Only War One-shot - The Purging of the Teygetus Range

     And now for something completely different...

Name: Yunthar IV

Segmentum: Segmentum Ultima

Sector: Badab

System: Yunthar

Population: 2,400,000

Affiliation: Contested - Imperium/Mutant Partisan Forces

Tithe: Solutio Tertius

Class: Knight World/Penal World

One of the earliest settled regions in the Badab sector, the Yunthar system was attractive to the original pioneers due to its proximity to the already established Pireaus system and large quantity of habitable worlds orbiting it's twin stars. Originally an agri-world by dint of it's temperate weather patterns suitable for farming, Yunthar IV was formerly the most densely populated and developed world until the advent of the [REDACTED] caused the population to break into factions. The loyalist forces, led by the knight house Sarkis, were forced to deploy their stockpile of atomic weapons during the subsequent fighting. The planet's two mega-continents, Attacia & Laconia, suffered numerous nuclear salvos and large swathes of both the land and surrounding oceans were rendered uninhabitable. The remaining population was herded into great dome cities which now dot the northern and southern tips of Attacia and Lacnoia. There are two settlements of note, Turnia in the north of Attacia is the ancestral seat of House Sarkis and is the center of the planet's culture, while Amykles on the southern edge of Laconia boasts the planet's only independent space port and is owned by a council of trade consortiums. Yunthar IV has two moons, known as Kythira & Antikythira, both are lifeless hunks of rock. Worship of the Emperor falls within an orthodox interpretation, though there is a particular focus locally on themes of martyrdom and personal sacrifice which borders on concerning to outside observers. Needless wastes of life or material on last stands or rear-guard actions is endemic to Knights or Guard units hailing from Yunthar IV.

The surviving forces loyal to [REDACTED] were enslaved after their surrender and set to repair the wide-ranging damage done to the planet's infrastructure; but as the war consumed the wider sector it was decreed by the Sector Governor that Yunthar IV would be the destination of any rebels captured in the fighting deemed useful enough to serve the Imperium in other fashions. The decree was never lifted, and while the fires of war have been extinguished, Yunthar IV is still the eventual destination of any heretic, mutant or fugitive apprehended in the wider Badab sector who isn't summarily executed. These unfortunates are doomed either to serve as one of those condemned to reclaim the blighted land of the planet and battle the mutant hordes loyal to [REDACTED] who live there, or to be claimed as part of the planet's tithe to the Star Phantom's Adeptus Astartes Chapter as part of the settlement of the [REDACTED] conflict.

Yuntharian society is organized into a rigid caste system. At the top are the hereditary holders of the Questor Imperialis, House Sarkis. The knightly house maintains a relaxed grip on the planet as a whole, the nobles making up the house having forged a close association with the Star Phantoms Space Marines and are largely absent, serving in some crusade or another. The next caste are the families associated closely with the Sarkians, household guards and attendants, cadet houses and the Sacristans who maintain the nobility's machines. They are drawn from the families of the original colonists and maintain strict separation from outsiders, both of their own caste and off-world. The descendants of convicts and freed slaves, the third caste makes up the second largest demographic of the planetary population and have the uneviable task of maintaining and expanding what small amount of arable land exists upon the blighted planet. Members of the third caste live outside the dome cities and are dependent on them for aid and supplies, but are otherwise free to go about their business in whichever manner pleases them. Their work is given incentive by the fact that any land they reclaim or conquer becomes theirs by right, and is passed down to their family in perpetuity. They are also the primary holders of slaves on the planet. The final caste are the newly arrived convicts, mutants and confirmed descendants of rebels which make up the bulk of the planet's population. Recently arrived convicts are dropped off by a ship in either Turnia or Amykles to serve as laborers, but discipline is often lax and escapes into the irradiated wastes are common. Members of the lowest caste have no rights or standing under the law, they may be exploited, enslaved or killed freely by their superiors or members of their own caste.

The young nobility of House Sarkis often organize raids into mutant and convict held territory in the central regions of their continents to cull the population and hone their skills. These sorties are are of interest to the wider sector as a useful training ground for units of the Imperial Guard or Star Phantoms to gain experience fighting against mutants or radioactive environments. Though there are occasional reports of [Redacted] activity, none has been confirmed by Imperial authorities to date. Beyond its use as a proving ground, Yunthar is also a common pilgrimage site for members of the Adeptus Mechanicus interested in the many ruined vehicles underneath the planet's blasted surface.

Prologue

Freed from the terrors of the Badab War, the eponymous sector has largely rebuilt itself from the inferno which gripped it centuries prior, though the legacy and threat of the Blackheart still looms large in those deemed worthy of such knowledge. While subject to an Edict of Obliteration, information about the conflict still filters down to the common folk of the sector in the form of legends and the occasional war machine dragged out of the ground. After the defeat and flight of the Astral Claws into the Maelstrom, governance of the sector was turned over to Star Phantoms chapter, who have spent the intervening centuries rebuilding the shattered remains of the sector. With newfound authority, the Star Phantoms reorganized the structure of the region to fit within their regional goals, reinforcing the northern systems against incursions form the Maelstrom and restructuring the supply lines to support the newly minted ring of fortress worlds. The Yunthar system was not spared these changes, and the devastated seat of the system Yunthar IV was repurposed into a recruiting and training ground for the crusades which regularly originate from the sector into the warp storm to the north. It is common for the Star Phantoms to recruit their initiates from the ever replenishing ranks of the convicts of Yunthar IV, and the penal and knightly household troops from the planet are considered to be the sector's premier mechanized infantry.

