The Frozen Wave Satsuma

Advanced Adventures #17 is called The Frozen Wave Satsuma. It's got Asian overtones and I think it may be the first "oriental adventure" in the whole OSR bunch. Since it seems people liked Peter Mullen's art from yesterday, I'll go ahead and put up his illo of the Satsuma itself as seen from the the back. It's modeled after a Chinese Treasure Ship. These things were huuuuuuugggge. I mean, really, really big. Much bigger than you'd think for medieval wooden ships.

Lulu Sale Extended for Today

Just got word from Lulu that their big sale is continuing until 11:59 PST today, so there's still a chance to pick up some OSR material at a discount. So that's a nice little bit of news this morning.

Time to pick up Malevolent & Benign?

Lulu's having a sale, offering a 25% discount on your entire order for today only, using coupon code CYBER305. It may be the day to pick up Malevolent & Benign. It's a 128 page monster book that, IMO, has some great monsters in it. Also, you could pick up Monsters of Myth as well to round out the 2 major OSR monster books. Hell, pick up a bunch of OSR stuff while your there. Try the OSR storefront and browse - a bunch of us OSR publishers use the storefront.

And thanks to Tenkar's Tavern for cluing me in... :)

The Oracle

I've recently commissioned a work from Peter Mullen, renowned OSR artist. I like it so much that I want to share. It will be on an upcoming Advanced Adventure. Peter does great work and I like the way he captures a scene. Clicky to embiggin...

Civilization

I must confess that I have recently dug up my old copy of Civ IV and have been playing the hell out of it. I find it a great game and I love creating customized worlds. Right now I'm in the fight of my life and doing well, but I'm in the middle of a Pangean continent so anything can go bad very quickly. I'm trying to march to the sea to get at least one more-easily-securable front, but we'll have to see how that works out. I've looked only lightly at the latest Civ game and I'll have to pass until I get a better computer. 'Ole worky-horse laptop may be able to do it, but it really slows down in IV, so I imagine V would be much worse.

But I have managed to get some work done. Mostly outlining stuff and an art commission for the ZZZ Guide. Hopefully that should be available soon.

Formula Folio

Another protection scroll recipe. I'm having a blast with these and I hope you all are enjoying them as much as I am. :)

Protection from Lycanthropes
For the ink required to scribe a protection from lycanthropes scroll

1 oz. giant squid sepia
2 drams of soot from burning bear lard
2 drams of soot from burning boar lard
2 drams of soot from burning rat lard
2 drams of soot from burning tiger lard
2 drams of soot from burning wolf lard
2 drams holy water
1 gallon purified water
1 sprig of wolvesbane
1 small topaz, powdered

All the soots should be gathered over a yew fire. Mix all the soots together and add to the squid sepia. Introduce the wolvesbane to the purified water and bring to a boil over a yew fire. When boil is achieved add the soot/sepia mixture and the powdered topaz. Reduce until half the liquid is gone and remove the wolvesbane, disposing in the yew fire. Continue reducing until all the liquid is removed, leaving only a solid paste. Let the paste completely dry for at least 20 days. Under the next full moon, introduce the holy water and integrate thoroughly.  Makes enough for 2 scrolls. Any special quill is suitable.

Tome of Tomes

Another tome for the shelves. This one about music.

The Music of the Tribes of the Snawbileft Mountains
Author: Bylar Fundy
Race: Human
Dimensions: 6x5x1
Weight: 1 lbs.
Materials: Leather-bound, woodboard, parchment
Rarity: Very Rare
Fields of Study: Humankind
Special Knowledge Categories: Arts & music
Value: Version A, 650 gp; Version B, 250 gp; Version C, 150 gp

A rare and valuable volume, The Music of the Tribes of the Snawbileft Mountains is perhaps the only written record concerning the music of the many tribes of that mountain range most high. Bylar Fundy, a bard of great prowess spent most of his final years traveling throughout the Snawbileft recording the music of over 30 different tribes. There are three distinct lineages of the work, called versions A, B, and C. The A version is a true copy, version B has many errors in transcription of musical notation, and version C is as B with the addition of more songs of an unknown provenance by an unknown author.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone

I hope everyone has a happy Thanksgiving (for the US readers at least) and that you can spend time with the ones you care about today.

