Now we get to the Sidhe the heart of what makes Faerie, Faerie along with with some notes on a few important Sidhe.
Sidhe
The Sidhe appear very similar to elves, however they are faeries and not one of the Children Races of Elves and Men. The Sidhe born of positive emotions (love, charity, etc.) are considered to be part of the Seelie Court and are ruled by the King and Queen of Summer. The Sidhe born of negative emotions (hate, greed, anger, etc.) are considered part of the Unseelie Court and are ruled by the King and Queen of Winter. It is a mistake to consider the Seelie as good and the Unseelie as evil. Their motivation is to recreate the emotions that gave them birth regardless of the desire and needs of those they interact.
Sidhe, Lesser, AC 7[12]; HD 5; HP 20; ATK 1; HTB +5 DMG 1d6 (shortsword), MV 120’; Save 12; Special: Magical Immunity, Innate Magic, Gift of the Muses; Harvest: 1 viz (faerie essence); CL/XP 6/400;
Magical Immunity: Spellcasters need to roll an 11 or better on 1d20 to affect them with a spell.
Innate Magic: Lesser Sidhe can cast Phantasmal Force at will.
Gift of the Muses: A Lesser Sidhe can bestow a +2 ability bonus for 1d6 months to create an artistic or literary work. However while under the influence of the gift, the target will age 1 year per month and will be obsessed with completion of his work. The immortal elves are not affected by the aging but have to make a saving throw with a +2 bonus or retire to the realm of Silvanus for 1d6 months to recuperate from its effect. The target can opt to refuse the gift allowing him to make a saving throw to avoid the effect.
These Sidhe appear as elves in rustic clothing. Lesser Sidhe focus on inspiring artists and writers as a means of acquiring novel stories in order to rise in the hierarchy of the Sidhe.
Sidhe, Greater, AC 3[16]; HD 10; HP 45; ATK 1; HTB +10 DMG 1d8 (rapier), MV 120’; Save 5; Special: Magical Immunity, Innate Magic, Gift of the Muses, Spell Casting; Harvest: 3 viz (faerie essence); CL/XP 12/2,000;
Magical Immunity: Spellcasters need to roll a 16 or better on 1d20 to affect them with a spell. They immune to the effects of any mind control spells like Charm Person or Suggestion.
Innate Magic: Greater Sidhe can cast Phantasmal Force at will. They can turn Invisible and cast Dimension Door at will. And use Polymorph at will to change their appearance. Once a day they can cast Suggestion.
Gift of the Muses: A Greater Sidhe can bestow a +4 ability bonus for 1d6 months to create an artistic or literary work. However while under the influence of the gift, the target will age 1 year per month and will be obsessed with completion of his work. The immortal elves are not affected by the aging but have to make a saving throw with a +2 bonus or retire to the realm of Silvanus for 1d6 months to recuperate from its effect. The target can opt to refuse the gift allowing him to make a saving throw to avoid the effect.
Spellcasting: Greater Sidhe can cast 4 1st level spells, 3 2nd level spells, 2 3rd level spells, and 1 4th spell as a 10th level magic user.
Typical Spell List
Magic-User spells (cast at 10th level)
1st Level: Charm Person x2, Detect Magic, Sleep
2nd Level: Darkness, Detect Thoughts, Mirror Image
3rd Level: Lightning Bolt, Dispel Magic
4th Level: Hallucinatory Terrain
These Sidhe appear as elves in extraordinary fine clothing or armor. Greater Sidhe are the chief servants of the Sidhe Lords and serve as heralds, and their champions. In exchange for their service the Sidhe Lord grant a Greater Sidhe the right to enact their stories in a small region or focused on a small group of mortal. This grant is known as the Concession, Arcane. If focused on a region there is a spot where a hidden treasure of ancient wealth is buried. If focused on a group, the individuals will be marked in some manner typically with a minor birthmark.
