Curse – Anniversary of Ashes

Sorry for the delay but yesterday was my birthday and my dad is in town visiting, so I just did not get to posting.  Will try to get a magic item up tomorrow to get everything back on schedule.

Every year, around the time he had put the young prince to death, the Usurper’s sleep was wracked by nightmares of his terrible deeds and his blood stained hands.  No spell or potion could give him rest during this time and his servants dreaded that time almost as much as the Usurper did.

Anniversary of Ashes

This curse is used to punish those that have destroyed someone or something loved by the caster.  Ashes from what was destroyed must be mixed with the caster’s blood, salt and the powdered petals of dried flowers which must be rolled into a small ball.  The caster must recite the name of that which they have lost, how and when it was destroyed and who was responsible then the ball must be thrown as the victim.  The ball vanishes and the victim feels a momentary wave of illness.

Pulp Retro-futuristic PDF for Free

While this journal focuses on my fantasy work, I do work in other genres.  Back in 2008, I was hired by Edward Kann to do some work on his retro-future pulp setting Rocketship Empires: 1936.  Sadly, life got in the way and Ed was forced to close down Storyart and the RE:1936 setting.

The rights to my work reverted to me and now I am sharing it with you:

The Kingdom of Holland for Rocketship Empires: 1936

It is fairly setting specific but hopefully it will be of use for anyone playing pulp science fiction or retro-futurist games.  Enjoy!

Curse – Traitorous Tithe

A more minor curse today.

Harrental the Miser counted his coins again and again, it has been a good day for business, but he could not understand way his sum were not adding up.  He should have hundreds more in coins in front of him.  That blubbery inn keeper had paid back his loan in full not to mention the other payments that had come in, but where were the coins?  He would have to count again.

Traitorous Tithe

New Magic Item – Hematophagic Blade

It is said that the first of these weapons was forged to kill a tyrant, for even if the assassin failed, the tyrant’s love of blood would lead him to doom by using the weapon and so it came to pass.  Even with its legend of bringing doom to its master, other blades have been made from the original formula which has passed through many -bloody- hands.

-The Black Journal

Hematophagic Blade

These sinister weapons are usually thrusting daggers but rarely light stabbing swords such as short swords or rapiers.  The blades are designed for thrusting alone with little if any cutting edge.  The cross guard is minimal and the grip is rough and unlikely to slip.

Curse – Vision of Shadows and Ash

Let the curses begin!

On the day the Warlord of the Conn obtained his final victory over the armies of the Rale Confederacy he was struck, not blind, by close to it.  His once mighty vision was reduced to seeing barely distinguishable shades of gray, he could not identify a face or tell a spear from a staff.  He was assassinate within a week by one of his sons and the Conn turned on each other in a series of bloody coups and counter coups that consumed their strength and removed them as a serious threat for generations.

Vision of Shadows and Ash

February Plans

The month of February gets its name from Latin term februum, which means purification, via the purification ritual Februa performed at this time of year.  The Romans also considered it an ill-fortuned month which is why it is shorter than the others.  So the theme here for February will be curses, cursed items, ill-fortune and, maybe, counter measures against such.

As usual, if there is something along this theme you would like to see let me know by posting here or in the Sea of Stars forum.

L5R – JYSB Campaign Report 2

This episode sees the addition of a new player, the use of fate cards and the establishment of the framing mechanism of the campaign.

Picking up from where the first session left off, the original trio of characters pray at the Lonely Mountain Shrine and then headed back down the mountain with a nun, Hyoko, as a companion assigned to the Soshi samurai-ko.  The journey back down is less eventful.

Worlds Beyond the Sea of Stars

Plane travel, as it usually appears in D&D-like settings is not a component of the Sea of Stars but that does not mean that they do not exist on some form or another:

Worlds Beyond the Sea of Stars

After the gods were deposed and the world Sundered, access to the other worlds became exceedingly difficult.  It is believed that the Empress sealed the worlds beyond away, while the gods who ruled them had been slain, many of their servitors survived, now impotently sealed away in their paradises and pits.  The beings of the worlds beyond could still be brought though into the world by use of spells and rituals but rarely for long.  The previously existing gates to the higher and lower worlds beyond were shattered and destroyed immediately after the Sundering as the dragons seized and plundered the churches and temples.  Those that have opened pathways to such places have been able to cross over but none have ever returned.

Tuesday Magic Item – Safety Belt

Obviously, travel by sky or star ship is terrifying to some people, to assuage their fears, this magic item was created.

Remember to wear your Safety Belt at all times when walking the deck, you never know when a high wind will come up.   Remember to keep your hand on the rails whenever possible and immediately return below decks if you hear the bad weather horn sound. -part of the safety lecture on the sky ship Princess of Dawn.

Safety Belt

These sturdy belts are usually marked with the name of the ship or company that they were commissioned for.  Some are fancy and decorated, others are plain and practical, as the person ordering them thought best suited.

Sailors of the Sea of Stars

Sailors of the Sea of Stars

“As brave as a sailor.” -a complement in the Sea of Stars
“Mad as a sailor.” -an insult in the Sea of Stars

Being a sailor has never been the safest of professions but in the Sea of Stars, those souls who brave life on the star ships and sky ships have an even riskier path than their sea-bound brethren.  For while one may be rescued after a fall into the water, falling off a sky ship or star ship is almost inevitably fatal, these risks are known by all who travel.