Phylactery of Faithfulness
This small container holds pieces of parchment bearing holy tracts. Worn tied to the head with leather straps it serves as a constant reminder of your god’s commandments.
Level 8
3,400 gold
Head Slot Item
Effect: while worn this item gives a +2 sacred bonus to your Will defense against attacks with the Charm keyword.
Power (At-Will, Standard Action): by praying to your god for guidance, you learn weather a stated course of action will violate your god’s code of conduct or offend your god’s principals.
Posted in Uncategorized and tagged equipment: magic helm by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
Altar of Transfixion
Altar of Transfixion
Level 5 Warder (500 XP)
The ziggurat altar ahead has a swirling aura about it, oscillating wildly in scintillating patterns.
Trap: This shrine is linked to the Abyss, and attempts to daze those in its area of of effect while its allies strike.
Perception: No skill check required.
Additional Skills: Religion
DC 20: PC recognizes the altar.
DC 30: PC can read the runes on the altar.
Trigger: An enemy approaches within 3 squares.
Free Action, One enemy within Close Burst 3 Attack: +10 vs. Will
Hit: Target is pulled 1 square and dazed (save ends)
Countermeasure: An adjacent character can disable the trap with a DC 24 Thievery check or a DC 24 Religion check (with a holy symbol).
Additional Description: Runes run along the steps of the ziggurat spelling out the name “Tharizdun” in Abyssal and the horrors that he inspires.
Additional Effect: If Tharizdun’s name is uttered in Abyssal in the aura of the altar, the altar makes an attack at +10 vs. Will against all enemies within close burst 3, dealing 3d10 damage to all affected.
Posted in Uncategorized and tagged trap: heroic warder by Adam A. Thompson with 1 comment.
Dark Hounds of Sin
Dark Hounds of Sin wander the earth, tempting humans and their brothers with sin. Some take the forms of humans to lure their prey into dark alleys and private homes where they can strike.
There are different dog types for each sin, each of which embody a particular sin. Here is an example of a Dark Hound of Gluttony, who may be encountered at a banquet in the court of a castle.
Dark Hounds of Sin (Gluttony)
Size/Type: Medium Outsider (Evil, Extraplanar, Lawful)
Hit Dice: 16d8+32 (103 hp)
Initiative: +9
Speed: 50 ft. (10 squares)
Armor Class: 28 (+5 Dex, +10 natural, +3 hide armor), touch 13, flat-footed 16
Base Attack/Grapple: +16/+24
Attack: Bite +18 melee (1d10+5/19-20 plus 1d6 poison)
Full Attack: Bite +13 melee (1d10+5/19-20 plus 1d6 poison)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Breath weapon, poison bite, rend
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., protection from good, scent, vulnerability to water, shape shift
Saves: Fort +14, Ref +11, Will +12
Abilities: Str 21, Dex 21, Con 15, Int 8, Wis 11, Cha 4
Skills: Intimidate +22, Jump +20, Listen +16, Spot +18, Survival +10*, Tumble +12
Feats: Alertness, Improved Critical (bite), Improved Initiative, Weapon Focus (bite)
Environment: Outer Planes and urban environments
Organization: Solo
Challenge Rating: 12
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always lawful evil
Advancement: 17-26 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: —
A typical hound of sin stands 5 feet high at the shoulder and weighs 140 pounds.
Hounds of sin are always encountered alone.
Shape Shift (Su): Three times a day, hounds of sin can shape shift into humanoid forms in order to tempt their humanoid prey.
Combat
Hounds of sin sneak up behind their prey, employing razor-sharp teeth to bite into and rend their opponents.
The natural weapons of hounds of sin are treated as evil-aligned and lawful-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
Breath Weapon (Su): 10×10 area of noxious poison that quickly fills an area, dealing 2d6 poison damage, Fortitude DC 25 to negate. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Poison Bite (Su): Hounds of sin deal an extra 1d6 points of poison damage every time they bite an opponent, as if these bites are a poison weapon.
Skills
Hounds of sin have a +10 racial bonus on Hide and Move Silently checks, which are commonly used.
*They also receive a +8 racial bonus on Survival checks when tracking by scent, due to their keen sense of smell.
Posted in Creature and tagged chaotic, extraplanar, outsider by Stephen Hilderbrand with no comments yet.
Mirror & Door Puzzle
Everyone loves puzzles thrown into their games every now and then. They provide an opportunity to stretch the player’s brain-muscles in a different way, and can really draw the players into the adventure by giving them a compelling reason to explore their surroundings carefully. This area is a locked and warded room with a puzzle-locked door and a couple of trapped items.
