Category Archives: Homebrew

A Trove Of 1d6 Tables

Wherein your humble scribe archives a passel of tenuously useful tables he originally posted on another platform.

1d6 Folksongs For Your Bard To Sing

Don’t just say “My bard sings!” Name that tune, slappy!

  1. The Faerie Queen’s Only Daughter
  2. Auld Maundie and the Lash
  3. The Death of Zacharias McGonigle McGee
  4. A Roundly Dancing Maid
  5. Ring! Ring! The Bells of St. Vincent
  6. Over Table, Under Table, Thunder in the Jar

1d6 More Folksongs For Your Bard To Sing

Start singing the first line if you really want to be in character…

  1. The Ballad of Lord LeMond
  2. Bear, Brownie, Boulder, Brook
  3. The Barmaid’s Broken Heart
  4. A Bird Calls for My Darling
  5. Bonny Maidens in a Row
  6. Bravely Forth, Ye Knights of Abbey Briar

Yet Another 1d6 Folksongs For Your Bard To Sing

Keep going, you’re roleplaying after all…

  1. The Old Rogue’s Lament
  2. Under the Moons the Elf Maids Danced
  3. A Lock of My Darling’s Hair
  4. The Fires of Bannywick Town
  5. Down the Docks (The Sailor’s Working Song)
  6. A Chatty Bird in the Old Oak Tree

1d6 Folksongs For Your Bard To Sing: The Next Generation

No wonder people hate bards…

  1. The Fall of Crawford’s Dell (The Birds All Sing)
  2. The Priest, The Sheriff, and The Ass (All Sound the Same to Me)
  3. She Went Again to Valdren Town (A’ Riding on Her Mare)
  4. Captain Quincy Can’t Quit Charging (His Arse is All Aflame)
  5. One Toe in the Dragon’s Mouth (The Other in the Mead)
  6. The Tired Soldier Soldiers On (The Tired Whore Keeps Whorin’)

1d6 Angry Gods

What lurks within that sealed cyclopean tomb?

  1. Vorth the Destroyer
  2. Ghee-Lahst, She Who Castrates
  3. Oid, Maker of the Scream
  4. K’uhl’mn’jhk from Beyond the Veil
  5. Sa’ireest’ah the Devourer
  6. The Eyeless Child

1d6 Pirate Parrot Names

Polly Schmolly

  1. Hector
  2. Consuela
  3. Dogo
  4. Veronique
  5. Sally Anne
  6. Bertie

1d6 Agent Codenames

Who was that dashing agent?

  1. Redhawk
  2. Dingo
  3. Capricorn
  4. Hammer
  5. Mustang
  6. Siren

1d6 Acronym Agency Names

Decipher these acronyms on your own time.

  1. HASTE
  2. LIGHT
  3. ION
  4. TIGER
  5. BLADE
  6. NIGHT

1d6 More Acronym Agency Names

Decipher these acronyms on your at your own peril.

  1. SHINE
  2. MIX
  3. STAR
  4. BOOK
  5. GUNN
  6. OWL

1d6 Super Spy Gadgets

Toys for all!

  1. Sonar wristwatch
  2. Laser cutter cufflinks
  3. Magnetic shoes
  4. Rebreather cigarette case
  5. Nightvision sunglasses
  6. Flaming breath spray

1d6 Tavern Names

Ya gotta meet the old man with a map somewhere.

  1. The Rose & Hammer
  2. Ghorfin’s Alehouse
  3. The Crow & Anchor
  4. Sister Bella’s Schoolhouse
  5. MacKenzie’s
  6. The Cod & Crown

1d6 More Tavern Names

And his brother, too.

  1. The Horse & Heath
  2. The Hawk & Hammer
  3. Hog’s Head Hoppery
  4. Halfling House
  5. Hildur’s Hearthside
  6. The Hag & Haddock

1d6 Uncommon Comestibles

Mutton? Feh!

  1. Manticore Cakes
  2. Flame-kissed Dragon Brisket
  3. Dragon Turtle Soup
  4. Roast Loin of Displacer Beast
  5. Deviled Roc Eggs
  6. Purple Worm Burgers

1d6 Unusual Coins

Generic round coins are so dull.

  1. Hexagonal platinum coins
  2. Triangular silver pieces
  3. Circular steel coins with holes in their centers
  4. Small copper cubes stamped with the letters R, E, G, I, N, A on the six faces
  5. Silver “beans”
  6. Square gold pieces, twice as thick as traditional gold coins

1d6 Magic Sword Names

Hey! What’s this sword’s name, anyway?

