Scholar in the Crypts
Appearance:Beneath the sewers and catacombs of the city lives Jurgen, a hermit scholar with the mental appetite of a terrask. For many years he traveled with adventurers in search of treasure and knowledge, but has lately retired to his lair to do more extensive research out of harm’s way. But by no means has his ambition dwindled.
Jurgen is pale, tall, and skinny, with the stoop of someone who is used to doing a lot of reading. His unkempt hair is black with patches of silver on the temples, and behind a pair of spectacles gaze a pair of piercing blue eyes. Sometimes, if one looks hard enough, she can see a glimmer of slow movement behind them. He wears simple robes of deep blue fabric with white scrollwork along the hems in Supernal. He carries no weapons on his person (he keeps his pact blade ready with Drawmij’s instant summons)
Mannerisms:
Jurgen appears to be a polite, congenial man with an easygoing tone. Sometimes he can seem to be almost absentminded, forgetting where he put something for a second, before discovering it with an affirmative “ah.” He is very patient, and never lets his true motives show.
Goals:
Jurgen is a priest of Vecna, and is by nature a keeper–and exploiter–of many secrets. He mainly wishes to further the goals of Vecna, including eliminating the influence and worshipers of other deities. In doing so he schemes to begin a new world order under Vecna, and follow in his deity’s footsteps by becoming a lich king.
Using Jurgen in your Game: It is best to introduce Jurgen to your characters early on in the game. He will be far to powerful for them to defeat at this point, and he will only be interested in helping them in order to gain their trust so that he can begin to use them to accomplish his own ends.
He will attempt to enlist the PC’s to retrieve components for the ritual to become a lich, such as: dragon’s blood, arcane phylactery pieces, and the ritual in book form. As a master of the arcane, Jurgen also longs for the Eye and the Hand of Vecna, and will pay the PC’s handsomely for them, in gold or with information. He will gladly assist the PC’s while they work to further his own secret ends, and he will part with information that will help them do so–but never more that he absolutely has to. Additionally, he will hide parts of the truth in order to set the PCs against his enemies, or cover for his own ill deeds. The priest will also enlist the aid of others to follow the PC’s and ensure that his goals are met, whether they know it or not.
If you use Jurgen in this way, it may also be good to provide them with a more reliable, if perhaps less well-informed, source of information as well.
Jurgen the Learned
| Level 18 Cleric, Multiclass Warlock(Star Pact) Human Male. Age 45, Height 6’3″ Weight 150lbs. Unaligned.
Initiative: +14 Senses: Normal Vision. Passive Insight: 30 Passive Pereption: +25Hit Points Max: 99 Bloodied: 49 Surge Value: 25 Surges per day: 7 Resist: 5 necrotic, 5 poison Saving Throws: +3 Defenses: AC: 28 Fort: 21 Ref: 21 Will: 27 Speed: 6 Action Points: 1 Basic Attacks Powers At Will: Sacred Flame, Lance of Faith, Eldritch Blast Encounter: Plague of Doom, Enthrall, Dire Radiance, Sign of Ill Omen, Dreadful Word Daily: Purifying Fire, Blade Barrier, Thief of Five Fates Utility: Astral Shield, Knights of Unyielding Valor, Divine Vigor, Ambassador Imp Feats: Pact Initiate(Star Pact): Dire Radiance Novice Power: Dreadful Word Acolyte Power: Ambassador Imp Adept Power: Thief of Five Fates Improved Initiative +4 to Initiative Action Surge: +3 to attack bonus when an action point is used Weapon Focus: Light Blade Human Perseverance: +1 to Saving Throws Linguist: Supernal, Abyssal, Draconic Action Recovery: When you spend an action point to gain an extra standard action, immediately roll a saving throw against each condition affecting you a save can end. Great Fortitude: +2 to Fort Saves Devastating Critical: +1d10 on a Critical Hit. |
Skills: Acrobatics: +9 Arcana: +16 Athletics: +8 Bluff: +13 Diplomacy: +13 Dungeoneering: +15 Endurance: +9 Heal: +20 History: +16 Insight: +20 Intimidate: +13 Nature: +15 Perception: +15 Religion: +16 Stealth: +10 Streetwise: +13 Thievery: +9
Ability Scores: Str: 8 (-1/+8) Con: 11 (0/+9) Dex: 12 (+1/+10) Int: 15 (+2/+11) Wis: 22 (+6/+15) Cha 18 (+4/+13) Languages Known: Common, Elven, Giant, Supernal, Abyssal, Draconic Equipment: Pact Blade +5, Sickle Rituals Known Drawmij’s Instant Summons Raise Dead Secret Page Magic Mouth Phantom Steed Leomund’s Secret Chest Planar Portal Linked Portal View Object Consult Oracle |
Posted in 4th edition Dungeons & Dragons, Character by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
Scholar in the Crypts
Beneath the sewers and catacombs of the city lives Jurgen, a hermit scholar with the mental appetite of a terrask. For many years he traveled with adventurers in search of treasure and knowledge, but has lately retired to his lair to do more extensive research out of harm’s way. But by no means has his ambition dwindled.