Formula Folio

This one creates an inkstick like those used in some Asian societies, as opposed to a fluid ink. I've used an inkstick before and they're quite cool, although they would really last for a lot longer than I indicate in the recipe. :)

Protection from Elementals
For the ink required to scribe a protection from elementals scroll

1 oz. giant squid sepia
2 drams of soot from burning coal
2 drams of soot from burning cloud giant lard
2 drams of soot from burning kelp
2 drams of soot from burning salamander lard
2 drams of soot from burning ash wood
2 drams of arrowroot powder
1 dram of soot from frankincense smoke
1 dram of soot from burning gall oak
1 oz. of rabbit-skin glue

Upon a marble surface, mix and kneed all of the soots, the arrowroot powder, and the glue for 10 minutes until a dough is made wherein all ingredients are fully integrated. Place the dough in a glass container and pour the squid sepia over it. Close the container and present the container to the first rays of sunlight for 7 days. After that, present the container to the last rays of sunlight for 7 days. Remove dough, which should have absorbed all the squid sepia, kneed for another 10 minutes and press into a columnar mold. Place the mold into a fine fire for 5 minutes and remove. Let dry for one day. The resulting inkstick should be ground against a marble surface and mixed with purified water. Makes enough ink for 3 scrolls. Any special quill is suitable.

More XRP at Fantasy Grounds

Thought I should drop a note that another of our adventures is now available at Fantasy Grounds. 1-on-1 Adventures #6: The Sixth Cavalier is now ready.

Tome of Tomes

Yesterday I just thought of a new feature that I could run here at the blog, but it's going to take me several days to work up a backlog. I like to make sure that I have stuff that I can put up here in case I have an emergency or something happens where I can't be creative for several days. Hopefully, this new feature will arrive in a week or so. Until then, have another tome! :)

The Hynde Etyn
Author: Unknown
Race: Unknown
Dimensions: 6x5x0.5
Weight: 0.5 lbs.
Materials: Leather-bound, woodboard, parchment
Rarity: Very Rare
Fields of Study: Humanoids & giantkind
Special Knowledge Categories: Legends & folklore
Value: 50 gp

Composed of a single poem in trochaic tetrameter, The Hynde Etyn is a tragedy told in over 2,000 lines. It details the story of an earl’s daughter caught in the forest by a terrible ettin.  The ettin marries the noble lady seeking to turn her away from justice, light and goodness, but is instead eventually won over by the sweet, yet unbending, nature of the lass. Eventually the ettin accepts the rule of good and law as right and just. He is then executed for his crimes when he and his lady return to her father.

Nightning Bugs

I've really enjoyed creating the formulas for the inks for protection scrolls recently, but I've also been working on other projects, of course. Creatures Below the Shattered Moon - Volume 3 is now out in pdf and I've made a list of creatures I want in volume 4. Typically,  I come up with an idea and a name and make a long lists. I then cull out the not-so-good ones. I then flesh them out fully - usually in a piecemeal fashion. One critter today, two tomorrow type of stuff. Below is one of the recent ones. I think it does a good job taking the familiar and twisting just enough to make it frightening.

Nightning Bugs
Mutated lightning bug (Basic)
C-4 A-1 S-4 F-4 R-4 I0 W0: Ego 1: Health 1: Fortune 1
Movement 2.5/22

Description & Information: All are familiar with the lightning bug as it flashes in the night looking for a mate, but the nightning bug flashes during the day, absorbing all the light and air within 5 feet, creating a flash of utter darkness and a thunderous clap of lightning. This darkness is intensely cold, for the emptiness of deep space has been summoned to earth. Nightning bug swarms are extremely dangerous and destructive, as they literally remove a sphere of matter about them, replacing it with the vaccum of space. Thankfully, nightning bugs are not aggressive. Some speculate that the nightning bugs will eventually destroy the world, for they are slowing taking bit by tiny bit from it, and The Cult of the Dark Bug has formed around the destruction of what they see as a manifestation of cosmic evil.

Intrinsic Powers
• Immune to cold, sonic, and the attacks of other nightning bugs.
• Ignores all damage resistances or immunities when attacking. Any creature within 5 feet of a flashing nightning bug must succeed on a rank 10 Agility conflict or die. A success indicates a minor permanent injury has occurred to Agility or Strength as a piece of the target is simply no longer there.

