The Dungeon Corridor
Thursday, August 21, 2025
The Frost Giant's Daughter by Robert E. Howard
Friday, February 19, 2021
Axe of the Nereid
AXE OF THE NEREID
by Benoist Poire
+1 Hand Axe
+3 Versus Aboleths and Aquatic Aberrations.
This axe will have 12 to 20 remaining charges when first discovered and may be spent at any time. This device can also be found as a battle axe, harpoon, long spear, or trident
Benefiting effects include:
- - Water Breathing (1 Charge) Water Breathing spell as if cast by a 6th level Druid,
- - Invisibility under water (1 Charge) as if cast by a 6th level sorcerer,
- -Control Water, form waves, shapes etc in a 30ft radius, (1 Charge),
- - Discharge a stream of bodily fluids (spittle) from the handle which may blind a target for 2-12 rounds if it hits (-4 to attacks, -4 AC and -4 to saving throws if blinded) (2 Charges).
Gp Value, Exp Value and Constructions cost are determined solely by the DM.
Axe of the Ram
by Benoist Poire
+1 hand axe or Battle Axe,
+3 versus lycanthropes
The handle can be used for one additional free attack 3/day that causes 2d6 damage on a hit and knocks the target prone, or knock down doors and large objects with an assumed Strength of 19 (Open Doors and Bend Bars/Lift Gates as Hill Giant).
If using a third edition game mechanic, then total the Strentgh attribute with the player's attack modifier and axe's magical bionus versus the door's assigned DC to determine the effect.
Tuesday, September 8, 2020
Dungeon
Crawl Classics: Dire Wraith Sorceress
The Dire Wraiths are an evolutionary offshoot of the Skrulls from the Andromeda Galaxy. Like the Skrulls, the Wraiths are shape-shifters, able to take the forms of other creatures. They are, in fact, Skrullian Deviants engineered by the starfaring Celestials. The Wraiths have both reptilian and mammalian like traits and the females lay eggs and lactate.
At some point in their history, female Dire Wraiths began to study sorcery. This caused a rift with their parent race, the Skrulls, and they were driven out of the Andromeda Galaxy.
Dire Wraiths are able to take on the forms of those they encounter, including the appearance of equipment and any clothing the victim is wearing. A Dire Wraith can assume any humanoid form between 4 ft to 8 ft tall, but the creature must first see the victim to be copied. In addition to assuming a victim's form, they may choose to consume the victim's brain and gain all of their memories and knowledge (the victim must make a DC 15 Fortitude Save), which will leave the victim a pool of ectoplasm.
Dire Wraith Sorceress for Dungeon Crawl Classics
Init
-1; Atk hex +6 (1d7) or tentacle +2 melee (1d4);
AC
13 HD 3d4; MV 40’; Act 1d20; SP absorb brain
(DC
15 Fortitude Save), impersonate 90%, prestidigitation,
spellcasting
(+6 spell check & know 6 spells);
SV
Fort +1, Ref +2, Will +4; AL N.
Sunday, August 16, 2020
Druid of Wood and Flame

- Green Scourge is an interesting Druid archetype, focusing on Shillelagh and Flame Blade oddly enough, but I hope I've done it decently enough when I've slapped it onto an Elf.
- Acharriel
- [Sindarin:"Daughter of the Fire Avengers"]
- "For the Wilds!"
- by Joseph Whitman
- Not all druids spend their days tending gardens and fostering forest creatures. There are some of a more militant sect that devote themselves to purging the taint of unnatural creatures from the wilds of the world. These Green Scourges are masters at harnessing nature's wrath, channeling it into mighty oaken clubs and blades of pure flame. When Acharriel meditates each morning, it is to beseech the Will of the World to make her its avatar of vengeance. She works herself into a righteous fury, thinking of all the harm such abominations will do if left unchecked, and channels her rage into all-consuming flame that will purify the wilds of their presence. Wiser and more peaceful druids are not fond of the Scourges, but recognize the need for their brand of verdant vengeance. Such individuals stay clear of Scourge Circles, letting them do their business unimpeded and then cleansing the aftermath with restorative magics.
- Acharriel is ever vigilant, and once she has decided an element must be purged, it will take quite a bit of convincing from any non-druid to sway her hand. She adheres to the counsel of other druids and respects their judgment, knowing that while her rage is her greatest strength, it can also blind her from the details and the bigger picture.
- Stat Roll
- STR 12 (+01)
- CON 12 (+01)
- DEX 17 (+03)
- INT 13 (+01)
- WIS 16 (+03)
- CHA 10 (+00)
- Woodcraft: Elves know the deep secrets of the wild like no others, especially secrets of the forests. Elves with this racial trait gain a +1 racial bonus on Knowledge (nature) and Survival checks. In forest terrain, these bonuses improve to +2. This racial trait replaces elven magic.