The current Chapter Master of the Star Phantoms, a four century old veteran of the Badab War by the name of Kathal has called for a renewed crusade against the traitors lurking within the warp storm known as the Maelstrom, and has ordered the Yunthar system to furnish ten regiments for the war effort. House Sarkis has pledged a number of knights to the effort, and has proffered a full three regiments, one to be drawn from their household guards (such as the Yuntharian 138th Mechanized Infantry, 'Yeoman's Pride'), with the other two to be made up of penal legionnaires drawn from planetary convicts. Wishing to put up nothing but the absolute best that their planet can manage, the Baron of House Sarkis, Spiros has put out an open call to any Freeblades, Mercenaries or other assorted scum of their planet that the units with the highest numbers of bounties collected in the coming annual purge of mutants will be considered for off-world service. The dregs of Yunthar, desperate for a way off of their world have eagerly accepted the challenge.

Briefing

[Hand out copies of Yunthar IV overview for players]

Meeting in the gutted remains of a mutant town with the nine meter tall quartered yellow and green Paladin known as the Titanium Scorn being repai by mechanicum priests on a ridge nearby, the Player's commander, a Mercenary Major by the name of Fuljov Pityeph hoping to get he and his unit off this nightmare of a planet, addresses the troops of the 15th Irregulars with the following encouraging message:

"We were sent here as the the Emperor's castaways. We are those who have been denied his light, his love, his mercy. We have a chance now to redeem not only ourselves or our ancestors, but our descendants, to give them a life beyond this barren hell of a world. We are tasked with eliminating those who offend him by their very existence, and by the will of the Emperor, we shall not suffer the Mutant to live. May your aim be true, and may the Emperor grant you the hate to see you through."

Whatever the composition of their forces, the players have been tasked with engaging the eastern flank of the Mutant partisan forces defending Hopeless, a fortified town on the edge of the Teygetus Range, a mountain chain in the northeastern corner of Attacia, from the ensuing onslaught of one of the knight scions of House Sarkis. The player's unit is to tie up any relief forces which may try to relieve the city from the attack of the Titanium Scorn, and to protect the knight scion from any attempts from anti-vehicle units to destroy it once engaged. The pilot of the Titanium Scorn, Acantha Sarkis is known for her aggressive style, and it is considered a great honor to serve under her.

Fuljov hopes that they may be given an opportunity to distinguish themselves, and has done his absolute best to bribe lower caste members in the area for the best intelligence on Hopeless that one can manage. The local partisan forces, lacking any formal designation, have simply been termed Scum by local and visiting imperial forces. The Scum have been grouped into four platoons, though it is noted by Fuljov that this information should be considered unreliable at best. Two platoons of heavily mechanized infantry riding salvaged or retrofitted vehicles are concentrated in the fortified town of Hopeless itself, one is currently patrolling along the nearby banks of the Rytian river, equipped as a harrying and reconnaissance force, while the last is acting as a reserve force to the north of the town and is rumored to be equipped with a number of vehicles salvaged from the ruins of the last war. The player's unit is to be supported by elements of the Yunthian 138th Mechanized Infantry commanded by Major Rysad Portupolus and the Isinian 389th Artillery ('Lucky Guns') commanded by Lt. Major Turonk Hikata. Fuljov has volunteered the 15th Irregulars to lead the flanking attack, Maj. Portupous' 138th is to shadow the Titanium Scorn and Turonk's 389th will stay in reserve and rain the Emperor's wrath upon targets called out by the knight or the other units. After explaining the plan, the Major dismisses his troops for the night and distributes copies of the minutes to the unit commanders.

Day 1

The attack begins at dawn. The weather is hardly cooperative, with a radioactive sandstorm being whipped up by a system blowing in from the west, dragging visibility down to less than a mile. The mutants take this opportunity to scramble the disposition of their forces, having caught wind of the presence of the Titanium Scorn. Their commander, a daring Scum of indeterminate gender by the name of Drappken, has wheeled around one of their Mechanical Infantry regiments from the city proper into the field to meet the enemy in the chaos of the sandstorm. The storm lasts for four hours, requiring a Challenging (+0) Navigation test to move forward in successfully. Three must checks must be made before the unit finds itself on the eastern approach of the town. After each check (whether successful or not) the encounter table below is rolled upon:

1-7	Nothing
8-9	Mechanized Scum detachment (2d10+2 Mutants equipped with stubbers, split between two ramshackle vehicles each with a mounted heavy stubber)
10	Friendly unit, 25% chance of accidentally opening fire.

Ferocious fighting broke out between the Titanium Scorn and mutant suicide bombers with vests crafted from salvage melta grenades. Though the attack was largely unsuccessful, a toe actuator on the right foot of the Scorn was damaged, but not enough to slow the machine down. Much like the war machine they were guarding, the 138th was bloodied but unbroken, taking heavy casualties from a mutant psyker and supporting infantry before bringing the unit down. The 389th found itself largely useless, the big guns of the Basilisk having no cause to fire even a single time. The approach to town was screened long enough that the mutants were able to retreat down into the tunnels which have been dug beneath the town of Hopeless proper, but rear-guard forces have been left to give the appearance of a fighting retreat. Any attempts to probe into the tunnels is stymied by a number of reinforced durasteel covers which have been pulled down behind the defenders. These will take hours to melt through, even with the heavy weapons mounted upon the Titanium Scorn. The first day ends with a short meeting by the quartet of commanders, then the player's unit is rejoined by Pityeph who explains the situation and bids them goodnight.

Night 1/Day 2

The mutant counter attack comes just hours before dawn. Commando units from the mutant forces creep close enough to nearly penetrate the Imperial picket lines, managing to neutralize several guards before their discovery. The Imperial units have only minutes before the main body of the mutants are upon them, though Acantha never exited her steed, so the Scorn is able to cover the rest of the Imperials as they rouse themselves for battle. Several Scum units with heavy weapons have set themselves up on the remains of the tallest structures in the town and attempt to draw the knight's attention away from the main body of their forces, who are currently weaving their way into the remaining buildings of the town, attacking any troops who have set themselves up in the structures and pressing their attack against the off-balanced Imperials.

