Thursday, February 27, 2014

The First Creature: The Biridlu AKA The Mantle

Work on my new Tekumel game proceeds. Here is the first monster I've finished. Enjoy!

Biridlú (The Mantle)

Hit Dice: 4+1
Armor Class: 16 [3]
Attacks: Claws (1d6)
Saving Throw: 12
Special: Crushing attack
Move: 4 / 12 (flying)

Groups of these black, flying creatures cling to the ceilings of the Underworld, ready to drop on victims and suffocate them in their muscular bodies. Biridlú are often used as treasure guardians and they fight to the death and never check morale.

They ambush their opponents from the ceiling. If the Biridlú gets surprise, it will fall on a victim with no to-hit roll required. Once inside the folds of the Biridlú's cape, the creature begins to crush its prey. Victims take 1d6 the first turn and 2d6 each additional turn. On a successful saving throw (victims can add ST Mod), the victim can throw off the beast. Friends can help cut a victim out, as well. If the Biridlú is on the ground, they can claw or attempt to envelope a victim, which requires a successful to-hit roll. On the next round, the creature can crush their victim.

Their powerful bodies take full damage from steel weapons, magic, and fire; other weapons are ineffectual. They regenerate damage, except for fire damage, so once killed they must be burned or they will revive in 3 combat rounds.

Unexpected Connection Between My Adventures

I just realized that several of my Tekumel scenarios that I've run at Con of the North and U-Con over the past 15 years fit together in a way. Three of them are all shortly following an earthquake in Jakalla. The fourth one can easily be tweaked to be at the same time. So, I think I'll have to put them together into an adventure series. I've even got a name: Lord Vimuhla Moved the Earth.

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Free RPGs Designed for Kids

A friend was looking for RPGs for kids and I decided to collect them into one place. I will be adding more as I think of them or they are suggested to me.


D&D Clones


Kiddie Hack
One-page rules for kids

Dungeon Delvers
One page rules. Comes in a card deck form as well ($14.95)

Dagger
A simple, fast ruleset designed for kids 5+

World of Dungeons
A simplified hack of Dungeon World. Dungeon World 0E in a way.

Other Games

Risus
A rules-lite game suitable for kids.

FAE: Fate Accelerated Edition
Very simple story-focused game.

I Roll To See If I Have Shoes
A simple mechanic that drives your character development.

Shadows
You play a character and your shadow.

Broomstix: The Harry Potter Roleplaying Game
Harry Potter. Need I say more.

Superpets
Under Dog and other regular animals with super powers.

Clown Cops
You used to be a clown. Now you're a cop in Clowntown.

Amazing Monkey Adventures
Escape from the zoo, cause mischief, and return before the zookeeper notices.



Please send more suggestions.

Monday, February 24, 2014

A little mixup bears fruit: Spirit Magic for Labyrinth Lord

Rushing out the door from work, I totally misread the call for submissions to the OSR Superstar Competition. I initially thought that instead of designing a magic item, we were to design a magic system (I was only off by three letters). On the drive home, I came up with an interesting entry for the contest. Then I reread the Superstar listing and noticed my mistake. Then I created a magic item for the competition.

But the magic system was too good to waste. So here you have:


Spirit Magic for Labyrinth Lord


The most powerful spells of Prospero, the great magician of William Shakespeare's The Tempest, were
not cast by his hand. He had his faithful air spirit, Ariel, cast them for him. Prospero is an Enchanter, cajoling a local spirit to do his bidding.

In this variant for Labyrinth Lord, magic users don't cast spells, they convince local nature spirits to cast spells for them. Charisma is the secondary attribute of all magic users. Being a magic user gives the character the ability to perceive and communicate with the spirits in the area.

Elemental Nature Spirits

The local nature spirits are affiliated with the elements. The elements are Fire, Water, Earth, and Air. The four elements also form two pairs of opposites. Fire is opposite Water, and Earth is opposite Air. (GMs wishing to use this magic system in Asian-styled settings should use the Oriental elements of Fire, Water, Earth, Wood, and Metal.) These spirits can only cast spells associated with their element. The GM decides which spells are associated with each element (surely Fireball is Fire-based, but is Haste Fire-based because it makes you go fast, or Earth-based because it affects the body?). All spirits have a Spirit Level which determines what spells they can cast (level 5 spirits can cast 5th level spells).