  1. Kjordusk, The Ice Fang
  2. Zojaladoon, The Glorious Blade of Harmony
  3. Jiradon, The Nightstriker
  4. Volstjan, Protector of Valdimstad
  5. Irijoichi, The Arm of the Shogun
  6. Ja’b’Allah, The Djinnslayer

1d6 Obscure Fictional Diseases

When you need a plague to threaten a world…

  1. Shavan’s Syndrome
  2. Rymal Fever
  3. Grennethal’s Nariatotosis
  4. Hanged Man Syndrome
  5. Alcori Fever
  6. Dervish-Mills Disease

1d6 Starship Names

And when you need a ship to deliver the cure…

  1. The St. Michael
  2. The Kafr ’Ana
  3. The Pashkievich
  4. The Legerwood
  5. The Stuart Eustace
  6. The Maria Rosa

1d6 More Starship Names

Or the name of a wreck to explore…

  1. The Fairchild
  2. The Hulstina
  3. The Guiliu
  4. The Allancastria
  5. The Debrene
  6. The Przedwojewo

Yet Another 1d6 Starship Names

Or the name of a patrol cruiser…

  1. The Al-Razik
  2. The Iris Simpson
  3. The Aepypodius
  4. The Mad Jackeen
  5. The Testament of Isaac
  6. The Miguel Najdorf

1d6 Starship Names: The Next Generation

Or the name of a friendly merchant…

  1. The Valcárcel
  2. The Anschütz
  3. The Lone Star
  4. The Mycenaceae
  5. The Devonshire
  6. The Oskar Kanehl

1d6 Mummy Names

If you know its name, it might not kill you.

  1. Akenenn Khem
  2. Barankh Hemsere
  3. Ihonsus Perem
  4. Sekhet Khuniu
  5. Heptutu Heph
  6. Khetep Setarit

1d6 Troll Names

Do these names apply to new trolls regenerated from a detached body part?

  1. Hrunth’ung
  2. Kikkalumt
  3. Gurdulun
  4. Oggum
  5. Bblutt
  6. Tdug

1d6 Hobgoblin Names

There’s never a “Ted” in the group.

  1. Krovek
  2. Sh’vaanith
  3. Orgum
  4. Druughal
  5. Novreth
  6. Lom

1d6 Flavorful Spell Names

You can make magic magical with a few magic words.

  1. The Healing Touch of Dath Myrra (Cure Light Wounds)
  2. Courage of the Faithful (Remove Fear)
  3. Briar Bind (Entangle)
  4. Djabid’s Dis-Integration (Magic Missile)
  5. Irresistible Visage (Charm Person)
  6. Eyes to See (Detect Illusion)

1d6 Stupid Royal Decrees

It’s enough to make a Paladin turn Chaotic, I tells ya.

  1. All magicians in the kingdom must wear red hats on Thursdays.
  2. Ducks are illegal to buy, sell, or trade, but not to own. Duck eggs are considered ducks for the purposes of this decree.
  3. Swords, axe blades, and any other edged weapon must be covered with sheepskin that has been dyed bright green.
  4. No one who tithes to the Church of St. Hubbins may sing in public.
  5. The tax on mackerel that has been salted is doubled, unless it is purchased from a royally-licensed vendor.
  6. Lute strings cannot be purchased on Sundays or Tuesdays.

1d6 Odd Magical Treasures

Better than a +1 hanky.

  1. A porcelain teapot that is always full of whiskey
  2. A lute that is perpetually in tune
  3. A pair of boots that never need polishing
  4. A comb whose possessor never needs to comb her hair
  5. A book that always opens to the last page that was read
  6. A hat whose wearer never gets wet, even when fully submerged

1d6 Offbeat Familiars

When all the ravens are spoken for.

  1. A Quaker Parrot
  2. A White Cat
  3. A Betta Fish
  4. A Bee Colony
  5. A Praying Mantis
  6. A Chicken

1d6 Character Obsessions

You quirky little adventurer, you!

  1. Collecting red things (armor, hats, etc.)
  2. Trying every “unique” beverage in the world
  3. Defeating the greatest living swordsman
  4. Not owning a tavern one day
  5. Having his/her name attached to a spell
  6. Bedding every known type of harlot

1d6 Odd Weapon Enchantments

Possibly useful, definitely unusual.

  1. Glows to indicate presence of drinkable water
  2. Wounds cause a debilitating itch
  3. Temperature changes inversely to environment
  4. Sings battle marches when swung
  5. Shrinks to 2” when sheathed
  6. Blood from wounds delivered pools and turns to carnelian (1gp per HP damage)

1d6 More Odd Weapon Enchantments

Maybe helpful, maybe just strange.

  1. Ignites paper on contact
  2. Freezes all water in a 10’ radius
  3. Glows in the presence of falcons & hawks
  4. Casts mirror image on itself whenever not worn
  5. Points to true East at sunrise & true West at sunset
  6. Glows perpetually, but dims in presence of dragons

1d6 Possibly Useful Pre-Adventure Expenses

“It’s dangerous to go alone! Take This.”

  1. A spare pair of boots
  2. A bushel of wheat
  3. Three pails
  4. 10 pounds of sand
  5. A goose-down pillow
  6. 5 straws

1d6 Sorcerous Exclamations

The hoary hosts are busy right now. Please press 3 to speak to a representative.

  1. Shoregrin’s Teeth!
  2. By the Wicks and Flames of Leoditus!
  3. A Square upon Scorpius!
  4. By the Zall’s own Ziggurat!
  5. By Jarrin’s Fallen Fox!
  6. A Ghast aghast!

1d6 Colors From The Old School RPG Crayon Box

Now it’s just getting stupid.

  1. Otus Orange
  2. Gygax Green
  3. Blume Blue
  4. Moldvay Mauve
  5. Petersen Purple
  6. St. Andre Silver
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The Mecha Hack: Fire Team 05Δ

Wherein your humble scribe presents a quickly thrown together fire team for The Mecha Hack – a mech-focused take on The Black Hack (1e, not 2e). Why? Because he’s been digging into Gundam stuff (UC for me!) for a little bit now and this seems like a good game for fast & fun mecha times. And since a mecha team is only as much fun as its opponent, there are a couple of those further down in the post, too.