Appearance:
Jurgen is pale, tall, and skinny, with the stoop of someone who is used to doing a lot of reading. His unkempt hair is black with patches of silver on the temples, and behind a pair of spectacles gaze a pair of piercing blue eyes. Sometimes, if one looks hard enough, she can see a glimmer of slow movement behind them. He wears simple robes of deep blue fabric with white scrollwork along the hems in Supernal. He carries no weapons on his person (he keeps his pact blade ready with Drawmij’s instant summons)
Mannerisms:
Jurgen appears to be a polite, congenial man with an easygoing tone. Sometimes he can seem to be almost absentminded, forgetting where he put something for a second, before discovering it with an affirmative “ah.” He is very patient, and never lets his true motives show.
Goals:
Jurgen is a priest of Vecna, and is by nature a keeper–and exploiter–of many secrets. He mainly wishes to further the goals of Vecna, including eliminating the influence and worshipers of other deities. In doing so he schemes to begin a new world order under Vecna, and follow in his deity’s footsteps by becoming a lich king.
Using Jurgen in your Game: It is best to introduce Jurgen to your characters early on in the game. He will be far to powerful for them to defeat at this point, and he will only be interested in helping them in order to gain their trust so that he can begin to use them to accomplish his own ends.
He will attempt to enlist the PC’s to retrieve components for the ritual to become a lich, such as: dragon’s blood, arcane phylactery pieces, and the ritual in book form. As a master of the arcane, Jurgen also longs for the Eye and the Hand of Vecna, and will pay the PC’s handsomely for them, in gold or with information. He will gladly assist the PC’s while they work to further his own secret ends, and he will part with information that will help them do so–but never more that he absolutely has to. Additionally, he will hide parts of the truth in order to set the PCs against his enemies, or cover for his own ill deeds. The priest will also enlist the aid of others to follow the PC’s and ensure that his goals are met, whether they know it or not.
If you use Jurgen in this way, it may also be good to provide them with a more reliable, if perhaps less well-informed, source of information as well.
Jurgen the Learned
| Level 18 Cleric, Multiclass Warlock(Star Pact) Human Male. Age 45, Height 6’3″ Weight 150lbs. Unaligned.
Initiative: +14 Senses: Normal Vision. Passive Insight: 30 Passive Pereption: +25Hit Points Max: 99 Bloodied: 49 Surge Value: 25 Surges per day: 7 Resist: 5 necrotic, 5 poison Saving Throws: +3 Defenses: AC: 28 Fort: 21 Ref: 21 Will: 27 Speed: 6 Action Points: 1 Basic Attacks Powers At Will: Sacred Flame, Lance of Faith, Eldritch Blast Encounter: Plague of Doom, Enthrall, Dire Radiance, Sign of Ill Omen, Dreadful Word Daily: Purifying Fire, Blade Barrier, Thief of Five Fates Utility: Astral Shield, Knights of Unyielding Valor, Divine Vigor, Ambassador Imp Feats: Pact Initiate(Star Pact): Dire Radiance Novice Power: Dreadful Word Acolyte Power: Ambassador Imp Adept Power: Thief of Five Fates Improved Initiative +4 to Initiative Action Surge: +3 to attack bonus when an action point is used Weapon Focus: Light Blade Human Perseverance: +1 to Saving Throws Linguist: Supernal, Abyssal, Draconic Action Recovery: When you spend an action point to gain an extra standard action, immediately roll a saving throw against each condition affecting you a save can end. Great Fortitude: +2 to Fort Saves Devastating Critical: +1d10 on a Critical Hit. |
Skills: Acrobatics: +9 Arcana: +16 Athletics: +8 Bluff: +13 Diplomacy: +13 Dungeoneering: +15 Endurance: +9 Heal: +20 History: +16 Insight: +20 Intimidate: +13 Nature: +15 Perception: +15 Religion: +16 Stealth: +10 Streetwise: +13 Thievery: +9
Ability Scores: Str: 8 (-1/+8) Con: 11 (0/+9) Dex: 12 (+1/+10) Int: 15 (+2/+11) Wis: 22 (+6/+15) Cha 18 (+4/+13) Languages Known: Common, Elven, Giant, Supernal, Abyssal, Draconic Equipment: Pact Blade +5, Sickle Rituals Known Drawmij’s Instant Summons Raise Dead Secret Page Magic Mouth Phantom Steed Leomund’s Secret Chest Planar Portal Linked Portal View Object Consult Oracle |
Posted in 4th edition Dungeons & Dragons by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
Stealing Moments Released!