Canny members of the player's unit will notice the telltale signs of a warp incursion even before the first daemon bursts from the bodies of the fallen mutants; patches of sudden cold, nosebleeds, visions of horrific planes beyond the material, strange lights in the sky or in the distance or simply whispers barely beyond the character's hearing. Witnessing these requires that the player engage in a Challenging (+0) Willpower and succeed or gain 1d10+3 Insanity points. The daemons quickly stabilize the fortunes of the formerly outnumbered and outgunned Scum, giving them a fighting chance. Though the Titanium Scorn stands as an impregnable bastion, the 138th begins to wither under the concentrated assaults of multiple Chaos Spawn. The Spawn begin to rout the mechanized infantry, some of whom panic and call down strikes from the 389th upon themselves instead of retreating. The artillery obliges. The panicked units cease to be, along with many of their attackers. The chaotic struggle is thrust into the collective hands of the players from this point. The chaos spawn are still attacking the remnants of the 138th, who are either fleeing or attempting to make their final stands. Acantha is being forced to split her attention between the chaos spawn and the heavy weapon units, rendered unable to help the 138th or the PCs. The 389th's Major Hikata chatters desperately for orders and updates on the situation over the vox. The players have several options here, some of which aren't necessarily mutually exclusive:

• Mow down units of chaos spawn until they are able to relieve the beleaguered 138th.

• Fight their way into the city and destroy the Scum's remaining heavy weapon squads, allowing the Scorn to devote its full attention back to the mutants in front of it

• Identify targets for the 389th, raining hell upon them.

If successful, the players are able to break the back of the Scum's forces, though the Drappken and many of the mutants have retreated deeper under the ground in the ensuing chaos. An uneasy quiet settles over the battle as the midday sun bakes the crusaders, little to heard beyond the screams of the dying and the howling of the wind. The quartet has been reduced to a trio, Major Portupolus lost their life during the battle earlier on in the day, but the meeting commences. It is decided that the surviving mutants post too great of a threat to simply allow them to shimmy down into a network of warrens underground. The Titanium Scorn, supported by whatever heavy weapons or vehicles remain, is going to burn holes large enough for members of the guard to crawl through and pursue them into the dark. Fuljov informs his soldiers that he has volunteered them for the honor of being selected for this difficult task. The players are given the pick of whatever equipment they may feasibly wish from the other forces, though truly outrageous requests may require a Requisition test. After three hours of preparation, they're told over the vox by the Scorn that it has burned a hole through one of the hatches large enough for them to crawl through.

The tunnels beneath Hopeless are perhaps more developed than the town above. The walls are lined with ferrocrete and lit with lamps nearly the height of a person set within. There is evidence of habitation as well, cookware, clothing, tents and personal items are strewn about near the walls. Unfortunately there isn't much time given to the players to investigate before the attack is upon them, a wave of mutant infantry, backed up by a handful of suicide bombers who attempt to slip to the player's rear before blowing themselves up. Even if only partially successful, the suicide bombers likely collapse large sections of the upper tunnel network. The players can attempt to burrow through the rubble if they have the necessary equipment, but in all likelihood they are forced to turn back and attempt to go through a different hatch. The process can repeat a number of times, but once they players successfully beat back an attack they may move deeper into the tunnel network.

Deeper into the network it becomes increasingly obvious that there is no way that the Scum constructed these tunnels. They are made of advanced materials, and look to be centuries old. The climate is pleasant, though the air is stale and recycled. Disturbing the sound of klaxons is splitting the air and the lights set into the walls are flashing rapidly between yellow and red. A difficult (-10) Tech-use test allows the party to conclude that the mutants have set whatever reactor powers this place to overload. The players find almost no resistance until they grow close to the reactor. A heavy weapon emplacement has been set up in front of the doors, and the mutants manning it have resigned themselves to dying from the enemy or the atomic fire that they reactor is about to release. If the mutants are overcome, the players have several means to disable or survive the coming explosion:

• Run! If the players vox the rest of the units the nature of the problem and make a break for it as soon as possible, they'll escape in the nick of time.

• Prevent the meltdown through the use of proper procedures. This requires that the players pass four challenging (+0) Tech-use tests.

• Follow the same escape route which the Scum used to flee the tunnels. Taking this option requires the players to make four difficult (-10) Tracking tests.

A Hive of Scum & Villainy - a Table for Generating Places of Ill Repute

          These are the places your mother warned you of. Places of ill repute, where a person can get their needs slaked, whether it be for debauchery, indolence or vice. Inevitably they attract the worst elements of whichever community they are a part of, whether as sponsors or customers, and even the most amicable of them are willing to do nearly anything for a few extra coins. For all their faults, most authorities are unwilling to ban or curtail them completely, a community without some sort of release for its citizens is not long for this world.

          To use this generator simply roll 4d8 to get a picture of what kind of place you're dealing with. For smaller communities a single roll may suffice, but for larger polities it may be necessary to roll several times in order to simulate a red light or pleasure district. These locations are ideal for players as potential sources of revenue, mercenaries, rumors or simple downtime. For referees they provide an ample opportunity to introduce interesting NPCs or story hooks.

d8	What Sort of Place is it?
1	Drug Den.
2	Bar.
3	Dodgy Marketplace.
4	Racetrack.
5	Gambling Den.
6	"Philanthropic" Organization.
7	Brothel.
8	Arena.

d8	What Sort of People Frequent It?
1	High-society types, the elite.
2	Criminals, ne'er do wells and blackguards.
3	Working class folk.
4	Travelers, tourists, pilgrims.
5	Ethnically, culturally or racially exclusive.
6	People of a certain faith.
7	Petty Bourgeoisie.
8	All walks of life.

d8	Who Runs It?
1	Criminals.
2	Some sort of powerful and sinister being.
3	Some sort of powerful and benevolent being.
4	A member of the elite.
5	A guild or trade organization.
6	Outsiders, from another polity.
7	A church or other form of cult.
8	Individually owned.

d8	What is Unique About It?
1	Built in or atop the corpse or bones of some great beast.
2	The owners have connections to smugglers and can arrange the purchase of illegal goods.
3	The location is protected from magical intrusion, including scrying.
4	No matter the time, the place is never closed, they will always accept customers.
5	The place is protected by the powers that be, there is little to no chance of being hassled.
6	A secluded room in the establishment is home to a portal or gate to another dimension.
7	The location of the establishment rotates or shifts over time or by a set schedule.
8	It requires a password, certain style of dress or invitation to enter.

