Tale of the Manticore

Monday, August 2, 2021

Random Encounter Table for The Foothills Mid Level

As used in episode 45...

Roll 1d12

1 6-10 hobgoblins

2 1 hill giant

3 3-5 Wild Boars

4 Some kind of abandoned treasure/boon

5 an abandoned campsite, only 2 days old.

6 5-8 bugbears

7 3 harpies

8 6-9 wolves

9 2 Ogres

10 1-2 Owlbears

11 2-4 deer (non aggressive/food only)

12 Ancient graveyard/barrow mound

*Items in italics can only be encountered once

Sunday, August 1, 2021

THE ARTIFICER CUSTOM NPC CLASS

Artificers are dwarves who were born with the special gifts of both artistic ability and of drawing forth and preserving the innate magical that exists in all gems of a certain size and quality. Artificers sacrifice some training in the use of weapons and armor to hone their special skills, but in exchange they gain some ability to use magic, as well as certain special class features (see below). The prime requisite for an Artificer is Intelligence.

RESTRICTIONS: Artificers use six-sided dice (d6) to determine their hit points. They may advance to a maximum of 12th level of experience. They may not wear armor nor use shields and may only carry a dagger or a staff for a weapon. In combat and in terms of levelling up, Artificers use the Magic Users’ tables. An Artificer character must have a minimum Intelligence score of 13. Artificers must possess at least one gemstone, of any value, to cast spells. This gemstone is not used up, damaged or in any other way affected by the casting.

SPECIAL ABILITIES: Artificers share the same saving throws as regular Dwarf characters. They also have infravision (heat-sensing sight) which allows them to see 60 feet in the dark. They share all other racial abilities of regular dwarves, and so are able to find slanting passages, traps, shifting walls, and new construction one-third of the time (a roll of 1 or 2 on Id6) when looking for them. They speak Common & Dwarvish, plus the languages of gnomes, kobolds, and goblins.

Artificers can cast spells, although they gain them more slowly than Magic Users, using the Clerics’ tables for spell acquisition. This means that they do not gain their first spell until level 2. They do not use Clerics’ spells, however. They are restricted to just the following, with others added at the DM’s discretion:

Level 1:

· Detect Magic

· Hold Portal

· Light (may not be used offensively)

Level 2:

· Continual Light (may not be used offensively)

· Detect Evil

· Detect Invisible

· Protection from Evil

· Wizard Lock

Level 3 & beyond:

· DM’s discretion. Some suggestions are:

o Glyph of Warding

o Passwall

· The following new spells might be considered:

o Preserve Metals

o Protective vs Fire/Cold/Electricty/etc

o Stoneshaping

o Continual Air/Breath Underground

o Create Iron

o Create Stone

o Animate (to create a Living Statue)

Beginning at 2^nd level, Artificers gain the ability to bind the magic they draw from gemstones to objects that they create. This binding is permanent. For example, an Artificer might bind a spell of Light to a golden statuette that they created, or a crafted stone archway and door might be enchanted with a Hold Portal spell and linked to a password. In order to do this, the Artificer must spend one month creating the art that will receive the enchantment for each level of the spell they intend to bind into it. Additionally, a gemstone worth at least 1000gp must be used in the creation. This gemstone might be powdered, buried whole or featured prominently in the work created. In any case, the gemstone will become a permanent part of the artwork. The enchantment process is highly dangerous. For each level of the spell being made permanent, there is a 5% (1 in 20) chance that the process will fail spectacularly. This failure might come in the form of an explosion, or some other wild magic event (DM’s discretion), but in any event, it will force a saving throw vs Spells to avoid extreme physical damage or some other terrible result commensurate in scope with the spell being drawn from the gem.

Shownotes for Episode 45

Theme Evan King - Enchiridion https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8NkG3bhIxU

Welcome 148 Barovian Castle https://tabletopaudio.com/

Previously On Scott Buckley - Legionnaire https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwW0vFUCzEM

Dramatis RPG SOUNDS “Realization”

Some FX: https://www.zapsplat.com

Sunday, July 25, 2021

Trying out a new system... just for fun

This won't replace B/X on the show or anything ... I'm just curious to try out this system - it's a simple solo engine that builds on the 'NO AND through YES AND' oracle. I thought I might do it here on the blog. We'll call this the Session 0. Here's my character and a simple set up. Low fantasy setting, as per my usual stomping grounds...

Find the rules right here: http://www.msjx.org/2017/01/so1um-05-solo-rpg-playtest-wwii.html

Neffia the Small

Body: 2
Mind: 1
Soul: 1

HP: 4

Cliché’s: Quiet as a mouse, Tougher than she looks, No lock she can’t pick.

Scene:

Neffia the Small has been hired by Hustan the Brave to steal back a family heirloom – a silver medallion – that he lost to a minor noble (Sir Gillinton) in a drunken gambling session and is to proud to buy back as Sir Gillinton will make him beg. Neffia is to steal as much else as she can to disguise the targeted nature of her mission. If caught, she must not reveal her employer. On completion of the job, she will receive 100gp.

Hustan can advise the best time to sneak into the manor, when Sir Gillinton is away at some noble function for the evening. Hustan can guarantee a solid four hour window while the master of the house is away.

The appointed night arrives and the mission begins. Neffia the Small looks up at the second story window. Can she scale the wall?