Comfortable furniture adorns this room – a chair and small table with a lit oil lamp, and a closed wooden chest. On the walls hang several paintings of priests ministering to the needy, and a small framed mirror hangs on the west wall. Other than the door you entered by two closed doors lead out – one north and one east.
Upon the false door to the north and the empty chest are magical petrification traps (Hard DC Thievery or Arcana check to spot, DC hard + 5 Thievery to disarm) for intruders that trigger when opened – blackness pours out and attacks at +(Level -2) vs Fortitude, on a hit the target is slowed (save ends), on first failed save target is immobilized (save ends), on second failed save target is petrified.
This door is arcane locked (DC Level + 26 Thievery or strength to open) with an inscription: “I am deaf, dumb and blind, but I always tell the truth” Reading the inscription phonetically backwards opens the door.
Posted in Uncategorized and tagged puzzle; trap: warder (variable level) by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
Suffering Souls
“Alas! how feeble is our faith! If a domestic animal, a little dog, falls into the fire, do you delay to draw it out? And see, your parents, benefactors, persons most dear to you, writhe in the flames of Purgatory, and you do not consider it your urgent duty to relieve them; you delay, you allow long days of suffering to pass for those poor souls, without making an effort to perform those good works which will release them from their pains.”
-Fr. Schouppe, from his book: Purgatory, pp. 238-239, 1893 Imprimatur
Suffering Souls
Medium Outsider (Neutral, Extraplanar, Incorporeal, Swarm)
Hit Dice: 4d8+3 (24 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 16
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+11 (+1 for each soul)
Attack: Swipe +5 melee
Full Attack: Swipe and Grapple
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Haunt, soul link
Special Qualities: Incorporeal, strong-willed, immunity to charm and sleep effects
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +3, Will +7
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 11, Con 3, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 11
Skills: Climb +6
Feats: Improved Grapple
Environment: Hell, any haunted locale
Organization: Swarm
Challenge Rating: 3
Treasure: None
Alignment: TN
Advancement: None
Level Adjustment: None
Haunt (Su): Suffering souls haunt an area, trying to escape their torment on the Nine Planes of Hell. Creatures within a haunted area (usually a 400′ diameter circle) receive -1 penalties to all rolls.
Combat
Suffering souls swarm all who enter their unhallowed grounds. They will attack relentlessly until repelled, at which point they return to Purgatory until they are returned in an unending cycle to their place on the Prime Material Plane to haunt it evermore. The only way to free suffering souls from this torment is to travel to Hell to confront the devil that binds them.
Soul link (Su): When suffering souls make eye contact with a humanoid within 20′ for a full round, they establish a soul link with them. For the duration of the encounter, all damage they experience is also experienced by those whose souls are linked with them. When the encounter ends, the soul link lingers for multiple days, during which time the affected experience the torment of the suffering souls in Hell.
Posted in Creature and tagged planes of hell by Stephen Hilderbrand with no comments yet.
OwlCon XXIX Recap
It’s not often enough that we’re able to get out of our regularly scheduled lives and game for a few days straight. But it was time!
Last weekend, we attended OwlCon at Rice University, a handsome campus smack in the middle of Houston. Since we could stay at a hotel just a few blocks away, we could walk to the con itself, which this time of the year is brisk but enjoyable.
Adam spent the weekend at the RPGA tables, which were well-run, complete with an organizer taking orders for food, which was then delivered at your table so you could keep gaming. Very enabling of our addictions…
And very well run. Their adventures take part in the Forgotten Realms, which allows players to come in knowing much of the world, helping to paint the scene for easier role playing. I have to admit I don’t know enough about FR, so I’ll need to pick up a book and do some background reading before my next con. That way I’ll know where Aldric is from and where he’s been. Seems like harmless enough homework…
I spent Friday and Sunday at the RPGA tables playing the same adventures, and Saturday I played board games. It’s hard to find the groups to play Advanced Civ and Rail Baron since people are rightfully daunted by these classic Avalon Hill titles and their many complex dynamics. But at my last two cons, I’ve seen these listed, and simply had to play. When it all shook down, as Asia I came in second in Civ (Egypt taught us all a lesson in economics) and as Minneapolis-based “white player” came in third in Rail Baron (first time playing; I’m clearly not a optimal capitalist).
We learned on Saturday night (in the last game of the night) that Battletech pods are fun as hell! Providing a hands-on ‘Mech pilot experience, they confounded me, but Adam racked up tons of points. I did have fun jumping all over the map and firing missiles at long range toward every ‘Mech I could track down. Good times, and a desire I’ve had since middle school fulfilled.
Our final game on Friday was run by a great DM who embodied many of the traits of other favorite con DMs — he controlled the action, telling an engaging story, didn’t read any of the mechanics aloud, occupied the long end of the table, stood for much of the session, and used traps, hazards and classic DM trickery to get us to fall into them. We learned a lot from his presentation. So, Phil of the Houston RPGA, this post is for you.