As the Zircanian mechs closed the gap, beam swords twirling in a blinding display, Samson barked into her comm. “Echo Viking! Echo Viking! Focus your fire on the tank, damnit! You’ll never hit those Szybkis they way they move!”

“If I weren’t in this damn Titan I would!” Sandy hissed back.

“You wreck your Striker, you get the Titan, kid,” O’Keefe the team’s engineer chimed in. “That’s how it goes.”

“Lighten up, y’all! We’re the oh-five and we can take anything these Zees throw at us. We’re the team that took down General Kosci, outnumbered three to one, when both suns were in eclipse, after all!” added Ensign Duran, lifting everyone’s spirits just a little.

Thinking back on that glorious fight Sandy took a deep breath and opened up her chaingun on the Grzmot. A direct hit! It was smoking now, armor be damned. Her team wouldn’t have to worry about its thunder cannon, thank god. Of course, her mech had taken a nasty slice from one of the Szybkis she was ignoring. But sometimes you just have to pay the piper.

“Nice shot, Echo Viking. Hit those jets and get out of the scrum, we’ll take it from here.”

“And when we’re out of this I’ll take a look at fixing that Striker of yours. If you aren’t in love with that big gun now, that is…”

“Thanks, Har. Give ’em hell for me!”

Fire Team 05Δ

Harmony Oracle (Striker) / Lt. Cmdr. Maddie Samson (Commander) / L1 AP5 HP8
Power 12 Mobility 8 System 13 Presence 16
Hit Die d8 Damage Die d8 Reactor Die d8
Equipment: Comlink, Sword (d8), Submachine Gun (d8), Shield (2AP), Light Armor (3AP)
Modules: Targeting Array
Chassis Abilities: Adaptable Robotics, Reactor Charge
Pilot Abilities: Capable Leader, Battle Tactics

Romeo Jester (Striker) / Ens. Duran Zuniga (Quipster) / L1 AP5 HP8
Power 14 Mobility 18 System 10 Presence 9
Hit Die d8 Damage Die d8 Reactor Die d8
Equipment: Comlink, Sword (d8), Submachine Gun (d8), Shield (2AP), Light Armor (3AP)
Modules: Reflective Shielding
Chassis Abilities: Adaptable Robotics, Reactor Charge
Pilot Abilities: Lovable Oaf, Inspiring Speech

Vortex Horizon (Brawler) / Lt. Harlan O’Keefe (Engineer) / L1 AP5 HP8
Power 13 Mobility 12 System 12 Presence 12
Hit Die d8 Damage Die d8 Reactor Die d6
Equipment: Comlink, Laser Axe (d8), Submachine Gun (d8), Shield (2AP), Light Armor (3AP)
Modules: Rocket Fists
Chassis Abilities: Crippling Damage, Charging Strike
Pilot Abilities: Gearhead, Quick Fix

Echo Viking (Titan) / Ltjg. Sandy Xiang (Maverick) / L1 AP5 HP12
Power 16 Mobility 12 System 8 Presence 13
Hit Die d10 Damage Die d6 Reactor Die d6
Equipment: Comlink, Chaingun (d6+2), Heavy Armor (5AP)
Modules: Jump Jets
Chassis Abilities: Kinetic Absorbers, Energy Shield
Pilot Abilities: Ace Pilot, Reckless Attack

Enemies

Zicanian Grzmot Tank HD2
Heavily-armored tank equipped with mech-disabling tech

Heavy Armor Reduce incoming damage by 2
Main Gun Attack: Mobility, 1 near or far target, 1d6 damage
Machine Gun Attack: Mobility, 2 close targets, 1d4 damage
Thunder Cannon Attack (Recharge 5-6): System, 2 close or near targets, roll reactor die

Zicanian Szybki Mecha HD1
Small, fast mecha designed to swarm a battlefield

Turbo Servos Reach far locations in one move
Hyperclocked Servos Opponents’ ranged weapons suffer a +1 penalty to hit
Beam Sword Slice Attack: Mobility, 1 close target, 1d4 damage
Beam Sword Flurry Attack: (Recharge: 6) Deal 1d4 damage to all close targets

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TFT LE: A Dozen Carboard Heroes (And Wizards)

Wherein your humble scribe presents a cool dozen TFT (Legacy Edition) characters based on some of his favorite Cardboard Heroes of old. These folks are all 32 point starting characters. Rather than saddle these poor creatures with a personality that you’ll likely just replace, they remain as blank as the stare of a young B/X player in 1982 when confronted with the visual representation of a Dwarven mage for the first time.