The Rabble - LotFP Custom Class

The Rabble

          Anything that has ever been accomplished in the world has the hands of dozens, hundreds, thousands of people upon it. Great men & women can accomplish much upon the strength of their wills, but cities aren't built by will alone. Any one who wants to build anything to last needs help. Sometimes lots of help. The Rabble are the help in more ways than one and they come in droves. Bands of ne'er do wells, toughs, mercenaries and flunkies, they're the ones who are willing to do the hard back-breaking work that turns battles or win wars. The rabble can be motivated by a myriad number of factors: faith, greed, vengeance, obligation or simply blood-lust. Unsung individually, they must work as a unit to accomplish anything, and it is their trust in one another and their comrades that sees them though. Though some may die, the unit will endure and the work will continue.

          The Rabble are unlike any other class that I have presented so far. Instead of controlling a singular character, the player controls a similarly themed mob of relatively unskilled characters at the same time. This of course necessitates some special rules, not only so the class doesn't smash the action economy of the game into bits, but for the sake of the other players as well. I have done my best to think of many of the circumstances which I feel could be stumbling blocks, but I surely missed some. Referees are encouraged to consider at length whether or not they should allow a Rabble to be played in their game. I also wanted to take a moment to thank both Skerples over at Coins and Scrolls for their 'Many Goblins' and Joseph Manola of Against the Wicked City's 'The Extras' classes which inspired this post.

Level	XP	HP	Paralyze	Poison	Breath	Device	Magic
1	0	1d12	13	13	16	13	14
2	2,250	1d12	13	13	16	13	14
3	4,500	1d12	13	13	16	13	14
4	9,000	1d12	13	13	16	13	14
5	18,000	1d12	13	13	16	13	14
6	36,000	1d12	11	11	14	11	12
7	72,000	1d12	11	11	14	11	12
8	144,000	1d12	11	11	14	11	12
9	288,000	1d12	11	11	14	11	12
10	432,000	+2*	11	11	14	11	12
11	576,000	+2*	9	9	12	9	8
12	720,000	+2*	9	9	12	9	8
13+	+144,000/lvl	+2*	9	9	12	9	8

B/X & OSE Rules

Requirements	Minimum 9 CON
Prime Requisite	CON
Hit Dice	d12
Thac0 Table	As Cleric
Maximum Level	13
Armor	Any, no shields
Weapons	Any
Languages	Alignment, Common

          The number of rabble is largely abstracted, since the point of the class is to represent a sort of formless and evershifting number of minions, but if necessary a good guideline would be 2-3 members per HD. Effects that affect one target only (such as most poisons) only affect a single member of the Rabble, but they count as one character for the purposes of spells which target HD such as Charm Person or Command, and thus they are all affected. In spite of being separate creatures they are always treated as one creature for the purposes of area of effect spells or breath weapons. HP damage is assumed to apply equally to each member of the rabble, the unit continuing to fight as ferociously as ever, even as their toughness is whittled away.

          Healing for the rabble functions largely the same as other characters, with some notable exceptions; unlike other classes the rabble's HD can possibly shift downwards through failed morale checks, if that happens the rabble cannot restore the lost HD until they are able to visit a town or another appropriate area and recruit to restore their lost numbers. Rabble have the option of spending wealth to restore lost HP, HD, level drain, ability drain, lost limbs, etc on a 1:1 basis of SP for HP, or 10sp for any other listed ailments. This can only be done in town or some other area in which there are feasibly enough people to entice into service. Hit dice lost through failed morale checks heal at the same rate as lost hit points.

          For the purpose of space the rabble is assumed to occupy a 30' square whenever possible, though they are capable of squeezing themselves into a line 5' across if need be. The mob has 2 inventory slots per HD it possesses. Rabble are talented at any task which can benefit from the presence of many hands such as digging holes, holding doors shut, tearing a room apart or searching an area, and in the course of such actions they may roll twice and take the better of the two results.

        Due to their dispersed nature and number of hands to go around, if equipment is to be used then it must be distributed equally amongst all members, i.e a level 9 rabble would need to have ~20 weapons or suits of armor of the same kind to gain the benefits of it. The rabble is never completely unarmed, as the members will equip themselves with whatever rough implements they have on hand such as cudgels, rocks and pitchforks and will always deal at least 1d3 damage. The rabble has a single attack against anything that comes within 5' of their mob, or further provided they are all equipped with ranged weapons or weapons with reach. The only exception to the restriction is with items (including magic items) that do not necessarily need to be used en-masse to be helpful, such as ropes, cookware, vehicles, or certain items such as Sending Stones or the like.

          Morale is central to the rabble's use in combat, for they are cowards, and will only grow bold when the tide is breaking in their favor. The player or referee may call for morale checks, on their turn in the player's case, or during an opponent's turn in the case of the referee. The player rolls 3d6, adding any modifiers from the first table below, then resolving it with the effects from the second table. You can only obtain a result per check, per combat, but they do stack with one another. Morale effects and modifiers last until the end of combat. There are no true limits to the number of morale checks that can be made during a combat, but the referee is encouraged to be prudent in calling for them and to refrain from using them in a retaliatory manner, while players should be strategic when they ask for one.

