2013: A Quick Review

In almost six hours it will be 2014 in my little corner of the world. So there’s still time for me to do a review of 2013!

The year didn’t start well for me, with me being ill and having trouble doing things I really enjoyed – like blogging. In July I came back to this blog and started writing Three Sad Wizards. Most of the posts I made in July and August were about this module. I really like how it turned out and, judging from reactions I got, other people do as well.

In September I completed the 30 Day Challenge. Not all questions on the list were interesting, but I tried to make something of every post, and most of the time I succeeded. And after a year of not being able to blog, this did feel as a real victory.

I also started a series inspired by the Planescape book Uncaged Faces of Sigil. I did six entries in the series Faces of Pretomournon. So far I’m pleased with how the series is turning out, but I think the entries may be a bit too long. Faces of Pretomournon will return in the new year.

In October I wrote my most popular post from this year: Orc Babies. It was a commentary on D&D Next’s “story elements”, that threaten to be completely uninspired and boring. To put money where my mouth is, I showed how I do orc babies in my campaign. Apparently, people liked that.

In November I participated in NaNoWriMo. I hoped I could continue blogging, but that proved to be unrealistic. However, I did write 50K words on my novel that is now almost finished.

So what will 2014 bring?

I’m writing a module called Lost Library of the Death Speakers, which is on hold until I figure out a way to make it less boring. I’m also outlining Valkyries vs. Amazons, an module which can be summed up as Female Fighters in Unreasonable Armor – the Module. However, I also have my Nanowrimo novel to finish, so it may take a while before I have time for it.

I’m also writing the DSA game, a clone of the first edition of Germany’s most popular roleplaying game. So far, I have most of character creation, about half of combat, and a lot of spells done. Still a lot to do though, so it will take time.

Happy new year to everyone, and see you next year!

Three Sad Wizards available in print!

My adventure module Three Sad Wizards is now available in print from Lulu!

Check it out HERE!

The wizards in the village of Tealief have horrible problems! • Terrible carnivorous plants make the garden of Bymen the Botanomancer unsafe. • Giant insects are running free in the underground laboratory of Ermard the Entomomancer. • Monstrous birds escaped from the tower of Ostal the Ornithomancer. Only a group of courageous adventurers can help them. Is your party brave enough? Three Sad Wizards is an introductory module, designed for characters of 1st and 2nd level. Written for use with old school RPGs, this module can be fitted into almost any campaign or played as a stand-alone adventure.

The PDF is still available for Free HERE!

Cover Art for Three Sad Wizards

This art will be on the cover of the print version of Three Sad Wizards. It will be available from Lulu soon.
The PDF version is still available for free HERE.

Three Sad Wizards is Released!

My adventure module  Three Sad Wizards is now available as a free download. The module describes the village of Tealief and environs, three mini-dungeons, and the dangerous forest surrounding them.

You can download it HERE.

New Magic Items from ‘Three Sad Wizards’

Since I'm busy finishing my adventure Three Sad Wizards, a bit of a lazy post. Here's the new magic items that can be found in the module:

Badger Cloak: When worn, this cloak changes the wearer into a badger. A human-sized person turns into a giant badger, while smaller creatures like dwarves and halflings become normal badgers. Except for the duration, this transformation works the same as the polymorph self  spell.

Ioun Crown: When this ornate golden crown is put on, it floats about a foot above the head of the wearer. It immediately changes the alignment of the being that it’s placed on to Chaotic. The crown cannot be removed except by the spell remove curse.

The wearer of the crown gains a +1 to Int, Wis and Cha abilities. However, he will feel a terrible hunger. As long as he wears the crown, he should eat at least three times the amount of food as normal, or else he will lose 1d4 Con until he eats enough. However, eating this much has its effect, and after a month the wearer starts losing Str and Dex, at a rate of 1 point every two weeks.

Slumbering Candles: When lit, this candle smokes excessively. Anyone standing within 30 feet of the candle inhaling the smoke must save vs. spell or fall into a deep sleep. Victims stay asleep until the candle is extinguished.

Three Sad Wizards

My 7-year old son Mathijs is eager to play D&D, so he sent an e-mail to my players group asking if they wanted to play. He sent me an e-mail asking if I could “provide the map”.

At first I thought I could run a part of Castle Verge or some other adventure I had already lying around, but then it occurred to me I better play something with a little less necrotic mutations, virginal sacrifice, and prostitutes than I normally run. So I decided to write something new, more suitable for a 7-year old but hopefully, still cool.

The adventure “Three Sad Wizards” consists of three mini-dungeons:

Bymen the Botanomancer (plant mage) lives in a little shack in a garden with beautiful flowers. But when he experimented with fertilizer potions brewed by Ermard the Entomomancer, the plants grew bigger and more dangerous than expected. Now terrible carnivorous plants grow in the garden: Archer bushes, strangleweed, vampire roses, and more make the garden unsafe.

Ermard the Entomomancer (insect mage) has many rare specimens of insects and arachnids in his underground laboratory. However, unkown to him, one of his giant spiders was really an arachnea. She has opened all the cages and now all the insects are running free in the house: Giant centipedes, a crab spider, beetle swarms and more. And there’s the aranea: a beautiful woman called Andrea.

Ostal the Ornithomancer (bird mage) lives in a tower. His birds somehow escaped out of their cages. Most of the flew away to freedom, with the exception of an axe beak, that roams the corridors of the tower. Unknown to Ostal, the birds were set free by an Evil Doppelganger of Lessie, his apprentice. Lessie looked into a mirror of opposition, and was set prisoner by Evil Lessie. When the Player Characters come to the tower expecting to fight birds, they will have to pass traps and Evil Lessie’s wand of wonder in a Home Alone scenario.

I found it more difficult to write an all-ages adventure than I anticipated. But in the end, I’m pretty pleased with how it turned out. I like the concept of three mini-dungeons the Player Characters can visit in any order, or not-at-all, if they don’t want to. There’s a little village, which I’ll give a bit of detail, and in the forest in which Ermard’s dungeon is located there are a few beast lairs.

All-in-all it’s one of the more complete adventure’s I have written. After we have played it, I’ll probably flesh it out a bit and put a pdf up on my blog.

What's in the mage's mailbox?

Random Mail Generator
D12	Letter
1	A letter from mum: Dear son, It’s been a long time since I’ve heard from you. You haven’t written me in a long time and you never come to visit. Is it that much trouble to come to tea  now-and-then? I've talked with Margaret about it and she think’s it’s shameful how little attention you pay me. Love, your mother.
2	An advertising brochure: Buy a can of brown tea at Mademoiselle Vita’s and get a bag of green tea worth 5 copper pieces for free!
3	A bill of 25 gp of the local laundry service. (Expensive, but magicians get very dirty).
4	A letter from a young man from Pretomournon who would like to apprentice to the mage.
5	A map of the village of Tealief.
6	An invitation to the birthday party of Mr. Sonder Klomt, in two days.
7	A letter that begins: I finally found the formula to turn potatoes into gold! Start as follows… But the letter has been wet and the rest is smudged and  illegible.
8	A letter from a little boy: Dear wizard-sir, can I borrow your wand of fireballs? Dink is bullying me all the time and I want to teach him a lesson. Greetings, Timmie.
9	Spam: Visit the casino! If you visit the casino you get 30 gold pieces of me to try our games. All you have to do is fill in the reply card below and return it.
10	Fanmail: I'm your biggest fan! You are the best magic-user in the country! No, in the world! Can I have your autograph?
11	Hatemail: You’re stupid! You're the worst magic-user in the country! No, in the world! Go jump into a ditch!
12	A chess move: Knight to C3. Checkmate! Hahahahaha!

The spells of Ermard the Entomomancer

The mage Ermard the Entomomancer lives in the cellar of a ruined keep a hour out of Tealove village. His specialties are insects, spiders, and bug magic. In his spellbooks are common spells like web and delay poison, as well as some unique spells researched by Ermard himself.

False Tremors

Level: Magic-user 1

Duration: 1d6 rounds

Range: 60’

This spell causes small tremors in one spot designated by the caster. At the same time, any vibrations the caster makes are masked. Blind creatures that detect their prey by sensing tremors (giant centipedes, for example) will mistake the false vibrations in the ground for a moving creature  in contact with the ground, and will focus on that spot.

Swarm Form

Level: Druid  2, Magic-user 2

Duration: 1 round per level

Range: 0

As soon as this spell is cast, the caster’s body breaks up into a number of crawling ants, beetles, or spiders equal to his age. The caster’s clothes and possessions fall unchanged to the ground. The insect swarm occupies an area of 10’x30’ and may engulf an opponent. It does not need to roll to hit, and inflicts 2 points of damage per round to the person engulfed. Double damage is dealt to characters wearing no armor. The swarm does not sustain damage from weapons, but fire, such as that from a torch, does 1d4 hit points damage. Other fire-based and cold-based attacks do normal damage. Smoke or water may be used to ward off a swarm.

After the duration ends, all surviving insects crawl back in the clothes of the caster and transform back into his body. If more than half the bugs survive, the body will be intact. If more than half of the insects is slain, the body may miss a finger, hand, or other body part.

The spells of Ostal the Ornithomancer

The mage Ostal has dedicated his life to the study of birds. He lives with his apprentice, a 10-year old girl by the name of Lessie, in a tower with many nests, birdhouses and a dovecote on the roof.

His spellbooks contain some unique bird-related spells, researched by Ostal himself.

Carrier Pigeon

Level: Magic-user 1

Duration: One delivery

Range: 40’ per level

Casting this spell calls to the caster the closest bird, be it a normal bird or of the giant variety. The bird will be friendly or non-threatening to the caster, and will allow him to tie a letter or small package to its paw. If the package is light enough for the bird to carry, it will then deliver it to the person named by the caster.

The recipient must live within half a day flying. If there’s no bird in range when the spell is cast, no bird will come.

Stork’s Legs

Level: Magic-user 1

Duration: A number of turns equal to the caster’s level

Range: 0

The caster’s legs grow to a length of 2 yards. The caster can use stork’s legs to reach for things on the upmost shelf of a cupboard, look over walls, and look into a window on the second floor.

When walking, the caster moves at 1.5 times his normal speed. His clothing and shoes grow as well to fit his new legs. The caster can dismiss the legs before the spell’s duration is over.

The Spells of Bymen the Botanomancer

The magician Bymen is the world's leading authority in the field of plants and plant-like creatures. He lives in a small hut surrounded by a beautiful garden, where many rare and endangered plants grow.

In addition to more common spells like find plant, speak with plant, etc., Bymen’s spellbook contains dried leaves and flowers, and some spells of his own devising.

Flower Bomb

Level: Magic-user 1

Duration: 2d6 turns

Range: 120’

The mage throws an acorn, peanut, pine cone or similar nut to his opponent. It explodes in a cloud of colorful flowers, which remain whirling in the affected area. All creatures in the area must save vs. spell or become trapped in the area of swirling flowers. Mesmerized and disorientated, the victims cannot leave, cast spells or perform other significant actions, and can talk about nothing else except the beautiful colors and wonderful fragrance of the flowers. After the duration expires the flowers float to the ground and the victims are freed.

Unaffected creatures can try to pull a victim out of the cloud but must make a new save or become stuck themselves. Flower bomb does not work on undead or very large creatures like dragons.

Lovely Fragrance

Level: Magic-user 1

Duration: 12 turns

Range: 60’

The mage casts this spell on a flower, plant, or weed, which will grow a pink flower. This new flower gives off a delicious sweet scent that anyone within 60’ who smells it is filled with romantic thoughts and feelings. Creatures in the area of ​​effect must save vs. spells or fall in love with someone of the preferred sex (if present) or else the non-preferred sex (if the player agrees). Furthermore, all victims receive a -4 on saves against charm and similar spells while still in smelling range of the flower.

When the duration ends, the flower wilts and the smell disappears. The player (in the case of a player character) or the DM (in the case of a sample or NPC) may determine if the infatuation also ends.