MMXII is almost here! With a look back over December and MMXI.

Fast approaching the New Year here and with it the month of January.   Best wishes to all for MMXII!

January is named after Janus (Ianuarius), naturally, who is the god of doorways, pictured as looking both forward and back.   Thus, we will revisit the themes of doorways, transport and travel for January.  What with stepping into the New Year.  As usual, if there is something on this theme you would like to see, let me know.

Looking back over December, we see another month of light but hopefully interesting posting:

Pattern Seekers – Episode 5: Stepping Stones across the Sky (Part 2)

Having completed their first scouting mission seeking the crystal orb of air, with a slight change of active characters (down a rogue up an alchemist and a druid) and restocking of potions, they returned arriving in the middle of a hailstorm.  Zandrick dragged the captured mephit, named Graz, back with them.  Making their way back to the ruined citadel, they found that the giant’s skeleton had been totally stripped of flesh.  Old Monk Yoon was still meditating outside of the citadel and had no new information to impart.

Their investigation of the ruins only afforded them a better view of the local terrain, everything of value had already been stripped or succumbed to the ages.  But from the tower, they saw a distant island that glinted like crystal so they decided to head there.  They were just on their way when they attracted the attention of a flock of terror birds, six two-meter tall flightless hunting birds, who rushed to attack and were pretty nasty smashing with their axe-like beaks.  They put the monk down and got some good blows in before their numbers were seriously diminished with the last two fleeing.  Pho ate most of one of the bird after the battle ended and they planned to roast the others later.

Tuesday Magic Item – Stone Golem Potion

The first wave of the dwarven soldiers was like an irresistible tide, while they moved slowly, even for dwarves their heavy armor seemed impenetrable to our weapons.  It was only once we were able to bring the ballista to bear that we were able to slow, not stop, their advance.  Ultimately, it was only the deep stream that saved us, the dwarves seemed unwilling to try to cross it once we had burned the bridge.

 Stone Golem Potion

These potions are a deep gray in color and gritty in consistency, with almost not smell but they taste of stone.   These potions must be stored in stone, ceramic or glass vials.

Game Theory – Moral Dilemmas: Arranged Marriages

I was watching the video of Emilie Autumn‘s Marry Me (mildly NSFW for language) and it brought this issue to mind as a possible source of conflict, challenge and adventure.

While marriage does not usually figure as one of the major themes of roleplaying games, it is an important facet of human life and culture and often a major component to the actions of people in a world.  As such, it deserves to be looked at as a source of both character development and adventure ideas.  First, we will look at arranged marriages.

Pattern Seekers – Episode 4: Stepping Stones across the Sky (Part 1)

Having retrieved the Crown for exchange with the Sun Cult (see Episode 2), our heroes (Bradly, Defender, Nikko, Zandrik and the new member, Malik) were dispatched to locate a crystal orb aligned with air.  Unfortunately, the Pattern was having trouble locating it exact position, so this would be a scouting mission, they were given a description of the item on a scroll however.  As the group were short on healers each  member was given two potions in bottles marked with a honeycomb design.

Passing through the gate from the Complex, they found themselves in a particularly fractured section of the Sea of Stars, with many small islands (city block down to box sized) floating in random patterns around each other.  Ducking a ball of lightning that shot across the island they  were on, they explored further: noting bits of wood floating in a orbit around the largest islands and a ruining citadel on a distant island.  Defender decided that the citadel was their objective and set off via the islands while the monk decided to take the direct route leaping from wooden flotsam to jetsam.

Ruined Citadel

Flickers, and the occasional ball, of lightning danced in the distance as they moved forward.  They were almost to the citadel when a cloud of smoke enshrouded the island they were about to move to.  Defender moved into the smoke, followed by the others, only to have a rock crash into the ground next to him.  Malik shouted a warned after seeing a large head briefly emerge above the smoke.  Zandrick sends dancing spheres of light to try and reveal their foe in the smoke and it does, a dirty giant clad in furs and armed with a massive club.  Bradly’s attempts to talk the giant down did not go well (“My sister is a what?”).  It is a brutal fight, with even a weak giant proving its danger, finally requiring all our heroes combined effort to bring him down (Malik bounding over to join in).

Pattern Potion Code

The potions provided by the agents of the Pattern are in vials made of some hard resin usually of a neutral, tan color.  Each is marked with an inset design that indicates its purpose:

Ant – Strength (bull’s strength).

Beetle – Armor (barkskin).

Centipede – Speed (expeditious retreat).

Dragonfly – Quickness (cat’s grace).

Grasshopper – Improved jumping (jump).

Honeycomb – Healing.

Mandibles – Improved natural attack (magic fang).

Moth -Defense against missile (entropic shield).

Spider – Improved climbing (spider climb).

Stinger (oil) – Weapon improvement (magic weapon).

Notes: Mostly for my own reference but if anyone else can find use for them, enjoy.  Will add more as they come up.

Campaign Stat Block – Pattern Seekers (Pathfinder)

Inspired by the Planejammer Chronicles‘ Campaign Stat Block for framing a campaign, I made my own (comments welcome).  And here is a filled version for the Pattern Seekers campaign:

Sea of Stars – Pattern Seekers

Gathered from across the Sea of Stars a motley group of venturers works to reestablish the mysterious Pattern which is said to restore order to the fractured world.

Setting: This will be set in the Sea of Stars and from the Complex, the characters will have access to rapid travel.
•    Continuity: Episodic with arcs.
•    Rating: PG in general, slavery and a few other unpleasant situations may be touched upon but will not be the focus of the campaign.
•    Style: Adventure, exploration, and combat with occasional social situations.
•    Tone: Action-adventure.

Rules: Pathfinder with Sea of Stars house rules.
•    Firearms: No.
•    Psionics: You can use the psionics rules to represent another form of magic, but, in the end, it is just magic.
•    Other Outside Materials: Any Pathfinder-compatible material will be considered but will be subject to review.  But all ideas are welcome.

Characters: All Core and Expanded Pathfinder classes (except Gunslinger) and races (except for gnomes and halflings) are allowed, several Sea of Stars specific races are available.
•    Character History: A paragraph or two about who your character is and where they are from.
•    Starting Power Level: As per standard Sea of Stars character creation (3rd level to start).

Where do we Play?: Tyche’s Games, Thursday, 6-9ish PM.
•    Down Times: Players are welcome to have their character undertake tasks between games, communication via written note or email for such so it does not slow down our limited face-to-face gaming time.
•    Social Contract: We usually order food before the game starts as a group, but you are not required to partake of such.

The First Adventure of the Pattern Seekers can be found here.

Note: Links to the Planejammer Chronicles have been updated with links via the Internet Archive as the site has vanished.

Image by Piotr Siedlecki, found on PublicDomainPictires.net and is in the Public Domian.

Tuesday Magic Item – Flying Tiger Sword

The Lost Empress sought allies from far and wide to aid her in her quest to regain her throne from the Jonquil Usurper and his running dog lackeys, among those who joined her banner were the mercenaries of the Brave Tiger Troupe; the Brave Tigers were skilled foreign volunteers who fought loyally for the Lost Empress and her cause.

The Brave Tigers specialized in raiding and spoiler attacks against the Jonquil forces using mobility and ambushes to negate their enemy’s advantage in numbers.  The Brave Tigers were know for luring their enemy in and then striking from the rooftops or trees.  They were bold and fearless, an inspiration to those loyal to the Lost Empress even in the darkest of times.  Even now, their deeds and heroism is remembered with honor in the restored Empire.

Flying Tiger Sword

These swords, usually a long sword or sabre, are inlaid with a tiger pattern in copper or gold on the blade.  The grip is usually wrapped in sheepskin with a tassel hanging from the pommel.  The sword is exceedingly well balanced.

Krampus Curse

As Berin Kinsman has already done the Krampus as a Pathfinder monster, for the Krampus Carnival, I will have to do a curse.

The Mayor of the small town was known for his exceeding indulgence of his children, letting them run riot and never apologizing or reining in their ill manners and unkindness.  This all changed one wintery morning after he received the gift of a

Late in the Curse

new hat from a mysterious admirer.  After that, he only took delight in keeping his own family, and then the children of the village, in order often by the harshest of means.  His features changed, becoming more bestial and his barber said that he needed to be shaved twice a day, including his neck and hands.

His cruelty became so well known that an Inquisitor arrived, sent by the Archbishopric, to investigate but the mayor fled into the hills where it is said he still waits to punish children who wander from their homes.

Krampus Curse

This curse is used by those to punish those who let their offspring run wild or as a punishment for a community that has caused harm to the children of other places.  To cast, it requires a shard of goat horn, a tuft of dog’s hairs and a drop of blood from two children mixed together with entreaties to the Kampus under a new moon.  The resulting small charm must be slipped into the clothes of the victim to activate the curse.

Newish Monster – Osquip (Stellar)

The Rat Lord, god of vermin, mice and rats, fled through his home maze.  Behind him he could hear the dragons tearing through his traps and defenses as though they were toys.  His lair was mean to challenge and confound mortals, it could not stop or withstand the fury of the dragons.  He knew he was one of the last of the gods left, the combative beast lords had fallen in the first of the draconic assaults, but not him, he has struck from the shadows, killing wounded dragons and avoiding being seen until a few moments ago.  Now they had his scent and he was running out of places to hide.

He drew fourth the Rat Tooth Blade and slashed his palm, feeding his blood to his loyal servants waiting for him.  He watched them start to change and grow larger and more powerful.  “Take my power, my children.  Avenge me against the dragons.  I gift you with speed and strength and . . .” his last word were lost, as the Rat Lord’s head was savagely wrenched from his body by the mighty ebony dragon known as the Brute.

The rats who had fed on the Rat Lord’s blood fled to the world, mutating and growing becoming the plague on the dragons known as Osquips.

OSQUIP (Stellar)

    It is too big to be a rat but it must be related to them, with massive incisors and corded jaw muscles.  Its pink-grey skin is covered with stone dust and it glares at you with black eyes.  Its six legs scrabble at the stone before launching into a vicious attack.

Osquip                                              CR 1 (400 XP)