Morale Check Modifiers	Effect
Suffer an ambush.	-1
Lose 50% of their total HP.	-1
Lose 75% of their total HP.	-2
Witness a member of their party fall.	-2
An extremely powerful foe or numerous smaller ones arrive on the scene.	-1
The character's player has called for a morale test during their previous turn.	-1
Someone (including a member of the rabble) gives an inspiring or inflaming speech.	+2
Have some of their HP restored.	+1
Successfully engineer an ambush.	+2
They deal damage for the first time.	+1
The first opponent dies.	+2
An opponent fails a save.	+1

Morale Check Result	Effects
1-3	Lose a HD.
4-6	-1 to all Saves.
7-10	No changes.
11-12	+1 to Attack Bonus.
13-17	+1 Attack/round.
18+	+2 to Attack Bonus, +1 Attack/round.

Dying Earth Monsters Part I - Chun The Unavoidable

     Those of us who have played D&D owe a huge, incalculable debt to Jack Vance. Not only did he give us the magic system which underpins the majority of spell systems which exist within various editions, derivatives and versions of the game, he helped calcify the image of the typical adventurer in the form of Cugel the Clever and Liane the Wayfarer: Shiftless, mercenary and more than willing to rob their erstwhile employers if they failed to pay up.

     I'll get to the foes which vexed Cugel in a future post in this series, but today I wanted to go over my absolute favorite antagonist featured in the series and murderer of Liane, Chun the Unavoidable. Chun is simply put, creepy as all get out. Just look at this quote:

“The old man stood by another corpse with eye-sockets bereft and bloody. "This one came four days ago, and he met Chun the Unavoidable . . . And over there behind the arch is still, a great warrior in cloison armor. And there—and there—" he pointed, pointed. "And there—and there—like crushed flies."”

     He's one of the few creatures upon the Dying Earth that seems to give Wizards (the usual antagonists for the setting) pause, to the point that an assembled group of them make themselves scarce as soon as he is brought up. Chun lives among the rubble of the Place of Whispers, in the Old Town north of the city of Kaiin. There is a paucity of description or backstory on Chun (part of his appeal) and so I will simply post the full extent of what is given of him in the narrative:

“Over his shiny black back he wore a robe of eyeballs threaded on silk.” 

"And behind came Chun, running like a dog." 

     That's all we get. What is given a little more detail are his abilities, which imbue him with the ability not only to pursue any like Liane who dare to steal from him, but to follow them directly into extra-dimensional spaces crafted by magic:

"He (Liane) turned into an archway, pulled his bronze ring over his head, down to his feet. He stepped through, brought the ring up inside the darkness. Sanctuary. He was alone in a dark magic space, vanished from earthly gaze and knowledge. Brooding silence, dead space ...

He felt a stir behind him, a breath of air. At his elbow a voice said, "I am Chun the Unavoidable.""

     So Liane gets his eyes torn out and Chun adds them to his cloak and Lith gets a few more threads for her tapestry. Let's make him so that he can try to tear your PC's eyes out!

B/X Stats

HD: 17 (HP 102)

Armor: as Plate

Move: 30'; if pursuing see Special

Attacks: 2 Claws, 1d8+6

Special: Chun is resistant to all forms of magic and possesses True Sight. Instead of moving, Chun is able to move at the same speed of an unfriendly creature near to him, plus an additional 5'. Chun is always aware of the location of his quarry, even across differing dimensions, further, Chun may enter the Ethereal or Astral as long as he is in pursuit of a target, and may also enter spaces such as Tiny Huts, Portable Holes, Rope Tricks or similar effects.

5th Edition Stats

Medium Monstrosity, Chaotic Evil

Armor Class: 20 (natural armor)

Hit Points: 198 (18d8+54)

Speed: 30ft* (see The Unavoidable)

Abilities: Str: 20 (+5), Dex: 18 (+4), Con: 16 (+3), Int: 13 (+1), Wis: 18 (+4) Cha: 5 (-3)

Saving Throws: Str + 9, Wis +8

Skills: Athletics +10, Perception +9, Stealth +9

Damage Resistances: bludgeoning, piercing and slashing from nonmagical attacks.

Condition Immunities: Exhausted, Fatigued, Paralyzed, Stunned.

Senses: Truesight 60ft, Passive Perception 19

Languages: Common

Challenge: 14 (11,500 XP) 

Magic Resistance. Chun has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

The Unavoidable. Chun always knows the direction and distance to any quarry he may target, regardless of which planes they are on. While in pursuit of his quarry Chun's speed is always the same as his target's +5'. If his quarry moves in a fashion which he is not able to match (such as teleporting or flying) Chun will simply move tirelessly towards them at a Dash until he catches up. Chun may enter spaces such as Tiny Huts or the extradimensional spaces made by Rope Trick and other similar spells or effects.

Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If Chun fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead.

Innate Spellcasting. Chun's spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 12). Chun can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:

At will: Blink
3/day: Plane Shift (self only)

Actions

Multiattack. Chun can either make two Unavoidable Strikes or one Unavoidable Strike and one Eye Pluck.

Unavoidable Strike. Melee Weapon Attack: automatic hit, reach 5ft., Hit: 16 slashing damage.

Eye Pluck. Melee Weapon Attack +9, reach 5ft., Hit: 1d6+5. Chun attempts to claw out one of his opponent's eyes to add to his cloak. This attack may only be used on prone creatures. A creature hit must make a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw or lose an eye.

Legendary Actions

Chun can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. Chun regains spent legendary actions at the start of his turn.

Pursue. Chun takes the Dash action.