Dandy Highwayman / Human M / Hero
ST 12 DX 9 (8) IQ 11 MA 10 (8)
Talents: Charisma (2), Courtly Graces (1), Crossbow (1), Horsemanship (1), Missile Weapons (2), Recognize Value (1), Sex Appeal (1), Sword (2)
Equipment: Broadsword (2d), Light Crossbow (2d), Cloth Armor (1)

Martial Artist / Human M / Hero
ST 9 DX 12 (11) IQ 11 MA 10 (10)
Talents: Bola (1), Detect Lies (2), Knife (1), Priest (1), Thrown Weapons (2), Two Weapons (2), Unarmed Combat I (1), Unarmed Combat II (1)
Equipment: Nunchucks (1d+1), Dagger (1d-1), Bola (Special), Cloth Armor (1)

Archer / Human M / Hero
ST 11 DX 12 (10) IQ 9 MA 10 (8)
Talents: Bow (2), Carousing (1), Missile Weapons (3), Mundane Talent: Wood Carver (1), Sword (2)
Equipment: Longbow (1d+2), Shortsword (2d-1), Dagger (1d-1), Leather Armor (2)

Hill Barbarian / Human M / Hero
ST 11 DX 11 (10) IQ 10 MA 12 (12)
Talents: Climbing (1), Knife (1), Pole Weapons (2), Running (2), Shield (1), Shield Expertise (2), Tracking (1)
Equipment: Spear (1d/1d+1), Dagger (1d-1), Large Shield (2)

Swashbuckler / Human F / Hero
ST 9 DX 12 (11) IQ 11 MA 10 (10)
Talents: Charisma (2), Courtly Graces (1), Diplomacy (1), Poet (1), Quick Draw: Sword (1), Sword (2), Weapon Expertise: Sword (3)
Equipment: Rapier (1d), Cloth Armor (1)

Crusader / Human F / Hero
ST 11 DX 11 (8) IQ 10 MA 10 (6)
Talents: Ax/Mace (2), Literacy (1), Alertness (2), Priest (1), Engineer (2), Naturalist (2)
Equipment: Mace (2d-1), Chainmail (3)

Sorceress / Human F / Wizard
ST 9 DX 11 (11) IQ 12 MA 10 (10)
Talents: Literacy (1), Sex Appeal (2)
Spells: Avert (1), Dazzle (1), Fireball (1), Sleep (1), Staff II (1), Staff to Snake (1), Summon Myrmidon (1), Summon Scout (1), Turn Missiles (1)
Equipment: Staff (1d)

Thief / Human F / Hero
ST 10 DX 11 (10) IQ 11 MA 10 (10)
Talents: Climbing (1), Detect Traps (2), Locksmith (1), Recognize Value (1), Remove Traps (1), Silent Movement (2), Streetwise (1), Sword (2)
Equipment: Sabre (2d-2), Dagger (1d-1), Cloth Armor (1)

Elven Swordswoman / Elf F / Hero
ST 9 DX 13 (12) IQ 10 MA 12 (12)
Talents: Acute Hearing (2), Alertness (2), Language: Human (1), Mimic (1), Quick-Draw: Sword (1), Sword (2), Unarmed Combat I (1)
Equipment: Rapier (1d), Main-Gauche (1), Cloth Armor (1)

Dwarven Mage / Dwarf M / Wizard
ST 10 DX 9 (8) IQ 13 MA 10 (10)
Talents: Literacy (1), Language: Human (1)
Spells: 3-Hex Wall (1), Ferment (1), Light (1), Lock/Knock (1), Mage Sight (1), Open Tunnel (1), Repair (1), Scrying (1), Staff III (1), Stone Flesh (1), Summon Gargoyle (1)
Equipment: Staff of Striking (1d), Cloth Armor (1)

Halfling Thief / Halfling F / Hero
ST 8 DX 13 (12) IQ 9 MA 10 (10)
Talents: Detect Traps (2), Knife (1), Language: Human (1), Pickpocket (1), Remove Traps (1), Silent Movement (2), Streetwise (1)
Equipment: Dagger (1d-1), Cloth Armor (1)

Goblin Wizard / Goblin M / Wizard
ST 9 DX 9 (8) IQ 14 MA 10 (10)
Talents: Business Sense (4), Language: Human (1), Literacy (1)
Spells: Analyze Magic (1), Glamour (1), Lightning (1), Persuasiveness (1), Staff III (1), Summon Myrmidon (1), Telepathy (1), Weapon/Armor Enchantment (1)
Equipment: Staff of Striking (1d), Cloth Armor (1)

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SWN Revised: Fighting For Workers Rights

Wherein your humble scribe presents a quartet of randomly generated characters for Stars Without Number Revised as he awaits his copy of the Kickstarted hardback, which has shipped and should be here any day now.

These folks were built using SWN(R)’s Quick Character Creation option (p.26) and are thus representative of starting characters in this edition.

On the more industrialized worlds of the Alceris Sector, the Iron Federation struggles to defend workers’ rights and protections. It’s not an easy task — the corporations have money, power, and, all too often, muscle on their side. So the approaches vary, as do the people who fight for the principles of Worker Dignity.

Nazir
A lucky escapee from the primitive world of Qabis, Nazir has managed to scrape together a small fortune in credits by serving as hired muscle for the Clenched Fists wing of the Iron Federation. Sometimes to protect the rights of the workers you have to lean on management just a little. And leaning is definitely Nazir’s biggest strength.

