Unbirthday Week:

I turned 35, and decided I'd give YOU a present. Maybe more if there's time over my little holiday...

Goblin Patches and their perils:
The light of civilization doesn't reach far in a wild, hard-scrabble fantasy world. At the dim, grey edges of organized sapient culture, there exists a twilight realm of unconscious fear and anxiety where fears take living shape and begin to colonize.

Goblin Patches are an aggressive fungus that can begin anywhere the refuse of civilization can be found...sewers, garbage piles, latrines...whatever you like. These patches produce a mess of plant goblins (read +James Young 's idea below). Use your favorite stats, and number of appearing stats.

Older patches may produce goblins with specialized functions, and higher HD or wounds. Low HD or non Wild Card "goblins" either explode when taken down (+Jack Shear 's idea below) or have a 2 in 6 chance if you're feeling nice. Large patches might inhabit entire sections of wilderness or dungeon and co-opt other boring encounter-type monsters making them fun again...(giant ant with a mushroom growing from its head anyone?)

Possible weaknesses to exploit:
Salt (or other common thing like Vinegar)
Fire
Sunlight

Evidence of possible problem:
Missing pets (or other vulnerable targets)
goopy-exploded slime where exploratory goblins have died errupted
someone turns up with a gross patch of skin after being "bitten"
another type of low-power monster turns up, with fungus sprouting from skull...

Possible complications:
explod-y goblins are spore-spreaders helping the patch expand...
fungus is also magical and therefore can't be starved out without some kind of arcane component (it feeds on FEAR I tell you!)
growth has a rapid "infection" rate in certain monsters or terrains
it never really "dies" until you destroy the progenitor growth spore (queen, CPU, mother-brain what have you)

Foundations of this idea:
http://tenfootpolemic.blogspot.com/2013/05/plant-goblins-for-lotfp.html

http://talesofthegrotesqueanddungeonesque.blogspot.com/2012/06/mucus-goblin.html

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

How I'm using the Pathfinder Beginner Box

Keeping it simple?

The idea with this game is to just relax, have fun, test out a few ideas, and learn some things about running D&D that I might not have known. One loose goal I set for myself has been to just keep running games with the material that is inside the box, or material that I already have, or material that is free. So far, thats been great. I (mostly) keep to my cheap ethic, and I learn some things about making my own game out of what's available.

What's in the box?

The box has some useful things in it. Very clear and basic GM guidance for different types of terrain, random tables for said terrain, lists of traps, a fair-sized bestiary with accompanying cardboard figures...a dry-erase flip-mat, a book with some items & magic items, a little bit of information on Sandpoint...just click here if you don't know what's in it.

What else did you bring me?

There are some free downloadable extras, including four small adventures that I've also added to the pile of things to pull from. I have always liked early level adventures, and I have a pretty big virtual stack of those to use should the need arise. I've pulled some of my favorite One Page Dungeons for use in this game...and I broke my "don't spend money on this game" rule by purchasing a few James Raggi adventures in PDF for further inspiration.

So what?

So, I feel like I have what I want for the most part...a bunch of ideas in various stages that I can take apart and put back together as I need them. That seems pretty advanced for me considering I've only really run some linked modules for the system before this. I want to push myself to find that sweet spot between being over-prepared (and therefore over-committed to an idea) and not having anything for the players to do if they act "unexpectedly." Previously, I've not been a big fan of how the modules constrain my sense of the game...so I want to go more towards an 'in the moment' style.

What did you learn?

So far, I've learned that players don't do what you expect them to, and that putting some limitations on what I'm doing has allowed me a little room to grow. The last session went really well on my side, it didn't need so much prep that I got 'tired' of thinking about the game, and so I felt a lot more engaged with the table as a result. I didn't even have a set number of adversaries; (I know, I know...SLOW DOWN TEX!) instead I just kept feeding them goblins and complications until it seemed like enough. It was interesting. The "heavy" encounter of the night was another sort of organic thing I threw together based on the dungeon layout. Secret door here + hall full of traps = locked door, ambush shooting gallery here. I felt good about it, and I could tell they were engaged...so that made me happy.

Where are we going?

Basically, I'd like to branch this thing out into a kind of sand-box for them to rummage in. The next steps will be to get a sense of the area, place some things...make a decision or two about how to handle random encounters, if any...and to stock up on useful tables and charts generated by my favorite DIY D&D folks. By rolling those things up with the contents of the box, I think we may have a mini-campaign that is worth talking about when its over.

Do you use it RAW?

