrik on his feet, pondering his sliced mail and rethinking his distrust of the elf.  His ponderings were cut short as Yelrah called him over and the two entered the central tent.  Inside was a sleeping area made of several furs, three amphorae filled with wine, and a large chest (two-person lift size and weight).  A quick search of the tent turned up a key to the otherwise simple lock.  Yelrah opened first the lock and then the chest, dodging most - but not all - of the spring-loaded darts that flew out of it.  Plucking the darts (3 damage between the two of them, blah) from himself, Yelrah's eyes focused on the coins glittering in the light - gold and silver all loose and jumbled deep together.  

Plunging his arms into the coins, he felt around for anything that might be hidden, finding a bottle or vial, and then the stem of a goblet.  Leaving both covered in coins, he closed the lid and then he and Galrik carried it to the others while Elren and Boltag stood in overwatch, and the others bound the wounds of the rescued humans.

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Three of the prisoners wore hunting leathers in brown and green, while the other two wore tattered robes of black and purple and yellow.  Yelrah recognized the robes, but wasn't sure exactly from where - despite their similarity to the ones worn by the chaos priests from his last adventure.

Interrogating the rescued prisoners, our heroes learned that their names were (courtesy of Gig Economy - it arrived!): the pair in leathers that are the missing hunters are Tambo the Steady and Corso the Lovely (with a lascivious smile - but no teeth!), while the third in leathers being named Eiron of the Swamp - and he smells like one.  Meanwhile, the two in robes are Toly Springall (who speaks only in cliches - this was fun to roleplay) and Craigie Pollock who smells of onions and garlic, but is quite interested in Yelrah's muscles. 

The robed individuals, Craigie, actually, provided useful information to the team - the shapeshifting goblin was a fiend from the lower planes called a Barghest. He didn't reveal much beyond that except that he and Toly were ambushed while on a pilgrimage.

A barghest.

When asked how Eibon came to be captured, he said goblins ambushed him and his friends, and his friends ran. After the q&a session, the hunters were asked if they knew an alternate route back to the keep, and all three acknowledged that they did.  Tambo and Corso's route was chosen over Eibon's, who just shrugged and went along with the group.  

This left the chest as the next order of business.

Yelrah opened it, with Elren watching over his shoulder.  As coins were sorted out, Elren noticed that some of the silver pieces were actually platinum, and he claimed those (12 pp).  Yelrah claimed the gold coins (100gp), and the two left the remaining coinage (1000sp and 1000cp) to be divided up among the others as the others saw fit.  This left the potion and the goblet.  

Examining the liquid in the bottle revealed it to be viscous and Yelrah said he was looking forward to drinking it in an emergency.  It's label read 'the key to the labyrinth of mazzamaxx.'  As for the goblet, it looked like this:

Maybe Yelrah will drink the potion from this goblet?

Coins in pockets, the freed prisoners commented that they were unarmed, their belongings taken by the goblins.  Heading back into the camp, they quickly picked up dropped goblin weapons - not the best, but better than nothing.  A wandering monster roll reminded all that they had dallied long enough - perhaps far too long.

Note that while the prisoners were gathering weapons, Yelrah handed Elren the wooden ring he had found.  Elren donned it and felt a tingle - as in 'spidey sense is tingling' tingle.

We ended with the group ready to head back to Ironguard Keep.

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All told, it was a fun session, with lots of laughs.  Initiative and cascading dice rolls made the fight with the Barghest not nearly what I was hoping for, but still lots of fun.  All those 6s that Yelrah rolled for damage!

The potion is a bottled memory, though the players don't know that yet.  As for the goblet, that is the Goblet of Apsethus.  Because when you have few players, you need NPCs to travel with them.

I haven't decided on what exactly the ring does, yet, but I do have some ideas.

A Sword Called Honor

Honor.

Honor's sentience is provided by the essence of a Marut.  As such, Honor has rather strict definitions of what is, and more importantly, what isn't, honorable behavior. Wielders that are honorable by its definition gain all sorts of benefits, while those that act in a dishonorable fashion suffer penalties.

Presume the LEGO person is 6 feet (about 2 meters) tall.

