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Sunday, February 19, 2012

Magical Marvel's 5: The Glare of Vecna

This week's artifact sacrificial dagger is again from my Ascendant Crusade campaign, much like the previous three artifacts Gravewhisper's Claw, Wallcraft's Offerings and Kofek's Tongue. This weapon is again illustrated by my ladyfriend. You should check out more of her art on her DeviantArt page.

The Glare of Vecna
Artifact Sacrificial Dagger

PHYSICAL ATTACKS

(Blade)(Attack) -4
(Blade)(Damage) 1d4 (Piercing)(17-20/x4)

SPELLS GRANTED

At Will - Detect Good, cast by directing the blade towards the target and asking (rhetorically) "Do you seek to foil our lord?" The spell is a great deal more powerful when cast by the dagger, and overcomes any spell resistance the target may have. (Pathfinder Core Rulebook Pg. 267)

At Will - Eyebite, cast by directing the blade towards the target and telling them "The Whispered One's ire be upon you!" The target receives of Fortitude save (DC 23) to negate. Failure results in the target becoming sickened, panicked, and/or comatose, depending on their HD. (Pathfinder Core Rulebook Pg. 280)

3/Day - Grim Revenge, cast by directing the blade towards the target, then pulling it a yanking motion. Fortitude save (DC 19) negates. This spell is found in the Book of Vile Darkness, Pg. 97. As this book is now out of print, the spell is replicated in its entirety below:

Grim Revenge
Necromancy [Evil]
Level: Sor/Wiz 4
Components: V, S, Undead
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Medium (100ft + 10ft./level)
Target: One living humanoid
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
The hand of the subject tears itself away from one of his arms, leaving a bloody stump. This trauma deals 6d6 points of damage. Then the hand, animated and floating in the air, begins to attack the subject. The hand attacks as if it were a wight (See the Pathfinder Bestiary Pg. 276) in terms of its statistics, special attacks, and special qualities, except that it is considered Tiny and gains a +4 AC bonus and a +4 bonus on attack rolls. Their hand can be turned or rebuked as a wight. If the hand is defeated, only a regenerate spell can restore the victim to normal.

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Any priest or priestess of Vecna who wields this weapon may substitute it for a holy symbol.
Any coup de grâce delivered with this weapon results in an instant kill, no saving throw. Traditionally sacrificial blows are aimed at the heart, so that the barbs can latch on to the heart, and pull it from the victim's chest.

APPEARANCE

The only thing about Vecna's Glare which resembles a more common weapon is the hilt, wrapped in reddish brown leather with a silver pommel. The cross guard, which appears to be a hand sprouting from the weapon's grip, appears realistic, and even feels like cold dead skin when touched. In the hand is gripped a large eye--about the size of a large orange. Large enough to fill the hand's grip. Like the hand, this eye looks and feels organic, and even has veins which become more or less prominent if the eye becomes "irritated" by things like blood or dirt. Sprouting from the pupil of the eye, representing the eye's line of vision, is an unusual blade. It has no edge, and comes to a point at the tip. It is less of a blade, and more of a spike. Along the shaft of the spike are a multitude of barbs angling back towards the hilt, so that once the blade is inserted, removing it will cause significant additional damage.

HISTORY

During his life, and his pre-deific undeath, Vecna crafted a number of remarkable weapons. The Sword of Kas is is only the most well known, and most powerful, of these artifacts. In fact, most of Vecna's own lieutenants were eventually given a weapon forged by their dread emperor's own hand. Vecna's Glare is among those weapons created by the evil god, though in this case, the crafting was a great deal more round-a-bout.

Kas was not the only one of Vecna's followers to betray him. He was merely the most successful traitor. Several decades before the fateful battle which destroyed Vecna's corporeal body, another of his lieutenants betrayed him. The attempt was clumsy, and the clever lich easily saw through his minion's attempts at nonchalance. By the time the fool was ready to spring his trap, Vecna had other followers--more loyal followers--in place to ensure the trap backfired on the traitor.

Vecna is known for many things. He is a renowned conqueror, he was a magic user without peer throughout the multiverse, and he is the original source of many powerful artifacts. With so much to be known for, it his great skill as a torturer has been largely forgotten. He kept his treasonous minion alive for weeks, forcing him to experience pain beyond the imagining of even the most depraved. The Whispered Lord could make a victim relive their most terrifying memories, sever limbs only to reattach them and sever them again, or even cast spells which would kill whomever the victim most loved, without even knowing himself who that person was. Needless to say, Vecna learned all he needed to know. And when he was finished, he reached into the traitor's chest, and pulled out his heart.

Vecna cast a simple spell on the heart, causing it to remain alive, and continue beating indefinitely. He then gave it to Kas the Bloody Handed, and had his lieutenant deliver it to the king with which the traitor had conspired. It seemed that this king, of a kingdom which Vecna had not yet conquered, had thought his kingdom would be safer if Vecna was destroyed. When the king received it, he was filled with anger and fear, and threw the heart out of the window of his audience chamber, where it landed in a river. Two months later, when Vecna sat on the chained king's throne and asked what he had done with the heart, the king answered. He was then forced to watch as his four daughters, three sons, and his queen, were all thrown out the same window, to land in the same river a few hundred feet below.

Centuries later, after the betrayal by Kas, and Vecna's own ascention to the level of demigod, the high priestess of Vecna--a rank which is known as "The Heart" within the cult--prayed to her god. She asked that the Hidden Lord might bestow upon her a symbol to rally the cult behind. One which could be used to draw even more to Vecna's ranks. Vecna answered her. He told her of the traitor, and of the discarded heart. He bade her follow the river which the heart had been cast into. Due to the spell which had caused it to live indefinitely, it would still exist. Recovering it would grant her the symbol she desired.

The priestess was confused by her god's commands, but she did not question them. Alone she traveled to the castle where her god, centuries before, had murdered a king's family before his eyes. To reach it she had to travel across an ocean, through a desert, and over three mountains. It took her a year to finally reach the castle. There she found the river, and she followed it. She moved carefully, checking thoroughly for any hint of the heart. Eventually, the river flowed into a cave. Once inside the cave, the priestess descended far into the earth in the pursuit of her god's will. She faced many monsters which tested her strength, but she never once considered turning back. She lived off of fungi which grew on the stones, and on the meat of the beasts she fought.

Finally, after weeks beneath the earth, having now descended deep into the underdark itself, the priestess came upon a lake. At the center of the lake was a small island, and there slept a red dragon atop its hoard. She constructed a raft, and made her way tentatively across the lake. As she approached, the dragon raised its head, and watched her. Neither attempted to speak until the priestess had brought her raft to land upon the island.

"Give me a reason why I should not devour you, puny human." the dragon boomed.

"I come to you with tribute, mighty Wyrm!" the priestess said, laying a handful of precious gems on the ground at her feet. "And seek only a single piece of your renowned wisdom in exchange."

The dragon snarled, "I am no teller of secrets who can be bought with petty baubles!" it roared, even as it drew the gems into its treasure pile with one might claw. "You've earned yourself only the right to leave here alive. And be quick lest I change my mind!"

"I wish only to know, great king amongst dragons, if you have ever seen a beating heart pass through this river." the priestess gambled, knowing the risk she was taking with her life.

This question seemed to pique the dragon's curiosity. "Perhaps I have. Tell me first why you seek it." The priestess told the dragon of the heart, its origins, and of her quest to retrieve it, though she was careful to mention only that her god had sent her. To mentioned the Whispered One's name was frowned upon, but to mention it whilst revealing a secret would be blasphemy.

When her story was completed, the dragon laughed. Dragon's laughter is a terrifying sound, and it is a credit to the priestess devotion that she did not flee on the spot. "I know this heart," the dragon finally replied. "When I was but a whelpling, it came ashore on my island here. I ate it."

The priestess nodded. "I see." she said calmly, taking hold of her holy symbol so she could prepare a spell. The two battled for hours. The priestess was powerful, but a dragon is a foe none should take lightly, and the island lacked cover which she could use to defend herself against the dragon's fiery breath. In the end, she was very nearly slain. The only thing which saved her was being tail swiped by the dragon hard enough to send her flying onto the treasure pile--right next to a magical spear. So when the dragon moved to swallow her, she dove the spear through the roof of its mouth, and deep into the dragon's brain.

Her foe slain, the priestess found a sword within the treasure pile, and began to cut into the dragon. Her severe injuries made cutting through the dragon's thick hide difficult, but eventually she was able to reach the dragon's heart--nearly as large as she was herself. She sliced it open, and within was Vecna's Glare, glowing with a purple-black aura of evil.

