Category Archives: Homebrew

BoL Foes: Coztli – The Warriors Of Tlactoztlan

Wherein your humble scribe presents a set of opponents for his Mesoamerican themed setting for Barbarians of Lemuria.

The warrior caste of Tlactoztlan are known as Coztli, the yellow-headed ones. Like the yellow-crowned parrots whose feathers comprise their distinctive headdresses, the Coztli are deadly combatants and fearless defenders of their homeland. These men and women are a varied lot – coming in all shapes and sizes – for it is only their martial prowess that makes them worthy of the name Coztli and the rights and privileges that come with it. Respected throughout Tlactoztlan – and feared beyond the lost valley – Coztli serve not only as soldiers but also as guards and escorts for the Tlactozotl priests, the Texotli.

Below are stats for Coztli Rabble and Coztli NPCs. Individual Coztli Villains, like Chalchiquahchimal, are unique and should be created as needed by the Game Master.

Coztli Rabble

The average warrior or temple guard.

Essences
Lifeblood 4

Attributes
Strength 1
Agility 0
Mind -1
Appeal 0

Combat Abilities
Brawl
Melee 1
Ranged 0
Defense -1

Career
Warrior 0

Protection: 1 (Shield)
Weapons: Macuahuitl 1d6+2 (-1 to hit)
Atlatl (dart thrower) 1d6-1

Coztli NPCs

A leader or other individual of significant rank, experience, or responsibility, such as the bodyguard of a well-established merchant.

Essences
Lifeblood 11

Attributes
Strength 1
Agility 1
Mind 0
Appeal 0

Combat Abilities
Brawl 0
Melee 1
Ranged 1
Defense 0

Career
Warrior 1
Soldier 1

Protection: 1d6-1 (quilted cotton armor & shield)
Weapons: Macuahuitl (obsidian-toothed wooden swords) 1d6+2
Atlatl (dart thrower) 1d6-1

Mini Six Characters: 1977 Detectives

Wherein your humble scribe succumbs to the siren song of Mini Six once again. The fabulous Precinct ’77 mini-setting continues as the inspiration.

Lt. Dankowicz hit the lights and siren on his unmarked cruiser. He checked the mirror, smiled at the sight of his magnificent ‘stache, and pulled out into the traffic on Canal to pursue the purple ’73 Lincoln he’d been on the lookout for. Funk Washington would be behind the wheel, on his way back to Harlem after having picked up a shipment from Hu Fong Lee. And it was time he and Washington had a little chat.

Funk saw the lights come on in his rearview, fidgeted nervously with the Playboy keychain dangling from the ignition, and punched the gas. He swerved the big car out into oncoming traffic to pass a couple of delivery trucks and nearly ran head-on into a tour bus. Cursing, he took a hard, squealing right down an alley hoping to lose the fuzz. Instead, he found himself at a dead end as the unmarked cruiser pulled in behind him.

Lt. Dankowicz approached the Lincoln cautiously, but didn’t draw his service revolver. He didn’t want to send the wrong message to the man inside. As he got to the car the heavily tinted window rolled down and Funk Washington looked at the detective with cold, bloodshot eyes.

“Shit, Ox,” he whispered harshly. “What the fuck you doing? Lee’s as good as grass and you pull me over? What the fuck, man? I been workin’ this sting for three months now. What. The. Fuck?”

“Sorry, Melvin,” the big man replied wistfully, leaning down to make it look like he was questioning the driver. “It’s just, you know, Gina’s been getting all weird on me lately. She completely flipped out that I boxed with Torres. She’s threatening to move out again and I really need to chew the fat with my old partner, just to clear my head and get some, I dunno, perspective?”

Lt. Washington gritted his teeth, but felt his heart soften just a bit. “Write me a damned ticket, and let me get outta here before you blow everything, foo. You call me up at my pad tonight and we can meet at McSorley’s. But damn, Ox. Don’t mess this shit up over Gina. You know that bitch be crazy. And that’s the only perspective you need, brotha.”