Formula Folio

The next recipe. I'm trying to make them have a sort of "magical" reason be that historical, sympathetic or simply obscure. Each recipe should be unique, but also have similar threads of production methods woven throughout.

Protection from Devils
For the ink required to scribe a protection from devils scroll

1 oz. giant octopus ink
2 drams holy water
1 oz. pure alcohol
1 nutmeg with mace
1 large piece of jade, powdered
9 oz. silver
9 oz. nitric acid
1 lb. salt
1 oz. of mane’s blood

In a silver container, place the whole nutmeg (with mace separated) in the holy water, octopus ink, and alcohol and let rest until the nutmeg dissolves, usually a month’s time, making an ink tincture. In a glass container, dissolve the silver with the acid and then pour out half, than half, than half again onto the salt. Retain 1 oz of the salt and consume the rest in a cherry wood fire. Combine the powdered jade and salt and mix them into the ink tincture. Spit upon the mace, grind until a powder and add to the acid and silver solution. Finally combine the acid and the tincture and then introduce the mane’s blood. Makes enough ink for 2 scrolls. An erinyes feather quill is required.

Formula Folio

As a kid, one of the things that inspired me most about gaming was the concept of magic being esoteric. The biggest aspect of that in the game was spell components, but although I loved them, my true love in relation to magic was formulas. The idea that magic resided in items of sometimes a common nature drove my imagination. I've decided to revisit the early wonder and hopefully create something that everyone could use in their game were that time to come. So, for the 200th post here at Sorcery & Super Science!, I present the first recipe from the Formula Folio...

Protection from Demons
For the ink required to scribe a protection from demons scroll

1 oz. giant octopus ink
2 drams holy water
1 oz. copper
1 radish
666 sesame seeds
1 small ruby, powdered
1 oz. of lemure ichor

Harvest the radish at midday and roast with the crushed sesame seeds in a cast iron skillet with three handles. Once the radish begins to burn, add the powered ruby and lemure ichor and remove from heat. Store in a white ceramic container for 6 days. Add copper and let sit for 6 more days. Then add the holy water and octopus ink at midday and let sit for another 6 days. Decant into a clear glass container at midday. Makes enough ink for 2 scrolls. A Vrock feather quill is required.

New Feature Coming Tomorrow

Well, earlier this month I asked what people thought about the blog and several mentioned that they liked the Tome of Tomes feature so I thought I should come up with something like that, but different. Something that's very drag and drop and something that, to the best of my knowledge, hasn't really been focused upon in terms of Old-School gaming. So I thought of something and I've got a few down on digital paper and I'll introduce the idea tomorrow as Sorcery & Super Science's 200th post.

Hopefully, it'll fly like a lead Zeppelin. :)

Tome of Tomes

This tome would make quite the rare find in a treasure trove.

The Great Shedu Grammar
Author: Enkiurmu
Race: Shedu
Dimensions: 24x24x24
Weight: 48lbs. per tablet
Materials: 24 incised stone slabs 1 inch thick
Rarity: Unique
Fields of Study: Supernatural & unusual
Special Knowledge Categories: Metaphysics
Value: 5,000 gp

This unique collection of 24 tablets succinctly explains the grammar of the shedu language. Most interesting is that the grammar of the shedu language is based upon the cyclones and winds of the astral and ethereal planes. Although learning to speak the language without a dictionary is impossible, intense study of The Great Shedu Grammar by one of at least 16 intelligence for a month’s period results in very beneficial effects: the likelihood of random encounters as well as encountering the deadly weather while traveling either plane is reduced by 10%. The student of The Grammar is deeply in touch with both planes.

It is speculated that it is not the language that imparts such ability but something intrinsic in the presentation of The Great Shedu Grammar, for those who know shedu but have never studied The Grammar appear to not possesses the benefits of those who have.

The ScandiaFlex Xtream

Ever feel like you were attacked by a piece of machinery at a fitness club? Well, under the shattered moon it can really happen! :)

ScandiaFlex Xtream
Adaptive Robot (Advanced)
C10 A10 S10 F8 R0 I2 W1: Ego 22: Health 76: Fortune 41
Movement 10/88
Components: (A) 20, 20, 20; (U) 1, 1, 2, 3, 4; solar cell (U) 10

Description & Information: The ScandiaFlex Xtream was the premier high-end home exercise gym offered by ScandiaFlex right before the collapse. To use the Xtreme, one need only enter the room and command it to engage. It would then move to surround its users, strap the users in, and place electrodes upon all of their major muscles before beginning the personalized 20 minute work-out session as advised by each individual user’s physician. The muscle gains made using the ScandiaFlex Xtream were impressive for a home system and they were one of the most popular machines in the semi-sentient home exercise market.

