Category Archives: Kaalmuria

BoL: Pregens for The Valley of the Ravenous

As noted previously, I’ll be running a couple of Barbarians of Lemuria (Mythic Edition) games at North Texas RPG Con. Below you’ll find the pregens for the first game, The Valley of the Ravenous. If you’re planning on being at the con and playing, don’t commit these to memory as they may change a little bit. But for the most part, these will be the characters involved.

Meloria / Lifeblood 10 / Composure 3 / Hero Points 5 / Fate Points 3
Attributes: Strength 0 Agility 1 Mind 1 Appeal 2
Combat Abilities: Initiative 0 Melee 1 Ranged 1 Defense 2
Careers: Noble 0, Priest 3, Scholar 1, Farmer 0
Boons: Inspire, Silver Tongue
Flaws: Fear of Snakes
Languages: Lirian, Gutterspeak, Thaxian, Zaaric, Kellic, Geiric
Equipment: Staff (d6), Dagger (d6L), Light Armor (d6-3)

The youngest daughter of a minor noble family in Liria, Meloria has dedicated herself as a priestess of Estiel, the Lirian goddess of the moon. Where it only served to aggravate her entirely unpleasant sisters, her natural charm has made her a favorite of the temple’s elders, whom she now sees as her real family.

Davanzato / Lifeblood 11 / Composure 3 / Hero Points 5 / Craft Points 2
Attributes: Strength 1 Agility 0 Mind 2 Appeal 1
Combat Abilities: Initiative 1 Melee 1 Ranged 1 Defense 1
Careers: Soldier 0, Scholar 1, Healer 1, Alchemist 2
Boons: Keen Eyesight, Friends in Low Places
Flaws: City Dweller
Languages: Lirian, Gutterspeak, Thaxian, Zaaric, Kellic, Geiric, Alchemical Symbology
Equipment: Sword (d6+1), Crossbow (d6), Light Armor (d6-3)
Alchemical Items: Potion of Prowess, Potion of Precision, Sky Eye

Davanzato is an alchemist & artificer from Liria. His patron is Ceria, the Lirian goddess of knowledge and aqueducts. During his brief time in the Esercito Guardia of the city state, he came to know quite a few individuals who would come to be prominent in the underworld.

Aevar / Lifeblood 15 / Composure 3 / Hero Points 5
Attributes: Strength 3 Agility 1 (0) Mind 0 Appeal 0
Combat Abilities: Initiative 1 Melee 2 Ranged 1 Defense 0 (1)
Careers: Barbarian 2, Hunter 1, Thief 0, Gladiator 1
Boons: Alert, Mighty Fists, Hard to Kill
Flaws: Illiterate, Ugly & Brutish
Languages: Geiric, Gutterspeak, Lirian
Equipment: Axe (d6+3), Dagger (d6L+3), Sling (d6L+1), Light Armor (d6-3), Large Shield (+1 Def vs all attacks/round)

Aevar is a fierce warrior from Geirbjornhal who often calls upon Brogdr, the Geirbjornhaller god of strength and war. After arriving in the “civilized” south, Aevar’s criminal career was cut short and he paid his “debt” by entertaining crowds as a gladiator in the grand colosseum of Liria.

Timandra / Lifeblood 10 / Composure 3 / Hero Points 5
Attributes: Strength 0 Agility 2 Mind 1 Appeal 1
Combat Abilities: Initiative 1 Melee 1 Ranged 1 Defense 1
Careers: Merchant 1 Sailor 0 Scholar 1 Thief 2
Boons: Deft Hands, Escape Artist, Tools of the Trade
Flaws: Greedy, Untrustworthy
Languages: Thaxian, Gutterspeak, Lirian, Kellic, Geiric
Equipment: Sword (d6), Dagger (d6L), Light Armor (d6-3)

Timandra hails from Thaxos, where her greed earned her a reputation she couldn’t shake. She now makes her way in the world by taking anything that isn’t nailed down. Though hardly much of a mariner herself, she still calls on Rasos, the Thaxian god of the sea, in times of trouble.