Some places are strongly associated with a particular element. A forest will be more Earth-oriented, while a volcano Fire-oriented. Spirits of the given type are more prevalent than others, especially those of the opposite element.

When a magic user wants to cast a spell, they first need to find a local spirit that can cast the spell. The GM will tell the player what kind of spirits they sense in the area. To aid the GM, here is a chart for determining what spirits of what level are available:

Available Spirit Chart

d20Spirits in the area
1-10Spirits of one element
11-16Spirits of two elements, but not opposites
17-19Spirits of three elements
20Spirits of four elements

Spirit Level Chart

d20Level of Spirit
1-101
11-152
16-183
194
204 + result of another roll on the table

Spellcasting

Mages have a Spirit Level which determines which spirits are safe to work with. There is no penalty for commanding spirits of your Spirit Level or lower. In fact, lesser spirits are easier to command. Requesting spells from a spirit of higher level than the mage is possible, but dangerous. Spirit Level = Magic User Level / 2 (round up). So, a 5th level magic user has a Spirit Level of 3.

To cast a spell once a spirit has been found, the mage takes a combat round to negotiate with the spirit to cast a spell. At this time, the mage can make offers of money, gems, magic items, etc. to entice the spirit to work for the mage. These items must be available at the time of casting. No promises to be fulfilled later. What these offers grant in terms of reaction bonus are up to the GM. Some spirits may require certain items to be offered, giving no bonus. Other spirits may give bonuses for simple offers, like pretty flowers.

On the mage's initiative, the GM makes a reaction roll on 2d6, adding the mage's CHA Reaction Adjustment and the mage's Spirit Level, and subtracting the Spirit's Level. The GM checks the Spirit Reaction Table to see if the spirit will cast the requested spell.

Spirit Reaction Table

2d6Reaction
2-Hostile, spirit attacks mage's party
3-5Unfriendly, spirit may attack mage's party or leave area
6-8Neutral, another round of negotiations needed
9-11Spirit will cast the spell, they may wander off afterward or stay nearby
12+Spirit will cast the spell and will react to further requests at +2 for two turns

With the Neutral result, the mage must take another combat round of negotiation with the spirit. This process continues until the spirit agrees to cast the spell or until the spirit leaves or attacks.

Example

Prisby the Enchantress and her companions are traveling through heavy woods, trying to follow game trails to reach water. They become lost, circling around the same tree for hours. Prisby is a 7th level magic user with a Charisma of 15 (+1 reaction adjustment). This gives her a Spirit Level of 4. She would like to cast Find the Path to get out of the woods and find water.

First, Prisby looks for the local spirits. The GM rolls a 16 and finds two. Because they are in forest, the GM determines that one of the spirits is an earth spirit (because of the forest) and the other is a water spirit (not opposite Earth). Then the GM rolls for their spirit levels, rolling a 3 and a 5, respectively. This makes them both 1st level spirits. Neither of them can cast Find the Path, a level 6 spell. But the GM decides that spirits know their surroundings and can lead the party to water.

Prisby chooses the water spirit as the best for her purposes. She begins to negotiate with the spirit. Her Charisma gives her a +1, and her relative Spirit Level gives her a +3 (her 4 minus the spirit's 1). The GM rolls the spirit's reaction and gets a 7, plus 4 is 11. The spirit is convinced to lead the group to the nearby lake.

After the group drank their fill and filled their waterskins, a giant crab attacks them. The fighters hold off the enormous crustacean, while Prisby finds that the water spirit has left the area. She looks for another spirit. The GM rolls and Prisby finds a 2nd level Water spirit (because of the lake), 1st level Air spirit, and a 3rd level Earth Spirit (both not opposite Water). Prisby wants to cast a Sleep spell, and the GM decides that either the Water or Earth spirit could cast Sleep (sleep and dreams are often associated with water, and earth governs the body). The Enchantress picks the Water spirit, since it is lower level and easier to persuade.