Its hilt is wrapped with unicorn-leather and the weapon itself is forged from a magical alloy of moonsilver, cold iron, orichalcum, mithril, heartwood, onyx, and steel, Honor can slice through all material-based resistances, presuming it connects, of course.  To assist in this endeavor, honorable wielders using Honor as their weapon gain Advantage on attacks.

In addition to Advantage on attacks, critical hits trigger a Thunderwave spell upon the target.

Honor also provides access to several abilities stemming from its Marut essence: Air Walk, Dimension Door, Locate Creature, True Seeing, and Plane Shift.  While the sword's wielder can activate these abilities, Honor will also use them in pursuit of the 'honorable' solution, or to prevent a dishonorable situation.

Below are some ideas regarding Honor's thinking.

Examples of what Honor considers honorable behavior:

• accepting a challenge to a one-on-one duel
• issuing a challenge for a one-on-one duel
• sacrificing self for others, typically via combat
• announcing oneself before attacking
• making a promise, vow, or taking an oath
• keeping a promise, vow, or oath
• accepting the surrender of enemies

Examples of what Honor considers dishonorable behavior:

• surrendering to save one's own life
• not accepting a challenge to a one-on-one duel
• murdering prisoners that had surrendered
• murdering beings that cannot defend themselves
• putting self before others
• not attempting to rescue comrades-in-arms during a battle
• retreating from a fight once started (but not avoiding a fight entirely)
• attacking from behind or from ambush
• the use of poison
• breaking a promise or vow or oath
• breaking any personal taboos (Honor knows)
• using any of Honor's abilities to leave a fight - major infraction
• using any of Honor's abilities to 'cheat' a fight - major infraction

Honor is capable of speech, but doesn't speak much.  When it does speak, it is either to answer a direct question asked of it, to warn the wielder of a potential dishonorable act, or to issue a challenge to something mighty in order to give its wielder a chance to redeem their honor.  This challenge is always in a language the mighty thing can understand - and so can the wielder.  

It always speaks in a loud, clear, emotionless voice.  Its challenges are more booming than just plain loud.

For minor infractions of dishonor, Honor's wielder attacks at Disadvantage.  For larger infractions, Honor will challenge creatures or beings to single combat, and that entire fight the wielder is at Disadvantage.  Honor may instead demand some form of service from the wielder to redeem itself.  Once redeemed in Honor's eyes, attacks are at Advantage and powers become available again.

In extreme circumstances, Honor will attempt to dominate a dishonorable wielder in order to have them go somewhere private and commit seppuku. At this point, the wielder is dead and their honor redeemed.

As such, this is how Honor is normally discovered - in the belly of a kneeling corpse or skeleton in some out of the way location. 

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DM Notes: Honor as a whole is a slippery concept that walks a fine line between vainglory and pride.  

For inspiration, look at real world honor-bound cultures for ideas.  

Alternatively (or additionally), there are tables in the 1e Oriental Adventures, the CMG supplement, the 3.5 SRD ruleset, Pendragon (any edition), Hackmaster, and other systems and games.  Just be sure to let the PLAYERS know what the sentient blade finds honorable and dishonorable... if they think to ask it.  If not, trial by error is a method.  

Ironguard Summer 2022: Notes

The first session ended with a small mystery, both for the players and myself.  Namely, what exactly is the 'other thing' that the Druid-in-wolf-form smelled.

I've decided what it is.  This lets me decide where its going and what its up to.

That said, given that this is the B5 portion of my B2-B5 mashup, readers might guess where it's headed (no, not to the Dungeon of Signs, although I may have adopted some of the suggestions to make these adventures better).

Jim Roslof.  Cover Art B5 Horror on the Hill.  B5 is criminally underrated.

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Here are some details on the meatshields I rolled up using Meatshields (a great resource); each random person has the chance for Equipment, Background, Possessions and Knowledge, and Notable Features.  Sometimes these extras are blank, other times they are incredibly useful.  