This is a dungeon adventure for 10th-level characters. Finally released (in third printing!) after much deliberation and perfectionism… finally getting over that… Here’s the blurb:
A group of rogues has moved into a cave in the Silvermist Mountains a few miles uphill hike from the local town of Farreach. These false heroes were once noble and devout, but have become corrupted by loot, lust, and the desire for greater power. They are now working for, or more accurately controlled by, begotten of the old ones, who in turn are working for a stalking eye. They have been performing experiments on the Silver Orb of the Ages, a magic artifact made of magesilver, a magic metal which amplifies arcane magical power.
The Orb can help control the flow of time, making it a powerful item indeed. However, the stalking eye knows not how to wield the Orb’s power, and must rely upon the false heroes to learn its secrets.
The party steps in and time flies like an arrow.
This adventure features the veteran writing of Stephen Hilderbrand, author of six other role-playing adventures soon to be published by Unicorn Rampant and Inverspace Press.
And here’s the download link.
Posted in news and tagged release, Stealing Moments by Stephen Hilderbrand with no comments yet.
Dustling
These are the dust devils that we think of.
They are actually the minions of dust devils, trapped in a pact that required them to become indentured servants of these devils.
Dustling
Size/Type: Small Elemental (Air, Extraplanar)
Hit Dice: 1d8 (5 hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: Fly 100 ft. (perfect) (20 squares)
Armor Class: 14 (+1 size, +1 Dex, +2 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 13
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/-3
Attack: Slam +3 melee (1d4)
Full Attack: Slam +3 melee (1d4)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Flyby
Special Qualities: elemental traits
Saves: Fort +0, Ref +4, Will +0
Abilities: Str 10, Dex 13, Con 10, Int 4, Wis 11, Cha 11
Skills: Spot +3
Feats: Flyby Attack
Environment: Elemental Plane of Air, deserts
Organization: Solitary or Swarms
Challenge Rating: 1/2
Treasure: None
Alignment: Usually neutral
Advancement: 2 HD (Small)
Level Adjustment: —
Combat
They live in a perpetual whirlwind state, allowing them to make flyby attacks against their opponents.
Posted in Creature and tagged air, elemental, small by Stephen Hilderbrand with no comments yet.
The Cursed Seat of the Seer: 4th edition conversion
The Cursed Seat of the Seer (4th level encounter – 976 xp)
Dungeon Features: Secret Doors in this area are priest-doors, concealed to appear to be part of the ornately carved stone or wood they are set into, and are a DC 18 Perception check to find.
This temple is much transformed after the attack on it. It is surrounded by magical briers, and inside orcs feast on the townsfolk, who have been transformed into animals.
Surrounded by small outlying buildings, this large and stately temple is completely overgrown with gargantuan brambles, to the point where is is nearly concealed. A large double door can be glimpsed through the thorn-covered trunks of the plants.
Creatures: In order to enter the temple via the doors one must somehow pass through the patches of Brier Brambles that block the doorways. Other methods of entry include flying or climbing up and breaking through some of the stained glass windows on the east face of the temple. Either method requires navigating the brambles, which will attempt to grab the intruders. Each door and window is guarded by a pair of Offshoots. The brambles will not attack or otherwise reveal themselves until victims are within reach.
2 x Brier Bramble Offshoots (BO on map): 50 xp each
Interior
The smell of offal, greasy cooking fires and rotting flesh permeate this area. The interior of the temple is also sparsely overgrown with patches of the thorny brambles which push up through the flagstones. Several dead peasants and acolytes are caught in their branches. The stone walls are adorned with tapestries of the Seer’s visions and the stories of the petitioners helped by them. Several carcases worth of bones lie upon the floor.
Through an open set of ornately carved wooden doors a large chapel stretches. A column-lined walkway is flanked with brambles burst up through the flagstones. At the far end upon a three-stepped dias is a plain stone chair. Light through the stained glass windows above is dimmed by more thorny growths.
