ICRPG Gerblin Guns & Funky Flintlocks

This is attempt to patch a glaring hole in the rules of ICRPG, which probably shoulda had two more pages of weapons, one for gerblin gun priests, and another for all the polearms. Ew, my Gygax was sticking out.. We need old fashioned guns, that's for sure!

If you roll a nat 1 with any gun, you have exhasted an ammo slot unless you roll a second 1, in which case there is an explosion.

Trusty flintgerb: only does d6 effort at up to near range. Reload as part of a move.

Bermstick: d8 effort, 2 cartriges, one action reload.

Blerkperder Rerfile: d8 effort, easy to hit far targets, 1d4 rounds reload time.

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Of course, there are futuristic ray guns out there somewhere, with better stats.

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Share good posts with good gerblins. Claytonian at the gmails.

Feels good thief skills

One of my players of our Arduin hack said I should post about how the thieves work. As the rules are currently written, any class can attempt any mundane action within reason. To do so, they just have to roll their check number or higher (each class has one and it gets one smaller each level up)*. The thieves get +1d to do a litany of thievy things though. +1d means at least a d24, but species or whathaveyou can bump that up to a d30 or more.
Any class can try skullduggery, but thieves do it better.

And that's it. But actually, I have been thinking of doing something similar with the other three classes. For instance, fighters have the worst check number to reflect that they are mostly focused on killing. But I've been thinking that instead of a better Base Attack Bonus, maybe I shouldn't have BAB in the game and instead just let the fighters get +1d to combat... not to mention bending bars, kicking in doors, intimidating infants, and so on. 

Yes the temptation to hack my hack is rising. You'd best make a copy of the google doc before I do if you like it as it is.
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*: Think I heard this was a Swords and Wizardry thing. But maybe you roll low in that game? I dunno. This ABAM game is an unholy alliance between Dave Hardgrave's books, old DnD, and DCCisms. You can even find mighty deeds kinda hidden in the variant classes.

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Share good posts with good goblins. Claytonian at the gmails.

Arduin Artifacts lost to the ages

There were plenty of monster cards given out by Uncle Dave too.

On the MeWe Arduin group, a certain CK posted a list of artifacts without stats. Uncle Hargrave made scads of unique item cards over the years and would dole them out as treasure. My challenge to you: Make these cards for your home campaign. Honor Dave's spirit!

Quoth the CK:

Tonight, I was looking through an old email account and found from 2009 a email listing of an old Arduin gamer( don’t remember who) who was selling  off his collection of Arduin material, including  48 one-of-kind artifact cards keyed by DAH himself!
Unfortunately, the seller didn’t have scans or even the keys on display, so I have no idea what these items did but  I do have the names,

1) Magik Weapon: " The Damned Axe."
2) Magik Weapon: "Shortsword of Grund."
3) Magik Artifact: "Kinadraxian Scale Armor."
4) Magik Weapon: "Runeweaver Crossbow of R'lin."
5) Magik Artifact: "Belt of Inescapable Locating."
6) Magik Weapon: "Vector: Monomolecular Filiment Sword of the Phraint- Argalanthi Wars."
7) Magik Weapon: "Dwarven Clawed Mace: 'Four'"
8) Magik Weapon: "The Wail Flail."
9) Magik Artifact: "The Eating Amulet."
10) Magik Artifact: "Statan's Obsedian Crown."
11) Magik Weapon: "Devil's Balls Scourge."
12) Magik Weapon: "Kothi Priest's Sword."
13) Magik Artifact: "The Boots of Liamand."
14) Magik Artifact: "The Black Tome of Alsophacus."
15) Magik Weapon: "Templar: Sword of the Wu Jen Wars."
16) Magik Artifact: "The Black Skull."
17) Magik Artifact: "The Outlaw's Adornment."
18) Magik Artifact: "Rhyton's Rod."
19) Magik Artifact: "Helm of War."
20) Magik Artifact: "Armor of the Elders."
21) Magik Artifact: "Last remaining deodanth shield from their invasion of Arduin: The Somber Shield."
22) Magik Weapon: "Trelvian Sword."      
23) Magik Artifact: "Madrix's Crystal Ball of Guessing."
24) Magik Weapon: "World Forger Halberd."
25) Magik Weapon: "Kiss of Judas Rapier."
26) Magik Weapon: "Hyperborian Mace: The Bane of Arraddan."
27) Magik Artifact: "The Staff of Black Wizadry."
28) Magik Weapon: "Bellandra's Breast - Succubi Sling"
29) Magik Artifact: "Gauntlets of Fire & Ice."
30) Magik Artifact: "Halfling's Friend Shortsword"
31) Magik Artifact: "Gowns of Aphrodite."
32) Magik Artifact: "Brazier of the Arch-Mage Kleeesaiiick."
33) Magik Weapon: "Winged Javelin: Trelven Reign."
34) Magik Artifact: "Bracers of the Goat."
35) Magik Weapon: "Flametounge Scimitar."
36) Magik Weapon: "Dwarven Battle Axe: Vindicator."
37) Magik Weapon: "Elven Composite Bow: Searcher."
38) Magik Artifact: "Chalice of the Damned."
39) Magik Weapon: "Dagger: Phallus Flayer."
40) Magik Artifact: "Hawk Helm."
41) Magik Weapon: "Poseidonis the Trident of the Sea."
42) Magik Artifact: "The Majextrix' Robes."
43) Magik Weapon: "Gaspard's Blade."
44) Magik Artifact: "The Ring of Ruthlessness."
45) Magik Artifact: "Dragon's Plume Necklace."
46) Magik Artifact: "Doom Fire Wand."
47) Magik Artifact: "The Mirror of All Demons."
48) Magik Weapon: "Ghost Roast Wand."

