Piles of Downloaded Files... #3: more treasures from the Unsorted folder

I’m reviving my old series, Piles of Downloaded Files, in which I delve into the bottomless Unsorted folder of RPG-related PDFs. See the previous installments under this tag. 

 

Micromaiden Spirit Grid by Evlyn Moreau

It is a two-sided pamphlet dungeon, with Evlyn’s trademark art. One side has the map of the dungeon, which is a complex semi-anthropomorphic computer circuit. Each node gets a title and one or two keywords (for function/condition), e.g. Cyber Maintenance Unit [In Use] [Possessed] or Sensation Module [Patched] [Cyber Fauna].

It is evocative, but definitely a toolbox. I feel you need to get into a specific mindset to be able to fit all this together – but then it can provide a super interesting game world. I’d love it if someone made a computer game with the art from this pamphlet. A top-down dungeon crawler of some sorts.

Link: https://evlyn.itch.io/micromaiden-spirit-grid

 

Salo’s Glory by Glynn Owen Barrass

I used to subscribe to the Stygian Fox Patreon. This was one of their monthly adventures, back in 2020. It’s a Call of Cthulhu 7e scenario… IN SPACE! A megacorp sends an exploratory vessel outside the Solar System. The scenario goes for that sci-fi horror vibe that you get in the Alien franchise, like in the comics. Hell, it has stats for power loader exoskeletons! It also comes with quite good floorplans for the space ships and shuttles – definitely a reusable resource for any sci-fi game.

The adventure is written in the usual CoC style: lots of text, not skimming-friendly. But overall, it feels like a solid offering for CoC/Mothership/Alien RPGs.

Link: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/309908/salo-s-glory-a-sci-fi-call-of-cthulhu-scenario-set-in-interstellar-space

 

Bonus mystery entry!

“original-colony.pdf” is a single-page file. It’s labeled “Original Drawing of the Ant Colony”. And it has a side-view section map of an ant colony. Pretty good map, I gotta say!

Reverse image search leads to a Something Awful topic I cannot access.

However, next to this file in my folder, I have:

Percent in Lair: Ant, giant by Justine Rogers / Angrymog Games

Turns out, the colony map was made for this project. This is a 10-page-long brainstorm on Giant ant colonies in fantasy adventure games. It contains the aforementioned map. Adventure hooks – why are we delving into an ant colony? And all kinds of Giant ant variants. Weird ecosystems, fungi, psychic ants, gem-encrusted ants… This is actually not bad!

Link: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/150281/percent-in-lair-ant-giant

[Monster] Tarot-based weird encounter generation

Captain Ahab's Leg posted a wonderful evocative system for generating unusual encounters based on Tarot cards. I love random content generation, I have a Tarot deck, so... here we go!

The Form: Eight of Pentacles

A craftsman chisels pentacles on golden discs – perhaps these creatures (because there are several of them) are constructs.

The Human: The Fool

Perhaps these monsters can be underestimated at first…

The Inhuman: Death

…but then they present a significant threat. The image shows Death as a mounted knight. A high priest in a tiara stands on the ground before the knight. Maybe praising him, but maybe trying to barter with him. In any case, the knight towers above him, subdues him just as he’d subdued an enemy previously. So perhaps the creatures have some sort of awe-inducing mind control power.

The Cycle:

The Larva: Six of Wands

The wands are carried, not mobile on their own. In their initial state, the creatures need an outer force to propel them forward. Maybe tumbleweed? They roll in, surround the enemy, and then build up into something unified and bigger.

The Pupa: Queen of Swords

Majestic and bellicose… But the Queen sits upon a throne, doesn’t fight. She towers over the enemy, and prepares to unleash the final attack.

The Imago: Nine of Pentacles

Pentacles again, but at a higher value than the Form, so I interpret this as a growth in power. The image shows a falconer, so maybe the great monstrous attack (the “awe-inducing mind control”, see above) is a swift, targeted thing.

The Encounters:

First Encounter (Eight of Pentacles, The Fool, Death)

An abandoned workshop, eerily silent, dead bodies lying around it – no evident cause of death. Inside lie eight golden discs with pentacles engraved on them. A priest kneels in the middle of the room, mumbling “please don’t hurt me, oh most magnificent one… please don’t hurt me!”

Second Encounter (Six of Wands, Queen of Wands, The High Priest)

The priest suddenly snaps out of the condition and starts arranging the discs in a specific shape.

Third Encounter (Nine of Pentacles, Ten of Wands, The Judgement)

A force of magnetism starts pulling together the discs, they gather, lift up from the ground, and form a sphere mid-air. They shine gold and bright, majestic… And now one person of the party is struck with awe – they must serve the sphere.

[Actual Play] A Delve into the Outpost of Stone & Silver [Carcosa / OD&D]

Yesterday I ran the Outpost of Stone & Silver for two players (as a quick and dirty one-shot when the regular game was called off). They grabbed two characters each from R. Sivaranjan's generator and off we went!

Kahlo (He of the Fabulous Eye-Brow), Red Fighting-Man 1

Steel of Woe, Green Fighting-Woman 1, one-armed and psionic

Luu, Orange Fighting-Man 1

Ranko (She of the Superior Hit Point Pool), Brown Fighting-Woman 1

Our ragtag group of adventurers, all outcasts of their respective tribes, learned about the existence of a sorcerous or scientific outpost, with shining metal walls built into the purple rock. They set out with high hopes: perhaps their tribes would take them back if they came bearing treasures...

