General RPG Rules DiscussionDiscuss the rules of any game except D&D or Pathfinder, such as Arcana Evolved, Mutants & Masterminds, Star Wars Saga, d20 Modern, and the like.
Hey RC, any chance of some fey write-ups? It's always cool to come across interesting 'ecologies of', blurbs, statblocks with extras, or the like. And fey, as well as being of general interest to me as a roleplayer, are particularly relevant to the present and near future of my current fantasy campaign. Mostly, there'll be a Nymph NPC featuring quite prominently for a bit (well, probably) but there's a possibility of other types being (no doubt) a nuisance (or worse) for the character party in question.
The Sorcerer looks promising too; sorry, if I've mentioned that already.
Aus,
I've been working in sorta-kinda alphabetical order. If there is any particular fey or group of fey you'd like to see, let me know and I'll bump it up in the queue.
RC
__________________ [A]ny good dungeon will have undiscovered treasures in areas that have been explored by the players, simply because it is impossible to expect that they will find every one of them.
RCFG - My free mostly-OGC OGL game! RCFG is intended to be a fusion between OS & NS playstyles, giving the advantages of SRD-based gaming coupled with quick character and adventure generation and an Old School feel.
I've been working in sorta-kinda alphabetical order. If there is any particular fey or group of fey you'd like to see, let me know and I'll bump it up in the queue.
Brownies had been intended to appear in the Big Book of Monsters. I'll check the Tome of Horror to see if there is an OGC buckawn and atomie that I can use; if not I'll have to rename these creatures as well as redescribe them so as to not run afoul of WotC's IP.
My take will be a bit closer to folklore than either TSR-D&D or WotC-D&D.
(Of course, I still owe you Magic Missile and Phantom Steed....so I should work out of alpha order on the spells too. )
RC
__________________ [A]ny good dungeon will have undiscovered treasures in areas that have been explored by the players, simply because it is impossible to expect that they will find every one of them.
RCFG - My free mostly-OGC OGL game! RCFG is intended to be a fusion between OS & NS playstyles, giving the advantages of SRD-based gaming coupled with quick character and adventure generation and an Old School feel.
I've been working in sorta-kinda alphabetical order. If there is any particular fey or group of fey you'd like to see, let me know and I'll bump it up in the queue.
Much obliged! Or, well, I can bribe you with XP I suppose. . . yeah, that probably works better than being obliged.
Um, Nymphs is good. Also, anything [fey] that's likely to be hanging around their (more or less) typical surrounds and neighborhood, that you also feel like writing up. But really, don't go (too far) out of your way for this - uh, unless you want to. Seriously, any fey critter(s) would be great.
Um, Nymphs is good. Also, anything [fey] that's likely to be hanging around their (more or less) typical surrounds and neighborhood, that you also feel like writing up.
OK. I'll work up some fey this weekend.
But, while you wait......Here's the flavour text for angels!
Angels are the most powerful servants, guardians, and soldiers of the good Powers of the Upper Planes. If religious texts are to be believed, in ancient times they were dispatched far more frequently to the material world than they are today. Because of their superior natural invisibility, few who pass near to an angel are even aware of having done so. The superior natural invisibility of angels renders them undetectable by any magical or mortal senses (including blindsight, scent, tremorsense, and spells that detect invisible creatures or objects) unless the angel chooses otherwise, although they can still be detected by a true seeing spell. However, an angel cannot attack or use its abilities on a creature that cannot perceive it, except for its aura of good, which is constantly generated. An angel can become invisible or visible as an action.
An angel’s aura of good radiates 100 feet from the angel per hit die it possesses (2,000 feet for a fiery angel, 1,500 feet for a guardian angel, and 1,000 feet for a messenger angel). Within this radius, any undead creature or evil outsider takes 1 point of damage to each of its ability scores per turn. Fertility is increased in both plants and animals, and all diseases are cured if a creature spends a full hour within the aura. Finally, living creatures heal at twice their normal rate if they rest within an angel’s aura of good.
Fiery Angels are the soldiers of Heaven. They can appear either as columns of flame or as humanoid figures with six fiery wings, and are able to change between these forms as an action. They are the rarest of all angels, being almost never seen upon the material plane in modern times. In ancient times, they were sent as a judgement by the good Powers. They are terrible opponents that few mortal creatures can withstand.
As a reaction, a fiery angel can show its terrible aspect to any creature that attacks it. If the creature fails a DC 25 Willpower save, the creature cannot attack the angel, although the action is lost and any spell attempted is spent as though cast. This is a mind-affecting ability.
As an action, a fiery angel can sing the praises of the good Power it serves. Any creature within 200 feet of the angel must make a DC 30 Willpower save or cower in abject terror, losing its next action and falling prone. This ability is mind-affecting, but is not dependent upon hearing, as the sung praises are communicated both audibly and telepathically.