Lt. Edward “Ox” Dankowicz
Might 4D Agility 2D+2
Wit 2D+2 Charm 1D+2
Skills: Brawl 5D, Muscle 5D, Dodge 3d+2, Investigation 3d+2, Bad Cop 2D+2, Contacts 2D+2
Perks: Ladies Love The ‘Stache
Complications: Jealous Lover
Gear: Badge, Handcuffs, Service Revolver (4D)
Static: Dodge 11, Block 15, Parry 12
Body Points: 36
Armor: none

Lt. Melvin “Funk” Washington
Might 2D Agility 2D+1
Wit 3D+1 Charm 3D+1
Skills: Guns 3D+1, Investigation 4D+1, Legalese 4D+1, Good Cop 4D+1, Bad Cop 4D+1, Undercover 4D+1
Perks: Ethnic Background (African-American/speaks “jive”)
Complications: Bad Rep
Gear: Badge, Handcuffs, Service Revolver (4D)
Static: Dodge 7, Block 6, Parry 6
Body Points: 28
Armor: none

Mini Six Characters: 1977 Lady Detectives

Wherein your humble scribe succumbs to the siren song of Mini Six once again. This time the fabulous Precinct ’77 mini-setting serves as the inspiration.

Laney Salyes brushed an errant strand of her long blonde hair back from her face and sighed slightly as she tried, again, to explain to the victim’s mother that the Department really needed to know if he had been back on the Horse before his unfortunate demise. Ramon Izquierdo had been a successful boxer a long time ago – “The Right Hook of Red Hook” they called him, 17-3-1 – but after throwing a couple of fights near the end of his career his reputation was shot and the only work he could find was as small-time muscle for the DiPioto Family. When Izzy the Hook, as the Family called him, turned up dead from an overdose, but with no track marks visible, Lt. Sayles and her partner had been called in to investigate.

“Mrs. Izquierda, really, we want to find out exactly what happened to your son. And we want to make certain that whoever is responsible faces justice. Now surely you can tell us just a few simple things…”

“No. I no talk to you,” the elderly woman in the doorway said. “Policia always give trouble my Ramon. Siempre preguntas, always pushing him. He was a good boy…”

Lt. Sayles drew a deep breath and prepared to try yet another angle when she heard her partner cough. It was the dry, fake cough that Marina used when she’d had enough of Laney’s good cop routine and was ready to charge in with her own, rougher, approach.

Lt. Torres stepped around her partner and took off her large, mirrored sunglasses, revealing the black eye she was still nursing from her sparring match against Dankowicz. That big dumb ox had caught her off guard with a weak but effective jab. In return, she’d dropped a quick combination that left him seeing stars. There weren’t many men in the Precinct who were still willing to take her on in the ring. She was a natural born boxer, after all; the daughter of Santiago “El Toro” Torres, the only man who had beaten Ramon Izquierdo in an unrigged fight.

“Escúcheme, señora,” Marina began as she launched into a forceful, rapid fire verbal assault in her mother tongue. “Sé que su hijo hizo algunas cosas malas, y yo sabía que tenía un momento difícil de la misma. Pero tienes que decirnos lo que necesita saber o más personas van a morir. Más niños como Ramón.”

As she spoke, tears began to well up in the old woman’s eyes and her chin began to quaver. Yes, Marina though, she’ll be singing in no time. I hate to make her cry, but Laney can smooth that over once we have the information we need.

Lt. Elaine “Laney” Sayles
Might 2D Agility 3D
Wit 2D Charm 4D
Skills: Brawl 3D, Dodge 4D, Drive 4D, Guns 4D, Investigation 3D, Good Cop 5D, BS Detector 5D
Perks: none
Complications: Bad Divorce
Gear: Badge, Handcuffs, Service Revolver (4D)
Static: Dodge 12, Block 9, Parry 6
Body Points: 30
Armor: none

Lt. Marina Torres
Might 1D+2 Agility 3D+2
Wit 3D+1 Charm 2D+1
Skills: Brawl 3D+2, Athletics 4D+2, Investigation 4D+1, Bad Cop 3D+1, Snitches 3D+1
Perks: Ethnic Background (Puerto Rican/speaks Spanish)
Complications: Bad Rep
Gear: Badge, Handcuffs, Service Revolver (4D)
Static: Dodge 11, Block 11, Parry 5
Body Points: 26
Armor: none

BoL Bestiary: Jaguar (Ocelotl)

Jaguars, called Ocelotl by the natives of Tlactoztlan, are large predatory cats that are nearly as powerful as lions and tigers. Their spotted coats make them difficult to see in their jungle habitat, a trait which plays well to their solitary nature and stalk-and-ambush hunting style. Their powerful jaws allow them to deliver a bite capable of piercing the sturdiest armor or even a human skull. These cats are highly proficient at climbing and are strong swimmers with little to no disinclination towards water. There are rumors of larger & more dangerous Ocelotl living deep within the jungle, though these tales are generally believed to be exaggerations, since anyone who encountered a “giant” jaguar would likely not have survived to report the encounter.

Attributes
Strength 2
Agility 3
Mind 0

Combat Abilities
Attack with Bite +2; d6+2 damage
Attack with 2 claws +2; d6-1 damage each
Attack with all three attacks at +1
Defense: 3
Protection: d2-1 (tough hide)
Lifeblood: 13

A Dangerous Foe: Chalchiquahchimal

Somewhere in the world lies the lost valley of Tlactoztlan. The strange natives of this hidden place practice human sacrifice, pray to bizarre gods, adorn themselves with brightly-colored feathers, and – it is rumored – live in cities made of gold. Only the bravest and luckiest adventurers find their way to Tlactoztlan!

A respected general in the army of King Cuhuitlazcaltiacapan, Chalchiquahchimal serves with pride and honor, bringing great glory to Tlactoztlan. As commander of an elite cadre of Eagle Knights, Chalchiquahchimal drives his men to their limits of endurance, leading by example and fearing no foe. Honored with the Jade Eagle Shield by the King for his efforts against an invading outlander army, Chalchiquahchimal is, outwardly, the model of of a perfect soldier. But looks can be deceiving…

During that great conflict Chalchiquahchimal came into possession of a number of outlander texts, which he deciphered with the help of a prisoner he (mostly) spared from torture. These writings opened the general’s eyes to different visions of the world and through them he came to view the ruling class with disdain. In short order Chalchiquahchimal began to develop a vision for Tlactoztlan wherein the warrior caste, lead by his own hand, would rise up and take control of the country, enforcing order and discipline on the decadent people of the lost valley and, eventually, traveling forth to conquer the outlanders themselves. Though he keeps his contempt in check, Chalchiquahchimal becomes bolder and more open in his attempts to wrestle power from the King with each passing season.

Like all Coztli (the warriors of Tlactoztlan), Chalchiquahchimal wears a headdress comprised of yellow parrot feathers, with his own right-of-passage blood red Quetzalcoatl feather at the center.

Essences
Lifeblood 15
Villain Points 5

Attributes
Strength 3
Agility 2
Mind 1
Appeal 2

Combat
Brawl 2
Melee 3
Ranged 0
Defense 2

Careers
Warrior 3
Soldier 3
Torturer 1
Scholar 1

Boons
Hard-to-Kill
Strength Feat
Keen Eyesight

Flaws
Distrust of Sorcery
Arrogant

Languages
Tlacuatl, Outlander

Equipment
Macuahuitl (obsidian-toothed wooden sword), 1d6+4 (-1 to hit)
Fist, 1d2+3
Ichcahuipilli (quilted cotton armor) & Jade Eagle Shield, d6

Tlactoztlan: Towards A Map

I love RPG maps as a concept, but I have a tendency to shy away from them for settings I produce. I like the vagueness that comes with the lack of a map. But at the same time, damn if the old “Known World” maps and such just set my mind to racing.

So, with a little help from map tools by the inimitable Dan Proctor and the incomparable harmyn, I decided to knock together this thing over here on the right side of the screen. Yep, it’s an honest-to-goodness attempt to map out Tlactoztlan based on the bits and pieces that have been revealed in the various writeups I’ve done on that setting.