It took over a year to return home, but when she arrived and held the dagger aloft before the faithful, they cowered before its might. She knew that, now, worshipers would flock to the cult of Vecna in droves. How often did gods bless their priests with such a mighty artifact? She felt truly blessed to have Vecna's favor.

That evening, The Heart lay down to sleep in her her own bed for the first time in over two years. And in the dead of night, the priestess who had been handling The Heart's affairs in her absence took Vecna's Glare, and murdered the high priestess with it.

Let none rest easy in Vecna's favor.

Friday, February 10, 2012

Colorful Characters 14: Moreven

My ladyfriend has contributed a number of pieces of artwork for my Magical Marvels posts, including Kofek's Tongue, Wallcraft's Offerings, and Gravewhisper's Claw. Recently, she's been working on a character portrait to commemorate the first character she ever played in one of my games: Moreven the sorceress. I'm so impressed by it that I wanted to post it here on Comma, Blank_, and since it's Friday anyway, I thought I'd take a break from my series on the Weapons of the Ascendant Crusade to turn Moreven into a Colorful Character! The real Moreven was killed by orcs, but now you can include a clone of her in any game you choose! As always, you can see more of my ladyfriend's art on her DeviantArt page.

Moreven was always something of a goof. During the simple education children in her town received, she frequently distracted from the lessons to make her classmates laugh--despite the punishment it earned her. As she grew older, she became somewhat notorious as a practical joker. If someone found themselves surprised and humiliated by an unforeseen happenstance, odds were good that they'd hear laughter and running feet right after it. Most of the town's adults looked on her as a troublemaker--though one which they hoped would ultimately grow out of her propensity to make a nuisance of herself. Among her peers, however, Moreven was a queen. Though they sometimes fell before her pranks themselves, her peers none the less adored her for the entertainment she provided them, and for her part, Moreven reveled in their adulation.

When Moreven was 12, she found that she was beginning to develop some very peculiar abilities. Abilities which allowed her to bend or even break the laws of nature. Immediately she began using her newfound skills to mastermind even more elaborate pranks, and for a time this worked. But it didn't take long for people to figure out that Moreven was doing things which shouldn't be possible. Things which scared the people of the small rural town. Many of them, even her adoring fans, began to distance themselves from her, then to shun her. They whispered amongst themselves that she was haunted or possessed--whispers which only grew louder when she began to talk to a weasel she had found amongst the crops. Moreven retaliated against the townspeople's whispers with more devious pranks. Pranks which started to skirt the line between harmless fun, and genuinely causing harm. Unsurprisingly, this only strengthened the growing opinion that Moreven was becoming unnatural, and unsafe. Things came to a head when one of the town elders demanded she keep away from his son. Moreven responded by magically knocking a ladder out from under him when he was repairing the roof of his home. She heard the wet cracking sound of his legs breaking as he hit the ground, and knew that she had gone too far. She fled the village then, at the age of 15, without bothering to even say goodbye to anyone.

For a while, Moreven managed to earn enough money for food by performing magic tricks in small towns. Her natural clownishness made her an excellent performer, and she found that she could recapture the adulation she had felt from her classmates when she used her powers to entertain, rather than to harm. But her simple magic tricks only kept a given village entertained for so long before she moved on--though rarely before tapping into her skills as a prankster to punish a heckler or two.

Eventually, Moreven met up with a troupe of halflings who made their living the same way. They offered to let her travel with them, and for a few months she did. Traveling with a group had its advantages. On her own, Moreven had been accosted by bandits several times, which was less of a problem in a larger group. And while the halfling jugglers, singers, and comedians were good, none were good enough to draw attention away from Moreven's increasingly elaborate magical shows. On the face it was a good deal, but Moreven quickly became frustrated with the Halfling's mannerisms. Though she craved the attention of admirers, Moreven was not a very sociable person, and found the constant friendly hounding of her traveling companions infuriating. They never seemed to want to stop jabbering on about nothing at all. Things came to a head when Moreven discovered that one of the halflings had been stealing from her purse whilst she was asleep. Swearing off ever working with halflings again, Moreven left the troupe in the same manner that she had left her village--though not before setting one of their carts on fire.

In the next town, Moreven was performing a show in a tavern when she was approached by a woman with horns and a tail, who asked if she would be interested in working together to solve the town's bandit problem. Morrie had never thought of applying her now well-developed sorceress' abilities to adventuring, but the woman assured Moreven that she was one of the most talented young spellcasters around. Moreven had come to love her life of performing, but realized she would never make enough to pay for more than food and a room before needing to move on to another town. Adventuring would give her an opportunity to make some real money. And besides--nothing was stopping her from performing in the towns they visited.

Moreven quickly showed an aptitude for the life of an adventurer. There was gold to be had, and she wanted a piece of it. Moreven and her band were very successful, and when they heard rumors of a secret cathedral to an evil god which was filled with unbelievable treasures, they set out looking for it immediately. It took some doing, but they eventually found the cathedral buried in a cliff side, managed to sneak in, but what they found was not gold and gems. What they found was a necromatic hellhouse. They saw people held in cages, fed to undead monsters to make them strong, necromancers sewing bits of corpses together to create unholy abominations, and numerous other horrors which should not be spoken of.

Moreven was disgusted by the blatant display of evil before her. Egging her compatriots on, the party descended on the cultists, and sent them to their dark god. Once the grisly work was done, there was little treasure to be found, though the freed prisoners managed to pool a few dozen gold pieces in thanks. What Moreven was able to find was a clue to the location of another cathedral, and she insisted that the party investigate. They did, and found the location to be much the same, in both the level of evil, and the level of treasure. The party wanted to move on to more profitable ventures, but Moreven pushed them to continue hunting the undead and the necromancers who create them.

For a time, the party humored her. She was a valuable sorcerer, and surely one of the temples would have treasure more valuable than the few baubles they'd been able to gather so far. Meanwhile, Moreven was becoming more obsessed with fighting and destroying these horrible monsters. She began to study their craft, guiding her own sorcerous development into the necromatic magics, to better combat her hated foes.

Eventually, Moreven's increasing desire to hunt undead rather than seek out treasure caused the group to part ways amicably. Moreven now travels on her own, moving from town to town as a performer, and listening intently for any rumors which would point to any nearby bastion of necromancy.

Personality
Moreven craves the attention of an adoring crowd, but in more intimate social situations she's a recluse. She prefers not to be hassled by peoples problems, or even their genuine interest in her. She's not completely without social graces, though, and can maintain a conversation if she needs to. She simply prefers not to need to.

Tactics
Moreven has become remarkably adept with Necromancy spells, and with the help of a powerful magic item (the Skull of Necromatic Mastery) she is able to attack her opponents using negative energy spells from even a great range. She does, however, keep a few conventional evocation spells at hand if necromancy fails her.

Being a performer, Moreven has a large number of spells which are primarily useful for entertaining a crowd. She often uses these spells to confuse or distract her enemies in combat.

Thoughts on Use
If all you need is something to spice up a small town, then adding Moreven as a traveling entertainer can do that. Having a sorceress casting flashy spells in the background of a scene can add depth and flavor to a game world.

In a more serious context, Moreven has become somewhat renowned as an "Undead Hunter." She can be sought out by PCs in this capacity to offer advice, or other assistance in hunting and destroying undead.

Moreven The Sorceress (CR 3)
XP: 25.600
Female Human Sorceress 14
CG humanoid
Init +2; Senses Perception +0

Defenses

AC 15, Flat Footed 13, Touch 15 [10 + Dex(2) + Robes of Deflection (3)]
hp 79 (14d6 +28)
Fort +6 Ref +8 Will + 12

Offense

Speed 30ft
Melee Undying Staff - 4 (1d0/18-20 x2)
Ranged Light Crossbow + 2 (1d8/19-20 x2)(80ft)
Sorcerer Spells (CL 14th; Concentration +18; +2 save DC for Necromancy spells; +4 to overcome spell resistance)
7th (3/day)-- Reverse Gravity
6th (5/day)-- Acid Fog, Symbol of Fear, Undeath to Death, True Seeing
5th (6/day)-- Waves of Fatigue, Cone of Cold, Seeming, Overland Flight
4th (7/day)-- Dimensional Door, Arcane Eye, Ice Storm, Fear, Rainbow Pattern
3rd (7/day)-- Explosive Runes, Gentle Repose, Ray of Exhaustion, Flame Arrow, Fireball, Dispell Magic
2nd (7/day)-- Ghoul Touch, Command Undead, Pyrotechnics, Spider Climb, Invisibility, Whispering Wind
1st (7/day)-- Magic Missile, Disguise Self, Silent Image, Ventriloquism, Floating Disk, Identify
0 (at will)-- Acid Splash, Detect Magic, Arcane Mark, Dancing Lights, Mage Hand, Light, Ghost Sound, Touch of Fatigue, Prestidigitation
Bloodline Arcane
Bloodline Arcana
Whenever you apply a metamagic feat to a spell that increases the slot used by at least one level, increase the spell's DC by +1. (Does not stack, does not apply to Heightened Spell.)
Bloodline Powers
Arcane Bond -- Able to summon a familiar.
Metamagic Adept (3/Day) -- May use a metamagic feat without increasing a spell's casting time.