They arrived to the place with their pack-lizard and cart. They saw two entrances: one set in a niche, and another set between two tower-like edifices. The bravest, Luu, approached the first one, and noticed that it had no door - but the passage was barred by a flickering curtain of light. He threw some objects at it, trying to match his projectile with the on/off phase of the curtain, but learned that all objects just bounce back, cause electric discharges, and overheat when connecting with the field.

He was about to head back, when he noticed some sounds from beyond the curtain, but he couldn't see the source, as the corridor was only slightly illuminated by the twin suns.

To his surprise, he received an answer in a child-like voice. The friendly creature on the other side invited him to join a knife-throwing contest. Luu was wary, and called a group meeting. In the meantime, they could hear that the contest commenced inside. There were sounds of knives hitting the wall, and the disappointed murmurs of a small crowd. And then, finally, a cheer -- and, to their surprise, together with the cheer, the curtain of light dissipated! 

Mythos Spells to OSR: quick & dirty conversion rules

Over the years, Call of Cthulhu has amassed a great amount of spells and rituals. The 7th ed. Grand Grimoire lists over 550! Such a horrific source of cosmic grandeur cannot go untapped... So, here are some quick & dirty untested rules for converting CoC spells to OSR spell levels. Of course, case-by-case conversion and fine-tuning is better, but with these rules you can get a rough approximation.

Magic point cost	Spell level
1-5	1
6-9	2
10-12	3
13-15	4
16-19	5
20+	6

For variable costs (e.g. 1d10), assume maximum roll.

Sanity cost	Spell level increase	Save penalty
1-1d5	+0	-0
1d6-1d10	+1	-2
1d12-1d20	+2	-4

Optional: OSR “Sanity check”

When casting a spell that comes with Sanity loss, save against Magic (with the penalty in the third column). On failure, gain a random “insanity” that lasts 1d8 days. If the margin of failure is more than 5, the effect is permanent instead.

The 3.5e/d20 SRD has some examples (scroll down to tables 6-9 and 6-10).

Or just treat this as risky casting/miscast.

POW cost	Spell level increase
0-9	+0
10-19	+1
20+	+2

Optional: OSR stat drain

Map POW onto a stat (Wisdom, Intelligence, Charisma? Maybe let the Magic-User pick each time?), and divide the cost by 5.

Optional: Sanity+POW
If the spell has both a Sanity and a POW cost, but individually they don't raise the spell level, increase the spell level by 1.

Create Myst of R'lyeh (2 magic points) = level 1.
Knot Flesh (2d6 magic points, 1d8 sanity) = level 4.
Reincarnate (10 magic points, 10 POW, 1d6 sanity) = level 5.
Soul Trap (6 magic points, 5 POW, 1d4 sanity) = level 2 (or level 3).
Wave of Oblivion (30 magic points, 1d8 sanity) = level 7.

Miscast tables: now in a single PDF!

I compiled my miscast effects into a PDF! It's an 8-page booklet, and I think I did an okay job with the layout, too, so if you print it out, each table occupies a single page or a single spread.

Download PDF

or

Get it from my itch.io page (free/PWYW)

6x6 miscast effects for
- Metamagic
- Teleportation/dislocation/polymorph type spells
- Illusion and invisibility spells
- Mind altering spells, charms, telepathy
- Elemental-, energy- and nature-based spells
- Necromancy and life-force altering spells

I turned mine into a little saddle-stitched thing. Feels good.

You are on time... IN SPACE! [LotFP/Spelljammer]

Recently the LotFP campaign I play in moved into space and morphed into this weird Spelljammer thing. So I was tasked with coming up with new tables for on-time players, late players, carousing, etc... So far I have a little table of six bonuses reliable players can get:

1. Your latent psionic powers awaken! For this session only, you gain Carcosan psionic powers. You gain access to 1d4 random powers (roll 1d8: 1 – Clairaudience, 2 – Clairvoyance, 3 – ESP, 4 – Mental Blast, 5 – Mind Control, 6 – Precognition, 7 – Telekinesis, 8 – Telepathy; see Carcosa p. 19-21). The total number of uses is determined by your character level. Once used up, the powers are gone.
2. You sprout a new organ! Roll 1d6: 1 – hard prismatic skin growth on your forehead, 2 – fleshy tentacle from your chest (connected to your heart), 3 – third eye, 4 – extended nervous system in the shape of dark braided hair, 5 – third (or extra) arm that cannot really grab anything, 6 – the organs on your face merge into a single sensory organ. Regardless of shape, the organ grants a 6-in-6 Languages skill. At the end of the session, the organ dries off or the body returns to its original shape. All languages acquired this way are lost with the organ.
3. Your body absorbs and stores phlogiston. The transformed phlogiston grants 1d3 uses of a random spell, only usable in this session. Roll 1d6 for the spell: 1 – Shield, 2 – Ray of Enfeeblement, 3 – Mirror Image, 4 – Levitate, 5 – Faerie Fire, 6 – Light.
4. Exotica Erotica! Okay, okay, nothing naughty here… But for some reason, NPCs that are not the same species as your character are better disposed towards you (treat as Charisma 18 for Reaction rolls, etc.).
5. Time distorts around you. You foresee what others are about to do. The first time you roll initiative, roll it with 4d6, then 3d6, then 2d6, then with the regular 1d6 as the effect slowly diminishes. This doesn’t carry over to the next session.
6. You gain the ability to reflect missile attacks! Any missile attack that is directed at you but doesn’t score a hit against your AC is reflected back at the attacker. Roll a flat d20 against the AC of the attacker. Attacks that hit your AC do damage as usual.
   Hazards or effects that require a save against Wands or Rays or Devices are reversed if you successfully save (and in this case the source of the effect must save. If this is inapplicable (e.g. the source is a machine), the chance of hitting the source instead is 3-in-6).

Magnum, P.I. + Pulp Cthulhu [Random game idea]

Mustaches vs tentacles on Hawaii! So, yes, just take the basic idea of Magnum, P.I.: it's the 1980s, the group of protagonists are security experts, bodyguards, private investigators (some of them Vietnam vets) etc., who work for a mysterious rich patron (who only communicates through recordings or the trusted estate manager). Initially, their job includes perimeter checks at the mansion, low-key investigative work... but eventually the weirdness ramps up as the mysterious patron's missions become more mysterious and plunge the team into the depths of cosmic madness.

Yeah... just a random game idea for this lazy Saturday afternoon.

I kinda dig the [something + Cthulhu] formula. You know, like Scooby Doo + Call of Cthulhu.

Miscast tables: Meta-magic and Mind-altering spells

The final installment of the miscast tables series is a double-feature... Thanks to everybody who commented on these, and soon I'll put together a unified pdf for easier use!

Metamagic (spells affecting or modifying other spells or spellcasting abilities)

1. Wipe-out. The caster loses all prepared spells and takes 1d3 damage for every prepared spell lost this way.
2. The caster’s magic jumps to the nearest conscious humanoid. For the duration of 2d6 hours, the new person gains the full spellcasting abilities of the original caster, all remaining prepared spells and spell slots, is considered to be the level of the original caster for spellcasting purposes. They can prepare new spells (if the duration of the effect permits) or risky cast from the original caster’s spellbook. This doesn’t intersect with any spellcasting abilities the person might have. Treat it as a “parallel consciousness”. After the 2d6 hours, the effect is reversed and the original caster regains their abilities (and whatever prepared spells are left).
3. “So Many Mouths to Feed!” All of the caster’s prepared spells and open spell slots are replaced with Magic Mouth. These must be cast to clear the way for new spells.
4. The winds of magic are out of control! For the next [caster level] hours, treat all spellcasting attempts made by the caster as risky casting.
5. The dam breaks! All of the caster’s memorized/prepared spells are cast at the same time, in a single round. The caster takes 1d3 damage for every spell cast this way.
6. The caster’s misjudged attempt at modifying the fabric of the universe triggers a butterfly effect. Everybody in the universe can feel the fluttering of the wings… but no one knows what happens at the end of the chain of events that are set into motion. The Referee introduces a significant change in the game setting. When the caster first encounters evidence of this event, they will definitely know that this is THEIR doing.

Mind altering spells, charms, telepathy

1. All channels are two-way... The caster switches minds with the target of the spell (or one random target). Charisma, Intelligence and Wisdom scores and all saving throws “travel” with the mind. All else (hit points, attack bonuses, etc.) belongs to the body. Every turn, both victims can attempt to switch back. If both are willing AND pass a save against Magic, the swap is reversed. If only one person is willing, this person must pass a save with a -4 penalty.
2. The caster’s mind is lost in the intricacies of the psychic realm. The caster suffers the effect of Feeblemind, lasting [20 - caster’s Intelligence score] hours.
3. Next time the caster tries to persuade, fast-talk, cheat, bribe etc. an NPC in a non-magical way, the spell that was miscast is cast by the person the caster is trying to influence (but with the caster’s level), with the caster (or their group) as the target.
4. All metallic objects in a [caster level times 10’] radius start to resonate with the caster’s thoughts and transform them into audible sound. The caster’s current intentions, doubts and fears are broadcast for everyone to hear.
5. Under the stress of the spell, a small fragment of the caster’s mind forms an enclave. This isolated little piece is identical to the rest of the caster’s mind but in one thing: it completely believes that whatever the spell was intended to do, succeeded. From now on, whenever this might affect their behavior, the caster takes the information stored in the mind-fragment as the absolute truth.
6. The psycho-magnetic vibrations caused by the miscast awaken the latent psychic abilities of a random sentient target of the spell, or, if the spell doesn’t have targets, a random sentient creature in [caster level times 10’]. If the campaign doesn’t use psionics or similar powers, the target receives a 1/day use of a random spell, roll 2d6:
   2 Suggestion, Mass
   3 Feeblemind
   4 ESP
   5 Charm Person
   6-7 Message
   8 Comprehend Languages
   9 Suggestion
   10 Forget
   11 Confusion
   12 Charm Person, Mass

Miscast table: Energy, force, and nature

More miscast tables! This time for all spells concerning the manipulation of natural forces and energies. I will probably try to finish two for tomorrow, or maybe all that's left, and compile them into a pdf!

Elemental-, energy- and nature-based spells

1. The mundane version of the invoked element becomes hostile towards the caster for 1d6 days. Campfire burns them, water flees form their mouth, light blinds, winds crash their ship and branches tear their clothes, etc. The severity of these assaults is up to the Referee (and probably also depends on the power level of the intended spell).
2. All metallic objects in a [caster level times 10’] radius become electrified and discharge with a painful electric shock. Everybody touching, wearing, holding such an item must save against Devices for each such item, or take 1 (for jewelry), 1d3 (for metal weapon), 1d6 (for chain armor), 1d12 (for plate armor) damage.
3. Natural order is disturbed in a [caster level times two miles] radius area around the caster. Natural order is restored in [caster level times 1d6] hours, but consequences remain. Roll 1d4:
   1 the air becomes thinner, oxygen saturation drops. Everybody gains 2 points of Encumbrance while in the area of effect. Characters with a negative Constitution modifier must save against Paralyze at the end of every hour or fall unconscious,
   2 the freezing breath of the White Worm or perhaps Ithaqua sweeps through the area; temperature of air drops significantly (e.g. from summer warmth to winter cold, from winter cold to Arctic),
   3 the sun becomes a red monster that devours men, seeking them out with heat rays; both indoors and outdoors temperature of air raises significantly (e.g. from mild spring to unbearable summer, from unbearable summer to apocalyptic heatwave),
   4 magnetic disturbance: all metallic objects (including weapons, armor...) drop to the ground, can be only lifted and carried or worn as five times their usual Encumbrance value; keep in mind, this means even metallic parts of non-metallic objects – like nails keeping a boat or wooden construction together.
4. [Caster level times three] Magic Missiles rain from the sky or appear out of thin air. Everybody in a 60’ radius must save against Breath. Distribute the missiles between the caster and those who failed their save. The caster doesn’t get to save, they are hit anyway, but maybe their comrades or enemies take some of the damage…
5. Phlogiston saturation increases significantly in a [caster level times 30’] area. All open fires explode violently, and everybody holding or standing near such a source takes 1d4 damage. On a damage roll of 3 or 4, they also must save against Breath or catch fire. Burning creatures take another 1d4 damage on the next round, and if that is a 3 or 4 too, they are engulfed in flames and begin taking 1d8 damage until put out. Putting out flames in the phlogiston-saturated environment takes twice as much effort.
6. Space swallows itself and a black hole opens in a maximum of [1d6 x 10’] from the caster, in a random direction (roll 1d6, 1 below, 2 through 5 is north-west-south-east, 6 above), but in the same general area. The hole remains open and active for 1d6 rounds. All loose objects and creatures in the vicinity are sucked into it at a speed of 20’ per round. A save against Paralyze can be made to grab onto something. If the initial position of a creature relative to the black hole cannot be determined, they are [2d6 x 10’] apart.

Miscast table: Dislocation, Teleportation, Polymorph

The second installment of my custom miscast tables, detailing the unforeseen consequences of meddling with space, time, and matter! These are quite elaborate, with sub-tables inside some of the results.

Mechanical clarifications:

If an effect lowers hit die, re-roll the character’s hit points with the remaining and take the lower result as new maximum. If the current hit points are thus over the maximum, they drop too (but otherwise no damage is taken). Dropping to 0 or less hit dice automatically kills the character.

For these miscast effects, “one random target of the spell” means one of the following array: the caster plus all others targeted by the spell (friend or fore); or just the caster, if the target is inanimate.

Teleportation, dislocation, movement and polymorph type spells

1. As space folds and reorganizes, some body parts cannot keep up. Roll 1d6, one random target of the spell loses:
   1-2 an arm, 3-5 a leg, 6 an eye.
   This also means the loss of 1 hit die. Re-roll hit points with the remaining.
2. One random target of the spell disappears for 1d6 hours, then rematerializes – tired, hangover, dehydrated, confused, but also sort of euphoric. Treat this as failed Carousing (with no experience points awarded) and roll on the campaign’s harshest Carousing Mishaps table. If no such table is available, the affected character makes all saving throws and attack rolls at a -4 penalty for the next 24 hours.
3. The mind of the caster is displaced by an alien entity. At the end of the given duration the caster’s mind returns to its body, with no recollection of what happened during this period. The possession event causes a loss of [caster level times 200] experience points. Roll 1d4 to see what the alien entity does while in control of the host body:
   1 stays for 1d4 hours and wants to learn about humanity's weaknesses (this knowledge will eventually be used during the invasion of Earth by vampyres form outer space),
   2 attacks a random nearby target using the caster’s best weapon or spell for 1d8 rounds,
   3 behaves completely normal (and the character is under the player’s control), but then takes over when the character goes to sleep. Its goal is to assemble a homing beacon / teleportation pad / arcane gateway to bring more of its kind to Earth. It needs seven rest periods of work to accomplish this. The possession lasts 1d10 days. The character is always exhausted.
   4 casts all of the caster’s prepared spells, one per round, than leaves the body. If the caster has no spells prepared, the entity risky casts a randomly determined highest level spell form the caster’s spellbook. The entity’s behavior depends on a Reaction roll, it can use the spells to aid or hinder the host’s party.
4. The quantum disturbances cause sudden and irreversible changes in the body of one random target of the spell. No saves apply. Roll 1d6:
   1-2 the spell Enlarge is cast on the victim, their body ripples and grows to 150% its previous size, ruining all clothes and armor,
   3-4 the spell Shrink (reversed Enlarge) is cast on the victim, their body ripples and shrinks to 50% its previous size, rendering all armor unusable,
   5 the victim’s body is fused with a fly that happens to be in the spell’s area of effect; from now on this character is a hideous man-fly-thing, unable to speak, digestive fluid dripping from the mouth (1 spit attack per day, 20’ range, 2d8 damage), hideous compound eyes with a 270° field of vision. The thing, fortunately, is sterile.
   6 Janus! A second face appears on the back of the victim’s head. It duplicates the victim’s looks. All the organs are completely functional, but the victim still has only a single brain to process all the information. For one month, no benefits can be gained from the second face, and all actions are with a penalty (-4 on attacks, -1 on skills, etc.). For a full year, while they learn to coordinate their faces, they gain 10% less experience points.
5. One random target of the spell fuses with whatever material they are in contact with (standing on, wearing, holding – in this order, so a standing victim will fuse with the ground, a flying victim will fuse with their clothes, a naked flying victim will fuse with the sword they hold, a flying naked unarmed person is lucky (?)). The “depth” of the fusion is only 1d6 inches, but there is no harmless way to separate the two materials any more. The separation (amputation) will cause the loss of 1 hit die. Re-roll hit points with the remaining.
6. The caster falls into a relativity trap. For the following 1d6 hours, all their movement is halved, their attacks and saves are made with a -4 penalty, as their perception of the world doesn’t line up with the realities of outside observers. For each hour spent in the trap, they age 1 year.

Miscast table: Illusion spells

I'm creating custom tables of miscast results for various types of magic. I could use the standard D&D division of magic schools (Abjuration, Evocation, etc.), but I've decided to go with six similar, but slightly different categories, that sort of make sense to me and fit the spells in Lamentations of the Flame Princess:

• Teleportation, dislocation, movement and polymorph type spells
• Illusion and invisibility spells
• Mind altering spells, charms, telepathy
• Elemental-, energy- and nature-based spells
• Necromancy and life-force altering
• Metamagic (spells affecting or modifying other spells or spellcasting abilities)

I will be posting them as they are completed. For the first installment, I present you the illusion miscast table, heavily inspired by theories of light.

Miscast effects for illusion and invisibility spells

1. Those newfangled scientists say vision is the perception of light reflected from objects. For the following 1d6 months, the caster is physically hurt by looking at certain materials. If the caster looks at a surface that is at least palm-sized for longer than 1 round, they take 1d6 damage. Roll 1d6: 1 steel, 2 wood, 3 linen, 4 paper (ouch!), 5 gold, 6 human skin.
2. The trusted old school scientists say vision is possible due to the human eye emitting special “eye beams” that trace the world around us. The caster’s “eye beams” become lethal death rays for 1d12 rounds. They burn through organic matter (including the caster’s eyelids) for 1d6 damage per round, but don’t set things on fire. The “eye beams” have a range of [caster level times 10’]. Mirrors and other shiny surfaces reflect the rays in a random direction – if there is a lot of this going on, everybody in the area must save against Devices every round to avoid being hit. While this effect is on, the caster is effectively blind. After the duration of the effect, the caster remains blind for 1d6 days.
3. According to the corpuscular theory, light is made up of minuscule particles called “corpuscles”. They now hate the caster. For the following 1d10 days, anytime the caster does something that requires vision & concentration (aiming a weapon, reading, scouting), the corpuscles play tricks and the caster just cannot achieve anything unless they successfully save against Breath.
4. The caster’s perception of reality is warped for 1d6 hours. For any object or person they encounter the Referee can roll 1d6, on a 1 the caster is adamant it is an illusion and refuses to think otherwise. Any illusions encountered during this period is automatically believed.
5. People’s shadows are slaves! The caster’s shadow breaks free of its shackles, and is now a cunning, dangerous monster. HD = [caster level], AC as leather, Move as unencumbered human, Morale 8, 1 soul-rending attack for 1d3 damage [1d6 if HD > 5], immune to physical damage, but can be tortured with bright lights (torch or stronger do 1d6+ damage). A super bright light triggers a Morale check. The shadow can either use its attack or try to break free another shadow slave. That shadow’s master must save against Magic. The shadow knows who has the worst save.
6. The caster becomes Visible for 1d6 hours. This is a sort of reverse Invisibility... It means that the caster is seen by everybody in a [caster level times 10’] radius. They are literally noticed through walls or in complete darkness. No material can block Visibility.

[5e] Warlock: The Diamond (D&D meets Steven Universe)

Steven Universe is great, for a multitude of reasons --- and for me it's also a good aid on portraying aloof and whimsical Archfey type creatures. In my current 5e game, the players will soon meet a Lady of the Fey. At first, I planned her to be more standard, but then I got into Steven Universe, and decided to play her as a Diamond. I reskinned her dungeon into a crystal palace and everything. 

So, if you have a Diamond, why not also have a Diamond-Pact Warlock?

Here's a quick write-up. The extended spell list is new - I concentrated on spells that control minds or manipulate inorganic matter. The features are ripped from the Great Old One and Archfey Warlocks, with one original addition.

Warlock: The Diamond

Your patron is a Diamond, one of the four leaders of The Great Diamond Authority, a cosmic entity of vast power. Her behavior is whimsical and unknowable, like that of the fey, but her goals are crystal clear. She grants you dominion over inorganic matter and the feeble minds of mortals. But in exchange, you must prepare your own planet for colonization by the Gems.

Expanded spell list

The Diamond lets you choose from an expanded list of spells when you learn a warlock spell. The following spells are added to the warlock spell list for you.

Spell level	Spell
1st	Chromatic Orb, Command
2nd	Calm Emotions, Phantasmal Force
3rd	Blink, Meld into Stone
4th	Conjure Minor Elementals, Otiluke’s Resilient Sphere
5th	Antilife Shell, Dominate Person

Awakened Mind

Starting at 1st level, your alien knowledge gives you the ability to touch the minds of other creatures. You can communicate telepathically with any creature you can see within 30 feet of you. You don't need to share a language with the creature for it to understand your telepathic utterances, but the creature must be able to understand at least one language.

Misty Escape

Starting at 6th level, you can vanish in a puff of mist in response to harm. When you take damage, you can use your reaction to turn invisible and teleport up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space you can see. You remain invisible until the start of your next turn or until you attack or cast a spell.

Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Lustrous Retinue

Starting at 10th level, your Diamond delegates one of her servants to aid you. You can summon an Amethyst (as Earth Elemental, MM p. 124) or a Pearl (as Air Elemental, MM p. 124). The conjured creature serves you unquestionably.

Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.

Create Thrall

At 14th level, you gain the ability to infect a humanoid's mind with the alien magic of your patron. You can use your action to touch an incapacitated humanoid. That creature is then charmed by you until a Remove Curse spell is cast on it, the charmed condition is removed from it, or you use this feature again.

You can communicate telepathically with the charmed creature as long as the two of you are on the same plane of existence.

[Monster] The Kelipot Sovereignty, using the Elegant Fantasy Creature Generator

Another random monster post, this time using Elegant Fantasy Creature Generator by Raphael Sadowski / Nine Tongues Tales. It promises interesting, inspiring combinations (instead of silly results or randomized messy stats), so let's dive in!

Type: Swarm
A group of small creatures that live and work together. Smaller than human.

Theme: Mollusk/Squid
Soft bodies, sometimes a shell. Tentacles or primitive slug-like “foot”.

Mental Faculty: Primitive
Just above the “Smart Animal” – is able to create art, worship gods and probably wonders about the meaning of life.

Pigmentation: Translucent / White

Random Features:
Single Horn: Sports a single horn somewhere on its body. Ornamental or disfiguring, this horn may have function other than just a crude mean of defense.
Smoke: It’s always surrounded by smoke. Is it a humanoid smoking a hookah? A living censer? Or a salamander breathing out billowing smoke every time it opens its mouth?
Egg Laying: Kill it! Quickly, before it lays eggs! Or is it too late…?

Peculiar Circumstances: Worshiped
There are humanoids who treat this creature as their god.

Horrifier: Destiny
It will chase you and haunt you forever. It will crawl from under your bed to watch you sleep at night. It will be observing you from afar. You’ll never be alone for as long as it lives.

Weirdifier: Strange Diet
It eats something absolutely bizarre. Sand, glass, sea water, books, bones, excrements. This is the only way it can sustain itself.

Attitude: Oblivious
It will act as if you do not exist at all, even if you attack it.

Which all combines into...

The Kelipot Sovereignty

Sea mollusks. Live and prosper in the shallows. They feed on kinetic energy of underwater currents - starve in still water. For protection, they build exquisite shells around their soft bodies: there are no two identical shells and they are prized artifacts for collectors. When in danger, the creatures hide behind an ink-cloud.

Pearl divers worship these creatures. They know that each single mollusk is just an extension of the Kelipot Sovereignty, a terrible cosmic entity. Some people who come into contact with a shell become marked by the Sovereignty. One day, the Kelipot will arrive to Earth, and the Marked will prostrate themselves before it. The rest will be consumed by the Ever-Shell. 

[Monster] Summoning the Spawns of the Nether-Realms with the LotFP Summon Spell

More random creatures! This time with Lamentations' notorious Summon spell. Of course, the easiest way is firing up Ramanan's automatic Summon script, but rolling dice on a weekend is a nice thing, so let's roll some dice!

Summoned Entity #1, casting save made

HD: 6

Basic form: Organic Rot (causes disease on a hit)

Appendages, base number (1d8): 1

Appendages: no appendages :(

Special powers, base number (1d8): 4

Special powers: none :(

The Perspiring Mound of Pandemonium is a crawling, oozing abomination, spreading the Ochre Plague.

Summoned Entity #2, casting save failed

HD: 6

Basic form: Insectiod (+2 AC) = 14 AC

Appendages, base number (1d8): 6

Appendages:

5 - Skeletal Stinger; 1 - Adhesive Eggs/Seeds 

Special powers, base number (1d8): 6

Special powers:

2 (41) - Immune to Physical Attacks; 1 (99) - Wall of Fire (at will, one at a time)

The Abyssal Dragonfly-Dragon, straight from the 6th Circle of hell. Translucent wings shimmer like cosmic fire.

Summoned Entity #3, casting save failed

HD: 4

Basic form: Polyhedral

Appendages, base number (1d6): 3

Appendages: none :(

Special powers, base number (1d6): 3

Special powers:

2 (100) - Web (at will, one at a time)

Fragment of a Shattered Fractal Dimension, mad and uncontrollable, paralyzing people with Tron-style meshes.

[Monster] Spawning Spawns with Carcosa's Spawn of Shub-Niggurath generator

I like random creature generators! I was reading through Carcosa, and there is a short section with tables for generating random Spawns of Shub-Niggurath. Two examples follow:

Spawn #1: G'hal, The Niggurathean Spore-Sack Bastard

AC: 13
Movement: Land only, 30'
HD: 6
Alignment: Chaotic (duhh...)
Body type: Fungoid
Color: Gray
Hide: Scaled
Eyes: One
Mouth: Circular gaping maw
Special Attacks: None
Special Defenses: Regenerate 1HD every 1-3 rounds

Crawling and ever-growing fungal fruiting body. Its slow movement is not "movement" per se, but actually rapid directional growth. Which explains the regenerative powers as well. The single eye makes it quite phallic too. Creepy. 

Spawn #2: Tsath-Shub Hybrid

AC: 12
Movement: Land 60', Flying 120'
HD: 3
Alignment: Chaotic (duhh...)
Body type: Batrachian
Color: Green
Hide: Smooth
Eyes: Three
Mouth: Circular gaping maw
Special Attacks: None
Special Defenses: None

A three-eyed flying frog, nothing less, nothing more!

Overall, the generator serves the purpose well - it can quickly spurt out a couple of spawns. 3 minutes for a creature, tops.  Its utility outside of Carcosa seems more limited.

One of the main problems with this generator is the low number of special attacks. There is a 84% chance of "none", and then 16 powers. Admittedly, in the context of Carcosa, this is alright, as Spawns are encountered ALL THE TIME, and having each and every one of them with a special attack would be too much even for the Carcossan gonzo.

Another thing I find underwhelming is the Eyes table. The results are just quantitative (zero to six eyes), with just one result being a qualitative descriptor ("multiple/insectile"). Not very inspiring. The Mouth table is short (1d6), but with four good qualitative results in there.

It can yield interesting combinations, but it lacks that emergent inspiration that you can find in RECG, for example. But, again, this was not created as a general monster randomizer, so it's unfair to criticize it as such. Go Spawns!

Machen's "The White People" and LotFP-style alignment

I'm re-reading Arthur Machen's "The White People", which is an awesome story, and also some of the quotes are great for explaining the alignment system of LotFP - specifically the Prologue in which Ambrose explains his philosophy of Sin. Probably it's where Raggi got it in the first place?

"Alignment is a character’s orientation on a cosmic scale. It has nothing to do with a character’s allegiances, personality, morality, or actions."  (LotFP, Rules & Magic, p. 8)

There is this fatalistic predeterminalism: Magic-Users and Elves must be Chaotic, Clerics must be Lawful. All others are free to choose their alignment. I actually really like this part of the LotFP rulebook, because it captures the cosmic horror part so well, and transforms this old D&D trope into something else. Being Lawful doesn't make you a "good guy" or vice versa. Both Lawful and Chaotic are deviations from the norm, and signal a transgression.

The following passages are quotes from "The White People":

"Sorcery and sanctity," said Ambrose, "these are the only realities. Each is an ecstasy, a withdrawal from the common life."
...

"Great people of all kinds forsake the imperfect copies and go to the perfect originals. I have no doubt but that many of the very highest among the saints have never done a 'good action' (using the words in their ordinary sense). And, on the other hand, there have been those who have sounded the very depths of sin, who all their lives have never done an 'ill deed.'"
...

"You astonish me,” said Cotgrave. “I had never thought of that. If that is really so, one must turn everything upside down. Then the essence of sin really is—” “In the taking of heaven by storm, it seems to me,” said Ambrose. “It appears to me that it is simply an attempt to penetrate into another and a higher sphere in a forbidden manner. You can understand why it is so rare. They are few, indeed, who wish to penetrate into other spheres, higher or lower, in ways allowed or forbidden. Men, in the mass, are amply content with life as they find it. Therefore there are few saints, and sinners (in the proper sense) are fewer still, and men of genius, who partake sometimes of each character, are rare also. Yes; on the whole, it is, perhaps, harder to be a great sinner than a great saint.”
...

"Then, to return to our main subject, you think that sin is an esoteric, occult thing?” “Yes. It is the infernal miracle as holiness is the supernal. Now and then it is raised to such a pitch that we entirely fail to suspect its existence; it is like the note of the great pedal pipes of the organ, which is so deep that we cannot hear it. In other cases it may lead to the lunatic asylum, or to still stranger issues. But you must never confuse it with mere social misdoing. Remember how the Apostle, speaking of the ‘other side,’ distinguishes between ‘charitable’ actions and charity. And as one may give all one’s goods to the poor, and yet lack charity; so, remember, one may avoid every crime and yet be a sinner."

Cosmic Crawl

Cosmic Crawl is a group-sourced Lovecraftian cosmic horror setting book, drawn, written / compiled by Evlyn Moreau of the Chromatic Cauldron! I contributed some bits and pieces to it, and I'm very happy that now it's all finished.

You can find the awesome complete pdf here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pTD1XBhuDinUHmURtH4QKnz-9dU-7V5i/view

[Laird Barron] Swift to Chase

Swift to Chase is my favorite Barron collection. It has some weak stories, but I just absolutely love the interconnected narratives concerning the lives and afterlives of Alaskan teenagers. Cosmic slasher horror forever - literally. Time is a flat circle. Jessica Mace is a kick-ass character as well, and I'd love to see more stories about her. Jessica was assaulted by a serial killer, but fought back, shot it, and lived to tell the tale. This episode is a linchpin around which many of the stories revolve, or relate to, in some way.

So let's break this down!

I: Golden Age of Slashing

Screaming Elk, MT -- The opening of the collection is, unfortunately, one of the weaker ones... It's a good introduction to Jessica Mace as a character, but the story itself is a so-so report of her encounter with a haunted traveling circus.

LD50 -- Now this is a good one. The characterizations are great. Gritty and raw. The story and its resolution might not be a groundbreaking idea, but it's good enough and it's only a background for Jessica anyways.

Termination Dust -- A disjointed account beginning with Jessica's encounter with the Eagle Talon Ripper, with some more stuff thrown into it. I think this story really starts to shine when you return to it after finishing the whole collection.

Andy Kaufman Creeping through the Trees -- My favorite Barron story. He does a great job creating a unique voice for the narrator - cheerleader and alpha female Julie V - without it becoming a parody. Then there is high school weirdo / genius / fixer figure Steely J (one of his many "incarnations" throughout the collection). Barron weaves urban legends, Mean Girls, pop culture into a single strain, leading to a most horrific climax... I absolutely love this story.

II: Swift to Chase

Ardor -- This story picks up the Alaska themes, but otherwise I feel it's a bit underwhelming and uninspired. I usually skip it during my Swift to Chase rereads...

the worms crawl in, -- This one is quite a mess! But the mess has certain hypnotic qualities, as the paranoid ramblings and stream of consciousness quickly blow this tale of domestic violence into cosmic proportions - only to collapse back into the mundane?

(Little Miss) Queen of Darkness -- Back to the horrific lives of the Alaskan teenagers of Eagle Talon! We revisit those fateful nights, and see the aftermath, or one of the aftermaths... The account is once again radically divergent from all the others: maybe it's an unreliable narrator, or perhaps what we read is the description of how it all went down in one of the personal pocket hells.

Ears Prick Up -- Given the collection's overall coherence, this story is kind of a weird choice... A piece told form the point of view of a genetically/robotically enhanced combat dog, set in a pseudo-Roman futuristic science fantasy world. At the same time, the title of the whole collection comes from it ("My kind is swift to chase, swift to battle"). This story loosely fits into Barron's pulp / gonzo line of output, it also lines up along stories like "Vastation". And it is a great story in its own right, with the stream of dog-consciousness just driving it forward.

III: Tomahawk

Black Dog -- Barron's stories often have a romantic / existentialist (?) streak. They are about outsiders, damaged people, individuals who don't necessarily fit into society. "Black Dog" is about two of these people going on a date and sort of just clicking? It might sound lame, but actually this is a great short story, almost purely in dialog form, with an eerie horror undertone.

Slave Arm -- "...and begin, again," Barron writes, and once again recounts the story of a party turning into a slasher massacre. I love the enumeration he provides: a 100+ names of everybody who's here: "Your friends are here. Your enemies are here. Everybody you’ve ever slept with is here." After the massacre comes the lengthy period of DEALING with the trauma. Survivor's guilt. Flashbacks. A very strong story, especially in combination with the others in the collection.

Frontier Death Song -- Barron's take on the Wild Hunt motif. Of course, filtered through Alaska, horror and 1980's rock radio. It is a good story, although, weirdly, I don't enjoy the link with the folklore motif much.

Tomahawk Park Survivors Raffle -- And finally, one more long account of the various horrific events that befell the Alaskan teenagers. I absolutely LOVE this story. It's such a mad ride, and a perfect final for the collection. Of course, given what we've already learnt, this is just one of the possible outcomes. This story is permeated with the fallout of our favorite Barronian cosmic horror conspiracies, leaning towards slasher / pulp. Clandestine experiments, secret government organizations, Planet X... I get a buzz from reading and re-reading it.

[Magic Item/Book] Tome of Higher Constellations

The Tome of Higher Constellations was created by an anonymous scholar in Prague, for the library of Rudolf II. The first half of the book consists of astronomical tables: meticulously compiled and corrected, but nothing out of the ordinary. However, the second half introduces more charts, graphs, from a wide range of sciences natural and occult. Through complex calculations these are cross-referenced with the heavenly constellations. Uncanny patterns, otherwise hidden, emerge… making it possible to trace and predict the finest shifts of the celestial spheres that command the fate of the whole universe. The final result is a single date in the future, when all factors align, and major, cosmic changes are possible. Actions undertaken on that day will bear major consequences: warlords bent on world domination crave to know this date, alchemists and magicians seek it as the date of their opus magnum or most complex ritual…

The catch: this prognosis is not descriptive. It’s prescriptive. Once a date is divined using the Tome of Higher Constellations, something world-changing is bound to happen. But the exact details are malleable. Anybody who knows the time can attempt some insane endeavor.

To peruse the Tome, one must have a strong academic or arcane background, and then spend 2d4 weeks working on the calculations in a library or laboratory.

After the period of study, a date in the future is predicted.

	Dice type	Time unit
1	1d4	days
2	1d6
3	1d8	months
4	1d10
5	1d12
6	1d20	years

Roll two d6’s and consult the chart. The first d6 gives a dice type. The second d6 gives a time unit. A roll with the given type of dice defines the amount of time units.

Example: roll #1 is 3 = 1d8. Roll #2 is 5 = months. The 1d8 roll comes up as 6. This is combined as 6 months.

Repeat this process two more times, then sum up all the results to learn how far into the future will the grand constellation take place, counted from the FINAL day of work with the Tome.

Example: #1 = 6 months; #2 = 8 days; #3 = 12 years. The constellation will take place 12 years, 6 months and 8 days into the future.

If one time unit comes up more than once, just add them up as usual.

Example: #1 = 6 months; #2 = 13 months; #3 = 2 days. The constellation will take place 19 months and 2 days into the future.

Yeah... This is how I envision "epic level" games in LotFP, mwhahah...