No...and yes. I'm pretty much using the rules as written. I've allowed the PC's to take full HP at the first two levels (to lure them into a false sense of security). After that, I'm afraid they're not in much luck...I'm planning to limit the HP from here on pretty seriously. I'm still working on a scheme to keep all the HP in the game low, so if anyone has any suggestions or interesting precedents...I'd like to know. Maybe just three / level for the fighter, two for the rogue and cleric, and one for the wizard? I don't really know yet.

Ten Freaks for Hubris Part 4

First, I decided to randomly roll ten half-elf characters for +Mike's Hubris hack.

Then, I diverged into table wankery.

Next, I dropped a bunch of stats on you and thought I might be done with these guys.

Finally, I have half-page, 1st level character sheets for these ten freaks!

What is behind the link, and how to use it

The link has a PDF copy of my ten, half-page character sheets for the Hubris game. The ten classes in the Hubris hack are each represented by one Half-elf freak set to Mike's starting rules as best as I can tell. They are pretty freaky and look like fun to me.

Keeping with the X-Men / Morlocks vibe, I imagine these ten as a highly motivated and committed unit who are banded together for mutual protection and to execute the will of their master, Javier. You can make them sound mysterious by using lots of bad Latin phrases. 'Domum Damnatis' and 'Reformatorium ab Vaccum' are two that I really like...regardless of how they don't really translate IRL.

Their very bad German "pirate names" are code-names, or secret names that they know each other by. They would also have as many given aliases as needed. They might travel as some kind of "Midnight Carnival" or may be stationary and based out of a type of sanitarium or asylum for keeping Void / Chaos mutated freaks from offending the bourgeois's delicate sensibilities. There are lots of ways to use these.

Even for "first level" they have some interesting abilities and weaknesses. What intrigues me is the idea that they all can sort of keep tabs on each other using the basic Half-Elf 'Hound Dog' ability. Which could allow them to execute some pretty elaborate plans without having to really talk to each other. They're resistant to further chaos mutations, and have some Elven immunities. To me, that sets the stage for some interesting questions with interesting answers.

Now, if only Mike would let me play the regenerating warrior priest of a bastard trickster god...or the pig-faced alchemist with the small, conjoined stomach twin, or the bat-winged ranger, or...or...or...

*sigh*

Enjoy these!

Notes, Disclaimers, etc...

I learned a lot more about C&C than I thought possible without owning any of the books...that being said...I am prone to human error and make no claim that these are free from flaw.


I also learned that there is a really engaging thing that happens when some of your choices are constrained. The random tables that started all this have really turned me around on the idea of random tables. Guess my PSY professor was right...too many choices = bad; a few choices to spur creativity = stimulating.

Useful Links for C&C

These were *very* helpful, and some are super nice!

• http://www.adnd3egame.com/cnc.htm
• http://www.adnd3egame.com/documents/ckscreen.pdf
• http://goreanmale.homestead.com/files/cnc/cnccheatsheet.pdf
• http://www.altobanor.com/CastleKeeper20.html

IMCTT,

>B

Beria Annis: Finder of People and Things

+Mike Evans has gotten me thinking about games I'm not in again. So, I will take a small break from the Ten Freaks for Hubris series to put forward an NPC idea for your city games...

I'm presenting the details I settled on eventually first, but further down I just throw down the process by which I arrived at my idea and cite the places I'm pulling things from. There are no stats per-se...just a kind of conceptual map that I'm hoping will be useful for any type of game. You can make your own stats when you decide how you want to use her. Plus, I'm linking to a few stat blocks that were inspirational.

Beria Annis: Finder of People and Things

The Details

Beria is a towering (even though bent), ancient-looking, female humanoid; twisted of limb, sinewy, and with hard, nobly skin. Her teeth are metal and rusty red, her skin is iron hard, dark blue, and she is immune to cold temperatures / effects. Fitting her barbaric ancestry, she is able to handle herself in a fight and forgoes the use of weapons. She is particularly good at finding things using her wits, and the ancient magical practices of her people, the Marzanna.

