So nice comments on last few posts and i was asked by Tim Baker about Al Quadim setting stuff after these posts. I quit dnd about 91 and got more into RQ and CoC and TSR Marvel and homebrew SF games. Basically product lines from around then were of less interest to me art and text wise. Plus earlier modules are simple and easy to work with. They have simple plots easily made more complex. Making less complex or more open is difficult. Post Desert of Desolation series and Dragonlance more so things became more linear and overly detailed and over written into the 90s. Brave ideas got watered down. Demons and devils were persecuted for being to evil in a game about fighting evil etc.
i never had or seen Al Quadim stuff much till recently. The day of AlAkbar was a funny module i liked when i was 15 (including cover older friends at uni laughed at) and like Dragonlance books I just went into marvel comics, Morecock, 2000ad. I had seen gurps book and iron crown one on setting but i think at this time i just got into history reading and classics. Probably i was more into bronze age.
I might do desert of desolation and the master of desert nomads series.
Early tsr stuff needed more work to pad them out and were more like board game set ups in some ways. By Hickman era style became big things became highly detailed over written linear adventures and mostly less interesting and harder to work. Simple old dungeons don't need much to improve. Most have encounters, treasure, some simple goals, defence plans. Mostly I like to add lots of factions to meet or find signs of and be able to potentially work with. Rival competitions explorers or cults or greedy wizards are good. Factions that might be helped or used or aid you in a crisis or if captured are good.
i did make a god for my setting that was for my desert nomads in various settings and it was accidentally good...
Slave Lord Series
Slavery is bad and you can fight it and die trying!
These were early purchases long ago for me in 84. And i complected a set in several bundles and POD versions on drive through in 2019.
You could ignore tournament stuff but pregens also good for a lethal short campaign or npc meatshields or sent by factions as rivals.
The series has a good moral evil villain to stop
Know people hurt or taken by slavers enough bait
You are basically commandos, spies and at times infiltrators and assassins
Bad guys are just wealthy and greedy murder hobos
Spin it like James bond but with wizards and monsters but they take up spaceYour outcome could effect slavery world wide and effect many factions
Run it as a 1400-1600 European adventure, full of swashbuckling and some guns
d12 Patrons
1 Guild slavery banned from guild influenced lands
2 Noble family wants lost kin returned
3 Merchant clan wants slavery banned as devalues goods
4 A good church order funds and aids expedition to rescue pilgrim
5 Tribes folk want slavers to leave them alone pay in pearls
6 Criminal guild linked to rival slaver org put out of business
7 A foreign empire wants to know slavers secrets and possible risks
8 Slavers of the Forbidden City serpent folk have been short of human sacrifices
9 Drow clan short on slaves and tired of humans slaves thinking they own own slaves
10 Several religions of good has sent priests to recruit adventurers to eliminate slavers
11 Evil church want to get piece of the action, find out secrets and attempt to join them
12 Terrible lords of the under ground black lotus kindom dislike slavers raiding their drug addled labourers from surface plantationsMost want information, some hope for business leverage. Scarlet legion or Drow are involved in slavers but you could have them send stooges to test factions or test weaknesses. Have patrons help sailing you to anywhere needed and travel costs.
d12 Why I hate Slave Lords
1 Captured family members and took them away
2 Someone you know spoke against them and was stabbed
3 Town you came from was burned down by slaver raiders
4 Country that opposed them became strife with civil war and assassins and evil cults
5 Secretive agents of some brotherhood killed your family for opposing slavers
6 Churches opposed to slavery have been attacked and donations given to pro slavery faiths
7 They use bribery and corruption to change laws to be pro slavery
8 Common folk in clan driven off land by slave labourers and moved to city slums
9 Born into slavery and adopted into owners family, remember real family and slavers
10 Enslaved but escaped or left for dead
11 Saw a country opposed to raiding slavers destroyed and over run with humanoids
12 Noble sold own serfs from slavers and replaced them with thrall goblins
Also scarlet brotherhood might hire someone test the security and purge the weakest links in slavers and send party pretending to be a faction. End of A3 could include party employers informed slavers you were coming.
Extra factions, patrons and thinking about slaver's heroes influences
Monster types are a good guide for factions within a dungeon
Bosses have other motivations and interests outside slavers
A1 Slave Pits of the Undercity
-Slavers have yellow sails
-Despoiled city of Highport in Wastes of Parmarj
-Awesome ruins needs more work and some demon cults
-Overrun by humanoids hell yeah! Why are I not there now?
-Old invisible thief slaver boss trick and a witch doctor
-Sewers with crocs!Id name more bad guys and extend ruins. Have to find the temple for a while before entering would be ok. Perhaps question prisoner or escaped slave. Have some maps and handouts for the bosses to have at end - scribe and the thief.
d12 Ruin Encounters by Day
1 Pteradactyl d4
2 Harpies d4
3 Baslisks d2
4 Orc scouts x12
5 Aspis scouts
6 Doppelgangers 2d4
7 Dimetradons d4
8 Cannibal tribal hunters 3d4
9 Sundew
10 Carrion crawler d2
11 Slavers 3d4 moving prisoners 2d4 with 2d4 guards and foreman with whip
12 Slaver comanders d3 with 12 orc squad with a sarge and a d4 ogres
d12 Ruin Encounters by Night
1 Leopard stalking victim
2 Ghouls 2d4
3 Zombies 3d4
4 Orc scouts 12
5 Orc infantry 12
6 Orcs off duty drunk 3d4
7 Orc priest and d12 cultists
8 Stirges d10
9 Wight
10 Shadows 2d4
11 Ogres d4
12 TrollCool boss guys (need names and more info)
Orc Chief of orc tribe might like names for both
Orc Witchdoctor
Nameless thief runs base for slave lords
A2 Secrets of the Slavers Stockade
-Lost old castle of Drachensgrab is a slaver trade route base
-Processing and fattening of slaves (rendered puffin lard?)
-Several slave lord bosses to kill
-A-team style raid on prison
Monsters are mostly nocturnal but keep to human time mostly and by night let some monsters in fort loose or up from basement. If alarms ring use day table indoors and night for uncovered areas.
d12 Fort Day Encounters
1 Hobgoblin squad
2 Vipers d3
3 War Dogs 2d4
4 Bugbears x2
5 Gnolls 2d6
6 Escaped Slave x1
7 Slavers 2d6 with slaves 2d4
8 Slaver patrol with trader
9 Orc drunks d4 punishing slave
10 Orc matrons doing chores 2d6
11 Goblin riding warg
12 Giant Rats 4d6
d12 Night Encounters
1 Hobgoblin squad
2 Hobgoblin shaman & 2d4 hobgoblins
3 Cave lizard
4 Carnivorous Apes d3
5 Cave Spider d2
6 Escaped Slave x1
7 Cave Beetle
8 Spectral minion d8 HD in one or multiple peaple
9 Cloaker
10 Squad of orcs
11 Boggle wandering about like an idiot
12 Giant Rats 4d6
Cool boss guys
Markessa beautiful elf boss here for cash, power and chance to make vivisection monsters
Blackthorn ogre magi in human form second in command
Fyndax Alchemist assists Markessa's experiments
Kyvin Trist evil scribe (he talks in libraries and eats in bed reading books?)
A3 The Aerie of the Slave Lords
-Infamous for killing the party as plot device-Crazy caves of Drachensgrab made to look like has choice but not really much-Secret trip to Suderham and it's council of slavelord leaders
-Hidden City of Suderham urban adventure
-Bad guys just greedy crooked adventurer party not supernatural evil plots
-Catacombs with with warned enemies waiting intent on killing party, ask questions later
Its pretty narrative linear adventure with limited agency beyond surviving a ambush. Id try to not end of the cliffhanger of everyone beaten and murdered. My players beat the ambush anyway but were worried. The Drow could or priest might have a demon ally they use under duress at risk of their souls.
Cool boss guys
Feetia 10 fighter - buccaneer runs slavers fleet or raiders and transporting
Nerilas 11th level assassin leads a assassin order protecting slave lord interests
Mordrammo 9th Level cleric of the earth dragon
Ajakstu 9yh level wizard fears awesome staff near depleted, uses crystal ball to spy on party
Brother Millerjai 9th level monk of scarlet brotherhood involved in this part of evil scheme
A4 In the Dungron of the Slavelords
-Volcano erupts in the slavelords secret island capitol!
-Another party of greedy murderhobo billionaires to kill
-Players resurrected interrogated tortured then escape prison naked!
-Escape dungeon then volcano and kill the slavelords
-Possibly make friends with mushroom folk, they might know volcano coming
-I think a explanation for volcano might help not just dumb luck (dragons? Gods?)
-Maybe gods started volcano to bust you out of prison
Good dramatic idea of killing and put in a dungeon but most gamers would be upset. Perhaps some patrons might request dead slave lords bodies so they can raise dead or speak with dead. Might give players idea idea slavers will do this or do a cut away to some god in the land of the dead sending them home.
Cool boss guys
Stalman Klim evil high priest Probably WeeJas or of some evil god involvedTheg Narlot half orc fighter assasin runs assassins and orc hordes used by slavers
Edraive drow fghter/cleric, so drow again! those bastards!
Lemonster the Illusionist greedy hedonist
Brother Kerin of the scarlet brotherhood
Slippery Ketta the thief runs infiltration and thieves guilds across world
More i think of it a Xor Series of adventures might be good. Here is a list of Faux book titles I can quote constantly in my Xor book.
d100 Books of Xor
01 Settlers of Xor
In which pioneer settlers build a city for their tribe of heroes versus their evil kin
02 Ancients of Xor
Ancient wise in the ways of living inside Xor and their strange alien weapons
03 Pirates of Xor
Pirates from another world came to Xor for treasure, plunder and wonder
04 Knights of Xor
A order of knights guard the holy orifice of Xor keeping it safe from chaos demons
05 Gargantua of Xor
A war between colossal morons of godlike power and how humankind got rid of them
06 Citadels of Xor
A cluster of great cities emerge over centuries and come to war and ruination
07 Parasites of Xor
Horrid new species of parasites invade a community who must trust Xor knows best
08 Plagues of Xor
Diseased demon cultists come bringing sickness to the tribes of Xor
09 Plant Lords of Xor
Rare tribe of plant folk on Xor seek a hidden place with vegetation to live in peace
10 Beastfolk of Xor
Scholar Hero travels to the wastes to live among the beast folk tribes
11 Rotten things on Xor
Volcanic event erupts infected chaos effluvia to the region which heroes seek to heal
12 Flesh Apes of Xor
A race of huge naked ape folk rampage over the region egged on by their ape god
13 Merchants of Xor
Traveller Aiken Zola follows trade routes describing customs of lands for traders
14 Meat Giants of Xor
A horrid race of hungry flesh giants rampaged the kingdom till their lord was killed
15 Bastards of Xor
A gang of unwanted youths go on a adventure seeking wealth and a new home
16 Hatred of Xor
Flagellants, berserkers and murder cults roam the land until heroes stop them
17 Treasures of Xor
Adventures, heists and exploits of the rogue elderly Flurax Sepossak
18 Eaters of Xor
Another world gate allows Xor to taste uneaten worlds allowing heroes to travel
19 Prophets of Xor
Prophet dreams of Xor's desire and rouses an army to fight a crusade against chaos
20 Caverns of Xor
Heroes travel into the depths of Xor seeking a lost civilisation devoured long ago
21 Deep in the Bowels of Xor
Travel the inside Xor seeking a safe way beyond mouth, stomach & labyrinthine gut
23 Fangs of Xor
Tribal cannibal warriors taken as slaves, escape after seeing strange civilisation
24 Mutants of Xor
A saint unites mutant tribes into a army to fight the mutant hunting templars
25 Animus of Xor
An explorer in the neural chasms of Xor discovers a secret hidden race
26 Ultra Pits of Xor
Explorers in the deeps of Xor find a great subdermal kingdom of evil wizards
27 Killers of Xor
A blood thirsty cult on a murder spree as they flee civilisation into the chaos wastes
28 Fighting Fungus of Xor
The bellybutton chasm strange forests of fungus and mould strange to people of Xor
29 Cancer of Xor
Hideous chaos growths menace a peaceful valley of warrior farmers
30 Oceans of Xor
Great oceans of sweat, tears and spi with hidden islands are explored by a bone ship
31 Bones of Xor
Great bone assemblages are home to new settlers, explorers and monsters
32 Flesh of Xor
Great flesh quarry where meat is exported and the troubles of the governor running it
33 Blood of Xor
Exterminating a cult of blood sacrifice dedicated to a vampire bat goddess
34 Breathe of Xor
Into the lungs adventurers seek a chaos incursion harming all of Xor
35 Brains of Xor
Explorers in the brain clusters of Xor seeking occult mysteries and strange wonders
36 Heart of Xor
Proffessor Carnodeles and his merry assistants look into the heart cathedral of Xor
37 Cannibal Mutant Babies of Xor
Giant babies roam the land eating everything so heroes seek a humane end for them
38 Zombies of Xor
Necromantic cult finds larder of corpses and causes trouble so heroes kill them
39 Flatulence of Xor
Gaseous emissions caused by demons of pestilence giving Xor bad bloating
40 Orifice of Xor
Land of a thousand sphincters, full of fleshy caves with treasure and monsters
41 Gateway of Xor
Intruders from another world exchanged with xorians and hijinx ensue
42 Invasion of Xor
Xor invades another realm bringing peoples of Xor to a new world not made of meat!
43 Devoured of Xor
Adventure inside Xor as explorers world eaten
44 Strangers in Xor
Visitors from a far off land explore Xor to trade and find stranded enemies from home
45 Tentacles of Xor
Tentacled mutant horrors invade and villagers must flee a land gone mad
46 Beasts of Xor
Hunter seeks strange beast to slay, enters caverns of Xor to find where beasts from
47 Templars of Xor
A warrior order help rouse a army for a crusade against chaos daemons
48 Berserker of Xor
Wild warriors raid a coastline and cavern systems for treasure and slaves
49 Bone Pyramid of Xor
Tomb of a mad necromancer king who plans on animating a bone colossus
50 Flesh Cube of Xor
A cube of flesh appears on a world crumbling apart offering a refuge from apocalypse
51 Carrion Ziggurat of Xor
Fleshy mountain of scarified wonder carved by cultists into the flesh of Xor
52 Hierophant of Xor
A great priest unifies kingdoms to wage war on chaos infections breaking out
53 Crown of Xor
A king unifies local tribes to aid Xor in devouring a new realm as invaders
54 Healers of Xor
White necromancers heal and speak to the dead but some say they are really sinister
55 High Priestess of Xor
Great Priestess overcomes adversity, has great lovers and wins a kingdom
56 Warriors of Xor
A tribal barbarian becomes a great warlord then royal guard and then king
57 Thieves of Xor
City urchin rises to become gang lord and many times uses stranger magic treasures
58 Wizards of Xor
School wizards meet again years later before tragically they must kill each other
59 The Tower of Flesh
Heroes invade a flesh tower to kill the mighty meat master of flesh wizardry
60 Swords of Xor
Mercenaries fight various wars in lands of Xor before they battle a daemon horde
61 Axe of Xor
Barbarian brothers hunt and kill evil wizards who destroyed their kingdom
62 Harpoons for Xor
Men hunting humongous flesh creatures are drawn to world of Xor
63 Magnificent Meat Mages of Xor
A band of wizards battle a mutant army besieging a village
64 Mummies of Xor
A great underground tomb has awakened with mummies who prepare for war
65 In the Flesh Gardens of Xor
Escaping the pleasure pits of Xor are harder than any prison with bars
66 Gluttons of Xor
New arrivals greedily gorge on the wrong flesh and become mutant monsters
67 Midden Heaps of Xor
An ancient garbage heap has remnants of long lost civilisations
68 Birthmark of Xor
Heroes marked by blemish of Xor witness the invasion and devouring of their worlds
69 Butchers of Xor
Heroes gather exotic organs and meats of Xor for wizards
70 Slime Pits of Xor
Exploring underground slime lakes and exotic island kingdoms
71 Carnage of Xor
A warrior order slaughter their way across the realm before heroes arise and kill them
72 Blood Feast of Xor
A savage cult taking over the region claim to know secrets of Xor
73 Madness of Xor
A land of madness and behaviour altering hormones tear lakes guarding a bad wizard
74 Reanimated of Xor
A wizard makes zombies from cloned corpses he has been growing for troops
75 Elder gods of Xor
Cult calling elder intruder gods to the land of Xor who were killed by heroes
76 Bird Gods of Xor
Strange kingdom of bird folk keep a wall to ward off humanity
77 Lizard Kings of Xor
A kingdom ruled by tyrant lizards and dinosaur minions that feed off Xor
78 Dreamers of Xor
Kingdom of wild wizardry where locals dream a whole new world in contact with Xor
79 The Predators of Xor
Monstrous creatures besiege a community who hold them off until allies arrive
80 Emperor of Xor
A ruler dedicated self to Xor and carved out a empire until he was betrayed
81 Surgeon Seers of Xor
Surgical cult who created monsters and explored the depths of Xor seeking power
82 Scar of Xor
Great sickly chasm has intruders from daemon realm, heroes are sent to purify them
83 Sickness of Xor
Plague strikes the land and heroes travel to a node of Xor's mind to save people
84 Slumber of Xor
Xor recovers after long hibernation and creatures awaken for food and love
85 Love Slaves of Xor
A band of slaves travels, escape and eventual settlement of a new kingdom
86 Warp Lords of Xor
A dread lord with powers of of the alien warp comes to Xor to raise a daemon army
87 Goddess of Xor
A new goddess assembles worshippers to prove her divinity to the god kings of Xor
88 The Flesh Daemons of Xor
Horrible invaders come to xor but mighty heroes foiled them
89 The Skin Flayers of Xor
A cruel warlord arises and is eventually foiled by a lack of supporters left alive
90 Sacrifices of Xor
A startling strange civilisation sacrifices thousands of captives to the maw of xor
91 City of Flesh
A great city of merchants and nobles and it's many tales of treachery and adventure
92 Pit of the Meat God
A great god at the bottom of a pit is foiled then killed by heroes
93 The Carrion Fortress
A vast fortress of flesh holds back a undead horde keeping kingdoms of xor safe
94 City of Bleeding Gums
A bustling corrupt city of pink and ivory, where murder and mystery are at every turn
95 Rise of the Meat Lords
Warlords of barbarian tribes arise to exterminate wizards and demon worshippers
96 Rancid Meat Sceptre of the Beast
Artefact wielded by evil god is stolen by a mortal who destroys the beasts empire
97 Fleshfall of the Meatlord
Meteors land and alien flesh grows smothering the land with Xor here to devour all
98 War with the Dead
The fallen dead enslave xor for the eternal feasts of the dead
99 Rugose Slime Caves of the Vile Ones
A hideous outsider race dwells in caverns of flesh growing their evil spawn
100 Pustullent Ones Cometh
Great infected boils cover the land until a hero confronts the plague demon lord!
The Twelve Schools
Elemental College
Prehistoric schools mostly neutral
Also para elements and quasi elementals but rarer
-Geomancy the Earth Elementalist School
-Aeromancy the Air Elementalist School
-Aquamancy the Water Elementalist School
-Pyromancy the Fire Elementalist School
First spells taught by planar elemental beings more common back in the first age Still popular and least hated wizards by common folk. Commonly used in war..
Necromancy College
Mostly ancient evil black robe corpse magic
or white school who heal and commune with dead for advice
or red new school of neutral anatomical biomancy
-Ossimancy or knokencraft
-Carnomancy or fliechcraft
-Sanguinmancy or blutcraft
-Animancy or giestcraft
After the monster age some using their black magic conquered the world with undead. The black school has been hated since then. White school are rare but tolerated. The red school claim to be free of moral evil, seeking to heal, experiment on corpses and make help the living. They are well established in the universities who publicly condemn black necromancy.
Arcane College
Taught in modern schools of various alignments since the rule of humanity
-Enchanters (specialists in making magic items and mind control, aid feudal lords)
-Summoners (specialist in calling planar being for aid, specialised monster summoning)
-Evokers (battlefield army wizards for war or battle mages, call strange destructive powers)
-Diabolists (wizards dedicated to serving Hell and calling infernal power to grant wishes)
Isolated traditions have been brought into the modern common study of magic. Enchanters are popular with nobility for making magic weapons and influencing others but many fear them. Summoners call beings and objects from other worlds eventually exploring the planes to treaty with great daemons and elemental lords. Evokers specialise in blowing stuff up with a variety of elemental powers used mostly on the battlefield making them popular with military and seen as more modern than elementalists. Diabolists study devils, Hell and demon lore to help deal with these powers. Obviously many distrust them and most consider them corrupt.
Other Magician Systems Confused with Wizardry
Wizard taps magic from their selves, material components and knowing of exploitable universal power. Sorcerers tap into other worldly pre human powers of creation or the planes. Mystics hold spirits or use channelled internal energy to release as spells. Alchemists manipulate by synchronising their spirit to material components to create magic items like potions, weapons, guns, golems even living creatures. True witches understand the secret dawn age lore of magic with power words and crafted fetish items. They evoke forgotten petty spirit and planar beings forgotten by others
Alchemy - a separate system with own spell list and a set price of materials and casting time. Alchemists make special potions often that they prepare then activate at the moment of use. They also make animated constructs, steam apparatus, gunpowder, st and incendiaries and mechanical or clockwork technology, etc. They don't summon monsters they create them with limited lives from potion bottles and the things shrivel and die in a short time period. Alchemists make life forms using magical apparatus and materials.
Sorcerers - same spells but limited spell knowledge but cast instinctively channelling energy. Often from other worldly bloodlines linked to other planes or supernatural beings or spirits. Tend to be inborn and innate who have strange dreams of non human times and planar beings. Lazier and less dedicated than scholar wizards, usually attract cults or join them, often hedonistic and chaotic. Some have instead made pacts with such beings according to ancient pre human secrets. They tend to occasional get messages or instructions from their patrons. Many so called witches (unlawful magicians are witches by law) are sorcerers. Much more likely than wizards (mostly atheists or occultists) to have supernatural or religions trappings or have cultists serving them as followers.
Mystics - separate spell system also known as magi, psionicists, mentalists, mediums or shamans. Powers are based from tapping into their personal spirits and gaining spell spirits from the spirit world who are held to prepare in 8 hours of ritual seances and then released to cast. Four main branches of power specialisation. Energy (magi), Body (savants), Mind (mentalists) and Planar (prophets) are the elements of mystic arts. As shamen many barbaric, nomad and wild peoples mystics deal with spirits, ancestors and beast totems. Mediums are civilised degenerate shamen who make themselves open to otherworldly spirits for hire. Shamen and mediums actually capture spirits and use them as spells or project their animus into a spirit to interact with other spirits. They would be Psionicists on Xor or Planet Psychon
Witches - most illegal casters are called witches which can confuse students. Many so called witches are sorcerers or wizards or clerics of unpopular cults like druids. Witch magic is rare now but witches had limited powers common to other spell casters but could cast limited spells more often or at will when powerful. Some say it is the original magic system. (roll to cast spells from limited list but gain some lower abilities at will at high level, roll to see if can cast again in day or automatic eventually). Witches survive best when women and oppressed people have limited opportunities for power, religious status or titles. Most witches are illegal and underground. Many are based on vengeance others are benevolent healers but still persecuted.
Clerics - warrior priests gain miracles to fight evil (or vice versa). Serve respectable gods known by the masses especially the urban ones. Druids serve rural cults of rednecks, remnants of older people occupied by civilisation. Druids are outlawed or at least persecuted in some lands. Evil clerics are the opposite and use power to spread fear, ignorance and defy what is right. Clerics as military priests often crusade against evil cults or neutral druid sects or operate inquisitions to find hidden ones. Some clerics hunt even outlaw wizards. Powerful robed magical priests might seem wizard like but their miracle power comes from prayers and the miracles occur when the priest says the holy words of power. They just channel and store magic from gods through their holy symbol.
Mercenary companies are a well established institution and help bring peace by making war so expensive few can afford the mercenaries needed to win. Such companies have colourful names and reputations and strict oaths of obedience and honour. Mercenaries are not suicidal and will demand more pay if the odds become poor. One of the worst cases is mercenaries of the same large organisation ends up fighting old friends or allies or other branches. Yes sometimes as a mercenary you get asked to do horrible things. Lawful Good mercenaries are hard to find.
d100 Mercenary Company Missions
01 Guard a payroll over night as regular guards were poisoned
02 Protect a merchant caravan visiting regional villages
03 Guard a warehouse from criminals for the night
04 Bodyguard a visiting noble youth inspecting the town
05 Prevent a gang of extortionists threatening a street of shop keepers
06 Guard a door of a exclusive noble party
07 Plotters plan to rush a gatehouse so a wanted fugitive can leave town and extra hidden guards are needed
08 A noble fears peasants want to kill them and requires extra guards for a few days
09 Someone has been stealing booze from a nobles cellar and they wants guards to catch them
10 A small band of robbers in the woods have been hording up travellers, bring them toi justice
11 A robber knight has a cave lair in a forest has been attacking local noles estates and they want him killed
12 Bandits hold a woman hostage and the family want them all dead
13 A noble has orcs living in a old ruin on his property and wants the vermin exterminated
14 Dark elves tormented local farmers with undead animals and cruel tricks and the lord wants them exterminated
15 Thieves who stole from the company have holed up in a ruined tower and the treasure must be recovered and the criminals made to pay
16 A noble needs troops to deal with his bastard brother attempting to extort the family and threatening their good name, he lairs with a criminal gang in a bandit tunnel complex
17 Bandits keep using jurisdictional borders to escape law enforcers and the sherrif and magistrate need company to slaughter them
18 Men are needed to work on a ship and surprise pirates who have been persecuting the shipping clan
19 A gang has offended too many nobles who have called for extermination of them and provide the gang house location
20 Rival nobles having a border skirmish need mercenaries to destroy they other sides men at arms
21 Treasure in a wild area needs recovering and party are to assist nobles scribe with map recover it
22 Strange murderer harassing family of a nobles, need guards and killer stopped
23 Men are needed to over see a duel as seconds of one of the parties
24 Hunting grounds of a estate have a unwelcome monster scaring game, remove it please
25 Clan of cannibals living in old mine need to be driven out and captured or killed
26 Town wants all feral dogs killed, becoming too common and getting confident to attack and steal
27 Tax collector requires extra muscle when visiting a recalcitrant fishing village
28 Adventurers are avoiding paying tax, escort the tax collector to a famous dungeon entrance and charge adventurers when exiting with loot
29 A noble has had title and land stripped but wont leave the estate, go and evict them
30 A wizard killed his mercenaries to avoid paying them but the guild remembers, get the money plus fees for killing company members or kill him and take the money
31 A cult hired some mercenaries to clear out a ruin for them but now wont pay and the mercenaries instead have joined them. Go get out money and punish the oath breakers
32 A cult operating in the hills ha murdered someone important and local lord wants them all killed or captured for public execution
33 A robber knight has taken a ruined fortress and has used it as a base, go kill him and ruin the fort so nobody else gets the same idea
34 A fortified frontier village have declared independence, their patron upset about his investment want leaders rounded up and this nonsense stopped
35 Bandits stole a payroll chest and the employer wants it recovered and bandits killed, also find out if bandits had a inside informant
36 A ruined castle dungeon used as a prison has rioted and have valuable hostages inside who need to be recovered
37 Orcs kidnapped a labouring crew and have them enslaved expanding their dungeon, go rescue the men and punish the orcs
38 A troll is charging travellers to cross a bridge and that is the nobles income! Go drive off the troll
39 Adventurers need some extra muscle in a dungeon, if they show signs of trying to treat you like cannon fodder or expendable kill them all
40 Mercenaries guarding a wizard exploring a cave disappeared, see if there are any signs of them
41 Mercenaries are required to assist slavers raiding islands for cheap labour
42 A dragon is charging taxes to locals and charming village leaders to comply, that income belongs to the aristocracy and mercenaries are to kill the dragon and return stolen loot
43 Border nobles are feuding, offer your services to various houses and camp in area, eventually one side will pay your high fees for a fight then start a bidding war for your services
44 A knight killed his hostages who could not pay but the families pooled together to hire mercenaries to claim his head and burn down the manour house
45 Church needs some relics recovered and devotees have failed, go claim the relics and be assured killing thieves is the work of the gods
46 A ship captain has found a island of rich savages and needs help to take the loot, really he wants to enslave them and become ruler and will burn the ship on arrival
47 A former member stole company funds and fled into a dungeon complex to hide out from the law. Show them our reach is unstoppale
48 A noble refused to pay after his adventurers proved overly costly. Go and join existing force and make them pay
49 A borderland fortified village is under siege from orcs, break through and aid the locals
50 A region has broken out in civil war, go their and establish a chapter of the company and get to work fleecing both sides
51 Peace has broken out in the region damaging the income of good fighting men. Go to the borderlands and raid humanoid tribes to instigate a war
52 Noble has decided hidden demi humans owe back taxes for generations and needs soldiers to support this claim
53 w of a knight needs aid fighting off a bastards claim to her estate, he has assembled a bandit force
54 A robber knight has been exposed as a devil cultist, many victims are alive and awaiting sacrifice in the dungeon under the ruins they dwell in. Go kill him and free the prisoners
55 A giant has been leading humanoids against settlements charging exorbitant fees to be left alone, kill the beast and return the stolen cattle
56 Adventurers who struck it big are avoiding their company tithes and need to pay fees plus extra for recovery costs or be punished
57 Broke mercenaries have taken over a isolated village against members charter and are to be executed or disarmed and brought in for public punishments
58 A ruin has been taken over by a robber knight who has hired a rival mercenary company we don't want operating in our region. Kill them all as a message
59 A non tax paying village of cultists has tricked adventurers into aiding them resist tax payments. Kill the adventurers and aid the just tax collector
60 Bandits kidnapped a nobles concubines for ransom, kill the men and save the concubines
61 A criminal organisation has got many guild members hooked so we are going to raid their stronghold, kill the vice pedlars and seize the drugs to destroy the market
62 A allied wizard school has had had members assassinated, accompany the wizards to destroy the rival school responsible
63 A band of adventurers has been poaching company assignments from clients, force them to join and pay back tithes or kill them
64 A miner using humanoid slaves has had problems with feral humanoids raiding their camp. Sort out the raiders and make sure they wont come back
65 A noble has refused to pay, in guise of robber knights burn down his sources of income
66 A former employer has refused to pay and hired another company on credit to kill our fee collectors, kill them all and loot them
67 Feuding brothers are battling over a estate, set up a camp support who ever gives us the best deal
68 Peasant rebels are causing trouble and noble wants them rounded up for execution
69 Plotters have been holed up by constabulary in building so mayor needs someone to ko in and finish the job
70 Two nobles are feuding and one has hired us to kill or capture enough enemies they back down from their position against our employer
71 Inquisitors are in area hunting cultist heretics and need guards to helpround up and exterminate the vermin
72 A major humanoid incursion has border under pressure. Hold a old border keep and hold the line. Mobilise locals into a fighting force
73 A wizard has been holed up in a tower and refuses to surrender. Specialists unafraid of magic are needed to finish the job
74 A village needs defending from raiders, if possible find their base and eliminate them for a bonus before their money runs out
75 A daring raid via the river needs mercenaries to stop the bridge defences that will stop the plan down river
76 Burn down a village of unauthorised settlers trying to avoid taxation and obligations to nobility
77 A border skirmish has erupted, raid the enemy strong hold while forces away, loot and burn the place and take their followers as prisoners
78 Sneak into a enemy camp and steal their mercenary payroll to help stir up trouble before a battle, bonus finds for burning their supplies or poisoning their water
79 An uppity kobold king has been causing trouble on the border and claims the region is his by right, raid their cavern complex and kill this king
80 A employer wants you to fight a enemy mercenary force in a pitched battle on a flat field to decide a disagreement between them
81 An elderly king is ill and one of the sons needs mercenaries on hand to quash any illegitimate claims that emerge over succession. He needs outsiders he can trust to make tough decisions
82 A lord away on a foreign war has rivals who need him to join them. Go kidnap his family to help negotiations
83 A necromancer in the hills has amassed a undead army. The church needs you to defend priests while they prey the undead away on the battlefield
84 Enter the civil war regions and seize a region then sell it to the highest bidder and support their cause
85 Burn a fleet of ships while at the docks under repair to limit their owners supply lines in a dispute
86 Rival banks both lay claim to a fiefdom who loaned money to the previous owner. Persuade on bank to hire you and destroy the rival forces
87 An important church official has been caught red handed aiding an alliance of plotters against the kingdom, go seize him before his supporters can rally to save him
88 A area beset by sea raiders needs troops but claims they cannot pay. Negotiate a loan through a bank for them and destroy the raider
89 Tribes of savage wild folk have beset a region. Using superior fighting ability and organisation invade them and destroy their commanders hiding in a primitive hill fort
90 A savage tribe in the wilds has been practising backwards rites of human sacrifice. Help the church spread civilisation to them by killing their priesthood and seize their golden treasures of their brutish king to help fund more good causes
91 A barbarian king has gold to pay modern mercenaries to help smash a rival clan. Beware of their backwards ways but they could become good regular clients if you impress them
92 Dark elves in the woods have gone too far in their pranks and demands to be worshipped like gods. Find their tree forts and burn them
93 Part of being a viable mercenary company is maintaining the latest weapons. Go help a clan of black hat gnomes fight their enemies in return for firearms and expertise
94 A cannon tower guards a river and if it can be destroyed by a raid then troops can move into enemy heartlands to purge their lands. The gunsmith here is their leading expert so kidnap them and their family if possible or kill them
95 Get into enemy lands and raid their wagon trains and supply networks to reduce their armies effectiveness
96 During a battle sneak behind enemy lines and massacre the enemy leaders who are watching from a safe distance
97 Meet orcish tribal leaders and recruit them for a surprise attack on enemies border lands weakening their position and splitting their forces
98 A wizard who knows the secret of making the cheapest orcs from alchemy and mud needs a escort and aid to build a base and build a army to surprise a enemy for a war tarting next year
99 Under cover of darkness sneak necromancers into the graveyards of a enemy town and let them create undead to demoralise the enemy
100 Enter enemy lands and break open prisons and labour camps and slave markets, rouse them into a fighting force and spread terror forcing the enemy to divide their forces
So i will finish my last beast folk post but after losing pelican and stingray folk will let it rest a bit. Meanwhile.....My monster book got a big update. Will post progress soon.
Some beast folk variant tables
d12 Where did beast folk come from?
1 Descended from beast spirits in dawn age before humans appeared
2 Made by the gods as servants and guardians of the wilderness
3 Some tribes intermarried with beast spirit folk long ago
4 Ancient religions created them as servants and guardians long ago
5 Tribe was in decline so druids made the next generation part beast to survive
6 Elven and faerie folk made from mortals to be servants and amusements
7 Cursed by a god for some great sin long ago
8 People came across a strange artifact long ago that transformed them
9 Cured of lycanthropy and evil bestial lust but now a race of beast folk
10 Wizard or priest made with ancient formula for scholarly reasons
11 An alchemist made by tampering with the secrets of life and strange potions
12 Mad wizard made with cruel surgery
d12 Beast Folk Variations
1 Diminutive halfling size breed (suffix of -ling on the end like frogling, catling)
2 Great breed more stature of an ogre or minotaur and mostly not too bright
3 Giant breed stature of a hill giant most are quite low intelligence
4 Man like or hybrid are more human and can pass as humans with hood and cloak
5 Wild breed more bestial and nomadic with only a few crude tools and loin cloths
6 Barbarian tribal clans look fairly human but with animal skin and coloured hair (like zebra)
7 Civilized are technologically advanced wearing good clothes, literate and more lawful
8 Live in communities of mixed beast folk, possibly have jobs suited for breed
9 Bestial and and able to walk on all fours or just both legs
10 Human from neck down with beast head
11 Half folk from the waste down are animal like satyrs and more human above
12 Half folk from waste down like centaurs
d12 Where did elemental folk come from?
1 Ancestors bred with elemental spirits long ago
2 Served the gods before humans existed
3 Worshipers of the elementals gifted with boon by their gods
4 Changed by elemental demons as reward for loyal cultists
5 Enslaved and changed by elemental conquerors
6 Created in laboratory by wizards in vain attempt to create life
7 Tainted by elemental pollution from alchemists8 Made a pact with elemental lord to overcome a mutual enemy
9 Long ago lived near a elemental node that spewed out elemental power
10 Invaded from elemental plane long ago and remained
11 Summoned by wizards as servants long ago
12 Fused with elemental life by alchemists long ago
d12 Elemental Folk Variations
1 Smaller halfling sized breed such as mudlings, frostlings, or lava children
2 A breed of colourful horrible ogres
3 A breed of colourful cruel ogre magi with elemental powers
4 A breed of elemental giants
5 Humanoids made entirely from magical elemental stuff not flesh
6 Coloured skin and hair barbarian tribes folk
7 Coloured skinned barbarian folk with elemental matter for hair and eyes
8 Mixed tribe of elemental folk living together
9 Coloured skinned tribe ruled by elemental wizards with various elemental pets
10 Coloured skinned tribe ruled by elemental priesthoods with mighty monuments
11 Coloured skinned tribe ruled by druids worshiping natural elemental power node
12 Coloured skinned tribe worshiping evil elemental lords and their demonic allies
Morale
(extra ideas welcome)
Not just for fear, also following orders like
dont loot
dont break lines if ppl taunting you
dont break lines if enemy seem to be disadvantaged
dont abuse prisoners
dont go native if left alone at outpost, etc
dont get drunk or stuff if bored in camp
dont blab secrets to prostitutes or your mum
dont take a bribe or better pay offer
dont listen to bad omens, propaganda, gossip
Typical Scores
These assume a leader
1 Frightened hopeless cowards
2 Naughty children
3 Angry housewives
4 Teen gang
5 Angry peasants
6 Drunken angry mob, untrained conscripts, bullies, kobolds
7 Green troops, peasant militia, typical predator, goblin
8 Experienced blooded trained professional troops, hobgoblin, bear
9 Veteran troops, bugbear, stirge, owl bear
10 Elite troops
11 Fanatics willing to die for cause
12 Beserkers, honey badgers, wolverine, rabid dog, undead
Roll for possibly panic if
Hero killed
First death
25% killed
50% killed
75% killed
Roll for Confusion or Hesitation if
leader killed or flees
ordered to face overwhelming odds or superior foes
allies or supporters flee
ordered to face cavalry or monsters charge
ordered to face fortification or disciplined shield wall or phalanx
face attack from artillery/magic/flyers and cant attack back same round
Confused troops stand about and spread out and stop moving together
Hesitating troops move slower and reluctant to engage or follow through on orders
Irregular troops
skirmishers, mobs, untrained, barbarian hordes
fight spread out with cloud formation
subject to confusion if fail to obey orders
scatter and flee if morale breaks into panic
Regular troops
fight in tight formation use teamwork
suffer hesitation if fail to obey orders
fighting withdrawal if morale breaks into panic first time
break into irregular mob and move away if morale breaks into second time
disperse and scatter or surrender if morale breaks into panic third time
Morale Modifiers
1 is minimum morale score 12 is the maximum
mods max is +4 or -4
Before Battle Mods
+1+2+3 if have charismatic or heroic leader|
+1 Leader has skill of Leadership
+1 drunk, just fed a feast and very well rested
-1 if hungry or tired or sick
-2 if famished on not paid recently
+1 bonus pay or loot
+1 fresh from victory
-1 recent defeat
+1 listen to good omens, propaganda, gossip
-1 listen to bad omens, propaganda, gossip
+1 or -1 good or bad rep of commander
-1 troops out of condition, not drilled or had recent fights, no plan
+1 drilled and prepared for battle plan before fight with good plan
-1 enemy force equal or somewhat superior
-2 enemy force superior in numbers and ability
+1 enemy force generally inferior and smaller
+2 enemy force hopelessly inferior weaklings
During Battle Mods
-1 currently hesitating
-2 currently confused
-1 leader lost
-1 champion lost
Leader rolls to
rally demoralized troops or restore lost morale
make formation change promptly/without hesitation
make a confused or hesitating unit obey
Comand Radius of Leaders
Fighter has CHA score
-elves dwarves halflings and gnomes as a fighter only for own race
Everyone else gets CHA bonus in battlefield inches
some skills can assist in this
-command skill adds level in battlefield inches
Thoughts
so far a mob of drunken cowards with a good leader telling them lies about good omens and promising cash and giving them a slap up feast could make them get a moral up enough to face sick starving soldiers who have not been paid and have a incompetent leaser
the soldiers would probably still win but morale might let the drunk mob win
i want to make a hybrid war game with simple unit tokens then some kind of narrative tables for heroes to help decide battle outcome from players view. Might not involve any actual of tokens or movement
Quick problem types
1 Unruly Allies
2 Officers
3 Camp Drama
4 Supply Troubles
5 Crime & Corruption
6 Rude Rumours
7 Holy hassles
8 Nature revolts
9 Monsters
10 Supernatural
d100 Things that go wrong before battle
01 Mercenaries or allies don't show up
02 Mercenaries or allies change sides
03 Mercenaries or allies demand a better deal
04 Minority among troops revolt at mistreatment from majority
05 Troops murdering commanders and threaten revolt
06 Troops riot and fight each other damaging camp
07 Troops get drunk and disorderly
08 Troops get horrible vd rendering many too sick to fight
09 Troops deserting out of control every night
10 Some of troops hopelessly undisciplined and overconfident
11 Officer sold commission and a useless one takes place
12 Incompetent delusional noble demands command roll in battle
13 Leader is ill and not on top of game, needs help to see battle and stand
14 Rival officers take unreasonable risks and ruin plans
15 Officer blabbed plans to a lover
16 Officer is a cultist or witch
17 Officer dies of plague
18 Officer has been struck with madness
19 Officer serves a foreign power in secret
20 Officer panics at bad omen
21 Plague outbreak on camp
22 Mascot dies or runs away
23 Mascot is an imp up to sabotage
24 Banner accidentally ruined or soiled shamefully
25 Musicians die or run away needing incompetent replacements
26 Bad omen panics the camp
27 Good omen makes camp over confident
28 Rain floods camp and ruins defences
29 Animals die from disease or flee
30 Some creature killing personnel inside the camp
31 Fire burns supplies
32 Important equipment fails
33 Food spoiled by mould and vermin
34 Supplies late short on ammunition
35 Supply train ambushed by bandits or enemies
36 Merchants demand advance payment now
37 Supply train has been cut off by disaster
38 Supplies late men and animals hungry
39 Unauthorised camp followers stir up fights and trouble
40 Unauthorised camp followers in trouble are some troops awol helping them
41 Payroll stolen
42 Criminals sold supplies
43 Assassin killed a leader
44 Spies stole plans
45 Raconteur demoralising personnel
46 Officer sold supplies to pay gambling debts
47 Corrupt personnel purloining funds and flee
48 Criminal stole officers personal items, weapons and cash
49 Scandal of corruption causes unrest
50 Thieves guild operating openly in camp skimming everything and peddling vice
51 Rumours that homeland under threat alarms troops
52 Troops believe leaders have planned to sacrifice them for strategic reasons
53 Troops believe support and allies disloyal
54 Troops believe enemy has huge allied force coming
55 Troops believe enemy aided by witches and scared
56 Troops believe their is hidden wealth in area and many plan to go treasure hunting
57 Troops believe enemy has a secret weapon that puts them at risk
58 Troops believe officers are deceiving them about forces they face
59 Troops believe officers want to see most men die to afford payroll costs
60 Troops seem to have sympathy for enemy and might be unwilling to mistreat them
61 Priest declares gods need a special sacrifice to gain their favour
62 Priest needs a few days of rituals to get divine approval
63 Gods require to be appeased with some special action or the army will fail
64 Priest denounces competent officer
65 Priest clamps down on vice in camp upsetting the troops
66 Priests insist on marching out on battlefield and sure gods will protect them
67 Priests spreading gloom and doom demozalizing troops
68 Priests declare food and booze from camp supplies needed for sacrifice
69 Priests annoy officers with omens and warnings and offer their command advice
70 Priests murdered causing unrest
71 Storms for several days delay battle and limit movement
72 Battlefield floods and becomes swampy mess
73 A natural feature helps enemy hide forces from army for a ambush
74 A rock or mudslide or flood divides force
75 Waters rise making crossings harder
76 Local water dries up making supplies limited
77 Mosquitoes and leeches torment troops and spread disease
78 Volcanic vent releases steam and boiling mud alarming troops
79 River breaks its banks during rain and moves
80 Forest fire causes panic
81 Road collapses into sinkhole cave complex
82 Trees vegetation grows supernaturally changing terrain overnight
83 Hills and great stones arise from the earth changing terrain overnight
84 Some monster killing livestock and camp supporters
85 Local dungeon tempting troops to go awol
86 Local dungeon raiding camp and killing scouts
87 Rotgrubs in camp killing troops
88 Giant rats swarm in camp
89 Local cult hostile to army harass camp
90 Non human army offended and suspicious of strangers
91 Lycanthropy breaks out in army
92 Camp is on haunted burial ground
93 Local spirits object to presence in area
94 Doppelgangers among command
95 Dryads lure away troops
96 Vampire preying on camp
97 Rust monsters eat weapon baggage and metal goods then run away
98 Hungry dragon raids camp picking off stragglers by night
99 Camp on slumbering kaiju
100 Vision of deity witnessed by both sides