Patrons & Projects IX: The Die is Cast!

Angels, Daemons, and Beings Between is $30 away from the mark where I said I'd throw the next die, and rather than be foresworn, I've thrown it early.  The Call of the Laundromat beats strong upon me, and Lo! I must have clean apparel for work in the morning.  So, without further ado, here is the winner of the toss:

Lavarial, Angel of the Temple
Beautiful and fierce, the Angel of the Temple seeks to protect travellers in night-haunted lands, and to overthrow the crawling legions of Chaos.  In many lands, her symbol is the red Temple Cross on a white field, symbolizing the meeting of paths, purity of purpose, and blood – both spilled in the service of Law, and saved by miraculous healing. The judge may determine that any Lawful temple near a Chaotic wasteland has an order dedicated to Lavarial.  It is in these places alone that the ceremony to bond with the Angel may take place.  Those who bond with Lavarial are filled with a holy flame that is visible as a halo to powerful creatures of Law and Chaos.  Such creatures may aid the bonded individual or target him, depending upon their alignment and relative strength.  A creature bonded with Lavarial gains a damage bonus equal to his character level against all demons and un-dead, as well as any other creatures the judge deems strongly bonded to Chaos.  In exchange, Lavarial demands that those who would follow her always come to the aid of innocents against such beings, protect travellers, and be willing to exchange their lives, if need be, to fulfil these demands.  Failure to act leads to a loss of Lavarial’s favour, ending her patronage.  It may also lead to more stringent chastisements, for the Angel of the Temple believes in the punishment of fallen vassals.  There is a percentage chance equal to 5 x CL that a fallen vassal of Lavarial will be marked with a permanent sign on his hand or face, which marks him as such, and which is apparent to followers of Lavarial even through clothing or magical attempts to hide it.  Those who follow Lavarial are foresworn from associating with such an individual – indeed, they may suspect him of being an agent of Chaos. Lawful Clerics of the Temple lead pilgrimages seeking what help they can muster.  Will you support her?  Her demands are not easy, but her aid is not to be scoffed at either.
Invoke Patron check results:
12-13	The Angel of the Temple has many folk to watch over, and can spend but a moment for you at this time.  She causes a shield of faith to surround the caster and up to five allies, increasing their Armour Class by an amount equal to 1+CL for the next seven minutes.  The caster cannot knowingly select an enemy for this protection, but if any ally selected is of Chaotic alignment, that character burns from the energies of Lavarial’s shield, taking 1 point of damage per point of AC bonus attained.
14-17	Lavarial transforms one weapon of the caster’s (or an ally that the caster designates) into a Holy Weapon.  This weapon counts as a magical weapon and does an increased damage die against all opponents.  In addition, the weapon has its critical range increased by 1 (so that a character who gains a critical hit on a 19-20 instead gains a critical hit on an 18-20) against un-dead and abominations of Chaos (per the judge’s determination).  The weapon retains this property for 3d10+CL minutes.
18-19	If outdoors, thunder rolls across the sky, forcing all un-dead and Chaos abominations to make a Will save (DC 10) or cower, losing their next 1d3 actions.  A bolt strikes down from the firmament, striking the caster’s greatest foe for 3d8+CL points of damage (Reflex save DC 15 for half).  If indoors or underground, there is no thunder, but the bolt shoots forth from the caster’s outstretched hand at a target of his choosing, and does 4d8+CL points of damage (Reflex save DC 15 half).
20-23	For reasons unknown to the caster, his person or his mission is of importance to the Angel of the Temple.  He is bathed in holy radiance, and his aspect becomes terrible to behold to all un-dead and any creatures of Chaotic alignment.  These creatures have a –2 penalty to all attack rolls within sight of the caster (even if they are allies), and must make a DC 10 Will save to attack the caster – if the save is failed, the action is lost (this does not prevent the creature from catching the caster in an area of effect attack; it only affects attacks that specifically target the caster).  The caster’s Lawful allies gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls and damage, and the caster’s Neutral allies gain a +1 bonus to the same.  These effects last for 3d10 + CL rounds.
24-27	Lavarial bathes the caster and his allies within 100’ in holy radiance from the Temple, curing Lawful creatures of 3 dice of damage and Neutral creatures of 1 die of damage (as per the Cleric’s Lay on Hands ability, core rulebook, pages xx to xx).  Chaotic allies instead suffer 1d6 points of damage as the holy radiance burns them.
28-29	Holy radiance erupts from the caster, covering a 100’ radius centred on him.  All Lawful creatures within that range are healed for 5 dice of damage (as per the Cleric’s Lay on Hands ability, core rulebook, pages xx to xx), all Neutral creatures are healed 2 dice of damage, and all Chaotic creatures (including Chaotic allies) suffer 2d8 points of damage.  Un-dead and abominations of Chaos (judge’s determination) suffer twice this damage.
30-31	The caster, or his mission, is of great importance to Lavarial, for she manifests a great column of flame to immolate the caster’s greatest enemy or the most powerful creature of Chaos present that opposes the caster (judge’s choice).  The holy flames do 8d8 damage to their target, doing full damage even against creatures that are otherwise immune to fire.  The target may make a Fort save (DC 25) for half damage.  In addition, all un-dead and creatures with a Chaotic alignment within 100’ of the target take 2d8 points of damage and must make a Will save (DC 15) or flee at their best speed for 2d8+CL rounds.  Chaotic allies are not exempted from this damage or this save.
32+	The caster, or his mission, is of paramount importance to Lavarial.  She manifests up to three great column of flame to immolate targets selected by the caster.  The holy flames do 8d8 damage to their targets, doing full damage even against creatures that are otherwise immune to fire.  The target may make a Fort save (DC 25) for half damage unless it is Chaotic or un-dead, in which case no save is allowed.  In addition, all un-dead and creatures with a Chaotic alignment within 100’ of any target take 5d8 points of damage and must make a Will save (DC 20) or flee at their best speed for 5d8+CL rounds.  Chaotic allies are not exempted from this damage or this save.