Stats

Str 11 (+0) Dex 15 (+2) Con 14 (+2) Int 14 (+2) Wis 12 (+1) Cha 19 (+4)
Base Atk +7/2; CMB +7; CMD 19
Feats Eschew Materials, Spell Focus (Necromancy), Greater Spell Focus (Necromancy), Metamagic: Extend Spell, Metamagic: Maximize Spell, Spell Penetration, Greater Spell Penetration, Combat Casting, Improved Counterspell, Iron Will
Skills Bluff (+21), Knowledge (Arcana)(+19), Spellcraft(+19), Knowledge (Religion/Undead) (+19)
Languages Common, Elven, Gnoll
Gear Robes of Deflection +3, Light Crossbow, Bag of Holding, 100ft of silk rope, 10 days of rations, crowbar, bedroll, spyglass, the preserved right arm and left leg of a full grown gnoll, Undying Staff, Skull of Necromatic Mastery

New Item: Undying Staff

Moreven's signature staff was acquired when I ran her and her fellows through the Dungeons and Dragons 3.5 module The Standing Stone. It is constructed from humanoid bones wired together into a single piece. The staff has 1 charge of Animated Dead, and 2 charges of Create Undead. Moreven had a smith modify it to mount a blade on the end, allowing it to serve double-duty as a glaive.

New Item: Skull of Necromatic Mastery

This mysterious and ornate skull is immensely powerful. Any caster who possesses it is able to cast their Necromancy spells with an additional range of 60ft. This range increase includes spells with a range of "touch," which allows the Necromancer in question to use frighteningly powerful spells without putting themselves in direct confrontation with their target.

Familiar: Weasel, the Weasel

Tiny Animal
Init +2; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +3
AC 22, touch 14, flat footed 20 [10 + Dex(2) + natural(8) + size(2)]
hp 4 (1d8)
Fort +2; Ref +4; Will +1
Speed 20ft, Climb 20ft
Melee bite +4 (1d3 - 4 plus attach)
Space 2 and 1/2 ft.; Reach 0ft
Str 3 Dex 15 Con 10, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 5
Base Atk +0; CMB +0; CMD 6 (10 vs. trip)
Feats Weapon Finesse, Alertness
Skills Acrobatics +10, Climb +10, Escape Artist +3, Stealth +14
SQ: Attach (Ex) When a weasel hits with a bite attack, it automatically grapples its foe, inflicting automatic bite damage each round.
Familiar Special Abilities Share Spells, Empathic Link, Deliver Touch Spells, Speak with Master, Speak with animals of its kind, Spell resistance, Scry on Familiar, Improved Evasion

Sunday, February 5, 2012

Magical Marvels 4: Gravewhisper's Claw

This week's artifact kopesh is again from my Ascendant Crusade campaign, much like the previous two artifacts Wallcraft's Offerings and Kofek's Tongue. This weapon is again illustrated by my ladyfriend. You should check out more of her art on her DeviantArt page.

Gravewhisper's Claw
Artifact Kopsh

KOPESH

The kopesh is the ancient Egyptian name for a type of sword dating back to 3,000-2,000 B.C.E. The hooked design of the sword was, ostensibly, to allow warriors to grab shields out of their opponent's hands. The sword was used in the Dungeons and Dragons 3.0 supplement "Arms and Equipment Guide," as a heavy slashing weapon which could be used for trip attacks. The base weapon is exotic, can be wielded in one or two hands, costs 20gp, deals 1d8 slashing damage, has a crit range of 19-20 and multiplies damage by 2 on a critical attack. This is something of a misrepresentation of the weapon, which had a narrow, light blade. For my own purposes, I combined the more traditional blade design and purpose with the thicker width and high damage.

PHYSICAL ATTACKS

(Blade) 2d8 + 5 (Slashing)(19-20/x2)

SPELLS GRANTED

1/Day - True Strike, cast by whispering "Blade of mine, fail me not!" This is a free action. The next attack gains a +20 attack bonus, and ignores any miss chance from concealment. (Pathfinder Core Rulebook Pg. 363)

SPECIAL ABILITIES

The blade of Gravewhisper's Claw has one of the keenest edges ever forged. Not only was the swordsmith a master of their craft, but magical enhancements to further narrow the edge, and protect it from dullness have been cast upon the weapon with the skill of the greatest of archmages. This grants the weapon its additional 1d8 damage die on top of the standard kopesh.
Aside from the powerful sharpness enchantments upon the blade, Gravewhisper's Claw also holds an enchantment which causes the edge of the blade to be hot as a blacksmith's fire. When attacking, Gravewhisper's Claw is able to ignore up to 8 hardness. This allows the wielder to cut into stone as though it were paper. Even steel provides little more resistance than leather. This bonus does not apply to Damage Reduction, nor does it bypass any amount of Armor Class. It does, however, aid in sunder attempts.
Anyone wielding Gravewhisper's Claw gains the Improved Sunder feat if they do not already have it. Sunder attempts attempted by the wielder do not provoke attacks of opportunity, and are made with a +2 bonus. Additionally, the wielder gains +2 to their combat maneuver defense against sunder attempts.
Gravewhisper's Claw's hooklike blade can be used to make a trip attempt. If the wielder is tripped during their own trip attempt, they can drop Gravewhisper's Claw to avoid being tripped.
Gravewhisper's Claw's hooklike blade can be used to make a disarm attempt at a +2 bonus to the wielder's combat maneuver check. This is in addition to the +2 granted by the Improved Sunder feat, for a total of +4.
The first time anyone takes hold of the hilt of Gravewhisper's Touch, they are immediately affected by a powerful illusion which last several hours for them, but for others appears to last only a few minutes. In this illusion, the wielder experiences the greatest battle the blade was ever involved in: the fall of Niston.

APPEARANCE

Gravewhisper's claw is made of polished black adamantine, and inlaid into an ornate hilt of silvery mithril. The grip of the blade is wrapped tightly in red leather--made from the skin of a Balor killed within the realms of the Abyss. A large sapphire is serves as the pommel of the blade, and two thin bands of gold encircle the silvery hilt just below the blade. The blade itself is thicker than the blade of a standard kopesh, and it hooks more sharply at the end. The edge of the blade glows a dull red color, and though it does not burn to the touch, water which strikes the edge instantly turns to steam. In the crook of the blade floats an ancient Negunian rune. The rune is insubstantial, so objects can pass through it as though it were not there. Roughly translated, the rune means "loyalty above all," with the connotation of strong, even romantic, affection.

HISTORY

When it was created, this blade had another name. It was commissioned by an an ancient king who ruled over the entire continent of Negune from the great city of Oriac, which spanned the entire isle of Argania. The blade was to be given as a gift to the king's mightiest servant who resided far to the North, who was presently quelling a small uprising there. The blade was sent to the king's servant's forward command post by way of a heavily guarded caravan. It was to be the symbol which would carry the royal army to victory against the rebellion.

Unfortunately for the king, a rebel force which had made its way deep into the king's territory ambushed the caravan, and stole many of its treasures; including the mighty blade. Instead of serving as a symbol of the king's generosity and his people's unity, it came to represent the might of the rebellion, and the ability of the people to strike a blow against the seemingly invincible armies which ruled over them. The sword rallied the people to the rebellion's cause. And though it took twenty years and countless lives, the rebellion overthrew the king and his kingdom.

The end of the war also saw the end of law on the continent. After twenty years, the rebels were ruthless in their extermination of all that their overlords had stood for. The entire city of Oriac was razed to the ground. Its books, its artwork, its many treasures were lost forever. The rebels had come to find authority so distasteful that they rejected the very notion of government. The continent descended into tribalism for centuries, descending eventually into barbarism. For some time the blade would appear here or there for a generation or two, in the hands of a powerful warrior. But it soon became lost.