Ariel
Ariel’s main interest is elevating scholars and magic-users to the height of their professions. To this end s/he will act as a willing servant aiding his/her master with various task and with information. To some Ariel appears as a female elf, and others as a male elf. The chosen form depends on whatever to be whatever will inspire or aid his/her target the most.
Herne the Hunter
Herne appears as an elf wearing hunter’s garb made of head and wearing an antlered stag headdress. He works towards inspiring mortals to help the helpless and fight injustice. He often acts by teaching his targets how to survive in the forest and use it to their advantage in their fight. He is noted for his rivalry with the Erl-king and to his irritation is often mistaken for the Winter King.
Puck
Puck interest lies mostly in getting his chosen targets to reenact stories of love. He delights in creating romantic situation with complications. One of his favorite tools is a potion conocted from a flower known as heartease. When applied to the eyelids of a sleeping individual, they will fall madly in love with the first person or animal they see when awakened. (Saving throw applies). Puck appearance is little different from his days as a lesser Sidhe; he appears as an older adolescent dressed in forest clothes.
Umberiel
One of Mab’s favorites in the Court of Winter, Umberiel feeds off of stories involving sorrow, loss, and tragedy. He will rarely take any direct action himself. Instead he will plant items drawn from his Bag of Sighs, Sobs, and Sorrow to manipulate mortals into playing out his collection of stories. While his appearance is definitely elven, he is shorter and more gnome-like than his fellow Sidhe. He also sports a sparse beard.
Sidhe, Lord, AC -1[20]; HD 16; HP 56; ATK 1; HTB +16 DMG 2d6 (weapon), MV 180’; Save 3; Special: Magical Immunity, Innate Magic, Gift of the Muses, Spell Casting; Harvest: Viz 7 (faerie essence); CL/XP 18/3,900;
Magical Immunity: Spellcasters need to roll a 16 or better on 1d20 to affect them with a spell. They immune to the effects of any mind control spells like Charm Person or Suggestion.
Innate Magic: Sidhe Lords can cast Phantasmal Force and Hallucinatory Terrain at will. They can turn Invisible and cast Teleport at will. And use Polymorph at will to change their appearance. They can cast Suggestion at will.
Gift of the Muses: A Sidhe Lord can bestow a +4 ability bonus for 1d6 years to create an artistic or literary work. However while under the influence of the gift, the target will age 1 year per three months and will be obsessed with completion of his work. The immortal elves are not affected by the aging but have to make a saving throw or retire to the realm of Silvanus for 1d6 years to recuperate from its effect. The target can opt to refuse the gift allowing him to make a saving throw to avoid the effect.
Spellcasting: They can cast 5 spells each from 1st level to 6th level, 2 7th level spells, and 1 8th spell as a 16th level magic user.
Typical Spell List
Magic-User spells (cast at 16th level)
1st Level: Charm Person x3, Detect Magic, Sleep
2nd Level: Darkness, Detect Thoughts, Mirror Image
3rd Level: Lightning Bolt, Dispel Magic x2, Fly, Protection from Missiles
4th Level: Charm Monster, Confusion x2, Polymorph Other, Fear
5th Level: Conjure Elemental, Feeblemind x2, Passwall, Telekinesis
6th Level: Control Weather, Geas, Project Image x2, Reincarnation
7th Level: Limited Wish, Power Word Stun
8th Level: Mass Charm
The Erl-King
The Erl-King is the ruler of the Winter Court. He appears as a giant of man dress in hunter’s grab made from the hides of his kills. His face is shrouded by the antlered stage headdress he wears. The only thing that can be seen are his red burning eyes. His stories are as merciless as a hunting wolf pack and as cold as a winter storm. He has used his mastery of stories about cruelty, terror, and unforgiving nature to become the King of Winter. It is said he is a lover of the blood goddess Kalis and sometimes asked to be the Master of the Wild Hunt when one of her vampires are not available.