Creatures: Nearly 100 domestic animals cower in the temple. They are the temple priests and townsfolk who had come to observe the coronation, magically transformed into sheep, pigs and dogs. More summoned Briar Brambles guard this area, along with a group of orcs and a Dust Devil that have been left behind by the vengeful family to ensure that the temple is not re-inhabited.
3 x Brier Bramble Offshoots (BO on map): 50 xp each
1 x Brier Bramble (BB on map): 200 xp
4 x Orc Drudges (Od on map): 44 xp each
1 x Orc Berserker (OB on map): 175 xp each
1 x Dust Devil (DD on map): 175 xp
Tactics: The brutes will likely be roused by anyone entering the temple and will have assembled to defend it. The orcs may attempt to push intruders into the brambles as they fight, and will mercilessly hack at anyone caught in them. The Dust Devil will attempt to disarm and harry those in the back ranks of the party. If the group is defeated, the dust devil will attempt to flee and return to the warlock to inform him that someone has reclaimed the temple. The orcs will fight to the death.
Treasure: Almost the only thing left in the temple’s treasury is a scroll of Remove Affliction that the temple priest (in his form as a ram) will bring to the party if they are otherwise unable to disenchant the villagers. The orcs have coins totaling 90 gold and 200 silver on their persons.
Development: Once the giants are slain and the elemental has fled, the party should be able to return the remaining animals to their human forms, who creep cautiously up to the PCs once the violence has ended.
Once freed they will relate what happened: the new priestess was in the process of being anointed when a holy trance came upon her. Her eyes rolled up into her head and she began speaking in a strange, strained, voice. “I see… doom! The drake… he is brought low by his son…” The peasants go on to inform their rescuers that a witch and two warlocks, one young and one of middle age, suddenly appeared in a burst of flame and interrupted the anointing of the new Seer and turned them all into animals. One of the older villagers, the abbot of the temple, will angrily go on to identify the witch as the evil old witch who used to live in the village, but was driven off years ago. Some say she inhabits a farm nearby in the wild woods to the east, and the players will be given approximate directions by one of the village’s hunters.
Attempts to scry upon the priestess will fail, as she is in the Dragon’s lair, which is warded against scrying.
Posted in 4th edition Dungeons & Dragons by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
lance
One of my only complaints about 4th edition Dungeons & Dragons is the limited selection of weapons and armors. I do like the improving armors with the higher tiers. But as a fantasy and history buff, it just doesn’t feel like D&D unless there are knights in shining armor. And they just seem silly without their lances. So I’ve written up statistics here for lances, balanced 4th edition style, and written to present the weapon in a fresh way that creates interesting tactical possibilities.
Lances can only be used effectively from a mount’s back when it moves, and they are somewhat clumsy, but they are very powerful due to the momentum from using them on a moving mount. So with much fanfare, I present “The Lance“!
This weapon resembles in many ways a longspear, and can only be used to attack from the back of a mount. It may also only be used to attack while charging or immediately following a move of at least 3 squares. It has a heavy counterweight on the butt that balances the weapon and allows it to be used with only one hand. The weapon is a one-handed martial spear type, has a proficiency bonus of +1, deals 1d12+1 points of damage and has reach 2.
Posted in 4th edition Dungeons & Dragons and tagged mundane weapon by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
Time Ward
Level: Clr 4, Time 4
Components: V, S, DF
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: Living creature touched
Duration: 1 min./level
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)
The subject is immune to all time domain spells and any negative time effects. This spell doesn’t remove and temporal effects that the subject is already experiencing, nor does it protect against natural aging.
Posted in Spell and tagged cleric spell level 4, time, time domain by Stephen Hilderbrand with no comments yet.
GenCon 2008 – more fun than you can shake a staff at!
We saw lots of families at the con this year. I thought this father mother daughter group was too adorable. They were playing an RPGA game together, and they were all in costume. If I ever have kids I’m sure I’ll subject them to the same. Of course once they hit puberty they’ll join the football team or become cheerleaders to rebel 🙂
And there were lots of babies at the con this year. I didn’t really notice any last year but they were a noticeable contingent this year. Even one of the RPGA judges was running games with his infant strapped to his chest.
And of course on Saturday there was the costume contest. I didn’t get a good enough seat to get good pictures of all the amazing costumes that participated, but here’s a couple I liked that were out and about. These guys were super cute.