Mordox the man-at-arms: Hand Axe, Dagger, Leather & Shield  Town Liar

Bron the man-at-arms: Hand Axe, Dagger, Leather & Shield   Tanner; Small book with pressed flowers

Galrik the Dwarf: Warhammer, Chainmail & Shield  Vendetta: Kill All Goblins! Pouch of jerked beef; Hates wizards

Halla the woman-at-arms: Hand Axe, Dagger, Leather & Shield Failed Tradeswoman

Boltag the man-at-arms: Light Crossbow, Dagger Leather Aspires to Godhood  Chain (10')

Norwyn the Torch-Bearer: Dagger   Escaped convict; Can outrun a bear

Some of the extra information is fun and lends itself to play, both in session and my planning for later sessions.  Give Meatshields a try, but maybe before session, so you can use better names.

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In other news, I found a third player, one of the Ohio gang.  We had a class on Discord use and I should get his PC via email this week.  He's only free on weekends, though.

We meet Wednesday evening, so there should be another session log later this week.

 

Ironguard Summer 2022: Session 1

We begin again, with H reprising his role as Yelrah the Half-Orc Barbarian, K coming in (due to lost character sheet) as Elren Dogwood, Wood Elf Druid, and maybe B as a rogue of sorts.  If scheduling allows.  As such, we are recruiting, and hopefully I can get a friend or two from Ohio to join us.

The joys of Discord-gaming.  

Oh, after the last big score, Yelrah is level 5, as is Elren.  That said, if any established PCs die in the game, they'll come back at level 1.  Otherwise, normal houserules apply.

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Elren arrived at Ironguard Keep with the monthly supply caravan.  Yelrah's money was just about gone, so he was keen to find new adventuring companions to help him fill his purse.  After all, in the last 18 months, Albrecht, Svetlo, Klayton, and Kirsten had all departed Ironguard, with Morgan Ironwolf and Ulster joining them.  Ori was still at Ironguard Keep, but mostly kept to the other Dwarves (Nori, Dori, and Snorri) because it is unseemly for Dwarves to drink with Half-Orcs.

So it was that Elren Dogwood and Yelrah the Barbarian and forged a partnership. The ever-helpful halfling proprietor of the Lion's Den, Jacob Marleybone, provided an opportunity to earn some gold and assist the Keep.  Specifically, some hunters had gone missing, and needed to be found.

Yelrah knew the local wilderness was dangerous, so the two of them hired some local toughs (courtesy of Meatshields): a Dwarf named Galrik, and several humans named Mordox, Bron, Halla, Boltag, and Norwyn.  The deal was struck for the princely rate of 2gp per person per day AND a share of treasure recovered. 

Now at eight people, the stalwart adventurers headed east in search of the missing hunters.  To get across the river, though, they needed to pass through the ruins of Kingsbridge.  Once there, they passed several lifelike statues, to include one of a mounted knight charging.  They could hear hammering that grew louder and louder, eventually ending near a former tavern and fountain.  

Sitting by the fountain were a pair of wooden puppet children, the source of the hammering was an older gentleman, hammering giant ratskins up on a wall.  Discussion revealed that this was Gepetto and that he remembered Yelrah.  More importantly, he remembered seeing the hunters, as they had left a gift for Gepetto's wife - a small gem.

Yelrah asked about leaving gifts for the wife, mostly why.  Gepetto shrugged his shoulders and said, 'for luck, I guess.'  Then he whispered, 'what she really likes is tobacco, though, especially Longbottom Leaf.'   Missing the hint, our adventurers moved along, but not before noticing the shades in tavern window moving, as if someone had been watching and suddenly dropped them.

Once past Kingsbridge, they ran afoul of Sprites, who tripped Elren, made Yelrah cuss, and then tied the shoelaces of the hirelings together, resulting in a cussing jumbled pile of people.  To drive them off, Elren summoned up several hawks to harry the sprites; harrier hawks, no doubt.  This strategy worked, and the band continued up the old road.

A northern harrier hawk in flight; another pet I am not allowed to have.

The travelers made good time before stopping to camp at nightfall.  When Klayton left, he took the rug-cabin with him, so the group pitched a proper camp.  Into the ruddy glow of the fire light stepped an old woman with a basket of apples.  Being a kindly old woman, she offered everyone a shiny red apple.  Failing to pass saving throws, everyone in the party ate the best apples they've ever had - juicy, crunchy, sweet, and the texture.  Excellence!  She thanked them for their time and promised to see them again.

