BotA Character: Vandraj Takesh

Wherein your humble scribe presents a Barbarians of the Aftermath character he put together as an NPC for use in his own Narakam setting. More will follow at highly irregular intervals.

Vandraj Takesh is a young Varna noble who makes his home in the city of Bai. Like his father before him, Vandraj serves as a physician to the wealthiest families in the city, but this is only a means to an end. Vandraj seeks to understand as much as he can about the world outside of the safety of civilization – both about the people who live in the Wilds as well as about the history of the time before.

Young, brave, and foolhardy, Vandraj has ventured into the Wilds on more than one occasion in an effort to find material to study. On one of these trips he glimpsed the beautiful Pariah warrior Na’ilah Baras as she single-handedly fought off more than a dozen Varna soldiers sent by his uncle, Karjesh Jit, to bring back subjects for vivisection. Ever since that day – when no one noticed the stray light pistol shot that felled the soldier who almost got his net about the savage woman – Vandraj has been scheming on how to make the untamed and enthralling creature his own.

Genotype
Varna (Standard Human)

Essences
Lifeblood 10
Hero Points 5

Attributes
Strength 0
Agility 1
Mind 3
Appeal 0

Combat
Brawl -1
Melee 0
Ranged 2
Defense 3

Careers
Noble 1
Medic 1
Scholar 2
Chemist 0

Boons
Determined
Passionate (about Na’ilah Baras)

Flaws
Debilitation: Arrogant

Languages
Varna, Deva, Buddha, Hanumani, Pariah, Naga

Equipment
Light Pistol, d6
Very Light Armor, d3-1

BotA Character: Na’ilah Baras

Wherein your humble scribe presents a Barbarians of the Aftermath character he put together as an NPC for use in his own Narakam setting. More will follow at highly irregular intervals.

Born in the Wilds of Narakam, Na’ilah Baras is a pure-blooded barbarian badass who would just as happily slit your throat as seduce you, depending upon her mood and needs at the time you happened across her. She is as untamed as the wind and woe be unto the man or mutant who tries to claim her as his or its own.

To the people of her village, though, Na’ilah is nothing less than a savior. Single-handedly, or leading the few brave enough to join her, she has defended her people from numerous attacks by other tribes of pariah as well as raids by unscrupulous Varna scientists searching for research subjects.

One particular Varna, the young noble Vandraj Takesh, has developed a particular interest in Na’ilah and is willing to pay handsomely for her capture. The trouble is, no one foolish enough to undertake the endeavor is still alive…

Barbarian Woman

Consider this friendly lady from p. 52 of the BotA rulebook a good representation of Na'ilah.

Genotype
Pariah (Wastelander Human)

Essences
Lifeblood 14
Hero Points 5

Attributes
Strength 2
Agility 2
Mind 0
Appeal 1

Combat
Brawl 0
Melee 2
Ranged 1
Defense 1

Careers
Barbarian 2
Assassin 1
Courtesan 1
Beast Master 0

Boons
The Strong Survive
Hard-To-Kill

Flaws
Savage

Languages
Pariah

Equipment
Sword, d6+2
Dagger, d3+2
Bow, d6+1
Very Light Armor (Chainmail Bikini), d3-1

Barbarians of the Aftermath

So I’ve noticed that I’m getting a fair amount of traffic for the search term “Barbarians of the Aftermath” even though I haven’t really posted much content for that particular game. This makes me feel guilty. So I’m going to post a couple of BotA NPCs here in a minute just to assuage that guilt.

If I keep drawing traffic I’ll keep doing more. Of course, posting more content almost guarantees that I’ll draw more traffic, which means I’ll need to post more content, and so on. It’s a vicious circle. Or cycle. Whatever.

BRP Bestiary: Tsu’ojian Pterodactyl

These giant predators are powerful fliers, and are often far more intelligent than expected. They terrorize the lands surrounding the lava fields of Tsu’oj. Only the Sky Knights of Roheisia are able to keep these beasts at bay.

Tsu’ojian Pterodactyls attack with their powerful jaws and, less frequently, by raking with their claws as they swoop down upon their prey.

Giant Pterodactyl, Primitive Predator

STR 4d6+12 (26)
CON 4d6+6 (20)
SIZ 6d6+12 (33)
INT 1d6+3 (6-7)
POW 2d6 (7)
DEX 3d6+3 (13-14)
MOV run-2, fly-12

Average HP: 27
Average Damage Bonus: +3d6

Armor: 1d8, Leathery Hide

Attacks: Bite 60%, damage 2d6 +db
Claws 30%, 1d8 + db

Skills: Dodge 65% (in air), 20% (on ground), Fly 100%, Grapple 50%, Listen 55%, Sense 45%, Spot 70%, Track 40%

The Demons Of Adad Untash: Dgaan

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.

Lugul the Elder despised sitting in the opulence of King Asirsz’s palace. The excess and waste of the nobility were too much to bear for a man whose sole purpose in the eyes of Marduk was to provide surcease to the common people of Umaab. Just watching fat Prince Husze gorging himself on a plate of boar-and-oat that would feed a normal family for a week made Lugul’s blood boil. That his companion, Dusz, sought to out eat the prince only made it worse.

“Calm thyself, priest. Your consternation plays across your face like the sun upon black glass,” the enchantress Giszeah whispered beside him. “Dusz only does what he must to secure the king’s attention. Now that he is Champion of Dnaniri he must needs behave a certain way. At least at times.”

“I understand, my friend, but I do not have to like what I see. And believe me when I say that this behavior is not viewed well by the gods.”

“Damn the gods, then,” Dusz bellowed, bits of boar-and-oat spraying from his mouth as he spoke. “Do not think I cannot hear you two, whispering your whispers. Men must eat!”

