Adventure on sale to celebrate one year of 4th Edition on Tailslap! Only $2.50!
It’s also been a year since we released our first 4th edition adventure: Anointing the Seer. This dark fairy tale adventure for 5th level characters has been a great seller, and I had a lot of fun writing it and playtestng it at Millenium Con here in Austin. Now, as a special thank you to our readers I’m releasing Anointing the Seer for half price – only $2.50!
Follow this link to get your half-price copy from RPGnow.com!
In this adventure, a malevolent warlock appears at the coronation of the new priestess at a flourishing temple, renowned for it’s high priest’s abilities as an augury, and lays a curse on all there. A call goes out for some brave souls who must enter the now dangerous temple, discover the nature of the woe laid upon the priestess and set all to right. Before all is done, they will face a witch and her minions, a warlock in his aerie and a dragon in its lair.
Featuring beautiful art, full color maps, and new monsters, spells and magic items!
This dark, fairy-tale style adventure is designed for 4th Edition Dungeons & Dragons characters of 5th level. It is set in the western end of the Verdant Woods at the edge of the Middle Kingdoms in the Soralic lands, a campaign setting by Unicorn Rampant. As such is is suitable for any wooded area with some mountainous terrain that is near the edge of civilized lands or in a very rural area between kingdoms. The adventure is location-based and character driven, with fairy-tale elements and plenty of crunchy dungeon crawling goodness.
Great care has been taken to make this adventure easy for you to run, with notes for the gamemaster preceding each section of the adventure. All stats are presented in an easy to read format, and the adventure features great art from three professional artists.
Follow this link to get your half-price copy from RPGnow.com!
Posted in news and tagged Anointing the Seer by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
Water Wyrd
A powerful serpent made of water rises up from the surface of the pool. Spray wets your face as it sways for a moment, then it lunges at you with blinding speed!
Used as guardians, or among some cults as sacred animals, these ceratures from the elemental chaos are unperdictable and violent. Striking unexpectedly from the water, they drag creatures under and drown them.
Water Wyrd ✦ Level 13 Lurker ✦ XP 800
Medium elemental magical beast
Initiative +12 Senses Perception +6
HP 98; Bloodied 49
AC 27; Fortitude 24, Reflex 26, Will 24
Speed Swim 8
Powers
Snatching Strike ✦ At-Will, Standard Action, Melee reach 2
A snake made of water lunges out of the pool and pulls you in.
+16 vs. Reflex, 2d8 + 6 damage, and the target is grabbed and slid 2 squares.
Squeeze! ✦ At-Will, Standard Action, Melee
The creature, invisible in the water, crushes the life – and the air – from your body.
Usable against grabbed targets only.
+16 vs. Fortitude, 4d8 + 6 damage, and if the target is underwater, they must succeed on a DC 20 Endurance check or lose a healing surge or, if out of healing surges, lose hit points equal to their healing surge value.
Dissappear ✦ At-Will, Minor Action
The water-snake dives beneath the water and from sight.
The Water Wyrd takes cover in water and becomes invisible.
Alignment neutral Languages none
Skills Athletics +15, Stealth +17
Str 19 (+10) Dex 22 (+12) Wis 11 (+6)
Con 14 (+8) Int 5 (+3) Cha 19 (+10)
Posted in Uncategorized and tagged creature origin: elemental, creature subtype: aquatic, creature: paragon lurker by Adam A. Thompson with 1 comment.
Sylvanthread Armor
This extremely light, non-magical cloth armor is made of finely-woven sylvanthread, a durable elven fabric base.
Price: 3,250 Gold
Check: 0
Weight: 5 lbs.
Posted in Uncategorized and tagged armor by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
Steadfast Helm
This greathelm protects it’s wearer from blows that might otherwise send them reeling.
Item Slot: Head
Property: +2 bonus to saves against dazed or stunned conditions.
Power (Daily – immedeate reaction): when dazed or stunned, make a save against the condition.
Posted in Uncategorized and tagged equipment: magic helm by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
Ring Mail
An armor made by taking a hardend leather jerkin or coat and sewing rings to the outer surface, this armor provides slightly better protection against blades, but is also more encumbering than regular leather.
Price: 35 Gold
Check: -1
Weight: 25 lbs.
