Monday, December 7, 2015

Seven Animals of Agaran

Here are seven mundane beasts that will be featured in The Theocracy of the Wite Ziggurat, the first OSR Compatible setting in the Iron and Chaos line.

Aurochs


No. Enc.: 0 (3d10)
Alignment: Neutral
Movement: 120' (40')
Armor Class: 14
Hit Dice: 7
Attacks: 1
Damage: 2d8
Save: F7
Morale: 9

This large, horned bull has a dirty black hide and an aggressive temper. Its horns are wide and sharp, causing an aurochs to be hunted by only the bravest and strongest of men. They are extremely dangerous when threatened, and even more so when injured. They are relentless in defending themselves from attack and will often attempt to trick pursuers through ambushes and surprise attacks. 

Emu


No. Enc.:(0) 3d8

Alignment: Neutral

Movement: 120' (40')
Armor Class: 13
Hit Dice: 2
Attacks: 2 kicks
Damage: 1d4 / 1d4
Save: F2
Morale:8

As tall as a human, this large, flightless bird seems to be composed mainly of a pair of legs that merge with a round, feathery body. Its long, skinny neck supports a rather small head that darts to and fro. 
 
Emus are most common in woodland areas, and least common in populated and very arid areas, except during wet periods. They predominately travel in pairs, and they can form enormous flocks if they are all traveling towards the same food sources. They have been known to travel long distances to reach abundant feeding areas. Emus are able to swim when necessary, although they rarely do so unless the area is flooded or they need to cross a river.

They are also known to be inquisitive animals, and are known to approach humans if they see movement of a limb or a piece of clothing. They may follow and observe humans in the wild. Sometimes they poke other animals and then run away after drawing a reaction, as though they are playing a game. An emu spends much of its time preening its plumage with its beak.
 

Hyena


No. Enc.: 2d6 (2d6)

Alignment: Neutral

Movement: 150' (50')
Armor Class: 14
Hit Dice: 3
Attacks: 1 (bite)
Damage: 2d4
Save: F3
Morale: 9

Hyenas are pack hunters infamous for their cunning and their unnerving, laughter-like vocalizations. They are covered in shaggy, tan-colored fur with black and brown stripes. They are largely scavengers, but aren't above supplementing their diet of carrion with fresh prey. They have fierce bites, and devour almost all of a carcass since they are capable of digesting most bone. Hyenas tend to hunt alone, but when hunting as a pack they typically send one or two members against a foe's front while the rest of the pack circles and attacks from behind.

Jackal


No. Enc.: 1d6 (2d4)

Alignment: Neutral
Movement: 150' (50')
Armor Class: 12
Hit Dice: 1d4 hp
Attacks: 1 (bite)
Damage: 1d2
Save: F1
Morale: 7

Jackals are crafty desert scavengers that thrive in many areas of Agaran. They cause trouble for rural folk by wreaking havoc on livestock populations, but generally do not bother men. They spend most of their time sleeping or scouting the desert in packs, looking for abandoned carcasses and fresh kills to steal from.
Jackals are usually encountered alone or as a mated pair, but sometimes they associate for a time with a small pack composed of two parents and their adult offspring, with the offspring serving a deferential support role to their parents. Although considered craven and foul by humans, jackals are relatively friendly and gentle with members of their own small packs.

Attracted to the edges of human settlements in their territory, jackals often make opportunistic raids on fruit crops and vulnerable domesticated animals. They're also attracted to large deposits of garbage that they can sift through for leftover food. Jackals are remarkably adaptable, and readily forage for insects or fruit, feed on found carcasses, or hunt small or vulnerable game as the opportunity presents itself. 

Llama


No. Enc.: 0 (2d8)

Alignment: Neutral
Armor Class: 11
Hit Dice: 1A
Attacks: 1 (bite)
Damage: 1d4
Save: F1
Morale: 9


This shaggy, hoofed quadruped sports an elongated neck and large, crooked teeth. Perhaps llamas' most distinctive feature is their long necks. Rival males violently bump their necks against one another during fights for dominance among the herd, but overall these social animals are remarkably tame.

