Fiendish Friday: The Snakes of Severis

In a deserted temple on the Plateau of Pain stands a seven foot high statue of a long forgotten god. This robbed figure wielding a short sword held aloft is covered in writhing multicoloured snakes, ranging from between two to three feet in length. Baby snakes emerge periodically magically from the statues wide open mouth. The snakes are carried far and wide by an order of assasins who specialise in dissappearances. They know a magic word which paralases the snakes into a hard dart like form. They will then throw the snake at a target who on a successful hit must Save vs Poison as the snake’s fangs sink into exposed flesh. If the target fails they start to phase out of reality within twenty four hours (D20+3). Within that time the target becomes more and more insubstantial. Only strong magic can save them, such as Dispel Magic as cast by a ninth level Magician, or higher, or paradoxically the petrifying gaze of a Basilisk. If the target phases out of reality, their insubstantial form is transported to an isolated place in the Shroud, known as the Purple Room, where it waits for up to sixteen hours (2d8 hours) before being returned to Reality for its final damnation. For after they leave the Purple Room they are transported insied the Statue, where they become their essense produces the next batch of Snakes!

RuneQuest 6 Special Edition Hardcover

Finnnnnnally, the IndieGoGo campaign for the RQ 6 Hardcover is up and going, and about 50% funded at time of writing after about a day and a half with thirty days to go.

I’ve funded this modest campaign, which I reckon will have modest stretch goals, but if you want a hardcover version of the most excellent RQ6, which won’t be available via retail, go check it out.

Has the OSR industry failed us?

Every now and then I think its healthy to have a bit of self evaluation about the whole OSR thing.

This post by UK Roleplayers columnist Baz Stevens, almost as a follow up after his review of the new Magic and Monsters game ( http://www.ukroleplayers.com/reviews/monsters-magic ), over at his RPG Treehouse blog does just that.

Warning the post is a bit provocative but knowing Baz that’s what he’s after, the real goodness should come in the comments as various people (myself included) weigh in.

Fiendish Friday: Thuric’s Ring

God Emperor Thuric is almost forgottten by all but the most obscure scholar. This tyrant lorded it over the Continent of Terror in ancient times. He was completly sadistic and insane and attracted similar bad types to his court. Such as the evil Sorcerer Elbakem-El-Feng. This demon in a man’s form quickly intergrated himself with the Emperor’s inner circle, and soon became the sole channel of communication with him. Once he had isolated Thuric he bedazzled him with a series of gifts, each more extravagant than the last. First was an intricate jade ring, were two carved jade serpents lay tail to mouth, each swallowing the other. Then came magificent sets of magical arms and armour, exquistively crafted artefacts and jewelry to melt the heart of even the most resistant of women. More and more did Thuric become dependant on Elbakem’s gifts. Then one day he awoke alone. His treasures all gone and in the empty throne room only the mocking laughter of Elbakem. His shocked servants rushed to throne room to find that Thuric had disappeared. The only trace of him being the jade ring, placed neatly on the seat of his throne.

Crypt Keeper’s info.
The ring when first donned produces a warm resilent glow around the character, giving them +10 hit points and +2 when makeing saving throw.

Each following week a new gift appears in the wearers life (roll d6 on list below). Only the wearer may don them. If they try to give them away the gift crumbles into dust.

1. Golden Armour of Lions Ac 0 [19].
2. Silver blade of Servering, d12 damage +2 to hit.
3. The amulat of Seduction, -2 to Save to avoid being seduced ( equivalent of a Charm Person spell) by the person who gifts the amulat.
4. The wearer discovers a treasure horde worth 500 Gp nearby.
5. The Sheild of the Dragon, automatically protects against Fireball and Dragon fire.
6. Robe of Charming, wearer automatically has charisma 18 and is able to cast Charm Person, twice a day.

After all the gifts have appeared, another week passes. The wearer enjoys life. Then one morning they awake and all their possessions are gone (not just the gifts). All they can hear is the mocking laughter of Elbakem-El-Feng, who then steps into Reality to take the character back to his hellish Other World as ‘payment’ for their time with the gifts.

Elbakem-El-Feng in Demon form appears as a tall gaunt humaniod with stretched grey skin, horned head and long talons. It wears and uses all the gifts.

Elbakem-El-Feng AC 0 [19] HD 8 Attacks x 2 Damage Talons (d8) or Silver blade of Servering, (d12 damage, +2 to hit) Save 8 Special Rules: Posseses the Six Magical Elbakem-El-Feng. CR 10 XP 1,400.