Posted in Uncategorized and tagged armor by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
Saurian Assassin
This hunter, along with the priest of Tiamat, is in charge of the expidition to deliver the Auroch Princess to Baldric Ostov. He has been lurking at the ruined house where they plan to sacrifice her, observing the ritual from hiding in case anything goes wrong. If the players rescue the princess, he will attempt to kill her himself so that she cannot report the Saurian’s treachery to the royal family.
Saurian Assassin✦ Level 12 Elite Lurker
Medium natural dragonborn ✦ XP 1400
Initiative +12 Senses Perception +15
HP 194; Bloodied 92
AC 28; Fortitude 24, Reflex 24, Will 22
+2 to Saving Throws
Action Points: 1
Speed 6
Powers
Bite ✦ At-Will, Standard, Melee
+17 vs. AC, 2d6 + 3 damage.
Blowgun ✦ At-Will, Standard, Ranged 6
+17 vs AC, 1d4 + 6 damage and ongoing poison 10 (save ends).
Executioner’s Noose ✦ At-Will, Standard, Ranged 5
Force, Implement, Shadow
+17 vs. AC, 1d6 + 6 force damage, the target is pulled 2 squares and slowed for 1 turn.
Quickened Breath ✦ At-Will, Minor Action (only usable once per turn), Close burst 5
+15 vs. Reflex, 1d6 + 4 poison damage.
Flury of Talons ✦ Encounter (Recharge 5-6), Standard, Melee
Implement, Shadow
Fly 6 to a square adjacent to an enemy and then make three attacks at:
+15 vs. Reflex dealing 1d8+3 damage per hit.
Bloodied Talons ✦ Encounter, Immedeate Reaction
Flury of Talons recharges and the Assassin uses it immedeately.
Alignment evil Languages Draconic
Skills nature +11, perception + 15, stealth + 17
Str 16 (+9) Dex 22 (+12) Wis 10 (+6)
Con 19 (+10) Int 12 (+7) Cha 19 (+10)
Equipment: blowgun, poisoned darts, torc with dragon heads
Posted in Uncategorized and tagged creature type: humanoid, creature: paragon lurker (elite), subplot: Lament of the Aurochs by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
Temptation
I was doing some research on the theme of temptation in art, and came upon some very interesting historical practices that resulted. There were people who took up an anchoritic life – a life seperated as much as possible from the temporal world. You can’t make this stuff up:
The anchoritic life became widespread during the early and high Middle Ages. Examples of the dwellings of anchorites and anchoresses survive. They tended to be a simple cell (also called “anchorhold”), built against one of the walls of the local village church. Once the inhabitant had taken up residence, the bishop permanently bricked up the door in a special ceremony.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anchorite
One of the reasons the hermitic and monastic traditions were popular in mideval european culture was the existance of a written tale of the life of St. Anthony the Great (a 3rd century Egyptian Christian) that had been translated into latin and perputuated.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_the_Great
Alltogether it makes for very interesting reading….
Posted in Uncategorized and tagged historical inspiration by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
Thrall of Graz’zt
Arcane Paragon Path
Prerequisite: Evil alignment, Arcane Power Source.
By engaging in a vile rite known as the Hollow Feast, those with a lust for power and a penchant for depravity and betrayal attract the attention of agents of Graz’zt and enter into foul pacts. Traded secrets of power and given demonic servents these fallen souls carry out the creed of the Dark Prince – seduce and betray.
Path Features
Spell Betrayal (11th level) – Once a round, when you hit a target with an arcane power against whom you have combat advantage you deal an extra 1d8 damage.
Dark Charisma (11th level) – You gain a +2 vile bonus on Diplomacy and Bluff checks against evil creatures. This bonus increases to +4 at 21st level.
Spellstrike (16th level) – When you spend an action point to cast an arcane power at a foe who is engaged in melee, you deal an additional 1d12 damage with the power.
Powers
Summon Minor Demon – 11th level Attack
Encounter – Minor Action (Minor Sustain)
You summon* a quasit that has Speed: 4, fly 6 and the following powers:
- Venomous Claws – Standard ✦ Poison
Inteligence vs. AC; 1d8 + Inteligence Modifier damage, and the quasit makes a secondary
attack against the same target.
