Kairan best boi

Custom sheet i made for Kairan, a 5e pally in a friend's game. He is a Guilli-ark, a homebrew race of fiend-descendants and yes, his horns are cut hellboy style (although placed on the sides)

Nightmares in Xarne

It is said that if you ever sleep with a grieving widow in a Perfume House (brothel), that night a nightmare will be born in the place where her grief began and it will follow you (or anything like that). It knows where you are. 

                                              hello there!

It arrives in 2d6 nights.

It only moves while you sleep (until it reaches you).

Only you can see your own nightmare (even after it arrives).

Each night it gets closer and closer and each night you will dream with it wherever it is, until you finally get a last glimpse of it looming at your door. Better wake up now.

Its twisted body is(d6):

1. Pitch-black, tall, lanky with long arms and legs with an arched back. Walks like an animal. It looks hurt

2. A mass of eyes, flesh, mouths, arms and legs

3. A hulking beast of shadow and dread. It looks impossibly tense and stiff with anxiety all the time

4. A child’s body, it walks painfully as if it were broken. You hear snapping of bones with each step

5. A human sized, bizarre, bloody clay statue

6. A mirror of yourself

Distinctive feature (d8):

1. Your mother’s eyes

2. The smile of an old lover

3. Your father’s hands

4. The face and snout of an old beloved pet, although broken, twisted and angry

5. The voice of an old friend

6. The smell of the house you were born

7. Hums your favorite lullaby

8. Emits familiar, but forgotten sounds of your childhood

It ultimately wants to consume you. It envy’s you, it wants to BE you, in its own bizarre way. If a nightmare ever reaches its goal it takes your form to live a broken version of your life while you fade into nothingness.

Goals (d6):

1. To kill and eat you

2. To separate you from all your loved ones

3. To destroy your self-image and worth

4. To end all your motivation

5. To starve you to death

6. To make you go insane

In case of long-term goals, the nightmare will cling to its prey, always lurking in the shadows attempting to reach its dark objective.

Each case is unique, there are no specific ways to get rid of a nightmare, but it should ALWAYS be possible. If you want to fight it, consider its stats equal to the dreamer’s.

Magic Bottles

Potions are volatile and dangerous, gotta keep them in a good magic bottle.

Magic bottles are rare magic items and the only safe way to store ~magic liquid~.
Otherwise:

1. it becomes completely inert
2. it turns into poison
3. it turns into water
4. it evaporates
5. it melts the container
6. it explodes the container
7. it freezes the container
8. container bursts into flames
9. container starts to float
10. it becomes contained void

This is also why you would need a magic cauldron to brew potions.

Also, it limits the number of potions carried by the party. No more potion stocks to replace clerics

Miracles & Attunement

Miracles & Attunement

Miracles are similar to Cleric’s spells and this system replaces it completely, while giving non-cleric characters a chance of having their prayers answered. To work a miracle, the caster must roll a D% under his Attunement score.

                                                                              Dark Souls 3 Cleric. Gotta love the turtle thing on his back 

Attunement

All characters that follow a faith (including non-clerics) have a base value for their Attunement, which represents their bond with their divinity/entity/ideal of worship.

.Non-cleric characters have an Attunement score of 1+CHA modifier

.Cleric Characters have an attunement of 15+CHA modifier and increase their Attunement score by 3 per level starting at level 2.

Offerings

Here comes the great deal. Attunement is usually a pretty low score, but, through offerings, you may raise temporarily this score until you cast (or botch) a Miracle. Usually each faith has a set of possible offerings with variable Attunement bonuses depending on the customs of that faith. Offerings are cumulative.

Example: Offerings to the Scarlet God

The Scarlet God lives underground and feeds from all blood that is spilled in naked soil, so let’s feed him. Also, he is petty and wants to be the only god in the world, so let’s kill heretics and burn their churches.

Note: I use a non- inflating hp system where 20 hp is a lot, so consider this when making offering tables.