Skills & Strengths

• Finding things using sympathetic magic through correspondence.
• This requires her to follow a list of taboos and perform rituals...
• High intelligence, and the experience of a long life.
• Guiding idea: 'Never Mess With Granny'
• The Marzanna-folk bear the Frozen Blood of the North.
• Iron-hard skin, and immunity to Cold effects of all kinds, 

Weaknesses & Complications

• Fire is a problem.
• The Marzanna never had need of the promethean gift, and are 'vulnerable' to it.
• Experiences pain within 10 feet of naked flames and x2 Damage from fire.
• She must observe her taboos or lose her gifts until she can correct the problem. (Would you like a list of her taboos, or want to make them up yourself?)
• Must eat the flesh of a freshly dead sapient once every new moon or can't 'Speak w/ Dead'
• An expensive magic ritual is needed to attune herself to the Otherworld if the moon phase is not favorable.
• Must conceal her skin in motley rags and deep hoods or lose her Iron Skin.
• Has to go 24 hours without someone's gaze falling upon her, make new motley, and bathe in blood.
• Cannot accept payment in the form of money, or loses half her health/wounds.
• Must do a favor unasked, and without thanks to be able to heal to full.

Motivations

• To keep living off the decadence of civilization.
• Her disdain for the decadent and moneyed is well-known and hard to conceal.
• To find things to amuse, and interest her voracious intellect.
• Ala Sherlock Holmes, she loves mysteries, puzzles and occasionally drugs. 

The Seed

Beria Annis is an intelligent problem solver after the fashion of Sherlock Holmes. You could use her as a Special Inspecktor attached to the City Watch or as a particular type of Bounty Hunter Employed by the Influential. You know, an IG-88 for your Vornheim game or whatever.

In your game, she might be a Warrior Priest who can 'Speak w/ Dead' ... but in my own Pathfinder Basic games, I like to look for a monster entry that captures the "feel" I'm thinking of. In the case of this character I'm thinking: "witch" & "hag" with a tweak or two to make her seem new...the two images that best capture her in my mind are...

Inspirational Pictures

http://www.flickr.com/photos/30019445@N03/4213850419/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/armchairdj/2284835338/

And then I started sorting through "Hags" and "Iron Ladies" until I arrived at an idea for basically a Black Hag, or Annis Hag, or an Iron Hag...and tried to get an idea for a story out of that creature.

Inspirational Links

WrathofZombie's Monster Manual entry 'G' (for Green Hag)
Zak S. ~ Vornheim
Wikipedia ~ Beira
Forgotten Realms ~ Marzanna
D20PFSRD ~ Annis Hag

And again, I'd love to hear some feedback on this if you've got the time. Thanks again to Mike, for inspiring me on a day off!
>B

Ten Freaks for Hubris Part 3

Part 3, meet the freaks...(edited)

Before, I decided to randomly roll ten half-elf characters with the Hubris mutation tables.

Last time, I diverged into tables and learned how to bore you all.

Now, I've assigned stats, classes, and a single background to each stat block, and included sex and gender information just to satisfy my own curiosity / motivate my choices, but without knowing more about Castles & Crusades, I can't really do much more with them.

If you're German is better than mine, then I apologize in advance for the names. I couldn't shake that Marvel comic book vibe while I was doing this, so I tried to subvert it with literal, or ironic names...what I would describe as "pirate" names.

Based on the stats, and the mutations I tried to work a theme, just to make them seem interesting. In some cases, it works and in some it does not. I did not make statistically optimal choices in every case, but hey...

Sonnenbrand	STR	INT	WIS	DEX	CON	CHA
S: Female G: Male professional beggar / pickpocket Sunburned Skin - 09 Hair Smells Like Garbage - 24 Rogue +2 DEX	12	13	12	15 __ 17	8	13
Gelbende	STR	INT	WIS	DEX	CON	CHA
S: Female G: Male raised by animals Yellow Skin - 06 Cat Tail - 57 Druid +2 WIS	11	8	14 __ 16	17	13	9
Leer	STR	INT	WIS	DEX	CON	CHA
S: Androgynous  G: Neutral used to be a hand-servant Grey Skin - 03 Androgynous - 85 Monk +2 CON	13	12	12	13	14 __ 16	8
Knorrig	STR	INT	WIS	DEX	CON	CHA
S: Male G: Neutral former circus freak (the unkillable child!) Regeneration - 96 (limb regen & 1 HP per round) Albino Skin - 01 Warrior Priest +2 CHA   Diety = Baily	11	8	13	14	15	15 __ 17
Seuche	STR	INT	WIS	DEX	CON	CHA
S: Male G: Male from a long line of  male witches Plague Skin - 75 (GM's choice; CON save or contract) Spiked Tongue - 48 (5 ft. Long - 1D4 damage) Witch +2 CHA	11	11	11	14	13	14 __ 16
Stur & Reiter	STR	INT	WIS	DEX	CON	CHA
S: Male G: Female was worshiped as a god by goblin tribe Pig Face - 54 Small Conjoined Stomach Twin - 64 Alchemist +2 INT	11	17 __ 19	15	14	14	13
Zungeline	STR	INT	WIS	DEX	CON	CHA
S: Male G: Neutral started out as a grave robber Spiked Tongue - 48 (5 ft. long - 1D4 damage) Claws and Fangs - 49 (claws - 1D6 / fangs - 1D4) Fighter +2 STR	14 __ 16	10	11	11	12	8
Nicht	STR	INT	WIS	DEX	CON	CHA
S: Female G: Female ex scribe Void Jaunt - 45 (15ft. per day in 5ft. inc.) Extra Arm - 30 (provides extra attack at -6) Sorcerer +2 INT	7	16 __ 18	14	12	12	12
Schafskopf	STR	INT	WIS	DEX	CON	CHA
S: Senseless mutant plumbing G: senseless mutant gender Overgrown HEAD - 67 (big, bony plates) (+1 to CON) White Hair - 26 Barbarian +2 CON	14	9	12	12	13 __ 16	9
Geflugelt	STR	INT	WIS	DEX	CON	CHA
S: Female G: Female raised by a cult to track & kill their enemies Bat Wings - 60 (fly at your movement rate) Reptilian Skin - 97 (high-quality, handbag-style leather) Ranger +2 STR	16 __ 18	9	12	16	13	10