Spit : Once per hour, a llama can regurgitate the contents of its stomach, spitting the foul material at a single target within 10 feet. The target must succeed at a save vs. poisonor be sickened for 1d4 rounds. A sickened character takes a –2 penalty on all attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks.

Rhinoceros


No. Enc.: 0 (1d12)
Alignment: Neutral
Movement: 120' (40')
Armor Class: 16
Hit Dice: 6
Attacks: 1 (butt or charge)
Damage: 2d4 or 2d8
Save: F3
Morale: 6

The rhinoceros is notoriously short-tempered and prone to attacking anything it perceives as approaching too closely, generally within a distance of 100 feet. A rhino can charge intruders if it has clear terrain and be able to run toward an opponent for 60 feet yards. The extra momentum of such an attack inflicts double the normal damage.

The rhinoceros feeds on leafy plants, branches, and even thorny shrubs. Its thick hide is a mottled gray color, and it can run surprisingly fast for a beast of its size. A herd of these beasts will stampede if threatened, in any direction to be determined randomly.

Vulture

No. Enc.: 0 (3d8) 
Alignment: Neutra
Movement: 50' (150')
Fly : 180' (60')
Armor Class: 14
Hit Dice: 2 + 2
Attacks: 1 (bite)
Damage: 1d6
Save: F1
Morale: 7 
 
These dark-feathered birds have bald necks and heads. Though related to raptors and other birds of prey, vultures mainly feed on carrion they spot or scent from on high. They have weak claws compared to predatory birds, but their sharp and wickedly hooked beaks tear living flesh as readily as the sharpest blade. 


Despite dining on carrion, vultures prefer their corpses newly dead rather than rotten. Some even hunt smaller prey when food is scarce.



 

 


Sunday, December 6, 2015

The Laws of the White Ziggurat

Government

The high priests of The White Ziggurat serve as administrators and political leaders for the entire valley, convening in councils to decide matters of state. High ranking military officers hold similar positions of authority and leadership, but remain subservient in all matters to the White Ziggurat. Local officiates are sometimes chosen by their communities, but the theocracy has taken to assigning priests and military officers to these positions.

Law and Order


Most transgressions against person or property are considered to be criminal acts. This includes theft, assault, murder, fraud, and so forth. Consideration is given to issues of self defense and mutually agreed upon duels. Weapons and armor must be surrendered to the authorities if the command is given, but may otherwise be worn by anyone except known criminals, who are often branded or otherwise marked.

Heresy is considered among them most severe of crimes. This includes the open worship of any god other than Ashun, consorting with demons or the undead, or anything else which the White Ziggurat deems unacceptable in the eyes of Ashun.

Justice is usually swift. Trials for minor infractions may be carried out by local law enforcement, while more severe crimes are usually handled by high ranking priests or military officers. It is the right of any citizen of Agaran to ask to plead his case before the high council of priests at the White Ziggurat, but the justice dispensed there is often so merciless that few ever ask for such an audience.

Petty crimes are often punished by fines paid to the government, restitution to the inured or offended party, floggings, or time spent at forced labor. Prisons do exist, but they are mainly for the purposes of temporarily storing those awaiting trial or transportation to labor camps.

Repeat offenders and more dangerous criminals are judged more severely. They are given a criminal brand so that all may know of their wrongdoings, and are often given life sentences of hard labor. Execution, public or otherwise, is the usual sentence for heinous offenses such as arson, murder, treason, and heresy.

Militias and Garrisons


Most settlements have some form of local defense force. In smaller towns and villages there will usually be a militia on hand to deal with raiders, dangerous beasts, and whatever criminal activity may occur. Smaller militias of this sort usually consist of poorly trained volunteers. These militias are occasionally led by more competent warriors, such as local citizens who have served time in the army, but it is more common for such forces to be led by the same community leaders who govern political, social, and economic matters. Such men are rarely better equipped to handle dangerous situations than the volunteers they are leading, making most local militias a poor match against a serious threat.

Cities and larger towns can support larger and more permanently installed militias made up of more skilled fighting men, with regular and organized patrols and watch duties. If the settlement is large enough, or close enough to the borders of the valley, they may have a military garrison in place of or in addition to a local militia.