- Elves are immune to magic sleep effects and gain a +2 racial saving throw bonus against enchantment spells and effects.
- +2 to Perception checks
- Elves are proficient with longbows (including composite longbows), longswords, rapiers, and shortbows (including composite shortbows), and treat any weapon with the word “elven” in its name as a martial weapon.
- Low-Light Vision
- Speaks Common, Elven, and Druidic
- Traits
- Warrior of Old (Elf) - +2 to Initiative
- Treerazer's Bane (Kyonin) - You gain a +2 trait bonus on weapon damage against demons, evil fey, and plants and animals corrupted by evil.
- Feats
- Weapon Finesse
- Skills
- 5/level
- Acrobatics (+3 Dex) = +4
- Knowledge (Dungeoneering) (+3 Class Skill) (+2 Scourge) (+1 Int) = +7
- Knowledge (Nature) (+3 Class Skill) (+1 Racial) (+1 Int) = +6
- Perception (+3 Class Skill) (+2 Racial) (+3 Wis) = +9
- Survival (+3 Class Skill) (+3 Wis) = +7
- Fire Domain
- Fire Bolt (Sp): As a standard action, you can unleash a scorching bolt of divine fire from your outstretched hand. You can target any single foe within 30 feet as a ranged touch attack with this bolt of fire. If you hit the foe, the fire bolt deals 1d6 points of fire damage + 1 point for every two cleric levels you possess. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Wisdom modifier.
- Fire Resistance (Ex): At 6th level, you gain resist fire 10. This resistance increases to 20 at 12th level. At 20th level, you gain immunity to fire.
- Domain Spells: 1st—burning hands, 2nd—produce flame, 3rd—fireball, 4th—wall of fire, 5th—fire shield, 6th—fire seeds, 7th—elemental body IV (fire only), 8th—incendiary cloud, 9th—elemental swarm (fire spell only).
- Spells:
- Detect Poison, Light, Purify Food and Drink
- Burning Hands (Domain), Aspect of the Falcon, Cure Light Wounds
- Equipment:
- 120 max gp
- Sickle - 6gp, 1d6 damage, x2 crit, 2lbs.
- Scimitar - 15gp, 1d6 damage, 18-20/x2 crit, 4lbs.
- Shortbow - 30gp, 1d6 damage, x3 crit, 60ft. range, 2lbs.
- Arrows (20) - 1gp, 3lbs.
- Heavy Wooden Shield - 7gp, +2 AC, -2 armor check, 10lbs.
- Hide Armor - 15gp, +4 AC, +4 Max Dex Bonus, -3 armor check, 20ft spd., 25lbs.
- Spell Component Pouch - 5gp, 2lbs.
- FeatProg:
- 1st Weapon Finesse
- 3rd Dervish Dance
- 5th Spell Focus (Evocation)
- 7th Spell Specialization (Flame Blade)
- 9th Quick Wild Shape
- 11th Greater Spell Focus (Evocation)
- 13th Elemental Focus (Fire)
- 15th Greater Elemental Focus (Fire)
- 17th Burning Amplification
- 19th Empower Spell
- Green Scourge Archetype
- Nature’s Armaments
- A green scourge can lose a prepared 1st- or 2nd-level spell in order to cast shillelagh or flame blade, respectively. She can instead choose to lose a higher-level spell in order to increase the enhancement bonus of her shillelagh, or to add any of the following weapon special abilities to her shillelagh or flame blade: bane (aberrations only), frost, mighty cleaving, returning, shock, throwing, or vicious. If the target weapon is a quarterstaff, these bonuses apply to only one of its ends. If a flame blade gains the frost or shock special ability, the base damage of the spell changes to match the energy type; neither a flame blade nor shillelagh can gain both of these special abilities. A green scourge cannot add the throwing property to a flame blade unless she also adds the returning property.
- When adding weapon special abilities or increasing the enhancement bonus, the final level of the spell expended is 1 higher than the base spell level (2nd for shillelagh and 3rd for flame blade), increased by the additional special abilities’ total base price modifier. For example, creating an aberration–bane vicious flame blade requires spending a 5th-level spell slot, which also counts as a 5th-level spell for purposes of dispelling.
- This ability alters spontaneous casting.
- Aberration Sense (Ex)
- At 1st level, a green scourge adds Knowledge (dungeoneering) to her class skills and gains a +2 bonus on Knowledge (dungeoneering) checks.
- This replaces nature sense.
- Scentless (Ex)
- At 3rd level, a green scourge cannot be detected or tracked with the scent ability or any other special senses that rely on acute smell. She can choose to exude a scent if desired.
- This ability replaces trackless step.
- Resist Unnatural Influence (Ex)
- At 4th level, a green scourge gains a +4 bonus on saving throws against aberrations’ spell-like abilities, supernatural abilities, and poisons.