.Self-mutilation: spend 1hp per attunement point

.Animal Sacrifice (medium sized, like a goat): 5 attunement

.Human Sacrifice (Must be willing): 20 Attunement

.Bury a deceased member of the faith: 10 attunement

.Destroy a heretic: 5 attunement

.Destroy a heretic temple or site: 20 attunement

Casting Miracles

A character may spend his whole Turn (like 6-10 seconds) to ask for a Miracle. The character must then roll a D% equal to or under his Attunement score plus his offering bonuses. If it succeeds, the Miracle will take effect.

.All bonuses from Offerings are reset if the Miracle works OR if it fails by rolling equal to or over 95

.A D% roll equal to or over 95 is ALWAYS a failure and possibly a Bane (if the gm states so).

.A failed roll that is under 95 do not cause offering bonuses to reset

Miracles

The exact type of Miracles that may be cast depends on the faith, but usually there are 4-8 effects that may be expected for each specific deity to bestow.

Example: Miracles of the Scarlet God

The Scarlet God is a being of Blood, Fire and Earth that lives in the Underground. He is also seen as a god of Justice and Law. Let’s work with that.

.Grant Blood - Heals 1d8 per cleric level at touch range. Bane: the cleric takes all the damage he intended to heal

.Bestow Fire - Causes a fire to start at touch. This fire is magical and spreads quickly, dealing 1d6 damage per round to anyone in contact with it. If a weapon is bestowed fire, it deals 1d6 damage per attack. This miracle lasts for a number of rounds equal to the cleric’s level. Bane: the cleric catches fire

.Divination - Be it with fire or stone, Divination allows 3 YES or NO questions to the Scarlet God. This roll must be made in secret by the GM, the character will almost always believe his answers are true (in case of success or bane). Bane: all answers are lies

.Imperative Word - Utters a powerful word of command. If the command given is directly harmful or dangerous, the target may roll a saving throw to avoid doing it. Bane: Caster is catatonic and may take no actions for 1d6 hours

Final Observations

If you wish to use a regular list of spells, feel free to do so, but consider that 1^st circle spells and 9^th circle spells will be cast with the same difficulty with this system unchanged. You may want to consider restricting access to higher level spells by character level or maybe by enforcing penalties to the D% rolls with higher level magics.

The preferable type of magic would be level-scaling effects, instead of the traditional Vancian spell levels. Wonder & Wickedness by Lost Pages (https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/145647/Wonder--Wickedness) is my favorite example.

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I still need to test and tweak with the system, it’s definitely not perfect right now.

I will make other (more complete) Offerings and Miracles tables for other Gods some other day

Slightly Annoying Goblin Classes

Oh hey!
I found some original goblin classes in an old folder in my PC. Their concept revolved more or less on making weird noises at the table so each one of them has a little  something in this sense going on for them.

 BY NO MEANS BALANCED.

Also, these were meant for Lotfp, but you know... OSR and stuff, use it however you like. Here we go, i guess:

Hobgoblin:

Some goblins are not born like the others. Hobgoblins are fairly common mutations within goblin folk, stronger and bulkier; they are the prime warriors of their tribes.

Hit Die: d8

Saving Throws:  As Fighter

Attack Bonus: As Fighter

EXP: As Fighter

Illiterate: Goblins are scared of written words, they think that writing steals their ideas, therefore, they may learn any spoken language, but not written.

Medium Sized: Differently than his fellow kin, the Hobgoblin is medium sized and may wield weapons and wear armor as a medium creature normally.

Brute:

The Hobgoblin has +2 to damage rolls.

War Drum:

The Hobgoblin spends an action to growl and use his shield or weapon as a drum to intimidate enemies (if the player makes grunting noises while hitting the table, consider giving his action some kind of benefit).  Enemies within 30’ must Save or have their AB reduced by 2 for the round.