Secondary Attack: +Inteligence – 3 vs. Fortitude; the target takes ongoing 5 poison damage and a –2 penalty to
Will defense (save ends both). - Vanish (standard; at-will) ✦ Illusion
The quasit becomes invisible until the end of its next turn or until it attacks.
Silver Tounge – 12th level Utility
Encounter – Arcane – Minor Action
You gain a +5 power bonus to Bluff and Diplomacy checks until the end of your next turn.
Summon Seducer – 20th level Attack
Daily – Minor Action (Minor sustain)
You summon* a succubus that has Speed: 6, fly 6 and the following powers:
- Corrupting Touch (standard; at-will)
+Int. vs. AC; 1d6 + Int. Modifier damage. - Dominate (standard; at-will) ✦ Charm
Ranged 5; +12 vs. Will; the target is dominated until the end of the succubus’s next turn. - Change Shape (minor; at-will) ✦ Polymorph
The succubus can alter its physical form to take on the appearance of any Medium humanoid, including a unique individual (see Change Shape, page 280).
* Per the summoning rules detailed in Arcane Power, p. 98.
Posted in Uncategorized and tagged Paragon Path, subplot: the Shan'n'nur by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
Cunning
Michael Kane, a new contributor to Claw/Claw/Bite, came up with this new skill that gives DMs and players a fun way to introduce some cinematic action and daring-do into their games.
If you wish to use it in your game, you could make it available as a class skill to rogues, bards, and other quick martial characters.
Cunning (Wis+Int) – Take the average of the two scores.
You are a quick thinker. You can quickly survey a area and see cause and effect. A decorative rug on the floor looks nice to everyone else but to you its a trip attempt, or an elaborate pulley system on a boat is complex, but you know which rope to cut that could pull you to safety and possibly collapse the sails on its crew.
Check– A successful check lets you spot out situations that could come to be. Once in a area you scan the room paying more attention to detail then everyone else. Dms can use this skill in their game, either to place fun and creative situations on the pre-existing maps or make it up from the hip during gameplay.
DC: All check DC will be determined by the DM. A handy rule of thumb – DCs can be set at 10 + Encounter Level for easy tasks, +5 to spot harder situations, or +10 for really tough longshot situations.
Task: Example: Nadira the crafty little Rouge walks into the Thirsty Throat Saloon. The bar is full of patrons all having too much of a good old time. She could make a Cunning check to notice a simple rope holding up a chandler made of antlers, wooden barrels of ale sitting at the the top of a stairway, or a floor plank that is loose and that could be shot up with a solid stomp – causing damage or tripping someone over.
Example: Nadira is on top of a moving carriage being chased by bandits. A standing dead tree on the side of the road just needs a good yank to come tumbling down, stopping the bandits from their chase. Dms can use multiple skills together making a situation have a possible out come good or bad. Here’s a round-by round example of how it could be played out:
1st round: While on-top of the carriage Nidira notices the dead tree ahead and quickly pulls out some rope.
2nd: Attempting to make a lasso Use rope DC 12, if its a success she will be granted a +2 circumstance to lasso the tree, if failed Nadira can another attempt next round
3rd: Lasso in hand Nadira will spend the round setting up for the touch attack on the dead tree (+2), rope in hand Use Rope DC 12, if fail situation is missed
4th: Nadira make touch attack to lasso tree AC 11, if failed situation is missed
5th: Rope is lassoed to tree and rope is beginning to tighten (this is where the good or bad situation occurs) Nadira makes a Wis DC 12-14 if successful she’ll notice that she doesn’t have enough weight to pull the dead tree down and can attempt to tie the rope to the railing of the carriage, if failed Nadira will hold on to rope.
6th: The rope will tighten on the railing and dead tree will come toppling down on the bandits, or if she is still holding on to the rope Nadira is yanked from the carriage and is swung towards the bandits. Nadira makes a swinging kick attack at the surprised bandit knocking him off of his mount. They both tumble to the ground. Nadira may use the downed bandits horse to catch up with the party.
This skill is optional for a player and a DM to use in the game. There is no limit to the creativity of craftiness.
-Michael Kane
Posted in Variant Rules and tagged new skill by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
Alternative Level Advancement System
Sean K. Reynolds, co-designer of 3rd edition D&D, has shared an alternative character leveling system he developed that uses “Steps” instead of XP. Read all about it on his site here!
Posted in announcement by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.