People of the Plains

Out in the Tavalinen Sea, a rolling plain of purple leafed grass, you'll find two nomadic groups of people: The Vapara and the Pijaki. While they travel the same "sea", they rarely come into contact, or desire to, as their routes often take them in separate directions. There have been known encounters between the two, however it rarely goes well for the Vapara.

Vapara

Also known as the Wagonfolk, the Vapara are a culture of largely human traders and merchants. Traveling in covered wagons, often brightly painted with strange murals reflecting the many stories they collect,  they skirt the edges of the Tavalinen Sea, connecting the "Port" towns and cities along it in a system of trade. While they're certainly not the only traders out there, they are the most well known.

Often seen as thieves and dirty, and accused of stealing children, they actually hold to strict hierarchical traditions, strict hygiene habits, and hold no prejudges in race when taking in orphans.

Gender Roles
Much of Vapara life is separated based on gender. Males hold public authority, while females are the head of a household. Men are typically the producers, seeing the construction and toolage, while the women are the upkeepers, giving to cleaning and preparing. In business, males tend to trade for other items, while females will sell outright for coin. It is thought women are more inclined to mystical arts (fortune telling, speaking with spirits, etc) while men tend to the material arts (song, brewing, etc).

Hierarchy
Traditionally, a band (or Vappania) of Vapara consists of ten to fifty extended families, and is lead by a Voivode, or "chieftain" for the cruder tongue. The Voivode is selected for life, and is assisted by a Phuri Dai - typically the Eldest woman of the Vappania. Whenever two or more bands find themselves in the same city, the Voivodes will hold council, usually to trade news and rumors (as well as to over drink in peace). All Voivodes, upon taking the station, swear fealty to the ancient, one true King of the Vapara - Johnny Faa.

Clothing and Style
The Vappania, both men and women, wear bright colors, often yellows and reds, and loose, flowing clothing. Women always wear dresses or full skirts, as bifurcation would be inappropriate. Men wear baggy pants, loose fitting shirts and large belts. Both wear jewelry, women fashioning gold, men silver. Though, men wear substantially less jewelry than women. In some of the more prudish cultures the Wagonfolk encounter, Vapara women are seen as lustful or seductive. This do to the held belief that the upper body is clean, and is fine to expose, while the lower body is dirty, for obvious biological reasons. The Woodwose don't see the issue.

Religion
While the Vapara do not worship a god, as they have "no king before Johnny Faa", they do hold themselves to a list of taboos, and acknowledge the importance of Faa's first consort Laxshi, Mistress of Wealth. As well, they pay homage and respect to the gods of the culture they are currently surrounded by. To do other wise would be the sign of a poor guest.

While they don't hold to any gods, they do have a handful of superstitions.

• Pure should not be contaminated by unpure. 
• This includes cursing. Vapara men are forbidden from cursing. Women, having a natural cycle of unpurity, are allowed leeway and, if really worked up, can generate some of the most sailor blushing curses heard.
• This also includes not drinking from the same water source as an animal that cleans itself (dog, cat). Drinking from the same water source as a horse or oxen is fine, as they do not lick their genitals. Strangely, it has come up.  
• A note should be drawn between "unpure" and "honest dirt." "Honest dirt" is gained through work and duty, though should still be cleansed, while "unpurity" happens through blood shed or sickness. 
•  A lucky charm is good to have
• A member of the Wagonfolk always has on them a lucky charm. Be it a four leaf clover, a rock with a hole, an iron nail, or nearly any other small carry-able object. (Doesn't take an inventory slot, if this is in question)
• The hooting of an owl and the screaming of a falling tree are ill omens.
• Care should be taken, and ears covered, least your soul be taken or the death screams drive you mad
• Bird droppings falling upon you is good luck
• this may be a joke created to screw with outsiders
• The lost and dying should be taken in, and given comfort. 

Stats

• Any Wagonfolk failing a Save of any sort, may instead lose their Good Luck Charm to ignore the result. Without the Charm however, the character takes -2 to all rolls until a new one is gained. Gaining a new charm should be a task and trial, not just simply "herp, derp, a neat stick, done."
• Any wearing over 10,000 gold in jewelry gain +2 to Personality(c) when interacting with other Vapara. 
• Any with Personality(w) of 13+ playing with a tarot has 1 in 20 chance of telling actual future. 1 in 12 if a witch. 
• Any Vapara that drinks from the same water source as a self cleaning animal, doesn't cover their ears and cross themselves at the hooting of an owl or felling of a tree, or if a male curses,  automatically fail their actions until they make themselves clean - or a bird defecates upon them. 

Pijaki

Named after their word for the bison they follow, cruder tongues refer to them as "Half-Orc." This name is incorrect at best, a horrible insult at worst. The Pijaki breed true, but as an off branch of Orc species, they tend to be more civilized than their cousins. "Half-human" the slur goes. And, of course, "civilized" in this context meaning they don't immediately kill you for trespassing. They'll probably even ask you questions first. Truth be told, they're inclined to ask questions and come to an arrangement, rather than kill out right. This is possibly the sole reason there are any Vapara left.