The breaking of time, however, has resulted in a few of these ScandiaFlex Xtremes gaining a bit more than semi-sentience, and they’ve decided that the goal of exercise is to separate the weak from the strong and clean the gene pool - for the healthy resemble their creators. ScandiaFlex Xtremes now engage upon the humanoids they encounter, separating the wheat from the chaff through a brutal 1 hour physical workout of Olympian proportions.

Intrinsic Powers
• ScandiaFlex Xtremes have good senses and possess a +2 to sense conflicts and can make extraordinary sense conflicts.
• Can self-repair at a rate of 1 point of Health damage per day.
• Reduce all damage (except electricity) by 6 points per hit.
• ScandaiFlex Extremes attack by engulfing up to 4 targets within a 10 foot radius. Each target is subject to an independent Combat roll. If successful, the target is strapped into the machine. Breaking the straps requires a success on a rank 20 Strength conflict. Once the electrodes are attached (taking a turn) the 1 hour exercise program commences. During the first 30 minutes a victim must succeed on a rank 10 ability conflict for Agility, Strength, and Fortitude. A failure results in the temporary loss of 2 points in the failed ability. The final 30 minutes are even more dangerous, requiring a successful rank 10 conflict or suffer the loss of 3 points. If any ability drops below -4, the victim passes out, and the ScandiaFlex Xtream rips off the limbs of the weakling, causing death.

Sorcery & Super Science Review at Roleplaying Tips

If none of you have heard of roleplayingtips.com (which I would be very surprised at) run right now to the site and get a great big heapin' helping of good general rpg advice. It's a brief little newsletter sent to your e-mail or you can just look at the archives section. Johnn's been doing it for a long time and it's well worth the reading time.

Anyway.... :)

They've recently posted a review about Sorcery & Super Science. My favorite part is the conclusion (emphasis mine of course)...

Despite low production values, a tendency to place a great deal of faith in GM-player interactions, and art that is more often amusing and illustrative than inspiring and evocative, I think Sorcery and Super Science is a triumph of small RPG publishing.  Joseph Browning has done a fantastic job of creating a world totally in the hands of the GM and his players, and of giving the players the tools to create any character they might desire from the halls of pop culture or the depths of their own imagination.

The game system lends itself well to both veterans of gaming and total newbies, with a nicely graded difficulty curve that rewards mastery without punishing inexperience.  The random aspects of character creation might frustrate a hardcore powergamer, but I think many would find the freedom from decisions liberating and the character creation process a joy of die-rolling and discovery.

I’d recommend Sorcery & Super Science to anyone looking to inject a breath of fresh air into their playgroup or start a new one entirely.

Although I'd disagree about the production values (however, I understand that when compared to full-color works one could view it as such)  and the nature of the art (I believe that humor in art is one of those things sadly missing from modern games - think of the "+2 backscratcher" illo of old - these are games after all), I'm glad to see that the aesthetic choices of the system powerfully come through. Sorcery & Super Science puts so much freedom into the hands of the GM and the players that it demands that the GM and the players be experienced gamers who want to make the game run as they want it to run. I'm very pleased to see that design decision picked up in a review. It's one of the reasons why I consider Sorcery & Super Science decidedly old-school.

Tome of Tomes

Because I've always loved maps of all sorts...

The Atlas of the Gulf of Pappant
Author: Marvis Wataynd
Race: Merman
Dimensions: 16x16x1
Weight: 5 lbs.
Materials: Seal skin-bound, woodboard, vellum, brass corners and clasps
Rarity: Very rare
Fields of Study: Physical universe
Special Knowledge Categories: Oceanography
Value: 2,150 gp

The only known atlas of the Gulf of Pappant, Wataynd’s monumental work is the crown jewel for many above-water libraries. The entire gulf is mapped out in exquisite detail, showing area of habitation, disputed areas, and even the dry terrain out to 10 miles from the coast. There’s been at least one war declared to acquire the atlas and its valuable information, and there will surely be more. It is believed that there are only three copies of this rare book.

