Happy All Hallows! With a look back over October and towards November

My best wishes to all on this All Hallow’s Day and Eve.  It is truly the gamers best holiday, so have fun!

October was a busy month, most full of monsters!

Articles:

Game Theory – Adventurers at Celebrities?, another look at how adventurers might fit into a campaign world.

Through the Lens of History 15 – Latrones, Bandits in the Roman Republic and Empire.

Variant Heal Skill Use for Pathfinder.

New Monsters:

Aspect of Autumn, a template for those tied to the Fey Court of Autumn.

The Four Elemental Jeweled Birds: Diamond Eagle, Emerald Owl, Ruby Hawk and Sapphire Falcon.  With a set of plot seeds for them.

Fear Fragment, minor undead that feed on fear.

Hakkakukei, an obsidian clad killer for Legend of the Five Rings and the Octagon for Pathfinder.

Smilin’ Jack, a haunt of a killer who has returned to kill again.

StagWolf, a chemeric and dangerous hunter.

New Magic Items:

Cavalryman’s Half-plate, to keep both rider and mount safe.

Mother Sugarfoot’s Infinite Sandwich Knife, good for stretching food.

Mountaineer’s War Pick, climb and conquer your enemies.

Physician’s Case, to help those who treat the wounded.

Campaign Reports:

L5R JYTB Campaign Reports: Episodes: Episode 20 – Darkness and Jade, Episode 21 – New Duties, and Episode 22 – Arrival at Samuzora.

The Legend of the Jade Legion, part of the background to the JYTB campaign.

Secrets of Taren Kost – Interlude 2: Lost Hawks, Bones and Ghosts.

Reviews:

Fencing and Firearms (for Pathfinder).

Genius Guide to: Air Magic.

Other:

Wandering the Web [6], interesting things found across the web.

L5R – JRTB Campaign Report 22

Arrival at Samuzora

Having fought off the walking dead and dark magic, the new magistrates arrive at Samuzora.  The characters work their way through the shanty town that has sprung up around the old village of Samuzora.  Arriving at the old village inn, ‘the Golden Carp’, they are met by Akodo Katsu who had been attempting with his assistant Ikoma Sen’yuu to keep order in the town, with minimal success.  The Akodo greets them and welcomes them to town, the innkeeper prepares rooms and a meal.

New Monster – Smilin’ Jack

Smilin’ Jack
Smilin’ Jack
Watch out for Smilin’ Jack
He’ll cut your throat
or stab you in the back
-Traditional children’s rhyme in Iphos

The legends of Smilin’ Jack are confused at best, he may have been a pirate, a drunkard, an adventurer or even a spurned lover or any or all them.  What seems to be true is that he was found with his throat cut and buried in a pauper’s grave from which he clawed his way out of six days later.  Since then, he has preyed on high and low, favoring a cut throat as the way to dispatch his victim.

–Iphosa Legends by Jokalin Rose of the University of Iphos

Smilin’ Jack                                                  CR 6 (2,400 XP)

Wandering the Web [6]

A variety of interesting articles I have stumbled across in my recent explorations:

An amazing eleven or so minutes of film called “A Trip Down Market Street“, shot from a street car in San Francisco just weeks before the great earthquake tore the city apart.  A fascinating look at a different time.

Tuesday Magic Item – Cavalryman’s Half-plate

The Thunder Lancers and the King’s Own Cavalry are the elite of the Arsagosian cavalry and are justly feared, they equipment and training is superb as is their discipline.  The enemies of Arsagosia know to avoid facing the knights of that kingdom when going to war, seeking ways to avoid meeting these units on an open field,

Cavalryman’s Half-plate

These suits of half-plate are designed specifically for horsemen, providing excellent protection while mounted and simply good protection otherwise.  Depending on who they are made for their can be elaborately decorated with enamel work and accents of precious metals while others are plain and functional.

New Monster – StagWolf

Oh, it is just some deer.  Wait!  There is something wrong.  Look at that muzzle and tail.  Oh no.  Run!  Just run!  Stagwolves!

StagWolf                                               CR 3 (800 XP)

L5R JYTB – Campaign Report 21

New Duties

Having survived the assault by the forces of the Dark, Seppun Keikyoku places new wards and ofuda to protect the temple.  Our heroes limped their way back towards Yasuki Yashiki.  The next day, they run into a reinforced Crab patrol lead by Kuni Hotohara, the Kuni commander of the Yasuki lands, who had sensed the awakening of the forces of evil, he sends part of his patrol to safeguard the temple while escorting the group back.  Once back, the Seppun requisitions transport and the then they ride north through Scorpion lands to Beiden Pass, where the Emperor is again trying to negotiate a peace between the Lion and the Scorpion Clans.

Jeweled Birds – Plot Seeds (Eggs?)

There are four types of jeweled bird, one aligned to each element: Diamond Eagle with air, Emerald Owl with earth, Ruby Hawk with fire and the Sapphire Falcon with water.  The origin of the jeweled birds is unknown but it is rumored that they escaped from the garden of one of the gods in ages past.

Their eggs are highly sought after, even the infertile ones are valuable gems useful in many magical operations.  Fertile eggs and chicks are worth even more.

Ideas:

New Monster – Ruby Hawk

There is a flash of fire and the rabbit lay on its side, burned and dead.  Swooping down to snatch the charred corpse was a hawk of flashing red.  In a flash it has seized its prey and taken wing.

Ruby hawk                                                CR 6 (2,400 XP)

Tuesday Magic Item – Physician’s Kit (and variant Heal skill rules)

The physician from the College of the Body arrived, a black case carried by his assistant.  Setting down to work, he opened the bag producing an ever changing array of tools, medicines and bandages.  Soon the wounds were tended, the physician collected he fee and left.  To this day, I am unsure how he managed to pack so many bandages in such a small case.

Physician’s Case

These sturdy bags are heavily made, often with an internal frame of wood or metal, and fold out to allow easy access to what they contain which is a wide collection of medical tools, bandages, medicines and other useful items for the medical trade.

Physician's Case