A Sword on the Mantle, Cherished & Storied

"If in the first act you have hung a pistol on the wall, then in the following one it should be fired. Otherwise don't put it there" - Anton Chekhov

          Weapons have a mystique in society for obvious reasons. They're a lever by which one can exert their will on others. That mystique is reflected in the legends surrounding many real life mythological weapons; Sharur can fly and communicate with it's wielder, Tyrfing never misses a strike but always kills when unsheathed, Gae Bulg has seven heads with seven bars a head. The weapons are characters in the story themselves, not simply a statistical bonus meant to represent an enchantment. To move to fiction, one of the best moments in The Hobbit was when Gandalf just randomly finds Glamdring in a cave, only to be told later in Fellowship by Elrond that he'd found an ancient elven king's sword.

          This generator seeks to give you interesting weapons to use as macguffins, equipment for characters, or simply interesting flavor to sprinkle around the world. To use the generator simply roll 4d8 (or however many tables underneath you wish to use) and consult the results.

d8	What kind of weapon is it? It's a(n)...
1	Sword, one or two-handed
2	Axe, one or two-handed
3	Piercing pole-arm such as lance or spear.
4	Simple and stout club, perhaps banded with iron or just a heavy hunk of wood.
5	Sledge, pick or war-hammer.
6	Firearm or Crossbow, with bullets or bolts.
7	Bow; short, compound or long, with arrows.
8	Edged pole-arm, such as a halberd, naginata or glaive.

d8	What does it look like?
1	Notched or dented from heavy use, but still serviceable and of quality make.
2	Like it was not cleaned after it's last use. There's still blood caked onto it or the ammunition.
3	It is unremarkable, but it is tied with something like ribbons, a banner or other prominent hanging ornaments.
4	Lovingly cared for, and embellished with carvings or other forms of inlaid art.
5	Decorated with precious metals or gems, but still just as deadly as any other weapon.
6	Crude, being made of improvised or otherwise scavenged materials. It is startlingly effective.
7	A display piece. It could be made out of valuable but useless materials such as gold or silver, or it could be simply be dull or lack the necessary balance to be used.
8	Strange and bewildering, such as being crafted of glass, coral, wood or marble. It is likely magical in some way, given that it is still useable.

d8	Is there anything special about it?
1	Weapon must be appeased with violence if taken out with the intent of being used. If this is not is done, the next 1d4 attacks with the weapon are with Disadvantage.
2	The weapon glow or hums within the presence of a certain kind of foe.
3	The owner of this weapon always knows where it is.
4	Weapon refuses to harm it's owner.
5	A certain Outsider, Elemental or other powerful being has a link to this item. It can offer aid, in return for service.
6-8	This weapon is average for its kind.

d8	What is it's history? Was it involved in any famous events?
1	It was wielded by a culture hero, and was handed down to the current owner through familial or personal connections
2	The weapon is or was wielded by members of an organization that is or was famous. They may want it back or to know how it came into the current owner's hands.
3	The weapon itself is not notable, but it was produced by a well-known maker during a major and terrible war. Possessing it marks out someone as a veteran or descendant of a veteran.
4	This weapon is a deodand responsible for someone famous' death.
5-6	The weapon has been passed down for generations, while it has not been responsible for anything momentous it has been cherished.
7-8	It is a mystery. Anyone who knew is dead or lost

A Disaster, Pitiless & Indiscriminate

     For all the pretensions that we have at controlling our environment, we are still slaves to it. Why would a fantasy setting be any different? Short of having the direct ear of a nature god (which isn't out of the realm of possibility) there's no way for most folk to forestall disaster any more than we can. Unfortunately for those in fantasy settings, they have to contend with even more than we do. From plagues which make one rise as a member of the undead, to magical songs which cause you to go blind, the possibilities are as endless as the cruelty of the gods.