Mab, the Queen of Air and Darkness
Mab has long ago mastered stories of all the great vices; Greed, Envy, Avarice, Gluttony, Lust, Wrath, and Sloth. But what made her the Queen of Winter, the Queen of Air and Darkness, is her ability to manipulate her target into not caring about the consequences of their actions. Some say she literally is able to freeze a person’s heart into ice, free of all concerns about what they do or not do. She appears as an unearthly beautiful elven maiden wearing a gown tinted with various shades of white and blue, reminiscent of the shades of ice.
Oberon
The Summer King, Oberon has mastered stories about the great virtues of Charity, Love, Diligence, Patience, Kindness, Humility, and Temperance. He only takes a personal hand in those stories involving epic danger to its participants. The rest he doles out to his followers. As a consequence his attention is not always welcomed by mortals. His natural form is a dwarf with the features of a kingly elf lord. He is typically dressed in clothing of a fine make colored in earth tones. Titania is the great love of his life and he is sometime intensely jealous when she show any favor to other males.
Titania
Titania is the Queen of Summer, and like Oberon, she has mastered all the stories of the great virtues. She prefers to take a personal hand in those stories involving a great romance among its participants. Manipulating the situation so that not only love is fulfilled but exemplifies the desired virtue. Her natural form is of a beautiful elf maiden with fiery red hair wearing in a iridescent white dress.
Wednesday, July 15, 2015
Tuesday, July 14, 2015
Faeries for the Majestic Wilderlands part 1
Does anybody find roleplaying Faeries difficult? I sure did and a year ago I finally found a handle on roleplaying them that worked for me.
Now that last night session played out. I can post what I written about Faeries. It is in-game knowledge now that the gig is up largely because one of the players is Colin McDaw a Bard of the Trehaen (a Druidic organization).
Although my campaign is run with the Dungeons and Dragon Fifth Edition rules these are written up for Swords and Wizardry with a few added feature. Each creature has something that can be harvested for treasure. I also standardized how special abilities are listed to make it easier to reference during play.
The rules for Viz can be founded in the Blackmarsh SRD.
Account of Doug of Gaming Ballistic.
Account of Tim of Gothridge Manor
FAERIES
Magic in the Majestic Wilderlands is the force of creation made manifest. Before the creation of the Abyss and the Chromatic Crystals, the inherent level of magic was low. In order to be harassed as a spell, it has to be laboriously gathered in a ritual and infused into a scroll, charm, or magical device. After the creation of the Chromatic Crystal, it was found that a disciplined will alone could be used to cast a spell.
Over the centuries magic did not turn into a science or craft because it was highly infused by an individual emotional and mental state. What worked for one individual, often didn’t work for another. This susceptibility of magic to emotion had another consequence, the creation and evolution of faeries.
Faeries are creatures, and monsters born out of the ambient level of magic that flow throughout the Wilderlands. The emotional life of elves, men, and even plants and animals give birth to these creatures including the faeries that develop sentience. The nature of their birth has left all faeries with a singular drive to recreate the emotions that give them life. This typically manifests with the faeries using their abilities to recreate the circumstances that led to their birth. Using magic, to manipulate the environment and those around them into playing out certain stories and emotions, over and over again. This can sometimes led to dangerous situations when emotions like anger, hate, and fear are part of the faerie’s nature.
The key to dealing with the Faeries is to understand the emotions and stories that give them birth.
The Elves and the Faerie
When the Wilderlands was created there were two sentient races; Elves and Men. The Elves were born as the glory of the Wilderlands, as a shining example of the potential of life. They were given great gifts however the price was that their fate was to the Wilderlands. One reason for this is that their immortality and other gifts are sustained by the innate magic of the Wilderlands. Because of this, the elves feel kinship with the faeries, and in general will help them fulfill their nature. For the faeries that have the negative emotions as their nature the elves will still help them but try to do it in isolated locations far from the other races of the Wilderlands. Many elves realms will have a large population of faeries.
