Because It Bears Repeating

From this Redditt thread:

We are used to imagining things as being objective measures. One inch is one inch in all cases. One mile is one mile. One kilogram is one kilogram.

However, not all units of measure need to be objective, and hit points are an example of a relative measurement. One hit point does not necessarily mean the same thing for one character that it does for another. For character A, 1 hp damage may well be a mortal wound. For Character B, 1 hp damage might be a notable wound. For character C, it might be the equivalent of a paper cut.

And, of course, the first 1 hp damage Gygax's example fighter takes is negligible, while the last 1 hp they take (after all other hit points are gone) is a mortal blow. Hit points are relative even for a given character themselves.

If you stop trying to figure out how much a "hit point" is objectively, and accept that hit points are always a relative measure, this problem goes away.

Healing

So what, then, does it mean if you have to heal hit points? A high-level warrior has lost 20 hp, which is relatively insignificant, but requires rest or magic to heal. Why?

Because the warrior isn't at their best. They are not all beaten up, and they are still better than many others at their best, but they could be better. Conan with nicks, cuts, and abrasions is still formidable, but not quite as formidable as Conan without.

Free Adventure for Yule

When Snowmen Attack!

Here is a free adventure for the Yule season.

Fighty, but I hope also fun. 

You should be able to complete it in a single session over eggnog.

Because this adventure is free (no Patreon membership required) feel free to spread this post far and wide! Obviously, I am hoping that this increases the number of visitors to my humble abode, but I also hope that playing this brings some seasonal joy. Or seasonal curses of anguish. Your choice!

Happy Holidays!

Let’s Convert the Fiend Folio: Ygorl, Lord of Entropy

You know what was missing from the last post? Me blathing about the Fiend Folio and my fond memories thereof. In truth, I never used the Slaadi Lords in play. The highest level characters we had achieved in those halcyon days of yore were 14^th to 16^th level. Powerful, yes. Powerful enough to take on these creatures? No, they were not. And, of course, AD&D didn’t have a robust patron system like Dungeon Crawl Classics does!

Did I know that Ssendam was “madness” backwards, or that Ygorl is an anagram of “glory”? I would like to think that I had noticed, but if I did I had long since forgotten until I began to convert them, when it came as a pleasant surprise.

Anyway, this finishes the Slaadi, although not the letter “S”!

 

The Avatar of Ygorl, Lord of Entropy

Ygorl’s Avatar: Init +5; Atk Sickle +8 melee (3d8 plus DC 15 Fort or die) or spell; AC 27; HD 12d12+36; hp 110;  MV 40’ or swim 50’; Act 2d20; SP Spellcasting, death sickle (Fort DC 15 or die), gate, command un-dead, regenerate 3 hp/round, +3 or better weapons to hit, wish fulfillment, 85% magic resistance; SV Fort +14, Ref +8, Will +20; AL C.

This fearsome slaad lord always appears as a 12-foot-tall skeletal man in the Lands We Know, utterly black in hue, with bat-like wings and wielding an adamantine sickle with an 8-foot-long blade. The sickle has the word “death” inscribed on its blade in the slaadi tongue, strikes as a +5 weapon, and instantly slays targets who fail a DC 15 Fortitude save when it hits.

In the Lands We Know, Ygorl is rides the brass dragon, Shkiv (see below). Where the winds of Limbo roar, Ygorl is said to appear as a 15-foot-tall slaad who is so totally black that he is darker than darkness itself.

Ygorl can use an Action Die to gate in another slaad of any type (except Ssendam or other unique slaadi), and this ability never fails. In addition, the Lord of Entropy can cast the following spells as psionic powers, needing no somatic, material, or verbal components (+18 bonus to the spell check): Chill touch, detect evil, detect invisible, ESP, phantasm, planar step, ray of enfeeblement, scare, and shatter. He regenerates 3 hp each round, so long as he has any hit points left.  He has an 85% chance of being able to ignore a spell (or other magical effect) as though it did not exist (determined before any applicable save is made) and can only be harmed by +3 or better magic weapons.

In addition, Ygorl may command up to 50 Hit Dice of un-dead creatures, which must succeed in a DC 25 Will save to ignore or disobey any of his commands.