The seller also mentioned, he had a print of Caliban with additional notes written inside by Dave himself detailing even more about the dungeon that were never published!
Sadly, to add to the heartbreak we all feel as Arduin fans, he even mentioned having original maps, letters, and other original  material written by David that somehow ended up getting lost.

Session Achievements: Arduin XP rethought

While perusing the Arduin Grimoires, I kept thinking about the table of things you could do to weedle extra XP out of ol' uncle Hargrave and how to streamline them a bit for my needs.

A couple things I decide to change  are not mentioning core-D&D magic items*; to go from small, more likely to come up achievements at the top and Satan's own pitchfork type things at the bottom; and to integrate the XP for slaying monsters rules that were in a separate part of the grimoires.

As this is just a homebrew homage to Arduin, things are skewed a little to my tastes too. But you might find this useful fodder for any D&D campaign.

In session achievements

• 25XP for being a level 4~5 rear guard during most of session.
• 25XP for being a level 4~5 point man during most of session.
• 25XP per dangerous creature of HD less than you that you helped to slay.
• 50XP for figuring out a trap.
• 50XP for tripping a trap and taking damage.
• 50XP for cleverly using a lesser spell.
• 50XP for losing more than half HP.
• 50XP for doing extra-dangerous risky acts.
• 50XP per creature of HD equal to your own that you helped to slay.
• 75XP for being a level 1~3 rear guard during most of session.
• 75XP for doing simple detection spells.
• 100XP for being expedition leader.
• 100XP for coming within 1 point of dying.
• 100XP for acquiring potions (100 points per dose).
• 100XP for casting vitally-needed spells that keep the party alive or avoid great peril.
• 100XP per creature of HD more your own that you helped to slay.
• 100XP for besting foes that had magical items or powerful abilities.
• 100XP per spell lvl×uses or more XP for finding magik scrolls.
• 125XP for finding single or limited use items that aren’t scrolls.
• 125XP for using up supernatural items.
• 125XP for finding +1 items or very simple items.
• 125XP for casting spells like Wizard Eye that provide vital intel.
• 125XP for throwing a lightning bolt that kills the B.E.M. just in time to save the party.
• 150XP for being a level 1~3 point man during most of session.
• 150XP for finding +2 items, lesser rings, amulets, &c.
• 150XP for doing spells of the fourth order to useful effect.
• 175XP for acquiring +3 items, wands, most rings and amulets.
• 175XP for doing spells of the fifth order to useful effect.
• 200XP for acquiring items that are +4 or of unusual powers.
• 200XP for doing spells of the sixth order to useful effect.
• 225XP for acquiring +5 items, or most magikal staves or rods.
• 225XP for using a single wish.
• 225XP for doing spells of the seventh order to useful effect.
• 250XP for being cursed.
• 250XP for acquiring a cursed item.
• 250XP for dying but being regenerated back to life.
• 250XP for doing spells of the eighth order to useful effect.
• 275XP for doing spells of the ninth or higher order to useful effect.
• 300XP for acquiring a major artifact.
• 325XP for defeating, in single combat, any creature that is HD20+.
• 350XP for defeating, in single combat, a demi-god or major Demon.
• 375XP for being the sole survivor of an expedition.
• 375XP for acquiring the mightiest of artifacts (Satan’s pitchfork, nuclear weapons, phasers, &c).
• 400XP for dying (but somehow coming back).
• 400XP for reincarnation.
• 400XP for permanently being changed into another type of entity via a curse, &c.

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*I don't like weapons with pluses to hit for pretentious reasons, so they might get axed out of this list at some point.

Arduinian Room Dressing tables and Thoughts on Caliban

this map is not accurate, but you could use it if you want to

So we've been playing Arduin using a custom system that I'll release when it's a little more done. Ah, heck, you can view it now if you want.  We tried out Caliban because it's one of Uncle Davey's famous dungeons, but the thing about Caliban is it really only has keyed rooms described. And it's huge. That's a lot of space that the DM should find a way to make interesting. Any hints, Dave? Well, yes, he made very gonzo rooms descriptions for the actual keyed areas. It would be real obvious that these rooms have treasure if you didn't expand on the "empty" rooms everywhere else, so take Hargravian descriptions and table-ify them! Don't forget to scour Arduin grimoires and All The World's Monsters for wandering beasts to help obfuscate those treasure guardians' purpose.

Obviously, lots of the ideas for these tables came from reading Arduin dungeons. I can't separate Jeff Rient's DNA from this (I don't know if he actually added his own stuff into his tables, which I consulted). 

Each room has a base structure. There is a 1d4th chance that they have some sort of of extra material paneled on, specked in, scratched in, etc. Consult the Other Features table below the first for that.
Base Composition (usually just the walls) [d12]:

1. Igneous rock: 1) basalt, 2) granite, 3) foidolite, 4) obsidian, 5) porphyry, 6) tachylyte, 7) living stone (tough, but can bleed), 8) carved into statuary, which can be pushed to open secret doors.
2. Sedimentary rock: 1) sandstone, 2) limestone, 3) shale, 4) dolomite, 5) silt-stone, 6) fossils, 7) coal, 8) stardust-silt.
3. A prismatic wall or walls: 1) half-way from the PCs' entrance, 2) making a tunnel, 3) bisecting the area vertically from a height of 1d6 feet, 4) running perpendicular or parallel to another prismatic wall, 5) filling the room as a mist or sparkly motes, 6) that forms a few rounds after a PC has entered the space, 7) in front of each exit, including secret ones, 8) making a maze.
4. Meteoric rocks: 1) stacked, 2) built into stonework and radioactive, 3) in a crater this room was built around, 4) as flagstones that may glow.
5. Stonework: 1) dry stone, 2) mortared, 3) simulated by cutting into natural rock, 4) relief-carvings, 5) stacked as to conceal any secret doors 6) just stacked, 7) flagstones that conceal a pit or secret tunnel .
6. Earthen works (prone to cave-ins if ill-built or damaged enough).
7. Metal (may be burnished or rusted): 1) brass, 2) copper, 3) iron, 4) bronze, 5) tin.
8. Jade: 1) blood-red, 2) green, 3) random color.
9. Crystals (random color): 1) giant, 2) 1cm nodules, 3) tiny and sparkly, 4) thick  and flat enough to act as transparent panels.
10. Chalcedony (random color of): 1) agate, 2) aventurine, 3) carnelian, 4) chrysoprase, 5) heliotrope, 6) moss agate, 7) chrome, 8) onyx.
11. Futuristic material: 1) plastic (random color, might give off weird gas if burnt), 2) carbon fiber, 3) tension sheets, 4) pykrete, 5) circuit boards, 6) asbestos, 7) red tape.
12. Void: 1) cosmic (if you jump too high, you will float away), 2) darkness left over from the before times, 3) a bottomless pit lies beyond the confines of the floor.

Other Features [d20]:

1. Paneling: 1)Cherry-wood 2), amber, 3) mirrors, 4) wrought metal, 5) pine, 6) plaster.
2. Arrases, Tapestries, or Hanging scroll-paintings: 1) pastoral, 2) apocalyptic, 3) demons, 4)  götterdämmerung, 5) creation myth, 6) dungeon history, 7) dungeon clue, 8) faded beyond recognition.
3. Bones on floor or embedded in walls: 1) elves, 2) men, 3) demihumans, 4) monsters, 5) animals, 6) cryptids.
4. Graffiti: 1) prophecies, 2) faction banter, 3) obscene 4) murder-hobo pictograms.
5. Abandoned attempt by someone to break through wall or uncover a secret door.
6. Fur: 1) animal hides, 2) [insert animal here]-skin rug, 3) strange (blue fur carpeting everywhere, etc.
7. Filled with: 1) mist, 2) steam, 3) gas, 4) trash, 5) jungle, 6) shadows, 7) holograms, 8) diminutive monsters.
8. Lots of fungus: 1) giant, 2) psychedelic, 3) ambulatory, 4) screamers, 5) sleep-spores, 6) culinary, 7) on ceiling only, 7) squeak when stepped on, 8) glow for d6 hours after plucking
9. Covered in lichens, moss, and slime.
10. Pillars: 1) doric columns, 2) caryatids, 3) standing stones, 4) a menhir, 5) ionic columns, 6) columns with relief carvings, 7) a monolith with clues or mystical powers.
11. Something up with the ceiling or floor or both: 1) same as the walls, 2) covered in glass, 3) covered in 1 exploding d6'' of liquid, 4) blood pool or stain, 5) spiked, 7) a catch for a secret door, 8) rocks, ready to fall.
12. Supernatural fire (random color and effect, much as prismatic walls).
13. Traps: 1) trap triggered, 2) trap obvious but un-triggered, 3) hidden, 4) hoax-trap or illusion.
14. Dusty, cracked, or both.
15. Swirls, speckles, or veins (random color or material or both from the top table).
16. Drapes (random material and color) large enough to conceal things behind.
17. Ancient civilization junk: 1) mummies stacked up all about 2) teracotta soldiers, 3) scrolls, 4) litters (paliquins), 5) boat or boats, 6) sarcophagi, 7) pottery, 8) musical instruments.
18. Everything polished or transparent (even if transparency is usually impossible.
19. Site of a battle: 1) recent, 2) old, 3) ancient, 4) haunted.
20. Gilt: 1) vermeil, 2) silver-leaf, 3) gold-leaf, 4) gold-flecks, 5) silver-flecks, 6) electroplated with copper.

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Share good posts with good goblins. Claytonian at the gmails.