It wasn't until several millenia later, after the continent had been re-settled by immegrants from another land that the blade was rediscovered by an Illumian adventurer named Byert Gravewhisper. It had made its way into the bottommost depths of an unexplored crypt within the boarders of the Regalian province of Volpan. He was there with his adventuring party, led by she who would someday come to be known as The Whispered Queen, looking for the one true c0py of The Book of Vile Darkness, bound by Vecna's own hand. It was easy to spot, for though a thick layer of dust had settled over its entire surface, the red glowing edges burned away any dust which settled upon them.

Byert carried the blade with him through the rest of his adventures. The weapon's original name and history had been lost to the ages, so he dubbed the blade "Gravewhisper's Claw." It served him well as he adventured across the continent, and later as he conquered the continent as a general of The Whispered Queen. It was during this period that he commissioned an enchantment placed upon the blade. A passionate military historian, Byert collected many historical weapons and had them enchanted to allow him to re-live the weapons' greatest battle in an illusory world.

The weapon remained by Byert's side until his ultimate demise by the side of The Whispered Queen, over a thousand years after he first took the blade for his own. One of the warriors who defeated the Whispered Queen took the blade as his own for a short time. But shortly before his death, he donated it to the clerics of Byblyx, an order which holds the preservation and sharing of knowledge to be the greatest commandment of their goddess. Since then, the blade has been kept in a museum within the capital city of the new Negunian Republic.

Monday, January 30, 2012

Dwarven Tanks

I'm not sure if I've mentioned this in the past, but I'm a huge fan of oldschool Final Fantasy games. Any numbered games X or prior are great, but IV, VI, VII, and VIII are my favorites by far. Amusingly, I've never really had a taste for western RPGs of the video game variety, such as the Elder Scrolls series, or Mass Effect games. They much more closely emulate my one true love--tabletop games--but I think there's a sort of "uncanny valley" effect for me. I like linear games, and I like games with true tactical infinity, but games which emulate tactical infinity without actually giving me infinite options can just be frustrating.

I think it was on my second or third play-through of Final Fantasy IV when I had this idea. There's a point, about halfway through the game, after you steal the airship from the evil city-state of Baron. The heroes must fly into a giant crater which connects the surface world to the vast underground realm of the dwarves. Almost immediately you find yourself in the middle of a pitched battle between the Baronian airship navy, and the land-based dwarven tanks.

The tanks make a few more appearances throughout the game, and the idea intrigued me. I am apparently not alone in this, because both the Warcraft and Warhammer franchises employ dwarves with tanks. Perhaps it's because the race themselves--short, squat, and unimaginably tough--fundamentally resemble tanks. Whatever the reason, I decided that dwarven tanks would make a great addition to my D&D games. However, I'm not a huge fan of including technology in fantasy games. It can be a fun twist for a setting, but as a general rule I like the most advanced technology in my games to be a crossbow. So the challenge was to create a dwarven tank which didn't rely on technology, but also did not rely on an excessive use of magic, since dwarves would probably find distasteful. This is what I came up with. Lali-ho!

The Dwarven Tank

The main body of the dwarven tank resembles a boxy steel shell, longer than it is wide. Along the bottom edge of the shell are small steel sheets, attached to the shell by hinges. When the metal sheets are raised, one can see that there are four large iron wheels supporting the shell, and that it otherwise has no bottom to it. On top of the shell, in the center of its surface area, is a large flat disc, and from that disc protrudes a long cylindrical barrel, 7ft long. On both ends of the long shell are small protrusions, the purpose of which is not readily apparent.

As large as the dwarven tank may seem from the outside, within things are positively cramped. Each tank employs crew of 11 of the strongest dwarves available. Six dwarves serve as "movers," two dwarves serve as backup movers, one dwarf serves as spotter, one as driver, and one as hammermaster. Since the tank has no bottom, all eleven dwarves must walk in unison with the tank's movements, which is surprisingly difficult for a large number of dwarves to do within such a cramped space.

The six movers are divided three to each side, where they take hold of sturdy bars mounted into the inner-walls of the steel shell. Their task is simple: push in unison, either forward or backward, according to the instructions of the driver. The six movers are rotated in shifts with the two backup movers, to ensure that no dwarf ever spends too long at the strenuous task of moving the behemoth dwarven tank.

The two protrusions at either end of the tank are periscopes, which are used by the spotter to give instructions both to the driver, and to the hammermaster. The tank completely lacks windows , or openings of any sort save the flaps at the bottom of the tank, so without the spotter and his periscopes, the dwarven tank crew would be blind. The driver stands at one end of the tank, where a number of controls are mounted. A wheel for steering, various pulleys to raise the metal flaps to help the tank move over obstacles.

The hammermaster mans the gun, or the "Shock-Put" as the dwarves call it. He uses a pair of heavy cranks to adjust the vertical angle from 0 to 80 degrees, and the horizontal angle up to 180 degrees. These cranks are adjusted according to instructions from the spotter. Once the gun is aimed correctly, the two movers currently off-duty take one of the "shock rocks" from the large bin on the opposite end of the tank from the driver. The shock rock is then loaded into the bottom of the shock put, which is then sealed.

The seal of the shock-put holds the shock rock in place while the hammermaster prepares his swing. When the crew is ready to fire, the hammermaster takes up a large two-handed warhammer, and strikes the the bottom of the shock-put, where a piston is mounted. The piston has a special permanent explosive rune enchanted on the inside, which strikes the shock-rock with all the force the hammermaster can transfer into it. The resulting explosion, which varies in strength based on the force with which piston is struck, sends the shock-rock careening out of the shock put at fantastic speeds, often flying as far as five or seven hundred feet when struck by a skilled hammermaster.

Most dwarven tank groups also carry a small supply of explosive shock rocks, which are themselves covered in explosive runes. These projectiles cause significantly more damage, but are difficult to create, and thus not used as frequently.

It is said that once, long ago, a great dwarven king built a mithril tank which, due to its relatively light frame, could move twice as fast as most dwarven tanks. However, due to the rarity of mithril, this tale is often dismissed as a fabrication.

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Succubi in Succubus Town

I'm obsessed with Comma, Blank_'s Google Analytics profile. Fiddling around with it, learning new things about my traffic, and watching the ways in which my readership has grown in the last few months tickles me pink. And more than anything else, I obsess over are search terms. Knowing what people are looking for when they find your site is not only useful, but it can be gods damned hilarious. Someone searching for "bar0n'ika" ended up finding Colorful Characters 4: Baron Ika of the Treebreaker Tribe, and someone searching for "erotic art inspired by the dungeons & dragons monster manual" found a scan from the 3.5 Monster Manual which I once uploaded but never used.

Hits from unusual search terms like those listed above tend to be rare. Most people find Comma, Blank_ by searching for much more mundane terms: dungeon door, elf archer, orc ranger, etc. One unusual term, however, is actually quite common. In fact, it is the number one search term which leads people to visit this site: "Succubi in Succubus town."

The page these folks are finding, of course, is my post from early December entitled "Succubi Deserve More," which I think is among some of my better work. I'm only too happy that people are finding it. But I can't help but wonder why in the world so many people are searching for this term in the first place. I tried searching it myself, and can find no reference to any kind of succubus town whatsoever. Mostly it's just novels by a woman named Nina Harper. I would think that, given the frequency with which the term is searched for, that it was an actual reference to something which could be found online. But no such luck.

In discussing this oddity with some of my friends, we got to joking about what a succubus town might look like. Which is when it hit upon me that I should actually start taking notes on our conversation, because writing a post about a town populated entirely by succubi sounds awesome.

The City of Al Uzzara
Colloquially known as "Succubus Town," or just "Sex City," Al Uzzara is an opulent metropolis located on the 570th layer of the Abyss; Malcanthet's Domain. Unlike many parts of the abyss it is generally considered a pleasant place to visit. The entire permanent population of Al Uzzara are succubi and incubi, and within the city limits these otherwise evil creatures seem intent on nothing but making their guests comfortable and happy during their stay.

Unfortunately, no one is able to truthfully explain precisely how their stay was made pleasant. A permanent and powerful enchantment on the city of Al Uzzara causes any non-succubus who visits to completely forget anything which happened there within an hour of their departure. All they are left with is a vague sensation of how they felt about their stay.

Atmosphere
On the surface, Al Uzzara is a place where any being can satisfy their carnal urges easily and cheaply. Every inn doubles as a brothel, and every eating establishment is accompanied by a burlesque show. Demons are the city's most common patrons, but beings of many cultures which view planar travel as commonplace visit Al Uzzara frequently. Even humanoids are a common enough sight here, though few creatures of a goodly alignment ever willingly travel to the abyss.