     Part of my series on rolling up interesting backgrounds events for your campaign, this tables focuses on disasters, calamities and catastrophes large and small. To use this table simply select which ones are relevant to the type of event you wish to simulate, roll the appropriate number of d8s and then consult the results.

d8	What caused this?
1-4	Random accident has conspired against the community. No one in particular is responsible.
5	The Gods themselves have been offended. A Sacrifice was not made, a sacred animal or a priest was murdered, or someone has committed some other terrible transgression. Further recompense may be necessary.
6	A dark ritual or curse is targeting the community. The calamity may the goal or merely a side-effect. This may only be a prelude.
7	A prophecy has come to pass. It was written in the ancient scrolls, and you were fools to have ignored them.
8	This is a knock-on effect, of another disaster. Roll again, adding another catastrophe on top of the first.

d8	What kind of catastrophe is it?
1	An invasion, whether in the form of bandits, a foreign foe or even something as pedestrian as locusts or weevils.
2	Plague, deadly enough that healing magic has no means to arrest it.
3	A natural disaster, such as an earthquake, tsunami or volcanic eruption.
4	Climate related disaster, such as an unusually long and intense rainy season, or a parching drought.
5	A weather related event, such as a tornado, hurricane or wild fire.
6	An explicitly magical event, such as a sourceless tune which forces listeners to dance or the dead beginning to rise from their graves.
7	Blight and pestilence. It leads to the the death of any crops and livestock which are afflicted.
8	A bizarre and fortean event, such as a rain of frogs or the waters within a river or lake turning to blood.

d8	What is the scale of the devastation?
1	Only a few families, or perhaps a couple of buildings.
2-3	The equivalent of a small town or village.
4-5	A city, or several villages or towns.
6-7	An entire region or province.
8	The entirety of a country, empire or kingdom.

d8	How is the community dealing with this?
1	Nonchalance. This event is a regular occurrence, to the point where most folk pay it no mind.
2	A doomsayer has appeared, promising to solve what vexes the community if they merely commit a few unspeakable acts. People are listening.
3-4	Mild panic. There are runs on stores, hoarding and small bouts of interpersonal violence, but no breakdown in law and order.
5	Severe panic. Looting, burning, combat in the streets.
6	Open revolution. The followers are blaming the leaders, and are planning on holding them responsible through violent means.
7	Mass exodus. Everyone flees the area as fear seizes them.
8	Resignation and apathy have overtaken them. The disaster seems inevitable, so they no longer see the point in struggling.

X Marks the Spot - a Treasure Map Generator

          Who doesn't love a good treasure map? From Treasure Island to National Treasure and City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold, there's always room for a good treasure map in fiction. Buried on deserted islands, hidden within shadowy conspiracies or simply lost to the roll of years, the promise of treasure brings out the absolute worse in even the most virtuous of people. The rush to seize it can easily cost more to the winners than the prize itself, assuming of course, it's actually a prize in the first place. No matter what shape it takes, these buried secrets can drive folk mad.



          The goal of this generator is to give you a rough sense of a treasure map that you can use on the fly. The term treasure map is something of a misnomer, not all of the results here take the form of physical objects, nor do all of them lead to riches in any traditional sense. They are merely things (or occasionally creatures) which have been forgotten by the world at large. To use these tables, roll 4d8 and consult the sub tables.

d8	Who hid it? Why?
1	It was an accident, a shipment lost to random chance or calamity. For some reason it was never reclaimed.
2	A noble family, displaced by a revolt or disaster, hid their secret somewhere only they could find it.
3	A group of raiders or pirates, storing a score until it was safe to retrieve it.
4	Members of a religious minority, fleeing persecution.
5	An extremely powerful figure, such as a culture hero or particularly skilled spellcaster.
6	The treasure was part of a tontine or related to the retirement of the members. Everyone died before anyone could retrieve it.
7	The society surrounding the hidden treasure collapsed, and its location was forgotten.
8	The treasure was important in some way -- perhaps it was the site of votive offerings, or the location of a guild's vault -- and it was guarded. While most of it's sentinels have died or vanished, some may still be guarding it.

d8	Where does it lead to?
1	An isolated and deserted island.
2	Deep inside a cave or another subterranean region.
3	A religious site, such as a temple or a shrine.
4	The middle of nowhere, a barren place, far from any civilization.
5	Inside an urban area, currently inhabited or reduced to deserted ruins.
6	The bottom of the ocean or a lake.
7	A castle in the sky.
8	A celestial body, such as a planet or other plane of existence.