- This replaces resist nature’s lure.
Thursday, April 9, 2020
Conan the Fearless
Conan The Fearless
Review by Bret James Stewart
4.0 out of 5 stars Pulp Escapism but Worthy
Reviewed in the United States on April 16, 2015
What can I say about a Conan book? I am not a huge Conan
fan, but I did watch the movies when I was a kid, and I liked those. I ended up
with three or four Conan books when I was a teenager, which I always liked due
to the hot chicks on the covers. This one, done by legendary artist, Boris
Vajello, is pretty sweet, too. As it is a Conan book, what you’re pretty much
going for is a lot of gritty action, evil wizards, and the aforementioned hot
chicks. This one has them all.
Plot-wise, we have an evil wizard, Sovartus, in this case,
who is attempting to create a super-elemental by tapping the strength of the
four elemental powers embodied in four children. The mage has three of the
four, but lacks the one with whom Conan is (of course) going to be associated.
Conan meets up with her, ends up protecting her, and, with a rag-tag of heroes
and quasi-heroes, Conan travels to the distant castle and defeats the evil
sorcerer at the last minute after the latter has apparently accomplished his
goal and successfully summoned the super-power.
This story is fun. There is a lot of action. Conan fights
the elemental, a demon, a weird man-eating plant, a senator who is actually a
were-panther who stalks the city streets at night, a few sets of bandits, a
powerful witch--who also happens to be the demon’s sister (well, probably
half-sister since she seems to be human in form)--who wants to make him her sex
slave by proxy via infusing his soul into a construct that might accurately be
considered a sex golem, some strange ape-like creatures who come out of a
frozen lake, some sort of lizard or reptile men, and the wizard Sovartus. I
appreciate the fact that the snow creatures actually outmatch him, and he flees
before he is overcome. This is good because he is still alive to beat up
everything else later.
There are hot chicks. The fire elementalist girl, Eldia, is
hot in her way. The woman on the cover, though I am not sure who that is
supposed to be—she seems allied to him the way she is depicted, so I think she
is Kinna, the sister of the elementalist, Eldia—is definitely hot. Pretty much
every fantasy woman I’ve ever seen in a metal bikini, high boots, and a cape
was smokin’. Ditto for the witch, though in a spooky way. There may have been
some other women in the story, but I don’t bother to try to remember them if
they aren’t hot.
This book is great for what it is—an adventure tale. It
would probably appeal to Conan fans, but I think it would also appeal to
general fantasy readers because it has a number of standard sword and sorcery
elements such as thieves, bandits, wizards, elementals, monsters, demons,
were-beasts, and lots of cool sword fights. Oh, and, lest we forget, the
mighty-thewed barbarian, himself. If you’re looking for an evening of light but
fun entertainment, this might be worth a try.
Thursday, May 25, 2017
Gaming Hodgepodge 2017.05.25
- Geekdad
The Drift: GeekDad Exclusive Look at ‘Starfinder.’ Watch Your Mouth, Kid, or You’ll Find Yourself Floating Home!
- High Level Games
Five Most Commonly Misremembered Rules in Pathfinder
Five Things You May Do That Hurt Your Game (And How To Fix Them)
Five Tips to Use Recurring Villains to Challenge Your Players
Following The Gods: Four Ways to Play a Religious Character
It's Dangerous to Go Alone, Take These Seven Basic Expectations For Table Players
Ravenloft Corner: 4 Ways to Scale Down Any Vampire Encounter
Seven Tips For Setting Expectations DM/GM Edition
- Power Score
Dungeons and Dragons - A Guide to Juiblex, Demon Lord of Slimes and Oozes
- Swords and Stitchery
1d6 Random Ancient Minor Treasures of Clark Aston Smith's Tomb's & Necrotic Vaults Table For Your Old School Campaigns
- Tenkar's Tavern
OSR Extravaganza Sale - The Picks - The Barrel Riders went to the Majestic Wilderlands
- World Builder Blog
Restoration - A New Paladin Oath
Downloads
- Gamesradar
Play Out Your Game of Thrones Stories with These Dungeons & Dragons Character Sheets
- Patreon
Loronna, High Elf Psychic 16 Level
Game Mechanics
- The Hypertext d20 SRD
Divine Characteristics
Graphics
- DeviantArt
Randy Green - Conan Vs. Red Sonja Page 4
Products
- Radiance House
Grimoire of Lost Souls (PFRPG)
- White Box (RPGNow)
Scourge of the Demon Wolf
The Majestic Wilderness
White Box Options
White Box Options: Psychic Talents [Swords & Wizardry]
Monday, May 22, 2017
Gaming Hodgepodge 2017.05.22
A Fun Little Map
Free .PDF Downloads
In the City at Night - The Night Holds Terrors
The Haunted West
The Oldest of the Old School (Part I) S1 Tomb of Horrors - Gygax at his most Gygaxian
- The Best Adventure of All Time
- The Worst Adventure of All Time
The Oldest of the Old School (part II) - Temple of the Frog - The First Module?