The succubic residents of Al Uzzara happily alter their mannerisms, their forms, even their gender, so as to appeal to the aesthetic sensibilities of their visitors. And succubi are very good at determining a creature's innermost desires. The guile and trickery which is known throughout the multiverse to be synonymous with succubi seems conspicuously absent here. Most who venture here become overwhelmed by the decadent possibilities to dwell on that curiosity. Those few who do look beyond the surface of Al Uzzara quickly find the natives to be much less friendly. If they are unlucky enough to actually discover anything, they may never return from the city of sex.

In truth, the city is, literally, a breeding ground of demonic soldiers and slaves. The succubi of Al Uzzara entice their male visitors to engage in as much debauched sex as possible, allowing the succubi to give birth to demon spawn which may then be sold as troops for the generals of the blood war, or as slaves to anyone who desires them. Female visitors are likewise encouraged to entertain their wildest desires, only to then be drugged, and have their gestation periods magically accelerated. When they awake they will never know what evil's they've helped bring into existence.

Layout
Al Uzzara is a walled city, with many high towers and sky bridges overlooking the beautiful, but deadly, gardens of the 570th layer of the abyss. It is divided into a number of districts designed to appeal to a variety of archetypical sexual predilections. There are posh pleasure palaces, and lascivious libraries. A district of seedy back alley debauchery, and one of not-so-chaste religious figures--though none of the churches here are consecrated of course. There are even areas of the city for those who like to dominate, or be dominated by others. The city's main roads are designed to allow visitors to travel directly to an area which suits their desires, without passing into an area they may not want to visit.

The Nexus: All throughout Al Uzzara are hidden doors. Every bedchamber, every harem, every place where a visitor might think themselves alone (save their companionship) is accessible from the nexus. It is a circular stone chamber, buried deep beneath the deepest basements of the city above. Seven ascending ramps spiral outward from the bottom of the chamber. Every few feet along the wall of the chamber is a portal, showing a view of the chamber it leads to. Walking through the portal causes one to appear in some innocuous place out of sight of the room's occupants. The Nexus is used both to carry female guests to the birthing chamber, and to secretly switch out a male guest's companions, so that his previous companions may visit the birthing chamber.

The Birthing Chamber: A short hallway at the bottom of the Nexus leads to the Birthing Chamber. Succubi, inherently capable of controlling their own reproductive process, visit here only to drop off their spawn in cages to be sold later. For the non-succubi who are brought here, there are a rows of comfortable couches attended by succubi particularly adept in sorcerous magics. They accelerate the gestation periods of these females, dull their pain and heal any damage caused by the birthing, then call on others to carry them back through the nexus while their young are prepared for sale.

The Horns: The horns are the two tallest buildings in Al Uzzara. They are conically shaped--wide at the base, and rising to a point at the top. This is the only visible portion of the city which visitors are not allowed to access, and in fact, it can only be accessed by one with the ability to fly. The right tower is the seat of the city's government. Malcanthet reigns supreme over Al Uzzara, as she does over the entire 570th layer, but she rarely visits this city. The rule of Al Uzzara is largely left to a council of 30 succubi, whose primary concerns are drawing willing victims to the city, and bartering deals with those who wish to purchase the slaves the city produces. The left tower is home to the city's enforcers, collectively known as biters. Violence and conflict are rare in Al Uzzara, and when they occur there is normally a succubus on hand who can easily handle the situation themselves. The biters primarily concern themselves with watching for any who have remained in the city too long, or who seem to be paying too much attention to how the city is run.

Friday, January 27, 2012

Magical Marvels 3: Wallcraft's Offerings

This week's artifact duom spear, also from my Ascendant Crusade campaign, is again illustrated by my ladyfriend. You should check out more of her art on her DeviantArt page.

Wallcraft's Offerings
Artifact Duom Spear

DUOM SPEAR

The Duom spear, introduced in the Dungeons and Dragons 3.0 supplement Arms and Equipment Guide is a longspear with a standard spearhead, as well as two blades curved so that they point backward along the shaft. The weapon has reach, allowing you to strike opponents 10 feet away with it. Those proficient with the duom can also attack adjacent foes with the reversed heads using a practiced "reverse thrust." Apply a -2 penalty on the attack roll if you use the duom to attack a second, adjacent opponent in the same round you attacked the first opponent. Duom spears cost about 20gp, deal 1d8 damage for medium creatures, with a critical multiplier of 3 on a natural twenty. They weigh 8 pounds on average, and deal piercing damage.

PHYSICAL ATTACKS

(Main Blade) 1d8 + 5 (Piercing)(20/x3)(10ft.)
(Reverse Blades) 1d8 + 5 (Piercing)(20/x3)(5ft.)
(Shaft) 1d6 + 5 (Bludgeoning)(20/x2)(5ft.)

SPELLS GRANTED

At Will- Unhallow, cast by thrusting Wallcraft's Offering into the ground for two minutes. (Pathfinder Core Rulebook Pg. 363)

At Will - Animate Dead, cast by letting the droplets of blood from Wallcraft's Offering fall onto a viable corpse for 1 full round. (PFCR Pg. 241)

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Though Duoms are not made for throwing, Wallcraft's Offerings magically gives it a throwing range increment of 20ft.
At will it can be summoned to its owners hands.
At will, the blood dripping from The Blind Empress' hand can create a cloud of red mist around the spear's blade, granting a +5 to bluff checks when attempting to feint.
Once per day, The Blind Empress' discarded eye can guide the spear in magical flight. A target who is within the sight of the thrower must be selected, and the thrower must speak the command word "May Vecna make my aim true!" Wallcraft's Offering then flies through the air at a speed of 120ft per round, following the target even around corners, and up to one mile distant from the thrower. After either hitting or missing the target, or reaching 1 mile of distance, Wallcraft's Offering is magically summoned back to the thrower's hands.
Wallcraft's Offering grants the wielder a +10 on Spellcraft, Knowledge(Arcana), and knowledge (Religion) checks.
When attempting to recruit followers of Vecna, the wielder is granted +5 to their leadership score. All normal leadership restrictions apply.
The character wielding Wallcraft's Offering is treated as one level higher for the purposes of determining how many undead they can control.
Wallcraft's Offering can be used as a holy symbol by followers of Vecna.
Wallcraft's Offering radiates a strong aura of Necromancy and Evil.

APPEARANCE

The blade's shaft is made of a polished bronze, which is perfectly smooth, yet does not slide in the hand when gripped. The shaft ends in an expertly crafted bronze skull, from which springs the the adamantium spear blade. A pair of imp's wings, torn from the back of one of the foul creatures, have been magically turned to iron and shaped into the duom's reverse blades. The Whispered Queen's eye, plucked from her own head, is mounted between the two wings. Likewise her hand, cut from her own arm, clutches the duom's shaft just below the spear blade. Though it has been severed for years, it still bleeds profusely. Any blood which falls from it, however, disappears shortly after it touches the ground.

HISTORY

Not much is known about the early life of the woman for whom this weapon was named. She was always shrouded in mystery, and what was known of her has now been lost to the mists of time. What people do know are the titles she earned for herself. Vecna's Heartfelt Voice, The Blind Empress, the Whispered Queen, Lady of the Ascent--Warmisstress Wallcraft. From her granite throne at center of the Citadel of the Seed, she ruled over the known world with an iron fist for a thousand years. Though it has been centuries since the end of her rule, there are few more terrifying figures in history than she. Perhaps even more so, now that she sits at the right hand of the god she served so well.

It is said that the Whispered Queen was chosen at a young age by Vecna himself. That he groomed her, and guided her to usurp the leadership of his religion from her long forgotten predecessor. That when she stood over the bloody corpse, she turned the knife on herself, and cut out her eyes and her left hand in honor of her god.

The followers of Vecna--those few who still remain--know the story to be a little less dramatic. The Whispered Queen did usurp leadership of the Cult of Vecna from the former leader, and in doing so, obtained both The Hand and The Eye. The removal of her own hand and eye were a gesture of faith, yes, but it was also necessary for her to affix the powerful artifacts to her own body. And she only removed one eye, as the other had been lost during her youth. But even the faithful do not know that tale.

After gaining control the Cult of Vecna, The Whispered Queen took her severed hand and eye, and forged them into one of the most magnificent weapons the world has ever seen. Working with her companions, including master tactician Kisteer Forktongue, The Whispered Queen systematically conquered kingdom after kingdom with ruthless efficiency. Often neighboring nations were completely unaware that their ally had been conquered until the forces of Vecna were on their own doorstep. The world fell before her might, and her empire lasted a thousand years.