She stepped out of the forest of Snow White and into the adventurer's firelight.

The rest of the night was uneventful.  After breakfast, the group continued their travels, eventually coming across a Giant Owl, who grudgingly helped the 'servants of the hag' as he addressed them.  From the Owl (dubbed 'Weird Owl' in the chat), they learned that it had seen the hunters a few days prior, then pointed to the east and flew off, buzzing the party as it left.  At this point, Galrik the Dwarf snapped about 'creepy old people, wooden children, and talking animals.'  Yelrah calmed him by saying, 'oh, you ain't seen nothing yet.  Just wait.'

Dusk was falling when the band arrived at the caravanserai.  I described it like this:

From Dungeon #18, the adventure Chadranthar's Bane

They explored briefly and found it overgrown, but also evidence of irregular use. Inside the main room, they found a half-dozen bedrolls laid out, and food on the table, but no hunters.  Searching for the hunters in the dark was discussed and discarded as the party opted to camp in the shelter.  Dice rolls favored them and they slept soundly through the night.

Come morning, Elren shapeshifted into a dire wolf in front of the hired help.  This freaked the hired help out, particularly Galrik (who HATES wizards, according to Meatshields).  Again, Yelrah talked him down, with some help from Elren the talking dire wolf.  Trouble averted, Elren sniffed out the trail of the hunters, eventually finding a clearing that reeked of death and hunters and goblins and ... something else.

At this point, they split into two groups: Elren with Galrik and Norwyn (who can outrun a bear according to Meatshields), and Yelrah with the rest.  Yelrah questioned the logic of Elren pairing with a Dwarf that wants him dead, and it was decided that it was either a demonstration of trust or that one of the pair would be too dead to care.  

Yelrah's group entered the clearing first, while Elren and friends flanked around.  Within the clearing were four dead hunters and about a dozen dead goblins.  Purses and throats had been professionally cut, even on those with otherwise fatal wounds.  Despite this, an overlooked ring was discovered by Yelrah - a fine ring made of polished wood, with tiny leaves carved into it.  He pocketed it.

Elren and friends entered the clearing and Galrik started crushing dead Goblin skulls with his warhammer.  When Elren tried to calm him, Galrik looked up, obviously crazed.  Elren then lifted a leg and pissed on a dead Goblin, which make Galrik laugh aloud and scarily before going back to skullcrushing.  As the chat pointed out, 'through piss and bone, friendship is grown.'  

Doing some basic math, Yelrah realized two hunters were missing.  Investigation led to the discovery of a path headed northwest, complete with broken branches, heavy footprints, and blood spatter.

We called the session due to bed time.

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Yup.  A hag versus two 5th level PCs and a half-dozen level 1 retainers.  The players knew she was trouble the instant she appeared, and that is okay.  I'm looking forward to her reappearing down the road.  I think her name might be Granny Smith, because apples (and a Green hag).  

I haven't decided what the 'something else' is yet, but have a week to determine it.  

It might be an Eyeblight - something I found on the Wandering Monster table I have written, with this description: ugly as sin. Viewing it sickens mortals like a trog’s stench.  Otherwise, use Fomorian from MM136.

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The game is still online via Discord, but I relocated within my house, so cannot easily get to the wine.  This is good for several reasons, especially as I drink wine by the tumbler-full and tend to keep going until the box or bottle is empty.  So it was a dry game for me, and I am thankful for it.

If nothing else, it makes it so much easier to write up the post-game log.

Food for Thought

A guilty pleasure of mine is watching Corporal's Corner videos, addressing different camping/bushcrafting things.  Camping is a dream of mine, meeting my vague ideas of manliness, while also being a hobby I can truthfully say I lack time to pursue - Alabama weather encourages this.

Basically, these videos provide me an excuse for me to get cool outdoorsy stuff for my kids to inherit in 30+ years.  I know they'll thank me then.

These videos led to Townsends, a channel dedicated to the 18th century lifestyle, including recipes.  From there, I found Tasting History, particularly these episodes about mead and historical butterbeer.  This could make for an entertaining way to teach history - people remember food.

Given how many games are either pseudo-historical settings or actual historical settings, these are ideal videos, if only to set the mood.