EN WORLD
[UPDATED] Here's Mike Mearls' New D&D 5E Initiative System
Hmmm, Class-Based Initiative (5th Ed) Vs Attribute +d20 (3rd Ed/Pathfinder) Vs Speed Factor (2nd Ed) Vs 1d6/1d10 Standard (1st Ed)
SWORD AND STITCHERY
Free OSR Fanzine 'Back To The Dungeon' For The Labyrinth Lord Retroclone System & Your Old School Campaigns
Free OSR Appendix 'S' Science Fantasy Download - Thrilling Wonder Stories v11n01 (1938 02) For Your Old School Campaign
Monsters, Monsters, & Commentary On Maximum Mayhem Dungeons: Monsters of Mayhem #1 Kickstarter For Your Old School Campaigns
Some Commentary On ASE1: Anomalous Subsurface Environment By Patrick Wetmore & Free OSR Adventure Resources For Your Old School Campaigns
- ASE1: Anomalous Subsurface Environment (Standard Paper)
- ASE2-3: Anomalous Subsurface Environment (Publisher Grade Paper)
THE DIRTY DOZEN
Damn Good Reasons to Descend into the Mythic Underworld
My Character Died!
The Dirty Dozen 2 - More Fantasy Tables for Fantasy RPGs
This is the one book I've been waiting for three to four years running. Squeal to a very original and very good gaming idea.
TRIBALITY
D&D 5E Psionics
Gaming Journal - The Magnificent Brain
BY PAUL KING ON 05/06/17 AT 1:00 PM
TECHNOLOGY
This question originally appeared on Quora. Answer by Paul King.
Where to start?
There are hundreds of surprising, perspective-shifting insights about the nature of reality that come from neuroscience. Every bizarre neurological syndrome, every visual illusion, and every clever psychological experiment reveals something entirely unexpected about our experience of the world that we take for granted.
Here are a few to give a flavor:
1. Perceptual reality is entirely generated by our brain. We hear voices and meaning from air pressure waves. We see colors and objects, yet our brain only receives signals about reflected photons. The objects we perceive are a construct of the brain, which is why optical illusions can fool the brain.
2. We see the world in narrow disjoint fragments. We think we see the whole world, but we are looking through a narrow visual portal onto a small region of space. You have to move your eyes when you read because most of the page is blurry. We don't see this, because as soon as we become curious about part of the world, our eyes move there to fill in the detail before we see it was missing. While our eyes are in motion, we should see a blank blur, but our brain edits this out.
3. Body image is dynamic and flexible. Our brain can be fooled into thinking a rubber arm or a virtual reality hand is actually a part of our body. In one syndrome, people believe one of their limbs does not belong to them. One man thought a cadaver limb had been sewn onto his body as a practical joke by doctors.
4. Our behavior is mostly automatic, even though we think we are controlling it. The fact that we can operate a vehicle at 60 mph on the highway while lost in thought shows just how much behavior the brain can take care of on its own. Addiction is possible because so much of what we do is already automatic, including directing our goals and desires. In utilization behavior, people might grab and start using a comb presented to them without having any idea why they are doing it. In impulsivity, people act even though they know they shouldn't.
5. Our brain can fool itself in really strange ways. In Capgras syndrome, familiar people seem foreign (the opposite of deja vu). One elderly woman who lived alone befriended a woman who appeared to her whenever she looked in a mirror. She thought this other woman looked nothing like herself, except that they seemed to have similar style and tended to wear identical outfits. Another woman was being followed by a tormenter who appeared to her in mirrors but looked nothing like herself. She was fine otherwise.
6. Neurons are really slow. Our thinking feels fast and we are more intelligent than computers, and yet neurons signal only a few times per second and the brain's beta wave cycles at 14-30 times per second. In comparison, computers cycle at 1 billion operations per second, and transistors switch over 10 billion times per second. How can neurons be so slow and yet we are so smart?
7. Consciousness can be subdivided. In split-brain patients, each side of the brain is individually conscious but mostly separate from the other. In post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), memories of a traumatic event can become a compartmentalized inaccessible island. In schizophrenia, patients hear voices that can seem separate from themselves and which criticize them or issue commands. In hypnosis, post-hypnotic suggestions can direct behavior without the individual's conscious awareness.
That's a glimpse of the world through the eyes of neuroscience.
Tuesday, May 16, 2017
Magic the Gathering - Plane Shift: Kaladesh Breakdown
BRANDES STODDARD - February 17, 2017
Tribality
It turns out that new Plane Shifts aren’t necessarily released in connection with Unearthed Arcana. News to me… but here we are! I’ve been out of touch with M:tG long enough that I’m coming into this without knowing one word about the plane of Kaladesh, but James Wyatt seems to know that might be common among the readers of this document, and he’s prepared for it.