 

Shkiv (large wingless brass dragon): Init +16; Atk Claw +17 melee (1d8) or bite +17 melee (1d12) or tail slap +17 melee (1d20 plus venom) or breath weapon; AC 30; HD 16d12; hp 120;  MV 60’ or swim 80’ or climb 40’; Act 4d20 for attacks plus 1d20 for spells; SP Breath weapons, amphibious, spellcasting, poison plants; SV Fort +16, Ref +16, Will +16; AL C.

Shkiv has two breath weapons. The first is a line of electricity 100 feet long, which forks 1d4 times and does damage equal to Shkiv’s hit points (Reflex DC 26 for half). The other is a cone of intense cold, 60’ long with a 20’ wide base, which does damage equal to the dragon’s hit points (Fortitude DC 20 for half). His tail is venomous, and those struck by a tail slap take an additional 1d8 hp damage from the venom and must succeed in a DC 20 Fort save or take 1d5 points of Stamina damage.

The dragon can cast magic shield with a +16 bonus to the spell check. Plants wither within 100’ of Shkiv, and the ground he treads on cannot support plant life for 1d3 years after his passing. Plant creatures must succeed in a DC 20 Fort save each round they are within 100’ of Shkiv or suffer 3d8 damage.

 

Calling upon the Lord of Entropy is perilous indeed. Wizards and elves can may seek to bond with Ygorl, and they may bond others to increase his following, but any time a creature is bonded to Ygorl they must roll a Luck check after the spell is cast, but before the spell check is made. If this fails, Ygorl takes a personal, and unfortunate, interest, appearing to grant the true gift of entropy to the committed soul. In short, Ygorl kills the unlucky suppliant, taking them body and soul to his palace among the winds of Limbo.

Invoke Patron check results:

12-13	The entropic power of Ygorl reaches through the caster, striking a target of the caster’s choice within 100’. The caster may choose any number of d8 to roll to damage the target, but the glory of acting as a conduit for Ygorl is too great for mortal flesh, and the caster takes half the damage rolled (DC 15 Fortitude save to reduce to one-quarter).
14-17	As 12-13, above, but the caster has no control over how many dice are rolled. Roll 1d24 to determine the number of d8 rolled. In addition, the Fortitude save the caster must make to reduce damage to themselves is increased to DC 20.
18-19	The caster partakes in entropy! For 1d3 rounds, any creature the caster touches, or who touches the caster, must succeed in a DC 15 Fortitude save or die. This includes creatures making successful attacks with natural weapons, but also includes friendly creatures (such as a cleric attempting to Lay on Hands). A character handing an object to the caster must succeed in a Luck check to avoid coming into contact.
20-23	As 18-19, above, but the condition lasts for 1d6 + CL rounds, and the DC for the Fortitude save is increased to DC 20.
24-27	Ygorl gates 1d5 grey slaadi to the caster’s location. These creatures are free-willed. If the caster is in immediate danger, the slaadi will protect them, but afterward they will bargain with the caster for their service (to a maximum of 1d4 + CL days). If suitably rewarded, they serve the caster well. Otherwise, meeting these slaadi again without Ygorl’s protection is sure to be a harrowing experience.
28-29	1d4 free-willed death slaadi are gated to the caster’s location. They will protect the caster if they are in immediate danger, but thereafter seeks to bargain with the caster for its service (to a maximum of 1d5 + CL hours). If a bargain cannot be reached, woe unto the caster, for the death slaadi will seek to take the caster themself as its reward!
30-31	Once per round, for the next 2d6 + CL hours, the caster may point at a target within 500’ to which the caster has line of sight. The target takes 3d6 damage, and must succeed in a DC 25 Fort save or die. Each time the caster evokes this power to affect a target, they take 1d6 damage which cannot be healed through magic, as a price for acting as a conduit for Ygorl’s power.
32+	The avatar of Ygorl himself appears, and fights on the caster’s behalf for up to 3d6 rounds, or until all foes within 500’ are slain (whichever comes first). At the end of this period, Ygorl judges the caster, who must succeed in a Luck check or Ygorl will transform them into a red slaad and take them to Limbo. In this event, the caster is lost forever, unless the judge (in an uncharacteristic fit of kindness) allows a special quest to recover the character.

 

Let’s Convert the Fiend Folio: Ssendam, Lord of Madness

The Avatar of Ssendam, Lord of the Insane

Ssendam’s Avatar: Init +5; Atk Black longsword +10 melee (1d8+4 plus stun) or pseudopod +10 melee (2d8 plus XP drain); AC 26; HD 16d12+48; hp 150;  MV 40’ or swim 50’; Act 3d20; SP Spellcasting, stun, XP drain, gate, regenerate 3 hp/round, +3 or better weapons to hit, wish fulfillment, 85% magic resistance; SV Fort +16, Ref +10, Will +22; AL C.

Said to be the most powerful of the slaadi, the Lord of the Insane appears either as an unarmored man wielding a black sword, or as a golden amoeba with a man's brain in place of a nucleus when his avatar is encountered in the Lands We Know. As a man, Ssendam’s sword causes all it strikes to succeed in a DC 16 Fort save or be stunned and unable to move or take any action for the next 1d5 rounds. As an amoeba, its pseudopodia can stretch to 10’ and drain 1d8 XP (Will DC 16 for half) in addition to their damage on a successful attack. If this XP drain brings a character below the required XP for their current level, they immediately lose that level, and are reduced to the previous level. A character that drops below 0 XP is slain.

Ssendam can use an Action Die to gate in another slaad of any type (except Ygorl or other  unique slaadi), and this ability never fails. In addition, Ssendam can cast the following spells as psionic powers, needing no somatic, material, or verbal components (+20 bonus to the spell check): Charm person, comprehend languages, detect invisible, detect magic, dispel magic, ESP, flaming hands, phantasm, planar step, and scare. He may also fulfill another’s wish, if it strikes his fancy to do so, requiring a round in which the Lord of Madness does nothing else.

Ssendam’s avatar regenerates 3 hp each round, so long as he has any hit points left.  He has an 85% chance of being able to ignore a spell (or other magical effect) as though it did not exist (determined before any applicable save is made) and can only be harmed by +3 or better magic weapons.

When encountered, Ssendam always gives his true name, though woe betide he who tries to use it! In that plane where the slaadi are found, his form is that of a large, golden slaad.

Both wizards and elves can bond to Ssendam, and chaotic clerics can dedicate themselves to the Lord of Madness. Although followers of Bobugbubilz may consider him a rival, Ssendam takes little concern for non-slaadi creatures and their affairs. When a non-slaadi performs the ceremony to patron bond with him, they must roll 1d7 and add their Luck modifier to determine what die is used for the spell check. This roll is only made after the casting time has been spent: (1 or less) 1d7, (2) 1d8, (3) 1d10, (4) 1d12, (5) 1d14, (6) 1d16, (7) 1d20, (8) 1d24, or (9+) 1d30.

Invoke Patron check results:

12-13	Ssendam can barely be concerned with such a paltry request. A target of the caster’s choice (within 100’) suffers a moment of confusion, causing it to miss its next action.
14-17	Ssendam reaches through the caster to cast forget upon one target of the caster’s choice within 100’. If no other target is available, the caster is affected instead. The spell check is made with 1d20+8 – the caster’s mind is not powerful enough to channel Ssendam’s true power!
18-19	Ssendam gates 1d3 red slaadi to the caster’s location. These creatures obey the caster resentfully for 1d5 + CL rounds before they are again gated away. If suitably rewarded, they may better regard the caster. Otherwise, meeting these slaadi again without Ssendam’s protection is sure to be a harrowing experience.
20-23	Ssendam gates 1d4 blue slaadi to the caster’s location. These creatures obey the caster resentfully for 1d6 + CL turns before they are again gated away. If suitably rewarded, they may better regard the caster. Otherwise, meeting these slaadi again without Ssendam’s protection is sure to be a harrowing experience.
24-27	Ssendam gates 1d3 grey slaadi to the caster’s location. These creatures are free-willed. If the caster is in immediate danger, the slaadi will protect them, but afterward they will bargain with the caster for their service (to a maximum of 1d4 + CL days). If suitably rewarded, they serve the caster well. Otherwise, meeting these slaadi again without Ssendam’s protection is sure to be a harrowing experience.
28-29	A single free-willed death slaad is gated to the caster’s location. It will protect the caster if they are in immediate danger, but thereafter seeks to bargain with the caster for its service (to a maximum of 1d5 + CL hours). If a bargain cannot be reached, woe unto the caster, for the death slaad will seek to take the caster themself as its reward!
30-31	Ssendam gates 1d6 red slaadi to the caster’s location, who permanently serve the caster (until slain). These creatures are resentful unless well rewarded, and will seek to pervert the caster’s intentions while obeying orders unless satisfied. The caster may dismiss them at will (in whole or in part), and they will instantly return to their home plane once dismissed.
32+	Ssendam takes enough interest in the caster to grant a wish. If the caster’s wish is over-exacting, or takes too great a liberty with Ssendam’s largesse (as determined by the judge), the Lord of Madness will pervert the wish to the caster’s woe (again, as determined by the judge). In either case, the results of the wish manifest on the caster’s next initiative.

