Tuesday, December 25, 2018
Sunday, December 23, 2018
Pruning the Magic Item Christmas Tree
A long lamented problem for some campaigns is the accumulation of magic items by the characters to the point where a detect magic spell would cause them to light up like a Christmas tree.
DM's being loath to take away treasured items from the player characters for fear of disappointing the players have often neglected to use the built-in mechanics of the game which serve to mitigate this issue and keep the discovery of more magic items fresh and exciting.
Items like potions and scrolls are already meant to be used once only, and charged items like wands and staves run out of power after a random number of uses. This was meant to limit power while still allowing characters special bonuses. Sadly without the risk of these items being take away through hazards, spells, creatures, or other mishaps, the players tend to hoard them for use against the toughest foes or "end bosses". With the mechanics for taking items away, there is incentive to use it or lose it and encouragement to be more liberal in use of charged and consumable items.
Among the possible mechanics in 1st edition AD&D for handling the abundance of magical treasure available in the game are spells, creatures, etc.
Spells can include Dispel Magic, and Mordenkainen's Disjunction. The former can ruin potions and temporarily disable other permanent items like magic armor and swords. The latter permanently removes all magic from items affected.
Monsters can include Rust Monsters, Caryatid Columns, some slimes and oozes, and the Disenchanter. In my opinion the Disenchanter wasn't needed and was a bandaid for a problem that shouldn't exist.
Of course hazards play their part in reducing excess magic items from play. Things like lava, acid, and the common occurrence of falls into pits or from other heights play their part; and lets not forget other spell hazards like fireball, all bring the Item Saving Throw Table into play. The last one should not be forgotten despite the possibility of slowing down play.
Playing closer to the guidelines as written would provide a way for the problem to take care of itself.
DM's being loath to take away treasured items from the player characters for fear of disappointing the players have often neglected to use the built-in mechanics of the game which serve to mitigate this issue and keep the discovery of more magic items fresh and exciting.
Items like potions and scrolls are already meant to be used once only, and charged items like wands and staves run out of power after a random number of uses. This was meant to limit power while still allowing characters special bonuses. Sadly without the risk of these items being take away through hazards, spells, creatures, or other mishaps, the players tend to hoard them for use against the toughest foes or "end bosses". With the mechanics for taking items away, there is incentive to use it or lose it and encouragement to be more liberal in use of charged and consumable items.
Among the possible mechanics in 1st edition AD&D for handling the abundance of magical treasure available in the game are spells, creatures, etc.
Spells can include Dispel Magic, and Mordenkainen's Disjunction. The former can ruin potions and temporarily disable other permanent items like magic armor and swords. The latter permanently removes all magic from items affected.
Monsters can include Rust Monsters, Caryatid Columns, some slimes and oozes, and the Disenchanter. In my opinion the Disenchanter wasn't needed and was a bandaid for a problem that shouldn't exist.
Of course hazards play their part in reducing excess magic items from play. Things like lava, acid, and the common occurrence of falls into pits or from other heights play their part; and lets not forget other spell hazards like fireball, all bring the Item Saving Throw Table into play. The last one should not be forgotten despite the possibility of slowing down play.
Playing closer to the guidelines as written would provide a way for the problem to take care of itself.
Friday, December 21, 2018
New Spell: Troubled Footfall (Curse)
Troubled Footfall
Level: 3
Duration: Permanent
Range: 10' Plus 10' per level (May be cast through a scrying device.)
Troubled Footfall is a curse meant to prevent sneaking about silently. The victim of this spell is affected each time they attempt to move unheard. The snap of twigs, crunch of leaves, skitter of kicked pebbles, thump of boot heals on stone, are all results of this curse. A remove curse spell will negate this affliction.
Level: 3
Duration: Permanent
Range: 10' Plus 10' per level (May be cast through a scrying device.)
Troubled Footfall is a curse meant to prevent sneaking about silently. The victim of this spell is affected each time they attempt to move unheard. The snap of twigs, crunch of leaves, skitter of kicked pebbles, thump of boot heals on stone, are all results of this curse. A remove curse spell will negate this affliction.