This time, Prisby's bonus is a total of +3 (+1 from CHA and +2 from higher Spirit Level than the water spirit), and the GM rolls a 5, plus 3 gives a 8, a neutral result. So, the round ends and Prisby's companions are still having trouble penetrating the giant crab's hard shell. Prisby takes another turn to negotiate, this time upping the ante by offering the water spirit a flask of Holy Water, worth a +1 by GM fiat. Now the reaction roll is at +4, and again the GM rolls a 5, plus 4 = 9, a success. The Sleep spell goes off, putting the giant crab into a deep slumber. The crew easily kills it, and they feast on boiled crab that evening. Prisby finds her flask of Holy Water empty.

Monday, February 17, 2014

The Tekumel Track was a huge success

This weekend at Con of the North the Tekumel Track was a huge success. There were six roleplaying sessions and two board games. At least 8 players were completely unfamiliar with Tekumel, and several wanted more information after the game.

The only event didn't happen was the Tekumel Trivia contest that was scheduled to run from 6-8pm on Sunday. Most of the con-goers leave at 6pm, and all of the regular Tekumel players were just too tired to continue.

Friday started with a Welcome to Tekumel session, a meet and greet for players and referees. I was really worried no one would show up for the weekend. When over 15 people showed up for the first session of the con, including a few Tekumel-virgins, I knew things were going to be just fine. Several people came in from Sioux Falls, SD, and later that evening, two arrived from Duluth, MN. Next time I'll have some refreshments.

The first game session was Stephen Vossler's Get Off the Boat in Zhaigriyal scenario. Stephen has been developing his town of Zhaigriyal for his home group for almost two decades. His beautiful maps of the city detail every building using AutoCAD. This adventure was essentially a city-crawl, where everyone could explore the city's delights, while on a two day layover on the way to Bey Su. We got into a little trouble, but not too much.

Next was a Hirilakte arena gladiator card game that Stephen created. Each player was an owner of gladiators betting on the bouts. The mechanics were fun, and the game was well-thought out.

The last game of the night was my Where in Sarku's Cold Wormy Hell Are We?, a Tekumel hexcrawl that takes place after the characters are forced to take a tubeway car to an unknown destination. Fun was had by all, and they returned mostly intact to Mrelu.

Saturday was jam-packed with 18 hours of games. Don Kaiser ran his The Jade Box, an introduction to travelling by tubeway car (seemed to be the theme of the weekend again). We went to eight of the ten locations on a tubeway car disk, and we retrieved a jade box from Queen Nayari's palace and tomb in ancient Purdanim. Then Charlotte Kegley ran Qadarni Boat Battles, a board game of boat battles that take place in Zhaigriyal during the summer festivals. The object of the game is to dump the other boat's captain into the water. This was a nice tactical game. Stephen ran his Prisoner Exchange scenario, also set in Zhaigriyal. My character kept the party moving through the underworld to make a prisoner exchange with the temple of Vimuhla. We all survived. I ended the night by running Krista Donnelly's Lost in the Library scenario. A group of Thumis priests get locked in the Library in the Temple of Thumis in Sokatis, and must survive and solve a mystery.

Sunday was the second part of Don Kaiser's The Jade Box, where the same party must take the Jade Box, which the Imperium has determined is too dangerous to keep, to the treasure vault in the city of Malcháiran in N'lǘss.

Everyone had a great time. We're already making plans for next year.

Sunday, February 9, 2014

The Tekumel Track at Con of the North

Next weekend is a big deal for Tekumel. It's Con of the North in Plymouth, MN, and I organized a Tekumel Track with 40 hours of Tekumel games and four referees. Preregistration is closed, but you can register at the door for $37 for the whole con, and 1- and 2-day passes are available.