Nazir (Qabis) / Barbarian / Warrior 1 / Cr 500
HP 8 / AC 14 / AB +1 / P 14 E 15 M 15
STR 14 DEX 9 CON 12 INT 11 WIS 9 CHA 7
Skills: Survive-0, Notice-0, Stab-1, Punch-0, Heal-0
Languages: Arabic, Trade Common
Focus: Savage Fray-1, Shocking Assault-1
Equipment: Spear (1d6+1),Primitive hide armor, Primitive shield, Knife (1d4) Backpack (TL0), 7 days rations, 20m rope

Mira Mahajan
Mira saw the struggles of industrial servitude firsthand on Iorna, where her parents both perished in the mines while trying to pay off their company debts. So when the Iron Federation took her in and saved her from the worst the camps had to offer, she dedicated herself to their mission, by any means necessary. That vow made her a perfect candidate for the Silent Blades wing.

Mira Mahajan (Iorna) / Vagabond / Warrior 1 / Cr 100
HP 6 / AC 13 / AB +1 / P 15 E 15 M 14
STR 7 DEX 10 CON 9 INT 11 WIS 12 CHA 14
Skills: Notice-0, Sneak-1, Survive-0, Lead-0, Shoot-0
Languages: Hindi, Trade Common
Focus: Gunslinger-1, Authority-1
Equipment: Laser Pistol (1d6), Armored Undersuit, Monoblade Knife (1d6), 8 type A Cells, Backpack (TL0), Compad

Ricardo Gavilan
A smooth-talking con man from one of the orbital habitats above Gherenberg, Ricardo has recently taken a shine to working with the Iron Federation’s Smiling Eyes wing. There’s nothing like advancing the workers’ cause with a little friendly persuasion, after all.

Ricardo Gavilan (Gherenberg) / Spacer / Expert 1 / Cr 25
HP 2 / AC 13 / AB +0 / P 15 E 15 M 14
STR 7 DEX 9 CON 10 INT 12 WIS 11 CHA 14
Skills: Fix-0, Pilot-0, Program-0, Talk-1, Shoot-0
Languages: Spanish, Trade Common, Arabic, Hindi, English
Focus: Diplomat-1, Specialist/Talk-1
Equipment: Laser Pistol (1d6), Armored Undersuit, Monoblade knife (1d6), Climbing harness, Low-light goggles, 2 type A cells, Backpack (TL0), Compad, Metatool

Julia Lloyd-Davies
Julia slaved for several years as a company member at Bhatanagar Enterprises, where she watched in horror as castmate after castmate suffered terrible accidents that were clearly the result of lax safety practices. When her contract was terminated due to the scarring she suffered from the accident that even she couldn’t foresee, she sought out the Iron Federation to set things right once and for all.

Julia Lloyd-Davies (New Victoria) / Entertainer / Psychic 1 / Cr 700
HP 6 / AC 13 / AB +0 / P 15 E 15 M 14 / Effort 4
STR 9 DEX 11 CON 12 INT 10 WIS 14 CHA 7
Skills: Perform-0, Talk-0, Connect-0, Telepathy-0, Precognition-1, Know-0
Languages: English, Trade Common, Hindi
Focus: Psychic Training-1
Psychic Techniques: Terminal Reflection (Precognition)
Equipment: Secure Clothing, Compad

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NTRPGCon 2017: Pregens for Six Bullets In Bustamante

Below are the pregens I put together for the Mini Six powered western I ran at NTRPGCon 2017. In addition to the game information, each includes the text of the mysterious telegram that they received to draw them into the action. Note also that I drew quite a bit from WilD6 West, a nifty western implementation of Mini Six put together by the same hombre who puts out The Mighty Six superhero thang.

J.B. Armstrong / Dodge 11 Block 7 Parry 7 Soak 7
A fast-talkin’ grifter from back east, full of book learnin’ and people smarts
Might 2D+1 Agility 3D+1 Wit 3D+2 Charm 3D+2
Skills: Pistols 3D+2, Thievin’ 4D+1, Dodge 3D+2, Throwin’ 3D+2, Learnin’ 4D+2, Savvy 4D+2, Wiles 5D+2
Perks: Charming, I’ve Got Just The Thing
Complications: Competitive, Superstitious
Languages: English, French, Spanish
Gear: 6 Throwing Knives (3D+1), $20

FROM: JAMES PATRICK LAKE, EL PASO, TX, USA
TO: J.B. ARMSTRONG, HOTEL TRAVIS, AUSTIN, TX, USA
GOT SOME POSSUMS TO SMILE OUT OF A TREE STOP MOUNTAIN GOLD IN RETURN STOP CANTINA ROJA LAREDO NOV 17 STOP 4 RED STARS IN THE SKY STOP


M.Q. Black / Dodge 15 Block 7 Parry 7 Soak 7
A singin’ gunslinger from who holds many grudges
Might 2D+1 Agility 4D Wit 2D+1 Charm 3D+1
Skills: Brawlin’ 2D+2, Pistol 6D, Dodge 5D, Riding 5D, Doctorin’ 2D+2, Guts 4D+1, Performin’ 3D+2
Perks: Ambidextrous, Hip Shootin’
Complications: Code of Honor (Code of the West), Vengeful
Languages: English, Spanish
Gear: 2 Colt Peacemakers (5D+1 each), 20’ rope, $19

FROM: JAMES PATRICK LAKE, EL PASO, TX, USA
TO: M.Q. BLACK, UPMANN HOTEL, TOMBSTONE, AZ, USA
NEED YR GUN STOP GOLD APLENTY IN MEX STOP CANTINA ROJA LAREDO NOV 17 STOP 6 BLACK RED RIVALS STOP