Stalk (2 actions). Chun uses the Hide action.

Overpower (2 actions). Chun makes an Unavoidable Strike, the target must make a DC 16 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.


Art by: Chun the Unavoidable by Nulsh, Chun the Unavoidable by M.Rasheed

Hey, what's with this weird book?

          Ancient tomes, codices, scrolls & tablets filled with lore ranging from the mundane to the obscure, seemingly as likely to elucidate as they are to blast one's mind into tatters. They lay in forgotten sepulchers, scrawled upon the walls of oubliettes, crammed into the shelves of mad wizards or held within the holds of temples by wary folk dedicated to safeguarding them. They are coveted by seekers of arcane knowledge, those who wish to protect the world from THAT WHICH IT WAS NOT MEANT TO KNOW, and fools who seek to unleash what lies within for their own ends. People will kill to defend or to steal them with equal ferocity, sometimes without even truly understanding what they're struggling so mightily to possess.

          These books can range hugely in how important they are to a campaign, from being something that the players must be forced to find and then consult to defeat an enemy, to be safeguarded or destroyed to keep it from rivals, pay back a debt, or to simply steal to plunder for arcane knowledge or to make a ridiculous sum of money. It is important to recall how rare books before the modern era were, with a single volume being the result of years of effort on the part of the author who penned it, or the scribe who would later have to re-copy it.

          To use this table, roll 5d8 and then resolve any relevant 1d4 rolls may be attached to that result

d8	Who Authored it?
1	Precursors or the inhabitants of a previous reality.
2	The work of a deity, saint or otherwise somehow divine in origin.
3	A powerful mage or other form of spell caster.
4	An aberration such as a(n)...1: Illithid, 2: Aboleth, 3: Neogi, 4: Beholder.
5	An outsider such as a(n)...1: Celestial, 2: Fiend, 3: Elemental/Genie, 4: Fae, or someone possessed by one.
6	The culmination of the efforts of generations of scholars.
7	Author was taken by a eerie mood and wrote the work in a fortnight.
8	It merely appeared one day, fully formed.

d8	What Form Does it Take?
1	Tablets made of...1: Stone/Clay, 2: Metal, 3: Wax, 4: Wood.
2	Tome bound in...1: Leather, 2: Metal, 3: Ivory, 4: Loose Sheaves.
3	Scroll crafted of...1: Paper, 2: Hides, 3: Leaves, 4: Cloth.
4	Graffiti, Scrawling or Runes etched onto a...1: Structure, 2: Natural Feature, 3: Path or Road, 4: Cave.
5	Tangles of intricate ropes and beads in a language that may not still be known. May be read in the dark.
6	A puzzle box or similar device. The secrets within are whispered into the mind of those who solve it.
7	Scrimshawed upon the bones of a(n)...1: Humanoid, 2: Outsider, 3: Aberration, 4: Monster. May be read in the dark.
8	Woven into the fabric of a(n)...1: Article of clothing, 2: Tapestry, 3: Blanket/Quilt, 4: Tent/Yurt

d8	What Kind of Lore is Inside?
1	The true names of...1: Celestials, 2: Fiends, 3: Genies, 4: Fae.
2	Exhaustively indexed knowledge on an extremely niche topic such as Elven Architecture or Goblin Poetry. Worth a small amount to most, but a huge sum to the right collector.
3	A creeping form of madness which provides insight into the world. In exchange for losing one's mind permanently, the bearer of the work may ask it questions and gain answers 1d6 times per day as if they were using the spells Find the Path, Augury, Identify or Clairaudience.
4	A compendium covering the habits and weaknesses of...1: Outsiders, 2: Aberrations, 3: Magical Creatures, 4: Undead.
5	The true and secret history of a...1: Major empire, 2: Noble family, 3: Trade league, 4: Faith/Cult.
6	Prophecies relating to the...1: End of the world, 2: Death of a deity, 3: Fall or destruction of a major empire, 4: Death of a famous figure, such as a warlord or archmage.
7	Insight into a complicated and fraught magical process such as...1: Summoning outsiders, 2: Alchemy, 3: Reviving the dead, 4: Creating constructs such as golems.
8	Detailed accounting ledgers of a...1: Trade league, 2: Noble family, 3: Guild, 4: Town/City Council.

d8	Is it Trapped or have Guardians?
1	Animates a mouth upon its surface and bites those who try to read it without the proper password. 1d6+3 Bludgeoning damage. Bites again every 2d10 rounds.
2	Lets out a blood-curdling scream and flies away at 60' turn if read anywhere except...1: Under the stars, 2: Within a chamber with no natural light, 3: Upon unworked earth, 4: A place of spiritual significance.
3	Locked. If an attempt is made to force it open it begins to weep gallons upon gallons of...1: Blood, 2: Ink, 3: Water, 4: Ichor.
4	The work is a keystone or plug of sorts, if removed or reproduced then...1: The area containing the work shakes itself to bits in 1d6 minutes, 2: Undead begin to appear around where the work is held, 3: Animals of all stripes become hostile to whomever bears it, 4: Bad luck follows the bearer, the referee may impose disadvantage on 1d2 rolls per day at their discretion.
5	A cult or religious order is dedicated to safeguarding the work in some way. If it is stolen of copied without consent then they will surely seek to rectify the situation.
6	Magically bound to defend the work in some way until their destruction, the guardian takes the form of a(n)...1: Powerful undead creature, 2: Outsider, 3: Monster, 4: Construct.
7	Only certain type of folk are able to read the work, it is gibberish to everyone but...1: Non-spellcasters, 2: Followers of an obscure faith, 3: The mad, 4: Someone who has never taken a life.
8	The work itself is famous. While there is no one specifically looking for it, the very news of it changing hands may attract unwanted attention to those who now have it.