Patron Taint:  Lavarial, Angel of the Temple
For the most part, patron taint is a misnomer where Lavarial is concerned.  Apart from greater dedication to Law, and to Lavarial’s mission of protecting travellers from the creatures of Chaos, very little of what follows can be considered true taint.  Those who have Lavarial as a patron are expected to perform missions for the Temple, and the great Chaos Lords may move against them.  When patron taint is indicated for Lavarial, roll 1d6 on the table below.  When a caster has acquired all six taints at all levels of effect, there is no need to continue rolling any more.  The caster also no longer needs to roll for corruption.
Roll	Result
1	Dedication to Law:  The caster becomes more dedicated to the cause of Law.  When this taint is first acquired, the caster may no longer knowingly associate with Chaotic beings without losing the patronage of Lavarial.  When this taint is rolled a second time, the caster learns to speak in the Lawful alignment tongue if he could not do so already.  When this taint is rolled a third time, the caster can tell if a creature is Chaotic by sight.  The caster is not required to slay all Chaotic creatures, but he must shun their company, or lose the patronage of Lavarial.
2	Mission of the Temple:  The Temple requires the character to fulfil a particular mission.  The first time this result is rolled, the mission is relatively simply, requiring no more than 1d4 days of travel, and mandating the defeat of a foe who is 1-2 levels (or Hit Dice) below the caster.  The second time this is rolled, the mission is more difficult.  It may require 1d4 weeks of travel, and the greatest foe is equal in level (or Hit Dice) to the caster.  If this result is rolled a third time, the mission requires 1d4 months of travel, and the foe has 1d4 more levels (or Hit Dice) than the caster.  Failure at a mission severs the character’s relationship with Lavarial.
3	Temptation of Chaos:  This result indicates that a Power of Chaos offers the character a tempting boon in order to weaken the Temple.  The character may accept the boon only by renouncing Lavarial and ending his relationship with her.  The first time this is rolled, the boon is equivalent to a permanent +1 increase in an ability score or the removal of a minor corruption.  The second time this is rolled, the boon is equivalent to a permanent +2 increase in an ability score or the removal of a major corruption.  The third time this is rolled, the boon is equivalent to a permanent +3 increase in an ability score or the removal of a greater corruption.  The judge should tailor the temptation to match the character.  If the character accepts the boon, his ties to Lavarial are severed.  Worse, there is a 5% chance that the Power of Chaos will not fulfil its end of the deal.
4	Un-dead Adversary:  An un-dead creature seeks to destroy the caster.  The creature need not attack directly right away; it may use its cunning and special abilities to manipulate the situation to its advantage.  When this result is first rolled, the adversary is a minor un-dead creature, generally of 1d3 fewer Hit Dice than the caster has levels.  When this result is rolled a second time, the un-dead creature has Hit Dice equal to the caster’s level.  When this result is rolled a third time, the un-dead creature has 1d4 Hit Dice more than the caster has levels.  The caster need not fear losing Lavarial’s patronage should the un-dead adversary best him, for he will be dead.
5	Beast of Chaos:  A rampaging beast of Chaos arises in the land, and the caster is called upon to slay it.  When this is first rolled, the caster has 1d4 months to slay the creature, and it is 1d3 Hit Dice weaker than the caster’s level.  When this is rolled a second time, the creature has Hit Dice equal to the caster’s level, and the caster has 1d4 weeks to slay the creature.  When this result comes up a third time, the creature has Hit Dice equal to the caster’s level +1d6, and the caster has 1d4 days to slay it.  Failure severs the caster’s relationship with Lavarial.
6	Pilgrimage Through Fallen Lands:  The caster is called upon to lead a pilgrimage through lands tainted by Chaos.  The first time this occurs, the pilgrimage consists of 2d7 persons, and it is a relatively easy adventure taking no more than 2d4 days.  The second time, the pilgrimage consists of 4d7 persons, and it is a moderately difficult adventure, taking up to 2d4 weeks.  The third time, the pilgrimage consists of 7d10 persons, and it is a difficult adventure, taking up to 4d10 weeks.  In each case, the caster must arrive at the chosen destination with at least 75% of his charges safe (round up), or his relationship with Lavarial is severed.