The Army of Agaran


The army of Agaran is growing rapidly in size and capability. Their focus is on defending the borders, and to this end they have been building strongholds, bolstering their ranks, and sending scouting parties to explore new lands.

Sunday, November 29, 2015

The Theocracy of the White Ziggurat

So it is Told

(An excerpt from the soon to be ready for publishing The Theocracy of the White Ziggurat.)

The people of Agaran were once primitive barbarians, living in poverty and in constant fear of attack. Their valley was a frequent target for raiders and would-be conquerors, and despite their greatest efforts there came a day when their future had never looked so dark. Drought and famine plagued the land, children died in the womb, and herds of livestock began to fall ill. The people begged the gods for salvation, and only one heard their cry. Ashun, wisest of the gods, took pity upon the people of Agaran and made wells and springs flow anew. Fields flourished, diseases vanished, and in return Ashun commanded the people to build a temple unto him which would become the cradle of their new nation.

In time, their work was done, and they looked up and beheld the fruit of their labor, and the glory of Ashun. An immense ziggurat, cut from stone of gleaming white, rose from the barren floor of the valley, and at its very top stood the oldest and most wizened of priests. The voice of the people rose as one and the heavens opened up, spilling light and thunder from the sky as Ashun gave his blessing to this new and glorious center of civilization.
Armies were formed to secure the borders of this new realm. People spread out in all directions, armed with new weapons with which to battle the atrocities which awaited them in the wilderness. New and fertile farmlands were discovered, as well as veins of precious metals and other resources. Villages soon rose up and the common folk began to rise above the squalor they had known for so long.

But all is not as well as it would seem. Horrific beasts stalk the land, and nefarious cults gather to pay tribute and sacrifice to foul and impure demons. There are many who desire the new found wealth of Agaran. Tribes of warlike humanoids gather in the wastes, and bandits and raiders plague villagers and travelers alike. Horrific and unnatural creatures walk the earth. Reports from individuals and communities who have encountered such abominations vary widely. Others tell of tentacled horrors, multi-headed beasts, twisted giants, and other creatures that defy description. It is said that many of these beings are in league with Demons, or are Demons themselves in corporeal form.

The high priests of The White Ziggurat claim to be doing all that they can, but even as villages petition them for aid the priesthood continues to order the construction of enormous and costly temples. The common folk are beginning to question their motives, but those that speak of such things too loudly are often sent to labor camps, never to be seen again by honest folk.

The Gods

Ashun

He of The Many Eyes”
Considered to be the most powerful of all the gods, Ashun is depicted as a sun whose surface is covered with unblinking eyes. He keeps watch over the earth, seeing all but rarely intervening except on behalf of his most loyal and obedient servants. It is Ashun who decided to pass the knowledge of the gods on to man. The people of Agaran consider Ashun to be vastly superior to the other gods, and forbid the worship of any deity but him.

Zulga

The Eater of Souls”
Some believe that those who die must stand before the gods and receive their judgment. It is Zulga who enforces this judgment. The souls of the worthy will ascend to the heavens in her arms, and the souls of the damned will spend eternity in the hellish torment of her belly. Zulga is depicted as either a beautiful yet completely hairless young woman or as a vast and amorphous blob, depending on what role she must play, and it is said that when a man approaches death she will come to him in dreams, revealing his eternal fate through her chosen form.

Rigam

The Banished One”
Rigam is worshiped only by mysterious, exclusive orders and secretive bands of cultists. He appears in the form of various common beasts, a punishment bestowed upon him by the other gods for a crime which mortal men are neither capable nor worthy of comprehending. Doomed to walk the earth for all eternity, he causes trouble and wickedness wherever he goes. Some believe he possess the secrets of ancient and destructive magic, while others say he has lost all of his power save for his immortality, but in general he is considered the bringer of bad luck in all of its forms.

Inara

The Mouthless Crone”
Inara is said to appear to the devout as a mouthless old woman, hunched and frail. She is said to know every secret kept by mortals, and because she has no mouth she can never be forced to reveal them. Instead she keeps them to herself, using her knowledge to mysterious ends and granting it to those who pray to her in visions and portents.