Keziah / Lifeblood 10 / Composure 3 / Hero Points 5
Attributes: Strength 0 Agility 1 Mind 1 Appeal 2
Combat Abilities: Initiative 1 Melee 0 Ranged 1 Defense 2
Careers: Dancer 2, Priest 0, Assassin 2, Alchemist 0
Boons: Master of Disguise, Poison Resistance
Flaws: Zealot
Languages: Zaaric, Gutterspeak, Thaxian, Lirian
Equipment: 2 Daggers (d6L – or d6 if dual), 3 Darts (d6L), Light Armor (d6-3)

Keziah grew up among the nomads of Zaar. She was groomed by the priests of her people to serve as an instrument of divine justice against their enemies. She regularly swears oaths to Ghev, the Zaari god of the sun.

Eogan MacGill / Lifeblood 12 / Composure 3 / Hero Points 5
Attributes: Strength 2 Agility 2 (1) Mind 0 Appeal 0
Combat Abilities: Initiative 0 Melee 1 Ranged 2 Defense 1
Careers: Bard 0, Mercenary 2, Beastmaster 2, Healer 0
Boons: Beast Friend, Thick Skin, Fearless
Flaws: Taciturn, Cannot Lie
Languages: Kellic, Lirian, Gutterspeak
Equipment: Sword (d6+2), Bow (d6+1), Medium Armor (d6-2+1), Small Shield (+1 Defense vs 1 attacker/round)

A son of mist-shrouded Kel, Eogan lacks the charm and good nature that are common to his fellow Kelmen. He finds the best companions are those who communicate without words. When pressed, Eogan sings hymns to Dynan, the Kellic god of wine and song and Mael Mav, the Kellic goddess of war.

BoL at NTRPG Con?

Update: It’s official! These two games are on the game list and everything. So go get registered for the con itself and then head back to their site around 4/15 to register for specific games.

Will there be Barbarians of Lemuria games at North Texas RPG Con this year? Well, if my proposals (submitted today) are accepted, then yes! I have no reason to believe they won’t be, so if you’re headed to the Dallas-Fort Worth area in June and are looking for games to play at the Con, give these Mythic Edition adventures some consideration…

Friday Night 6/3: The Beasts of Eternity

On the outskirts of Vusseaux, Brother Xelarius stubbornly maintains the flame at the now abandoned Abbey of St. Giles the Green. And though the monk does his best to protect the travelers and messengers who pass through his old order’s territory, brigands and stranger things have recently begun to stir in the shadows. Falsely accused of witchcraft, your small band is given the opportunity to travel to the Abbey in search of an answer to the increase in iniquity or face the guillotine.

Saturday Night 6/4: The Valley of the Ravenous

The wicked sorceress Zaana Dziriijla hurled one last hissing curse at you before she vanished. The world swam, colors swirled, and the ground went as soft as an empty belly below your feet. When your senses returned, you were no longer in her castle on the coast of Kel. Where once your skin was bitten by a frigid wind, it now prickles beneath the heat of an oppressive sun. Distant mountains rise to either side and the cries of unfamiliar birds echo across the skies. It may take some work to get back to Thaxos…

The Clockwork Turtle of Askerion

Wherein your humble scribe presents three Barbarians of Lemuria characters and a monster he put together on a whim, for use in his own (highly-derivative) Kaalmuria setting.

The Zaaric enchantress lay nearly lifeless on the deck, her skin sickly green from the rolling of the ship upon the churning waters. The captain and his first mate discussed their situation, speaking in a language their were fairly confident the witchwoman did not comprehend.

“She’s already paid us half, and we’ve been at sea for three weeks with nothing else to show for it,” the Kellman said in his heavily accented Geiric. “I say we dump her over the side and sail on.”

“Are you mad?” asked the great northern barbarian. “I’ll not have my ship haunted by the ghost of a witch who was murdered at sea.”

“You don’t understand how much trouble this one is, Lorm. You don’t speak her language. She’s constantly going on about how she’ll sail to the ends of the earth to find this Askerion fellow. She’s not going to give up, and thus we’re going to be stuck with her for a very long time. Her contract is ironclad. The ship is hers until we find whatever it is she’s looking for. Or until she dissolves the contract. Or dies.”

“You’re the one who didn’t catch that particular hook, Olbraigh. This is your fault, not mine. And it’s my ship, and it will not be haunted by a witch’s soul!”

Sandris / Lifeblood 10 / Hero Points 5 / Arcane Power 12
Attributes: Strength 0 Agility 1 Mind 2 Appeal 1
Combat Abilities: Brawl 0 Melee 0 Ranged 2 Defense 2
Careers: Sorcerer 2 Scholar 2 Artificer 0 Merchant 0
Boons: Learned (Flora & Fauna), Sling Master
Flaws: Landlubber
Languages: Zaaric, Kellic, Lirian, Thaxian
Equipment: Zaaric Mace (d6), Zaaric Sling (d6-2)

Lorm / Lifeblood 13 / Hero Points 5
Attributes: Strength 3 Agility 0 Mind 0 Appeal 1
Combat Abilities: Brawl 1 Melee 3 Ranged 0 Defense 0
Careers: Barbarian 1 Pirate 3 Thief 0 Soldier 0
Boons: Spear Fighter, Thick Skin
Flaws: Distrust of Sorcery
Languages: Geiric
Equipment: Geirbjornhaller Great Spear (d6+2), Axe (d6), Very Light Armor (d3-1)

Olbraigh / Lifeblood 11 / Hero Points 6
Attributes: Strength 1 Agility 2 Mind 1 Appeal 0
Combat Abilities: Brawl 0 Melee 2 Ranged 0 Defense 2
Careers: Thief 2 Pirate 2 Scholar 0 Physician 0
Boons: Carouser, Marked by the Gods
Flaws: Poor Eyesight
Languages: Kellic, Zaaric, Geiric
Equipment: Kellic Broadsword (d6), Light Armor (d6-2), Shield (+1)

The Clockwork Turtle of Askerion / Lifeblood 40
Attributes: Strength 5 Agility -1 Mind -2
Combat Abilities: Defense -1 Protection 1d6+2
Attack with Bite +1; 2d6

A Dangerous Foe: Pianova di Triosso

Wherein your humble scribe presents a Barbarians of Lemuria villain he put together on a whim, for use in his own (highly-derivative) Kaalmuria setting.

Pianova Triosso is a powerful sorceress who makes her home in the Orecchi District of the City of Secrets. She is quite ill-disposed to men, seeing them as little more than chattel to be used to their best ends by women. Pianova seeks to use her arcane powers to overthrow the patriarchy that dominates Liria in favor of a new, women-centric government and will happily destroy any man who stands against her in this mission. She is exceptionally militant about her beliefs and sees any woman who does not stand firm against the barbaric animals called males as a collaborator who is scarcely better than a man (and no more deserving of pity).

Pianova is actively seeking out several artifacts she needs to cast some of her more aggressive incantations and heroes operating in Liria will quite likely run into her machinations at some point. The sorceress employs a number of spies and agents throughout the city’s taverns and inns, and little happens in Liria that she is not aware of.

Essences
Lifeblood 10
Arcane Power 15
Villain Points 5

Attributes
Strength 0
Agility 2
Mind 2
Appeal 2

Combat
Brawl 1
Melee 1
Ranged 1
Defense 3

Careers
Sorcerer 3
Sage 1
Assassin 2
Serving Wench 0

Boons
Quick Recovery
Power of the Void

Flaws
City Dweller
Greed
Distrust of Men

Languages
Lirian, Sorceric, Kellic, Thaxian

Equipment
Lirian Kris, d6-2

BoL Character: G’antonin Ancente Ecchius

Wherein your humble scribe presents yet another Barbarians of Lemuria character he put together as an NPC for use in his own (highly-derivative) Kaalmuria setting. More will follow at highly irregular intervals.

A priest of Sunere Luculum – an obscure Lirian deity opposed to the use of magic – G’antonin Ancente Ecchius acts as judge, jury and executioner in a never-ending battle against dark wizards and those who consort with demons. He mostly confines his activities to the city of Liria and its surrounding regions – both areas are all quite rich with sinners – but has been known to travel the width and breadth of Kaalmuria in pursuit of powerful sorcerers and witches. G’antonin is a man obsessed; stern, brooding, and hard to travel with. But when battle against the dark forces becomes inevitable, there are few men in all of Kaalmuria anyone would want at their side.