"Do not kill the entire herd when you are hungry," is an old adage of theirs. Being a people that follow herds, they harvest only what they need from the herd. In this way, the herd survives and grows stronger. From this the Pijaki grow stronger. And you're entirely correct to think they do the same to the Vapara. If you kill a man, and take his stuff, his line and trade end there. BUT, if you take only a few of his nicer things, that man can still make a living, and grow rich to have many fat children. Those children will then form more caravans, which your children will then raid.

Obviously the Pijaki do not share this plan with the Vapara.

But, yes, as stated the Pijaki are herdsmen, following herds of the huge Dire Bison (from which they take their name) across the plains, riding atop great domesticated bears. They take almost everything they need from these herds: meat, shelter, weapons, clothing. In return they see that the herd grows stronger. They cull the weak, stifle sickness, ensure the strong breed. They're like gardeners. Meat gardeners.

Little is known of the Pijaki other than that, and such is the way they prefer it. That being said, here is an assortment of information.

Language
The Pijaki speak a language their own, derived from Orc, but instead of being grammatically gendered between male and female, their words are divided between animate and inanimate. Interestingly, their words for other cultures are inanimate, with the words used to describe themselves and orcs are animate.

While the Pijaki have a rich oral tradition, handed down by a shaman or elder witch, they lack written historical records and even, usually, literacy, as reading and writing is clearly a form of magic. I have, after all, implanted knowledge in your head about a made up fantasy race, without even uttering a word to you. They don't truck with that.

Religion
The world of the Pijaki is a mixture of the physical and the spiritual, the latter bridged by shamans and heavy intoxicants. These shamans, usually alone or with a member of the tribe going through rite of passage, commune with the spirits in holy sites spread through out the Tavalinen Sea - hot springs, neat looking boulders, the mysterious monoliths dotting the landscape. In times of need the Shamans consort the spirits - called the Kwiocos - for guidance and wisdom.

Werocosuk
Chief among the Kwiocos is Werocosuk, the most Pijakish looking of all the spirits. All members of the Pijaki who have undergone the Rite of Passage have encountered Werocosuk, always appearing as a young warrior alone in the towering grass of the Sea. Standing a broad eight feet tall, wearing simple pijaki-hide (the animal, not the people) armor, and encloaked in a fur of an animal not native to the grass lands (actually, extinct, but they have no way of knowing this) Werocosuk will speak to the Tribe Member in a voice echoing of breaking wood. He then challenges the Member either mentally or physically. Those who fail the test, die. Those who pass are warned not to seek him out again, and are made a part of tribe upon returning from their vision quest.

Werocosuk's primary domains are Wisdom and Strength, his words often warning that one must be had only in the place of the other. Wisdom without strength is inaction. Strength without wisdom is destruction.

All members of the tribes go through the Rites of Passage, both male and female, for all members are expected to be strong. Should a member of the tribe grow enfeeble, they are given a melee weapon and a week's rations, and are expected to wander out into the Sea to find their end.

Currently, they are not intended for player consumption, but this may be revisited.

Continue Reading...

Spirit Binding

A while back, when I was doing that LARP hassle, I toyed around with various magic systems, because standing around reciting the same six phrases of nonsensical gibberish for twenty some spells while waving your hands like a jackass is dumb. One of those systems was a Words of Power. Another one was a Spirit Binding system. This is that one.

The system was separated into three levels: Magna, Prima, Summa. The names are purely fluff, though. Ignore them.

The binding process involved rituals based on levels. First level was simply applying the make-up. Second level was performing a mini, flashy ritual. Third level is where things got fun. For me, at least. More on that later.

The first level involved binding Lesser Spirits, so minor they're Nameless, unto yourself, in order to gain access to skills. Parry, dodge, maybe a resist. Costume props were largely make-up based. Probably some sort of script on the body part related to the skill. The bindings were changeable four times per day: Dawn, Noon, Dusk, and Midnight. If you missed them, you missed them.

The second level involved binding of Known Spirits in order to augment Attributes. Some spirits added to attributes, while taking from others. Some just gave additions. At this level the costume requirements increased to props, with the spirits giving pure bonus requiring more pieces. Horns, weird ears, contacts, maybe a tail. Some roleplay requirements thrown into the mix. This represents the blending of the PC and the Spirit, as the Known Spirits were essentially as strong as the character. The second level bindings were only changeable at two times during the day: Noon and Midnight.

The third level is where things get a bit different. For starters, GM intervention is required. Secondly, a major ritual is performed to summon the creature. Thirdly, success is not guaranteed. Also, purchasing the skills at this level do not give instant ability, only possibility. The ability must be earned. The third level was usable only once per event.

At this point, the character is able to summon  and forming Pacts with Named Spirits. These are major spirits so powerful they have their own True Name. This True Name, along with proper procedures for summoning, sigils to draw, offerings to give and proper incants, must be learned through research and quests. Simply being told the requirements is not sufficient. One must Learn in order to Know. Due to Magic reasons.