Wednesday, December 19, 2018
New Spell: Twig (Cleric, Nature; Wizard, Illusion)
Twig
Level: 1
Duration: 2 turns (20 minutes)
Range: 10' plus 10' per level
By casting Twig the cleric or wizard causes a distraction reducing chances of being accurately tracked by 20% for the duration of the spell. The caster tosses a twig off the trail which snaps as anyone tracking nears the diversion location. It then becomes difficult to discern which direction the caster took from that point.
Level: 1
Duration: 2 turns (20 minutes)
Range: 10' plus 10' per level
By casting Twig the cleric or wizard causes a distraction reducing chances of being accurately tracked by 20% for the duration of the spell. The caster tosses a twig off the trail which snaps as anyone tracking nears the diversion location. It then becomes difficult to discern which direction the caster took from that point.
Monday, December 17, 2018
Lair of the Necromancer
Here are a few pictures from the lair of a necromancer the party only saw part of before retreating to safety. They were in bad shape with most of them at 1 or 2 hit points so a withdraw was the wisest option.
The lair contained the remaining cultists of the Rat God, the Necromancer, and numerous skeletons and zombies, including a number of ripening bodies in the fetid water in the lowest reaches of the dungeon. Had more than just one party member entered the place, the Necromancer would have animated the bodies in the water to bolster his already impressive force of undead.
During the confusion the necromancer would have made his escape, leaving behind 8 cultists, 4 skeletons, and 10 zombies to vex the adventurers. Treasures left behind included an apprentice spell book, several Lesser Wondrous Figurines, a talking Auguring Skull, and a journal.
Saturday, December 15, 2018
More pics from other adventure moments.
Above - A Hammered Game Table completely filled with Dwarven Forge and other scenery.
Above - A wealthy merchants veranda.
Above - The merchant's basement with secret door behind painting.
Above - Delivery for the blacksmith.
Above - Well-to-do citizens hob-nob by the cathedral clock tower.
Above - The party is surprised by an Ocre Jelly while in the sewers.
Above - The party finds a secret door in the sewers and emerges into caverns.
Thursday, December 13, 2018
Isle of the Abbey part 3 - unfinished post from April of 2015
This post was meant for publication in April of 2015, but it remains unfinished and is being posted now mainly to show off the pictures of resin Dwarven Forge sets.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
At the end of part 2 the party had begun exploring into the maze of passages called "the trap" and the halfling and paladin were trying to lure an armored automaton back toward the rest of the party. Their effort was failing to trap the trap.
Eventually the paladin decided to confront the automaton at the intersection of the long halls.
The paladin paused at the intersection to light a torch. Somewhere in the darkness the automaton turned around and came back to attack. This action also triggered the rest of the trap. A section of wall opened behind the halfling and through it stepped another of the metal guardians.
The party pulled together to eventually destroy the first automaton, and the wizard discovered that the bracer allowed him to halt the second automaton, deactivating the trap.
Continuing further along, they found another door like the one between the first crypt and the trap.
Beyond the door lay a passage to the large gallery of the crypts, and shrine. About 50 feet into the corridor stood a pair of doors opposite each other. To the right was a storage room of mummification supplies and to the left was a burial chamber with a sarcophagus.
The lid to the ornately decorate sarcophagus was somewhat askew and a horrible smell emanated from within. Half climbing, Endzique peered over the edge to see a mostly evaporated thick dark liquid with a roughly man shaped lump of dessicated sludge. Merenk, the necromancer explained that this was likely a mummification technique using seawater and sea salts, and somehow the seal had broken allowing the process to go foul.
Nobody was willing to feel about in the dank mess so they proceeded to the next small chamber. The room was filled with faded and cracked murals, but little else.
Passing beyond a narrow door, the party found themselves by a sealed sarcophagus, their meager torchlight fading in the distance of a larger room. Edging slowly out into the wider darkness, the paladin stopped and drew his sword when he noticed a human-like silhouette in the distance.
Endzique hearing the paladin challenge the person just beyond sight, ran back the way they had come and on a hunch ran down the long corridor beyond the doors they had previously investigated. He emerged into the Grand Gallery parallel to Fairchild and could see another figure opposite himself.
Cautiously the two advanced into the gloom, discovering that they faced only statues beside a shrine composed of a silently trickling mermaid fountain. The two statues of previous Lord Navigators of the church stood silent sentinel, arms spread to their sides, holy symbols of ship's wheel adorning their vestments.