Improvised Weapon Master:

Hobgoblins know how to make effective use of almost anything to harm others physically, even surpassing their ability with conventional weapons at higher levels.

LVL 1: improvised weapons deal 1d4 damage

LVL 3: 1d6 damage

LVL 5: 1d8 damage

LVL 7: 1d10 damage

LVL 9: 1d12 damage

Shields Shall be Splintered in your Face:

The Hobgoblin may choose to break his shield OR a wooden weapon in his enemies’ face, leaving them knocked out for 1d3 rounds. Roll the attack as normal, if it connects, the aforementioned effects take place. This feature may only be used against opponents of HD lower than the Hobgoblin’s level. (If the player screams like a hobgoblin while doing this, the attack has +2 to hit).

Skirmish Tactics:

The Hobgoblin may spend the full round to command an ally in combat. His ally will have a +2 to their next roll if he acts on the command.

The Goblin Commoner

A goblin living the goblin’s life. This is the common exemplar of goblinkind: not exactly a hunter, nor a warrior nor a spiritual type. They usually do the basics in society, such as building homes, taking care of babies and cooking.

Hit Die: d6

Saving Throws:  As Thief, but 1 point worse in everything.

Attack Bonus: As Thief

EXP: As Thief

Stealth: : LVL 1 (3 in 6). LVL 4 (4 in 6). LVL 7 (5 in 6). LVL 10 (6 in 6).

Sneak Attack:  x2

Weaklings: Only characters with the sum of their modifiers equal to or minor than -1 can be Goblin Commoners.

Illiterate: Goblins are scared of written words, they think that writing steals their ideas, therefore, they may learn any spoken language, but not written.

Small Sized: Goblins can’t use normal two-handed weapons. Medium weapons must be used two-handed and small weapons may be used normally. Armor made for medium folk also can’t be worn.

Goblin Luck:

Well, they don’t have much going on for them. The goblins’ life is tough as hell, but sometimes things just work out. Commoners may reroll a failed roll once per level per day (taking the second result, even if it’s a fail).

A Goblin’s Lament:

The goblin may sob and sing sorrowfully about his sad, sad life in situations of distress (yes, mr. player, do it. Sing at the table in your most pathetic mimesis of a sad goblin. You will get something even better). The Referee must fiat something to make the goblin’s life easier. This may be activated once per level per day.

The Goblin God:

Some tales speak of a Goblin Savior, which will ascend the race as a whole and release them from the stigma the world has put them in. If a Commoner, and ONLY a poor, unlucky Goblin Commoner ever reaches level 15, he will become the Goblin God and assume the form it was meant to have when the old gods did wrong in their creation. All goblin tribes will gather in unison to worship the new divinity and it will rule the most powerful empire for a thousand years.

The Goblin Spirit Shrieker

The Spirit Shrieker is a spiritual icon of her tribe, working as a healer, shaman, storyteller and seer. She screams ritualistically to produce spells, annoying enemies, bolstering allies and communing with the spirits of the dead.

Hit Die: d6

Saving Throws:  As Cleric

Attack Bonus: As Cleric

EXP: As Cleric

Tribe Lore: LVL 1 (3 in 6). LVL 4 (4 in 6). LVL 7 (5 in 6). LVL 10 (6 in 6). Used to obtain any knowledge connected to the Shrieker’s tribe.

Medicine: : LVL 1 (3 in 6). LVL 4 (4 in 6). LVL 7 (5 in 6). LVL 10 (6 in 6). Used to stabilize characters, minister medicine and diagnose deseases.

Illiterate: Goblins are scared of written words, they think that writing steals their ideas, therefore, they may learn any spoken language, but not written.

Small Sized: Goblins can’t use normal two-handed weapons. Medium weapons must be used two-handed and small weapons may be used normally. Armor made for medium folk also can’t be worn.

Ancient Shrieker Skull: To perform her spells and rituals, the Spirit Shrieker must have a skull* of a shrieker from the past. It is obtained through a ritual that lasts seven moons and requires the skull itself. If the Shrieker ever loses his Skull, he may perform this ritual to attune to another.