The important thing to remember is that rituals require sacrifice. The sacrifices vary from Spirit to Spirit and are permanent. Typical offerings include alcohol, tobacco, props and service time. There are practical reasons for this: It causes the player to take an extra NPC shift for a mod, it adds props to a game that probably needs them and GMs enjoy booze and smokes. These are important bribes when wasting their time.

Summoning in this manner is dangerous and not guaranteed. Any number of factors can stop a spirit from entering the Pact (stepping within the circle): wrong offering, offering to little, offering not of high enough quality, service too trivial, half assery in ritual performance, etc. Yet, should they accept and enter the circle, the spirit will carry out the Pact in earnest.

Before I abandoned the system like I did my first marriage, I figured two groups of Named Spirits - the Knowers and the Wielders.

The Knowers consisted of Knower of Known Knowledge, Knower of Hidden Knowledge, and Knower of Forgotten Knowledge. Their basic jam is to answer questions based on their purview as long as the alcohol and tobacco holds out. Once it does, they leave. They'll answer honestly, and will tell out right if they don't know something.

The Wielders consisted of Wield of the Hammer, Wielder of the Bow, and probably a Wielder of Magic, had I continued. Their deal was the basically serve as an extra fighter for a mod, in exchange for a weapon prop and the player's service for a mod (extra partial NPC shift).

So, yeah, there it is.

Continue Reading...

Mooks and Camping

The Set Up

In order to tell you the next part, I gotta tell you this part. The stated purpose of a homebrew system I'm toying with (until I inevitably get bored with it, and just use the GLOG [by Arnold K.] or Dungeon World) was to cut back on dice rolls, and to make every number important. You took time to write the numbers down, you might as well use them. "Why not FATE?" none of you ask. FATE is good, and has it's place, but I also enjoy some crunch. Reduced dice rolling AND some crunch? Yes, yes. It's about building bridges, damn it.

Either way, one of the ideas was to combine Wisdom and Charisma. Thought behind it was that Charisma is stereotypically a dump stat, and Wisdom is useful to...what, Clerics? Perceptive dudes? So, instead of two numbers laying around doing nothing, jam them into one number doing a few things. That being the Personality stat. That's why you'll occasionally see "Personality (or charisma/wisdom)" in my posts. I should probably make a short hand for this.

Personality (c) - Personality (or charisma depending on system)
Personalty (w) - Personality (or wisdom depending on system)

There. Done. Shut up.

What I'm getting at, is that one of the uses for Personality was to determine how many, and of what quality, hirelings you could have. That being you could have a total rating of mooks equal to your Personality. Got a Personality 12? Then you can have three rating 4 servants, two rating 6 servants, or twelve level 1 shitty servants running around acting as meat shields.

Also being mentioned is "Refresh." Long story short is your Vigor determines your stamina (which is basically your HP). It's effectively your ability to avoid taking lethal damage. It hits zero, you start getting stabbed to death. Quickly.

Stamina is easy to get back; you just rest for eight hours for Vigor modifier + Refresh value's worth of Vigor points restored. However, you can only get the rest needed in camp (or potions), as the dungeons are full of danger, odd sounds, bad smells, and the viscera of the monsters you just killed. Probably ghosts too.

The Pay Off

What follows is a list of mooks, used to do tasks the heroes are far to busy to do. Their primary stats are their Rating and Cost. Typically, the higher their Rating, the better they are at their job, and the more likely they are to stick around should things get violent or weird. Sometimes you just aren't paid enough for this shit. Which brings us to the Cost stat. The hired help ain't here for fun. They're here for that sweet, sweet gold. Some work for a standard rate, others for a percentage. Most mooks won't enter the Dungeon, or even leave camp, unless otherwise noted.

If the camp is attacked, roll a d6 per mook. If you roll their rating or under, they stick around. Minimum Rating is 1. Any special ability with a cost is optional. Whenever a roll is needed on their part, Rating is typically used.

Pack Mule
Rating: 1-5
Cost: Rating x 100 gold per week
Function: Can carry up to 10+Rating of inventory slots. Half rating of quick slots. This is person, not an actual mule.
Special: Paid To Be Here - Will enter the Dungeon, but will not fight
             Strong Back, Weak Mind - +2 inventory slots, +100 cost, -1 Rating

Steward
Rating: 3
Cost: 10% of the treasure or 450 gold per week
Function: Tends to the Camp, making it nice and seeing to general upkeep while their employers are gone. You know, stewarding. Only one Steward may be present in a camp at a time.
Special: Make Things Nice - +2 Refresh
             Managerial Experience - +3 personality to hire additional servants, +150 cost

Cook
Rating: 2
Cost: 200 gold per week
Function: Really? I gotta explain this one?
Special: Stone Soup - A favorite among murder hobos. +1 refresh

Camp Guard
Rating: 4
Cost: 10% of treasure
Function: Watches the camp while PCs do other things. Like sleeping. Not fond of Dungeons.
Special: The Hell is That? - +1 to Rating when attempting to make perception checks
            Death Yell - +5% to cost. Guard is able to give one final yell as he is suddenly Back Stabbed in the night, alerting PCs.