R.L. Ludy / Dodge 9 Block 9 Parry 9 Soak 9
A foul-mouthed sawbones who sided with the South, who’s smarter than he lets on
Might 3D Agility 2D+1 Wit 4D Charm 2D+2
Skills: Brawlin’ 3D+1, Rifle 3D+1, Dodge 3D, Doctorin’ 5D, Doctorin’/Battlefield Surgery 6D, Doctorin’/Dentistry 6D, Doctorin’/Horses 6D, Learnin’ 5D, Savvy 3D+2
Perks: Cussin’, Natural Born Healer
Complications: Obstinate, Surly
Languages: English, Latin, French, Italian
Gear: Remington Single-Barrel 12 Gauge (6D), Surgeon‘s kit, $23

FROM: JAMES PATRICK LAKE, EL PASO, TX, USA
TO: R.L. LUDY, TRINITY HOTEL, DALLAS, TX, USA
MOTHERLODE IN MEXICO STOP CANTINA ROJA LAREDO NOV 17 STOP DONT TELL SAM STOP 1-2 WHITE GOSPEL MAKERS STOP


M. Rivas / Dodge 10 Block 8 Parry 8 Soak 8
An overconfident Mexican bankrobber with a taste for TNT
Might 2D+2 Agility 3D Wit 3D+2 Charm 2D+2
Skills: Pistol 4D, Thievin’ 4D, Sneakin’ 3D+1, Dodge 3D+1, Riding 3D+1, Engineering/Demolitions 6D+2, Savvy 4D+2, Wiles 3D+2, Throwing 4D
Perks: Dirty Fighter, Logical Thinker
Complications: Brash, Jealous
Languages: Spanish, English, Apache
Gear: Colt New Model Army (5D), 6 sticks of dynamite, matches, 50 yd of fuse, $20

FROM: JAMES PATRICK LAKE, EL PASO, TX, USA
TO: M. RIVAS, HOTEL GARNET, TUCSON, AZ, USA
COME TO LAREDO STOP BRING DYNAMITE STOP CANTINA ROJA NOV 17 STOP JUST LIKE OLD TIMES STOP 9 WHITE THE LILLYWHITE BOYS STOP


E. Valdaron / Dodge 10 Block 9 Parry 9 Soak 9
A mud fence ugly backwoodsman who can tack a butterfly on a moonless night
Might 3D Agility 3D Wit 3D Charm 3D
Skills: Rifle 4D, Dodge 3D+1, Sneaking 4D, Ridin’ 3D+1, Know-How 4D, Survival 4D, Perception/Tracking 6D, Guts 3D+1
Perks: Acute Hearing, Trail Wise
Complications: Rustic, Ugly
Languages: Spanish, English, Navajo
Gear: Winchester ’73 Rifle (6D+1), Machete (4D+2), $23

FROM: JAMES PATRICK LAKE, EL PASO, TX, USA
TO: E. VALDARON, POPLAR HOTEL, SAN ANTONIO, TX, USA
ES VERDAD AMIGO STOP ORO EN LAS MONTANAS STOP TRAIGA SU FUSIL STOP CANTINA ROJA LAREDO 17 DE NOV STOP 3 AZUL ROJO CAMINANTES ORGULLOSOS STOP


A.S. Garrett / Dodge 12 Block 6 Parry 6 Soak 6
A sickly gambler from New Orleans who takes risks no sane man would
Might 2D Agility 3D Wit 3D+2 Charm 3D+1
Skills: Dodge 4D, Pistols 3D+1, Thievin’ 3D+1, Gambling 4D+2, Gambling/Poker 6D+2, Gambling/Dice 5D+2, Savvy 4D+2, Wiles 4D+1, Guts 3D+2
Perks: Alertness, Funny
Complications: Anemic, Thrill-Seeker
Languages: English, French, Spanish
Gear: Pocket Derringer (5D), Marked Cards, $20

FROM: JAMES PATRICK LAKE, EL PASO, TX, USA
TO: A.S. GARRETT, ST JAMES INFIMARY, NEW ORLEANS, LA, USA
FOUND SITE IN MEXICO STOP YR PAS INJUN WAS RIGHT STOP CANTINA ROJA LAREDO NOV 17 STOP 3 BLACK SYMBOLS AT YOUR DOOR STOP


P.A. Walker / Dodge 11 Block 12 Parry 9 Soak 9
An embittered Southern Gentleman who just can’t let go of the war
Might 3D Agility 3D+2 Wit 3D Charm 2D+1
Skills: Brawling 4D, Rifle 4D+2, Big Guns 4D, Riding 4D, Engineering 4D, Know-How 4D, Command 3D+1, Guts 2d+2
Perks: Killer Instinct, Nerves of Steel
Complications: Gentlemanly, Intolerant (Non-Whites)
Languages: English, German, French
Gear: Sharps Carbine (6D), Bowie Knife (4D+1), $18

FROM: JAMES PATRICK LAKE, EL PASO, TX, USA
TO: P.A. WALKER, ROSE HOTEL, FT WORTH, TX, USA
GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY STOP JUST LIKE THE COL SAID STOP MEET ME IN LAREDO NOV 17 STOP CANTINA ROJA STOP 5 BLUE WHITE AND ALL ALONE STOP

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BoL at NTRPGCon 2017

Update: I’ve dropped the Saturday night BoL game in favor of running an improvised/emergent adventure with Troika! – more on that in another post.