d8	And what's hidden there?
1-3	Riches! Glittering gold and prizes. The intrepid explorers receive (3d100 x 5) GP.
4	Pandora's Lament. An extremely powerful monster has been bound to this site. Opening where it is held releases it.
5-6	Cache of weapons - 50% chance to be magical, 50% chance to be make of an exotic material such as silver, obsidian or ivory.
7	Cultural artifacts and personal effects. Worthless to most, priceless to the right buyers.
8	Magical paraphernalia such as scrolls and potions, maybe even a spellbook.

d8	What form does the map take?
1	The classic treasure map. Made of vellum, inked, and showing off a simple guide to the terrain leading to and around the score. 50% chance that the map is in multiple parts
2	The map is relatively well-known regionally and it takes the form of a local legend such as a story, poem or song.
3	A strange and bizarre device, such as a potion which makes one recall the memories of one of the people who hid it.
4	A cipher, puzzle or some other form of riddle.
5	The map is hidden within the patterns of a natural feature, such as a set of holes within a hillside, or the shadows of a grove of trees.
6	One of the people (or a descendant of one) responsible for hiding the treasure is spilling the location to people. The party are certainly not the only ones who have caught wind of it.
7	The map is split between a number of people, no more than a half-dozen, all of whom have a piece of it.
8	There is no map - there are only the remaining notes (and possibly spirits) of those who hid it. They must be searched or interrogated for the location.

Replacing the Halfling - The Fated

          As detailed in my posts about the Spellsword & Stalwart , I've been removing racial classes from my OSR game. I've finally moved on to replacing the Halfling, which has always been my least favorite of the core classes, being that it is in many ways a less interesting and more specific Thief/Specialist. I pulled some of the modern tropes of Halflings into this class, with the hopes of differentiating it from Specialist.

The Fated

          There are those in this life whom Fortuna seems to favor. Whether vicious or virtuous, some folk never have to see the true consequences of their actions. To the frustration of both their fellows and enemies, fate seems to conspire to keep them safe and happy - or at least never bored. These men and women take risks that strike others as mad, seemingly without regard to the outcomes. Some are simply lucky in some inexplicable way, while others have seemingly honed their innate luck into some sort of quasi-magical skill. 

        Regardless of the source of their ability to warp probability, these folk are known by many names, many of them specific to the culture or people from whom they hail, but the most common is Fated. Fated make for ideal adventuring companions, their inborn talents for luck allowing them to wriggle out of situations which would otherwise doom themselves and their friends. The fact that the Fated is often responsible for the predicament in the first place is generally not lost on them.

Level	Experience	HP	Paralyze	Poison	Breath	Device	Magic	Knack	Kismet
1	0	1d6	10	8	13	9	12	2-in-6	1/day, +1/-1
2	2,000	1d6	8	6	10	7	10	2-in-6	1/day, +1/-1
3	4,000	1d6	8	6	10	7	10	3-in-6	2/day, +2/-2
4	8,000	1d6	6	4	7	5	8	3-in-6	2/day, +2/-2
5	16,000	1d6	6	4	7	5	8	4-in-6	3/day, +3/-3
6	32,000	1d6	4	2	4	3	6	4-in-6	3/day, +3/-3
7	64,000	1d6	4	2	4	3	6	5-in-6	4/day, +3/-2
8	128,000	1d6	2	2	2	2	4	5-in-6	4/day, +3/-2
9	256,000	1d6	2	2	2	2	4	6-in-6	5/day, +3/-1
10	+128,000/lvl	+2*/lvl	2	2	2	2	4	6-in-6	5/day, +3/-1

*: Constitution modifiers no longer apply.

B/X & OSE Rules

Requirements	Minimum DEX 9, CHA 9
Prime Requisite	DEX and CHA
Hit Dice	d6
Maximum Level	10
Armor	Any, including shields
Weapons	Any
Languages	Alignment, Common

          Lacking any formal training, Fated rely on their strangely positive relationship with chance to win the day for them. To represent their oddly effective flailing, the Fated may use the Defensive Fighting (+2 to AC/ -4 to Attack) option while in combat. 