This is probably not final, and it certainly shouldn’t be taken as any kind of canon. Or rather, I utterly and completely reserve the right to blow this up and replace it with something else entirely. Or at least refine it if I ever get on the stick and produce anything for distribution beyond the confines of the blog.

So let me know what you think of what you see. I’m no cartographer and I’m definitely open to suggestion. That said, I’m not overly concerned with realism here. So if you find yourself getting hung up on the intricacies of my terrain placement, please feel free to share. Just don’t get too distraught if I don’t immediately freak out with you 🙂

BoL Character: Huetzin The Hermit

The ancient seer Huetzin lives in a cave deep within the jungle to the south of Xotepeclan. Here he subtly works to help the nearby villagers overcome the troubles inflicted upon them by both the evil sorcerer Nezatl Xomec and the corrupt priest Tlilpotonqui. Huetzin knows that he lacks the power or influence to take on either of these threats to Tlactoztlan directly and would never engage in such folly. Instead, he does what he can to ease the suffering of the people and to alert those who serve King Cuhuitlazcaltiacapan faithfully to the threats posed by those who seek to harm Tlactoztlan or its people.

Huetzin has forseen a day when an army of ghosts will come to Tlactoztlan and wash away the stains of the old ways with a sea of blood and brushes made of bones. He believes, but cannot see, that a brighter future free of evil lies on the other side of this great change. Huetzin is favorably disposed to most outlanders he encounters and is always watchful for signs that such people might lead the way to change. He is, at the very least, a strong if not active ally against the machinations of those who outlanders are likely to run afoul of when they arrive in Tlactoztlan.

Like all Izatacli (the sorcerers of Tlactoztlan), Huetzin wears a headdress comprised of white parrot feathers, with his own right-of-passage cerulean Quetzalcoatl feather at the center.

Essences
Lifeblood 11
Hero Points 3
Arcane Power 12

Attributes
Strength 1
Agility 1
Mind 2
Appeal 1

Combat
Brawl 1
Melee 1
Ranged 2
Defense 1

Careers
Sorcerer 2
Scolar 1
Hunter 1
Merchant 1

Boons
Magic of the Sorcerer Kings
Jungle Tracker

Flaws
Cravings: Chewed leaves & roots that grant energy and mystical visions
Country Bumpkin

Languages
Tlacuatl, Sorceric, Outlander

Equipment
Jade monkey-headed Knife, d3+1
Atlatl (dart thrower), 1d6-1

Mini Six Characters: Darghast & Molnara

Wherein your humble scribe presents a couple of characters he whipped up in honor of the arrival of his print copy of Mini Six. For the record, it should be noted that I have never played a single D6 game of any vintage by any publisher. I only bought into Mini Six because I was so impressed with the effort the AntiPaladin Games guys put into it and I love nice light systems to tinker with. Oh, and the subtle little Warren Zevon reference in the rulebook makes me happy.

Molnara found Darghast face down in a pool of filthy rainwater in the alley behind the Flagrant Fox. She noted that he was short a couple of teeth when she lifted him up with her giant hands, and as she slung the rogue over her shoulder the stench of Fool’s Own brandy that emanated from his every pore was so thick as to be nearly visible.

“Tsk, tsk, Darg. You really shouldn’t go to this part of town without me, you know,” the warrior gently lectured her friend in her rough & smokey voice.

“Grnshp. ButIwaswinnng. Before. Uuuungh.”

“Sure you were, Darg. And I’m sure you weren’t cheating at all. And that’s certainly not why Krogan and his boys treated you to a visit to the alley,” she continued as she made her way through the midnight streets of the Plum Street district, winding through its less dangerous sections to try to get back to their rooms at the Old Boar’s.

“Fnshwa. NalvinandSandohadmback,” Darghast slurred, stifling a laugh that would only have caused his head to hurt more.

“Nalvin and Sando? You really shouldn’t put your faith in friends like that pair. It doesn’t matter how well connected you think you are, Darg. No one likes a cheater. Not here in Franziltown, anyway.”