I’ve got two one game of Barbarians of Lemuria (Mythic Edition, with a chunk of love from Honor + Intrigue) on the list for this year’s North Texas RPG Con, both set in my Clark Ashton Smith inspired, not-quite-Averoigne, medieval-ish, France-esque setting known as Plonesse:

  • The Parnassus Key (Friday 6/2, 6pm-11pm)
    The heist went bad. Very bad. And with a full moon shining brightly on the streets of Yllons, the best way to escape notice was to duck into the sewers. Unfortunately, the strange luminescent mist down here has disoriented you enough that you’re now lost beneath the city you call home. There’s bound to be a way out, though. But wait. What’s that sound coming from behind you? And in front of you? It’s a bad night for thieves in Yllons. Let’s hope it doesn’t get worse.

  • The Viridian Sybil (Saturday 6/3, 6pm-11pm)
    From her lichen-covered shrine deep within the Forest Malmogne, the Viridian Sybil revealed a prophecy: “Dark days approach! Plonesse is cursed anew! Vusseaux falls! Yllons overrun! Bathe in the waters! Speak the incantation! Ask of the skull!” Back in the village of L’Oenneu, a strange mound appears beside the well…

The links above will take you to page here at Strange Stones where I will (eventually) post the pregens that will be used as well as any other relevant info. More of that stuff soon!

In the meantime, here’s the one paragraph summary of Plonesse:

Plonesse is a hilly and densely-wooded region within Galiana, an analogue of medieval France. Vusseaux and Yllons are its two major cities. A road runs between them, traditionally watched over by the monks of the Abbey of St. Giles the Green. Numerous small villages dot the landscape. The River Voemonde – joined by the River L’Ud; just south of the Abbey – roughly parallels the road of St. Giles. And all around lies the Forest Malmogne, dark with sinister mystery.

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ZeFRS/Conan: The Painters of the New Kordavan School

Wherein your humble scribe produces a batch of characters for ZeFRS (the now-ancient clone of the old TSR Conan game) using Chris Kutalik’s ancient random ZeFRS chracter generation method. Because he just found the PDF lurking on his hard drive and he finds the system intriguing, that’s why. Character names were randomly generated using the Hyborian Names doc from Wizardawn Games.

Led by the magnetic Volmercer – and funded by his current enamorada, the beguiling Brythunian noble Albena – the painters of the New Kordovan School travel about Hyboria practicing their arts. They all have a certain way with with blade, which is fortunate given just how dangerous these times are. Though Decualuis has already surpassed his master’s skill with the brush, he remains a loyal follower and, despite his reticent nature and utter lack of inability to carry a tune, he still attempts to sing along to Volmercer’s bawdy drinking songs (much to the amusement of the crowd at the Red Stag – at least until they become annoyed). The Argosean warrior, Borerius, meanwhile, is tolerated mostly because his great size tends to ensure that recalcitrant clients pay for their commissioned works.


Volmercer / Zingara Artisan
Gambler, Miserly

Prowess 1
Acrobatics 2, Movement 5, Strength 5
Endurance 0
Damage 6, Magic Endurance 2
Fighting 0
Rapier 5, Dirk 4
Knowledge 1
Reading/Writing 4, Survival 2, Carpentry 4, Artisan (Painter) 5
Perception 0
Medicine 4
Insight 0
Hypnotism 2, Personal Magnetism 4, Minstrel 2

Equipment
Rapier, Steel Helmet, Bronze Cuirass


Albena / Brythunian Low Noble
Weakness to Drink, Fear of Animals

Prowess 1
Movement 12, Animal Reflexes 2, Throwing 2, Acrobatics 2
Endurance 1
Stamina 5, Damage 7, Will 2
Fighting 1
Broadsword 4, Dirk 4, Two-Handed Fighting (Sword & Dirk) 2
Knowledge 0
Artisan (Painter) 4, Reading/Writing 2
Perception 0
Picking Pockets 2, Observation 2
Insight 0
Animal Senses 4

Equipment
Broadsword, Dirk, 5 gold coins


Decualuis / Zamoran Artisan
Taciturn, Tone Deaf

Prowess 1
Animal Reflexes 3, Movement 4, Strength 3, Swimming 2
Endurance 0
Damage 7
Fighting 0
Saber 5, Short Bow 4
Knowledge 2
Blacksmith 4, Reading/Writing 4, Goldsmith 6, Artisan (Painter) 6
Perception 0
Observation 4, Picking Pockets 2
Insight 0
Animal Senses 2

Equipment
Saber, Cloak, Bronze Cuirass


Borerius / Argosean Warrior
Night Blind, Glutton

Prowess 1
Strength 10, Movement 3
Endurance 1
Damage 8, Poison Endurance 4
Fighting 1
Brawling 4, Spear 4, Cinequesda 3, Throwing Dirk 3
Knowledge 0
Survival 4, Artisan (Painter) 3
Perception 0
Directional Sense 4, Observation 2
Insight 0
Animal Senses 4

Equipment
Spear, Throwing Dirk, Chainmail Shirt

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LL: Let’s Talk Nerdy To The Animals

The animals, the animals,
Let’s talk nerdy to the animals.
Save vs Death, Mister Bunny.
Roll to hit, Mister Bear.