Guardian angels appear as large, powerfully built humanoids with leonine heads and two pairs of wings. They bear large swords wreathed in flame. These weapons are actually part of the angel – if disarmed or even sundered, a guardian angel can restore its weapon as a reaction. Guardian angels are placed to protect people, places, or objects for the Powers of good. For example, two guardian angels might guard the location of the first worldly paradise, from which sentient beings were evicted after the primal sin. Guardian angels might also stand watch over certain holy sites, hidden from mortal senses, but increasing the healing power of those places.
Because they have stood watch in some cases for millennia, guardian angels may speak to mortals who are able to detect their presence. They are eternally vigilant, and are incapable of being surprised, but their task is long. From their long wakefulness and watching, these angels may know many things now forgotten by men. They may speak of these things to virtuous mortals, so long as they don’t attempt to violate whatever it is the angels are guarding.
Messenger angels can appear as ordinary mortals, or as winged humanoids of either gender and of extraordinary beauty. They can be found upon the material plane both to deliver messages from the heavenly Powers and to test the goodwill of mortal beings. These messenger angels may appear as weary travellers, poor shepherds, beggars, and other destitute types. It is said that some men have entertained messenger angels without ever being aware of it. Yet one can be certain that the reward or punishment they received for their treatment of the disguised angels was in accord with whatever laws of hospitality the good Powers mandate.
Messenger angels have the power of true speech, so that their words may be understood by any creature as though they were spoken in its own native language. They can also speak a counterword for any spell, effectively allowing them to counterspell as a reaction, at Caster Level 15.
Tactics
Fiery angels were not created to be merciful. With a +10 initiative bonus they are guaranteed two actions each round, using the first to sing praises and the second to strike any creature not affected by its singing. It will use up to 15 of its reactions to prevent attacks by confronting would-be opponents with its terrible aspect.
Guardian angels, on the other hand, are merciful to all but the most evil beings. They give warning before attacking, and always attack in a straight-forward manner while voicing warnings throughout. They do not pursue those who flee – unless their stewardship is violated, and pursuit can rectify the violation – and they do not coup de grace the fallen, unless they both return to press the attack and are powerful enough that the angels believe doing otherwise would endanger their charge. So long as their charge is not threatened, guardian angels do not attack.
Messenger angels avoid combat whenever possible, typically using their superior natural invisibility as their first action. If need be, they use their touch attack against opponents, but even then make good use of their first opportunity to fly away. They are likely to care for the fallen, if they live, making sure that they are in a safe place to recover.
Campaign Usage
Both because of their nature and because of their power level, angels are not creatures that should appear frequently in most campaign settings. Instead, the GM is encouraged to allow for a few out-of-the-way locations that might contain guardian angels, the (horrifying) possibility of a fiery angel being summoned by some ancient artefact, and/or the occasional messenger angel either testing the generosity of others or delivering a message. This last is especially important if the PCs reach epic level and are communicating with the Powers of good. Stories of encounters with messenger angels wandering in disguise should be more common than actual encounters.
Few characters, if any, can defeat angels in combat. For this reason, the GM is encouraged to make angels either the “treasure” of certain adventure locations (through their knowledge) or provide other means to bypass them. For example, a guardian angel might be the last creature in the material world to know of a long-lost ritual. Characters that desire to use the ritual must seek the angel at whatever remote place it guards. Likewise, an angel might require a riddle be answered, or be seeking good-hearted mortals to warn about an impending (super)natural disaster.
Imagine an adventure whose goal is to free a trapped fiery angel, or whose culmination is the ability to send a fiery angel against the forces of their enemies! Such an occurrence need not sideline the players, and can take place within a very narrow narrative space, so that the PCs can confront their foe without her forces, begin to figure out how to defend the dragon’s hoard while they determine how to cart it off, etc. Likewise, the GM could allow the players to play the roles of angels set loose on their PC’s enemies – a unique perspective that can make a welcome change to playing mortal heroes.
While it is appropriate for messenger angels to appear to powerful ethical beings, seeking their help against the forces of evil, the GM is cautioned to keep such occurrences rare. Characters with a religious bent, such as clerics and paladins, may have more of these visitations, and may have them earlier in their careers. A few such visitations helps players see how their characters have grown in worldly influence. They can also give flavour and meaning to campaign religions. Too many, though, and the players will begin to feel like puppets being pulled by the GM’s strings. While angels can be treated like (powerful) patrons, players have a reasonable desire to gain meaningful support and rewards in return for their service, and to have the ability to guide their own destinies for the most part.
__________________ [A]ny good dungeon will have undiscovered treasures in areas that have been explored by the players, simply because it is impossible to expect that they will find every one of them.
RCFG - My free mostly-OGC OGL game! RCFG is intended to be a fusion between OS & NS playstyles, giving the advantages of SRD-based gaming coupled with quick character and adventure generation and an Old School feel.
Brownies had been intended to appear in the Big Book of Monsters. I'll check the Tome of Horror to see if there is an OGC buckawn and atomie that I can use; if not I'll have to rename these creatures as well as redescribe them so as to not run afoul of WotC's IP.
My take will be a bit closer to folklore than either TSR-D&D or WotC-D&D.
(Of course, I still owe you Magic Missile and Phantom Steed....so I should work out of alpha order on the spells too. )
RC
Brownie & Buckawn are both pg. 30; ToH. Atomie are page 12. Throw spriggan into the queue as well; pg. 240.
Brownie & Buckawn are both pg. 30; ToH. Atomie are page 12. Throw spriggan into the queue as well; pg. 240.
Yeah, I checked this over the weekend.
I've done some work on the nymphs and brownies over the weekend. I rolled Brown Men, Killmoulis, etc., into the Brownie entry. Atomies and Spriggans would be seperate -- I am thinking for Atomies a sort of "generic fey" entry that discusses fey of fine, diminuative, tiny, small, and medium size.
RC
__________________ [A]ny good dungeon will have undiscovered treasures in areas that have been explored by the players, simply because it is impossible to expect that they will find every one of them.
RCFG - My free mostly-OGC OGL game! RCFG is intended to be a fusion between OS & NS playstyles, giving the advantages of SRD-based gaming coupled with quick character and adventure generation and an Old School feel.
Forgot to say; I should be able to post this stuff at lunch today.
RC
__________________ [A]ny good dungeon will have undiscovered treasures in areas that have been explored by the players, simply because it is impossible to expect that they will find every one of them.
RCFG - My free mostly-OGC OGL game! RCFG is intended to be a fusion between OS & NS playstyles, giving the advantages of SRD-based gaming coupled with quick character and adventure generation and an Old School feel.
These illustrations will be Product Identity, and are copyright (c) 2009 Daniel J. Bishop (All Rights Reserved).
__________________ [A]ny good dungeon will have undiscovered treasures in areas that have been explored by the players, simply because it is impossible to expect that they will find every one of them.
RCFG - My free mostly-OGC OGL game! RCFG is intended to be a fusion between OS & NS playstyles, giving the advantages of SRD-based gaming coupled with quick character and adventure generation and an Old School feel.
Movement: 40 ft., swim 30 ft.
Armour Class: 14
Initiative Bonus: +4
Hit Dice: 2d8+
Attacks: 1 weapon
Special Attacks: None
Special Defences: Allure, Merge Into Nature
Special Qualities: Low-Light Vision, Untiring
Saves: Fort +2, Perc +3, Prow +2, Reas +2, Refl +7, Will +6.
Ability Scores: S 12, I 12, W 14, D 18, C 12, Ch 19.
Morale: 7
Nymphs are nature spirits that take the form of impossibly beautiful young women. They may have some inhuman features, such as pointed ears or unusual hair, eye, or skin tones. Nymphs are tied into some natural site or phenomenon, or exist as the entourage of a mortal incarnation of a deity or powerful cleric. Thus, there might be a Nymph of the Crystal Grotto, Nymphs of Springtime, Nymphs of the Darkwine River, and so on. Nymphs enjoy hunting and other sports. They are noted for their skill with spear and bow. Some 25% of encounters with nymphs will include 1d6 hunting dogs per nymph.
Many nymphs seem to enjoy mortal company. Most nymphs limit this company to the presence of women, whom they allow to join in their sports, but 20% of all nymphs are also interested in taking comely mortals – both male and female – as paramours. Nymphs can bear children with mortal lovers. Such children gain a +2 bonus to Charisma and a +1 bonus to Dexterity, but are otherwise treated as mortals of their race. They may have other visible signs of their fey ancestry, based upon their mother’s appearance.
Nymphs prefer to pursue rather than to be pursued, and run away when approached by amorous satyrs and men. When a nymph runs, she is untiring, able to run at full speed for six hours without a break. It is difficult for any creature to harm a nymph due to her supernatural allure. A DC 20 Willpower save is required to target a nymph with any attack, although once this save succeeds once, the attacker cannot be affected by the nymph’s allure again that day. As a final method of outwitting pursuit, a nymph may merge with nature as an action, becoming reeds, an island, stalks of grain, or anything else appropriate to the area. A nymph must succeed in a DC 20 Willpower save to merge with nature, and this merger is permanent.
Nymphs who are tied into a particular time, such as a season or a time of day, are only present in the material world during that time. It is as though the intervening time did not exist for the nymph. Thus, the last day of autumn of one year, and the first day of autumn the next year, are sequential days for an autumnal nymph. If the nymph has a mortal paramour, she can choose either to take him with her (so that he ages one year for every four, from the perspective of a mortal creature of the material plane), or not, so that he can act in the world throughout the year, but seems to age swiftly before her eyes.
Nymphs may have 1d6 class levels as (1-2) fighters, (3-6) rangers, (7-9) sorcerers, or wizards (10). A nymph sorcerer automatically takes the Faerie spell source as her first spell source, but may take the (1) Celestial, (2) Dreams, (3) Elemental Air, (4) Elemental Earth, (5) Elemental Fire, (6) Elemental Water, (7-8) Greenblooded, (9) Oceanic, or (10) Weather spell sources. The GM may choose based upon the nature of the nymph, or roll randomly. A nymph wizard is 50% likely to be a specialist wizard: (1-2) diviner, (3-4) enchanter, (5) illusionist, or (6) transmuter.
Divine Nymph: Roughly 15% of all nymphs have divine blood. These nymphs can blind any mortal being who sees them as a reaction (Reflexes or Willpower save DC 20 negates). If a divine nymph is viewed by a mortal while disrobed, she can cause them to die as a reaction (Reflexes or Willpower save DC 15 negates).
__________________ [A]ny good dungeon will have undiscovered treasures in areas that have been explored by the players, simply because it is impossible to expect that they will find every one of them.
RCFG - My free mostly-OGC OGL game! RCFG is intended to be a fusion between OS & NS playstyles, giving the advantages of SRD-based gaming coupled with quick character and adventure generation and an Old School feel.
Movement: 20 ft.
Armour Class: 17
Initiative Bonus: +4
Hit Dice: ½d8+1
Attacks: 1 weapon
Special Attacks: Sorcerer spells
Special Defences: DR 5/cold iron
Special Qualities: Low-light vision
Saves: Fort +1, Perc +2, Prow +4, Reas +2, Refl +6, Will +3.
Ability Scores: S 17, I 14, W 14, D 18, C 12, Ch 16.
Morale: 6
Habitat: Farmland or household
Frequency: Rare
No. Appearing: 1 (1d6)
Skills: Climb +8, Craft (any three) +12, Handle Animal +12, Heal +8, Profession (Farmer plus one other) +12, Stealth +15, Theft +8; Scythe Fighting 3 ranks.
Treasure Type:
XP Value:
A brownie appears to be a three-foot tall, hairy man, frequently with only nasal slits instead of a nose. They are shy and retiring, preferring not to be seen by those of mortal races. Despite their size they are fantastically strong. Brownies attach themselves to individuals or households, performing work in exchange for a bit of bread and a small bowl of the best cream. Like many fey, brownies are easy to offend, so that gifts (including food) left for a brownie must be placed for the brownie to find – they should not be obviously gifts. Some few (10%) brownies have been known to accept other gifts without offense, such as a linen shirt once a year, but this practice is perilous because, should the value of the gift diminish or grow, the brownie will certainly take offense.
A brownie that is happy with its household can do the work of ten people, and will help with such tasks as harvesting, reaping, threshing, cleaning, keeping animals safe, spinning wool into thread, making shoes, baking bread, brewing, or any of a thousand other tasks that can be done while the household is asleep or is busy elsewhere. Brownies do not like to be observed at their work, and intentionally watching them can cause them to be offended (50% chance). Most brownies stay hidden during the day, and most households with brownies know – and avoid – the spot where their brownie likes to hide. This may be a dark corner of the house, a cellar or attic, somewhere in the barn, or even in a nearby hollow tree or ruined building. A brownie who is disturbed in its hiding spot is 75% likely to take offense.
A brownie will also take offense if its work is criticized by a member of the household. A brownie is intimately familiar with its household, however, and does not take offense against the household due to the actions of outsiders, so long as the response of the household is appropriate. Such a brownie might well take offense against the outsider, though, and work some mischief to plague him.
A brownie that takes offense will (roll 1d6): (1-2) desert the household, (3-4) desert the household, and curse it at the same time, or (5-6) become a boggart to plague the household. Typical brownie curses cause a –1d6 penalty to all skill checks performed in a household, and last until the household somehow makes amends, the curse is magically lifted, or all the members of the household die. Sometimes abandoning a household will work to avoid a boggart or a brownie’s curse, but there is a 25% chance that the boggart or curse will follow people who move to avoid them, regardless of how far, how fast, or how often they move.
A brownie can cast spells as a sorcerer with 1d6 levels. It always takes the Faerie spell source first, but may also have the (1-2) Elemental Earth, (3-4) