Everyone Else I: The DCC Core Rulebook

The community that has sprung up around Goodman Games’ Dungeon Crawl Classics role-playing game is an amazing one.  There are so many third-party companies producing products that I eagerly await, so many products I have already avidly consumed, and such goodwill, that I find myself afire with enthusiasm at times.  And even when I am not afire, the coals are always well banked and never go out.  Add to this the excellent adventures produced by Goodman Games to date – with more to come! – and I have at last found the system that fulfils the promise of Holmes Basic, which I first played Christmas Day of 1979.

The “Everyone Else” series of blog posts will explore what other people are doing with the DCC rpg, and will offer my own views on various products available.  I have been picking up everything I can, as soon as it is available, so I feel I can offer some insight to those who have yet to purchase some of these fine products.  I am a strong proponent of the Goodman Games licensing policy for DCC materials – it means that you know anything published with this logo is going to meet a high minimum standard of quality.  That might make some of these posts sound like a broken record, for there is much to praise.  So be it.

I am going to try to talk about these things in the order I got them.  This places the core rulebook first, and Harley Stroh’s Doom of the Savage Kings second.  Well, I suppose that technically the 2011 Free RPG Module would be first, but that material is reprinted in the core rulebook.  Subsequent posts will talk about Sailors on the Starless Sea, People of the Pit, DCC Free RPG Day module 2012, Perils of the Sunken City, Crawl! Fanzine, Transylvanian Adventures, Sepulcher of the Mountain God, The Emerald Enchanter, Attack of the Frawgs,  The Jewels of Carnifex, Alternate Occupations, and The Ooze Pits of Jonas Gralk….roughly in that order. 

By the time I have finished with those posts, I certainly hope to have more to add!  I’ll have to keep doing posts to update information on Crawl!, for instance, and I hope to have more to buy from these good publishers (Goodman Games, Stray Couches, Land of Phantoms, Purple Duck, Purple Sorcerer, Thick Skull Adventures, and IDD.  In addition, I am very much looking forward to the initial offers of Brave Halfling Publishing, Chapter 13 Press, Cognition Pressworks and Sagaworks Studios.

I will not be talking about my own work, except tangentially as these products relate to it. 

So, on to the Core Rulebook!

Because I pre-ordered, I received the core rules as a pdf long before I had the actual book in my hands.  Distribution in Canada is not always all that it should be, and it was long before I had a physical product to whack down on the table with joy.  Be that as it may, even in pdf format, the core rules are impressive!

I have spoken so often of my love for this system that the average follower of my blog surely need read no more of the same; indeed, he or she can probably not stomach more!  So I am only going to add to it a little.

Imprimus, last night I GMed RCFG for the first time in months, and had a lively discussion about which game was more fun.  I know which game is more fun for me; DCC wins hands down.  There was some discussion of having the RCFG characters transmigrate to DCC, and that’s where the real fun began.  First off, what level is equivalent between the two systems?  I think 1 DCC level per 2 RCFG levels, but that might not be directly correct.  Probably more like 1.3 DCC levels per RCFG level.  We’ll have to figure it out.   

More importantly, though, could their character concepts be ported between the two systems?  One of my players was certain that a fire sorcerer who manipulates odds mathematically could not be….but, as a result of the patron system, I was not only able to convince him otherwise, I was able to generate some enthusiasm for the project.

Secondus, I didn’t talk about the art much previously, and the art in the DCC rulebook is amazing.  When I devised my own series of Judge’s Screens for the game, I excerpted art liberally from the book using Adobe’s snapshot tool – there was so much great art that I made several multi-panel screens, and actually change them between adventures to highlight different illustrations.

Way back, in those long ago days when Holmes Basic and the original AD&D introduced me to the hobby, one of the really cool things about the game was how the artwork inspired me to devise encounters, adventures in which the encounters took place, and a world in which the adventures were set.  To each his own, but I seldom got that same sense from the artwork in the WotC editions, even when they were clearly homages from first edition AD&D illustrations.  The artwork of 3^rd and 4^th edition screams to me, “This is what these guys are!”  The artwork of 1^st edition – and DCC – screams out “This is what these guys do!”

I find that I vastly prefer the latter to the former.

Tertius, the advice Joseph Goodman gives to aspiring judges is very much worth reading.  No game has ever made me want to create adventures that span planets and planes of existence the way this game does.  The art, the advice, and the rules all combine to truly recreate the feel of Appendix N fiction.  While I had been a fan of several Appendix N authors prior to my involvement with this game, certainly no previous game encouraged me to go so far out of my way to read or re-read everything I could on the list…..and there will be a series of posts about my Appendix N reading, too.

Quartus, while I had some doubts about creating monsters as part of adventure creation, most of these qualms are now gone, smoothed over by actual experience.  I fully intend to pick up the Creature Catalog from Cognition Pressworks, but more because (1) I’ll steal whatever I like to present in my home campaign, (2) I suspect the mutation rules and the stats for common animals are going to come in handy, and (3) I cannot get enough of this game.  But I don’t feel that DCC needs standard definitions for creatures.  It’ll be nice to have an idea what someone else thinks, say, a bear’s stats should be, but I will certainly feel free to differ from those stats, both for individuals and for whole species.  I had been doubtful about this, but DCC really has made monsters fun again.  As I discuss various adventure scenarios in this series of blog posts, I’ll try to highlight how the DCC monster philosophy makes these adventures better.

Quintus, I wanted to talk about adventures.  The core rulebook contains two adventures, largely reprinted from the Free RPG 2011 module.  These are The Portal Under the Stars, which I have already looked at a bit when discussing 0-level adventures and elsewhere, and The Infernal Crucible of Sezrekan the Mad. 

I have now played through Portal twice, with wildly different outcomes.  I have mixed feelings about this adventure.  I really like all of the encounters, but something about the overall module seems missing to me still.  I think that is partly that I believe a 0-level funnel should include a chance for the players to show that they have grown, and I have only played it using the Beta Playtest rules.  Had I been using the XP rules from the full game, I might feel differently.   I need to introduce a new group of victims…er, players….to this game to explore Portal’s potential further.

I haven’t yet had a chance to play through Sezrekan.  Frankly, I have been saving it for when PCs in my home game reach the exalted 5^th level.  The read-through is fantastic, though, and was an early introduction (for me) to the works of Harley Stroh.  It was only after falling in love with DCC that I realized Harley had written several other excellent adventures for other systems, including AD&D 1e, 3.5, 4e, and Call of Cthulhu.  Although this adventure is only three encounter areas long, it contains a full evening of fun, and I expect it is going to be even better in play than on the page.

Sextus, I wanted to mention errata and the index.  The first printing is unfortunately riddled with small editing mistakes that have required extensive errata.  The first printing also, unfortunately, does not include an index.  Both of these problems are being solved as far as possible in the second printing.  I agree that it would be nice had the first print been pristine and fully indexed, but I do not feel “ripped off” in any way, shape, or form.  The core rules are offered in a huge, beautiful book which is a bargain for its price.  Sure, I could have gotten an index had I waited, but it was worth it to play now, I will pick up a second print anyway, and, if one is to fear no rule, should one fear a typo?

Make no mistake, the core rulebook is not just a home run; the ball was knocked right out of the park.  If I take away half a star for the production problems, it still gets 4.5 stars out of 5, and the second printing – which is likely all you will be able to hope for by now – will be a solid 5.  

Patrons & Projects VI: This About Covers It

Nature seems dead, and wicked dreams abuse
The curtain'd sleep; witchcraft celebrates
Pale Hecate's offerings

-- William Shakespeare, Macbeth

Here we get to see the potential cover art to Angels, Daemons and Beings Between, featuring Hecate, Goddess of Witches.  For those who missed it earlier, more about Hecate can be found here.

We have David Fisher to thank for this stunning image.  More of his work can be found here, and I urge you to check it out!

David's excellent work will be gracing the interior as well.  Ace illustrator Scott Ackerman is also on the team....You may have seen his Judge's Screen illustration over at Tenkar's Tavern.  If not, you can see it at the bottom of this blog post!

Project Leader Sean Conners has consolidated some of the stretch goals, as noted in the Indiegogo site.

On top of this, I'm hard at work on several other projects for the DCC role-playing game, including no less than four modules (one of which, The Revelation of Mulmo, is a perk for supporting the patron book at the $20+ level!).

Fans of Poul Anderson (especially The Broken Sword and Three Hearts and Three Lions) should be happy with this one, which explores an abandoned elf howe in search of a pool said to grant life to the dead.  But when one follows the whispered words of Mulmo, how certain can one be of the outcome?

I can now reveal that Stars in Darkness takes place in caverns beneath a tropical paradise, and that success or failure will alter not only the fates of the PCs, but potentially of what characters may replace them if they fall.  The previous Purple Duck Adventures module, Through the Cotillion of Hours, is still in playtest, then needs to go through the approval process before it becomes available to the general public.

Crawl! Fanzine #3 arrived on my doorstep yesterday, with the final of my version of Magic Wand within it.  This issue of Crawl! actually outdid itself with useful content, IMHO.  It is difficult to say which was the best article; they were all so good that my own contribution pales beside the remainder of the issue!  I say this neither as false modesty (who would accuse me of such?) or hyperbole -- this issue rocks more than Grome at home.  DCC game judges will find this a most excellent resource.

I have recently completed some interior illustrations for Transylvanian Adventures, and I am very, very eager for this resource to come out.  There is a lot in the book that can be used in "regular" DCC campaigns.    Gothic horror mixed with the ass-kicking attitude of the main DCC game, with a liberal splash of Hammer Horror and a pinch of the lesser known genre lights that shine so brightly?  Dead lord, what's not to like?!?!

I have in my collection, in pdf or print, everything currently available for this game.  I will do what I can to start posting reviews of this material soon.

The DCC role-playing game is an exciting medium to be working with, and I am thankful to be able to do as much as I have been allowed to do so far!  There is more stuff coming, and I hope you will find it as exciting as I do!  I truly love this game, and the sense of community among its players.

DCC House Rule: Masters of Style

A Warrior may choose to master one or more forms of Mighty Deed of Arms at a cost to all others.  For each Warrior level, the character may choose one strictly defined type of Deed, such as disarming attacks, trips, or parrying to increase his Armour Class.  The Warrior may attempt this Deed with +1d up the dice chain on his Deed Die.  However, for all other Deed attempts, his Deed Die is decreased by –1d on the dice chain. 

Thus, David the Defender wants to be able to use his shield to protect another at 1^st level.  His normal Deed Die is 1d3, so his Deed Die to perform this manuever is 1d4, but he has a mere 1d2 for all other Deed attempts.  The next level, his Deed Die would normally improve to 1d4, but instead is reduced to 1d3.  His attempts to shield others, though, increase to 1d5.  He can choose to have a second special Deed (parrying to defend himself) at 1d4, but that again decreases all Deeds but his signature Deeds to 1d2.

And so on.

Using this rule allows characters to distinguish themselves, so that two Warriors of the same level have different combat styles.  It allows each Warrior to do one thing really well, but at a severe cost in versatility.  In addition to this rule, Warriors are allowed (nay, encouraged!) to “Quest For It” in order to gain a bonus to specific types of fighting without accepting such drastic penalties for so doing.

NOTE:  Any class may be allowed to make a Faustian bargain of this sort, becoming better at one particular thing at the cost of much, much more.  If you want your Thief to be better at climbing by taking the same penalty to every other Thief skill, we can talk.

Multi-Classing DCC Style: Half Levels

At least one of my players would like a multi-classing option, and I am inclined to be obliging, but the nature of the DCC RPG seems (to me) to preclude easy multi-classing. I certainly don't want a character to take one level of each class, and then get all of the resultant benefits! But, it has been pointed out to me that a character like Conan or Tarzan would be better modelled by allowing some form of multi-classing. Also, of course, there is the desire of some to play an Elf Wizard or a Halfling Warrior.

So, what I am planning on doing is this: I am going to write a half-level progression for all of the human classes. If you are a Halfling, and you want to be a Warrior, your first level only gains you the benefits of the half-level. Likewise, if you are a human Warrior and you want to practice thievery as well, you can take a half-level in Thief. After the half-level, you may use another advancement to gain the full 1st level benefits of the Thief class.

In other words, I am envisioning that one could have a third level character who was a Warrior 1/Cleric 1, who has 3 full Hit Dice, and who can then progress as either a Warrior or Cleric without further difficulties. A character two wished to have three classes would have to be 5th level before he was 1st level in all three classes.

I am not envisioning demi-human half levels, because the demi-human levels are the base and should come naturally. Also, the half-level fee would be paid before multi-classing into the demi-human class, as described above.  There will probably be limitations to classes allowed demi-humans as well, in order to better follow the Appendix N feel of DCC.  For example, no Elf Clerics!

If there is interest in this idea, I will write it up for Crawl!. It is certainly going to be playtested in my home campaign.

Patrons & Projects V: Draft Version of Logos

It is with great pleasure that I announce Angels, Daemons, and Beings Between has hit its primary goal.  As promised, I rolled 1d3, and Logos, the Perfect Form is now being revealed in all of his draft version glory.  If you have comments on Logos, I would be pleased to hear them!  Those who know the work of A. Merritt may recognize in Logos an homage to The Metal Monster (serialized in 1920, appearing in book form in 1940, and a "sequel" of sorts to The Moon Pool).

When we hit $3,000, I'll roll 1d2 to choose between Radu, King of Rabbits, and Lavarial, Angel of the Temple.

And now, with no further ado:

Logos, the Perfect Form
Logos is a metallic life form from a distant world that passes between the stars.  His is a towering geometric form composed of cones, cubes, and discs, with glittering points of lights across his surface, looking like gems embedded deep in metal, which coruscates with electromagnetic force.  His world is a place of perfect planes and angles, like a metallic jewel of twenty facets, which moves through the cosmos feeding off the energy of suns.  When Logos looked across the cosmos in the long ago, he was at first amused by the “mistakes of creation” he saw – the many imperfect forms, the pain and anguish, love and joy, and the roiling Chaos of living things.  Even the stars and planets in their wheeling geometry did not seem so perfect as the world of Logos, moving serenely through existence.  After a time, amusement turned to discomfort, and discomfort, in its turn, turned to a form of alien disgust and hatred of all that is not perfect in its behaviour and geometry. If the Scions of Logos make inroads into a world, they begin syphoning off its solar radiation to power themselves.  They do this in a great ceremonial rite, sending a beam of black energy to the sun, which lashes back with a powerful energy wave that empowers the colony.  If interrupted, this ceremony can lead to a coruscation of great energy with disastrous results – both for the colony and for any creatures within the immediate area.  If these rites continue long enough, it seems at first as though the world’s sun is experiencing more than normal sunspot activity.  The rites wound the sun, though, and over centuries of time it will eventually begin to dim, putting out less and less light, until it becomes a blackened cinder floating through the cosmos.  Long before that, organic life on the planet will be destroyed, and the planet will become a perfect replica of Logos’ world.  At this point, the Scions of Logos move on, seeking another place to transform, and another star to suck dry.  Then they repeat the process.  In effect, the Scions of Logos are like a swarming, macroscopic virus of Law, seeking to end disorder everywhere at any cost.  Logos, and the Scions of Logos, may work with living creatures from time to time, because doing so amuses them, and because doing so helps them to understand the worlds they find themselves upon.  They may respect, obey, and even love the organic creatures they bond with, but in the end it matters not.  The Perfect Form and his Scions are not to be corrupted by the creatures they have come to change or destroy.  When Scions of Logos are invoked or otherwise encountered, use the following statistics.  If the judge desires, he can also create greater, or more individualized, Scions.  Scions come in several sizes, from tiny Scions no more than 1 cubic inch in size to enormous Scions 15 feet across.  They may be spheres, pyramids, or cubes (which affects appearance, but not statistics).  Scions may link to each other with a strange form of directional magnetism that allows them to merge seamlessly and separate just as easily.  Because of this, conglomerations of Scions may have any specific shape that the judge can imagine.  For example, even though tiny Scions have no effective attacks on their own, enough of them could form into a shape that has effective lashing attacks.  Likewise, Scions can work together to create bridges, walls, and buildings made of their own bodies. Scions are not made of iron, or iron-based metals, and so do not do additional damage to elves.  They are made of a thin layer of metal, and are hollow within.  Scions are therefore far lighter than their apparent size and material would suggest. All Scions are in constant telepathic communication with every other Scion within 50 miles, forming a sort of communal mind.  Despite this, each Scion is capable of individuation.  It is actually possible to have two Wizards, both with Logos as a patron, using Scions to counter each other….because of the communal intelligence of the Scions, these “battles” may take place entirely within the field of the mind, or may be physically sped up in a series of moves and counter-moves. In addition, Scions can manipulate objects using this directional magnetism with fine motor control, as though by telekinesis.  The range at which this control can be exerted, and the Strength check needed to resist it, depends upon the Scion’s size.  If a Scion’s directional magnetism extends far enough, it can lift and drop a being, or “throw” it for falling damage equal to its range.  It must use one of its Action Dice to do so.  See the stat blocks below for more information: Tiny Scion:  Init +8; Atk none; AC 20; HD 1d8; HP 4; MV 10’; Act 1d12; SP directional magnetism 2 inches range Str DC 2 resists, ½ damage from non-magical weapons, communal mind, infravision 30’; SV Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +2; AL L.  Approximately 1 inch across or diameter, weighing ½ lb. Small Scion:    Init +6; Atk 1 strike (1d3); AC 18; HD 2d8; HP 8; MV 20’; Act 1d16; SP directional magnetism 8 inches range Str DC 8 resists, ½ damage from non-magical weapons, communal mind, infravision 60’; SV Fort +6, Ref +3, Will +4; AL L.  Approximately 1 foot across or diameter, weighing 25 lb. Average Scion:  Init +4; Atk 1 strike (1d6); AC 18; HD 4d8; HP 16; MV 30’; Act 1d20; SP directional magnetism 2’ range Str DC 14 resists, ½ damage from non-magical weapons, communal mind, infravision 60’; SV Fort +8, Ref +3, Will +6; AL L.  Approximately 5 feet across or diameter, weighing 250 lb. Large Scion:  Init +4; Atk 1 strike (2d5); AC 16; HD 8d8; HP 32; MV 30’; Act 2d20; SP directional magnetism 10’ range Str DC 20 resists, ½ damage from non-magical weapons, communal mind, infravision 60’; SV Fort +10, Ref +2, Will +8; AL L.  Approximately 10 feet across or diameter, weighing 700 lb. Huge Scion:  Init +2; Atk 1 strike (2d7) or 1 electrical bolt 15’ range (4d8, Rfl DC 10 half); AC 14; HD 16d8; HP 64; MV 20’; Act 3d20; SP directional magnetism 20’ range Str DC 24 resists, ½ damage from non-magical weapons, communal mind, infravision 90’; SV Fort +14, Ref +0, Will +12; AL L.  Approximately 15 feet across or diameter, weighing 1,100 lb. The ceremony to bond with Logos must take place in an area where his Scions are already active, or in some deserted and lonely place where his creatures may establish a presence.  Within 1d5 weeks of the ceremony, the first tiny Scions of Logos will appear (usually 2d7 in number).
Invoke Patron check results:
12-13	The Perfect Form causes a swarm of tiny Scions to appear, that wrap themselves around the caster to protect him from harm.  The Scions do not attack, but grant the caster +2 to Armour Class for 2d6 rounds.  At the end of this time, the tiny Scions scatter to begin the formation of a new colony (which takes 1d10 centuries to arise).  Alternatively, the Scions may be destroyed to automatically grant the caster a successful Reflex or Fort save against an attack where such a sacrifice would be appropriate (i.e., a fiery breath weapon, but not an ingested or gaseous poison).
14-17	A swarm of tiny Scions erupts from the ground in the centre of the caster’s foes, forming itself into a spinning Shape of lashing metal blades in 1d3 rounds.  Every creature within a 30’ radius takes 1d8 points of damage each round, and must make a Reflex save (DC 15) or be knocked prone.  The Shape can move at 10’ per round, as directed by the caster.  It remains for 1d4+CL rounds, or until 20 points of area-effect damage is inflicted upon it.  If the tiny Scions survive, they scatter at the end of this time, and begin the formation of a new colony (which takes 1d10 centuries to arise).
18-19	Logos manifests a bolt of electricity through the caster, striking any one target of the caster’s choice within 100’.  The bolt does 4d6 damage (Fort DC 20 half), but being used as a conduit in this way forces the caster to make a Fort save (DC 10) or be exhausted (–2 penalty to all attack rolls, skill checks, and spell checks, and –10’ to movement) until he can rest for at least 5 minutes.
20-23	Logos sends 3d3 small Scions to aid the caster.  They arrive in 1d4 rounds and obey the caster implicitly for a period of 1d6+CL hours.  The small Scions can link together to form other shapes, as directed by the caster.  This allows them to create bridges, walls, etc.  They are all (1) pyramids, (2) spheres, or (3) cubes.  When released from service, they begin the formation of a colony, which will be manifest in 1d10 decades.
24-27	Logos sends 3d6 small Scions to aid the caster.  They arrive in 1d3 rounds and obey the caster implicitly for a period of 1d6+CL hours.  The small Scions can link together to form other shapes, as directed by the caster.  They are all (1) pyramids, (2) spheres, or (3) cubes.  When released from service, they begin the formation of a colony, which will be manifest in 1d10 decades.
28-29	Logos sends 2d6 average Scions to aid the caster.  They arrive in 1d3 rounds and obey the caster implicitly for a period of 2d6+CL hours.  The average Scions can link together to form other shapes, as directed by the caster.  They are all (1) pyramids, (2) spheres, or (3) cubes.  When released from service, they begin the formation of a colony, which will be manifest in 1d10 years.
30-31	Logos sends 3d5 small and 2d6 average Scions to aid the caster.  They arrive in 1d2 rounds and obey the caster implicitly for a period of 2d6+CL hours.  The Scions can link together to form other shapes – including complex Shapes capable of acting as a single weapon – as directed by the caster.  They can form together a single huge Shape capable of causing 8d8 points of damage against a single target, or 1d8 points of damage each round against all targets in a 60’ radius.  Roll 1d6:  (1-4) The Scions are of mixed types, (5-6) They are all (1) pyramids, (2) spheres, or (3) cubes.  When released from service, they begin the formation of a colony, which will be manifest in 1d10 months.
32+	A colony of the Scions of Logos forms on the spot.  It consists of 3d100 tiny Scions, 3d30 small Scions, 3d24 average Scions, 3d16 large Scions, and 3d3 huge Scions.  The colony is formed of buildings, pathways, and other structures, all created from the bodies of the Scions themselves.  The colony seeks to aid the caster and his allies, but does so under control of the huge scions rather than the caster.  The caster, but not his allies, can communicate freely with the Scions of the colony, which are all considered to be helpful to the caster.  A colony is always of mixed pyramids, spheres, and cubes.  The colony becomes a permanent feature of the campaign milieu, and is always friendly to the caster, and to whatever allies are currently in the company of the caster.  Other living things, however, are vermin to be wiped out.  Unless something interferes, the established colony will grow, to the great detriment of all other things within its reach.

Patron Taint:  Logos, The Perfect Form
Why Logos is interested in mortal spell casters are all remains a mystery.  Some say that it is through their invocation of the Perfect Form that Logos gains a foothold on the various worlds his Scions have colonized in his name.  Whatever the case may be, those mortals who associate with Logos eventually become little more than the Scions he commands.  When patron taint is indicated, roll 1d6 and consult the table below.  When a caster has acquired all six taints at all levels of effect, there is no need to continue rolling anymore.
Roll	Result
1	Hollow on the Inside:  The caster takes on his patron’s indifference toward human life, becoming ever more calm and unconcerned about the mortal affairs going on around him.  Each time this taint is rolled, the caster’s Personality is reduced by –1.  When this taint is acquired a third time, the caster withdraws from the world, and can only become concerned with events that involve himself or his patron.
2	Metal on the Outside:  When this taint is first acquired, the caster’s hair takes on a metallic sheen, as though silver or gold.  When gained a second time, the caster’s eyes become metallic orbs.  When gained a third time, the caster’s skin becomes metallic, increasing his Armour Class by +2, but reducing his Agility by 1.
3	Magnetic Influence:  The first time this is rolled, the caster’s hair moves as though by a wind even when the air is calm, being gently wafted by lines of magnetic force.  The second time this is rolled, the caster’s eyes reflect a myriad of tiny whirling sparks, like galaxies in miniature.  The third time this patron taint is rolled, the caster gains the ability to manipulate objects magnetically at a range of up to 10’, as though he were actually handling them.  This is exhausting to the caster, and he takes 1 point of temporary Stamina damage each round he does so.
4	Perfection of Form:  When this taint is first acquired, all blemishes and irregularities in the caster’s physical form are smoothed away.  Although the caster becomes unearthly in his beauty, he becomes obviously alien in his perfection, and his Personality is not increased.  If this taint is acquired a second time, the caster becomes clearly inhuman as every irregularity in his form is smoothed away, becoming instead a collection of cylindrical, spherical, and pyramidal Shapes brought together into a single body.  The caster effectively appears like a rough mannequin in humanoid form.  If this taint is rolled a third time, the caster takes the form of an average Scion (including its ability to strike for 1d6 damage, its Armour Class of 18, its directional magnetism, ½ damage from non-magical weapons, infravision, size, and weight.  The caster’s form is a (1) pyramid, (2) sphere, or (3) cube.
5	Submission to the Communal Mind:  Once this patron taint is acquired, the caster becomes aware of the communal mind of the Scions of Logos, and is in turns bullied and cajoled to surrender himself to it.  The first time this taint is rolled, the caster must succeed in a DC 10 Will save, or Logos will control his actions for 1d6 hours, leaving only vague impressions of what was done during that time.  The second time it is rolled, the caster must succeed in a DC 15 Will save, or Logos will control his actions for 2d6 months, and the caster will have no idea what was done during that time.  The third and final time this is rolled, the caster must succeed in a DC 20 Will save, or Logos will control his actions forever.
6	Colonial Expansion:  Once Logos has taken root in a world, he seeks to establish colonies of his Scions, first in lonely areas far from mortal habitation, then in more populated regions.  When this taint is rolled, Logos demands that the caster seed a nascent colony for him at the site of his choosing.  When this taint is first rolled, the caster must travel for 4d4 weeks to reach the place of Logos’ choosing, and it is in a dangerous wilderness.  This colony will not become truly active for 1d100 years.  The next time this taint is rolled, the caster must travel only 4d4 days to a borderland region chosen by Logos between civilization and the wilderness.  This colony will become active in 1d10 years.  The final time Logos makes this demand, the caster must travel only 4d4 hours, and the colony will become active in 1d12 months.  These active colonies are friendly to the caster and his immediate allies (when they are in his presence), but a danger to everything else.

Patron Spells:  Logos, the Perfect Form

Logos grants three unique spells, as follows:

Level 1:  Directional Magnetism

Level 2:  Energy Play

Level 3:  Solar Vampirism

Spellburn:  Logos, the Perfect Form
The inhuman intelligence of the Perfect Form neither enjoys nor turns away from suffering, but his hatred of the grotesque human form shows most clearly in spellburn.  When a caster utilizes spellburn, roll 1d4 and consult the following table or build off the suggestions to create an event specific to your home campaign.
Roll	Spellburn Result
1	Through the mind of Logos, the caster can see the true horror of his physical form.  The caster cuts his flesh in an unsuccessful attempt to remove the irregular lumps and protruding grotesquery of his body.  The damage inflicted is expressed in Strength, Stamina, or Agility loss.
2	The great disgust Logos feels for the human form is fully manifest.  The caster gains only 1 point of spellburn for every 2 ability points spent.
3	Logos is disinterested in the changes to the caster’s body.  The mutilations are no better than what he was before.  Logos grants 2 points of spellburn for every point of Strength, Stamina, or Agility lost….but the caster cannot spellburn again today.
4	Coruscating waves of electrical power wash through the caster as his mind makes contact with the Perfect Form.  The searing pain of these waves manifests as Strength, Agility, or Stamina loss.

Directional Magnetism
Level:  1 (Logos)	Range:  Varies	Duration: 2d4+CL rounds	Casting time:  1 action	Save:  Varies (see text)
General	The caster creates waves of directional “magnetism” of the same type that the Scions of Logos use, which can affect even organic and non-ferrous materials.  Each round that the spell remains in effect, the caster may select any effect equal to his spell check or below.
Manifestation	Roll 1d3:  (1) The caster’s hair waves in a non-existent breeze and miniature galaxies whirl in his eyes as the spell effect occurs, (2) Nearly-visible waves of force coruscate from the caster, like heat shimmering off of pavement, or (3) The caster’s eyes glow with a bright light while the spell take effect, and the hair of every creature within 30’ stands on end from the waves of magnetism.
1	Lost, failure, and patron taint.
2-11	Failure.  Lost.
12-15	Summon Object:  The caster may summon any one object within 30’, which is drawn instantly to his hand via directional magnetism.  The object cannot be more than about 50 lbs. in weight.  If the object is in another creature’s possession, it is allowed a Strength check (DC 10) to retain possession of the object.
16-17	Hold:  Directional magnetism roots the feet of one creature to the ground for 1d3 rounds, requiring a Strength check (DC 15) to break free.  The target may attempt a Strength check with any of its Action Dice.  While stuck, its Armour Class and attack rolls are reduced by –2 and its Reflex saves are reduced by –4.
18-21	Shield:  Directional magnetism creates a shield around the caster, deflecting missile weapons and melee attacks.  The caster gains a +4 bonus to Armour Class vs. ranged weapons and a +2 bonus to Armour Class vs. melee attacks.
22-23	Buffet:  The caster uses directional magnetism to make one strike per CL with small objects, such as stones, each strike doing 1d6 damage (Reflex save DC 15 half).  Range is 100’.
24-26	Draw:  The caster draws another creature or an object weighing up to 500 lbs. towards himself, dragging it 10’ per round with waves of directional magnetism.  A creature can resist being pulled each round with a DC 20 Strength check.  Range is 100’.
27-31	Push:  The caster can pull or push a creature or an object weighing up to 1,000 lbs. in any direction, dragging it at a rate of 10’ per round.  A creature can resist moving each round with a DC 25 Strength check.  Range is 100’
32+	Fine Manipulation:  The caster can manipulate an object or objects up to 30’ away as though he were actually manipulating them with his hands.  This allows the caster to potentially open doors, pick locks, untie ropes, etc.  If a skill check is involved, the caster is treated as though he were actually there, unless it is beneficial to the check that he is not (for example, in an attempt to pick a pocket).  In cases where being there is normally a hindrance, the caster gains a +4 bonus.

Energy Play
Level:  2 (Logos)	Range:  100’	Duration:  Instantaneous	Casting time:  1 action	Save:  Fort or Reflex vs. spell check (see text)
General	The greatest Scions of Logos create and throw balls and bolts of electromagnetic energy around as play.  This electromagnetic energy is also part of the thought processes of the communal mind – any creature who is reduced to 0 hit points by this spell and survives may make a DC 20 Luck check.  If the creature survives, it gains insight into Logos and his creatures, and gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls, skill checks, and spell checks against them for a period of 1d5 days.
Manifestation	Arcing rays of electromagnetic force, balls or electricity, or sheets of lightning, as per the descriptions below.  Roll 1d5 to determine colour:  (1) blue-white, (2) golden, (3) silver-white, (4) greenish-yellow, or (5) sizzling yellow-red.
1	Lost, failure, and patron taint.
2-11	Lost.  Failure.
12-15	Failure, but the spell is not lost.
16-17	An arc of electromagnetic force leaps from the caster to one target, which takes 1d8+CL damage.  Additionally, the target must make a Fort save vs. the spell check result of be stunned and unable to act for 1d3 rounds.
18-21	The caster creates 2 balls of electricity, which he may send to the same or separate targets. Each ball causes 2d8+CL damage (Reflex save for half damage).
22-23	The caster creates a sheet of lightning in a 45-degree arc in front of him, out to a range of 100’.  Every creature in the area suffers 1+CL points of damage and must make a Fort save or fall prone and be stunned for 1d5 rounds.  There is a 50% chance that stunned creatures drop any object held.
24-26	Three arcs of electromagnetic force leap from the caster to up to three targets, each bolt causing 1d12+CL damage.  Each bolt causes the target to make a Fort save vs. the spell check or be stunned and unable to act for 1d5 rounds.  A creature so stunned has a 50% chance to drop any held item.
27-31	Electrostatic shock travels through the ground to strike all foes within 100’ of the caster.  Each enemy within range takes 2d8 points of damage as arcing rays erupt from the ground around it, and is automatically stunned and unable to act for 1 round.  Enemies who fail a Fort save vs. the spell check are stunned an additional 1d5 rounds, and have a 50% chance of dropping any held items.  Foes that are not touching the ground (such as flying enemies) are not affected.
32-33	The caster creates 2d4 balls of electricity, which he may send against the same or separate targets.  Each ball causes 3d8+CL damage (Reflex save for half).  If the target fails its save, it has a 50% chance of dropping any held item as searing electrical pain races through its body.
34+	Six arcs of electromagnetic force leap from the caster to up to six targets, each bolt causing 1d16+CL damage.  Each bolt stuns its target for one round (so a creature struck by six bolts is automatically stunned for six rounds).  A Fort save vs. the spell check must be made for each bolt, or the target will be stunned and unable to act for an additional 1d7 rounds per failed save.  A creature stunned for additional time has a 50% chance to drop any held item.

Solar Vampirism
Level:  3 (Logos)	Range:  Self	Duration:  Varies	Casting time:  1 turn	Save:  None
General	As the Perfect Form and his Scions gain energy from the sun, with this spell, so too can the caster.  Depending upon the spell check result, the caster may gain nourishment, regain lost spells, heal himself, or even use solar energy to power his spells.  This spell must be cast only under a bright sun, and thus cannot be used when the sky is overcast, at night, indoors, or underground.  Solar vampirism requires a minimum of 1 point of spellburn, which affects the spell check normally.
Manifestation	The manifestation is visible only to those observing the casting or in the immediate vicinity.  Roll 1d6:  (1) A green ray shoots forth from the caster, striking the sun, and a golden ray rebounds back to the caster, making the sun seem momentarily darker where the first ray struck, (2) The sun seems to flicker for an instant after the spell is cast, (3) Dark clouds seem to roll across the actual surface of the sun, (4) a wave of heat, followed by a wave of cold, emanates from the caster, (5) The caster’s colouration seems momentarily inverted, like a photographic negative, (6) The caster is bathed in golden light, while the sun seems to go temporarily dimmer.
1	Failure, lost, and patron taint.
2-11	Failure.  Lost.
12-15	Failure, but the spell is not lost.
16-17	The caster gains nourishment from the sun, and does not need to eat or drink for the next 1d4+CL days due to the energy so gained.  The sun’s overall lifespan is reduced by 1d5 days, but as stars measure their lives in aeons, this probably has little impact on the campaign world.
18-21	As above, plus the caster has the ability to restore one lost spell.  If he does so, the sun’s overall lifespan is reduced by 1d3 x spell level years.  This probably has little impact on the campaign world.
22-23	As above, plus the caster may heal 1d4 x CL hit points of damage to himself.  Doing so reduces the sun’s overall lifespan by 1d6 decades, but this probably has little impact on the campaign world.
24-26	As above, plus the caster may purge himself of all diseases and poisons, and heal 1d8 points of ability score damage.  Doing so reduces the sun’s overall lifespan by 2d10 decades.
27-31	As above, plus the caster may heal himself of all damage (hit point, ability score, or otherwise), broken bones, and other damage that would normally heal over time.  Doing so reduces the sun’s overall lifespan by 1d6 centuries, an amount that might be noticeable on worlds with old suns.
32-33	As above, plus the caster may regenerate lost limbs, eyes, etc..  Doing so reduces the sun’s overall lifespan by 1d6 x 10 centuries, an amount that will probably be noticeable on worlds with old suns.  On a dying world, where the star is near the end of its lifespan, this may be enough to make the sun go dark.
34-35	As above, plus the caster may store solar energy to fuel spells.  The caster may gain up to 8 points to use in this manner, and they may be retained until used.  These points act exactly like spellburn, except that the character suffers no ability score loss, and need not roll to determine the nature of the spellburn.  Doing so reduces the sun’s overall lifespan by 1,000 years per point so attained.  On a dying world, where the star is near the end of its lifespan, this may be enough to make the sun go dark.
36+	The caster gains all of the benefits listed above, but the sun is not appreciably damaged by his theft of solar radiation.