Blacksmith
Rating: 3
Cost: 200 gold per week for retainer plus cost of repairs
Function: Sets up a small forge on the edge of camp. Will repair things for you.
Special: Repair - Will repair things for cost
             Identify Material - Will identify material, if possible. 25 gold per chunk

Alchemist
Rating: 3
Cost: 200 gold per week for retainer plus cost of potion
Function: Sets up a small lab on edge of camp. Will make potions for you.
Special: Alchemy - Will brew potions at cost
              Poison - Able to make a poison if you supply ingredients. +150 to cost.

Lore Master
Rating: 2
Cost: 500 gold per week
Function: Carries a collection of grimoires. Knows some ancient forgotten knowledge.
Special: Read Scroll - Is able to translate ancients scrolls or strange moon language. Unless plot calls for otherwise, of course.
             Identify Item - Able to identify a unique object, mineral, or other thingajig which allows for their usage. Identification takes a while and the cost is variable.

Barber-Chirurgeon
Rating: 2-4
Cost: 750 * Rating gold per week
Function: Knows how to patch bodies back together. Well, most of them. Usually. They can probably fake it.
Special: Pretty Sure I Can Keep You Alive - Through their expert care, time to heal lethal wounds is quickened by Rating. Refresh is also increased by Rating.
             Shave and Haircut - 2 gold

Dog
Rating: 1-3
Cost: Rating * 500 gold out right
Function: It's a dog. It does dog things. While it understands some basic commands, a handle animal test would be needed to get it to do fancier things. Only 1 is keep-able by PC, unless class features over rule this. Will enter Dungeons.
Special: Who's a Good Boy? - Treated as having Rating 6 for Run Away rolls. As in don't bother rolling. It stays. Unless maltreated in some way.
             Tracking - Dog is able to track things occassionally, if given a proper scent to follow. +1000 to cost. What does the dog do with all this gold? I don't know. Dog things.

Skald
Rating: 1-4
Cost: Rating * 200 gold per week
Function: Tells tales, sings songs, plays pipes. Knows some history. Will record deeds of PCs and make their own songs and epics based on them.
Special: Play It Again - +Rating Refresh


More Refresh Jams
Equipment, too, can add to Refresh rates. Keep in mind, however, enough camp equipment will require wagons.

• Basic Adventure Tent: +0 to Refresh. Rolls up with bed roll for easy carrying. Sort of like a pup tent
• Really nice tent: +1 to Refresh. Thicker fabric, water proof, stronger frame. 
• Great Tent: +2 to Refresh. Strong carved A-Frame. Tall enough to stand up in. Requires Wagon
• Basic Ground Roll: +0 to Refresh. Rolls up with basic tent for easy carrying.
• Really nice cot: +1 to Refresh. Gets you off the ground. Has some furs on it.
• Great Bed: +2 to Refresh. Nice, strong bed. Plenty of warm furs. Requires Wagon to carry. 
• Adventuring Coffee: +.5 to Refresh. Gets you going. 
• Strong Ale: +1 to Refresh. Does add to Drunk rate. 
• Whisky: +1.5 to Refresh. Good old sipping whisky. Good for post adventuring. 

The basic thought behind "Refresh" is that the camp scene is nice and suitable for resting, unlike the Dungeon. Anything that would help with that would probably add to a Refresh rate. 

Hell, while I'm thinking of it:

Wagon

Has Ten Wagon Inventory slots. While a backpack also has ten inventory slots, 1 backpack takes up 1 wagon slot. Requires a beast of burden to pull. A person also takes up one slot (driver and one passenger not included) 

Covered Wagon

Has Four Wagon Inventory slots, but also functions as a Great Tent and can hold a Great Bed without set up/break down. Allowing for faster breaking of camp. 

Wagon Driver

Rating: 3
Cost: 500 gold per week
Function: Drives the wagon, takes care of the Beasts.
Special: Gopher - +2 rating, +100 gold to cost. Can be sent out for resupply or deliver messages if a town or village is close enough. Requires payment for supplies up front. Potentially vulnerable to attacks. Would be wise to send at least 1 guard. 

Continue Reading...

Of the Dwarrows

In the Beginning

In the Beginning, there were the Forge Fires of the Maker, deep within the earth, from which the Dwarrows crawled. They remain still, even to this day, however they are currently in the hands of the Duegar. But I digress, more on this later. Given form by the Fires, and breath by the Bellows, the Dwarves are natural craftsmen, especially when it comes to stone. Iron marbles their bones and traces of silver can be found in their eyes, should you know an alchemist with a loose ethical code willing to boil them down.