So, here they are, a stable of ten, corrupted half-elf souls. This turned out to be the exact number of classes in the Hubris hack's rules so I tried to get one member to fit each class. There are some mixed results, but over all I was pleased. There are a few in this bunch that I would *LOVE* to try and play in Mike's game...feel free to use them for whatever in your own games. If you do, I'd like it if you dropped me a note and told me what you decided to do with them.



EDIT:
Here are the final Freaks at first level. This is the basic format I use for adversaries in my Pathfinder Beginner Box game, and I thought they might be of use to someone. So here they are...

Name:	Stur & Reiter	Schafskopf	Gelbende	Zungeline	Leer
Perceive:	+3	-1	-1
Initiative:	+1		+2		+1
Move:	30	40	30	30	30
HD / HP:	d4 / 16	d12 / 22	d8 / 16	d10 / 15	d12 / 21
AC:	13	16 (18) / 14 (16)*	16 (17)	16 (18)	11
Melee:	dagger 1d4	great axe (+1) 1d12 longsword (+1) 1d8	hand axe 1d6	claws (+1) 1d6 fangs (+1) 1d4 spiked tongue( +1) 1d4 bstrd. sword (+1) 1d10	glaive 1d10 (reach)
Ranged:	dagger 1d4 (10ft)		s. spear 1d6 (20ft)	whip 1d3 (reach etc)	bola 1d4 (nonL, trip)
Special:	hurl bomb 1d4 (20ft)	rage* (2 rnds) DR1; +2DAM; -2AC	animal companion	claw/claw/bite	punch 1d3 (L) stunning fist (1/rnd)
Loot:	leather armor alchemist lab 100 gp	hide armor hvy. wooden shield 400 gp	hide armor lgt. wooden shield 400 gp	chain mail hvy. steel shield 200 gp	300 gp

Name:	Geflugelt	Sonnenbrand	Nicht	Knorrig	Sueche
Perceive:		+1	+3	-1
Initiative:	+2	+2		+1	+1
Move:	30	30	30	30	30
HD / HP:	d10 / 17	d6 / 9	d4 / 13	d8  / 18	? / 15
AC:	15 (16)	15 (16)	11	15	13
Melee:	short sword 1d6	dagger 1d4 (10ft) hvy. mace 1d8	quarterstaff 1d6	sickle (+1/+1 holy) 1d6 (trip)	dagger 1d4 (10ft) spiked tongue 1d4
Ranged:	composite short bow 1d6 (60 ft)	hand crossbow 1d4 (30ft)	darts 1d3 (20ft; ROF 3)		sling 1d4 (50ft)
Special:	fly 30ft favored enemy human	imp back attack + 4 to hit; x2 DAM	spell casting ritual magic	channel god 3/day invoke god 1/dy lay on hands 2/day	bewitch (CHA) 2/day blood boil 1/day (2d6 CON for 1/2) Ravage (WIS)
Loot:	studded leather buckler 200gp	studded leather caltrops thieves’ tool kit 100gp	padded cloth armor spellbook 100gp	chain shirt holy symbol holy water 100gp	leather armor 300gp