Well, right off the bat, this looks a lot like Mechanus, but all of the modrons have been replaced with people dedicated to innovation. Aesthetically, it’s also on friendly terms with Eberron’s lightning rail and similar magitech. The fundamental rules of Kaladesh promise to be a real challenge to combine with 5e – spellcasting without a device as a proxy is rare and ruthlessly suppressed, which locks out most of the character classes. Druids and rangers get a pass, though you have to be an elf. Most spellcasters are sorcerers, and any other spellcasting class is viewed as a sorcerer (with the aforementioned ruthless suppression). If you’ve been waiting for the opportune moment to play an artificer, though, Kaladesh is here for you – that class’s concept is the centerpiece of the whole setting.
There is, however, a new sorcerous origin to cover pyromancy, which is an outstanding exception. So, briefly:
- Heart of Fire causes you to deal a pile of extra fire damage to enemies within 10 feet when you spend a spell slot to cast a spell that deals fire damage. This feature is insanely powerful.
- Fire in the Veins grants resistance to fire and lets your spells ignore a target’s resistance to fire. No surprise here.
- Pyromancer’s Fury is a reaction that deals your sorcerer level in fire damage when you get hit in melee, and this damage ignores fire resistance. This is reasonable at 14th
- Fiery Soul grants immunity to fire damage (boo, hiss), and steps up your penetration of fire resistance, so that a fire-immune target is treated as normal resistance (which you don’t then ignore), and all fire effects you create (not just spells) ignore fire resistance.
It’s about as straightforward an expression of the concept as you could want, including its tackling of the problem of the fire mage.
The text also goes through the core Backgrounds and discusses how each one fits into Kaladesh – particularly whether they are more likely to side with the Consulate or the renegades. It’s pretty clear to me that Guild Artisan is where it’s at in Kaladesh – the most “normal” of all Backgrounds here.
From the looks of things, Kaladesh is really about two things: magic items, called inventions (and the aether that fuels them), and the conflict between the Consulate and renegades. Abilities that are innate to a character – class features, for instance – are broadly de-emphasized here, putting me in mind of games like Into the Odd or Gamma World, though with quite a different tone from either.
In keeping with the focus on magic items, there are variant rules for magic items here. The rules on charged magic items are setting-defining – instead of regaining charges on their own, the aether to power each magic item comes from the Consulate, who go out of their way to make sure it is distributed fairly. The story possibilities here write themselves – start with “the regime controls and guarantees your daily gasoline ration, if you play by their rules” and go from there. Anyway, most of the rules just talk about how to fit or reskin D&D’s categories of magic items to suit the setting.
Next up are rules for inventing, manufacturing, buying, and selling devices. 5e’s existing rules for crafting magic items are a half-page of disappointment (everything worth making takes longer to make than you have to spend on it), so I had a lot of hope that the ready availability of devices and the central role of invention to the setting would drive the creation of new rules. Not… exactly.
There are rules for creating device schematics if you don’t already have them, so that’s good. On the other hand, those rules add a simple pass/fail check to each day of work on the magic item. It amounts to a group Arcana check that only one character needs to succeed. I’m still not convinced that this is serving the needs of the setting very well. Looking at the classes and Backgrounds, relatively few characters are going to have proficiency in Arcana; at minimum, the Guild Artisan should switch out a skill for Arcana.
The buying and selling rules are on point, though, potentially even opening up space for arbitrage as a sideline to gameplay. Inventing a new device is even better, though it helps if you’re on speaking terms with the Consulate. Aether-powered creatures and conveyances get a few paragraphs as well; these rules seem fine (and phenomenal for selling the setting to the players in the opening moments of gameplay, sort of like the opening shots of spacecraft in every Star Wars movie).
There are two new feats, Quicksmithing and Servo Crafting. Quicksmithing is basically Ritual Caster with the rock gnome Tinker feature bolted on. I like it in this usage. Servo Crafting grants find familiar and some of the functions one wants out of a familiar. Pro tip: if you want to make D&D appeal to first-time gamers faster, retool this back to fantasy pets and make it a readily available or outright universal feature. People like pets, and we should be moving to support that in more settings.
The document proposes three campaign models for a Kaladesh campaign, though the rest of the text pushes the first one, Aether Revolt, hard enough that I kind of wish Wyatt had just spent a few hundred more words on guidance in making that campaign model sing. Oh, sure, it’s outside the scope of this work – it’s just something I’d like to read! Anyway, Aether Revolt has a lot of appeal to me, and Urban Intrigue is good too; Exploring and Colonizing the Wilds seems to miss the point, and the text says as much.