But all empires must fall. The Whispered Queen finally met her end at the hands of upstart peasants, and Wallcraft's Offering was seemingly lost to the ages.

What is not commonly known is that one of the peasants who defeated the Whispered Queen, a paladin named Toryan, tried to destroy the vile weapon, but could not. No fire would smelt it, no axe would sunder it, no hammer could even dull its razor edge. At a loss for options, she gathered together three dozen other paladins from her order, and they traveled deep into the wilderness. When they reached a suitable place, they all dug together for nine days, and placed the spear in a sealed adamantium box, upon which they placed powerful wards against evil and divination--hoping to keep its location hidden from the god of secrets himself.

The 37 paladins then buried the box again, and vowed to dedicate their lives to its protection. They settled there, and built a small farming community on the ground above their ward. Generations have passed, and the community has grown to a small town of 300 people. Most know nothing of their town's founders, or of their town's sacred purpose. They are no longer even deep in the wilderness: civilization has spread out around them, and there are several other communities nearby. Only the twelve town elders, and the town's High Cleric know of the secret beneath the earth, and even they know only that a great evil rests there which must be protected.

But centuries have passed, and the magical protections have begun to weaken...

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Magical Marvels 2: Kofek's Tongue

As I mentioned in last week's Colorful Characters post, I've been thinking about spicing up my Friday update, (never mind the fact that they've been going up on Saturdays lately). So from now on, Fridays will be a toss up between three regular features: Colorful Characters, Magical Marvels, and Malevolent Monsters. (Anybody admire assonance and alliteration?) I'm not going to make any special effort towards making sure there's an even distribution between the three, but if my readership gravitates strongly towards one of the three I'll see if I can't give it some special attention.

This week is a top-tier rogue weapon which has shown up in my Ascendant Crusade campaign. Special thanks to my ladyfriend for providing the art for it. You can find more of her artwork on her DeviantArt page.

Kofek's Tongue
Intelligent Artifact, Small Scythe

PHYSICAL ATTACKS

(Main Blade) 1d6 + 5 (Slashing)(20/x4)
(Staff) 1d4 + 5 (Bludgeoning)(20/x2)
(Switchblade) 1d3 (Piercing, Slashing)(19-20/x2)(May be activated as a swift action. Weapon is concealed until then)
(Dart) 1 damage. Each coated with Nitharit poison (Con damage, PFCR pg. 560) (Only 2, must be reloaded as a full round action) (Darts are fired from the eye sockets of the kobold skull mounted at the top of the blade's shaft)

SPELLS GRANTED

6/day - Suggestion (Pathfinder Core Rulebook Pg. 350)
1/day - Invisibility (PFCR Pg. 301)(2 minute duration)
2/day - Scorching Ray (PFCR Pg. 337)(Ranged Touch, 4d6 fire damage) (One comes from each of the two rubies mounted in the small marble skull's eye sockets)

SPECIAL ABILITIES

The wielder can make telekinetic trip attacks at a range of 30 feet. Trip attempts are otherwise treated normally.
As a swift action, the wielder may utter a command word, causing the shaft to split in the middle. The two halves are connected by a chain. This allows the scythe blade to be used as a 10ft reach weapon.
The scythe blade can be "thrown" by Kofek's Tongue. The blade deals damage normally, and has a range increment of 20ft. Once the blade stops, it magically returns to Kofek's Tongue.
The wielder gains a +10 to their combat maneuver bonus relating to trip attacks.

INTELLIGENT ITEM ABILITIES

EGO 22; INT 20 (+5) WIS 18 (+4) CHA 10 (+0)
Senses Darkvision 120ft, Blindsense, Hearing; Communication Speech, Telepathy
Languages Common, Draconic, Goblin, Halfling, Gnomish
Alignment True Neutral
Purpose Kofek's Tongue is driven towards subterfuge, traps and trickery. During periods of downtime, it will often drive its wielder to perform practical jokes on their own companions, to slake its own thirst for trickery. The weapon would strongly resist being used in an open and honest fight, such as a duel, or military assault.
Racism The weapon can abide gnomes, but CANNOT be weilded by one. Any Gnome which attempts to hold it takes 10d6 damage/hour.

APPEARANCE

Kofek's Tongue has a simple brown shaft made of fine polished wood. At the head of the shaft, a kobold's skull and jawbone are mounted. The scythe blade is clutched firmly in the skull's mouth (thus, it is the "tongue.") On the opposite end of the shaft is a small ornate skull made of white marble. In each of the two eye sockets rests a small ruby. A small switchblade is mounted at the bottom of the shaft, which can be released by depressing a small button on the handle, causing the 5" blade to extend straight from the bottom of the shaft, protruding from the small marble skull.

HISTORY

As a species, kobolds are smaller, and more physically feeble than most of the common races. They've learned that the best response to confrontation is to flee, which has earned them a reputation as a cowardly lot. However, kobolds are also exceedingly clever. They know that they do not need to fight their foes in order to harm them. The astounding, even instinctual trap making abilities of kobolds are renowned throughout the world. And none more so than Kofek.

Kofek is a Kobold hero, one of the few the species has. She was the matriarch of The Redscale Clan, and taught her people to make traps more devious and deadly than any made by kobold kind before her. The stories told of her by firelight have grown grandiose and distorted through countless retelling, but the core of her legend is true: no adventuring party ever managed to survive the approach to the Redscale village. And when she turned her mind to vengeance against the humans who had driven her clan into the mountain a generation before, the devices Kofek's clan hid throughout the human lands caused many to flee their homes.

Then the gnomes came. A band of ten kobold hunters, called by the leader of the human village. He arranged a meeting with Kofek, ostensibly to negotiate an end to hostilities. Instead, the noble Kobold leader was ambushed by the gnomes. Her loyal guards died defending her. Kofek was tortured. Her eyes put out with hot irons, her tongue forks stretched apart, her scales pulled off her one by one. The gnomes demanded to know how to bypass the traps which led to her village, but she never told them. After three weeks of unceasing agony, Kofek died. The gnomes attempted to assail the village on their own, but were killed by the deadly traps. Kofek's vengeance from beyond the grave.

With the gnomes gone, and the human forces weakened and demoralized, the Redscale Tribe armed themselves, and marched on the village in force. Many were killed in the battle, but none would flee. Such was their love for the great Kofek. They recovered her body, and brought it back to the village to honor it properly. Kobolds do not bury or burn their dead. They honor them by using their remains to support the tribe. Her scales were made into the raiment which would forever garb the leader of the Redscale tribe, her claws and teeth were made into spear tips and arrowheads. And her skull and jawbone, with her brain still inside, were lovingly crafted into the most magnificent scythe the tribe's weaponsmith ever crafted.

For generations, the scythe, named "Kofek's Tongue" served as a badge of office for the village's greatest trap-smith. Until a young kobold, a traveler from the Forktongue tribe, visited the Redscales. His name was Kisteer, and he had heard rumors that Kofek's wisdom still spoke to the one who held the magnificent scythe. Kisteer spent many hours with the tribe's trapsmith, discussing new designs and pretending to learn from the older kobold. While the old kobold was sleeping, Kisteer stole the scythe, and fled from the village.

Kisteer wielded Kofek's Tongue through many adventures, and even improved upon it with his own modifications. His mechanical skill and trapping instincts eventually rose to such prominence that they were said to rival Kofek's own. However, most kobolds have no love for Kisteer. As a lieutenant of The Blind Empress, he is viewed as an evil conqueror. And, after the establishment of the Blind Empress' Empire, Kisteer further enraged Kobold kind by visiting many kobold tribes, and robbing them of their strongest and most intelligent members, to establish his own Tribe of The Black Eye.

Since Kisteer's death, Kofek's tongue has been passed down through the generations to the leaders of the Tribe of the Black Eye. And is still held by them to this day.

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Colorful Characters 13: Maedhar Krekpe

Note: I'm considering supplementing Colorful Characters with some other features. Something like "Malevolent Monsters", or "Amazing Artifacts." Just to give myself some more options on what to post on a Friday/Saturday. Let me know in the comments if you would like more variety like that, or if you'd prefer Colorful Characters remain a weekly feature.

Maedhar Krekpe was born in a massive city to an affluent merchant family. He was always a thin, bookish child, and excelled in the expensive private academies his family sent him to. He decided very early on in life that he wanted to become a Wizard, and worked hard to pursue that goal. He applied to the magic academy when he was eleven. His aptitude was so impressive, that one of the test administrators offered him the opportunity to become her personal apprentice. An offer the young boy accepted eagerly.

