Saturday, April 28, 2018

Malevolent and Benign II Now Available!

The 110-page second volume of 1e/OSRIC critters is available as a $10 PDF at rpgnow and as a $40 hardback at Lulu. The current deal at Lulu is this: use the coupon 8NBHJD6V for 20% off and then apply the free shipping coupon BOOKSHIP18. And while you're there, don't forget to pick up the Advanced Adventures Compendium Four hardback released earlier this month.




Sunday, April 22, 2018

Arden Vul Books Appendix Edited

I've just put the final edits on the Arden Vul Books appendix and thought I should share some rough numbers with you. There are 182 books or crystals in the appendix: each is a unique piece of Arden Vul history which may help (or hinder!) PCs in their explorations. As I've said before there's never been a megadungeon like AV and there never will be again. It's really spectacular.


Saturday, April 21, 2018

A Magical Society Ecology and Culture Deal of the Day at OBS

It's only $8 for the next 24 hours, so grab it if you've an interest! (if you world build, you've probably an interest)



Saturday, April 14, 2018

The Return of Tome of Tomes

I just realized it's been way, way, waaaay too long (as in over two years!) since I last posted some Tome of Tomes stuff. That's just crazy. Below are 8 tomes to stock your fantasy libraries.

Glassworks of Punj
Author: Mallient Fligiton
Race: Human
Dimensions: 8x8x1
Weight: 4 lbs.
Materials: Giant snakeskin-bound, stoneboard, vellum
Rarity: Common
Fields of Study: Humankind
Special Knowledge Categories: Arts & music
Value: 50 gp

The peoples of Punj are renowned for their glass-working ability, and with good reason, as this seminal work demonstrates. Glassoworks of Punj not only explores the common wares coming out of workshops throughout the sub-continent, but it also show many of the wondrous works of art and their historical context of many of the ancient wares.  Heavily illuminated, this work provides inspiration and sets a high bar for glassworkers of other regions.


Kemetian Fire Magic
Author: Liart Spilgie
Race: Elf
Dimensions: 16x16x3
Weight: 15 lbs.
Materials: Red dragonskin-bound, woodboard, vellum
Rarity: Very rare
Fields of Study: Humankind, supernatural & unusual
Special Knowledge Categories: History, dweomercraeft
Value: 7,500 gp

The rare companion piece to Spilgie’s Ancient Kemet, Kemetian Fire Magic deeply delves into the fire magics of that ancient people. Spilgie translates hundreds of magical hieroglyphic texts into modern form, eventually providing the reader access to the following three spells: burning hands, flaming sphere, fire trap. These translations prove the ancientness of these three magics. Additionally, it should be noted, the Kemetian flaming sphere is superior to the common spell, dealing 2-8+1 hit points of damage.


Glyphs of Power
Author: Archibald Williamson
Race: Human
Dimensions: 16x16x3
Weight: 15 lbs.
Materials: Giant eelskin-bound, woodboard, vellum
Rarity: Very rare
Fields of Study: Supernatural & unusual
Special Knowledge Categories: Dweomercraeft, heraldry, signs & sigils
Value: 14,000 gp

The only other known work of Williamson, Glyphs of Power is a methodical, difficult work on the nature of magical glyphs, sigils, runes, and wards. There are four spells are contained within the volume: wizard mark, sepia snake sigil, explosive runes, guards and wards. More importantly, after reading and digesting Glyphs of Power for at least a month, a caster’s spells involving such affairs are more effective (+1 to damage or -1 to save against).


Geomancy
Author: Unknown
Race: Elf
Dimensions: 14x12x1.5
Weight: 25 lbs.
Materials: Black dragonskin-bound, brassboard, vellum, brass clasps and lock
Rarity: Rare
Fields of Study: Supernatural & unusual
Special Knowledge Categories: Divination
Value: 6,625 gp

This elven treatise on the magical art of fortune telling from earthen materials seems convincing, but is actually entirely worthless. The author seems unaware of even the most basic magical principles.  However, the last half of Geomancy is a highly convoluted, and highly compact, guide to the creation of a crystal ball. Following these instructions reduces the time needed for creation by half. Additionally, a later hand included a single spell found within the margins through the entire book: legend lore.


