Tuesday Magic Item – Sipahi’s Scimitar

The mobile reserve waited near to the commander, ready to act when required, horses and weapons at the ready.  The commander watched and then, just as the enemy army bent, he ordered them into action.  Their scimitars flashed in the sun as the charged into combat.

Sipahi’s Scimitar

Sipahi

These swords are well made with watered steel blades and grips usually made of polished brass wrapped with brightly colored cording.

A Sipahi’s Scimitar is a simple +1 scimitar unless used from horseback, then it is a +2 keen scimitar.  The scimitar is never lost and never wounds it wielder if and when he falls, or is dismounted, from a horse.

Aura moderate transmutation; CL 9th
Slot none; Price 9,815; Weight 4 lbs
Construction
Requirements Craft Magic Arms and Armor, bull’s strength, cat’s grace, spider climb; Cost 4,750 + 315 for the scimitar (+380 xp for D&D)

Notes– A another focused weapon for the mounted combatant, perhaps too specialized for a player character but useful for enemy horsemen.

The art is from wikipedia and is public domain.

Random Demon Name Generator – Least and Lesser Demons (version 1)

Finally had an idea for a random generator.  The demon names in most popular fantasy RPGs are rather dull, I like the crazy sorts of demon names you see in HK Action films (and Shadowfist) like Seven Evils, the Eater of Fortune and Four Burning Fists.  So, the following generator is suppose to generate those sort of wired descriptive names, now this is 1- the first version and using only initial thoughts ripped from my own mind, 2- the weakest demons (so there names do not get to be all that cool).  If people like this and I get inspired, I will move up through the ranks of demonic being and wrap it all up into a PDF at the end.  So, feedback and suggestions welcome!

Let us give it a try, instead of a dretch, we have a least demon: rolls a D4 = 3, [C] [A] of  [B], so table C, descriptor roll D8 = 3, Corrupted, on Table A the D20 = 10, Slave and the Aspect D8 =2, so instead we have a Corrupted Slave of Darkness!  Nifty.

Now, for a lesser demon, rather than a rutterkin:  D12 roll = 6, [D] of [E], simple, rolling on Title table D, the D10 = 4, Hunter/Stalker and the Aspect from table E, D10 roll = 7, (Eternal) Night, so we have a Stalker of Eternal Night.  That sounds pretty cool too.

Random Demon Name Generator, Least and Lesser (Requires 1D4, 1D8. 1D10, 1D12 and 1D20)
First Version

Review – Secrets of the Magus

Secrets of the Magus provides a number of useful tool for expanding on this new class: arcana, feats, an archetype and magic items.  If you need more choices for your Magus, this is a good place to look.

The Secrets of the Magus is a 13-page PDF (9-pages if you remove the cover, OGL page and ads) for the Pathfinder RPG written by Steven D. Russell and published by Rite Publishing.

Review – The Might of the Magus: Advanced Feats

Like the new sword and spell-wielding Magus but feel there are not enough options?  Well, this product will solve that problem for you.  While the new feats are primarily focused on the Magic, two thirds of them can be used by a wider range of classes.  So, if you like sorcery with your swordplay, consider giving this product a look.

Might of the Magus: Advance Feats is a 16-page PDF (14-pages if you remove the cover and OGL page) for the Pathfinder RPG for the Pathfinder RPG written by Sigfried Trent and published by Open Design.  This is the latest volume of Open Design’s Advance Feats line for Pathfinder.

M&M Campaign Report – LA Stars Dis-UNITY (takes place between issues 8 & 9)

Cover: Split Cover – LA Stars on the right.  Legionnaire wresting with a Frankenstein-like monster with ‘Dis-UNITY’ splashed across in yellow lettering.

Secret Stories of the 1960s, Issue 2 (June 1998)
Dis-UNITY!

Tuesday Magic Item – Spear of the Summer Solstice

Kierian of the Broad Hand, war leader of the Caltan Clan, claimed the spear from the top of the mount.  “Today we go to war!” he shouted, the sunlight seeming to turn the spear to flame in his hands.

Spear of the Summer Solstice

These spears are ornate, usually made of tempered bronze inlaid with gold on an oak shaft polished to a honey sheen.  When it catches the sunlight, it glows in sympathetic light.

Review – The Genius Guide to Feats of Runic Might II

Runes are a traditional element of fantasy and part of history.  Feats of Runic Might II allows you to give your character to ability to access the magic of the runes.  If you like the idea of runic magic and do not mind a small increase in the complexity of your campaign, give this product a look.

The Genius Guide to: Feats of Runic Might II: Runebinding is a 11-page PDF (10 pages if you remove the credits/OGL page) for the Pathfinder RPG written by Owen K. C. Stephens and published by Super Genius Games.  This is part of Super Genius Games’ Genius Guide line.

Free RPG Day is Today!

You can check out the Free RPG Day site for a list of participating stores.  Lots of cool stuff is up for grabs including the ‘We Be Goblins‘ adventure for Pathfinder, A Dragon Age quickstart from Green Ronin,  and much, much more.

If you are in the Athens, GA / North Georgia area you can drop by and see me at Tyche’s Games in Athens, GA.

Also, if you do take advantage of Free RPG Day, I encourage you to join the Geek Life Project and Take the $5 Pledge.

False Prophecy and Hoaxes in RPGs

This morning I encountered an article of wikipedia on Drake’s Plate of Brass, a historical hoax, and it spiralled out into thoughts of prophecy in RPGs and the idea of deliberately false or hoaxed prophecy.

What better way to cement your religions place than to have a prophecy show that a member of your faith will save the King/City/Land at some indeterminate time in the future?  Or produce a prophecy that shows that is was because of your god(s) divine favor that the current ruler, rules, and that if the faith is not exalted, she or he (or it) will lose divine favor and fall from power?  What if they forgot that these prophecies are not real?

Equally, a rival faith might plant a hoax prophecy in an attempt to discredit or waste the resources of their enemies or encourage false prophecy to try and lure donations and worshippers away.  Even in a polytheistic setting, priests like to have nice things for their temple and status.

Though a prophecy does not even have to be false to cause problems, traditionally, prophecies are open to interpretation maybe they have just been misread all these years and only one mad scholar has figured out the truth?  Or they got recorded in the wrong order and the bad thing is much closer to happening than everyone thought.

What if a prophecy is inspiring a nation to hold fast against some evil and the characters find out it is all bunk.  Do they keep going along with it and try and force the prophecy to become real?  Do they go through the motions to keep up morale?  Or do they tell the truth?

Just some ideas for turning the traditional “fated heroes” trope on its head.

Edit:  And some thoughts about prophecy in the Sea of Stars.

Tuesday Magic Item – Blessed Soil of the Green Mother

Gathion the Brown, Druid of the Third Circle, sighed and looked to his friends.  “It seems cruel to do this to them, but it seems I have little choice.”  At the mouth of the frost rimmed cave, he knelt down, poured our a handful of earth from his belt bag and made two small piles from it.  Then he added a handful of seeds to each and spoke a prayer.

A minute later, he was harvesting barley from a stand of that grain and picking apples from a small fruit tree.  He looked sad as he brought his bounty to share with his friends.  “They will all be dead by morning,” he said quietly. ” The tree and grain gave their lives for us, I can only hope the Green Mother does not look ill upon my use of her blessing.”

Blessed Soil of the Green Mother

This soil is black and rich, moist and smells of growing things.  It is usually kept in sealed clay jars or bags of oiled leather.