All in all, a very well-organized con, especially one hosted by a university. Good people, DMs, and miniature dungeons and battlescapes. Adam got a few photos of the scapes, but I put it off too long…
Late night diner runs led us to 59 Diner, a friendly joint with tasty greek salads. Try ’em the next time you’re in downtown Houston.
Finally, on our way out of town, we dropped by some old friends’ place for some home cooked lasagna and caught up. A great weekend! Looking forward to next year’s.
Posted in convention and tagged event, fun by Stephen Hilderbrand with no comments yet.
Abysm’s Dread Kraken
Deep beneath the waves of the oceans of Abysm, Demogorgon’s realm in the Abyss, lurks a creature of unfathomable might. Spawned and nurtured by the Sibilant Beast, Drigular is to a squid what Demogorgon is to a monkey. Drigular will rise to the surface at his master’s bidding to whelm and destroy intruders on Demogorgon’s waters.
Drigular
Size/Type: Colossal Magical Beast (Aquatic, evil, outsider)
Initiative: +4
Hit Dice: 44d10+484 (726 hp)
Armor Class: 28 (-8 size, +26 natural), touch 2, flat-footed 28
Damage Reduction: 10 / magic
Saves: Fort +35, Ref +22, Will +18
Resistances: cold & fire 20
Spell Resistance: 30
Speed: Swim 20 ft. (4 squares)
Attack: Tentacle +42 melee (4d6+22/19-20) with 10 point power attack
Full Attack: 2 tentacles +42 melee (4d6+26/19-20) and 6 arms +37 melee (1d8+18) and bite +37 melee (4d8+18) with 10 point power attack
Base Attack/Grapple: +44/+76 (+56 if not concentrating completely on a single target)
Space/Reach: 30 ft./ 20 ft. (90 ft. with tentacle, 45 ft. with arm)
Special Attacks: Improved grab, constrict 4d6+16 or 1d8+8, swallow whole, smite good (+20 damage 1/day)
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., ink cloud, jet, darkvision, spell-like abilities
Abilities: Str 42, Dex 10, Con 33, Int 21, Wis 20, Cha 20
Skills: Concentration +58, Diplomacy +7, Hide +0, Intimidate +32, Knowledge (geography) +30, Knowledge (nature) +25, Listen +51, Search +51, Sense Motive +34, Spot +51, Survival +5 (+7 following tracks), Use Magic Device +32
Feats: Blind-Fight, Combat Expertise, Improved Critical (tentacle), Improved Initiative, Improved Trip, Iron Will, Improved Natural Armor (x7), Power Attack
Environment: Abyssal Ocean
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 20
Treasure: Triple standard
Alignment: any evil
Advancement: 21-32 HD (Gargantuan); 33-60 HD (Colossal)
Level Adjustment: —
Improved Grab (Ex)
To use this ability, the kraken must hit with an arm or tentacle attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can constrict.
Constrict (Ex)
A kraken deals automatic arm or tentacle damage with a successful grapple check.
Jet (Ex)
A kraken can jet backward once per round as a full-round action, at a speed of 280 feet. It must move in a straight line, but does not provoke attacks of opportunity while jetting.
Ink Cloud (Ex)
A kraken can emit a cloud of jet-black ink in an 80-foot spread once per minute as a free action. The cloud provides total concealment, which the kraken normally uses to escape a fight that is going badly. Creatures within the cloud are considered to be in darkness.
Spell-Like Abilities
at-will-deeper darkness, bestow curse, contagion, control weather, control winds, resist energy
3/day-dominate animal (DC 27 Will negates), insanity (DC 22 Will negates)
1/day— unholy aura (DC 23 Fort. or 1d6 strength damage when hit).
Caster level 17th. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Posted in 3rd edition Dungeons & Dragons / d20 fantasy / Pathfinder, Creature and tagged aquatic subtype, evil subtype, magical beast by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
New Figures: Reaper, Dwarven Forge, and others
Here’s pictures of a couple of figures I painted last night.
The armored lady is Reaper’s undead hunter, a figure I got because I loved the pose – very dynamic – and the flames on the sword so much. I feel like I did a good job, but of course my camera doesn’t capture it.
And here’s one of her backside, since we all love a lady’s backside. Seriously though, I like this figure because she’s in full armor instead of a chainmail bikini. Another part of me is happy that they left a generous amount of cleavage showing through a low neckline on the breastplate. I’m complicated like that.
The spider is another Reaper figure, and the paintjob on it was pretty perfunctory. Sometimes it’s nice to not care too much how a figure turns out. I just need painted spiders to throw at the players every so often. Now my monster collection is that much closer to being complete!
The third guy is some type of space-centurion one of my friends gave me. Not sure who made him. I’m having fun painting him blue-green and purple with white details. He just has his base coat and a blackwash on him at this point.
I also received a box from Dwarven Forge last night, and we used the dungeon furniture I got in the game. I was suprised at how quickly the figures arrived. I also got a whole mess of pre-painted skeletons for half price. Not bad! I really like how the archers have real string for their bowstrings. It gives them a nice texture that you don’t usually see in archer minis, and of course they came pre-painted which I appreciate in large mobs like this. Also, they are cast from a nice hard plastic and so aren’t deformed or bent like Reaper’s pre-painted plastic figures or Wizard’s D&D minis. I’m sure it means they will break instead 🙂
You can see our party enjoying a meal at a table in the background – all the furniture and food are from Dwarven Froge’s dungeon & tavern furniture sets.
Posted in Uncategorized and tagged gaming gear: miniatures by Adam A. Thompson with 1 comment.
Abyssal Headlesses
Created by Orcus from the corpses of Demogorgon’s subjects when he began reshaping Abysm to suit his will, these horrors now stalk the burning jungles of the 88th layer of the Abyss. They mindlessly kill all they encounter other than their own kind.
These horrible maimed wretches are as varied as the demons of the abyss in appearance, but all share the trait of having no head – just a bloody stump for a neck.
Abyssal Headless CR 15
CE size large monstrous humanoid (outsider, undead)
Init: +1 Senses: tremorsense 60 ft.
Languages: none
AC: 30 (+1 dex, +20 natural, -1 size) touch 10, flatfooted 16
HP: 199 (HD 30d12)
Immune: mind-effecting and illusions, fire, poison & electricity
Resist: 15 cold, acid & sonic
DC 15 / magic
Fort: +18 Ref: +9 Will: +13
MV: 40 feet
Attack: claw +28 (1d8+12) or greatclub +27 (2d8+18)
Full Attack: 2 claws +26 (1d8+12) or greatclub +27 / +22 / +17 (2d8+18)
Attack Options: improved grab, rend, combat reflexes
Space / Reach: 10 ft. / 10 ft.
Base Attack: +15 Grapple: +39
Abilities Str 34, Dex 10, Con -, Int -, Wis 14, Cha 6
SQ: tremorsense 90 feet, senseless, undead traits
SA: improved grab, rend
Feats: Improved Grapple, Weapon Focus (claws), Combat Reflexes, Iron Will, Improved Natural Armor (7 times)
Skills: climb +46, jump +46
Rend (Ex): If a headless hits with both claw attacks it can automatically rend for 4d6+18 damage.
Improved Grab (Ex): If a headless hits with a claw attack it can start a grapple as a free action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity. Once it establishes the grapple it can either attack with it’s claws at a -4 penalty or it can roll a grapple checks to deal claw damage.
Senseless (Ex): having no heads, these creatures are blind, deaf and dumb. Beyond the reaches of their tremorsense, they are not aware of their surroundings.
Posted in 3rd edition Dungeons & Dragons / d20 fantasy / Pathfinder, Creature and tagged undead by Adam A. Thompson with 2 comments.
Burning Treant Husks
These eternally burning undead treants were created by Orcus when the Savage Tide was thwarted, Orcus became Prince of Demons, and he began to transform Abysm, the 88th layer of the Abyss, to his liking.
This blackened, shrieking, humanoid tree rushes toward you, its panicked expression back-lit by the blazing fire in its foliage.
Burning Treant Husks CR 15
CE size huge plant (outsider, undead)
Init: -1 Senses: darkvision
Languages:abyssal, common
Aura: creatures within 5 feet take 3d6 fire damage
AC: 29 (-2 size, -1 Dex, +22 natural), touch 7, flat-footed 27
HP: 187 (HD 28d12)
Immune: mind-effecting and illusions, fire, poison & electricity
Resist: 15 cold, acid & sonic
DC 15 / magic
Fort: +18 Ref: +9 Will: +11
SR: 20
MV: 30 feet
Attack: slam +32 (2d6+18)
Full Attack: 2 slams +30 (2d6+18) and 3d6 fire
Attack Options: trample 2d6+18 and 6d6 fire, (DC 32 Reflex for half damage)
Space / Reach: 15 ft. / 15 ft
Base Attack: +15 Grapple: +31
Abilities Str 37, Dex 8, Con -, Int 12, Wis 16, Cha 12
SQ: plant traits, undead treaits
SA: trample
Skills: climb +46, jump +46
Posted in 3rd edition Dungeons & Dragons / d20 fantasy / Pathfinder, Creature and tagged undead by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.