Mogram

The Tormentor”
When the people have displeased the gods, it is Mogram who often carries out their punishment through disease, earthquakes, pestilence, drought, and other tribulations. Keeping in his good favor is said to cause him to focus his wrath elsewhere, and when disasters befall the land the people will often pray for his mercy. If he listens, they will be spared the worst of things.

Demon Worship

It is believed by the people of Agaran that demons were once mortal men who committed unspeakable crimes against humanity. Their deaths came none too soon, and their souls agonized for countless centuries in the belly of Zulga before the goddess could stand the taste of them no longer. She spit them out onto the earth, where they now conspire to corrupt and destroy all that they see.
Men who worship these diabolic entities come in many varieties. Cults have been discovered consisting of soldiers, farmers, and all manner of common folk. They are commonly led by sorcerers and priests, who seek to use the demon for their own nefarious agendas. Demon cults gather in ancient ruins, remote canyons, and other out of the way places where there will be no witnesses to the dark blasphemies they commit in service to their masters.

Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Coming Soon -- 20 Warriors for Hire


I'm wrapping up production on a new fantasy OSR supplement called 20 Warriors for Hire. 

It does exactly what it says on the tin. Within these pages you will find twenty down on their luck warriors who are looking for work. They will be more than happy to join the group as hirelings, henchmen, mercenaries, or meat shields.

These warriors are presented without levels, names, or overly specific backgrounds and physical details. It's up to you to give them a name and - if you choose - a more detailed background and physical description. These warriors were designed this way so that you so that you can describe their names, detailed appearances and specific backgrounds to fit your game world, They are presented without levels so that you can match them up to whatever level hirelings the PCs might need.,

20 Warriors for Hire also includes a simple morale system for hirelings, with a few optional rules that can be used to add a bit`more depth and variation to morale and loyalty dynamics within the adventuring group.

.If you're players are not in need of hirelings, you can always use this rag-tag bunch of sell-swords to create bandits, outlaws, enemies, or even replacement characters when things take a turn for the worse and someone needs replacement  character A.S.A.P..

Here is the list of Warriors for hire, minus a few entries. that still require a bit more work.
  • 1. Battered Veteran
  • 2. Boastful Knight
  • 3. Conscripted Farmer
  • 4. Grizzled Miner
  • 5. Foreign explorer
  • 6. Gruff Crossbowman
  • 7. Disfigured Hunter
  • 8. Failed Sentry
  • 9. Unemployed Mercenary
  • 10. Desperate Farmer
  • 11. Disgraced Nobleman
  • 12. Refugee Militiaman
  • 13. Destitute Innkeeper
  • 14. Dissatisfied Farrier
  • 15.
  • 16. Blacksmith's Apprentice
  • 17. Livestock Farmer
  • 18.
  • 19. Hound Keeper
  • 20. Former Sailor
You can read some of their profiles below.

Battered Veteran
This former soldier's old wounds forced him to retire. He has grown tired of sitting around taverns swapping war stories, and his meager savings have run out. Despite his bad leg and declining health, he can still swing a sword and haul loot. He has poor manners and loves to tell crude jokes, but he is extremely loyal and can offer useful advice gleaned from years of battlefield experience.
  • Motivation: Camaraderie, adventure, wealth.
  • Morale:+2
  • STR 14, INT 12, WIS 13, DEX 7, CON 9, CHA 10
  • Gear: Spear, short sword, knife, shield, studded leather armor, backpack, tinderbox, blanket, 3 days iron rations, water skin.

Boastful Knight
This fast talking former knight has sold off most of his possessions save for a few treasures that he just can't bear to part with. He is a competent warrior, but he greatly exaggerates his own ability. He is loyal as long as he is paid well and isn't asked to do anything suicidal. If things get bad, he might desert the group.
  • Motivation: Restoration of his honor, wealth, glorious battle that ends with victory..
  • Morale: 0 (-3 if Faced with imminent death)
  • STR 15, INT 9, WIS 10, DEX 13, CON 15, CHA 14
  • Gear: Long sword, dagger, shield, chain mail, helmet, backpack, silver mirror, tinder box, shaving kit and razor, jeweled snuff box, 2 bottles of wine.

