August ends, September begins

As we move into September, the seventh month of the Roman calendar, and get closer to fall (in the northern hemisphere at least) and longer nights.  September does not seem to have any particular ties to myth or tradition among the Romans, however, as Seven is usually viewed as a magical number, magic and spells will be the theme for this month.   Please let me know if there is anything you would like to see.

I will be back at GenCon this year, working for AEG as usual, so if you are there drop by the AEG Booth and say hello!

August, 2021, saw the following posts here:

Tuesday Magic Item – Vasizek’s Painting Kit

Voddick tilted his head and studied the painting.  “Not my usual style but it conveys itself well.”

Gollaon nodded.  “It is unusual, more . .  capturing the idea of the thing than the actual thing itself.  Very intriguing.”

“Its it nicely essential is it not,” agreed Voddick.  “If we had a fixed abode, I would be tempted to purchase it.”

“But, alas, we are but wanderers with out a home, venturing upon . . .”

“No need to wax poetic, I know all too well what our lifestyle entails.”

Vasizek’s Painting Kit

This well made wooden painting kit contains brushes, pots, a palette, small knifes, several pestles, and various other items for mixing paints and then using them.  The magic of the case keeps the materials from spoiling, drying or otherwise becoming unusable, it also cleans the brushes when the user is done with them, and for those reason alone will be prized by any painter.

Tuesday Magic Item – Ashinole’s Diplomatic Cape

“Now that is a dashing outfit,” said Gollaon with a touch of jealousy.

“They are an ambassador and can afford it,” said Voddick.

“We could become ambassadors!”

“Who would let us represent their nation?”

“Fair point.”

Ashinole’s Diplomatic Cape

This cape is made from the highest quality of materials and so many of them, leather and silk, waxed cotton and lined, sometime even fur trim as it is able to adapt to changing fashions and cuts as needed.

20 Quick Questions: Rules from Necropraxis

I have been listening to Judd Karlman’s Daydreaming about Dragons podcast, which I highly recommend, and he mentioned this set of rules-based questions from Necropraxis that I thought would be fun to answer for the Sea of Stars.

Quote: “Here are 20 rules clarifications that are likely to be needed anyways at some point.”

1 Ability scores generation method?

Whichever you want to use. I am a fan of roll 4d6, drop lowest, arrange to suit but I am flexible,

Tuesday Magic Item – Aztra Windrose’s Matchmaking Goblets

“Ah, young love,” said Gollaon watching the two young nobles chatting away.

“The matchmaker has a keen eye and ear for couples,” agreed Voddick.

“She is very good,” agreed Gollaon sipping at his fine.  “It is nice to see an expert at work.”

“Truth.  I am going to suggest that she could find good work back in my homeland.”

“This is a good thought.  Maybe we can convince her to hire us as escorts and guides?”

Aztra Windrose’s Matchmaking Goblets

These goblets are usually simple and elegant with a place to engrave coats of arms or other family symbols they are usually made in matched pairs (or whatever number is usually needed for dynastic marriages in the culture).  The coats of arms or other symbols with manifest when they are used.

Superheroes – Once upon a Time in 1968 – Issue 8 – Threat of the Star-Gazer, Parts 1 & 2

A few weeks after Issue 7, spring is coming to New York.

Cover:  The Star-Gazer glowing with power surrounded by the Zodiac signs, our heroes recoiling.  “Can our heroes overcome the Threat of the Star-Gazer?!“

Opening page:  Leonard, 808’s dirigible, making best speed across the Atlantic, the skyline of New York City receding behind.  “Will we be in time?”

Part 1 – All at Sea – A page detailing how did we get here?: The team is practicing together in a vacant lot near to Chinatown.  Hanging out of a nearby trash can is a copy of the New York Daily Herald with the headline: “Roboto and his gang damage museum, fail to protect civilians.” When a door appears in mid air.  Just a normal white door.  As they investigate, it opens and out of it, half falls Doctor Occult, Master of the Unknown Arts, dressed in trench coat and battered fedora.  Through the  open doorway a Ditko-esque psychedelic landscape can be seen.  Dr Unknown explains that he had been sent to find Horizon by Cristofor Gold, a young Roma who knows Horizon, who was kidnapped.  Dr Unknown explains that he and Challenger tried to stop a raid on the Manhattan Museum of Antiquities where a villain stole a set of astrologically aligned gems, having used the power of other such gems to manifest the avatars of the Zodiacal signs to help him.  Now this villain is on his way to get the next, and final, four such gems from Mr Covington who is showing them off on his yacht, the North Star, before loaning them to the museum.  Dr.Unknown will leave this to the teen heroes as he has an extra-dimensional peace to broker, he hands Roboto a black phone, unattached to anything, and tells them to call if they need him and he steps back through the door, it closes and vanishes.

I am doing a Shadowrun Podcast!

After pondering for many a year, I have finally buckled down and started my own Shadowrun podcast:

Your Sixth World May Vary

It is a short podcast about how to shape the Shadowrun world to your campaign and how to make the canon and metaplot work for you when possible.

Please give it a listen and tell me what you think. Still working on improving the technical side of things and those should improve as I get more practice.

Update: I am planning for it to be weekly with new episodes on Wednesdays.

Welcome to the Sixth World.

Tuesday Magic Item – Gran Sugarfoot’s Comforting Tea Set

Voddick inhaled the aroma of the brewing tea.  “I am not normally much of a tea drinker, but today, it seems just right.”

Gollaon nodded.  “It is like being at home as a child.  I can almost see my mother.”

“Honey and cream?” asked Gran Sugarfoot.  “You two spend so much time out and about.  You need your moments of comfort.”

“Just honey,” said Voddick.

“Both please and thank you again for your kindness,” said Gollaon.

“It is nothing to worry about,” said Gran Sugarfoot with a smile as she poured tea into cups.

Gran Sugarfoot’s Comforting Tea Set

These tea sets, tea pot, strainer, six cups and saucers, are hand made and seem a bit fragile but somehow they never seem to break, maybe the occasional chip but that just adds character, right?

The Tale of the Misappearing Cat

This will be an interesting article to write as I will never directly name the monster I am writing about -though I can describe it, it is panther-like with an extra pair of leg and tentacles that grow from it shoulders- I will not name it as it is part of Dungeons & Dragons brand identity, that list of things that cannot be used by anyone except Wizards of the Coast when writing about D&D.  (And, yes, I know I could mention it and it would be fair use but that would not be as much of a challenge and the obliqueness is appropriate to the monster in any case.)

It is perhaps ironic that our monster was based on the Coeurl from the A. E. Van Vogt short story Black Destroyer (the Dump Stat has an excellent deep dive on the creature) while its rivals, the blink dogs, are -to my knowledge- wholly Gygaxian creations and yet are not part of D&D’s product identity.

The monster is one of my favorites though one I have rarely used as a Dungeon Master.  Perhaps because it is so distinctive, you use it and the players know what they are facing.  Also, until now, I have never had a clear idea of how I would use one in play.  But there is much of the Coeurl that can be combined with our creature to make a more interesting one especially as I find the Fifth Edition write up rather . . . disappointing.  And to honor Van Vogt’s creation and early naming conventions from D&D, we will call this version, the Lrueoc.

Moving like a dangerous shadow the big cat appeared at the far end of the hallway, there was something wrong with its silhouette and how could it be there?  We had closed the door behind us, had we not?

Lrueoc (Black Destroyer)
Large monstrosity (from beyond), evil

Armor Class 15

Tuesday Magic Item – Old Irik’s Ring of Bargains

Voddick watched from the corner of the room as the money lender went about his business.  Gollaon joined him with a mug of ale for Voddick and wine for himself. “Why are you watching that man so intently, my friend.”

“My grandmother told me of a money lender who made magical deals on the side, she considered him deeply evil,” Voddick’s hand wrapped around the mug.  “That man matches his description perfectly, down to the tarnished silver and bone ring on his left hand.”

Gollaon started a little but managed to avoid looking in that direction.  Rather, they just casually leaned back and surveyed the room.  “I have heard of such a ring and its owner.  A maker of dark bargains who has lived well beyond their allotted span.  We must be careful.”

Old Irik’s Ring of Bargains

This ring is made of carved bone decorated with silver, tarnished with age.  Looking closely, the silver seems to spell out “a deal is a deal” or similar sentiment in the reader’s native language.  The tarnish cannot be removed from the silver, no matter how much it is polished.