For time countless, the dwarrows lived around the Forge Fires, deep underground. They mined, crafted, worshiped, and fermented strange molds all in the vague glows of the lava flows. Their tunnels grew ever outward, downward, and upward. Grand halls were - and are still - carved from solid rock. Mighty metropolises decorated in intricate patterns, and statuary of kings and civic heroes past, were born forth from the earth. Underground rivers were charted and redirected. All these in the search for precious and useful metals. In these times the Tenets of the Maker (which teach the importants of Community, Hearth and Forge) were held to by all, and used to protect against the strange things, often found in the deep dark.

In the abscense of the sun, time worked different. Days were based around the bioluminescence of the algae blooms found within the caves. An average dwarf day lasted about 30 hours, and was divided evenly into three separate time periods, or "shifts." These were further broken down into , , and "swings" (roughly three seconds)

Dwarven society was, at this time. divided in to a class system - the name in their tongue roughly translates to "strata" in ours - which gave priority to the Priests and the wealthy. Some modern dwarrows will cluck their teeth at this system, but none will dismiss it. One should never deny the usefulness of a tool.

Things, in short, were Nice. And then, they got Fucked.

You see, the Dwarfs have a legend of "Ragnarok" - literally "Day of No Rock" - a day in which the world runs out of rock to mine. For a race that has spent their existence completely within the stones of the earth, such a time would unthinkable. Such a time would be catastrophic.

So you can imagine what happened when they reached the surface.

Panic swept through the Tunnels, as the discovery quickly turned to gossip, which only fueled the flames. As many marriage oaths were "until the gold runs out" (an unthinkable event used for poetic device), were the bounds still valid? Some claimed when the surface was broken, the miners fell up. Other reported a ball of fire, watching the world. Judging. These couldn't be true, others said. But, true or not, this Mass of Nothing could only be one thing: The marking of the end of days.

Suggesting Ragnarok was upon them, for sins unknown, the Priests of the Maker claimed the only way to repent was to return to the Forge Fires, deep within the earth. To shun the light appearing from high above, and embrace the comfortable darkness below. And so, with the wealthier class, they left to find the ancient homelands of the dwarrows. In time, they became the Deugar.

With their primary bastions of leadership gone, the dwarrows did what any dwarf does when aurthority is abscent, but there's plenty of booze: They fought. Wars broke out among the populous, with aligences shifting quickly. It wasn't uncommon to see two combatants fighting against on another in the morning, but side by side come kelpset.

Dwarf society crumpled and burned to ash. But, as with iron, ashes make the material stronger. From the chaos one dwarf drew forth order: Therdren Ironsoul, who first laid out the Nine Virtues of Dwarven Kind, banished the caste system of old and became the first King. These Virtues were applied as addendums to the Maker's Teachings.

1. Strength - The arm that swings the Hammer, forges the strongest Sword
2. Courage - Back not away from Challange
3. Hospitality - Give succor to those in Need
4. Honor - Disgracing yourself Disgraces your Fathers
5. Freedom - Give in to no Bounds, for with them goes your Spirit
6. Kinship - Stand with your Brothers, in Joy and Sorrow
7. Industriousness - Strive to perfect your Craft always
8. Ancestry - Remember from Where you came
9. Self Reliance - Rely only upon Yourself, so others may rely upon You

Iron Maidens

The first to carry the Words of Ironsoul were his daughters. Through them the dwarves were taught to honor King Therdren, but stressed that worshiping him was false. Over the centuries, it become customary for clerics to be strictly female and remain maidens as the original Daughters did. (Ironsoul's numerous sons were more than enough to continue the blood line) From this they take their name: The Iron Maidens. In keeping with strict tradition and ancestry, modern Iron Maidens do not shave their beards, as some female dwarrows have taken to doing - the bare chin a fashion gleaned from Human females.

Spheres

While dwarven architecture and sculpting hold to block aesthetics, with natural curves where appropriate, the dwarrows hold the sphere as a perfect - even holy - shape. After all, any apprentice can form a perfect cube with a bit of chipping and sanding, but it takes true concentration and patience to achieve a recognizable sphere, and, it is thought, only the Maker could craft a perfect sphere; all others containing an unseeable flaw by the nature of mortality. For the dwarves - especially the Iron Maidens - the crafting of spheres from various materials is used as a form of mediation. In fact, all (read: those not above the surface) sites of worship are grand caverns carved into a perfect sphere. The purpose of this is many fold: 1) It reminds the carvers that they craft in the name of the Maker, 2) It helps center the minds of those who worship, and 3) The reverberations offered by the shape.

Dwarven worship is perhaps some of the most solemn in nature, yet also the most passionate. Outsiders who have witnessed the rituals, though rare they be, have often been brought to tears as the words of reverence, in the form of Gregorian style chants, echo in the eternal night of the underground. These chants, empowered by the reverberation of the spherical chambers, echo through out the mines and underground kingdoms. Even after the schism, both factions hold chanting as an important form of ritual, even if their views wildly differ.