Prince Husze laughed uproariously at this, his own repast spilling out onto his plate, which was quickly taken away by servants and replaced with a new one, causing Lugul no end of irritation.

“When my father sought to fill the Champion’s place after Ullabas was killed, you know it was I who suggested you, friend Dusz. Your name and deeds spoke for themselves, despite your dubious ac-c-cquaint-an-”

Prince Husze’s voice caught in his throat as he began to choke, a bone caught in his windpipe. Three servants rushed forward to assist the prince, his face rapidly changing from its soft pink tones to a red that bordered on purple.

Even as the men strove to save the prince from his own gluttony, he struck at them and shoved them away, attempting to defend his plate from them as though they were out to steal his food. Lashing out so violently, he drove the men back, while at the same time sealing his fate. In short order, the gluttonous prince lay dead, splayed across the table, face down in the food he cared for more than he did his own people.

Moments later, in the Halls of Dust and Darkness, a new beast was born to one of the Demon Empresses’ handmaidens. Its birth cries sounded oddly like a man choking to death while laboring to protect something he held precious.

Dgaan (Higher Order Demon)
No. Enc.: 1d3 (1d3)
Alignment: Chaotic (evil)
Movement: 120’ (40’)
Armor Class: -1
Hit Dice: 9
Attacks: 4 (2 claws, 1 bite, 1 tail sting)
Damage: 1d12/1d12/3d8/2d4 + poison
Save: F9
Morale: 10
Hoard Class: XX
XP: 4,500

Birthed in the Halls of Dust and Darkness by the handmaidens of Shalma Shalmallah, Dgaan come forth into the world with the body of the lion, the head of the crocodile, and the terrible stinging tail of the scorpion. These demons are as cruel as they are clever and live only to sow chaos in wherever they may be sent by their mothers’ mistress.

Dgaan attack by rending with their claws and biting with their ever-dripping jaws. Further, they strike with the poison-filled barbs atop their their segmented tails. The poison from these creatures is both strong and deadly – saving thrown made against this poison suffer a -3 penalty and a failed save results in instant death, while those whose saves are successful are drained of 1d4 each of Strength and Constitution due to the wasting effects of the poison. Characters who are killed by Dgaan poison may not be resurrected or reincarnated.

In addition to these attacks, Dgaan have the following spell-like abilities, useable at will: Detect Invisible, Hypnotism, Illusion, Invisibility, Levitate, Mind Blank (1/day), Mirror Image, Polymorph Other, Polymorph Self, Read Language, Suggestion, Symbol of Insanity, Vanish, and Ventriloquism.

Additionally, they possess all of the abilities of a typical Higher Order Demon:

  • 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

Dgaan can only be damaged by +2 or better weapons, though they are susceptible to damage from non-magical weapons made of pure iron. Dgaan may Gate (30% probability of success) 3d6 Lum Anang Kul (25%) or 2d4 Badag Gul (75%).

Dgaan are occasionally found wandering the plains or deserts of Umaab; more frequently, though, they are encountered traveling on a mission for Shalma Shalmallah.

The Tablets of Adad Untash tell the faithful that Dgaan are the souls of nobles who mistreat their servants and wantonly waste resources that could make their people’s lives better.

BRP Character: Python Dyel, Sky Knight

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

Python Dyel is a Sky Knight in service to King Foucaut of Roheisia. On the back of his faithful airstrich Leuruna he patrols the skies over the kingdom, defending the crown’s possessions against the buzzaird-riding Shadow Lords and the giant pterodactyls that raid from their aeries in the floating islands above the lava fields of Tsu’oj.

Dyel is known among the Sky Knights as a loyal companion with a dry sense of humor and an almost telepathic link with his airstrich. Though most of his order find him a bit aloof, they all know they can count on him when trouble strikes in the deadly skies.

STR 17 CON 14 SIZ 16 INT 11 POW 10 DEX 13 APP 11
Hit Points 15 Major Wound 8 Power Points 10

Damage Bonus: +1d6
Weapons: Lance 75%, 1d8+1 +1d6
Long Sword 55%, damage 1d8 +1d6
Light Crossbow 50%, damage 1d6+2
Armor: Half Plate & Heavy Helmet, 1d8+2
Skills: Brawl 45%, Climb 55%, Command 25%, Dodge 45%, First Aid 25%, Navigate 35%, Ride: Airstrich 75%

Garishly Painted Greek Statues

This is just neat:

Ultraviolet light reveals how ancient Greek statues really looked

Of course, the statues don’t look as classical when seen, pardon the pun, in this light. But hey, Science! makes lots of things look less classical. And that’s why Science! rocks. It keeps us real.

And though this isn’t particularly gaming-related, maybe knowing that the Greeks had appalling taste in color will come in handy somewhere down the road.

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

The Sword – Tres Brujas

So I was using Tumblr for this kind of thing, but since I’ve ramped up my own domain for this blog I should probably not be splitting my meager traffic any further than necessary (at least that’s what the little trained marketing weasel in my head tells me) so listen up! It’s time to put on your psychedelic metal headphones and enjoy the first single from the new album Warp Riders, (which drops tomorrow) by Austin’s own The Sword. Crank it up for Tres Brujas:

The Sword is playing a live CD-release party tonight in the parking lot of Waterloo Records, our largest and most badass independent record store. I aims to be there, getting my rock on.

The Sword is good old school gaming metal. Check out their other two albums available at emusic and itunes, if you have any trouble finding them at your local record shop. But you should always opt to support your local record shop if you can.

Lastly, The Sword will be touring like crazy starting in September (first opening for Metallica in Australia, New Zealand, and Japan and then doing their own tour) so check out their official page and catch ’em live when they pass through your neck of the woods.