        Fated can bend the laws of probability around them to a certain extent (generally unconsciously, but some Fated are aware of their abilities) with an ability known as Kismet.

        Kismet takes the form of a re-roll, followed by a coin flip. Fated may use Kismet a number times per day as denoted by their class table. Kismet can be used after a roll has been made which affects a PC (whether that be a save, attack or damage roll) but before results have been declared. The use of Kismet is expended, and then the Fated flips a coin; on a heads the Fated adds the first number in their Kismet table as a bonus to the re-roll, on a tails they add the second number as a penalty to the re-roll. Any particular roll may only be affected once by Kismet or an effect similar to it. The Fated must accept the results of the second roll, even if it is worse.

          Living a life reliant on luck means Fated are well traveled enough that they've been forced through necessity to develop skills beyond that of the average person. Though unable to match the breadth of the Specialist, Fated may choose a single skill from the Specialist's skill list as their Knack, with the exception of Sneak Attack. That skill automatically improves as they gain levels, as detailed in their class table above.

A Few of my Favorite Things - Four Classes from the OSR-sphere

         At this point it should be fairly obvious that I enjoy making classes. I derive an odd amount of enjoyment from making new avenues for my players to explore, and I find the search for new archetypes and novel mechanics to be akin to solving a puzzle. Classes to me are something than be generalized, or extremely specific as the situation merit. As a result I've read a lot of classes over the years, including many in the wider OSR community and with this article I want to spotlight a few of my favorites!

Champion/Punchfighter

by Bernie the Flumph

          This class is great - 1/2 Eugen Sandow, 1/2 Shaw Bros. Studio Protagonist, all martial arts hijinx. At base the class gets a full attack bonus as per fighter...as long as they're not wielding any weapons. This, along with the fact that they add their Con to their AC, means that you can effectively act as the unarmed and unarmored archetype that the class is aspiring towards. The class also gains access to sets of fighting techniques known as stances, which allow them to vary their approach enough to still be useful when say, a flying enemy or a golem shows up.

LotFP Custom Class - The Immolated

by KingBrackish

          I find this class to be notable for a few reasons, the first is that it is the inspiration for my own approach to classes (I use the same naming structure for instance) and the second is that I am fascinated by the idea of rolling the rest of your abilities on a table at character creation. The Immolated is based around the idea that your character has given themselves to the F L A M E S by literally lighting themselves on fire before the game begins. The number of bonuses and abilities they receive - as well as penalties - is based around this roll at the beginning. The abilities themselves are quite neat, and fit with the overall theme of self-sacrifice through flames.

GLOG Class: Gloop Friend!

by The Lawful Neutral

         I'm not part of the GLOGsphere, but I will occasionally read classes that I come across, and this one really stood out in how novel the central mechanics are. The character is a slime! A yummy one! Which has a distinct effect on game play, as your fellow party members can use the potions, rations and scrolls (by taking some of your HP) on themselves which have been stored in the slime's body. The slime itself grows larger in tandem with it's HP pool, letting it split that pool among various effects. I adore this class so much that I want to try and adapt something similar for LotFP & B/X.

Ne'er-do-Well

by The Merry Mushmen

         A sort of potpourri of various abilities which all shake out to increased survival and utility, the Ne'er-do-Well is aping one of my favorite archetypes in all of fiction - the dirty scoundrel, lovable rogue or dirty coward - all variations on a non-combat focused Specialist. Charisma, being a largely forgotten stat outside of hirelings, actually get some use in this class. It also has a fairly elegant and low-impact luck mechanic which I could see being used without seeming onerous.

The Drake - LotFP Custom Class

          Everyone who has ever run a game of D&D has been asked The Question by a player at one point, "Well it's called Dungeons and Dragons, so why can't I play one?" There have been various attempts to answer this question with an affirmative response over the years, most notably with 3.X/4th Edition's Dragonborn (which themselves had their likely genesis in Dragonlance's Draconians), as well as Council of Wyrms, which was a box-set for Dragons as PCs for AD&D. 

