Tuesday, June 14, 2022

Oddities of the Traveling Merchant

 Having recently finished my reread of the Deltora Quest series, I noticed that it often featured one-off and consumable items of ingenious design or minor magical providence, like incredibly absorbent water pellets or self-coiling rope. I figured these kinds of minor oddities would be easy to generate on the fly with Spwack's html generator tool, and could fill a notable niche in the game. Often, a DM will introduce traveling merchants and specialty shops into their game, and will note that they sell standard adventuring equipment. This is serviceable, but I reckon it could create interesting scenes if these merchants actually did sometimes have something uncommon.

The generator below will create a small stock of items, sufficient for a peddler in outright curiosities. For a community that serves as a long-term base for a party, it may be appropriate to take only the top one or two oddities, rerolling every couple weeks of in-game time. My hope is that most results will be easy to improvise from, although not every new convenience will be specifically applicable to the adventurer's life.

GP cost is based on Basic D&D prices. Modify as you will.




Tuesday, June 7, 2022

Location: Al Mahjura

 Today I brainstormed a small dungeon with my spouse, using the proportion and room suggestions of Yora in this Spriggan's Den blogpost. I think it worked out pretty well! They came up with a good theme based upon a journey they took in their youth. You can expect the good details to come from them and the bad ones to come from me.


Rather than using the treasure they suggest, I considered allocating a budget of 6,000 coins but instead rolled BX treasure types, which ended up about the same.

Click the picture


Monday, June 6, 2022

OSE Goons

 I love the format of the monster entries in the OSE Referee's Tome. Though streamlined, it retains information not only on the number of a particular creature appearing in an encounter but also their potential organization, equipment, and behavior. I find it so helpful to refer to the organizational details of, say Brigands or Nomads that I wanted to write up a few additional minor human monster entries of that type.

I've included the full statblocks, even though they are not all too interesting, for ease of running the creatures described.

Boy

Inept criminals with striped outfits and fast-firing weapons. Found in cities and outlying hideouts.


Armour Class


9 [10]

Hit Dice


1–1 (3hp)

Attacks


1 × tommy gun (1d6+2)

THAC0


20 [-1]

Movement


120’ (40’)

Saving Throws


D14 W15 P16 B17 S18 (NH)

Morale


7 (10 with boss)

Alignment


Chaotic

XP


5 ( boss: 35)

Number Appearing


3d4 (3d10)

Treasure Type


R (C)


  • Poor Trigger Discipline: Boys deal +2 damage with missile weapons, but must stop to reload their magazines or quivers after firing for two rounds, during which they take no action. If a Boy fires into a melee and misses, he damages a Boy in that melee.

  • Boss: Gangs of 6 or more Boys are led by a Boss, a level 4 fighter with a random ability based on a bottom-shelf theme. In combat, they will wait to engage until their enemies are weakened.

  • Prisoners: 25% chance of 1d3 prisoners to be ransomed.

  • Hoard: Only have treasure type C when encountered in the wilderness or in their lair.

Sailor

Skilled ship workers who have seen too much of the Deep and too little of their families.


Armour Class


9 [10]

Hit Dice


1 (4hp)

Attacks


1 × weapon or fists (1d3)

THAC0


19 [0]

Movement


120’ (40’)

Saving Throws


D12 W13 P14 B15 S16 (1)

Morale


8

Alignment


Any

XP


10

Number Appearing


3d4 (See Below)

Treasure Type


B + D


  • Sea Legs: A sailor is not slowed when climbing and never loses their grip.

  • Ships and crew: Depends where encountered. Rivers or lakes: 1d8 river boats (1d2 × 10 sailors each); coastal waters: 1d6 small galleys (1d3+1 × 10 sailors each); any: 1d4 longships (1d3+2 × 10 sailors each); ocean: 1d3 small vessels (1d5+3 × 10 sailors each).