They boy excelled in his studies, which focused primarily on the school of evocation and the practice of alchemy. In the evenings, his teacher--an elderly woman, with leathery skin and calloused hands--would tell him stories about her life as an adventurer. Tales of goblin tribes and slain dragons. Some were perhaps exaggerated, but they none the less filled the young students head with visions of himself as a traveling wizard, using his skills and knowledge to triumph over evil, and rescue a village in the process.

Maedhar grew, and learned, and when he was 28 he joined a small group of adventurers as a fully certified Wizard. The group went on a number of adventurers together, and in many ways it was just as Maedhar had imagined. He never managed to slay any dragons, but he did stop a tribe of orcs which was stealing pigs from an outlying village. After a couple years on the road with his companions, the group heard that a barbarian tribe was poaching in the King's forest, and took it upon themselves to bring the uncivilized brutes to justice.

They scoured the forest for a week before finding the tribe's encampment. They contemplated whether or not to attempt diplomacy, but the party's leader--a cleric with much more experience than the rest of the group--decided that it wasn't likely enough to work for them to sacrifice the element of surprise. They made plans, and launched a surprise attack.

They were slaughtered.

Maedhar awoke days later, bound in a tent. He wasn't sure why he had been spared, because the last thing he remembered was seeing his compatriots hacked to pieces by the masterful barbarian warriors. He waited, unable to move, for some time before anyone came to check on him. The barbarian spoke a few words, but Maedhar didn't understand his language. Then the barbarian pointed to Maedhar's ring--which depicted a bear--and then to his own chest, which was tattooed with the silhouette of a roaring bear. Apparently the tribe viewed him as somehow connected to them, and had decided to spare him. At least, for a little while.

He was then unbound, and led through the village to a large hut, where a middle aged woman sat on a large chair. He was made to sit on the ground before her, while she questioned him in broken common. He gathered that they were the Tribe of the Dire Bear, and that she was their matriarch. They did not understand that this was the King's forest, and did not accept that they were not allowed to hunt here.

During his questioning, Maedhar heard wet, sickly coughing from the corner. He looked, and saw a young boy laying on a mat on the ground, sweat covering his forehead. He asked what was wrong with him. The matriarch did not answer at first, staring at him in stony silence, contemplating whether to humor him. Finally she answered that the boy was her son, and that he was very sick. They had been unable to help him with any of their traditional remedies. Maedhar offered his help. Again, the matriarch considered, obviously distrusting of the violent outsider, but eventually allowed him to try.

Maedhar still had a few healing potions with him, given to him by his adventuring companion. He gently poured the magically healing liquid into the boy's mouth, and he visibly improved instantly. He sat up, and quaffed the rest of the potion in a few large gulps. There was a murmuring in the hut, and the Matriarch approached Maedhar. She kissed him on the forehead, and said.

"Dire Bear send you to help us. You be Clan of Dire Bear now."

Maedhar wished to return to civilization, but the matriarch would not have it. She said that he must stay with them, for he knew the location of their village. And, after seeing the brutal efficiency with which they fought, the bookish Maedhar was not inclined towards any foolish escape attempts.

It has been three years since Maedhar was accepted into the Tribe of the Dire Bear. In that time he has integrated himself fully into their society. He has married a woman, and has a young child of his own. He no longer wishes to return to civilization, but still views himself as a scholar.

Personality
Maedhar has not lost himself in barbarian culture. He is still a bookish fellow, without much interest in developing himself physically. However, he now holds community and family as paramount values, which he feels civilization has lost sight of.

He speaks boldly, and cares deeply for the members of the Tribe of the Dire Bear. He is also compassionate and welcoming towards outsiders, but is deeply distrusting of them at the same time.

He is always eager to study the spells or scrolls of Wizards he meets. A lack of magical study material is, he says, the only downside to living among the Tribe of the Dire Bear.

Tactics
Maedhar is not a close quarters combatant, and he knows it. In battle, he lets his barbarian compatriots handle the direct combat, while he stays to the side and focuses on buffing them, and casting ranged damage spells such as Scorching Ray and Magic Missile.

If forced to fight alone, Maedhar will prefer to flee. If he can't, he will cast Mage Armor and Shield, and quaff his Potion of Bear's Endurance, before attempting to fell his enemies with his offense spells and clumsy dagger thrusts.

Thoughts on Use
Maedhar could show up in a game in a number of different ways. If your adventurers encounter a group of barbarians, the presence of Maedhar can provide an unexpected challenge. Not only is Wizardry an unusually skill to find amongst barbarians, but education is likewise uncommon. If your party is attempting to negotiate with the tribe to get them to leave the lands of Baron Hammak, Maedhar will be able to tell his barbarian cohorts that Baron Hammak is untrustworthy, thanks to his knowledge of the nobility.

Maedhar's affluent family might also engage the PCs to find their son. They would likely believe him to be dead, but they might have heard tales of the wizard who lives amongst the barbarians.

Maedhar Krekpe (CR 3)

XP: 800
Male Human Wizard 4
LG humanoid
Init +2; Senses Perception +0

Defenses

AC 12, Flat Footed 10, Touch 12 [10 + Dex(2)]
hp 29 (4d6 + 2)
Fort +3 Ref +3 Will + 5

Offense

Speed 30ft
Melee Silver Dagger + 0 (1d4 - 2/19-20 x2)
Wizard Spells Prepared (CL 4th; Concentration +7;)
2nd (3/Day)-- Bear's Endurance, Scorching Ray, Scorching Ray
1st (4/day)-- Magic Missile, Magic Missile, Mage Armor, Shield
0 (At Will)-- Acid Splash, Flare, Message, Message

Stats

Str 7 (-2) Dex 14 (+2) Con 14 (+2) Int 16 (+3) Wis 13 (+1) Cha 13 (+1)
Base Atk +2; CMB +0; CMD 12
Feats Scribe Scroll, Brew Potion, Metamagic: Empower Spell, Metamagic: Extend Spell
Skills Craft (Alchemy)(+10), Knowledge (Geography)(+10), Knowledge (History)(+10), Knowledge(Nobility)(+10) Spellcraft (+10)
Languages Common, Elven, Gnomish, Tribe of the Dire Bear Tongue
SQ
--Bonded Object: Masterwork quality silver ring, with a bear etched into it and gilded with gold. A single small emerald is set into the ring, serving as the bear's eye.
--Evocation Specialist. Opposition Schools: Divination, Necromancy
----Intense Spells: Evocation spells which deal HP damage have their damage increased by 1/2 the caster's Wizard level.
----Force Missiles: (6/day) As a standard action, you can unleash a force missile which automatically strikes a foe. The missile deals 1d4 points of damage, plus the damage from Intense Spells. This is a force effect.
Gear Fine Purple Robes, a few pieces of ornate silver jewelry, 2 Potions of Cure Light Wounds, 2 Potions of Bear's Endurance, Small silver dagger
Spellbook:
Level 0-- Resistance, Acid Splash, Daze, Dancing Lights, Flare, Light , Ray of Frost, Ghost Sound, Mage Hand, Mending, Message, Open/Close, Arcane Mark, Prestidigitation
Level 1-- Burning Hands, Magic Missile, Shocking Grasp, Mage Armor, Enlarge Person, Feather Fall, Magic Weapon, Shield
Level 2--Bear's Endurance, Darkness, Gust of Wind, Scorching Ray

Friday, January 6, 2012

Colorful Characters 12: Queen Herea Yellinda Quist the Fourth

Queen Herea Yellinda Quist the Fourth was born to the aging monarchs of a small human kingdom. The day she was born, a great festival was held for all the people of the kingdom, as it had been thought that the kindly king and queen were too old to produce an heir. These festivities were to last for seven days, but were brought to an early end when the queen--who was greatly loved by her people--died two days after Herea's birth.

In the absence of his wife, the king doted on their daughter. Were it not for the nannies and tutors helping to raise the girl, he would have spoiled her rotten. Even so, the girl grew up with a somewhat inflated sense of self and an expectation that she could always get what she wanted eventually. Fortunately for her future subjects, these faults were tempered by the girl's intelligence, and education.

As a child, the future queen became immensely fond of riding, and of mounted combat. The king saw to it that she was trained in each by the finest riders in his kingdom. And each year on her birthday, the king held games in her honor. The winning jouster was awarded a finely crafted mithril lance, presented to them by the young princess herself.