Tekumel Track Events


Friday
Noon:    Intro to Tekumel
2 pm:     You get off the boat in Zhaigriyal -- Steve Vossler
6 pm:     Hirilakte Arena Gladiators -- Steve Vossler
8 pm:     Where in Sarku's Cold, Wormy Hell are We? -- Brett Slocum

Saturday
8 am:     The Jade Box, Part 1 -- Don Kaiser
4 pm:     Qadarni Boat Battles -- Charlotte Kegley
6 pm:     Prisoner Exchange -- Steve Vossler
10 pm:   Lost in the Library -- Brett Slocum

Sunday
10 am:   The Jade Box, Part 2 -- Don Kaiser
6 pm:     Tekumel Trivia -- Steve Vossler


Intro to Tekumel
Come to this introduction to the fantasy world of Tekumel, developed by M.A.R. Barker since the 1940s. Ask questions, hear tales, and meet and greet others that are interested. Fans of Tekumel with over a hundred years of experience will be on-hand to help out. You can also hear more about the games available this weekend.

You get off the boat in Zhaigriyal
While traveling up the Mssuma River between Usenanu and Bey Su, your boat has a weekend layover in the town of Zhaigriyal.  Your character has 48 hours to: make contacts, spectate weekend events, discover a mystery, pick a fight, get drunk, attend an affair, or get into the kind of trouble PCs always get themselves in.

Hirilakte Arena Gladiators
Your clan-cousins made wagers that they could make more gold than you at the gladiatorial games today.  As a high clansman, who owns gladiators and is active in the gladiatorial arts, you accept the wagers and will do everything in your power to win.

Where in Sarku's Cold Wormy Hell are We?
This is the question that a group of Ksarul priests and guards ask when returning to the surface after a week's duty in one of the many underground shrines beneath Mrelu. They emerge in a faraway place and must find out where they are and find a way home.

The Jade Box, Part 1
Your party have been hand-picked by the Imperium to recover an object from the lost city of Purdánim, the ancient capital of the first Bednálljan Empress, Nayári of the Silken Thighs, buried these 20 millennia. 

Qadarni Boat Battles
It's time for the weekly summer pastime for the town of Zhaigriyal on Buruji Lake on the Mssuma River. Temples and high clans will put money into crews and warriors to man the boats they sponsor. Participants are dressed in colorful costumes as they sail into the lake to do mock battle. The spectator boats line the banks to watch and gamble. Come man a boat and see what the Gods have in store for you.

Prisoner Exchange
The Sea Blue clan of Bey Su has negotiated an exchange of prisoners with the Temple of Vimuhla.  Your group has been hired to make the exchange in an out of the way place, in the underworld of the town of Zhaigriyal.  Simple job: deliver the prisoner to the subterranean stronghold of Vimuhla, known as Fort Vulkuyar, and escort another prisoner out.  Why does this sound too good to be true?

Lost in the Library
It’s Dohála 25th in Sokátis, and that can mean only one thing: The Temple of Thúmis is celebrating The Uncovering of Wisdom! As a acolyte of the temple, today is the day you choose which branch of the temple to join as either an administrative-, ritual-, or scholar-priest or priestess. You are also taking a tour of the Library of the Splendor of Enlightenment. Be careful. It's easy to get lost.

The Jade Box, Part 2
Having returned with The Jade Box from the lost city of Purdánim, the Imperium realizes that it is too ‘hot’ to keep.  The party is sent to take the box to the ancient capital of the Dragon Lords, Malcháiran in N'lǘss, to deposit it in the ancient Great Treasury of the Dragon Lords for safe keeping.

Tekumel Trivia
Come strain your brain answering multiple choice questions about details of the world of Tekumel that few people on this world would know.  Make it to the top of the temple first and win the Gold of Imperial Glory.


So if you want to play some Tekumel games and you're in the Twin Cities area next weekend, come on in and play!

Friday, February 7, 2014

Non-D&D OSR Blogging Challenge


Once the D&D Blog Hop is over this month, next month will begin the Non-D&D Blogging Challenge, conceived over on the Tomb of Tedankhamen blog.

So, 31 days of posts about your non-D&D experiences. This fits me much better than the D&D Blog Hop, since back in the day I was a RPG snob and eschewed D&D (I have learned the error of my ways).

I'm very excited. Check in here for my relevant blogs.








Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Taskol the Benevolent, Human Wanderer for YARC

+Chuck Thorin released a draft of his YARC game (Yet Another Retro Clone) yesterday. In 10 pages, not including spells (he uses Lamentations of the Flame Princess for the magic system and spells), he presents a delightful set of rules that beg to be played.

The setting is Swords and Sorcery, and the intro to the game has a wonderful distillation of what it means to be S&S:
This ain't Tolkien. No elves, dwarves or hobbits. This is Sword & Sorcery. It's sex, drugs and rock & roll. It's Heavy Metal. It's punk rock. It's Boris Vallejo, Frank Frazetta, and Esteban Maroto. It's Conan, Fafhrd & The Gray Mouser, Red Sonja, Zetari and Ghita of Alizarr. It's weird fantasy. It's tentacled horrors from beyond. It's malevolent gods. It's loincloths and chain mail bikinis. It's corrupt sorcerers. It's forgotten temples and lost civilizations. It's lawless, untamed wilds and decadent cities. It's fortunes found and lost. It's smokey taverns and carousing. It's pulpy.
One of my favorite mechanics in this game is the combo of carousing and fate points he calls Debauchery Points (DP). If a character spends a quarter of their cash on drinking and sex and carousing, they gain a DP. These can be spent to get a reroll on a saving throw or to soak damage. So, instead of exchanging cash for experience points, as the normal carousing-style rules encourage, Debauchery Points exchange cash for a means of surviving the tentacled horrors, something that Conan would approve of.

Another thing I like is that everyone has a chance to perform all the skills (1/6). As you add skill points you raise those odds.

Without further ado, I present Taskol the Benevolent, a wandering healer and troubleshooter, created using the 1.0 version of the rules.

Taskol the Benevolent

Human Wanderer, 1st Level

STR: 14 (+1) / Save 16
DEX: 15 (+1) / Save 16
CON: 11 (0) / Save 17
INT: 15 (+1) / Save 16
WIS: 15 (+1) / Save 16
CHA: 8 (0*) / Save 17

HP: 6
Attack Bonus: +1
AC: 13
Cash: 23 gp
DP: 1
(I assumed that spending 25% of his starting cash gets him a DP.)

Knack: Healthy Glow*: +1 (CON) Social
Talent: Animal Empathy: Can sort of talk to animals.  Basic communication and limited by animal INT.
Class Boons: Need to Know (rearrange 1 skill point every level up)

Skills
Feat of Strength (1)
Inspiration (1)
Prowess (1)
Sense Magic (0)
Sixth Sense (1)
Social (0*)
Acrobatics (1)
Healing (3)
Languages (1)
Locks & Traps (1)
Lore (1)
Mariner (1)
Merchant (1)
Perception/Search (2)
Ride (1)
Sleight of Hand (1)
Sneak Attack (1)
Stealth (1)
Survival (1)

Equipment
Padded leather armor (+1 AC)
Long sword (+2, d8+1 damage)
4 Daggers (+2, d4+1 damage)
Shield (+1 AC)

Version Notes:  

The changes needed to convert to the streamlined rules (link at the top):

CHA: 8 (-1) / Save 18

Talents
Deftness (1)
Feat of Strength (1)
Insight (2)
Lore (1)
Nimbleness (1)

Prowess (1)
Sense Magic (0)
Sixth Sense (1)
Sneak Attack (1)
Social (0*)

Monday, February 3, 2014

Player Origin Table

So I was developing a set of random tables for generating background for Tekumel characters. One of the tables was called the Player Origin Chart. I realized in editing that this should be the Character Origin Chart. But Player Origin Chart sounded too good not to create, so here it is:

Player Origin Chart


d20Player Origin
1-3Next-door neighbor
4-8Friend (local)
9Friend (out of town)
10Game store customer
11-13Girlfriend/Boyfriend
14Girlfriend/Boyfriend's BFF
15-16Prospective Girlfriend/Boyfriend
17-18Member of G+ OSR community
19Relative
20Alien visiting from Mars
(watch out for third arm -- useful for cheating at die rolls)