Banshee, AC 0[19]; HD 7; HP 25; ATK 1; HTB +7 DMG 1d8 (claw), MV 120’ (fly); Save 9; Special: Damage Immunity, Magic Resistance, Shriek of Death, Magical Immunity; Harvest: Ectoplasmic Residue (5d); CL/XP 11/1700;
Damage Immunity: Need Magic or Silver weapons to be hit.
Magic Resistance: Resist Magic on a roll of 20 or higher on a d20, add +9 to the roll. Forcing a banshee to cross running water will cause the creature to lose this ability for 3d6 hours.
Shriek of Death: A horrid wailing shriek requires everybody in earshot to make a saving throw or die within 2d6 round unless a remove curse is cast.
Magical Immunity: Not effected by any enchantment spells.
Banshees are horrid undead creatures that live in swamps and other desolate places. They look like gaunt humans (male or female) with long, stringy hair and glowing yellow eyes. They often wear hooded cloaks.
Banshees are formed when an elf or a faerie dies with an unfulfilled intense loss or obsession. Their spirit does not to accept the loss of their current life and is unable to move on to be resurrected. Instead they linger as an incorporeal undead lamenting their loss or unfulfilled goals. The banshee is the closest thing that the elves and faeries of the Majestic Wilderlands have to a concept of hell.
Dryad, AC 9[10]; HD 2; HP 7; ATK 1; HTB +2 DMG 1d4 (wooden dagger), MV 120’; Save 12; Special: Charm; Harvest: 1 viz (dryad leaves); CL/XP 3/60;
Charm: Can cast a Charm Person at will. The target has a -2 to its saving throw.
Dryads appear as a beautiful female. They are a manifestation of the life giving force of nature. When a tree sprouts in a highly fertile area with a high enough concentration of magic a dryad will manifest. It is tied to the tree’s existence and will die if its host tree dies.
It is highly attracted to humanoid males and will use its Charm ability to beguile them into staying with them for a year and a day. To the effected individual it will appear as if a single wonderful day has passed in the embrace of a beautiful woman.
Leprechaun, AC 8[11]; HD 1; HP 4; ATK 1; HTB +1 DMG 1d6 (shortsword), MV 180’; Save 15; Special: Magical Immunity, Stealthy, Innate Magic; Harvest: 1 viz (hair); CL/XP 5/400;
Magic Immunity: Spell casters need to roll 3 or better on 1d20 in order to affect them with a spell.
Stealthy: A Leprechaun gets +5 to it Stealth ability roll.
Innate Magic: Can cast Invisibility and Dimension Door at will. They can cast Phantasmal Force once per day.
Leprechauns appear as small humans about two to three feet tall (slightly smaller than halflings). Leprechauns are tricksters who delight in placing their targets in situations where confusion and misunderstanding abound. There are three broad types of Leprechauns. The first delights in humor and will orient their trickery to creating funny or absurd situations. The second delights in showing up those who are full of hubris and will orient their trickery to show how foolish these people are. The third is more malevolent and their trickery often have tragic or cruel endings.
Regardless of type, Leprechauns maintain a treasure trove of coins and other valuables gained over the years from their trickery. If captured or tricked themselves the Leprechaun has to turn over his treasure trove or obligate himself to fulfill three tasks for its captor.
Nymph, AC 9[10]; HD 3; HP 10; ATK 1; HTB +3; DMG 1d3 (fist), MV 120’; Save 14; Special: Blinding Beauty; Harvest: 1 viz (tresses); CL/XP 5/240;
Blinding Beauty: A character failing his saving throw upon seeing a nymph will forever see its beauty in its eyes forever. This is effectively the same as blindness.
Related to Dryads, Nymphs manifest as faeries of harmony and beauty. When magic concentrate in a small region of wilderness of particular beauty and calm, a Nymph will form. Regions include places like rivers, springs, mountain tops, forest glades, rocky outcroppings, windswept beaches, and geysers.