“Franziltown! Wemightwnnleavbefore. Sunnnup…”

Molnara stopped dead in her tracks and hauled Darghast’s limp form from her broad back. She held his nearly insensate form directly in front of her face, her eyes narrowed, her jaw set.

“What. Did. You. Do, Darg?”

“Hunsding.”

“What? Hunsding? What does that mean, Darg?”

In later days Molnara would often remind him of what happened next. Of how he had emptied the sad contents of his guts on the ground (and her) and passed out completely just as the three Huntsmen stepped out of the darkness where they had been waiting for the rogue and the warrior, swords glinting in the moonlight. Of how she had single-handedly defeated two of them with her axe and send the third running back to his Guildmaster with one less ear for eavesdropping. And of how she had managed to get them clear of Franziltown before the Guild could properly deal with them. All while Darghast slept like a baby, snoring loudly and occasionally muttering softly to himself.

Darghast
Might 2D+2
Agility 3D+1
Wit 2D+1
Charm 3D+2

Skills: Persuasion 4D+2, Streetwise 4D+2, Sword 3D+2, Pickpocket 4D+1, Dodge 5D+1
Perks: Favors
Gear: Sword (5d+1)
Static: Dodge 16, Block 8, Parry 11
Body Points: 30
Armor: Leather (2) & Shield ( 4)

Molnara
Might 4D
Agility 3D+1
Wit 2D+1
Charm 2D+1

Skills: Brawling 5D, Axe 6D, Dodge 4D+1, Tracking 2D+2, Ride 3d+1, Courage 3d+1
Perks: None
Gear: Axe (7D)
Static: Dodge 10, Block 15, Parry 18
Body Points: 36
Armor: Chainmail (6) & Shield (4)

BRP Character: Edwina Lyselle Sirolangg

Wherein your humble scribe presents an NPC for use with Basic RolePlaying.

Edwina Lyselle Sirolangg is a freelance pilot and entrepreneur who makes her living clearing the space lanes of debris left over from the various planetary collisions that frequently occur throughout the densely packed AT4-R1 sector. And though most people think she is just “a little off” from having spent too much time alone blasting the big rocks into dust, Edie swears she has seen alien spacecraft out there in the ‘stroid Fields. She doesn’t quite know why, but she “feels” that the aliens come from a planet called Vekt’aar. At least, that’s what the voices in her head seem to be telling her, when she can hear them over the “heartbeat” of her ship.

STR 10 CON 14 SIZ 10 INT 14 POW 16 DEX 18 APP 14
Hit Points 12 Major Wound 6 Power Points 16

Damage Bonus: none
Weapons: Blaster Pistol 55%, damage 1d8+2
Armor: Adaptive Mesh, 1d4+2
Skills: Appraise 35%, Artillery: Shipboard 65%, Disguise 25%, Dodge 55%, Energy Weapons: Blaster Pistols 55%, Fine Manipulation 25%, First Aid 50%, Heavy Machine 35%, Knowledge: The Fields 50%, Listen 50%, Navigation 55%, Pilot: Starship 75%, Repair: Electronic 30%, Repair: Mechanical 60%, Sleight of Hand 25%, Spot 75%, Stealth 30%
Powers: Danger Sense 30%, Intuition 20%, Precognition 20%, Telepathy 20%

LL Character: Bregdorf The Unwary

Young Bregdorf has left his home of Donkey’s Rest in search of his fortune. You know, the one Auntie Helga told him was waiting out there for him. She also used to tell him that sixteen of anything was lucky (unless it was torches) and that opals are the devil’s stone. And that he’d live to the rip old age of one-and-eighty and one day he would slay a vampire. And, of course, that there’s a fortune out there waiting to be had.

Bregdorf The Unwary / Human Fighter 1 / Neutral Good
Head Gear: A classical Greek helmet

STR 16 INT 12 WIS 4 DEX 12 CON 10 CHR 13
HP 5 AC 5 Money 12 sp, 4 cp
Bastard sword, Silver dagger, Scale Mail, Shield, 3 wooden stakes, Hammer, Wooden Holy Symbol, 3 cloves of garlic, 1 vial of holy water, Small silver mirror

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