Conscripted Farmer
This big ox of a man was a farmer until he was conscripted into military service. The war is over and he doesn't know how to do anything but grow wheat, lift heavy things, and bash heads. He is a slow learner and often lacks common sense, but he is happy to help with any task, no matter how menial or life threatening. He is very loyal, but he has a fear of magic that might cause him to panic at the worst possible moment.
  • Motivation: Desire to feel useful, friendship, wealth.
  • Morale: +1 (-3 when faced with magic/supernatural)
  • STR 17, INT 8, WIS 6, DEX 11, CON 16, CHA 5
  • Gear: Spear, knife, club, leather armor, large sack, blanket, 4 days rations, water skin.

Grizzled Miner
This short, stocky man used to work as a miner. He had to leave his last job after he was accused of murdering three of his fellow workers in a drunken brawl. He is a hard worker, and his knowledge of mines and caves will come in handy until he tries to kill the rest of the group and loot their corpses.
  • Motivation: Wealth, Survival at any Cost, Murdering his Employers.
  • Morale: -2
  • STR 15, INT 12, WIS 12, DEX 9, CON 13, CHA 8
  • Gear: Mining pick, small hammer, knife, club, studded leather armor, backpack, lantern, tinderbox, 12 candles, 2 flasks of oil, 50 feet of rope, 12 iron spikes.

Comments? Thoughts? Do the "vague" NPCs add or detract from the usefulness in your game? 

Friday, November 13, 2015

Lizardfolk Characters for Lamentations of the Flame Princess

Here's a class I just finished up for Lamentations of the Flame Princess. After doing Grippli last weeek, I decided to do Lizardfolk. This particular variety aren't swamp dwellers; they havebeen toughened and tested by the harsh desert wastelands,

Lizardfolk

Lizardfolk are proud and powerful reptilian predators that make their communal homes in scattered villages and caverns deep within the canyons and crags of the deserts and badlands.

Description

Physiology

Most lizardfolk stand 6 to 7 feet tall and weigh 200 to 250 pounds, their powerful muscles covered in scales of gray, green, or brown. They have powerful 4 to 6’’ tails. Some breeds have short dorsal spikes or brightly colored frills. Their reptilian blood makes them sluggish in the cold, so most hunt and work during the day and retreat to their homes at night.
Lizardfolk have one mating season a year. Both females take a single mate and lay small clutches of a half a dozen eggs or so. The eggs incubate for eight months, and hatchlings take roughly five years to mature.

Society

Lizardfolk are a martial species who value prowess in battle and hunting above all else. Content with the simple weapons and rituals that have served them well for millennia, Lizardfolk are viewed by many other species as backwater savages, but within their isolated communities Lizardfolk are actually filled with tradition and an oral history stretching back to before humans walked upright.
Lizardfolk live in a perpetual state of war among their tribal groups, participating in eternal sorties from their isolated desert canyons and ancient ruined cities to attack other Lizardfolk settlements and expand their territory.

Though generally neutral, towards other species, Lizardfolks’ standoffish demeanor, staunch rejection of civilization's “gifts,” and legendary ferocity in battle cause them to be viewed negatively by most other species. Conflict with species other than their own kind rarely occurs unless it is the Lizardfolk that are being threatened.

Lizardfolk have the much maligned custom of consuming the bodies of dead friends and enemies alike. If questioned, the ever-practical lizardfolk are quick to point out that life is hard in the desert, and nothing should go to waste.

In battle, Lizardfolk prefer frontal assaults and massed rushes, but if outnumbered or if their territory is being invaded, they set snares, plan ambushes, and make raids to hinder enemy supplies. Advanced tribes use more sophisticated tactics and have better traps and ambushes.

Adventurers

Lizardfolk may turn to adventuring because they find the wasteland life too difficult, or simply because they crave the rewards of the adventuring life. Additionally, a dishonored or exiled Lizardfolk often has no other choice but to leave the desert and seek his own way in the world..  Occasionally an individual Lizardfolk questions the need for constant battle, or seeks strategies other than brute force. Such iconoclasts often leave their tribes - at least temporarily - to become adventurers.

