A little while back I did some research on all there is to know about gnomes in Swords & Wizardry. It seems that monster books are the leading authority on the subject. This is good news since Frog God Games just released Tome of Horrors 4. If you really hurry you can pick up a copy before the price goes up day after tomorrow...
Anyway, here are a few gnomish lore tidbits (spoilers?):
Nasty, nasty stuff lives in the deep vaults beneath the gnomehold of Ozgalot in the Garnet Hills (p. 94). There are silver mines like no other place. And there are strange alchemical delights to be found in the upper reaches. And later it is again mentioned that gnomes inhabit the hills between the valley halflings and the dwarves (and worse) from (under) the mountains. Whenever there is a festival, racial tensions are left behind as gnomes cheer side by side with duergar and drow (p. 99).
Gnomes are skilled illusionists (p. 108) and will tinker with devices other races leave on the drawing boards (p. 98).
It's not much, but at least this go around we don't hear about the endless attacks from mythical creatures...
Finally, while maybe not cannon, the Stoneheart Valley campaign mentions gnomes along with "other Under Realms races" (p. 109). Very peculiar....
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Sunday, June 23, 2013
Saturday, June 22, 2013
Exciting News
So what? Well, Stoneheart is compilation of The Wizard's Amulet, The Crucible of Frey, and The Tomb of Abysthor. And the first campaign I ran after getting back into the game was the first two installments. Ah, good times... I'm going to go read it and check back in later.
(the link to the original free PDF appears to be down)
Sunday, June 16, 2013
Father's Day & Free RPG Day
Second Annual Father's Day and Free RPG Day Report*
First off, Happy Father's Day to all you real men out there! You think battling dragons or braving dungeons is challenging? Be a dad...better than all the XPs and gold out there.So I am doubly blessed because I was born and raised in Texas (Dallas area to be exact). Within 200 miles were 4 stores participating in this year's Free RPG Day. Yes, the number is way down from previous years and yes, 2 of those stores were on opposite sides of that 200 mile radius circle. However, I managed to make a day of it and hit 2 of them with a car load of friends and family.
To give credit where credit is due, both of these fine establishments were warm and welcoming. So a sincere thanks goes out to
Besides picking up a goody (or two) I spent money at each one because while free stuff is sweet, the real idea is to spread the love.
Finally, I went by the two stores closer to my home. I knew that they weren't participating but I went in and talked to them about. One store was...less receptive. They have a history about being <inappropriate word goes here> so I wasn't expecting much. The second store though, I was disappointed over. So I told the guy as much. I was not belligerent and he was very receptive. Basically, they have a ton going on so, the guy (who was not the owner) assumed it was just an oops. He went to explain more stuff about their situation and I ended up buying something pricing to just say "Free RPG Day works" - sometimes even when it doesn't.
So go out and visit your stores, buy a little something and encourage them to participate next year! You might swing by your favorite publisher and thank them too!
* Here is a link to last year's report
Friday, June 7, 2013
Significant Deaths
Tenkar's Tavern asked if we remember our first character over here.
I chimed in...I don't remember anything about the guy except his death. My dad bought the Moldvay Basic box at Wal-Mart (believe it or not) and we sat to play. It took thirty minutes to generate our characters as we were reading the rules for the first time simultaneously.
Then we found our selves in the valley of the Caves of Chaos...without any source of light. So back to the Keep on the Borderlands for some torches. Back at the valley we saw some small lizard-like dogs rush into a somewhat hidden opening. My bother and I bravely followed.
Dad: the goes some distance into the darkness and then at the edge of your torch-light, branches left and right.
Me: I go up to the corner and look around
Dad: Uh...ok, roll a dice...no, the normal one...oh no, you fall into a pit that was hidden on the floor. Roll that dice again to see how much damage you take in the fall...oh, uh, you die...[he looks at my brother] ok, now you have to roll...and again...and you fall in and die, too...
Me: That was cool...we're going to go outside and play, bye!
That's paraphrased, but it's pretty much how it went down. 15 minutes of glory.
Well, it turns out some celebrity also died in that same accursed pit - Harley Stroh's first PC died right there too! Makes me feel pretty awesome.
I chimed in...I don't remember anything about the guy except his death. My dad bought the Moldvay Basic box at Wal-Mart (believe it or not) and we sat to play. It took thirty minutes to generate our characters as we were reading the rules for the first time simultaneously.
Then we found our selves in the valley of the Caves of Chaos...without any source of light. So back to the Keep on the Borderlands for some torches. Back at the valley we saw some small lizard-like dogs rush into a somewhat hidden opening. My bother and I bravely followed.
Dad: the goes some distance into the darkness and then at the edge of your torch-light, branches left and right.
Me: I go up to the corner and look around
Dad: Uh...ok, roll a dice...no, the normal one...oh no, you fall into a pit that was hidden on the floor. Roll that dice again to see how much damage you take in the fall...oh, uh, you die...[he looks at my brother] ok, now you have to roll...and again...and you fall in and die, too...
Me: That was cool...we're going to go outside and play, bye!
That's paraphrased, but it's pretty much how it went down. 15 minutes of glory.
Well, it turns out some celebrity also died in that same accursed pit - Harley Stroh's first PC died right there too! Makes me feel pretty awesome.
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Sparking Toad Rod (Swords & Wizardry Magic Weapon)
A sparking toad rod is a glass or possibly clear crystal tube nearly 4 feet in length. One end flairs out like a horn while the other is a spherical bulb that contains what appears to be a toad suspended in a flickering incandescence (sheds light as a candle). Although the actual firing mechanism is unknown, the user can willfully cause an eruption of sparks that zig-zag from the open end and radiate out, filling a cone 15 feet long and 15 feet at the end. Everyone caught in this discharge suffers 1d4 hp damage. Once fired the device will not fire again for 1d2 rounds (with a result of 1 being the next round).
Anyone holding a sparking toad rod gains a +2 to saves against electrical attacks.
The rod is surprisingly resilient It will not break from incidental or accidental bumps or drops. However, any amount of purposeful blunt damage or falls of 10 feet or more will cause it to detonate. The resulting explosion causes everyone within 10 feet to be subjected to a lightning bolt spell (cast as from a 5th level magic-user, save for half damage). The toad creature is completely burnt to ash.
These devices are not magical in nature and are often found in metallic ruins or among other alien artifacts.
Anyone holding a sparking toad rod gains a +2 to saves against electrical attacks.
The rod is surprisingly resilient It will not break from incidental or accidental bumps or drops. However, any amount of purposeful blunt damage or falls of 10 feet or more will cause it to detonate. The resulting explosion causes everyone within 10 feet to be subjected to a lightning bolt spell (cast as from a 5th level magic-user, save for half damage). The toad creature is completely burnt to ash.
These devices are not magical in nature and are often found in metallic ruins or among other alien artifacts.
Friday, April 26, 2013
Marquis of Sorca
My Traveller 5 package arrived yesterday.
For now on I prefer to be called Sir James, Marquis of Sorca in Chant of the Core (1921 Sorca B545740-9).
I am also a knight of Chant and a member of TAS at Chant.
I was half hoping that I would be way out in the stellar boondocks, but I guess a forgotten piss-ant farm system right in the middle of everything might be cool, too.
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