Mythmere was Right

Updated Saving Throw Mechanic:

Characters will frequently face deadly challenges with nothing but sheer luck and resourcefulness to turn to. Almost any calamity the character might be subject to not otherwise subject to some other die roll allows a Saving Throw or Save. To make this check, roll 1d20 and add the character’s HD and a flat bonus of +5. If the result is 20 or higher, the character successfully avoids or mitigates the danger, as adjudicated by the referee. Depending on the circumstances, the referee may assign additional bonuses or penalties to the roll.

Sword & Sorcery Names

I've created a test google gadget that spits out confluxed names from a mix of Arabic and Ancient Greek sources, which works pretty well for hoary, decadent Sword & Sorcery settings, which should be visible to the right of my blog. As usual, the gadget and its output are available under the creative commons license.

100 Confluxed Arthurian Names

From my new confluxor:

Art Cad Meram Lam Voridan Guy Adthes Milmel Arnish Larnis Pedesind Jorth Dale Amr Haraint Conedival Lanstans Din Loth Annet Drience Lucannerp Emede Tomint Leir Eliduke Liot Flaremone Perdries Consterie Hywel Annern Grak Lucans Rie Dint Con Arnowne Gileir Flothert Edwarvis Leomint Gause Gwinas Triencele Liothelie Emedres Causesin Sagdas Melewgon Tom Semagre Ebeleas Garoun Ectors Harouse Nant Rie Liot Dridas Loth Bliangdas Eberp Plas Uth Jors Amrenoric Con Ywaingdan Gileas Tom Gradannec Tal Anne Gauseish Tales Jor Palehadal Ywaint Emervis Clegiseir Hews Uth Lamerens Riesin Ger Ebereth Pilberd Sel Jord Gwint Cheris Lot Mad Pleagrens Cerisons Gracivans Amremagus Condesint Rodegise

Grimrun, the Master of Duels

Grimrun was a legendary wizard that created or refined many spells for use against rival wizards, including the power to break spells or turn them back on their casters.
Grimrun’s appearance is unknown, as he or she only appeared wearing an iron mask and full robes.
In fact, the name “Grimrun” is a pseudonym; his or her true name kept secret so as to avoid giving power to his or her many enemies.

Grimrun’s Treacherous Usurpation

Complexity 3, Range sight, Target single spell, Duration instant, Save none
Effect: a single spell that targets the caster of this spell instead targets the caster of the targeted spell. If this spell is prepared it may be cast as part of a countering attempt, causing it to succeed automatically.

Grimrun’s Cogitive Excruciation

Complexity 2, Range sight, Target single wizard, Duration concentration, Save Discern
Effect: the mind of the targeted wizard is overwhelmed by the power of the spells it contains, causing a burning pain that paralyzes the target for the duration of the spell.

Grimrun’s Grandest Trick

Compexity 3, Range self, Target self, Duration instant, Save Discern
Effect: the caster weaves together a potent spell of death turned inside-out, such that anyone attempting to counter it unwittingly trigger it upon themselves, snuffing out their own lives in an instant. Absent an attempt to counter, it does 1d6 damage to the caster.

Possible new Turning Mechanic

When an attempt is made to banish horrors such as undead, demons, or eldritch beings from other dimensions, roll 2d6 + Faith modifier, plus hit dice if you are a Cleric, versus the monster's morale plus hit dice. If your total is higher, the monster is held at bay by the power of your Faith. If you roll a natural 12 or make a second successful banish roll, the monster turns and flees. On a natural 2, you automatically fail.

New Spell: The Fel Light of Ngah

Fel Light of Ngah (ancient spell)
Complexity 3, Range close, Target self, Duration concentration
This spell conjures the eldritch light of a distant star to be held in the caster's hand. It shines as a lantern, and all things upon which its light falls reveal their auras, allowing all to see as if possessed of the Eyes of the Overworld.

Updates to The Game

• Reduced Rank experience point requirements and monster xp rewards by 90%, thus making the numbers somewhat more manageable and increasing the importance of treasure to advancement. Treasure may in fact be too good now at 1 xp/silver penny: a mark of silver is now enough to make it to Rank 2.
• Eliminated armor soak. I like the effect in principle, but the rule is just too slow in play. The defense bonus from armor has been doubled to compensate. This required a small update to the rules for attacking.
• Added a player advice section to the Combat and Exploration chapter. Advice on player advice would be much appreciated ; - )
• Simplified encounter reaction rolls.
• Clarified evasion rules.
• Clarified heritage attribute bonuses and special abilities.
• Various spelling/grammar fixes.

I'm strongly considering renaming "Banish Horror" (my turn undead equivalent) to "Exorcism". Opinions?

The Efficiency of Two Monitors

My work is not so different than this guy's.

Random Cliche Sci-fi Races

Inspired by Save vs. Poison, over lunch I coded up a quick cliche science fiction race generator in java. It mixes up a species cliche, throws in a random trait to salt that, and then grabs a couple of human cultures that can be used to fill in the blanks. Here's my best result set so far:

The Amoral Scientist Race
Natural supercomputing mentation
Souix-Celtic

The Surly Technician Race
Technologically advanced in cybernetics
Indian-Australian

The Religious and Probably Psionic Race
Can't share environment with common species
Scandinavian-Mongolian

The Evil Empire Race
Stand-in for topical political group/enemy
Egyptian-Ottoman

The Hedonistic Merchant Race
Basically a historic human culture
Roman-American

The Totalitarian Machine Race
Practically un-kill-able
Mayan-Iroqouis

The Hot Purple Chick Race
Can't use common inter-species mode of communication
Han-Tibetan

The Mean-Muggin' But Scrupulous Warrior Race
Completely humorlous and stoic
English-Polynesian

Hedonistic & mercantile American/Romans? Purple Asian sex-objects that can't talk back? Un-killable totalitarian machines? Topical evil empire? Surly cybernetic technicians? Amoral supercomputing scientists? How cliche can you get!

Since I don't have a good hosting spot for my rpg coding projects yet, I'll just make this available by request.

Heritage Update

Common Folk (CF): derided as mutts by some, the common bulk of mankind may nonetheless have much to be proud of in their ancestry, as they grow hardy even on famine food and tend to thrive in adversity that weeds out those that think themselves better. Common humans tend to shades of brown in their hair, eyes, and skin, and often live to a ripe old age, many having natural lifespans of 100 years or so.

• Wisdom Born of Sorrow: the life of the common folk builds faith in themselves and their families, often as they have nothing else to rely on. Increase their Faith  score by 3, raising the modifier by 1.
• Trade: the common folk must work for a living, and thus have a journeyman’s level of skill from working as a farmer, shepherd, miller, carpenter, blacksmith, mercer, or such like.

Changeling (CH): some human children are thought to be stolen away by the faeries or otherwise touched by them. While most of these children die shortly thereafter, a fair number live to reach adulthood, and of those some live hundreds of years, although even such long-lived examples tend to be somewhat frail and sickly.. Changelings are always marked by a physical oddity, such as an unnatural pallor, odd coloration of the hair, eyes, or blood, or some other strange feature, and have an general feeling of uncanniness about them. Changelings tend to have very short or very long lifespans, some withering away in their fourth decade and some seemingly youthful at 200.

• Eldritch Lore: changelings learn things without knowing how or why, making them privy to secret lore. Increase their Kenning score by 3, raising the modifier by 1.
• Night Vision: Changelings have unnaturally acute night vision, seeing about twice as far under dim lighting as a normal human.

Giantkin (GK): in some families, particularly among the northmen, still runs the blood of the ancient giants, and a few of their children are born with a touch of the power and stature of that race. These children grow tall and strong, but such a physique can be a strain on the mortal heart, and very few live past their eightieth winter. Giantkin tend to be fair of eye and hair, and their arterial blood is often an unusually bright red.

• Titan’s Power: the powerful build of a giantkin gives them physical strength beyond that of lesser men. Increase their Might score by 3, raising the modifier by 1.
• Strong Back: Giantkin can carry an additional stone of weight with no penalty, easily bearing armor or other burdens that would break lesser men.

Highborn (HB): the old aristocracy of the lost empires in their decadence seeded themselves amongst the common people hither and yon, and many noble families claim descent from them to this day, some with more evidence than others. The recessive traits of the highborn still manifest in inbred noble houses and once in a while suddenly emerge in lowly places, the result of chance dalliance or ancient royal heritage. Most highborn have violet eyes, dark hair, and bluish blood, and they tend to be fairer than most. Pure-blooded highborn may reach old age in good health, but most fail by their eighties.

• Fated to Lead: the founders of the highborn bargained with eldritch powers to ensure that their progeny would be born to rule other men. Increase their Wyrd score by 3, raising the modifier by 1.
• Privilege: highborn characters can begin play with an extra 2d6 silver pennies and either a Rank 0 retainer OR an extra equipment choice.

Wanderers (WA): the fall of empires due to war and disaster left many without a land to call home, doomed to wander the world. Refugees and rejects, the traveling people are looked down upon wherever they go. Some say they are cursed and will be punished by the gods if they settle in one place; others simply use this as an excuse to chase them out of town. Still, they scrabble by, plying trades passed down through generations and living by hard-won wisdom.. Wandering folk have coloration similar to Common Men, and their elders generally reach their eighties.

• Quick-Fingered: despite their reputation few wanderers make their living with quick hands in pockets, but they do tend towards wary reflexes from the harsh life of the road and a familiarity with cast stones. Increase their Nimbleness by 3, raising the modifier by 1.
• Wandering Ways: wandering folk are travelers all, and tend to pick up a useful journeyman skill for life on the sea or road, such as that of a drover, cartwright, shepherd, musician, jester, carpenter, fisherman or sailor from the time they can walk.

Wildlings (WL): beyond the boroughs and villages secured by Law and arms dwell hermits and freeholders that survive on their wits with only the most tenuous support from the society of their fellow men. Whether religious seekers or the chosen guardians of the borderlands, Wildlings form a people apart. Wildlings tend to the same build and coloration as common men, and might live just as long if not taken by injury.

• Rugged Constitution: hard living and adversity in the wilderness have made wildlings a tougher breed. Increase their Health score by 3, raising the modifier by 1.
• Survivor: Wildlings are used to living off of the land and get +1 on foraging results due to their scavenging and hunting experience.