Essences
Lifeblood 11
Hero Points 5

Attributes
Strength 1
Agility 2
Mind 2
Appeal -1

Combat
Brawl 0
Melee 3
Ranged 0
Defense 1

Careers
Priest 1
Assassin 1
Hunter 1
Torturer 1

Boons
Magic Resistance
Detect Deception
Nose for Magic

Flaws
Distrust of Sorcery
Taciturn

Languages
Lirian, Thaxian, Kellic

Equipment
Sword, d6+1
Dagger, d3+1 (or d3 thrown)
Light armor, d6-2

BoL Character: Tyrnon Vran

As moody as his misty homeland of Kel, Tyrnon Vran stalks Kaalmuria with his one true companion – his trusted bow – close at hand. He sleeps with one eye open, for he has been exiled and his enemies are everywhere. Despite this particular misfortune, the Kellic gods still smile upon the archer, helping his arrows fly straight and true when most needed.

Essences
Lifeblood 12
Hero Points 6

Attributes
Strength 2
Agility 2
Mind 0
Appeal 0

Combat
Brawl 0
Melee 0
Ranged 3
Defense 1

Careers
Mercenary 1
Blacksmith 1
Hunter 1
Vagabond 1

Boons
Longbow Master
Marked By The Gods

Flaws
Feels The Heat

Languages
Kellic

Equipment
Kellic Long Bow, d6+3
Kellic Broadsword, d6+2

BoL Character: Astrid Hriedall

I grew up playing Metagaming’s The Fantasy Trip far, far more than I played just about any other RPG (yes, even more than D&D). I’ve always thought that this is part of what lead to me being the particular flavor of freak that I am. I blame it on the spirit of Cidri, the default setting for TFT that warped me into my current shape. Rather than try to explain that, I’ll just quote from In The Labyrinth, the “player’s handbook” for TFT (which is also the source of the illustration):

IN THE LABYRINTH, and most of the FANTASY TRIP material to follow, will be set in Cidri. This enormous polyglot world was chosen as a background for two very good and totally opposite reasons. The first is variety. Cidri is big enough to hold thousands of Earths; it has room for the world of every Game Master who’ll ever put pencil to hex-paper. There’s room here for every sort of fantasy adventure to co- exist — in a logical manner. And it provides a workable rationale for the weird melange of legend, historical fact, pre- history, science fiction, and sheer wild imagination that characterizes the work of the best fantasy gamers.

The second reason is the opposite one… consistency. THE FANTASY TRIP is an attempt to set up a rule system that is complete without being overwhelmingly technical — so the gamers can spend their time playing, rather than re-writing the rules. Hopefully, this will mean that everyone who plays this game can consider themselves part of the same gigantic cam- paign, playing out the destinies of a whole world. Whatever strange lands you map, there’s room for them in Cidri, just across that pirate-infested sea or trackless desert. No matter
how powerful the dictator’s legions may be on one continent, or how mad and mighty the sorceror-kings may be on another, there’s always room for peaceful lands or beast-haunted forests — somewhere. And, if you like, it can all happen at once.

Not that other worlds aren’t possible. The FANTASY TRIP system will work for historical adventures on Earth itself, or for excursions into the past or future of your favorite author. But parts of all these are to be found on Cidri as well — that was why it was created. Enjoy.

Sorceress, from TFT's In The Labyrinth

I took that passage very deeply to heart. And because of it, I’ve never felt the need to adhere to any official setting. And other than the fact that my worlds (and those of my friends) might have been part of Cidri (they probably weren’t, though) and the incredibly loose (or perhaps non-existent) links that some of the subsectors I wandered through in Classic Traveller might have had to the Third Imperium, I never really spent much time in an official setting.

Anyway, that’s neither here nor there. What matters is that I take the inspiration where I find it and throw back some nice new RPG content your way. So looking at the lovely Swords & Sorcery enchantress to the right – straight from In The Labyrinth – I present to you a new Barbarians of Lemuria character…

Astrid Hriedall

Once the slave and consort of The Wolfmage, Astrid Hriedall took every opportunity to learn the magical arts from the canny old wizard, and eventually she won her freedom by besting her master in a game of chess. Now she travels Kaalmuria seeking out sources of arcane wisdom wherever they can be found.

Essences
Lifeblood 8
Arcane Power 13
Hero Points 5

Attributes
Strength 0
Agility 1
Mind 2
Appeal 1

Combat
Brawl 0
Melee 1
Ranged 0
Defense 3

Careers
Barbarian 1
Sorcerer 3
Hunter 0
Slave 0

Boons
Magic of the Sorcerer Kings

Flaws
Arrogant
Unsettling
Delicate

Languages
Geiric, Sorceric, Lirian

Equipment
Dagger, d3

A Dangerous Foe: The Wolfmage

Wherein your humble scribe presents a Barbarians of Lemuria villain he put together on a whim, for use in his own (highly-derivative) Kaalmuria setting.