The Surface

While some descended back into the earth and some remained in their traditional homes, there were some who eagerly sought to explore the strange new world of the surface. And they were rewarded for their curiosity, for they soon encountered Humans and, in turn, gained a strange magic: the ability to turn items of trivial craft into Gold. Humans, as the strange, tall creatures of the surface called themselves, turned out to be friendlier than the dark creatures encountered in the "wilds" of the subterranean. Well, for the most part. -Ish. Either way, the important thing is, they had gold of their own, and seemed all too eager to give it up for dwarven crafts. Even those made by lowly apprentices.

Slowly, but surely, the dwarrows that took to the surface integrated into human society, sharing their culture with the humans, and taking some of the human customs as their own. Today, many a young dwarf can be found in human cities performing odd jobs, running shops of various sorts, selling grilled rats on sticks, and even adventuring; typically sending a portion of their wages back home to their families.

Tools

Obviously, dwarrows are known for their tool usage. They're skilled in a wide variety of crafts, and therefore need a plethora of varied and specialized tools. What is little known, out side of dwarrow culture, is that a tool is an intimate item to a dwarf, much the same way a toothbrush or sex toy is to a human. A dwarf would not think to lend, or even ask to barrow, a tool from another, unless courtship rituals have been completed, and bonds of marriage have been planned out. If a dwarf needs a tool, they use their own, or none at all. Dwarrow view the liberal tool lending of humans as a form of deviancy, and teach their city bound children to stay away from such habits.

Dwarrow Stats

• Strength must be higher than Dexterity
• Have traditional low light vision
• Because of the iron lacing their bones, dwarrows are resistant to magic
• Dwarrows gain a reduction to fire damage equal to their smithing profession skills (if any)
• Having shorter legs, they lose 10 feet to their movement; and due to their density are treated as having fallen 10 feet further
• Can use their beard as an item slot for jewelry (rings, talismans, etc) 
• Anvil Chorus: Once per day, while working with their tools and singing songs of virtue, a dwarf of Personality (or Wisdom 13 or higher may temperately improve the functionality of a device in some way.  

Duegar

Giving in to self-excile after the discovery of the Surface, the Priests and Upper classes retreated into the depths of the earth, seeking out the primordial Forge Fires of old. And so they found them, miles and miles and miles down. So too did they find the mythical First City, though most of it and its wonders were partially consumed by the Forge Fires. The city slowly sinks, the lower layer slowly melting away, but the Duegar build on, upper portions holding the lower sections in place.

Alone down there, in the deep dark, with nothing by out dated beliefs and bellies full of anger and hatred, the Duegar turned into vile, awful creatures. The caste system was reinforced, with many being forced into slavery and servitude. Slaves too, were taken from the monsters that dwelled within the "wilds" of the deep, where before they were killed outright. And so, in the centuries since, they become the cruel masters of the Deep Dark.

• As with the Dwarrow, so too with the Duegar, save for the Anvil Chorus
• Having grown accustom to the dim light of the Forge Fires, Duegar must save vs. blind when encountering a light source. They do have dark vision, however. Which is nice.
• Voice of Command: Once per day, a Duegar of Personality (or charisma) 13 or higher may attempt to Command a creature of the Deep Down. Many of the monsters down there have been bred as slaves at one point or another. There is a chance the feral beast may remember its true masters. 

Continue Reading...

Woodwose

Elves. Long haired, pointy-eared, dandelion eating, pompous, lithe assholes that've become a staple of modern fantasy. Why? Because J.R.R. Tolkien was crazy for them. Just loved them. Went so far as to write a language and songs for 'em. Obsession, plan and simple. Nerds, in turn, being the most sway-able of creatures, latched on to them. There was, however, one man who stood against Tolkien, One man, a Hugo Dyson, who, when faced with unending hordes of Tolkien stories containing elves, was brave enough to roll on the couch, face covered, and scream "Oh, God, not more elves!"

Truly, the hero we deserve.

And really though, why elves? Why? They've all benefits and no downside. Unaging, walking on snow, seeing things perfectly, hanging out with gods when they get bored of not having to do anything for a living. Besides their ability to be killed by sadness and their apparent lust for dwarves, what faults have they? None. How interesting is that? It ain't. What do they know about the human condition? Nothing.

I say get rid of them. And, as a replacement, I offer:

The Woodwose

The Woodwose are mortal creatures of the Forests, rather than City or Stone. Given years limited just as the humans and dwarves, though shorter by far (forty years at best), they do not fill their days with the hassles of government or apprenticeship. They instead fill their days with song and drink. And fornication. So much fornication. Where the other mortals sport on football, stickball, or some dwarf game (probably involves drinking and headbutting), the Woodwose so sport with seduction.

As with the other two mortal races, there are various types of Woodwose, the two predominant sort being the Bush and Deep Woodwose

Bush Woodwose
The Bush Woodwose, sometimes called Fauns, live the closest to other civilizations. Appearing as half men (and women), half goat creatures, Fauns stand roughly five and a half feet tall. While goat horns are the norm, individuals with deer antlers are not unheard of and are almost always a natural at magical arts. As quick with a song as they are climbing cliffs, it is said the Bush Woodwose gave the gift of music to humans, who, in return, tried to offer the strange concept of clothing. While they do not prefer it, Bush Woodwose will often dawn the strange woven fabric when in mixed company, as humans are cursed by modesty. They're largely against anything heavier than leather armor.