Patron Spells:  Lavarial, Angel of the Temple

The Angel of the Temple grants three unique spells, as follows:

Level 1:  Shield of the Heavens

Level 2:  Miraculous Healing

Level 3:  Smite the Scions of Chaos

Spellburn:  Lavarial, Angel of the Temple
When a caster utilizes spellburn, roll 1d4 on the table below, or build off the ideas presented therein to create an event specific to your home campaign.
Roll	Spellburn Result
1	Holy energy courses through the caster, fuelling his spell, but mortal bodies were not meant to hold the power of the heavens.  The caster is left weak and exhausted (manifested as Strength, Stamina, and Agility loss).
2	The caster does not pay the spellburn cost immediately, but instead finds himself loudly singing hosannas to the Power of the Temple as soon as the spell is cast.  This loud singing continues for 10 minutes per point of spellburn, preventing stealth or the casting of other spells (excepting those the caster need not speak to cast), but the caster loses only half the normal ability damage associated with the spellburn, rounded up.
3	The attention of Lavarial turns toward the caster.  If the caster’s desired spellburn is for a purpose that coincides with Lavarial’s cause (defeating the un-dead or creatures of Chaos, or protecting the innocent), then the caster may have the effect of up to 10 points of spellburn without cost.  However, if the caster requests spellburn for any other purpose, the cost is twice normal, so that the caster only gains a +1 bonus to his spell check for every 2 ability score points sacrificed.
4	The caster can gain up to 10 points of spellburn, and need not pay the cost immediately.  If he donates goods valued at no less than 50 gp per point of spellburn to the Temple within a month’s time, no further cost is required.  However, if he fails to do so, he must pay twice the normal cost of spellburn.

Shield of the Heavens
Level:  1 (Lavarial)	Range:  100’	Duration:  Varies	Casting time:  1 action	Save:  Varies (see text)
General	The caster calls upon the beneficence of the heavens to protect those in his charge.  This spell is used primarily to protect pilgrims in Chaos-tainted lands, but it had obvious uses in other forms of adventure and exploration as well.
Manifestation	Roll 1d4:  (1) a gentle glow of heavenly light surrounds the area of the spell, (2) those affected by the spell all glow softly, as though by an inner light, (3) a holy fear strikes those who attack the spell’s targets, resulting in the bonuses listed, (4) angelic music can softly be heard within the range of the spell, so long as it remains in effect.
1	Lost, failure, and patron taint.
2-11	Lost.  Failure.
12-15	All non-Chaotic creatures friendly to the caster gain a +1 bonus to Armour Class and all saves for 1d4+CL minutes, so long as they remain within 100’ of the caster.  Non-Chaotic allied creatures gain this bonus even if they were not within range when the spell was cast, so long as they are within range, but protection does not extend beyond this range.
16-17	As above.  In addition, any Chaotic creature within range has a –1 penalty to all attack rolls, and a –2 penalty to all spell check rolls, for the duration of the spell (1d4+CL minutes).
18-21	As above, but all bonuses and penalties are doubled, and the spell lasts 2d4+CL minutes.
22-23	As above.  In addition, un-dead and creatures strongly tied to Chaos (judge’s determination) must make a DC 10 Will save to enter the spell area.  Once in the spell area, such a creature is uncomfortable, taking a –1 penalty to all attack rolls, skill checks, ability checks, and spell checks (which stacks with the penalties above), and must make a new Will save each minute to remain within the spell area.  If this Will save is failed, the creature can do nothing but move along the fastest route (which is not obviously suicidal) out of the spell area until it is no longer in the spell area.
24-26	As above, but the spell duration is 4d8+CL minutes and the Will save is DC 15.
27-31	As above, but the spell duration is 2d7+CL hours, and the Will save is DC 20.
32+	As above.  In addition, Lawful creatures are bolstered within the area of effect, gaining temporary hit points equal to the caster’s CL.  A creature only gains these temporary hit points once.  They are the first used and cannot be healed.  The temporary hit points disappear if a creature leaves the area of effect or the spell ends, and do not return when a creature re-enters the spell area.  A Lawful creature that enters the spell area, but which has not already been bolstered, gains this benefit, however.  The spell duration is 2d5 days.