Nymphs have an innate connection to their region and can be a valuable source of information to friendly allies. They work towards enhancing and/or maintaining the natural beauty of their home. Nymphs feel the emotions of those who appreciate their work.
Harming or killing Nymph will invariably bring about a violent reaction from the animals, planets, and sometimes the weather of the region.
Pixie, AC 5[14]; HD 1; HP 4; ATK 1; HTB +1 DMG 1d4 (dagger), 1d4+1 (pixie bow), MV 60’/150’ (fly); Save 17; Special: Magical Immunity, Pixie Bow, Innate Magic, Magical Confusion; Harvest: 1 viz (pixie dust); CL/XP 5/240;
Pixie Bow: Has a range of 60’/120’. A pixie can either a) fire a +1 arrow for 1d4+1 damage, b) cause sleep for 3d6 x10 minutes if the target fails a saving throw, 3) cause total amnesia if the target fails a saving throw.
Magical Immunity. Spell casters need to roll a 6 or better on 1d20 in order to affect them with a spell.
Innate Magic: Can cast Polymorph Self, Invisible, and Light at will. Can cast Dispel Magic as a 1st level spell caster once per day.
Magical Confusion: A pixie’s dagger and arrows are coated with a magical poison that causes the target to fall under the effects of a confusion spell if they fail their saving throw.
Tomorrow Part 2 with the Sidhe.
Saturday, July 11, 2015
I don't where to put my low stat.
This is a pretty funny video and one of the best DnD related songs I ever heard.
I don't where to put my Low Stat by Dr. Mary Crowell.
I don't where to put my Low Stat by Dr. Mary Crowell.
Thursday, July 9, 2015
Golems in the Majestic Wilderlands
GOLEMS
Golems are humanoid constructs built to serve their creature, usually powerful magi-users or clerics. Typically they are built to serve as guards or servants, however some with artistic ability create golems for other purposes like life sized dioramas, pleasure, or other forms of entertainment.
To create a golem, the spell caster needs to create or obtain a Manual of Golems. The Manual of Golem can be created at a cost of 3,500d in ritual components. This will take 35 days to complete for one spell caster at a rate of 100d per day per caster. Two spell casters working together can complete the manual in half of the time. To buy a Manual of Golem costs an average of 7,000d or double what it costs to market. As a general rule one can be found for sale in the largest cities if a 15 or better is rolled on a d20.
After the Manual of Golems is created, or obtained, the process for making the golem can begin. The cost in ritual components for each golem is listed and like the Manual of Golems the time to create is 100d per day per caster.
The following list the creation costs for various golems.
Golem Type Cost Magic Type
Clay Golem 6,000d Divine
Flesh Golem 4,000d Arcane
Stone Golem 8,000d Arcane/Divine
Iron Golem 10,000d Arcane
*1d = 1 sp it can be 1gp to make magic items more costly/rare
Control of a golem can be transferred to another individual at a cost of 1/10th of the creation cost of the golem. For example control of a stone golem can be transferred to another for 800d. The time to complete the ritual is 100d per day per caster. If multiple spell casters are involved in the creation of the golem, the different spell casters have to agree on which one is to have control. If this does not occur then the spell caster who makes the highest Thaumatology (or Theology in the case of clerics) ability check at the end of the golem creation ritual wins control.
Golems are man-shaped creatures built to serve their masters, usually powerful wizards or high priests. They are often used as guardians. Golems cannot be hit with non-magical weapons, and are immune to the sorts of spells used to create them (iron golems being immune to fire, for instance). You can find the details in the specific monster descriptions.