 

A Kickstarter at Howling Crater

Cover art by Adrian Landeros

I haven’t been posting for the last little bit because of health-related eye strain. I was unable to focus on a computer screen for more than 15 minutes at a time. As you can imagine, this has played havoc with my creativity and caused me to shoot past several deadlines. The problem seems to be abating, and I have hope that the miracle of modern science will help me get past it this month.

Okay, let’s talk about An Occurrence at Howling Crater, now on kickstarter from Planet X Games. This is designed for use with either DCC or MCC, and is from the same folks who brought you Jungle Tomb of the Mummy Bride last year.

The Kickstarter is already funded, although this is an insane time of year to be starting your kick, and ends on January 3^rd, 2023.

You know that I believe in full disclosure, so I don't mind letting you know that I am posting this as a favor to Levi Combs. He is definitely a stand-up guy, who I had the chance to meet in person at Gary Con earlier this year. While I did some writing for Mummy Bride, at this point I don’t have any financial stake in Howling Crater at all. I am a backer, and I am really happy with how Mummy Bride turned out. And yes, obviously, I hope to do some more work for Planet X in the future.

So, the real question is, what does this thing get for us DCC and MCC aficionados? I'm going to quote the press kit text below, but what it really gets us is high production values, great art printed on good stock, and lots of pulp-era action and inspiration, if the Mummy Bride is anything to judge by.

Here's what the press kit says:

• For those backers choosing the DCC/MCC compatible ruleset, all THREE levels of the crashed spaceship are included, complete with detailed locations and full write-ups. Maps are rendered in incredible detail by Karl Stjernberg, AKA @skullfungus!

• A TON of all-new material! New magical items, deadly monsters, patrons, exciting locations and all-new spells for your ongoing DCC/MCC game.

• A digital map pack that is fully compatible with Virtual Table Top (VTT), with the secret door markers and encounter numbers removed.

• Full conversion to the DCC/MCC compatible ruleset. We didn't just file off the serial numbers and throw this thing to the wolves - as DCC/MCC players ourselves, we made a dedicated conversion and spent a lot of nights playtesting this new version so that it retains the feel, vibe and compatibility of Dungeon Crawl Classics and Mutant Crawl Classics. This module is 100% compatible with both rulesets!

• The hinterland settlement of Hem's Holler, an all-new starting location for your PCs written by Levi Combs. New NPCs! Deadly leads and rumors! All new dangers lurking at the edge of civilization to make your PCs' lives absolutely miserable! Even if your players have played through the scenario previously, what secrets swirl in Hem's Holler waiting to be discovered?

• Tons of new art! Not only did we commission a brand-new cover from original cover artist Adrian Landeros, but we've added plenty of new illustrations to the module as well. In addition to all the original art, top-tier illustrators Ed Bickford, Tim Burns and Je Shields are all lending their considerable talents to this project.

• New Patrons! Jeff Scifert has detailed all-new patrons for An Occurrence at Howling Crater, complete with special traits, divine favors, cleric titles, disapproval charts and all new canticles. There is a considerable amount of flavor and lore added to the original scenario and it really helps bring the mystery, super-science and savagery of the forbidden crater to life.

• All New Flavor Text. Traditionally, Planet X modules don't use flavor text but the excellence and playability of the DCC/MCC system has really brought us back around to it. This module contains read-aloud flavor text for every single encounter area.

• Finally, we've just flat out changed a few things. Converting a previous module to the look and feel of DCC compatibility isn't just about giving it a quick makeover and sending it on its way. We've altered a few key bits here and there, added in some new things and done the best job we could in making the scenario look and feel like the kind of good time you'd expect from a product compatible with the DCC/MCC ruleset.