Special Abilities

Ability Score Modifiers

Lizardfolk are strong and hardy, but are often outsmarted and care little for social graces: +2 STR, +2 CON, -2 INT, -2 CHA

Saving Throw Modifiers

Lizardfolk have a +4 to any saving throws against heat or fire, such as fire breath attacks, fire traps, high temperatures, or fire spells. They also have a -4 to any saving throws against cold, such as cold breath attacks, low temperatures, and cold-based spells.

Salt Discharge

Unlike humans, Lizardfolk can go 72 hours without water before suffering any negative effects by discharging excess salt from within their systems. Once those effects begin, they are treated as per the standard rules.

Skill Bonuses

Lizardfolk begin with Bushcraft (3 in 6) and Climb (2 in 6).

Languages

Lizardfolk begin the game knowing how to speak Common and Lizardfolk. Most Lizardfolk are illiterate in Common but can read and write the simple, symbolic glyphs of their native language.

Natural Armor

Lizardfolk have tough scaly skin, granting them an initial  AC bonus of +2. This bonus increases as the Lizardfolk gains levels, and it applies even if armor is worn.

Natural Attacks

Lizardfolk have two types of natural weapons.
Bite
Lizardfolk gain a natural bite attack, dealing damage 1d3 damage. The bite cam be used in conjunction with another attack (see “Dual Wielding” in the “Optional Rules” section.
Natural Attacks: Claws 2 (RP) Lizardfolk receive two claw attacks. These are primary natural attacks. The damage is based on the creature’s size (1d4 for Medium creatures.)

Claws

Provided they have free hands, Lizardfolk can make one or two claw attacks, each doing 1d4 damage. If two claw attacks are made, treat them as per “Dual Wielding” as detailed in the “Combat” chapter.

Tail

A Lizardfolk can attempt a tail sweep every other round, swinging his tail into his opponent with the intent of knocking him to the ground. This attack can be combined with one other attack, as per the “Dual Wielding” rules in the “Optimal Rules” section’
A Lizardfolk’s tail attack does no damage. Instead, on a successful hit, the enemy trips and falls prone, taking a +4 AC bonus against ranged attacks, but a –4 penalty to AC against melee attacks. He also suffers a –4 penalty to attack rolls and cannot use a ranged weapon except for a crossbow. These modifiers apply until the prone opponent’s next t turn, art which time he can rise to his feet.and remove the modifiers.
Optional Dual Wielding RulesIf you fight with two melee weapons at once, you can roll damage for both weapons and pick the better of the two rolls.

Eye Membrane

In addition to e normal pair of eyelids, Lizardfolk also have a  transparent membrane between their eyeball and their eyelid. This can be used to blok out dust particles snd debris while still mentioning vision.

Low-Light Vision

Lizardfolk can see perfectly in the dark up to 6o’.
 A Lizardfolk can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. He retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.

Class Progression Table


Saving Throws
Skills

AC
Lvl
XP
HP
Par.
Pois.
Bre.
Dev.
Mag.
Stealth
Bushcraft
Climb

1
0
1d10
8
6
10
9
12
 (2 in 6),
(2 in 6)
(2 in 6),
+2
2
2,000
+1d10
6
6
10
7
10
(2 in 6)
(2 in 6)
(2 in 6)

3
4,000
+1d10
6
6
10
7
10
(2 in 6)
(2 in 6)
(2 in 6)
+1
4
8,000
+1d10
4
4
`8
5
8
(2in 6)
(3 in 6)
(2in 6)

5
16,000
+1d10
4
4
8
5
8
(2 in 6)
(3 in 6)
(2 in 6)
+1
6
32,000
+1d10
2
4
6
3
6
(3in 6)
(3 in 6)
(3in 6)

7
64,000
+1d10
2
2
6
3
6
(3 in 6)
(4 in 6)
(3 in 6)
+1
8
128,000
+1d10
2
2
4
2
4
(3 in 6)
(4 in 6)
(3 in 6)

9
256,000
+1d10
2
2
4
2
4
(3 in 6)
(4 in 6)
(3 in 6)
+1
10+
+128,000/lvl
+3***
2
2
2
2
4
(3in 6)
(4 in 6)
(3in 6)



*** Constitution modifiers no longer apply