I bring all this up because there are many folks who not only feed their gaming groups, but go out of their way to make thematically appropriate food - there is even an official DnD cookbook (and an unofficial book of DnD-themed drink recipes)!

So if you cook for your group, try some of these recipes.

Duergar Rations. Image from this lovely thread on Tumblr.  Note it details what this food actually is.

Inspirational Art

 Angus McBride is a noted artist in the realm of military history and fantasy.  His work is distinctive and its capturing of activities is what draws me in.  At some point a hardback collection of several pieces was printed, and immediately hit the realm of $60-$80+ on the collectible market.  

So I have gone without - until I checked it on a whim at Amazon, and found one for $20 and shipping.  I bought it without hesitation.

Now that it has arrived and I've gotten to flip through it, I am pleased.  This book is muchly reprints from the various military history books from Osprey Publishing, themselves a great series to own for the military historian, or just for the Game Master looking for art to explain something in game.

Speaking of games, there are two other collections of McBride's work.  The first is Legendary Beasts, illustrations from a magazine of yesteryear.  The second is all of the Tolkeinish artwork for I.C.E. MERP game (MERP deeper dive). 

Spend some time checking out the art and letting it carry your imagination away.  

It is well worth it.

Monday MtG: Jenara, Asura of War

It proved a productive weekend for me, MtG-wise.  I did zero yard chores and minimal house chores, but I got in some deck maintenance (especially with my Torbran deck), some collection maintenance, properly sorted my to-buy list by color, broke down some decks, and built a new one from the remnants.

Jenara, Asura of War.  I had her built several years ago, and am happy to build her again, with a plan this time of using her mostly in duels, with lots of low-cmc answers and a few key cards.  Best of all is that the entire deck was built from my EDH boxes.  Yes, there are cards I can buy to improve the deck, but they aren't necessary.

Decklist (currently incomplete).

Not needing to buy cards feels good; after all, this is why I took the EDH box route so long ago - to build new decks without needing to purchase more cards. 

That said, several of the cards I am eyeing are no doubt found in the New Capenna Commander deck that reprinted Jenara: Bedecked Brokers (link goes to all five New Capenna decklists, with this one last).  There was a time when I would buy Commander decks for parts, but they cost too much for my wallet now, and are reportedly increasing in price.

Regardless, among the cards I found that seemed most thematically useful was this: Stealth Mission.

Stealth Mission plays too nicely with all the other +1/+1 counter stuff that Green provides to not run, as well as enabling that sweet Commander-damage kill.  In theory, at least, that is the whole point of this deck - winning via Commander damage.

Yes, the usual suspects to make a Commander unblockable are also in the deck: Whispersilk Cloak, Shadow Rift, Rogue's Passage, Aqueous Form, and even Herald of Secret Streams. Spirit Mantle is absent because I cannot find it among my cards; I'll do another dedicated search tonight, but failing that will need to add it to the to-buy list.  

Which I'll do in irritation, because it is one of my cards I should have kept during the last purge, but might not have, because rather than go through the last box, I said 'screw it' and let it go unsearched.  It seems many Black cards and a mix of other goodies were in there.  Xin loi.

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Production costs and the high rate of new releases is pricing Magic out of casual gaming range, which is a shame, because it IS a fun game to play.  Maybe the 6th edition of DnD will force both franchises to work together, rather than merely reference one another.  After all, Hasbro owns both properties and it makes solid business sense. 

Elves, Dragons, and a Long-Term Contest

In most DnD worlds, both Dragons and Elves are nigh-immortal, living until killed by something that isn't old age.  This means these species can watch entire lesser (like Human) empires rise and fall, and potentially entire continents before succumbing to terminal ennui.  Many times, these nigh-immortals adopt a human or human family as pampered pets.  Other times, they treat humans and their families as research projects.

Marvel's The Watcher (his name is Uatu), has watched the rise of life on Earth for millennia.

By research projects, I mean human-breeding.  After all, Humans breed dogs and other animals for specific traits, so Elves and Dragons breed Humans for specific traits. Chosen One's have to be chosen for some reason, after all.  