        I thought, given my propensity to endlessly create classes, I should add to these questionably thought out attempts with one of my own for OSR games. Referees are encouraged to consider the implications of allowing a Drake PC in their games before doing so.

          Figures of dread and oppression to the world around them, Dragons are perhaps the most powerful creatures on most prime material planes. But they don't start off that way. Dragons grow in power and size as they acquire wealth, and while what is considered to be "wealth" may change from society to society, the effect it has on them is the same. 

         Young Dragons, known as Wyrmlings or Drakes are uncommon, but not completely unknown sights within civilized areas. While most Dragons build their wealth by what amounts to banditry, others are drawn to the hustle and bustle of towns and cities by the prosperity which exists there. Restraining (some) of their natural greed, these Drakes can become fixtures in the communities which they choose to become a part of. Their natural toughness, ability to fly and breathe fire makes them ideal enforcers, guards, and even adventurers. Given the long lifespan of their race, this arrangement can last for decades, even centuries.

Level	Experience	HP	Paralyze	Poison	Breath	Device	Magic	Flight	Thick Hide	Puff
1	0	1d10	14	12	15	13	14	5'	+0	3-in-6
2	3,500	1d10	14	12	15	13	14	5'	+0	3-in-6
3	7,000	1d10	14	12	15	13	14	10'	+1	3-in-6
4	14,000	1d10	12	10	13	11	12	10'	+1	4-in-6
5	28,000	1d10	12	10	13	11	12	15'	+1	4-in-6
6	56,000	1d10	12	10	13	11	12	15'	+2	4-in-6
7	112,000	1d10	10	8	9	9	9	20'	+2	4-in-6
8	224,000	1d10	10	8	9	9	9	20'	+2	5-in-6
9	448,000	1d10	10	8	9	9	9	25'	+3	5-in-6
10	672,000	+2*	8	6	7	7	6	25'	+3	5-in-6
11	912,000	+2*	8	6	7	7	6	30'	+3	5-in-6
12	1,152,000	+2*	8	6	7	7	6	30'	+4	6-in-6
13	1,392,000	+2*	6	4	5	5	5	35'	+4	6-in-6
14	1,632,000	+2*	6	4	5	5	5	35'	+5	6-in-6
15+	+224,000/lvl	+2*	6	4	5	5	5	40'	+5	6-in-6

*: Constitution modifiers no longer apply.

B/X & OSE Rules

Requirements	Minimum STR 14
Prime Requisite	STR
Hit Dice	d10
Maximum Level	14
Thac0 Table	As Fighter
Armor	None
Weapons	None
Languages	Alignment, Common, Draconic

          Drakes physically grow larger as they level, starting at roughly the size of an average dog at level 1 and ending up a little larger than a fully-grown bull by around level 12. Drakes have a movement speed of 30, and they can see in the dark as Dwarves.

          Befitting their status as the juvenile form of Dragons, Drakes are possessed with several powerful abilities unique to their class, as well as several important restrictions. Drakes cannot use equipment which was designed for humanoids, most notably weapons, clothing and armor, including magical items of that nature. Drakes are restricted in how they are able to spend their lucre and must stockpile any 75% of all gold, gems or other notably valuable and non-perishable goods. 

        This amassed wealth will eventually become the center of their hoard when they grow old enough to settle down. There is no inherent mechanical penalty for losing part or all of this hoard, but the Drake will almost certainly want it back, and the Referee is encouraged to give an XP penalty to or stop the advancement of a Drake who makes no attempt to regain or rebuild their hoard.

          Drakes possess four abilities that grow in power as they gain levels:

• Their claws and teeth deal a d4 (as opposed to the normal d2) in combat and they count as both piercing and slashing weapons. This damage die increases to a d6 at level 5, and once more to a d8 at level 10.
• Drakes may fly, with the distance that they're allowed in a single turn given in their class table. Drakes may not hover, and must use their entire flight movement if they wish to stay aloft. Any movement used while flying also counts against their movement on the ground.
• They enjoy the benefits of natural armor, with the Thick Hide rating in their class table acting as a bonus to AC.
• The Drake makes a skill roll against their Puff skill as detailed in their class table to exhale a gout of flames. On a successful skill check, the Drake is allowed a ranged attack roll at a max range of 180', on a hit the Drake deals 1d6 fire damage. This damage increases to 2d6 at level 6, then to 3d6 at level 12. For the purposes of overcoming resistances or immunities this damage is considered magical.