The skull retains the consciousness of the goblin it once was (therefore, skulls have different personalities and goals), and it may communicate telepathically at will with the Shrieker (and vice-versa).

The Skull also works as a grimoire, holding the spells known by her master.

*(I guess it could be any object or bone related to the ancient shrieker, but skull sounded nice.)

Spells Known: The Shrieker begins play with an Ancient Skull that knows two spells from the Spell List. Once each level, the Shrieker may roll on the Spell List to learn a new Spell. If the roll lands on an already known shriek, nothing happens.

New spells may also be learned by communing with Ancient Skulls that are not your own for 1 day per spell contained. Roll under your WIS to learn new spells this way.

Spellcasting: To perform her spells, the Shrieker must scream at the top of her lungs in the most annoying (yet ritualistic) form possible while holding the Ancient Shrieker Skull (if the player screams at the table, even better).

The Shrieker may cast a number of spells equal to her level per day and they do not need to be prepared beforehand (spontaneous casting).

 Spell List:

.Assume durations of non-instant effects to be 1 exploration turn(about 10 minutes) per caster level.

.All spells that may be saved have the notation SAVE:Yes (even though, the subject may choose not to save).

.Range of the spells is considered to be 10’ per caster level, unless otherwise noted.

1.Animate Dead: The caster animates a number up to his level HD worth of undead creatures. When the duration ends, things happen.

2.Heal/Cause Wounds: Heals/Causes 1d8 + Caster level HP damage. Touch Range

3.Commune: Consult the ancient spirits of the dead, which  responds up to 3 ‘yes or no’ questions.

4.Bless/Curse: Adds 1/subtracts 1 per caster level to the next d20 roll made by the target. SAVE: Yes

5.Cause Fear: Living creatures flee from the caster. It affects up to the caster level x 2 HD worth of creatures. SAVE: Yes

6.Leeching Scream: Absorbs 1d6 + caster level HP from the target. SAVE: Yes, if failed, half damage

7.Cure/Cause Disease: Cures/causes a mundane disease. SAVE: Yes.

8.Speak with the Dead: Communicate with the lingering essence of a corpse (it must still have flesh).

9.Death Howl: Kills one creature of level/HD lower than the caster. SAVE: Yes

10.Trap/Release Soul: Traps the soul of a recently deceased being into an object nearby. SAVE: Yes. Touch Range

11.Turn Undead: A caster’s level x 2 HD worth of undead creatures flee from the caster. Undead of HD lower than [caster level -3] are pulverized, instead.

12.Sweet Flesh: Turns any dead flesh edible. It has pleasant aroma and taste, and it is harmless to consume. Touch Range.

13.Skull Warrior: The Ancient Shrieker Skull attaches to a headless body, which have HD (d8) equal to the caster’s level and AB equal to caster’s level + 2.

14.Spiritual Projection: The caster’s soul leaves its body to travel through the Spiritual Plane. His physical body is vulnerable and inactive during the process.

15.Lethargy: Caster’s level worth of HD creatures are stricken with intense lethargy. Movement is halved and all combat rolls are made at -2, AC is also reduced by 2. SAVE: Yes, and every subsequent combat round.

16.Haste: Caster’s level worth of HD creatures have +2 AC, +2 AB and combat move + 10’.

17.Endure the Elements The caster protects a number of creatures equal to his level from weather effects such as cold or heat.

18. Spiritual Vision: The caster may see up to 60’ into the Spiritual Realm while in the Material Plane and vice-versa.

19.Paralysing Shriek: Target is unable to move or take actions. SAVE: Yes, and each subsequent round.

20.Skull Sacrificial Explosion: The Ancient Shrieker Skull explodes in necromantic energy. It deals 1d12 damage per caster level in a range of 30’ per level. The Skull is destroyed. Goodbye, friend.