When Herea was 15 years old, her father took ill. The clerics did their best to save him, but the disease was virulent and violent. Every time the king coughed, he sprayed a mist of blood into the air. After several weeks of ineffective casting, he ordered his clerics to stop their attempts to cure him, and he had Herea brought to him. In his final hours, he spoke to the princess on matters of state. And imparted to her all the wisdom he could between hacking coughs, and gasps for breath. He hung on for perhaps a day, and when Herea left his side, she did so as queen.

A few hours of hastily imparted wisdom cannot turn an impetuous teenager into a ruler, however. Herea's rule has been plagued by misjudgements and a failure to understand the complexities of ruling over a large population. She has at least had the wisdom to delegate more power to her father's most trusted stewards and advisers. And in the last decade, they have done much of the ruling of the kingdom--though some bear a growing resentment of the child queen they serve.

While she allowed her kingdom to be ruled by others, Herea developed a taste for gambling. A vice which has cost her dearly, and depleted her family's fortune to critical levels. Now 25, the queen has sworn off gambling, but fears that her grumbling advisers may use her mismanagement of her fortune as an excuse to stage a coup. So in an attempt to rebuild her family fortune, she has been discreetly funding parties of adventurers. She provides the basic equipment which they cannot afford, and in return receives 25-50% of the treasure (negotiated with each individual adventuring party.)

Thus far the venture has been only somewhat successful. Herea is waiting for the right adventuring party to come along, one which she can trust, so she can share with them a map she found amongst her family heirlooms. A map to an ancient treasure which would solve all of her money problems for a long time...

Personality
Herea is smart, but she's not quick. She's still a little spoiled as well. She doesn't take things too seriously, even though her situation is often quite serious. In negotiations, however, she is fierce. A trait no doubt born of her expectation that she will always be able to get her way eventually.

Tactics
Queen Herea is not a combatant. Her best option if attacked is the small dagger she keeps hidden in the folds of her gown. Most of the time, however, the palace guards are more than able to handle anyone who threatens her. If not, she will likely run.

If attacked while mounted, though, Herea may get caught up in the joys of mounted conflict, and fight much more fiercely.

Thoughts on use
She's a quest giver, da-doy!

For evil characters, she would also make a good assassination target.

Queen Herea Yellinda Quist the Fourth (CR 5)

XP: 1,600
Female Human Aristocrat 7
CN humanoid
Init +1; Senses Perception +0

Defenses

AC 11, Flat Footed 10, Touch 11 [10 + Dex(1)]
hp 29 (6d8 + 0)
Fort +2 Ref +3 Will + 6

Offense

Speed 30ft
Melee +4 Bejeweled Dagger +8 (1d4 + 4/19-20 x2)
Ranged +4 Bejeweled Dagger +9 (1d4 + 4/19-20 x2) (10ft.)

Stats

Str 10 (+0) Dex 13 (+1) Con 10 (+0) Int 17 (+2) Wis 9 (-1) Cha 15 (+2)
Base Atk +4; CMB +4; CMD 15
Feats Skill Focus (Ride), Mounted Combat, Iron Will, Leadership
Skills Appraise (+12), Bluff (+11), Diplomacy (+11), Knowledge (Nobility)(+12), Ride (+13), Sense Motive (+8)
Languages Common, Old Common, Elven
SQ
--Mounted Combat: Once per round when your mount is hit in combat, you may attempt a ride check to negate the hit. The hit is negated is your Ride check result is greater than the opponent's attack roll.
--Royal Privilege: Any service which can be sourced locally can be purchased at cost. (Half the listed price).
Gear Small Bejeweled Dagger, +4, Amulet of True Seeing, 100gp
Available Funds: Can spend up to 7k on an adventuring party. Prefers not to spend more than 1k. Has a total of 22,000 gold pieces left in treasury. Current taxes and expenditures have the treasury being reduced by an amount of 100gp per day.

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Training Groups of NPCs

Over the many many years which I've played my Rogue/Warlock, Zalekios, he has often run into a group called the Dragon Forged. Truth be told, I don't even recall our first encounter. I believe they tried to accost me on the road, followed by a healthy dose of torturous murder on my part. If I recall correctly, I was so annoyed with their attempt to burgle me, that I performed the closest thing to a good deed which Zalekios has ever attempted. I rooted out their evil plan to trick the nation of Alamon into going to war with their southern neighbor, Mulgran, and foiled it simply to spite them. Alamon awarded me with a rather rare artifact, and I believe I'm still considered a minor hero in that kingdom, since I never had a second adventure in that area.

The Dragon Forged have been a pebble in my shoe ever since. And as I've gained higher and higher levels, my dealings with them have become ever more comical. Most recently I was awakened by one of my goblins and alerted to the fact that my tower was under siege. I look out over my balcony, and what do I see but two small warbands of Dragon Forged, impotently attempting to break down my door. So I spend a few rounds lobbing Eldritch Blasts at them before I get bored, jump off the third story balcony, and attack the low-level twats in melee.

What? Zalekios has a wisdom modifier of 0. It's ROLE PLAYING. >.>

The rabble is dispatched quickly enough, and I'm left wondering why my GM would waste time on such a pointless little skirmish. I actually made sure I kept a few of the pests alive, just so I could torture them and hopefully discover why the GM had chosen to send them against me. But first, I resolved, I would finish my night's rest.

Yet no sooner had I laid my evil head to my evil pillow, than I was awakened yet again. I seriously considered killing the goblin this time, but Zalekios is trying to work on conserving his resources better, and I resisted. The goblin had a good reason to awaken me anyway: there was a dragon circling the tower. Thinking my GM was sending me a somewhat more deadly challenge, I rushed to the balcony, skeletal hands glowing black with eldritch might. But the dragon didn't attack. It alighted on my balcony, and morphed into a human shape.

This dragon, as it turned out, was the dragon in 'Dragon Forged.' Apparently his goal all along has been to cause all the great nations on the continent to go to war with each other, and continue warring until nothing is left but ruination. Being Chaotic Evil himself, Zalekios is fond this this notion. The dragon had also noticed that, given his follower's repeated failures, and my repeated pwning of them, that perhaps I was just the psychopath to lead him to victory. He offered me a position as his chief lieutenant, with complete command over the forces of the Dragon Forged, to the end bringing about the catastrophe we both desired.

It took me a few days, but I came up with a rather solid plan I think. It's not only multi-layered, but has fail-safes which kick in if some element of the plan fails. Made me feel like god-damned Xanatos. The details of that plan, however, may be written about at a later date after I've had an opportunity to see how the plan unfolds. However, one of the elements of the plan was that I required the Dragon Forged to not suck. To that end, my GM and I worked out some simple rules for training large groups of NPCs. I'm not sure if I've seen rules for anything like this in any official supplements, so they may be of use to you if you are ever in need.

A character can train a group of NPCs in any class that character has at least 3 levels in. For example, a 4th level rogue / 2nd level fighter can train a group how to be rogues, but not how to be fighters.
A group of NPCs can never be trained to a class level higher than 2 levels below the current class level attained by their teacher. For example, a 10th level rogue can train a group of NPCs to be level 8 rogues, but not level 9 rogues.
Each level requires [2 * The Level Being Trained To] months. For example, training a group from level 6 to level 7 requires 14 months.
Training costs [1000 * The Level Being Trained To] gold pieces. For example, training a group from level 6 to level 7 costs 7000 gold. This cost is for training only. Items such as training equipment etc. Any cost for food and lodging of the trainees would be extra.
Training more than 10 people at a time adds a 2% failure rate for each additional person. For example, if you're training 10 people, then there is no failure rate. However, if you're training 11 people at once, then you must roll a D%. If you roll 1-2, then the training fails and the materials and time is wasted. Training 12 people at once has a 4% failure rate, training 13 has a 6% failure rate, and so on.
Hirelings can be used to train groups in classes which they have.
New Feat: "Teacher:" Characters who have this feat only need to spend half as much money when training groups of NPCs.
New Feat: "Improved Teacher:" Characters who have this feat reduce their failure rate for students above 10 to 1%. (11 students has a 1% failure rate, 12 students has a 2% failure rate, and so on.)

I quite like the system. At first glance, and for our game, it balances well. Each level of training comes with a cost in both time and money which keeps the system from being abused to create massive armies. Also, note that this system says nothing about loyalty. Simply that skills are imparted from one high level character, to multiple lower level characters. If the GM is feeling particularly dickish, he or she could simply have the students turn on their teacher once they have nothing more to learn.

I'm sure the system has numerous flaws, though. It was really just slapped together by the two of us chatting back and forth one evening. I'd be interested to hear anyone's thoughts on what flaws it has, or how it could be improved.