Miraculous Healing
Level:  2 (Lavarial)	Range:  Touch	Duration:  Instantaneous	Casting time:  1 minute	Save:  None
General	The caster channels divine energy, healing one or more creatures that the caster can touch for a full minute.  This works similarly to the Cleric’s lay on hands ability (see the core rulebook, pages 30 to 31) in terms of how the number of dice healed work, but it is not as powerful, and anytime this spell is cast, the caster becomes indebted to Lavarial for a favour.  In addition, the holy energy channelled by the caster sears his mortal form for a minimum of 1 point of spellburn.
Manifestation	Roll 1d3:  (1) The caster’s hands glow as the target(s) are healed, (2) The caster takes on the appearance of the wounds to be healed, and then heals them back himself – spellburn to cast this spell may be due to residual effects of this process, (3) the Voice of the Angel of the Temple speaks through the caster’s mouth, bidding wounds to heal and flesh to knit.
1	Lost, failure, and patron taint.
2-11	Lost.  Failure.
12-15	Failure, but the spell is not lost.
16-17	The caster can affect up to one target, healing 1 die if the target is Lawful.
18-21	The caster can affect up to one target, healing 2 dice if the target is Lawful, or 1 die if the target is Neutral.
22-23	The caster can affect up to two creatures, healing 2 dice to Lawful creatures and 1 die to Neutral creatures.  If the caster unknowingly targets a Chaotic creature, that creature instead takes 1d6 points of damage.  If the caster knowingly targets a Chaotic creature, the caster also takes 1d3 damage.
24-26	As above, but the caster can affect up to three creatures,
27-31	The caster can affect up to three creatures, healing 3 dice to Lawful creatures and 1 die to Neutral creatures.  If the caster unknowingly targets a Chaotic creature, that creature instead takes 2d6 points of damage.  If the caster knowingly targets a Chaotic creature, the caster also takes 2d3 damage.
32-33	The caster can affect up to three creatures, healing 3 dice to Lawful creatures and 2 dice to Neutral creatures.  If the caster unknowingly targets a Chaotic creature, that creature instead takes 3d6 points of damage.  If the caster knowingly targets a Chaotic creature, the caster also takes 3d3 damage.
34+	The caster can affect up to three creatures, healing 3 dice to Lawful creatures and 2 dice to Neutral creatures.  If the caster unknowingly targets a Chaotic creature, that creature instead takes 3d6 points of damage.  If the caster knowingly targets a Chaotic creature, the caster also takes 3d3 damage.  In addition, the caster can heal hit points or ability damage to Lawful or Neutral targets by taking that damage upon himself.  For example, if an ally has taken 4 points of Strength damage, the caster may choose to heal 2 points of that damage – but the caster then has 2 points of Strength damage to contend with himself.

Smite the Scions of Chaos
Level:  3 (Lavarial)	Range:  200’	Duration:  Instantaneous	Casting time:  1 action	Save:  See below
General	The caster calls upon the Power of the Temple to smite one or more Chaotic creatures in range.  If the caster attempts to target any Lawful or Neutral creature, that part of the spell simply does not function (although other potential targets may be affected).
Manifestation	See below.
1	Lost, failure, and patron taint.
2-11	Lost.  Failure.
12-15	Failure, but the spell is not lost.
16-17	A bolt from the heavens strikes a single target of the caster’s choosing, doing 6d6 damage (Fort DC 10 for half).  If underground or indoors, the bolt springs forth from some close surface, with a sound like rolling thunder.
18-21	One or more bolts come from the heavens, as above.  The caster has 7d7 damage that he can do, and can divide these seven dice between seven targets, apportion them all to one target, or any combination between.  In addition to the damage dice, any creature so struck also takes damage equal to the caster’s CL.  Thus, seven creatures could take 1d7+CL damage each, one creature could take 7d7+CL damage, the bolts could be divided among two creatures for 3d7+CL and 4d7+CL damage, and so on.  Each target gets a Fort save (DC 15) for half damage.
22-23	As 18-21, above.  In addition, every creature with a Chaotic alignment within range must succeed in a DC 10 Will save or take 1 point of damage from magical backlash.
24-26	One or more bolts come from the heavens, as above.  The caster has 7d10 damage that he can do, and can divide these seven dice between seven targets, apportion them all to one target, or any combination between.  In addition to the damage dice, any creature so struck also takes damage equal to the caster’s CL.  Thus, seven creatures could take 1d10+CL damage each, one creature could take 7d10+CL damage, the bolts could be divided among two creatures for 3d10+CL and 4d10+CL damage, and so on.  Each target gets a Fort save (DC 20) for half damage.  In addition, every creature with a Chaotic alignment (including those targeted by a bolt) within range must succeed in a DC 15 Will save or take 1d3 point of damage from magical backlash.
27-31	One or more bolts come from the heavens, as above.  The caster has 7d14 damage that he can do, and can divide these seven dice between seven targets, apportion them all to one target, or any combination between.  In addition to the damage dice, any creature so struck also takes damage equal to the caster’s CL.  Thus, seven creatures could take 1d14+CL damage each, one creature could take 7d14+CL damage, the bolts could be divided among two creatures for 1d14+CL and 6d14+CL damage, and so on.  Each target gets a Fort save (DC 20) for half damage.  In addition, every creature with a Chaotic alignment within range (including those targeted by a bolt) must succeed in a DC 15 Will save or take 1d7 point of damage from magical backlash.
32-33	Up to seven bolts come from the heavens, as above.  Each bolt does 7d16 damage, and must be targeted at a separate creature.  The creature may make a Fort save (DC 20) for half damage.  In addition, all Chaotic creatures within range (including those targeted by a bolt) must make a DC 15 Will save or take 3d7 points of damage due to magical backlash.
34-35	Up to seven bolts come from the heavens, as above.  Each bolt does 7d20 damage, and must be targeted at a separate creature.  The creature may make a Fort save (DC 20) for half damage.  In addition, all Chaotic creatures within range (including those targeted by a bolt) must make a DC 15 Will save or take 5d7 points of damage from magical backlash.  Finally, the primary weapon (as determined by the judge or character) of every Lawful creature in range is imbued with the energy to smite Chaos, and does an extra +1d10 damage to the next Chaotic creature it strikes.
36+	Up to seven bolts come from the heavens, as above.  Each bolt utterly obliterates its target, unless a DC 25 Fort save is successful.  In the case of a successful save, 7d20 damage is done to the target instead.  No more than two bolts may target the same creature.  Every Chaotic creature in range (including any which survives a bolt) must make a DC 20 Will save or take 7d7 points of damage from backlash.  In addition, the energy to smite Chaos is embedded in the primary weapon of each Lawful creature in range (as determined by the judge or character), which does +1d20 damage to the next Chaotic creature it strikes.