Magical Dog Breeds

          Our oldest companion, the Dog. In our reality we have a dizzying amount of land races which have been developed over the millennium to keep us company and aid us in the world. Why would a fantasy or sci-fi setting be any different? This table contains 20 breeds of various strange and magical canine companions for use in D&D/OSR. The region names are derived from my home brew setting.

Breed	Description
Volmusian Ember Hair	A breed derived from fire elemental stock, bred by druids as attack animals. Fiery red hair, maned, with a sturdy frame and short snout. 1d3 Fire damage/round if within 5ft and the dog dislikes you.
Mutt of Tindalos	Possessed of the blood of creatures which exist outside of space-time; this canine does not move, it simply stutters & teleports up to 40ft in a round instead. They are off-putting creatures, emaciated and long-limbed with greenish-grey fur.
Hemohound	Descended from the hounds owned by vampires. Sable-furred, with crimson eyes and bodies built for pursuit. Hemohounds feed on blood, and biting living creatures heals them. Each successful bite restores 1 HP to the dog.
Cerberusid	Smuggled out from Hades itself, these stocky, well-muscled and snub nosed dogs have multiple heads for observing the comings and goings of the dead. Advantage on anything to do with multi-tasking or perception. Roll 1d6 - 1-3: 2 heads, 4-6: 3 heads.
Dorician Pale Dog	Developed by fakirs for the purposes of curing diseases, these wane and mangy beasts are capable of taking diseases into themselves by licking the afflicted and transferring them to another through the means of coughing or sneezing fits.
Dolchean Mole-hound	A strange breed of canine developed by dwarves to help them guard their subterranean farms. Mole-hounds have short white fur, huge reflective eyes, and massive paws. These dogs can burrow and dig at half the speed at which they can run.
Sivardian Chaser	These huge, grey-furred, and wolf like dogs were bred by Hobgoblins to keep pace with and flush out their traditional Centaur rivals. Chasers move 20ft faster a round than a typical canine.
Phantom Cur	Cultivated from canines repeatedly revived through necromantic means, these eerie hounds outwardly seem like normal members of their species, but they often go minutes without breathing or days without blinking. Their own proximity to death allows them to sense and affect incorporeal beings.
Spell Terrier	Developed by generations of spell-casters to be the ideal Familiar, spell terriers are small enough to be carried on one's person and are possessed of luxurious hair suitable for petting. Spell Terriers can identify and retrieve spell components and magical items.
Witcher Spaniel	A dog bred by mage-hunters to help them identify their targets. These spaniels are tall and long-bodied, with short dark coats and pointed features. Witchers can sense the presence of magic, and will growl when a spell is used in their presence.
Ceirwannian Hunting Hound	Graceful and sleek of profile, these shaggy-haired hunting dogs are a traditional companion of elvish rangers, and are used to help their owners harry prey. Ceirwannians gain advantage on all rolls relating to stealth or ambush.
Splay-toed Goblin Dog	Long of limb and short-furred with large digit pads, these dogs are used by Goblins as both draft and riding animals. Their feet allow them to easily bound and scurry up the broken terrain and caves in which their masters make their homes. Splay-toes ignore the effects of difficult terrain and climb half as their movement speed.
Chardonian Water Spaniel	Savior of pirates and sailors the world over, Chardonian are mid-sized short-haired dogs which come in a variety of blues. Fiercely loyal, these dogs are trained to retrieve folk thrown overboard during sea voyages. Chardonian have been interbred with water elementals, and they may breathe underwater and swim as quickly as they run.
Drowish Oozehound	Bizarre and terrifying creatures designed by the dark elves as guardians for their slave pens. These beasts tend towards bright and playful personalities, their fur replaced by semi-translucent globules of tar like ichor. A bite (or nuzzle) from an Oozehound necessitates a strength check to escape.
Saoghal Cultivated Dog	A servant dog bred by the nobility to be a gentleman's best friend, these beautiful beasts move with the poise and elegance of an aristocrat. Their long fur is kinked into tight spools which must be brushed daily to keep from knotting. Saoghals are incredibly intelligent, watching those that treat with their owners carefully, barking or growling when they suspect that lies are being told.
Doppeldachshund	Originally the product of a now obscure and likely mad arch-mage, this breed of dog is now chiefly treasured by cheap side shows and thieves. Doppeldachshund are able to briefly alter their form into that of other animals of their own approximate size. They can maintain an alternate form for only ten minutes before shifting back.
Corantinian War Dog	Chosen from the fiercest and largest stock by generations of crusaders to foster a gargantuan canine which rivals a small pony in size. Corantinians have thick coats of white fur which braid themselves into thick protective cords as the dog matures. Corantinians have an extra Hit Die than a typical canine.
Troll-blooded Laika	This particular land race was developed by goblinoid tribes to aid them in their hunts and raids. Interbred with regenerating creatures, these dogs are utterly fearless and unflinchingly loyal. They are a mid-sized breed and of average build, but they are terribly ugly, covered in patches of uneven and wart-ridden fur. Troll-blooded Laika regenerate 1/HP a turn. Laika eat double the amount of a typical dog.
Poison Dart Dog	Inspired by the similarly named amphibian, a group of shaman deep within the jungles of Auyyuah have bred a line of canines capable of producing and expelling poisons. These dogs can at will exude a class 'M' poison. They are hairless and sleek creatures, with slick patches where the poison naturally pools.
Platinum Retreiver	An offshoot of common hunting dogs, these somewhat dopey and friendly beasts can detect the presence of precious metals up to 60' away.