• Charisma stat must be higher than strength. They are known for their charms, but not their physical prowess
• (or +2 charisma, -2 strength for d20 system)
• Bush Woodwose are known to help travelers lost on the road. Any Faun with Wis 13+ instinctively know which way is North. 
• Probably got some bonus to climbing cliffs, what with the goat hooves. Get a minus when trying to sneak on stone though. You also lose the ability to wear boots. 

Drink Booze, Play Pipes

Deep Woodwose
Deep Woodwose, are Satyrs, live the farthest from the other civilizations, deep in the mysterious places of the forests. Usually standing six foot even, the Deep Woodwose tend to be more bestial in their appearance. Further, they tend to be more in touch with nature and the secrets of the world than their Faun cousins, giving to pursuit of knowledge rather than drinking and song, privy to secrets whispered on the forest breeze or gleaned from the depths of arboreal ponds. However, like their cousins they aren't prone to clothing, but do wear armor of living wood (or perhaps they're partly wood), carved in intricate patterns.

• Wisdom must be higher than strength. Deep Woodwoses are known for their council, but not feats of strength. 
• (+2 wisdom, -2 strength)
• Once per day, while gazing into at least a gallon of fresh, clean water, Deep Woodwose may ask questions up to their Wisdom in word length
• example: a Wisdom 12 Satyr can ask 3 four word questions; 4, three word questions; 2 six word questions; 12 one word questions, etc. per day
• Their armor will repair itself, if left half planted in fertile soil  
• Can't climb as well as Fauns, as their hooves tend to be bigger, but still have trouble when stealthing on stone. You also can't wear boots. Clop clop, motherfucker. 
• Take extra damage from oxidized iron.

OBVIOUSLY, this is what I was picturing

Religion

While the Woodwose acknowledge gods, they don't tend to worship them as the other races do. For the most part, with such limited years, and so much to drink, they just can't seem to spare the time. The closest approximation to the Woodwose religion would be nature worshipping.

Gender for the gods is meaningless, and not entirely correct, but for the ease of typing out this dang thing, they're referred to by the form they usually take.

Talamh, the Sleeping Earth
The Father who gave life to all things, He sleeps eternal, his work completed. Occasionally he stirs, troubled by dreams, creating earthquakes. His blood is lava, his bones minerals.

Sruth, the Exploring River
The Mother who gave life to all things, She embraces her husband, soothing his wounds and comforting his sleep. The babbling of water is her loving whispers.

Speir, the Everwatching Sky
Servant of the Mother and Father, He watches over their creations. He provides sun when growing is needed, and rain when they grow thirsty. The wind is his voice, providing secrets to those who know how to listen.

Doitean, the Tricking Fire
The Lover who is jealous of the Talamh, for He could never have the attention or affection of Sruth. He waits, plotting, and has given his secrets to men, who unknowing serve in his works. Often he strikes out against Cran, who he sees as the product of a love he could never know.

Cran, the Shepard of Trees
The Child of Talamh and Sruth, They tend to the Trees that give shelter, food and material to all things. They're closest to the Woodwose, and often provide gifts to the Wood Folk. The Birds and Bees are They're servants, taking care of minor tasks.

Yonny Fawn
Not really a god of the Woodwose, but rather a celebrated traveler who long ago visited the Wood Folk bringing hordes of stories and song still sung by the Woodwose to this day. Also called the Apple Bringer, he brought with him apples, and taught them how to get juice from the fruit, which then became cider.

Society

Woodwose society is loosely organized at best. While they don't form structured governments, whoever is fermenting the strongest brew at the time can usually get their way for a spell. Of course, payment will be expected in the form of a jug or two of the product. 

Agriculture is light and largely consists of grapevines and small patches of wheat, malt and barley grouped off in the woods. Some orchards are also kept, for the fruit squeezings. Animal handling is limited to bee keeping and deer or boar hording, though they're not above hunting. In fact, next to seduction and drinking, the Woodwose love hunting. 

Kids (baby Woodwose) grow like weeds, coming to adulthood within a year. Trials of Adulthood involve, believe it or not, the fermentation of the Youngling's first batch of their own drink. The Youngling is expected to ask Adults for help, and the Adults, more often than not, are all too happy to help. Once aged, the drink is shared in celebration with the Tribe (for lack of a better word), welcoming the new Adult into adulthood. This night is also the beginning of the new Adult's career of seduction.

While clothing is rare, body painting and horn jewelry is common in both male and females. Often the paintings are of symbolic patterns telling stories, or deeds done. Sometimes, they're just pretty patterns. Jewelry for Fauns tends to come from the closest civilizations, while Satyrs tend to wear feathers and bones of woodland animals.

Should danger come to the Tribe, all Adults are expected, and are well able to, defend their home.