-Apologies to Gilda Radner

Recently Random Order Creations released Rabbits & Rangers, a “supplement written for Labyrinth Lord describing 50 cartoon animal races and various rules tweaks that let you get a slightly more cartoony vibe out of your game.” And since I’m a sucker for Carl Barks, Looney Tunes, Felix the Cat, Hanna-Barbera cartoons, Redwall, and just about any other instance of Funny Animals (as well as things that twist or subvert the genre, like Cerebus, Howard the Duck, Fritz the Cat, Rock & Rule, and so on), I bought it.

Buying it is no good if I don’t put it to use, though. So here’s a party (in the style of my Labyrinth Lord Rogues Gallery) of characters created using Rabbits & Rangers. These characters are all 1st level, were granted maximum HP (Standard LL Style), and have a bare minimum of equipment. They were all created with 3d6 for stats, more often than not in order.

Note: All of the animal races have assorted abilities, attribute modifiers, limitations, and the like. I haven’t listed those here (except for their natural weapon damage values). R&R is only $2, so if you’re curious, go buy the dang thing.

Billysseus / Goat Fighter 1 N
Nature: Cunning / Luck: 6
STR 16 INT 10 WIS 7 DEX 12 CON 12 CHR 11
HP 8 AC 7 Gold 98
Spear, Longbow, 20 Arrows, Leather Armor, Shield
Tooth and Claw: 1d4 bite; 1d6 horns
Languages: Common, Goat, Cow, Chicken, Pig

Bjorn / Polar Bear Fighter 1 L
Nature: Simple / Luck: 4
STR 17 INT 5 WIS 5 DEX 8 CON 12 CHR 6
HP 9 AC 5 Gold 15
Two-Handed Sword, Chain Mail
Tooth and Claw: 1d10 bite; 1d6 claw
Languages: Common, Bear, Deer, Fox, Frog, Mouse, Porcupine

Logana / Badger Fighter 1 C
Nature: Sinister / Luck: 8
STR 14 INT 12 WIS 11 DEX 8 CON 14 CHR 14
HP 10 AC 4 Gold 14
Battle Axe, Chain Mail, Shield
Tooth and Claw: 1d6
Languages: Common, Badger, Duck

Don Pedro Quintanilla, El Pinchazo / Porcupine Fighter/Magic-User 1/1 N
Nature: Stoic / Luck: 7
STR 17 INT 17 WIS 9 DEX 11 CON 13 CHR 10
HP 6 AC 2 Gold 1
Sword, Crossbow, 10 Quarrels, Chain Mail, Shield, Spell Book
Tooth and Claw: 1d4 bite; 1d4+1 claw
Languages: Common, Porcupine, Stoat, Sheep, Bird, Wolf
Magic-User Spells: Shield, Burning Hands, Mending, Manipulate Fire, Erase, Charm Person, Unseen Servant

Red, Just Red / Squirrel Thief 1 C
Nature: Bully / Luck: 9
STR 9 INT 8 WIS 7 DEX 15 CON 16 CHR 5
HP 6 AC 6 Gold 86
Sword, Dagger, Short Bow, 20 Arrows, Leather Armor, Thieves’ Tools
Tooth and Claw: 1d3
Languages: Common, Squirrel, Tiger, Penguin, Owl, Coyote

Brother Bathersby / Kangaroo Cleric 1 L
Nature: Upright / Luck: 3
STR 12 INT 11 WIS 16 DEX 11 CON 14 CHR 13
HP 7 AC 3 Gold 8
Mace, Sling, 10 Bullets, Chain Mail, Shield, Silver Holy Symbol
Tooth and Claw: 1d4 bite; 1d6+1 kick
Languages: Common, Kangaroo, Fossa, Bird, Gorilla, Owl
Cleric Spells: Purify Food and Drink, Cure Light Wounds

Reynja / Fox Magic-User/Thief 1 N
Nature: Rascally / Luck: 7
STR 11 INT 17 WIS 5 DEX 12 CON 10 CHR 11
HP 4 AC 7 Gold 146
Sword, Dagger, Leather Armor, Thieves’ Tools
Tooth and Claw: 1d4
Languages: Common, Fox, Panda, Raccoon, Chameleon, Sheep, Kangaroo, Mongoose, Lion
Magic-User Spells: Protection from Evil, Jarring Hand, Allure, Ventriloquism, Shield, Read Magic, Enlarge

Arthur / Crow Magic-User/Cleric 1 C
Nature: Ornery / Luck: 4
STR 7 INT 15 WIS 15 DEX 9 CON 12 CHR 4
HP 6 AC 8 Gold 125
Sword, Dagger, Quarterstaff, Leather Armor, Silver Holy Symbol, Spell Book
Tooth and Claw: 1d4
Languages: Common, Crow, Cow, Wolf, Rhino, Pig, Turtle, Wolf, Kangaroo
Magic-User Spells: Summon Familiar, Mending, Erase, Hold Portal, Magic Aura, Read Languages
Cleric Spells: Sanctuary, Command

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