Dieselpunk(y) Kits and Stuffs

I know this is not about Maeve as i said it would be, but i'm taking a bit to work out the character with my girlfriend, sorry guys. This post will probably be a bit more directly useful than that for you, though...

                         Trenches by Andrew Mironov

I don't usually play or write punk stuff, but recently i have become fascinated with the aesthetics of Dieselpunk and decided to put together a little campaign setting thingy. Maybe i'll play a bit of one shots with it. Also, i do not know half the tropes included in Dieselpunk, i'm just making up stuff based on you know... stuff...

Starting with some character Kits based on the cool Throne of Salt: Mother Stole the Background Kits post we have:

1. Warpriest:

. Submachine gun, Medium Caliber (d8)

. Miasma mask and priest garbs (+1 Guard)

. Rusted Iron Cross (Holy Symbol)

. Spell: Cure Wounds

. Spell: Command Word

. Spell: Heat Metal

2. Thaumaturgist:

. Handgun, Small Caliber (d6)

. Heavy dark robes and Miasma plague mask

(+1 Guard)

. Leather-bound Grimoire

. Spell: Consultation

. Spell: Shatter

. Spell: Featherfall

3. Warmonger:

. Assault Rifle, Large Caliber (d10)

. Bayonet (d8, melee)

. Plate-splitter Pick (d10, melee)

. Grenade (15’ radius, d12)

. Semi-plate and Miasma Iron Helmet (+2 Guard)

. Crowbar

. Shovel

4. Pilot-Engineer:

. Submachine gun, Medium Caliber (d8)

. Knife (d6, melee)

. Heavy Workers Overalls and Miasma Mask (+1 Guard)

. Engineer’s Tools

. Knows how to drive and fix machines (checks are still required)

5. Infiltrator:

. Silenced Handgun, Small Caliber (d6, noiseless)

. Knife (d6, melee)

. Light garbs and nose-mouth miasma mask (+1 guard, +2 on stealth attempts)

. Heat-vision goggles

. Grappling hook

6. Electromancer:

. Handgun, Small Caliber (d6)

. Electro-suit (+1 Guard, immunity to electricity, conductive)

. Spell: Chain Lightning (FD + MND damage to enemies Close together)

. Spell: Levitate (Target levitates for FD min.)

Then, some "Why did you join the Rebellion" kind of table (if you like to fight the system, that is) with some traits:

Why did you join?/Possible trait

1. Home destroyed by the Empire /vengeful

2. Friends in the rebellion /caring

3. A demon tricked you into it /distracted

4. You live or die by the adrenaline /reckless

5. There’s nothing else to live for out there/ nihilist

6. A sign of God/ faithful

7. To pile treasure/ petty

8. Because it was the right thing to do/ idealist

9. I didn’t, I’m just looking for the best deal right now and these guys are ok/ opportunist

10. War is all I’ve ever known/ disciplined

A simple context:

. The Empire won the Great War 20 years ago with the help of demons invoked by occultists of the Great College of Berlin.

. After the war, the gates of Hell remained open to the Mortal Realm, according to the secret pact that was made back then.

. Lots of demons went rogue, while others stood lawful to the empire.

. The gates of Hell also bring to our realm a deadly miasma that painfully mutates body and mind when inhaled. It does not cover the whole world, but there are large areas infected.

. The rebellion is a violent group that does not fit the standards of the Empire. They seek to overthrow it by any means possible. They also seek to destroy the Hell gates opened 20 years ago.

Some "Flavor Tags"...

World War II up scaled tech;

Overly oppressive institutions;

Magic;

Demons & Cults;

Gas Masks (Miasma);

Zeppelins & Tanks, also Airplanes;

Overcoats;

Sweet, sweet leather;

Gratuitous violence;

Bio Engineering;

“Do I smell gasoline?”;

Art Deco in wealthy places;

Near post-apocalypse in oppressed places;

PCs are Badasses;