Dying Earth Monsters Part III - Pelgrane

         

          

          In this third entry on my series on the denizens of the Dying Earth, I'm going over everybody's favorite evil flying predators, Pelgrane. While the Deodand are Vance's go to threat whenever he needed an inhuman enemy to bedevil his characters on the ground, Pelgrane are the ever present threat which makes travel across the Dying Earth as hazardous as the setting's name suggests.

          Our pal Cugel is nearly eaten by one while he is flying through the sky on a magic bed he had stolen from a wizard's manse:

"A black shadow fluttered across the sun; a heavy black object swooped down to alight at the foot of Cugel's bed; a pelgrane of middle years, to judge by the silky gray hair of its globular abdomen. Its head, two feet long, was carved of black horn, like that of a stag-beetle and white fangs curled up past its snout. Perching on the bedstead it regarded Cugel with both avidity and amusement. "Today I shall breakfast in bed," said the pelgrane. "Not often do I so indulge myself.""

          In a similar scene, Etarr and T'sais are threatened by one's approach in their tale:

“They walked on in silence. Suddenly he grasped her arm and pulled her low in the furze. Three great shapes went flapping across the afterglow. "The pelgrane!"
They flew close overhead—gargoyle creatures, with wings creaking like rusty hinges. T'sais caught a glimpse of hard leathern body, great hatchet beak, leering eyes in a wizened face. She shrank against Etarr.
The pelgrane flapped across the forest.”

          Rhialto, when sent to another time period in the setting's history, is warned of a creature similar to a Pelgrane by one of his wizard fellows:

"The Grand Gazetteer lists only six magicians currently active, the nearest far to the north, in the present Land of Cutz. A flying creature known as the 'dyvolt' rules the skies; it resembles a pelgrane with a long nasal horn and uses the common language."

         Unfortunately these are the only direct mentions of the Pelgranes description which I could find, otherwise they're simply interacted with or mentioned by name. Like many of Vance's creatures, their actual looks are left up mostly to the reader's imagination. As a result of these somewhat contrary details, the truth of their appearance is somewhat murky beyond the fact that they are large, have the ability to fly, and like all of Vance's creatures, the ability to engage in witty banter. This allows us to draw one of a few conclusions:

• Each Pelgrane is unique, or otherwise extremely diverse in appearance aside from a few general traits.
  

• Pelgrane refers to a range of flying creatures which menace the Dying Earth.
  

• The seemingly at odds descriptions are taken at face value. Pelgrane are gargoyle-like creatures with leathery hides, who eventually grow silky grey hair on their abdomens in middle age. They have hatchet beaks, filled with white fangs.
  
  

          None of these would make Pelgrane the strangest creature in the setting. While the situation is ambiguous, i'd go with the first option if I were going to include them in my own game; the variation in their looks would serve to further play up the bizarre nature of the Dying Earth. Anyway, let's move on to stats!

B/X Stats:

HD: 4 (HP 28)

Armor: As Leather

Move: 20', Fly 50'

Attacks: 1 Bite, 2d4+2

Special: Nimble Flyer; a Pelgrane may attack at any time before or after it's movement.

5th Edition Stats:

Large Monstrosity, Chaotic Evil

Armor Class: 14 (Natural Armor)

Hit Points: 42 (6d10 + 12)

Speed: 20 ft., fly 60 ft.

Abilities: Str 16 (+3), Dex 17 (+3), Con 14 (+2), Int 11 (+0), Wis 14 (+2), Cha 7 (-2)

Saving Throws: Dex +5

Skills: Perception +4

Damage Resistances: None

Condition Immunities: None

Senses: passive Perception 16

Languages: Common

Challenge: 3 (700 XP)

Flyby. Pelgranes do not provoke an opportunity attack when it flies out of an enemy's reach.

Actions

Multiattack. Pelgrane make two bite attacks.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (2d4 + 3)

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