The Giant Tiger Beetle

I don't know how many of you know about the tiger beetle, but this thing is like a little speedy tank with teeth. They're generally not very big, about 1/2 inch, but they can go up to speeds of 5.6 mph. That's incredibly fast. So of course they have mutated in to big scary-as-hell predators under the shattered moon. :)

Giant Tiger Beetle
Mutated tiger beetle (Intermediate)
C6 A6 S8 F5 R-4 I3 W3: Ego 14: Health 50: Fortune 27
Movement 40/352

Description & Information: When the collapse happened, many exotic species (for North America) were released into the wild and the tiger beetle was one of them. Over time, the weird that is the world below the shattered moon has mutated the common tiger beetle into the giant species described here. A full 4 feet in length and weighing up to 150 lbs., the giant tiger beetle is a top-level predator given is prodigious strength and awesome speed.

Intrinsic Powers
• Reduce all physical damage by 4 points per hit.
• Can move over rocky or otherwise sold difficult terrain without slowing. Marshes and such still slow it.
• Giant Tiger Beetles attack with a truly powerful bite, dealing +10 piercing damage per hit and a +2/ rank 8 combat condition.

Creatures Below the Shattered Moon - Volume 3 now available.

The 3rd volume of critters for your S&SS game has just rolled off the digital presses here at XRP headquarters in gloomy, cloudy, cold, Ohio. :) This volume has 19 critters and there as to be at least one in the bunch that should make a seasoned adventurer shiver.

You can buy the $3 PDF at Your Games Now or at rpgnow.com. It will be shortly available at Paizo and e23 as well.

Dio Day

Today's another Dio Day for me. I periodically pick a day and listen to Dio's work from the Richie Blackmore's Rainbow album to the Sacred Heart album (I need to pick up more of his solo stuff). Dio's voice is truly unique and his fantasy-oriented lyrics always inspire my creativity. So, Long Live Rock N' Roll on this Dio day!

Dwindling Aspen

There are some forests below the shattered moon that seem too barren of life...


Dwindling Aspen
Mutated aspen (Basic)
C0 A0 S0 F16 R-4 I-4 W-4: Ego 8: Health 32: Fortune 4
Movement 0

Description & Information: Dwindling aspen are commonly found in the northern areas of North America. Their fire-hardiness and clonal-colony reproduction has led to massive groves of dwindling aspen covering dozens of acres. Dwindling aspen can be very deadly, but for most of the time they appear little different than a normal aspen.

Limited Use Powers
• Dwindle (1 per month): Once per month, a dwindling aspen seems to shiver, and a wave of what can only be called negative energy (as there are, so far, no know methods of protection except for force shields) radiates from the trunk of the tree causing 1 point of Health damage to living thing within 150 feet. There are no protections from this strange radiation, excepting force shields. Once one dwindling aspen triggers, the rest of the entire stand fires off as well, potentially killing even very powerful creatures in their midst, leaving the remains of victims to increase the fertility of the land.

Tome of Tomes

Another one for a sage's shelves...

Ranste: Pearl of the Seas
Author: Pirn the Skunie
Race: Human
Dimensions: 8x8x1
Weight: 4lbs.
Materials: Leather-bound, stoneboard, parchment
Rarity: Uncommon
Fields of Study: Humankind, demi-humankind
Special Knowledge Categories: History
Value: 150 gp

Pirn the Skunie’s history of the great port-city of Ranste is the commonly accepted version of the discovery, founding, and subsequent rise to power of that sprawling metropolis. Pirn’s version is the one promoted by the city itself for it makes no mention of the many treacheries the city has performed in its two centuries of existence. Perhaps the most prominent example of such is that it makes no mention of the great sailor Firebeard and his treaty with the city which the city broke when convenient. Most now know of Firebeard as the dread buccaneer Firebeard.

Tome of Tomes

On more for the bookshelves...

Poultices Most Pure
Author: Norsda Dwerg
Race: Dwarf
Dimensions: 8x10x1.5
Weight: 6 lbs.
Materials: Leather-bound, stoneboard, parchment, iron clasp and lock
Rarity: Rare
Fields of Study: Supernatural & unusual
Special Knowledge Categories: Medicine
Value: 200 gp

Norsda Dwerg was a female dwarf who forsake her native lands seeking knowledge of medicine. She traveled far and wide for many years, eventually settling down in Ranste and writing her only work. Poultices Most Pure is a wide-ranging volume of indigenous medicines gathered from many geographical areas. Many of the ingredients are very hard to find as they are particular to a single location. That said, however, almost any healer benefits from a thorough study of the book. After a month’s time, a reader can render poultices that double the speed of normal healing provided the subjects engage only in rest.

Angband (the game)

I've been enjoying playing the text-graphical-interface game Angband recently. I played quite a lot of it in college and it's pretty much just as fun now as it was then. I like the decidedly old-school vibe about it. If you die, you're dead. :)

Cast Roach

Can't have a post-apoc game without mutated roaches, right?

Cast Roach
Mutated cockroach (Advanced)
C1 A6 S4 F8 R-2 I2 W-2: Ego 8: Health 32: Fortune 4
Movement 10/88 (climb at half)

Description & Information: Cast roaches are common to ruins, wherein they build their elaborate nests. Unlike most roaches, cast roaches breed very slowly and in small numbers. This may explain their odd and elaborate nests. A cast roach can eat anything; rock, concrete, wood, duraplast, plascrete, iron, plasteel, barbenite, inertron and even impervium. It then uses its bodily excretions to make tremendously tough nests, typically sealing over caches of ancient items, upon which it finds most delicious. As the members of The Church of Parkour say, “If you see a cast roach, technology lurks nearby. As does death.”

Intrinsic Powers
• Immune to toxic attacks.
• Reduce all physical damage by 4 points per hit.
• Reduce all energy damage by 2 points per hit.
• Cast roaches attack by spitting digestive juices to a range of 5 feet, dealing +40 damage and +1/ rank 20 combat condition. The attack of a cast roach ignores any and all damage reduction excluding acid immunities and force shields.

Tome of Tomes

Another tome...

Primsmatica
Author: Skyme Dualming
Race: Human
Dimensions: 6x5x1
Weight: 1 lbs.
Materials: Leather-bound, woodboard, parchment
Rarity: Very rare
Fields of Study: Physical universe, supernatural & unusual
Special Knowledge Categories: Meteorology & climatology, dweomercraft
Value: 250 gp; 3,625  gp with prismatic missile spell

A short and dense text concerning light, Prismatica is a mix of science and magic. Skyme Dualming was a renowned illusionist who spent the latter parts of his life in study and contemplation. Prismatica expounds upon the composition of light as well as the role light plays in the magical arts, and is a highly desired text for illusionists, for within the middle of the text lies the only original spell of Dualming, prismatic missile. This 7th-level illusionist spell shoots out 7 colored missiles which unerringly strike their targets made of the prismatic colors corresponding to each of the colored globes in a prismatic sphere spell. Saving throws apply to those colors which call for such.

The inclusion of the spell in the work has resulted in copies existing without it, as the scribe had not the ability to transcribe the magical power of the spell. These, lesser copies are worth significantly less as indicated above.

Great Weekend

Had a great weekend. I managed to play a full game of Axis & Allies 1940 Europe and several others, including the "evil" Ticket to Ride Europe version. All in all, very enjoyable. Now, back to the grindstone. :)

Gaming Weekend

I'll be having a gaming weekend this weekend so I probably won't be posting updates here. Hopefully, I'll return on Monday after trying out a bunch of new board games.

Tome of Tomes

Since several followers noted they like the Tome of Tomes series, here's another for the bookshelf.

Mathimagics
Author: Yyis Taiver
Race: Titan
Dimensions: 16x16x5
Weight: 25 lbs.
Materials: Red dragonskin-bound, woodboard, vellum, brass corners and clasps
Rarity: Very rare
Fields of Study: Physical universe, supernatural & unusual
Special Knowledge Categories: Mathematics, dweomercraft
Value: 1,850 gp

A tremendous work of pure intelligence composed by the blind titan Yyis Taiver, Mathimatics is beyond the understanding of most creatures in the multi-verse. An intelligence score of 19 is required to comprehend the basic concepts of the work and 21+ is needed to fully grasp the sublime contents of the entirety of the work.  Mathimagics explains the mathematical underpinnings of the multi-verse and shows how they interact with the magical underpinnings.

After a full two years of study the reader learns to cast a single 1st level magic user spell once per week if of intelligence 19. If the reader’s intelligence is 20, two 1st level magic user spells may be cast per week, and if the reader is of 21 or higher intelligence, three 1st level magic user spells may be cast per week. To maintain this ability, the reader must spend at least one week every year refreshing his memory of Mathimagics.

About that question yesterday...

So I checked on the hit counter for this blog this morning, as I do every day, and found that I had the most visitors ever along with an above average time on site yesterday. *ironic laugh* So posting inquisitive posts seems to interest people. :)

I suspect there are those out there going, "Well, duh." But for me its a process of discovery, for although I've been publishing for 7 years now, I've only really been blogging for something like 3 or 4 months. I imagine that means I need to read some research about blogging and see what I can find out. I tried research reading before I started the blog, but it didn't have a concrete application at the time and was a bit to boring. Now that I've got a blog, I should find out what works best in general and then figure out what works best for rpg blogs in specific.

Thanks to everyone who commented on the last post and thank to those who just stopped by!

A Question

Heya all! So we're up to 42 followers after 3 months and I'm having a hard time judging what interests people the most about this blog. I suspect there's a way to do that programatically, but since all my posts are always on a single page it's not easy to determine which ones have the most viewers as what I'm using now just shows hits to the main page.

Currently I'm posting almost exclusively about either Sorcery & Super Science! or about our Old-School Renaissance stuff. Are you guys (and gals) split about your interests or do you favor one over the other? Should I do more short pieces about gaming in general or gaming theory or some other subjects?

So if you'd take a brief moment and let me know what your main interests are concerning this blog, I'd really appreciate it.

Bursting Death Plant

Been working up some new monsters for Sorcery & Super Science! and here's one that's a bit different than others. It's not as much a monster as a hazard, but I think having information as if it was a monster should be beneficial at the table. I thought about having a separate group of challenges, but I think it's better to present them in a similar matter than to change the presentation. I'll keep thinking about it, of course.

Bursting Death Plant
Mutated stickseed (Basic)
C-4 A-4 S-4 F1 R-4 I10 W10: Ego 26: Health 64: Fortune 33
Movement 0

Description & Information: The bursting death plant is found throughout the world below the shattered moon, from lush jungles to semi-deserts. It is a small, hardy plant usually no bigger than a foot tall. During spring, it flowers in distinctive red and purple colors. It is only after flowering that the plant becomes dangerous, becoming passively empathetic within 50 feet. If anything approaches within that area, the bursting death plant teleports its seed into the creature. These tiny seeds do no damage initially, and may not even been detected (a rank 10 extraordinary Intuition sense check detects the process and locates the seed in the target’s body). The seed remains in the target for the next 7 months, before explosively bursting out of the victim.

Intrinsic Powers
• The bursting seed of a bursting death plant causes 25 points of explosive damage and a rank 15 combat condition. This damage is not reduced via armor, but is reduced through mutation.

Creeping Death

Of course Sorcery & Super Science as some "grey goo" lurking under the shattered moon.

Creeping Death
Nano-robotic Swarm (Advanced)
C6 A8 S6 F12 R-4 I-4 W9: Ego 26: Health 64: Fortune 33
Movement 2.5/22

Description & Information: The terrible creeping death is legendary under the shattered moon. A gray goopy mass roughly the size of a average mutie, the creeping death appears to have no intelligence and be utterly indifferent of its surroundings excepting when it “latches” onto a particular creature or person. When such happens, the creeping death relentlessly peruses its target, mindless of other dangers or opportunities. This creature or person could be thousands of miles away at the moment of latching and the creeping death will spend months traveling to find its target. How or why a creeping death does this is entirely unknown.

Intrinsic Powers
• Reduce all Physical and Ego damage by 6 points per hit.
• Reduce all Energy damage by 8 points per hit.
• Reduce all Toxic damage by 4 points per hit.
• Ignores all damage resistances or immunities when attacking. Deals +6 damage and +4/ rank 10 combat condition.

Limited Use Powers
• Technology Absorption (3 time per day): A creeping death can absorb any object, healing it 5 Health and 5 Ego damage. What is absorbed is completely destroyed.
• Mutable Form (10 per day): The creeping death can change its shape to fit the environment as determined by the GM. For example, it could form a long pseudopodia stretching over a crevasse making a bridge out of itself and thereby pass over the obstacle. If this power is depleted, the creeping death can only maintain its natural “fried egg” shape.