The Woodwose typically live only forty years, given survival of the dangers of life. Funerals are held around a pyre holding the body, and consist of a huge party celebrating the Fallen's life. Songs are sung and stories are told about the Life. If possible, portions of the dead's Trail of Adulthood drink are shared. As the sun crosses the horizon, the pyre is lit, and the dead is shown off to the Fields of Leisure with a ritualistic dance.

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More Joshing

The Task

"okay so the generic premise of Katabasis is that there is one big city (all roads lead to Rome, equivalent) called The City, and underneath the city there is The Dungeon, which goes on forever and has lots of treasure but also monsters and you gotta go down there and get the treasure

write up 300 words as to how the dungeon was discovered adn what people think it was chop chop"

The Response 

In the time long ago, almost lost to memory now, the sky fell. A star broke free from the heavenly dome and came to earth in a moment of fire and violence. The ground shook, forests were flattened. For three days strange screams and the smell of burning flesh drifted on the wind. Within five days, plants began to die as the land blackened. Within a week, the first adventures grew brave enough to investigate. 

In the center of the ashy wastes a crater was found, lined with chunks of strange metals, and a shaft delving into a system of caves, where none had been known before. The adventurers returned to civilization with reports of strange creatures, lurking in the tunnels, as well as pieces of the new metal - now named void iron and platinum by metallurgists - and bars of pressed gold struck with strange markings. This was enough to suppress fears and attract interests. 

Centuries passed and, despite the poisoned landscape and tainted water sources, a town formed, overtime growing into the City, center of an economic empire built around the Dungeon. Merchants grew rich and fat selling last minute items to adventurers heading into the Dungeon. Wizards, Potionists, Willsmiths (heh heh), Rope makers. All turned a profit. 

Save the cartographers. 

The nature of the  Dungeon is such that even the most detailed of maps become unusable within seventy six and a half hours. Caverns shift, slopes form, rivers appear. There's even rumors of masonry found deep within, and further levels to be found beyond a stone door. Despite centuries of adventuring and plundering, treasure still seems to appear. Void iron, gold, items of master craftsmanship. Their source remains unknown, as does the source of the monsters. 

For safety purposes the City Council - composed of the seven richest merchants in the city; membership determined by strictly kept books - emptied the homeless population from the upper levels of the Dungeon, and built the Gate, an adamantine portcullis built to keep dangers of the Dungeon out, and to charge hopeful adventurers an entrance fee. Though, as urban homesteaders are as difficult to track as cats, it is likely some found their way deeper inside and have devolved into strange halfmen creatures "surviving" on fresh adventurer meat. 

Many questions (obviously) surround the Dungeon. Where did it come from? How was it built? Just what in the nine hells is going on? For answers, some have attempted Divination upon the Dungeon, only to have their senses and wits wrenched from them; many screaming about being watched as they gouged out their own eyes, or of being listened to as they cleaved their tongues from their mouth. 

Only one is known to have survived, by loosest terms, divination attempts against the Dungeon: Arcanist Cumberpatch, 12th Degree, A.A, Torch Lighter. It is said that as the Divination Madness overtook him, he lunged for the throat of an elven servant, and drank the more thing dry. He had shown no vampiric tendencies before, nor since. When asked about his experience the poor man will only drift off, his gaze becoming distant, and whisper "The Dungeon has never truly be entered. Find the door. All answers await within." 

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Things Josh is probably stealing from me

Things I made today with/for mead brother Josh. Posting it to amuse myself.

RNG, God of Chaos
"He" and "him" are but customaries, for he lies somewhere between the two. His voice is the sound of the falling rain that will water your crops and flood your fields. His breath is the wind that carries the scent of roses and fuels the forest fire. He once heard the cries of a starving people and sent into them a beast who would give meat eternal. The baby tarrasque soon destroyed the town. Another time he heard the prayers of those who had lost their way in the woods, and guided them safely to the nearest camp. The lost were soon put to the axe by the enemy soldiers. He is RNG, Lord of Chaos. Helper and Harmer. Child Godling. He is RNG, and he's super trying, but it's just SO hard.

A prayer to RNG:
"Lord RNG, gracious and kind. You have smiled upon us, and we have all that we need. Your people are content and happy. Our lives are full, and we need nothing else. Please, smile upon our enemies. Give them what they lack. Let them know your love and generosity."

But, yeah, he just doesn't "get" causality. Like the gods in Middle Earth. They tried helping, but just made it worse. Unlike them, however, he keeps trying.

Gnomes
"It is true what they say about children that run away and live with the elves: they find immortality and never grow up. They do, however, grow old. The human body was never meant to live forever.

These children - or gnomes - soon find themselves twisted by elven food or perhaps even the land itself. The gifts of adulthood become corrupt. Beards grow whispy and white. Breasts sag tiredly. Neither have known fullness. The gnomes, in an effort to mimic elven garb (the height of fashion), construct crude red cone hats. Through their retained innocence, which the elves lack, they are able to speak to the wildlife of the forest, who in turn whisper secrets and teach forgotten lore.

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