  • Arms: 75% have: leather armour, sword, crossbow; 25% have: leather armor, sword, net.

  • Leaders: For every 30 sailors, there is a 4th level ranger boatswain. For every 50 sailors, and for each ship, there is a 5th level ranger captain. For every 100 sailors, and per fleet, there is an 8th level ranger admiral.

  • Fleet commander: Fleets of 300 or more sailors are led by a merchant prince (11th level thief). There is a 75% chance they consult a magic-user (level 1d2+8).

  • Treasure: Each fleet has a 30% of possessing a treasure map.

Cultist

Followers of a controlling, charismatic priest. Found in settled areas and remote compounds


Armour Class


7 [12]

Hit Dice


1 (4hp)

Attacks


1 × wavy dagger (1d6)

THAC0


19 [0]

Movement


90’ (30’)

Saving Throws


D11 W12 P14 B16 S15 (C1)

Morale


8

Alignment


Chaotic

XP


5

Number Appearing


1d8 (1d20)

Treasure Type


V


  • Sly: will impersonate normal humans or magic-users.

  • Summon: 5 cultists together can perform a ritual to summon a terrible demon of HD equal to their number upon completion of the ritual, which takes 2d4 rounds, during which time they attack at -2. If 4 or fewer cultists complete the ritual, a magical mishap occurs

  • Leader: Groups of 4+ are led by a cleric of 1d4+1 levels. Choose or roll the leader’s spells.

  • Monster: 10% chance the cult will be blessed with a monstrous servant of their patron deity, such as a Hook Beast, Hellhound, or a Warp Beast

Militia Man

Volunteer fighters for a local lord or well-connected partisan. Found in settled country where they are popular


Armour Class


7 [12]

Hit Dice


1 (4hp)

Attacks


1 × sword (1d6) or oil (1d8 splash)

THAC0


19 [0]

Movement


90’ (30’)

Saving Throws


D12 W13 P14 B15 S16 (1)

Morale


7

Alignment


Any

XP


10

Number Appearing


1d6 (3d10)

Treasure Type


U


  • Ranging: On positive reaction rolls, will give directions and escort. Militia men will always help a party attacked by monsters or the militia’s enemies.

  • Beasts: 25% chance the group is mounted, 25% chance it is accompanied by 1d4 hunting dogs

  • For every 20 militia men, there is a captain (2nd level Fighter).They ride long-toothed war horses (with barding) and have: chain mail, sword, lance.

  • Fortified Manse: cells commonly combine and live in a clubhouse of 5d6 × 10 militia men. These are led by a veteran (6th level fighter), with a 50% chance of being advised by a 4th level cleric and a 30% chance of bossing around a level 1d4+3 magic-user.

Johun

Martial arts enthusiasts who lack the wisdom to practice truly numinous feats.


Armour Class


7 [12]

Hit Dice


1 (4hp)

Attacks


1 × strike (1d4, see below)

THAC0


19 [0]

Movement


120’ (40’)

Saving Throws


D11 W12 P14 B16 S15 (C1)

Morale


6

Alignment


Neutral

XP


10

Number Appearing


1d6 (1d12)

Treasure Type


U


  • Dissolute: Love to drink, gamble, woo, and show off.

  • Strike: Johuns deal 1d4 damage with an unarmed attack, and require their foe to save vs paralysis or take one of the following effects at random (d6): 1. sent flying back ten feet 2. Backflipped off of for -2 attack for a round 3. Legs swept out from under them 4. disable a limb for a round 5. Held item thrown fifteen feet 6. Heartstruck!-- lose a turn and save vs death.

  • Leader: Groups of 3 or more Johuns have a leader who they believe is best at fighting. This leader has -1 morale. Groups of 10 or more Johuns are led by a cash-strapped teacher (3rd level Fighter with Strike ability) with a once-great name.

  • Hiring Johuns: can be done if defeated, acting as a retainer with -1 loyalty.