Dead No More
Author: Dierdre Alleratt
Race: Human
Dimensions: 8x10x0.5
Weight: 1 lbs.
Materials: Black dragonskin-bound, stitched humanbone-board, gorgon vellum
Rarity: Very rare
Fields of Study: Supernatural & unusual
Special Knowledge Categories: Planes (outer)
Value: 625 gp

This small book of mentally-focusing prayers helps a cleric prepare for the rigors associated with casting raise dead or resurrection. Reciting all the prayers takes 4 hours, but afterwards a cleric is treated as if 2 levels higher regarding spell effects for raise dead or resurrection and halves the recovery period of a resurrection.


Things That Are Not
Author: Skyme Dualming
Race: Human
Dimensions: 14x14x9
Weight: 35 lbs.
Materials: Shadow dragonskin-bound, stoneboard, vellum, brass clasps and lock
Rarity: Very rare
Fields of Study: Supernatural & unusual
Special Knowledge Categories: Dweomercraeft
Value: 25,000 gp

Another work regarding illusions by the renowned illusionist Dualming, Things That Are Not is arguably the most sought-after work of illusionary magic. Dualming’s masterwork requires an Intelligence of 17+ to understand and 9 months of intensive study, but if such is possible an illusionist reading this tome gains a remarkably deep understanding of illusions: such an understanding that all his spells are saved against at with a -1 penalty. Sages believe there are only three copies of Things That Are Not. Contained within each tome are the illusionist spells audible glamer, phantasmal force, improved phantasmal force, phantasmal killer, shadow monsters, and permanent illusion.


The Heart of Fear
Author: Pirn the Skunie
Race: Human
Dimensions: 16x16x3
Weight: 15 lbs.
Materials: Leather-bound, stoneboard, parchment
Rarity: Very rare
Fields of Study: Supernatural & unusual
Special Knowledge Categories: Dweomercraeft
Value: 6,500 gp

Most know Pirn the Skunie as a rather unreliable historian, but he was also a city-sponsored wizard focusing on the fears within different races. The Heart of Fear delves deeply into the racial fears of the different races (humans, demi-humans, and the more common humanoids) and how such fears can be exploited when employing magic that causes fear. Contained within are two spells: scare and fear.


Arise
Author: Unknown
Race: Unknown
Dimensions: 14x12x1.5
Weight: 5 lbs.
Materials: Leather-bound, woodboard, parchment
Rarity: Very rare
Fields of Study: Supernatural & unusual
Special Knowledge Categories: Dweomercraeft
Value: 1,250 gp

Arise provides a good examination of the undead, particularly the animation of. Different types of undead are described and illuminated, but the focus of the work is on the two lowest-powered undead: skeletons and zombies. Skeletons or zombies animated by a practitioner using Arise have +2 hp.



Friday, April 13, 2018

Advanced Adventures Compendium Four Now Available

I'm happy to say that Advanced Adventures Compendium Four is now available at Lulu. This compendium contains #31-#40.

The Lost Lair of Drecallis by Rick Maffei 4-7
The Palace Beyond by Jasper Polane 6-9
The Halls of Lidless Shabbath by Stuart Marshall & Joseph Browning 12-15
The Crocodile’s Tear by Geoff Gander 3-6
The Desert Shrine of the Sightless Sisters by Keith Sloan 5-8
Aerie of the Cloud Giant Strategos by Joseph Browning 9-14
Under Ruined Onm by Joseph A. Mohr 5-7
White Dragon Run by James C. Boney, Joseph Browning, & Joseph A. Mohr 2-5
The Dark Tower of Arcma by Joseph A. Mohr 6-10
The Horror of Merehurst by Joseph Browning 1

Also, there are two good Lulu coupons going on right now: 20% Off and free shipping. Use the coupon 8NBHJD6V for 20% off and then use the free shipping coupon BOOKSHIP18 to get both at the same time.

Thursday, April 12, 2018

Nature is Always Interesting

You can learn a lot via RPGing. For instance, I learned today that the Venus Fly Trap is only native to roughly a 60 mile diameter area of swamp and bogs along the North Carolina and South Carolina border. All my life I'd thought that they were South American native plants.

I then of course follow down the Wikipedia rabbit hole and find out that North American is the native home of 7 species of carnivorous plants, 3 of which are found nowhere else. And did you know that Bladderworts are carnivorous? I sure as hell didn't. They have tiny little bladder traps that feed upon protozoa and rotifers in water-saturated soil.

Nature never ceases being interesting...





Sunday, April 8, 2018

Malevolent & Benign II nearing completion...

Been a while since the last update. I'm still editing the 4th level of Arden Vul (it's a biggie) and working on Malevolent & Benign II. I've been going faster at the latter than expected and it looks like I may be finished with it by the end of the month, meaning that it could possibly come out next month in May. Here's the cover!


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