Shanthopal: Background to the Golden City

First mentioned in this thread, here is some more information on the campaign milieu I am devising for my home game.  Thoughts and comments are greatly appreciated!

Shanthopal

Long before the Earth was dying, but long after the younger kingdoms had passed, the Great Powers returned to our world, and magic flourished once more.  Harken now to the tales of the Golden City of Shanthopal, the Ancient Earth itself, and the Great Powers who shape her destiny.

Know that the Earth has gone through a great many Ages, where either Law and Technology are ascendant, or the Chaos of unbridled Magic holds sway.  At this time, an uneasy balance between Law and Chaos exists, and it is for this reason that the Great Powers of the world are again abroad.  They seek to sway the balance to their side, or maintain it, according to their nature.

Fell beasts and spells even more fell are abroad in the world, and working artefacts of the Old Science still can be found within hidden places.  The fabled Blue Star which follows the moon, according to the philosophers of Kulku Mara, the Dwindling God, was once built and inhabited by mortal men.  The way to this aethereal bastion may yet be found, it is supposed, within the Golden City itself.

For central now to all the realms of men is Golden Shanthopal, the City at the Crossroads, where the markets of the world meet.

From the East, caravans brave the Golian Waste to bring spices, silks, and jade from the City-States of the Rudhara and the even more distant Empire of Kathur-Leung and Isles of Ama-Ko.

To the North, beyond the fertile fields and villages that feed Golden Shanthopal, frown the grim and forbidding mountains known as the Ibetayas.  The hidden valleys and high reaches of the Ibetayan Range are feared to hide many things, including the buried fortress of the secretive Magicians Oblique, the whisper of whose name brings fear to the lowland people.

To the West stretch the nations of Mêdterra until one reaches the utmost north and west, were barbarian tribes hold sway:   Hugrovania, Troyous, Morrosia, Aquitainia, and Virulanis.

Across the Vilaymer Sea to the South lay the nations of Djinnaq, Mohurdistan, Tigrippis, and Old Ægyptus, where the Pharaohs of Sun and Moon have held sway in the Lower and Upper Valleys since the Age of Beasts Reborn.  And, beyond the Sea of Powder, South and West, lie the nations of Zukulu, Kemolya, and Nubaris, and the vast perfumed Jungles of Æfrik and Oataxa.

Within Golden Shanthopal, many gods hold sway, and many temples compete.

Officially, those who dwell herein worship of the Nine Gods of Shanthopal, who are said to inhabit tombs in the inner precinct of a massive arched sanctuary on the Avenue of Idols, but in practice They are largely ignored, save on Tithing Day.   The Nine can be called upon by Their priesthood to defend the city, but Their price is high – sometimes higher than the price of those they would be called against, for the Nine prefer Their long dreams to the hard reality of Shanthopal.  Indeed, it has been more than a century since the Nine have walked (unless rumours of Their sleepwalking in the catacombs beneath the city be true), and then They took the High Prelate and his Nine Cardinals for the audacity in calling upon them against what, in Their view, was but a minor threat.