The last major piece of player-facing rules covers the races of Kaladesh. The Aetherborn are pretty interesting, if deeply alien; their Blue-and-Orange morality (beware TV Tropes, it exists so you won’t get anything done this month), based on radical hedonism, means that players of aetherborn need to put some serious thought into why they join other PCs and do adventurous things. The optional Gift of the Aetherborn feature makes them a lot more likely to be evil, but also a lot more interesting – their mechanics are otherwise entirely straightforward.
The dwarves of Kaladesh are mostly hill dwarves, but they trade Dwarven Combat Training, Tool Proficiency, and Stonecunning for Artisan’s Expertise: Expertise in two tool proficiencies and all the effects of Stonecunning, but based on architecture. It’s a solid setup for dwarves who have no connection to subterranean living.
The elves of Kaladesh shift Elven Weapon Training back to the core of the race. Wood elves become Bishtahar and Tirahar, and high elves become Vahadar (city elves, basically).
Humans in Kaladesh use the core human rules, with no Variant option. Oh, how I long for humans to be something more than the Best at Being Generic.
Finally, Vedalken may not look like gnomes (they mostly look like Zotoh Zhaan from Farscape), but mechanically, they’re rock gnomes sans the Tinker feature. In personality, they’re monomaniacal inventors and academics, with many of the stereotypical flaws of engineers and ivory-tower scholars. Much like the aetherborn, it may take a little thought to fit them into a cohesive party and get them to leave their workshops for the dangerous life of adventuring. They’re pretty cool all the same.
The rest of the document is a bestiary of Kaladesh, both new creatures and discussions of how to adapt creatures from the Monster Manual to the setting. It’s true of the whole document, but this section especially benefits from the incredible wealth of evocative art that Magic creates around their settings.
Plane Shift: Kaladesh can’t easily be used as a standalone document to run a Kaladesh campaign; the setting has so many ideas bouncing around at high velocity that you’ll really need additional materials. Some are available for free on the M:tG website, but if you’re comfortable spending a little money, The Art of Magic: the Gathering – Kaladesh is basically your setting bible. For my own use, I would strongly consider a short-run Kaladesh game, as its style is different enough from my defaults that I think my players would find it refreshing. Even more than that, though, it suits my wife’s DMing style perfectly, so maybe I’ll try to get her to do it…
KALADESH PDF DOWNLOAD
Saturday, August 13, 2016
Gaming Journal - Rule's Variants 01

All characters at first level begin with a number of hit points equal to their constitution score plus their constitution modifier. Then, as they advance in class levels, they roll the appropriate hit dice per character class [I. E. d4, d6, d8, d10, d12] and add their constitution modifier to their hit point total. This rules variant also extends to humanoid and monster races capable of advancing in class levels as well. [I.E. Blue Goblins, Centaurs, Dromites, Drow, Gnolls, Harpy, Lizardfolk, Orcs, Kobolds, etc.]
Flow Chart: Hit Points [17] = Constituion Score/Attribute [15] + Constitution Modifier [+2]
Rules Variant: Languages and d20 RPG Mechanics
Language is something that is assimilated and thus developed over time with use and practice.
It's not a training course.
The use and assignment of additional languages as an all-or-nothing skill and not a feat to some degree is absurd. By removing "speak languages" from the character skill alotment as it is and re-assigning the skill to stack with a series of specialty feats, the player can learn to speak a non-native language outside his country, nation, or immediate geography.
To begin, the character acquires the number of languages equal to his intelligence modifer plus his native tongue and trade language as per the Player's Handbook Third Edition Revised or the Pathfinder Rules Companion. The intelligence modifier covers all three aspects of his first block of core languages. However, speaking another language costs one skill point. A really simple task of pattern recognition and memory. However, speaking and reading another foreign language requires a cost of two skill points per language. Speaking, reading and writing a foreign language requires a cost of three points. The later requires off-time, much like martial weapons training or vocational training to improve a craft.
Linguistics, as a skill, conforms as detailed as per the Pathfinder Rules Companion, Pgs. 67-68. Except for the point cost, speaking, reading and writing are accumulated by a seperate point cost each. DM's wil need to adjust the amount of skill points a player receives with every new level.
In addition to what is detailed in the Pathfinder Rules Companion, the linguistics skill can be use to learn the dialects, idiosyncrasies and slang of an approximate geography. In addition, the linguistics skull can be used to create and identify written forgeries. It can not however be used to decphier scripts, encrypt documents, or break codes and other encryptions.
Dechiper Script will remain a seperate skill outside the field of linguistucs.
Assimilate Language- Character is well versed in a spoken, written, and foreign language not indigenous and non-migratory to his native homeland. He receives +01 insight bonus to his Knowledge [arcane, history, religion] skill or his linguistic skill.