Golem, Clay, AC 7[12]; HD 10; HP 50; ATK 1; HTB +10; DMG 3d10 (fist); MV 80’; Save 5; Special: Berserk, Construct, Made of Clay, Magical Immunity; Harvest: 600d of Ritual Components; CL/XP 14/2,600;
Berserk: Every 5 rounds of combat roll a d20, if a 1 or lower is rolled the creator loses control of the Clay Golem who goes berserk and attacks friend and foe alike. For each subsequent 5 rounds of combat subtracts an accumulative -1 from the roll. The 10th round subtract -1, the 15th round, -2 and so on.
Made of Clay: Immune to damage from all piercing and slashing weapons (spears, sword, etc).
Magical Immunity: Immune to all magic except for the Earthquake spell which will destroy the Clay Golem. Also the Move Earth spell will deal 1d4 per level of the spell caster to the Golem, half damage on a successful save.
Clay Golems are massive clay humanoid statues that can move. They are imbued with a rudimentary intelligence and are able to follow their creator’s command. They can only be created by clerics and other casters of divine magic. Scholars theorize that this is because Clay Golems symbolizes the legend of man being created out of the dust of the earth.
Golem, Flesh, AC 9[10]; HD 8; HP 40; ATK 2; HTB +8; DMG 2d8 (fist); MV 80’; Save 8; Special: Damage Immunity, Lightning Healing, Magical Immunity; Harvest: 400d of ritual components; CL/XP 12/2,000;
Damage Immunity: Will only take damage from magical weapons with a +1 or better enchantment.
Lightning Healing: A Lightning spell will heal instead of damaging a Flesh Golem.
Magical Immunity: Fire and cold spells will act as a Slow spell on the Flesh Golem. Reducing the speed of the golem to 40 feet per round and only able to attack every other round. This will last for 30 minutes. It is immune to all other magical spells.
This magical construct is created from stitching together human limbs and other body parts. They can only be created by magic-users and other casters of arcane magic.
Golem, Iron, AC 3[16]; HD 16; HP 80; ATK 1; HTB +16; DMG 4d10 (fist or weapon); MV 60’; Save 4; Special: Damage Immunity, Fire Healing, Magical Immunity, Poison Breath; Harvest: 1,000d in ritual components; CL/XP 17/3,500;
Damage Immunity: Iron Golems can be only damaged by magical weapons that have a +2 or better enchantment.
Fire Healing: Any damage from mundane or magical fire heals the Iron Golem.
Magical Immunity: Lightning spells will act as a Slow spell on the Iron Golem. Reducing the speed of the golem to 30 feet per round and only able to attack every other round. This will last for 30 minutes. It is immune to all other magical spells.
Poison Breath: They can breathe a cloud of poison gas in lieu of attacking. This covers a 10 foot radius within 10 feet of the golem with a deadly gas. Everybody caught within must make a saving throw versus poison or die.
Iron Golems are magical constructs made out of a large 10 foot or higher statue of iron.They can only be created by magic-users and other casters of arcane magic.
Golem, Stone, AC 5[14]; HD 12; HP 60; ATK 1; HTB +12; DMG 3d8 (fist); MV 60’; Save 3; Special: Damage Immunity, Magical Immunity; Harvest: 800d of Ritual Components; CL/XP 16/3,200;
Damage Immunity: Iron Golems can be only damaged by magical weapons that have a +2 or better enchantment.
Magical Immunity: Fire spells will act as a Slow spell on the Stone Golem. Reducing the speed of the golem to 30 feet per round and only able to attack every other round. This will last for 30 minutes. Transmute Rock to Mud will do 1d6 damage per caster level. Its reverse Transmute Mud to Rock will heal a Stone Golem 1d6 per caster level. It is immune to all other magical spells.
Stone Golems are magical construct made out of an 8 foot to 10 foot statue of stone. They can be created by magic-users, clerics, and all other spell casters.
Tuesday, July 7, 2015
Delving into AD&D, The 1st edition Player's Handbook in PDF
While Wizards doesn't allow page extraction it does allow you to copy text and graphics out of the book.
This is absolutely fantastic. Now if they would just set it up for print on demand!