Humans are ideal for this type of breeding, because like animals, much of what makes a human a human is pure genetics, passed down from grandparents to parents to children over generations.  Plus, humans have the potential to live for nearly a century, so the generations can mix and learn.  All of this is in contrast to the other races, which are either too short-lived (orcs), too inconsequential (halflings), or too hard to control for (dwarves and gnomes, among others - new Dwarves are carved from living stone and new Gnomes are found among the litters of giant burrowing animals and within geodes).

Wikipedia defines a generation as "the average period, generally considered to be about 20-30 years, during which children are born and grow up, become adults, and begin to have children."  DnD-land is a violent world, so we'll go with 20 years for this thought experiment.   A full century is 5 generations, and five centuries is 25 generations.  That is a long time to plan and breed for a specific person.  

Now it isn't just subtle manipulations of arranged marriages and such, but also life events to shape the person, to include wars and raids and magic and all sorts of things.  After all, a person cannot come from a long line of heroes unless their ancestors get to be heroic.   

So the significant events of human history: wars, natural disasters, advances, collapses, and personal losses may have been orchestrated by these beings.  All to stave off boredom.

Fucking elves, man.  They are terrible beings; at least Dragons are honest in their greed and power-lust.

Manipulative elves.  Bill Willingham, from AD&D D1-2 Descent into the Depths of the Earth, 1978? Note they've slain or captured some Avengers.  

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Which is where the PCs come in.  Presume a game where all PCs are human, but each of them is the end result of a 500 (or older) year contest among a mixed group of such nigh-immortals: Elves, Dragons, Fiends, Celestials, whatever else lives that long (maybe even stronger undead like vampires or liches).  The PCs are gathered to unknowingly determine who wins the contest.

What this gathering of "Chosen Ones" is expected to do is up to individual DMs/GMs, but no doubt it is of grave import if the endstate is to decide to the results of a contest.  

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This idea is not entirely my own, being influenced/inspired by Heinlein's Howard Families, Battletech's Clans, Star Trek's Dr. Bashir, and Urza's Bloodline Project, from Magic the Gathering lore.  Even Star Wars Clones count as genetic engineering.  

I won't discuss real world history and attempts at genetic manipulation via breeding and genocide.

Thieves' Guilds of Skara Brae

A recent article at DnD Speaks provides a guide to crafting a thieves' guild.  Skim-reading it left me inspired to follow along here.

Because I cannot leave well enough alone, I'll be dipping into the Complete Thief's Handbook (chapter 4), both Thief's Challenge adventures, Den of Thieves, Ghosts of Saltmarsh, several d100 lists from DnD Colour (fences, the watch, maybe the city stuff), and Dragon issues: 54, 66 (thieves cant), 115 (several great articles for thieves and guilds), 160 (sample guild), 240 (sample guild), and 301 (sample guild).  I would love to use Thieves' Guild from Different Worlds Publications, but I don't own it; even my voyages on the high seas have proven fruitless in my search.

A classic, fitting, piece from the AD&D DMG, 1979, by Darlene

As my homebrew city of Skara Brae is in a constant state of development and flux (and has been for at least a decade of sporadic additions), this is a fine excuse to add some of the shadier organizations to the city.

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Anyhow, back to the DnD Speaks guide.

1. Choose a name.  A helpful d10 table is provided, and the dice declare the Shifting Hands and the Casket Crew.  Yes, I rolled up two, and from the names alone, the Shifting Hands sound like straight up thieves, while the Casket Crew is unafraid of killing folks to take their stuff.  In the end, Skara Brae will feature several small thieves guilds and gangs.

2. Entrance to the guild.  Another d10 table (item 2 gives of Skyrim vibes).  The Shifting Hands hide out below an abandoned warehouse, while the Casket Crew lair in the catacombs below a burned-out temple (burnt out due to the Casket Crew?). So now I am thinking the Shifting Hands are smugglers and the Casket Crew might have undead or cult-like habits.

3. Guild Services.  No d10 table, just a list of 10 services that might be provided by guild members.  Reading through them, I don't know that each guild would have them all (except the last one -rumors). To be honest, I don't know that any single guild WOULD have them all.  That said, several guilds might 'know a guy' in the city who is the go-to for forgeries, poisons, and such.