Myconids of the Mushroom Forest

Area: Amanitan Tunnels

Unsafe, Blighted, Possession (Bright White Circle) Monsters (Amanitan Myconids),

The first sign that one has entered the Amanitan Tunnels is the smell. They reek horribly of decay and fried radishes. As one advances the air becomes dense with a white, soot-like mold which coats everything, causing visitors to cough and hack, their mucous membranes going into high panic as their bodies try in vain to keep the toxic spores out of their lungs. Travel further and the place grows thick with ankle to knee-high mushrooms, snowy white in coloration, which send out clouds of the mold if kicked or jostled. That's where the Amanitans live, little squat things on small and ungainly legs. They have distant and placid looking expressions, their faces shadowed by their broad caps which send off little puffs of white whenever they move too quickly. There are corpses everywhere, from wild animals to intelligent beings like Rathbuni & Svirfneblin, all with masses of mushrooms bursting from their fallen bodies. The putrefying fluids make the ground into a slick mess of rot and bare rock. As myconids go the Amanitans are quite friendly, in spite of the abattoir-like appearance of their home. They are unable to individually communicate, given that they lack mouths, but the spores they give off eventually begin to penetrate the mind of the afflicted, and the voices of the members of the Bright White Circle can be heard if guests stay long enough. Amanitan's high and piping voices come in the form of intrusive thoughts. The mushrooms are chatty little conversationalists, always curious about the various goings on of the world surrounding their tunnels, surrounding outsiders to pepper them with questions. They grill their visitors for as long as they can, trying to keep them in the white clouds, keeping them breathing deeply until their liver and kidneys begin to fail, followed quickly by the rest of their organs. They'll apologize extensively for the jaundice that their guests are experiencing, even as they glom themselves upon them, dragging them down to the ground once they inevitably try to escape. The myconids of the Bright White Circle are always interested in expanding the size of their colony and they need a constant stream of corpses to continue those plans. They are terrible fighters, but there are thousands of them and if roused they pour forth in a seemingly endless stream to pummel with tiny fists, trusting in the efficacy of their spores to take their opponents down. They fight without regards to their own safety, dog-piling upon and rubbing themselves against opponents even as they are slashed and hacked to bits. Once they've killed their foes, they drag the dead back to their abode and expand it just a little bit further. The Amanitan Tunnels are a few days east of Stilty Town in Ingram's Tangle, and only a day and a half underground.

• In practical terms the spores of the Amanitan Tunnels necessitate a save against Poison or Constitution for every half-hour of exposure. Failure deals 1d4-1 Constitution damage, which does not recover until the victim is exposed to healing magic or away from the spores for at least 24 hours.

• The Amanitans generally stay out of politics and trade. They want for little beyond more fodder for their mushrooms. They are unconcerned with the Chorus, their vacuous minds give them resistance against all psychic powers.

• While fatal in large doses, Amanitan fungus can also be used as a means to create a drug which confers resistance to psychic attacks and induces a feeling of mild euphoria.

Area: Cortinarian Reaches

Unsafe, Possession (Red Heap Circle), Monsters (Myconids),

The abode of the other major Myrconid settlement of the Mushroom Forest, the Cortinarian Reaches are significantly less hazardous and inimical to life as those of their Amanitan cousins. Cortinarian Myconids of the Red Heap Circle are nearly as powerful psychically as the Chittering Chorus, but unlike the cranium rats their powers are only functional near large growths of those of their kind currently in the non-motile stage of their life cycle. While this limitation forces them into a defensive posture, the caves which make up their homes are essentially impregnable unless their adversaries manage to destroy large sections of fungus all while being unceasingly attacked by the Red Heap myconids. The myconids are made up of thick, crimson tubules bound together in tangled jumbles which extend in long and unbroken growths throughout the cave system. The caves are eerily silent, offering little more than the sound of trickling water and the occasional moan of a dying victim or the echoing foot steps from a myconid patrol. Proximity to the tunnels by most beings causes headaches, nosebleeds and blurred vision. Venturing deeper results in a sensation of being constantly under observation, eventually climaxing in the ability to hear the collective mind of the Circle. The myconids themselves could easily be mistaken for outgrowths of the tubules that they nest in, generally preferring not to move until they're forced to defend them homes. They stand nearly waist-high, but they often crouch or sag, which makes them seem smaller. They are fairly quick however, able to scamper along the ground with their many tubes acting as a mass of legs or to even wield simple equipment such as spears or picks. The mind of the Red Heap is of course focused on propagating itself further, but beyond that it's something of a plotter. Information, rumors, gossip, anything that it can use to try and swing the balance of power towards itself is interest. Places outside of its home are only notable insomuch as the effect they have upon it, otherwise they are seen as mere trivia. If invaders have enough information that interests it then they're allowed to leave. If they don't, they're simply commanded to stay, a command backed up by the mystical might of their collective mind. Affected individuals simply sit down and wait until thirst or starvation takes them. Those who repeatedly come to the Red Heap with useful knowledge are rewarded lavishly. Envoys and diplomats come back and forth from the Cortinarian Reaches in a steady drip, coming to treat with the circle or leaving on errands from the collective mind to the rest of the region. In both personal and political dealings the Red Heap Circle is conservative, risk-averse and unwilling to commit to conflict unless victory is nearly assured. The Red Heap and the Cortinarian Reaches are located a day and a half under the eastern bank of the Golden Road River, a day's west of Clotaire's Tomb. 

• The collective has no use for riches, but they have piles of coin, gems and more from lifetimes of capturing outsiders. The hoard is equivalent to thousands of GP, but unfortunately for any would-be plunderers it is kept in a cavern situated deep within Red Heap Circle's territory.

• Large climate events such as major cave-ins, Purple Worm attacks and volcanic eruptions preoccupy the Circle's collective mind. They are always trying to start new colonies, but are hampered by the fact that they inevitably began to separate from the collective consciousness.

• While the Amanitans have little to nothing to fear from the Cortinarians, the Red Heaps have done their absolute best to keep the Bright Whites from settling near them, wisely concluding that they could do little to stop them.