Modolfr Hrossbjorn, now called The Wolfmage, stands alone amongst his people, as one of the very few Geirbjornhalers to excel at the arcane arts. He lives alone in an abandoned mountain hall, where he communes with the dark forces that give him his power. But it was not always thus…

A lifetime ago Hrossbjorn was a simple barbarian from the north who went to the civilized lands to make his fortune. Along the way he and his companions fell afoul of an amoral necromancer whose name is lost to time, though not to the Wolfmage’s memory. As a slave to this wizard, Hrossbjorn watched as his companions died one by one, only to have their bodies and souls violated by the dark arts practiced by the sorcerer.

One day Hrossbjorn decided he could not stand this fate any further and rose up against the necromancer. Strangely, the spells flung at Hrossbjorn failed to affect him, and his mighty thews quickly dispatched the old wizard. And though his animal wildness won, Hrossbjorn was never able to forget the power displayed by the magician. Ever after Modolfr Hrossbjorn sought as much magical power as he could find, and soon became known as The Wolfmage.

Essences
Lifeblood 13
Arcane Power 14
Villain Points 3

Attributes
Strength 3
Agility 2
Mind 4
Appeal -1

Combat
Brawl 1
Melee 3
Ranged 1
Defense 3

Careers
Sorcerer 4
Barbarian 2
Slave 0
Scholar 2

Boons
Fearsome Looks
Keen Scent
Magic Resistence

Flaws
Missing Eye (Right)
Drunkard
Feels the Cold
Unsettling

Languages
Geiric, Lirian, Thaxian, Sorceric

Equipment
Axe, d6+3
Very Light Armor (Furs) d3-1

BoL Character: Tov Reuel

Tov Reuel is an itinerant, muscle-bound seller of religious tokens and artifacts from the plains of Zaar. He has traveled far and wide across the face of Kaalmuria, and learned many things – not least which is that he is somewhat less than graceful and possesses no skill with ranged weaponry.

Tov has a distinct weakness for the ladies and will happily spend nearly every Sha’im he has on a chance to revel in their affections. Further, though he has precious little skill at creating poetry, he is entirely unashamed of his meager abilities and will happily make up whatever doggerel he can think of and apply it to any circumstance he faces.

Essences
Lifeblood 13
Hero Points 5

Attributes
Strength 3
Agility -1
Mind 1
Appeal 1

Combat
Brawl 1
Melee 2
Ranged -1
Defense 2

Careers
Merchant 2
Scholar 1
Priest 1
Rogue 0

Boons
Mace Fighter
Learned: Legends

Flaws
Landlubber

Languages
Zaaric, Thaxian, Lyrian, Common

Equipment
Zaaric Mace, d6+3
Light Armor, d6-2

BoL Character: Creus Orsellios

Hailing from proud Thaxos, Creus Orsellios is as at home on the sea as he is in the laboratory. Once known for his uncanny prowess as a ship’s lookout, Creus lost his left eye in a fight against a group of pirates and hopes someday to discover a means of replacing its function alchemically. Still, the man known as “The Hawk” manages to spot things even those with two eyes miss.

Creus has developed an alchemical admixture that allows even a novice sailor to retain his footing on deck in even the roughest of seas. Some captains have paid him handsomely to provide them with this “Deck Gum” when they are setting out on a voyage to the northlands, where the storms are strong and unpredictable. And when he himself sails, Creus always takes least enough of this material to last a full week.

Essences
Lifeblood 11
Hero Points 3

Attributes
Strength 1
Agility 1
Mind 2
Appeal 0

Combat
Brawl 0
Melee 2
Ranged 0
Defense 2

Careers
Mariner 2
Scholar 0
Alchemist 2
Metalsmith 0

Boons
Axe Fighter
Learned: Geography
Keen Eyesight

Flaws
Missing Eye

Languages
Thaxian, Lirian, Common

Equipment
Double-headed Thaxoan Axe 1d6+3
Light armor (d6-2)
Alchemical “Deck Gum”

Strange Stones

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