Golden Shanthopal is riddled with tunnels and chambers below its streets.  The Catacombs of Shanthopal are of two types:  Temple Catacombs, for the internment of priests, and the Public Catacombs, which predate even the Old Cemetery, and have few direct access points now to the city above.  The best known entrance to the Public Catacombs are the great doors (locked and heavily fortified) in Charnel Park.

Charnel Park is where the dead were burned by the thousands during the Boneplague.  Its soil is rich and fertile due to the ashes spread there, but what grows there is not always perfectly natural and canny, and weird things are said to sometimes go abroad there at night.  On a night of the new moon, would-be wizards or elves may meditate in Charnel Park to make contact with Bān-Scyga, the disease spirit which caused the Boneplague centuries ago.

Many of the powerful families of Shanthopal have crypts dedicated to their ancestors.  Most of these have surface levels, accessed either on private estate grounds or in the Old Cemetery.  There are few family crypts in the New Cemetery, as there are few who have come into the requisite level of power and wealth since the New Cemetery was founded.

The older, larger, and/or more influential the family, the larger the crypt extends, both on the surface and below.  Usually, this also means that there are better locks, more traps, etc., as well.  Where family crypts connect to the underworld, there are usually strongly built locked doors to allow access; these are intentionally built to allow the family to go below for whatever purposes they may have.

Thieves, smugglers, cultists, the wealthy, the secretive, and the paranoid have created tunnels beneath the Golden City, to allow for secret exit and entry into homes or businesses…or even secret temples and spaces to gather unseen.

The city of Shanthopal has been built and rebuilt over the centuries, and events have buried whole streets and buildings.  In some cases, portions of these streets are still open, and buildings can be reached through them.  A building in one partially-open street might allow, through another door, egress to another portion of semi-collapsed streets.

The easiest-to-reach portions of buried streets are the courts of beggars, but other streets remain the haunt of lingering dead things that mock the daily activities of the living, or creatures that have crawled up from below.  Among the un-dead are the dapper ghouls of the dread Boneknapper’s Guild, which collects and polishes bones, and uses human kneecaps for money.

In addition, as the mortal population of the Earth has dwindled in these later days, in many places there are blocks of ruined buildings, some of which have become tenanted by other things.  The greatest region of these ruins, the mist-haunted Quarter of Uneven Dusk, is not entered by most folk after the hours of darkness.

Patrons & Projects VIII: A Portion of Lavarial

Patron Taint:  Lavarial, Angel of the Temple
For the most part, patron taint is a misnomer where Lavarial is concerned.  Apart from greater dedication to Law, and to Lavarial’s mission of protecting travellers from the creatures of Chaos, very little of what follows can be considered true taint.  Those who have Lavarial as a patron are expected to perform missions for the Temple, and the great Chaos Lords may move against them.  When patron taint is indicated for Lavarial, roll 1d6 on the table below.  When a caster has acquired all six taints at all levels of effect, there is no need to continue rolling any more.  The caster also no longer needs to roll for corruption.
Roll	Result
1	Dedication to Law:  The caster becomes more dedicated to the cause of Law.  When this taint is first acquired, the caster may no longer knowingly associate with Chaotic beings without losing the patronage of Lavarial.  When this taint is rolled a second time, the caster learns to speak in the Lawful alignment tongue if he could not do so already.  When this taint is rolled a third time, the caster can tell if a creature is Chaotic by sight.  The caster is not required to slay all Chaotic creatures, but he must shun their company, or lose the patronage of Lavarial.
2	Mission of the Temple:  The Temple requires the character to fulfil a particular mission.  The first time this result is rolled, the mission is relatively simply, requiring no more than 1d4 days of travel, and mandating the defeat of a foe who is 1-2 levels (or Hit Dice) below the caster.  The second time this is rolled, the mission is more difficult.  It may require 1d4 weeks of travel, and the greatest foe is equal in level (or Hit Dice) to the caster.  If this result is rolled a third time, the mission requires 1d4 months of travel, and the foe has 1d4 more levels (or Hit Dice) than the caster.  Failure at a mission severs the character’s relationship with Lavarial.
3	Temptation of Chaos:  This result indicates that a Power of Chaos offers the character a tempting boon in order to weaken the Temple.  The character may accept the boon only by renouncing Lavarial and ending his relationship with her.  The first time this is rolled, the boon is equivalent to a permanent +1 increase in an ability score or the removal of a minor corruption.  The second time this is rolled, the boon is equivalent to a permanent +2 increase in an ability score or the removal of a major corruption.  The third time this is rolled, the boon is equivalent to a permanent +3 increase in an ability score or the removal of a greater corruption.  The judge should tailor the temptation to match the character.  If the character accepts the boon, his ties to Lavarial are severed.  Worse, there is a 5% chance that the Power of Chaos will not fulfil its end of the deal.
4	Un-dead Adversary:  An un-dead creature seeks to destroy the caster.  The creature need not attack directly right away; it may use its cunning and special abilities to manipulate the situation to its advantage.  When this result is first rolled, the adversary is a minor un-dead creature, generally of 1d3 fewer Hit Dice than the caster has levels.  When this result is rolled a second time, the un-dead creature has Hit Dice equal to the caster’s level.  When this result is rolled a third time, the un-dead creature has 1d4 Hit Dice more than the caster has levels.  The caster need not fear losing Lavarial’s patronage should the un-dead adversary best him, for he will be dead.
5	Beast of Chaos:  A rampaging beast of Chaos arises in the land, and the caster is called upon to slay it.  When this is first rolled, the caster has 1d4 months to slay the creature, and it is 1d3 Hit Dice weaker than the caster’s level.  When this is rolled a second time, the creature has Hit Dice equal to the caster’s level, and the caster has 1d4 weeks to slay the creature.  When this result comes up a third time, the creature has Hit Dice equal to the caster’s level +1d6, and the caster has 1d4 days to slay it.  Failure severs the caster’s relationship with Lavarial.
6	Pilgrimage Through Fallen Lands:  The caster is called upon to lead a pilgrimage through lands tainted by Chaos.  The first time this occurs, the pilgrimage consists of 2d7 persons, and it is a relatively easy adventure taking no more than 2d4 days.  The second time, the pilgrimage consists of 4d7 persons, and it is a moderately difficult adventure, taking up to 2d4 weeks.  The third time, the pilgrimage consists of 7d10 persons, and it is a difficult adventure, taking up to 4d10 weeks.  In each case, the caster must arrive at the chosen destination with at least 75% of his charges safe (round up), or his relationship with Lavarial is severed.