4. Guild Quests.  A d20 table of possible requests a Guild might demand of its members, specifically the PC and the PC's friends.  Most of the 20 look as if they could be accomplished through a mix of stealth and talk, with only the threat of violence instead of actual combat.  That said 'destroying wererats in the sewers' promises lots of combat.

5. Further development.  The article closes with 5 short questions that would impact the guild(s) and in turn inform players and DM about the city they are in, notably Skara Brae.  Stuff that adventures involving the Guild would require knowledge of, if only because the players are likely to ask the DM these questions, anyhow!

That done, I look to the other books, partially for ideas, partially to answer the questions in item 5.

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There is at least one mid-level wizard in town that can cast crime-useful spells (chiefly Invisibility, Knock, and Dispel Magic, among others) and is working with the Shifting Hands.  I imagine this is due more to blackmail (a dangerous game, blackmailing wizards) than any genuine business partnership or wizardly agenda.  

The Casket Crew, on the other hand, rely chiefly on some demon-worshipping cleric(s) of brutal murder (and maybe a warlock dedicated to the same demon) for their magical might.  

Both sides end up needing a fence to move acquired wealth.  The Shifting Hands know a discrete Gnome who will gladly reduce precious metals and jewelry to base parts and recast them as trade bars. They also have a (deliberately) unquestioning shopkeeper that gladly sells whatever they bring him.  The Casket Crew, however, cannot be bothered with such niceties, so turn their ill-gotten gains over to an unscrupulous, well-guarded, moneychanger and loanshark who provides them less than value, but the Crew don't care, as long as they can buy lotus and drink.  

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Leaders dictate the nature and makeup of their organizations, and thieves guilds are little different.  I am thinking I need to determine these folks and basic motivations before going further.  I suspect that these leaders are the Task Masters that the DnD Speaks guide refers to.  From there, I need rough numbers of 'other' guild members.  Looking at the Thief's Handbook (p71), I'm thinking the Shifting Hands have 30-40 members (moving smuggled cargo takes lots of hands and fronts), while the Casket Crew is smaller, 15-20 members, using their violent methods to quickly gain and hold power.  

The Shifting Hands are led by a determined woman from a disgraced merchant family, ruined by other merchant families in Skara Brae.  While she is out for revenge against those merchants, she does have some scruples, so sticks to smuggling goods, not people.  She also has a keen sense of irony and uses her family's former warehouse as the entrance to the guild's headquarters.  

The Casket Crew is a group of bullies led by a larger, tougher bully (CE) who enjoys the spectacle and power of the demon he has dragged the Crew into worshipping.  He and the Crew were approached by a Warlock and Cleric working in tandem for the same demon.  Now the local populace and guard are terrified of them all, especially after a temple to a Good deity burned down and its clerics disappeared.  

My game world is humanocentric, so the vast majority of both guilds - like Skara Brae, itself - is human.  That said, both count a few demihumans among their numbers and contacts.  As the Shifting Hands rely on illusion and enchantment to keep smuggling, a Gnome (somehow related or known to their fence) and a half-elf (the blackmail victim) provide magical assistance.

The Casket Crew has a few half-orcs AND a half-ogre, because both are noted for their 'brute force and ignorance' approach to life.  Being on the Casket Crew only amplifies their bestial sides.  This makes the half-ogre a key member of the Crew.  Not a leader, but too dumb to realize that the other members only pretend he leads to manipulate him.  Another key member of the Casket Crew is the younger brother of the leader.  This scoundrel is smarter, wiser, more charismatic, and all-around more competent than his big brother, but is just as terrible (NE).  It is this person that is the go-between with the Crew and moneylender that launders their filthy lucre.  

If the Casket Crew is in danger of being destroyed, he will try to escape, to eventually show up again as a professional assassin who would be positively thrilled to take a contract out on one or more PCs.

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From a Games Workshop ad in Dragon #160, by Jim Holloway; I imagine that the thugs are GW and the poor sod in the center represents WH40K players.

Having written these out, the Shifting Hands might become allies or enemies as needed, while the Casket Crew can be put to the sword with no regrets.  Both organizations would provide a few sessions' worth of gaming.