Bi-Lingual- The character was raised in a family or community where two languages were commonly used. Common language pairs could be English/Spanish in the American southwest or English and French near French-Canada in a modern world campaign setting. In a fantasy setting, it could be an human/elven cultural metropolis, a human/dwarven war citadel, a human/halfling shire, or a human/orc nomadic warband.
Encryptologist- You have a mathematical knack for creating and breaking codes. You receive a +02 insight bonus to your linguistic or decipher script skill for the purpose of "breaking the code" and translating encrypted documents.
Rules Variant: Ring Use
The character can wear the number of rings at a minimum of 2, but after third level can wear an additional ring equal to the total number of character levels stacked against the spell level or levels used to cast and create the ring. For example, a twelfth level wizard can wear any number of magical rings as long as the combination of spell levels does not exceed twelve. He may wear three rings enchanted with fourth level spells each, or three rings enchanted with two fifth level spells and one second level spell or three rings enchanted with one seventh, one third, or one second level spell.
This rules variant made be used in conjunction with a Hand of Glory which can wear an additional ring of any enchantment.
A Simple Formula: Character level = spell level of the ring or the ring's highest magical ability.

1. Quest
The hero searches for something, someone, or somewhere. In reality, they may be searching for themselves, with the outer journey mirrored internally. They may be joined by a companion, who takes care of minor detail and whose limitations contrast with the hero's greater qualities.
2. Adventure
The protagonist goes on an adventure, much like a quest, but with less of a focus on the end goal or the personal development of hero. In the adventure, there is more action for action's sake.
3. Pursuit
In this plot, the focus is on chase, with one person chasing another (and perhaps with multiple and alternating chase). The pursued person may be often cornered and somehow escape, so that the pursuit can continue. Depending on the story, the pursued person may be caught or may escape.
4. Rescue
In the rescue, somebody is captured, who must be released by the hero or heroic party. A triangle may form between the protagonist, the antagonist and the victim. There may be a grand duel between the protagonist and antagonist, after which the victim is freed.
5. Escape
In a kind of reversal of the rescue, a person must escape, perhaps with little help from others. In this, there may well be elements of capture and unjust imprisonment. There may also be a pursuit after the escape.
6. Revenge
In the revenge plot, a wronged person seeks retribution against the person or organization which has betrayed or otherwise harmed them or loved ones, physically or emotionally. This plot depends on moral outrage for gaining sympathy from the audience.
7. The Riddle
The riddle plot entertains the audience and challenges them to find the solution before the hero, who steadily and carefully uncovers clues and hence the final solution. The story may also be spiced up with terrible consequences if the riddle is not solved in time.
8. Rivalry
In rivalry, two people or groups are set as competitors that may be good hearted or as bitter enemies. Rivals often face a zero-sum game, in which there can only be one winner, for example where they compete for a scarce resource or the heart of a single other person.
9. Underdog
The underdog plot is similar to rivalry, but where one person (usually the hero) has less advantage and might normally be expected to lose. The underdog usually wins through greater tenacity and determination (and perhaps with the help of friendly others).

In the temptation plot, a person is tempted by something that, if taken, would somehow diminish them, often morally. Their battle is thus internal, fighting against their inner voices which tell them to succumb.
11. Metamorphosis
In this fantastic plot, the protagonist is physically transformed, perhaps into beast or perhaps into some spiritual or alien form. The story may then continue with the changed person struggling to be released or to use their new form for some particular purpose. Eventually, the hero is released, perhaps through some great act of love.
12. Transformation
The transformation plot leads to change of a person in some way, often driven by unexpected circumstance or event. After setbacks, the person learns and usually becomes something better.
13. Maturation
The maturation plot is a special form of transformation, in which a person grows up. The veils of younger times are lost as they learn and grow. Thus the rudderless youth finds meaning or perhaps an older person re-finds their purpose.
14. Love
The love story is a perennial tale of lovers finding one another, perhaps through a background of danger and woe. Along the way, they become separated in some way, but eventually come together in a final joyous reunion.
15. Forbidden Love
The story of forbidden love happens when lovers are breaking some social rules, such as in an adulterous relationship or worse. The story may thus turn around their inner conflicts and the effects of others discovering their tryst.
16. Sacrifice
In sacrifice, the nobler elements of the human sprit are extolled as someone gives much more than most people would give. The person may not start with the intent of personal sacrifice and may thus be an unintentional hero, thus emphasizing the heroic nature of the choice and act.
17. Discovery
The discovery plot is strongly focused on the character of the hero who discovers something great or terrible and hence must make a difficult choice. The importance of the discovery might not be known at first and the process of revelation be important to the story.
18. Wretched Excess
In stories of wretched excess, the protagonist goes beyond normally accepted behavior as the world looks on, horrified, perhaps in realization that 'there before the grace of God go I' and that the veneer of civilization is indeed thin.