Patrons & Projects VII: A Tidbit of Radu

Not quite $3,000 yet, but with GenCon this weekend, I know folks are going to be away.  So here's a bitty bit to tide you over:

Warren Walk
Level:  3 (Radu)	Range:  Varies	Duration:  Varies	Casting time:  1 Minute	Save:  None
General	The caster, and possible one or more allies, passes through one rabbit warren, exiting through another rabbit warren one minute later.  Depending upon the value of the spell check, the second warren may be very far away.  The caster must begin at the site of a rabbit warren and must exit through another rabbit warren (although either warren may be abandoned).    The caster may choose to exit through a rabbit warren that he is aware of, so long as it is within range, or may choose to exit through any random warren within range (rolled randomly from known warrens, or chosen by the judge, as the judge deems appropriate).  The travellers need not worry about food or water while travelling, as this appears in the tunnels of the warrens.  Unwilling creatures cannot be forced to warren walk with this spell.  Obviously, this spell cannot take the caster to a place where rabbits do not exist, or where rabbits create individual burrows rather than warrens.
Manifestation	Roll 1d3:  (1) the warren mouths seems to stretch to accommodate the travellers, snapping back to its normal size immediately after they pass, (2) the travellers shrink to pass through the warren mouth, regaining their normal sizes once they have exited the far warren, (3) the travellers are transformed into rabbits, with their gear merging into their bodies, becoming their normal selves again only after they have exited the far warren.
1	Lost, failure, and patron taint.
2-11	Failure.  Lost.
12-15	Failure, but the spell is not lost.
16-17	The caster may pass through the warren, reappearing through another warren not more than 10 minutes distant.  It takes the caster 1d3 minutes to navigate the winding passages of the warrens before he can discover the extradimensional passage that will allow him to arrive at his destination.
18-21	The caster and up to three other creatures may pass through the warren, reappearing through another warren not more than 25 miles distant.  It takes the caster 1d6 minutes to navigate the winding passages of the warrens before he can discover the extradimensional passage that will allow him to arrive at his destination.  If any of the other travellers with him do not remain with him during this time, but strike out on their own, roll 1d6, modifying the result by the straying traveller’s Luck modifier:  (0 or less) the traveller becomes lost inside the warrens, and is never seen again, (1-2) the traveller exits through the same warren that he entered by, after 1d6 hours, (3-4) the traveller exits through another warren which is neither the intended target nor the starting point, after 1d6 x 10 minutes, (5+) the traveller exits through the same destination warren as the caster, 1d6 minutes after the caster does.
22-23	The caster and up to six other creatures may pass through the warren, reappearing through another warren not more than 50 miles distant.  It takes the caster 3d6 minutes to navigate the winding passages of the warrens before he can discover the extradimensional passage that will allow him to arrive at his destination.  If any of the other travellers with him do not remain with him during this time, but strike out on their own, roll 1d6, modifying the result by the straying traveller’s Luck modifier:  (1 or less) the traveller becomes lost inside the warrens, and is never seen again, (2-3) the traveller exits through the same warren that he entered by, after 1d6 hours, (4-5) the traveller exits through another warren which is neither the intended target nor the starting point, after 1d6 x 10 minutes, (6+) the traveller exits through the same destination warren as the caster, 2d6 minutes after the caster does.
24-26	The caster and up to nine other creatures may pass through the warren, reappearing through another warren not more than 100 miles distant.  It takes the caster 3d10 minutes to navigate the winding passages of the warrens before he can discover the extradimensional passage that will allow him to arrive at his destination.  If any of the other travellers with him do not remain with him during this time, but strike out on their own, roll 1d6, modifying the result by the straying traveller’s Luck modifier:  (2 or less) the traveller becomes lost inside the warrens, and is never seen again, (3-4) the traveller exits through the same warren that he entered by, after 2d6 hours, (5-6) the traveller exits through another warren which is neither the intended target nor the starting point, after 2d6 x 10 minutes, (7+) the traveller exits through the same destination warren as the caster, 3d6 minutes after the caster does.
27-31	The caster and up to a dozen other creatures may pass through the warren, reappearing through another warren not more than 500 miles distant.  It takes the caster 3d14 minutes to navigate the winding passages of the warrens before he can discover the extradimensional passage that will allow him to arrive at his destination.  If any of the other travellers with him do not remain with him during this time, but strike out on their own, roll 1d6, modifying the result by the straying traveller’s Luck modifier:  (3 or less) the traveller becomes lost inside the warrens, and is never seen again, (4-5) the traveller exits through the same warren that he entered by, after 3d6 hours, (6-7) the traveller exits through another warren which is neither the intended target nor the starting point, after 2d12 x 10 minutes, (8+) the traveller exits through the same destination warren as the caster, 3d10 minutes after the caster does.
32-33	The caster and up to fifteen other creatures may pass through the warren, reappearing through another warren not more than 1,000 miles distant.  It takes the caster 3d16 minutes to navigate the winding passages of the warrens before he can discover the extradimensional passage that will allow him to arrive at his destination.  If any of the other travellers with him do not remain with him during this time, but strike out on their own, roll 1d8, modifying the result by the straying traveller’s Luck modifier:  (4 or less) the traveller becomes lost inside the warrens, and is never seen again, (5-6) the traveller exits through the same warren that he entered by, after 3d8 hours, (7-8) the traveller exits through another warren which is neither the intended target nor the starting point, after 3d12 x 10 minutes, (9+) the traveller exits through the same destination warren as the caster, 5d12 minutes after the caster does.
34-35	The caster and all allied creatures present may pass through the warren, reappearing through another warren anywhere on the same plane.  It takes the caster 1d6 hours to navigate the winding passages of the warrens before he can discover the extradimensional passage that will allow him to arrive at his destination.  If any of the other travellers with him do not remain with him during this time, but strike out on their own, roll 1d8, modifying the result by the straying traveller’s Luck modifier:  (4 or less) the traveller becomes lost inside the warrens, and is never seen again, (5-6) the traveller exits through a far distant warren, at least 10d10 x 100 miles away from where he wishes to be, arriving after 2d6 days, (7-8)   the traveller exits through the same warren that he entered by, after 1d6 days, (9-10) the traveller exits through another warren which is neither the intended target nor the starting point, but is at least no more than 1d10 x 10 miles from the intended target warren,  after 3d6  hours, (11+)  the traveller exits through the same destination warren as the caster, 1d6 hours after the caster does.
36+	The caster and all allied creatures present may pass through the warren, reappearing through another warren anywhere, even within another plane of existence.  It takes the caster 3d6 hours to navigate the winding passages of the warrens before he can discover the extradimensional passage that will allow him to arrive at his destination.  If any of the other travellers with him do not remain with him during this time, but strike out on their own, roll 1d10, modifying the result by the straying traveller’s Luck modifier:  (6 or less) the traveller becomes lost inside the warrens, and is never seen again, (7-8) the traveller exits into the wrong plane, where the rabbits may be very strange indeed (for example, a fiendish plane where the rabbits are as large as tigers and carnivorous, a plane of clouds where the rabbits are winged, a western plain where six-shooters and jackelopes are the order of the day, or a sylvan plane where the rabbits can all teleport and have horns like those of unicorns), arriving after 3d8 weeks, (9-10) the traveller ends up on the correct plane, but is at least 10d10 x 100 miles away from where he wishes to be, arriving after 2d6 weeks, (11-12)  the traveller exits through the same warren that he entered by, after 1d6 weeks, (13-14) the traveller exits through another warren which is neither the intended target nor the starting point, but is at least no more than 1d10 x 10 miles from the intended target warren,  after 3d6  days, (15+)  the traveller exits through the same destination warren as the caster, 1d6 days after the caster does.

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.