The Casket Crew survivor can then become a recurring thorn in the PCs' sides, either as a rival adventurer or a direct threat.  He might even find a spot in whichever thieves guild the PC rogue(s) belongs too, because what fool would perform freelance thievery in a place like Skara Brae?

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It seems that Skara Brae is home several competing merchant families, as well as Thieves' Guilds.  Frankly, I am getting a Renaissance Italy vibe from it all.

Which is a good thing.

 

 

Voidstone and Voidsteel

This whole post is the result of a conversation on FB, in the group Educational DM.  It's a pretty neat FB group.  Make use of this post as you will.

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Voidstone is a rare metal found only in the depths of the earth.  Voidstone - sometimes referred to as Nullstone - is notable for its strong anti-magic traits and its density.  Anti-magic as in magic ceases to function entirely when near Voidstone.  

It has been suggested that a large enough concentration of Voidstone could render a deity powerless.

A few clans of deep dwarves, both Derro and Duergar, know how to work Voidstone ore and alloy it with mithril, adamantine, and cold iron to create Voidsteel.  As magical fires, such as those provided by captive fire elementals or dragon's fire wink out of existence near the Voidstone, these smiths use magma channeled up from the planet's core to first smelt the ore, and then to work it.

image by silentfield, found at artstation

Typically, Voidsteel is worked into thin bars, two feet long, two inches wide, and half an inch thick.  These bars are then incorporated into doors, bars, and rooms (be it floor, ceiling, or wall), providing enough anti-magic to bar scrying, magical travel, spellcasting in general, and forcing magical creatures out of existence, somewhat like a permanent banishment spell.

Generally speaking, Voidsteel is not used to make armor or weapons due to its weight and brittleness - a sharp blow at the right angle in the right place will shatter the item.  That said, slingstones of Voidstone and arrowheads of Voidsteel make for nasty short-range (the weight reduces range considerably) surprises against magic-using beings.  

Like surface-world adventurers, for example.

As might be imagined, these Dwarven clans are unlikely to part with either substance without forcing the purchaser to pay dearly for it.  Gold and typical precious metals simply won't do.  Voidstone and Voidsteel are typically acquired for services, permanent magical items, and surface-world specialties, ranging from drink to rare woods to slaves.

Trafficking in Voidstone and Voidsteel brings its own dangers.

Many beings in the Ironguard world (and most DnD-worlds) rightfully fear this level of anti-magic, so if word gets out that a shipment of it is being transported, said beings will try to stop it - typically via collapsing the cave or flooding it out.  Failing that, nonmagical minions can be used to overwhelm the merchants.

Said merchants are in a bind, as typical methods of transporting lots of heavy goods into the Underdark require magic - magic that Voidstone and Voidsteel negate.  This results in caravans, first of mules, then eventually of Drow pack-lizards and/or porters moving ever-deeper into the darkness.  Given the relative values of Voidsteel versus desired surface goods, these caravans can stretch out for a half-mile or more, especially once guards are involved.

Pack Lizard; from either TSR's Drow of the Underdark or TSR's Menzoberranzan box set.

Exchanging the Voidsteel bars for surface goods requires trust.  Deep Dwarves hoard magic items and will assuredly want proof that said items work - which means moving well out of range of the Voidsteel.  This is an opportunity for ambush and theft - especially if a third party has been following along waiting for their chance.

Presuming the exchange goes well, returning to the surface is not simple, as even a smaller caravan attracts attention, and moving ahead alone or in a small group may prove more dangerous, as the carried Voidsteel cancels out any useful magics the surface-dwelling merchants would typically use for protection.

Despite all this, Voidsteel bars have made it to the surface, becoming the target of raids, wars, and worse when surface dwellers get wind of it.  Once secured, the Voidsteel is most often used to keep dangerous magic items and areas dormant or to protect areas (at least one imperial throne features two such bars in it).  Removing the Voidsteel inevitably causes some form of trouble.

So basically, acquiring (for self or others) one bar of Voidsteel or a solid lump of Voidstone can provide enough adventures for one campaign.

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Legends persist of an oversized sarcophagus carved from Voidstone.  Whatever is trapped inside would no doubt be grateful to whomever - or whatever - released it.

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Writing this, I suspect these Magic cards may have been the unintentional source of my inspiration.