And this girl’s costume was also amazing. Everything she’s wearing she made herself from scratch, from the dress to the parasol to the jewelery. The only costume I liked better was the Blood Elf in level 70 raid gear: her hair was in perfect blood elf style and she did a fighting demonstration in her costume! I’m still looking for pics of her. So I can ask her to marry me.
Some cute girls in armor.
And some tired looking barbarians.
One of the painting contest winners on display.
In the dealer’s room there was this amazing table. I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves.
I was afraid to ask how much it was. Hand made. Luckily there were cards with the price on them.
$10,000. Gulp. Maybe next year.
At this point we’ve almost leveled our RPGA characters and have basically defeated the con. It’s Saturday night and we have to decide between live dubbing of hentai by the theater audience and going to the GenCon dance.
So we went to the dance. The theme was steampunk so we saw even more great costumes there.
And then it was back into the car to return from whence we came. In this case Austin, but we knew we were on the road with kindred spirits.
Till next year, thanks GenCon!
Posted in Uncategorized and tagged fun, GenCon 2008 by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
Dust Devil
medium elemental magical beast (air) – XP 175
Initiative +7 Senses Perception +1
HP 52; Bloodied 26
AC 18, Fortitude 19, Reflex 21, Will 17
Immunity disease, poison; Resist 5 lightning
Speed 7
Powers
Buffet – (standard melee; at will)
+9 vs. AC; 1d6 + 4 damage, and push 1.
Disarming Winds – (standard; encounter, recharge 4-6)
+7 vs. Reflex, 1d6 + 4 damage, push 1, and make opposed attack roll (+7) to disarm the target.
Whirling Leap – (move; encounter, recharge 5-6)
Fly 10
Alignment Unaligned Languages Primordial
Str 10 (+2) Dex 17 (+5) Wis 9 (+1)
Con 12 (+3) Int 5 (-1) Cha 7 (+0)
Tactics: Dust Devils will try to keep moving as they fight, disarming foes one by one.
Dust Devil Lore
A character knows the following with a successful Arcana check:
DC 15: These elemental creatures are swift to anger, and can make brief leaps through the air.
Posted in 4th edition Dungeons & Dragons and tagged creature: heroic skirmisher by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
Dust Monster
Known in tales for turning items to dust, this creature presents an unexpected challenge for many a victim. Most who survive a battle with them end up weaponless and facing perils deeper in the dungeons in which they dwell. It is said that dust monsters control time itself, sending objects so far into the future that they become dust on contact.
Dust Monster
Size/Type: Medium Aberration (Time)
Hit Dice: 8d8+5 (42 hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 18 (+3 Dex, +5 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+3
Attack: Antennae touch +3 melee (dust)
Full Attack: Antennae touch +3 melee (dust) and bite -2 melee (1d3)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Dust
Special Qualities: Darkvision, scent
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +5
Abilities: Str 10, Dex 18, Con 13, Int 2, Wis 13, Cha 8
Skills: Listen +7, Spot +7
Feats: Alertness, Track
Environment: Underground
Organization: Solitary or pair
Challenge Rating: 6
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 8-10 HD (Medium); 11-15 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: —
The hide of these creatures varies in color from a white underside to a yellowish tan upper back. A dust monster’s prehensile antennae can turn any item to dust on contact.
Like its distant cousin, the rust monster, the typical dust monster measures 5 feet long and 3 feet high, weighing 200 pounds.
Dust monsters serve beings who can control time with greater power and precision than them, usually serving as a line of defense in their towers and lairs.
Combat
A dust monster can sense an object from up to 90 feet away. When it detects one, it dashes toward the source and attempts to strike it with its antennae. The creature is relentless, chasing characters over long distances if they still possess intact objects but usually ceasing its attacks to devour a freshly meal just turned to dust.
The creature targets the largest object available, striking first at armor, then at shields and smaller items. It prefers ferrous metals (steel or iron) over precious metals (such as gold or silver) but will devour any object if given the opportunity.
Dust (Ex): A dust monster that makes a successful touch attack with its antennae causes the target object to turn to dust, blowing away or falling into a pile on the floor and becoming useless immediately. The touch can destroy up to a 10-foot cube of an object instantly. Magic armor and weapons, and other magic items, must succeed on a DC 17 Reflex save or be affected. The save DC is Constitution-based and includes a +4 racial bonus. Time warded objects are not affected.
No make whole or mend spells can repair the object; it is simply lost to the ages.
Any weapon that deals damage to a dust monster turns to dust immediately. Flesh is not affected.
Posted in Creature and tagged time by Stephen Hilderbrand with no comments yet.