19. Ascension
In the ascension plot, the protagonist starts in the virtual gutter, as a sinner of some kind. The plot then shows their ascension to becoming a better person, often in response to stress that would defeat a normal person. Thus they achieve deserved heroic status.
20. Descension
In the opposite to ascension, a person of initially high standing descends to the gutter and moral turpitude, perhaps sympathetically as they are unable to handle stress and perhaps just giving in to baser vices.
See also
Ronald B. Tobias, 20 Master Plots, and how to build them, Cincinnati: Writer's Digest Books, 1993.
Ronald Tobias, in his popular and practical book, 20 Master Plots, and how to build them, describes 20 common story plots and gives lots of detail on how to construct complete stories around them.
http://changingminds.org/disciplines/storytelling/storytelling.htm
http://changingminds.org/disciplines/storytelling/characters/characters.htm
http://changingminds.org/disciplines/storytelling/devices/devices.htm
http://changingminds.org/disciplines/storytelling/plots/tobias_plots.htm
RPG Series: The Maw of Talos, The Star of Selune
Arcanus Archium - The Maw of Talos, The Star of Selune
A campaign Primer for the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting
One night, I've scribbled down an idea regarding a meteorite crater, like the one in Arizona state, in regards to the faiths of Talos and Selune. I was considering the area of impact a hotly contested holy sight (I.E. open warfare) for the two faiths. I was wondering were I can place one say near a medium to large city that hasn't been used since the introduction of the first box set. I'm leaning towards the Lake of Steam region, but I would like some more opinions.
There are some things I need to list members to take into consideration...
Background - There is nothing more destructive or more spectacular than a meteorite impact. A meteorite impacted on Toril shortly before the end of the Avatar crisis (within 07 to 10 days) and decimated a city, but it did not destroy the city outright. The Church of Talos (rather an underground cult) survived the decimation as did the Church of Selune, both with a large respective congregation each.
- An obvious omen, nay, a divine sign of great displeasure showing the raw power of Talos the Destroyer. Talos must be pleased or his wrath will be even greater ("I can't say what greater is than a meteorite impact but it could involve the foot of Talos...."). They will not dispute this fact. The evidence of the destruction is clear. This is holy ground of Talos and all within it is their property. They will fight to the death to keep it.
- The High Priest or Priestess of Selune disputes this fact and hotly blames the Talosian clergy for the destruction of the surrounding area. much of the city, and argues that the Priest of Talos "beckoned forth" the meteorite from its true course in a grab to consolidate their power and strengthen the faith of a corrupt godling. He points to the fact that the "meteorite" was not a meteorite, but a large blue star sapphire wrought when it entered the atmosphere of Toril. This star jewel is not to blame for the disaster that has befallen the people for the touch of Talos corrupted the jewel and used it to spread devastation and lies in its wake. This star jewel must be removed from the confines the meteorite crater and purified by a high priestess for it is not the will of Talos to ruin Selune's gifts to her righteous (and rightful) children.
- The Talosian cleric considers this edict blasphemous and called for his bloody and violent death. He has placed a bounty on the Selunite's head. Obviously, this Selunite is treading in matters of Talosian faith where he or she should not.
- The survivors (The Talos faction, their allies, and their slave labor) spent the last ten years, up until 1372 DR, rebuilding or rather building something spectacular. Rumor has it that the High Destroyer of Talos is constructing a dome to cover the entire circumference of the crater. It's interior shall become the newest crown and greatest temple to the God of Destruction on Faerun. (It's a life long project estimated to take twenty-five years to complete, much like the pyramids of Egypt. And it's nearing the half-way mark of completion....
Miscellaneous Notes
- I've considered using the Faith of Talos and having them exercise a monopoly on power in the area. This would force the Clerics of Selune and their mercenaries into the status of underground rebels, freedom fighters, smugglers, etc.
- The Church of Talos is not too picky on who aid in the construction of their latest shrine (slave labor, slavemasters, Deurgar, Underdark natives, etc.). They are going to make it a wonder-of-the-world for Talos first, Toril second.
-I need the impact site, say near a large body of water with adequate resources (such as iron ore, carbon, a little adamantium and lots of limestone) and definitely access to the tunnels of the Underdark.
- The survivors and converts of the faiths split the city along evenly divided lines. Mercantilism to the Maw is dangerous and but profitable for both and evil aligned companies and parties. Labor, whether it be contacted or enforce by the whip is in short supply as are food stuffs, fresh water, raw goods, and other services. Raids and banditry are a constant danger. The High Priest of Talos is no violent idiot and what's good for the temple is good for Talos. What viable trade routes or roads could lead to the Maw?
The impact was deep enough to reveal several subterranean passages to the Underdark.
....And thus a civil war was born from an idea called "The Maw of Talos"
(c) Jeffrey Williams, 2004.
For Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition