Category Archives: Homebrew

Traveller: The FitzLogan Gang

Wherein your humble scribe presents a group of characters for (classic) Traveller. All of these were rolled up by-the-book from Book 1: Characters And Combat and/or Supplement 4: Citizens of the Imperium.

For years Logan “Fitz” FitzLogan was one of the more notorious con men in the Claybourne Subsector, but he’s been straight ever since his last conviction was overturned due to technical issues surrounding the case. He was last seen traveling in the company of a couple of lovely graduate students and a retired Army Major with a thing for guns, but the Alliance Patrol keeps losing their tracer on him somehow. Surely that’s just a coincidence.

Logan “Fitz” FitzLogan
877596 Age 34 4 Terms (Service: Rogue)
Streetwise-2, Forgery-2, Computer-1, AutoPistol-1, Liaison-1, Carousing-2
Cr110,000

Natsuko Coats
8A69B9 Age 30 3 Terms (Service: Scientist)
Computer-3, Electronic-1, Dagger-1, AutoPistol-1
Cr51,000

Jennifer Rebryk
886CB5 Age 26 2 Terms (Service: Scientist)
Computer-1, Jack of All Trades-1, AutoPistol-1, Medical-1
Cr12,000

Maxwell Lozyk
A87768 Age 30 3 Terms (Service: Army, Final Rank: Major)
Rifle-1, SMG-1, Shotgun-1, AutoRifle-1, Carbine-1, Mechanical-1, Electronic-1, Air/Raft-1
Cr22,000

Adharma & Anjani Against Airi & Allies

Wherein your humble scribe presents two characters and two monsters for Tunnels & Trolls. These are best enjoyed with some saag paneer and a mango lassi.

“How many more days until we reach Dharamir, sister?” Adharma asked as he drew the kettle from the fire.

“Two, perhaps three days if we slowed by your incessant need to ask questions about the roots and berries we see along the way,” Anjani replied with a smile.

“So we shall be celebrating Kaashti in the midst of the jungle,” the warrior sighed as he poured the water over the leaves and spices he had prepared for their evening chai. “I fear that we will have little luck gaining an audience with Princess Jita Ramana, even though we bring news of her beloved.”

“You are likely correct, brother. The fate of Sash Rajeer…” her voice trailed off as she gave Adharma their mutually understood sign for complete silence.

In the middle distance an unearthly howling – like that of a dozen dying dogs – had sprung up. Anjani signaled for her brother to prepare for combat. They would soon have company of a sort that would not be interested in his recipes…

Adharma / Warrior / Human / 2
STR 15 CON 20 DEX 13 SPD 9
INT 11 WIZ 7 LK 17 CHR 10

Height 5′ 7″ Weight 170 lbs.

Adventure Points 0
Combat Adds +10

Talents Cooking (+2), Kalaripayat (+4)
Languages Kalaadhari

Tulwar (4+4), Kukri (2+5), Mail (24), Target Shield (8)

Anjani / Ranger / Human / 2
STR 14 CON 11 DEX 15 SPD 14
INT 13 WIZ 6 LK 11 CHR 20

Height 5′ 3″ Weight 110 lbs.

Adventure Points 0
Combat Adds +7

Talents Missile Mastery (+4), Ayurveda (+5)
Languages Kalaadhari, Ancient Vedic

5 Chakram (2), 2 Sickle Swords (3+1), Scale Mail (8)

Airi

“Those who see Airi face to face are burnt up by the flash of his eye, or are torn to pieces by his dogs…” – (Crooke, P.R.I., Vol. I., p. 262; Ethnologie du Bengale, p. 100).

Monster Rating: 66
Combat Dice: 6d6+33
Special Damage: 2/Call Flame – “the flash of his eye”
Special Abilities: Airi can fly and ignore all 1s rolled as damage against them.

Airi are the ghosts of those who died while hunting. They travel the world with a pack of spectral hounds, seeking out the living to visit some kind of vengeance upon them. Why would these spirits seek to punish innocent individuals who had nothing to do with their death? Because they’re insane, that’s why.

The Hounds of Airi
Monster Rating: 34
Combat Dice: 5d6+16
Special Damage: 1/2, The Hounds of Airi are truly vicious.
Special Abilities: The Hounds cannot be outrun by any normal being.

The Hounds of Airi are a ghostly pack of baying dogs with burning red eyes and dripping jaws.

Mini Six Character: Delacroix H

Wherein your humble scribe presents a Mini Six character he put together as an NPC for his own amusement, possibly for use in a future project.

There. There was. There was a noise. There was a noise when the starship shuddered; a noise like the scream of a broken rainbow. The experimental drive the scientists from Rice had developed interacted in some unexpected way with the resonance-dampening frame and shielding. By the time mission control aborted the launch everyone on the Cape had been blinded by the silver-sepia vision of a god astride the sands of an alien world. The pilot of the craft was nowhere to be found.

********

He. He was. He was alive. There was a noise when the starship shuddered; a noise like the cry of a newborn world. He could hear his own heartbeat and breathing echoing within the helmet that encased his sensory organs. His consciousness came and went; wrapped in heavy cotton when present, wrapped in black wool when gone. Sometime later he could hear the thoughtwords of several who stood above him, though he could not comprehend their meaning. The sour barks of the riding lizards, though, were clear, sharp warnings of the questionable intent of those who rode them. He waited, unmoving and yet uncannily aware. In time, the superstitious men turned and rode away. Unwilling to molest the god who had fallen from the Orgstone Sky.

********

It. It was. It was sunset. There was a noise above him; a noise like the shout of some raw bird’s terror. He stood looking out across the desert, unsure of where he was. Unsure of where he came from. The words on his clothing meant nothing to him. They were… familiar, but ultimately as alien as the world he now surveyed. He knew somehow that the night would be cold, but that his body would survive. His mind reached out across the sands and he felt the presence of those who would help him. He felt, too, the presence of those who would seek to do him harm. But he was not afraid; the fire that burned in the strange pistol at his side would convert them.

Delacroix H

Steel grey eyes that shine / Winter’s ghosts beneath his skin / Prophecy returns

Might 2D+2 Agility 3D+1
Wit 3D+2 Charm 2D+1
Skills: Dodge 4D+1, PsiPistol 3D+1, Poetry 4D+2, Psionics 4D+2
Psychic Abilities: ESP, Beast Tongue
Perks: Psychic
Complications: Stranger
Gear: PsiPistol (5D)
Static: Dodge 13, Block 11, Parry 8
Body Points: 28
Armor: Spacesuit (6)

Nogoloth: The Emerald Ships

Wherein your humble scribe presents an NPC and an artifact (in Barbarians of Lemuria format) that he whipped up for his nascent Lovecraftian Fantasy setting, Nogoloth. You might note that this makes three BoL-based Nogoloth entries in a row. That, my friends, is starting to look something like a trend.

On the western shore of Nogoloth sits the city called Cwnuihd, where strange emerald-sailed ships crewed by ebon-skinned men dock thrice annually. None within the city claim to know the origins of these vessels, nor their destinations. All that is known is that the sailors who debark from the caravels and carracks speak – and often sing – in a tongue unknown even to the greatest scholars of Nogoloth. The captains of these crafts superficially resemble the men they lead, but can carry on great discourse in the common speech of the island-continent they visit each time the trade winds shift and the two moons of Nogoloth join together to raise the tides high enough to allow passage across the great reef that elsewise bars the harbor.

These mariner kings seldom speak of what they have seen in the unchartered waters of the world, but when they do they wax poetic, even rhapsodic, telling tales of great, impossible leviathans whose eyes burn with hatred for all the men and beasts of the land. It is whispered that only these sea dogs may traverse the greatest oceans of the world, though whether due to their extreme bravery or, perhaps, to some dark pact they have made with the rulers of the court beneath the waves none may say.

It is tradition amongst the women of Cwnuihd to greet the arrival of the Emerald Ships by dyeing their hair jet black and serenading the crews from the docks with songs that their mothers’ mothers learned from the first such fleets to brave the dark waters of the bay and anchor at the docks that were already present when the city itself was founded in centuries passed. The men of Cwnuihd are made ill-at-ease by the melodies that comprise these alien chanties – though, in truth, it is the frequently wanton behavior the ladies engage in when in the company of those who sail with the Emerald Ships that truly troubles the fathers of unwed daughters in the city. Despite the rather orgiastic scenes that often play out in the dockside taverns, no child has ever been born in Cwnuihd who even faintly resembles the sailors.

I happened to be visiting Cwnuihd one spring when the Ships arrived, and I struck up a brief-but-companionable relationship with the captain of one of the vessels – a man by the name of Vaul – in whose company I passed two fascinating evenings filled with stories of the sort that one would be inclined to take for little more than the tall tales of a man who has spent too much time away from even the sight of land. Yet there was, in his manner and upon his face, an indescribable sincerity so powerful that I would warrant his narratives to even Ste. Sibille the Blind herself.

It was from Captain Vaul that I acquired the Lantern of U’um’nn, an artifact of a different age that may well serve to render my ultimate goal achievable. Vaul refused to accept payment of any sort for the Lantern, insisting that he had already been well compensated for delivering it to my hands.

I am told by the old men of Cwnuihd that they had never heard tell of anyone – let alone a cripple such as I – being offered passage aboard one of the Emerald Ships. Yet I was indeed invited to sail with Captain Vaul and his crew when the time came for them to leave the shores of Nogoloth. I regret that I was unable to accept this unique proposition, but my work here requires that I remain ashore, at least for now. If I should chance upon the good captain and his crew once my task is complete, I will readily board their craft if the opportunity is afforded me again.

Captain Ertegun Vaul

A tall, powerfully-built man in his mid 40s, with the ebon skin seen only amongst the crews of the Emerald Ships that visit Nogoloth occasionally, Captain Ertegun Vaul is a charming conversationalist who has seen things and traveled to locations undreamt of by the inhabitants of the island-continent. He is fearless – or nearly so – and dogged in his pursuit of profit upon the black waters of the world. He has dabbled in sorcery, is more than a little acquainted with the ways of the gods (both benevolent and malign), and is a stalwart companion when trouble arises. Captain Vaul is currently in possession of the legendary Moon Dagger of Rhug-Dh’krhala, a weapon mentioned in both the Lzaaq Cycle and the Book of Nyshanib. He is loathe to discuss how it came to him, pointing only to the tenatcle-like scar that runs down the length of his left arm and smiling a melancholy smile.

Essences
Lifeblood 11
Hero Points 5
Arcane Power 10

Attributes
Strength 1
Agility 0
Mind 1
Appeal 2

Combat
Brawl 1
Melee 2
Ranged 0
Defense 1

Careers
Mariner 2
Merchant 1
Sorcerer 0
Priest 1

Boons
Born Sailor
Carouser

Flaws
Greed

Languages
Nogolothian, Emerald Shipman’s Speech

Equipment
Scimitar, d6+1
Alchemical Dagger d3+1 (rare, grants boon & ignores armor)
Very Light Armor (d3-1)

Lantern of U’um’nn

This artifact, which appears to the common eye as little more than a well-maintained ship’s lantern, reveals the manner in which those upon whom its light is cast will die. When lit, a large swarm of colorful moths are drawn from beyond space and time, and as they dance about the light the interplay of their beating wings shows individual’s death as though seen upon a moving tapestry. The lantern is highly magnetic and will render any compass within 50 feet of it unreliable for navigation.

Nogoloth: The Bells Of Pnikigystros

Wherein your humble scribe presents a monster and an artifact (in Barbarians of Lemuria format) that he whipped up for his nascent Lovecraftian Fantasy setting, Nogoloth, as he continues to dither on which system to use for such things. You might note that this makes two BoL-based Nogoloth entries in a row. Make of that what you will.

In the port city of Pnikigystros, on the southernmost shore of Nogoloth, there stands an ruined church – once consecrated to St. Xavier of the Kettle, according to the few ancient residents who can recall the times before it was boarded-up and abandoned for reasons unspoken. Despite its dilapidation and lack of occupants, the bells of this cathedral still ring out at dusk and dawn on odd days – days that some claim are holy to the darker gods who hold sway over the affairs of man and beast. The mournful tolling of the bells can be heard from one end of Pnikigystros to the other, even in the fine mansions atop Owl Hill. The people of the city take extra care on these days, when bad luck and murder are in the air. Sailors refuse to weigh anchor on these days, and children who are born between the ringing of the bells are quite often sickly and haunted in appearance.

The residents of the neighborhood where the church stands – called Blacksend by those who dwell there – shun this structure, crossing to the other side of the street and spitting on the ground when they must pass by it as they hurry down Margrave Lane. In the early evening, when the blood red light from the setting sun streams through the building’s high stained glass windows and plays upon the cobblestones outside its doors, even the least superstitious folk choose a route that avoids that sullen street entirely, regardless of the distance that traversing Margrave might save.

In other places of the world one might expect that such a structure would attract the attention of curious children or, perhaps, the interest of a criminal element that might seek to take advantage of such a blighted place, to engage in their unlawful activities out of the watchful eye of the constabulary. But in Pnikigystros, one finds nothing of the sort. My own efforts to recruit urchins or footpads to investigate the church further on my behalf – a system which has proven useful in other areas of Nogoloth, as you’ll recall – have fallen upon willfully deaf ears. Once word reached the broader communities of these sources of inexpensive explorers I found that I was unable even to complete a friendly exchange with such citizens.

If not for the willingness of a certain sea captain and his crew of less-than-sterling repute I might never have found anyone to enter the edifice in question and secure for me the bronze vessel that proved to to be precisely where a particular venerable verger with a tongue loosened by various libations had indicated it would be found. That only the first mate of the Green Phoenix – a peculiar man named Crawford Fowler, whose bearing and features implied a connection to the Cwnuihd Fowlers – delivered the item to me, with a blank stare and far less interest in his payment than I was led to expect from one of his sort, is of no matter.

I must confess that even I – engrossed as I was in my examinations of the Kettle – was slightly unnerved upon hearing that the pirates’ ship – after sitting quietly vacant at the docks for weeks – was suddenly no longer moored there on the 22nd morning after the breeching of the church – a morning, one should note, that followed the tolling of the Bells of Pnikigystros.

Anthrognaath

Anthrognaath are large (2′ to 4′ long) centipedes with the faces of men. These creatures come from somewhere else, entering our world through various arcane devices that typically contain liquids, such as bowls, cauldrons and kettles. Anthrognaath are quite intelligent and often possess significant magical knowledge, but are unable to wield it in their natural forms. For this reason, they seek out sentient host beings into whose body they burrow once the neurotoxin from their bite takes effect. Once inside a host, the Anthrognaath is able to use its arcane abilities through the form it has hijacked. The process of Anthrognaath “possession” does hideous damage to the host being, who will typically survive no more than several weeks, during which time the Anthrognaath will actively seek out new potential hosts.

Attributes
Strength 4
Agility 1
Mind 2

Combat Abilities
Attack with Bite +2; d6-2 plus poison
Defense: 2
Protection: d6-2 (chitin)
Lifeblood: 20

Anthrognaath Poison
A person damaged by the bite of an Anthrognaath must make a Demanding Strength check or become paralyzed in d3 rounds. This paralysis lasts for d3 hours, during which time an Anthrognaath will invade the victim’s body, effectively killing the victim. One an Anthrognaath has so co-opted a body, the host creature will still outwardly resemble its former self, but will in fact be home to the Anthrognaath’s evil mind and powerful arcane abilities. Such unwilling sorcerers possess an Arcane Power of 15 and a Sorcerer career rank of 3.

The Bronze Kettle Of Mithathu

The Bronze Kettle Of Mithathu is a damnable relic of an ancient time. Some two feet in diameter and perpetually cold to the touch, the metal that comprises its form is stamped and carven with obscure runes which are a variant on the Star Tongue of the Elds – hard to decipher but clearly full of dire warnings and other such language designed to dissuade casual use of the item.

The possessor of the Bronze Kettle of Mithathu is highly resistant to all extremes of temperature (a Boon that grants an extra die when rolling to resist such effects). Further, all second and third magnitude spell cast by the possessor receive a bonus die when cast and their Arcane Power costs are reduced by 3 AP.

However, a darkness lingers over the artifact. Every time the Kettle is used as part of a summoning spell, there is a 1-in-3 chance that the summoned creature will immediately attack the magician who calls it forth, regardless of any precautions taken to prevent this. Further, all spells cast with the power of the Kettle permanently drain one Lifeblood from the caster. Lastly, at dusk and dawn on the holy days of the Dark Gods, there is a 1-in-6 chance that an Anthrognaath will emerge from the Kettle in search of a host creature.

BRP Characters: The Brothers Queng

Wherein your humble scribe presents a pair of NPCs for use with The Celestial Empire, the Basic RolePlaying game of life in Imperial China.

Doctor Queng Jian travels throughout Ming Dynasty China helping the people of the land with his exceptional medical skills. Jian has chosen to follow this nomadic life rather than accept an appointment as the Court Physician of a petty noble in Gansu Province, whose daughter Jian secretly loves but may never marry. On occasion, Queng Jian’s abilities draw the attention of a local magistrate who calls upon the doctor to assist in an investigation.

Jian is perpetually accompanied by his (much) less accomplished younger brother Yo, who, though a skilled storyteller, has little to show for his 22 years in the Middle Kingdom. The hulking Yo does do a fair job as a bodyguard for his brother – even if just by looking imposing to the vast majority of people the pair encounter.

Unfortunately for the Brothers Queng, a pair of outlaws knows as Flower Neck Bachelor and Earthquake Lo are actively traveling through the Celestial Empire disguised as Queng Jian and Queng Yo. Though the outlaws have yet to perpetrate anything outrageous enough to cause the Quengs serious legal trouble, their crimes have been escalating and it is only a matter of time before they cross a line that cannot be uncrossed. Unless, that is, the Brothers Queng can catch up with them and bring them to justice.

Queng Jian

Slight of build and quick of mind and hand, Queng Jian is the consummate physician. His bedside manner is impeccable and he shows the utmost respect for his patients and their needs. Jian is a serious and sober man, with a hint of melancholy about him. Jian seeks to do as much good as he can while ever attempting to expand his understanding of the scholarly arts.

Queng Jian
STR 12 CON 11 SIZ 10 INT 17 POW 16 DEX 17 APP 12 EDU 18
Hit Points 11 Major Wound 6 Qi Points 16 Age 29

Allegiances
Buddhism 2, Chinese Folk Religion 2, Confucianism 20, Daoism 0,
Esoteric Buddhism 0, Judaism 1, Islam 0

Home Region: Lower Yangzi
Profession: Traveling Doctor

Damage Bonus: none
Weapons: Fist/Foot/Head 51%, damage 1d3
Armor: none
Skills: Healing Lore 90%, Medicine 90%, Science: Natural History 63%, Drive: Cart 45%, Research 75%, K: History 75%, Science: Alchemy 55%, K: Northern China 65%, Meditation 70%, Insight 65%, Etiquette 65%, Appraise 50%, Bargain 55%, L: Mandarin 124%, Sense 40%, Spot 55%, Brawling 51%, Martial Arts: Brawling 28%, Gaming 50%, Dodge 50%, Persuade 40%, Navigate 25%, Listen 40%, Grapple 40%, Art: Calligraphy 30%, Perform: Singing 30%, Ride: Horse 20%, K: Art History 25%, K: Folklore 20%, K: Literature 45%, K: Streetwise 24%, Literacy: Chinese 51%, L: Cantonese 24%, Status 40%

Queng Yo

The opposite of his brother in every outward aspect, the boisterous Queng Yo is practically a giant among men in China. Ever since he was young, Yo has delighted in the telling of tales and he has now managed to turn his affection for the common stories into a profession capable of providing a passable income. A talented performer, Yo lacks the serious storyteller’s attention to detail and often improvises his way through the portions of narratives that he dislikes or doesn’t remember.

Queng Yo
STR 12 CON 15 SIZ 15 INT 13 POW 11 DEX 10 APP 16 EDU 15
Hit Points 15 Major Wound 8 Qi Points 11 Age 22

Allegiances
Buddhism 0, Chinese Folk Religion 20, Confucianism 0, Daoism 1,
Esoteric Buddhism 0, Judaism 0, Islam 0

Home Region: Lower Yangzi
Profession: Storyteller

Damage Bonus: +1d4
Weapons: Fist/Foot/Head 50%, damage 1d3 +1d4
Armor: none
Skills: Persuade 70%, K: Folklore 55%, K: Chinese Folk Religion 50%, Perform: Recite 90%, Art: Calligraphy 10%, Disguise 25%, Fine Manipulation 25%, Insight 70%, K: Literature 60%, Listen 50%, Perform: Sing 55%, Bargain 55%, Brawling 50%, Grapple 30%, Dodge 45%, Gaming 35%, Healing Lore 20%, L: Mandarin 103%, Literacy: Chinese 35%, Martial Arts: Brawling 30%, Stealth 25%, Sleight of Hand 25%, Etiquette 35%, Appraise 42%, Fast Talk 33%, L: Cantonese 30%, Sense 37%, Status 35%

T&T In Spaaaaaace!

Wherein your humble scribe presents an homage to a certain introspective & philosophical scifi program from the 1970s in the form of characters written up using the 7th Edition Tunnels & Trolls rules. Because he’s a very weird man.

I’ve only played a handful of Tunnels & Trolls games in my life. And I’ve never played (or even read) Mercenaries, Spies & Private Eyes – which I believe to be essentially an iteration of the base T&T rules for modern non-fantasy gaming, though I could be wrong about that.

In any case, the core T&T rules seem ideally suited to adaptation for other genres, especially ones that (a) don’t benefit from an obsessively detailed combat system and (b) might appear on the surface to be exceptionally weird for RPGs (or, perhaps, ones lacking the appropriate degree of dour seriousness we’re all supposed to aim for as the avant garde, improvisational theatricians we’re supposed to be).

So from time to time the simplicity of T&T calls to me from the 30th Anniversary Edition’s little tin box I bought a few years back when a gas leak combined with an ice storm forced me and my wife to live in a hotel for a few days. And when that happens, I do weird things. Like write up several key cast members from a TV show I love as a test run for what it would be like to use T&T for a scifi game…

On September 13th, 1999, nuclear waste from Earth stored on the Moon’s far side exploded catastrophically, knocking the Moon out of orbit, sending it and the inhabitants of Moonbase Landau hurtling uncontrollably into space. Led by the noble Commander Ivan King and featuring a talented multicultural crew, these unintentional explorers of the universe will often come face-to-face with strange aliens, questions of cosmic importance, and even death itself.

Ivan King / Leader / Human / 2
STR 13 CON 15 DEX 14 SPD 12
INT 15 PSI 12 LK 20 CHR 18

Height 6′ 3″ Weight 195 lbs.

Adventure Points 0
Combat Adds +11

Talents Philosophy 18, Piloting 17, History 18
Languages English, Others

CommKey, Laser Pistol (4d6+16), Woven TechSuit (4)

Dr. Olympia Bertrand / Explorer / Human / 1
STR 10 CON 14 DEX 13 SPD 14
INT 17 PSI 15 LK 14 CHR 15

Height 5′ 9″ Weight 150 lbs.

Adventure Points 0
Combat Adds +5

Talents Medical 23, Dancing 15
Languages English, Others

CommKey, Medical Kit, Woven TechSuit (4)

Prof. Sigurd Ernst / Explorer / Human / 2
STR 11 CON 11 DEX 13 SPD 12
INT 21 PSI 13 LK 15 CHR 12

Height 5′ 10″ Weight 175 lbs.

Adventure Points 0
Combat Adds +5

Talents Science! 26, Philosophy 25, Religion 22
Languages English, Others

Wealth 1,000 Cr
CommKey, Woven TechSuit (4)

Chief Pilot Kevin Tate / Soldier / Human / 1
STR 15 CON 16 DEX 14 SPD 13
INT 12 PSI 9 LK 18 CHR 16

Height 5′ 11″ Weight 170 lbs.

Adventure Points 0
Combat Adds +13

Talents Piloting 22, Fisticuffs 17
Languages English

Wealth 1,000 Cr
CommKey, Laser Pistol (4d6+16), Woven TechSuit (4)

Game Notes

I changed the T&T character class names a bit (Citizen is now Explorer, Warrior is now Soldier) and turned the WIZ stat into PSI.

None of the characters above have any PSI powers, which is good, since I don’t have any idea (or inclination, at the moment) to figure out how to handle such things. The short answer is that I’d probably just use a selection of the T&T spells (renamed, probably) to represent PSI abilities and either tweak the Wizard class a bit to be a Psionicist class or else do away with it entirely and come up with some way of letting the psionics develop in other character classes.

If this were going any further I’d probably tweak the Explorer class to be more than just the Citizen class with a different name, but for now making the distinction between combatants and not-really-combatants seemed fair.

Oh, and I also upped the starting number of Talents to two in anticipation of the crew running into tough aliens who have significant stat modifiers. Those plucky humans are always showing up the creatures who should rightly kick their tails. Hmm, maybe Humans ought to have a mod to their LK stat? Maybe. But that’s a discussion for a different time.

The Demons Of Adad Untash: The End

And so, with today’s posting of [link id=’1339′ text=’the Emperor’] and [link id=’1338′ text=’his Queen’], the Demons of Adad Untash series (for Labyrinth Lord, etc.) here at Strange Stones has come to an end.

It took me nearly a year (far from uninterrupted) to bang these baddies out, and believe me, I’m spent. It’s hard work dwelling in the Halls of Dust and Darkness! I do intend to package them all up in a PDF before too long, but you can pretty safely bet you won’t see such a tome tomorrow 🙂

My next big goal is to similarly complete (and eventually PDF) the Tlactoztlan setting for Barbarians of Lemuria. I can’t promise a specific date or anything, but that’s definitely my most significant target right now. But don’t worry, Nogoloth will continue getting love, and I’m bound to keep hacking away at all kinds of other things, too. But for this one brief moment, I feel pretty good for actually having completed this series.

I’m not entirely sure how your fine folks out there can best use these demons, but I hope you do find a way to work them into your games somehow. Personally, I always envisioned that they’d be used in a more “traditional” fantasy setting (in your old-school game of choice) as something that Ye Olde Evil Wizard® or perhaps Those Wacky Cultists® might unleash upon the world. But maybe they could make an appearance in a delightfully odd Stars Without Number game? Or be found ruling over a ruined Mutant Future world? That’s the great thing about having produced them for Labyrinth Lord. There are so many places they can go with very little conversion work needed.

So if by some chance you do wind up siccing them on your unsuspecting players, I’d sure love to hear how things went down. I’m all ears… wait, that gives me an idea for a new Demon Lord! No, not really 🙂

p.s. Happy GM’s Day and all the joy and sorrow it entails.

The Demons Of Adad Untash: Demon Emperor Ashur-eb Asa

Far beyond the great desert, one will find the troubled land of Umaab. The people of this once proud kingdom are oft beset by demons who serve the dark god Nergal. The characteristics of these demons are described in the holy Tablets of Adad Untash.

Ashur-eb Asa (Demon Lord)
No. Enc.: 1 (Unique)
Alignment: Chaotic (evil)
Movement: 180′ (60′)
Armor Class: −5
Hit Dice: 141 hp (24 HD)
Attacks: 2 (weapons)
Damage: 2d12/3d8
Save: F24
Morale: 12
Hoard Class: VIII, IX, XXII
XP: 28,000

Demon Emperor Ashur-eb Asa is the vain and prideful ruler of the demons who serve the dark god Nergal, and he presides with an iron fist over the denizens of the Halls of Dust and Darkness. Ashur-eb Asa is preoccupied with his own standing in the eyes of his master and seeks by any and all means available to retain his throne even as his own influence over the spirit and mortal worlds is waning. Intensely jealous and cowardly at his core, Ashur-eb Asa constantly strives to maintain his position of elevation by keeping those beneath him oppressed, squabbling amongst themselves, and in the dark regarding Nergal’s ultimate plans. A master manipulator, Ashur-eb Asa succeeds at these machinations more often than not.

Ashur-eb Asa manifests as a 19 foot tall muscular human man with deeply bronzed skin and the head of a blood-red ram. Though his powers over reality are such that he could easily alter this appearance, his vanity and pride prevent him from doing so except in the most severe of circumstances. The lord of all demons wears a crown of stone inlaid with living, blinking eyes that weep rubies when he is angry and diamonds on the rare occasions when he is filled with mirth. His retinue consists of nine [link id=’1102′ text=’Iszirisur’] polymorphed into miniature (9′ tall) versions of himself. He will readily engage any who dare to challenge his domain, wrathfully wielding his Axe of Dust and Sword of Darkness with no penalties for using both in combat simultaneously. Wounds from both weapons cannot be healed naturally nor by any form of magic short of a Restoration spell.

Ashur-eb Asa has the following spell-like abilities, useable at will (unless noted otherwise): Amnesia, Animate Objects, Blink, Cause Blindness, Cause Fear, Charm Monster, Clairaudience, Clairvoyance, Darkness (10′ Radius), Death Spell (1/Day), Destruction, Detect Invisible, Detect Magic, Dispel Magic, Drain Energy, Earthquake, Fire Storm, Flame Strike, Gaseous Form, Haste (2/Day), Hypnotism, Polymorph Other, Polymorph Self, Read Languages, Read Magic, Repulsion, Silence (15′ Radius), Speak with Dead

Additionally, Ashur-eb Asa possesses all of the abilities of a typical Demon Lord:

Infravision (90′)
Half damage from cold-based attacks
Half damage from electrical-based attacks
Half damage from fire-based attacks (all)
Half damage from gas-type attacks
Telepathy (allows all languages to be understood)
Teleport without error

Ashur-eb Asa can only be damaged by +3 or better weapons, though he is susceptible to damage from non-magical weapons made of pure iron. He may Gate (85% probability of success) 5d4 [link id=’368′ text=’Barbu Dnin Kur’].

The Tablets of Adad Untash tell the faithful that Ashur-eb Asa is a paranoid manipulator whose power over the weaker aspects of men is inescapable by all but the strongest of mortals.

The Demons Of Adad Untash: Demon Queen Shalma Shalmallah

Shalma Shalmallah (Demon Lord)
No. Enc.: 1 (Unique)
Alignment: Chaotic (evil)
Movement: 60′ (20′)
Armor Class: −3
Hit Dice: 96 hp (22 HD)
Attacks: 3 (2 fists, 1 bite)
Damage: 1d4/1d4/1d12
Save: F22
Morale: 10
Hoard Class: IX (x2), X
XP: 21,250

Shalma Shalmallah, the Demon Empress, wife to Demon Lord Ashur-eb Asa and mother to Demon Princes [link id=’1336′ text=’Tusag-eb Alm’] and [link id=’1335′ text=’Ehur-eb Alm’], is an indolent, gluttonous and slovenly thing. She would readily abandon her station, children, husband and any other responsibilities she has in exchange for a life of ease and gratification if offered. Of course, gratification for a creature such as Shalma Shalmallah takes many dark and dubious forms.

Shalma Shalmallah’s physical form is that of a 9′ tall, filth-covered and corpulent pig-headed human woman. She is capable of altering her appearance, but seldom chooses to expend the effort to do so. Her eyes are vacant and staring like those of an drugged cow. She lolls about listlessly in her chambers in the Halls of Dust and Darkness, where she is constantly attended by sixteen [link id=’675′ text=’Banzu Mugaam’]. Only a direct threat to her life or those of her children will move her to engage in combat.

Victims of Shalma Shalmallah’s bite must save vs. Poison or acquire a rotting disease that will prove fatal within 2d10 days. This disease cannot be cured by anything other than a Cure Disease spell. Damage done by her claws never heals and results in a permanent loss of hit points.

Shalma Shalmallah has the following spell-like abilities, useable at will (unless noted otherwise): Animal Growth , Blindness, Cause Fear, Create Food & Water, Curse, Death Spell (2/Day), Dispel Magic, Drain Energy, Hold Person, Insect Plague, Mind Blank, Polymorph Self, Sleep (1/Day), Speak with Animals, Speak with Plants, Telekinesis (1,000 lbs.)

Additionally, Shalma Shalmallah possesses all of the abilities of a typical Demon Lord:

Infravision (90′)
Half damage from cold-based attacks
Half damage from electrical-based attacks
Half damage from fire-based attacks (all)
Half damage from gas-type attacks
Telepathy (allows all languages to be understood)
Teleport without error

Shalma Shalmallah can only be damaged by +2 or better weapons, though she is susceptible to damage from non-magical weapons made of pure iron. She may Gate (80% probability of success) 2d6 [link id=’1101′ text=’Dgaan’].

The Tablets of Adad Untash tell the faithful that Shalma Shalmallah is an indolent creature that may be bribed to cease tormenting them with an offering of the blood of a dozen infants served in the skulls of their mothers.