Relieved, the party chose to bypass the sealed sarcophagus and continue into a smaller chamber to the left pf the gallery.
This turned out to be another burial chamber. Within they discovered a shattered sarcophagus cluttered with mounds of rubble, and broken bones.
Archway leading onto older crypt - "Between the pilings the Grand Navigator rests, with an eternal flame to guide him home beyond the waves."
searching, found stone block dimensions of a book, pried open, delicately removed book, discovered key fits pommel lock on large sarcophagus
mummy from behind tears cultist in two (44 points damage) chaos ensues
wizard cuts necromancer free mummy takes down ranger (down to zero) people begin to flee when realize only magic is affecting it
paladin tries covering escape route, is dropped by mummy (rolls natural one on his first death save takes two failures, three inspiration from paladin and other party members used to save life)
party, much like early cave dwellers discovers new use for fire, finally drop mummy
investigate large sarcophagus and find very old man preserved perfectly under crystal clear water
pull him out, he is dry, party members involved are wet, try to wake him up, eventual success, he heals ranger and paladin
party heads to living quarters area to rest and regroup before checking tower (will they find Silas? will there be a fight? will the powerful elementalist roast the party?)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
At the end of part 2 the party had begun exploring into the maze of passages called "the trap" and the halfling and paladin were trying to lure an armored automaton back toward the rest of the party. Their effort was failing to trap the trap.
The party pulled together to eventually destroy the first automaton, and the wizard discovered that the bracer allowed him to halt the second automaton, deactivating the trap.
Continuing further along, they found another door like the one between the first crypt and the trap.
Beyond the door lay a passage to the large gallery of the crypts, and shrine. About 50 feet into the corridor stood a pair of doors opposite each other. To the right was a storage room of mummification supplies and to the left was a burial chamber with a sarcophagus.
The lid to the ornately decorate sarcophagus was somewhat askew and a horrible smell emanated from within. Half climbing, Endzique peered over the edge to see a mostly evaporated thick dark liquid with a roughly man shaped lump of dessicated sludge. Merenk, the necromancer explained that this was likely a mummification technique using seawater and sea salts, and somehow the seal had broken allowing the process to go foul.
Nobody was willing to feel about in the dank mess so they proceeded to the next small chamber. The room was filled with faded and cracked murals, but little else.
Passing beyond a narrow door, the party found themselves by a sealed sarcophagus, their meager torchlight fading in the distance of a larger room. Edging slowly out into the wider darkness, the paladin stopped and drew his sword when he noticed a human-like silhouette in the distance.
Endzique hearing the paladin challenge the person just beyond sight, ran back the way they had come and on a hunch ran down the long corridor beyond the doors they had previously investigated. He emerged into the Grand Gallery parallel to Fairchild and could see another figure opposite himself.
Cautiously the two advanced into the gloom, discovering that they faced only statues beside a shrine composed of a silently trickling mermaid fountain. The two statues of previous Lord Navigators of the church stood silent sentinel, arms spread to their sides, holy symbols of ship's wheel adorning their vestments.
Relieved, the party chose to bypass the sealed sarcophagus and continue into a smaller chamber to the left pf the gallery.
This turned out to be another burial chamber. Within they discovered a shattered sarcophagus cluttered with mounds of rubble, and broken bones.
Archway leading onto older crypt - "Between the pilings the Grand Navigator rests, with an eternal flame to guide him home beyond the waves."
searching, found stone block dimensions of a book, pried open, delicately removed book, discovered key fits pommel lock on large sarcophagus
mummy from behind tears cultist in two (44 points damage) chaos ensues
wizard cuts necromancer free mummy takes down ranger (down to zero) people begin to flee when realize only magic is affecting it
paladin tries covering escape route, is dropped by mummy (rolls natural one on his first death save takes two failures, three inspiration from paladin and other party members used to save life)
party, much like early cave dwellers discovers new use for fire, finally drop mummy
investigate large sarcophagus and find very old man preserved perfectly under crystal clear water
pull him out, he is dry, party members involved are wet, try to wake him up, eventual success, he heals ranger and paladin
party heads to living quarters area to rest and regroup before checking tower (will they find Silas? will there be a fight? will the powerful elementalist roast the party?)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)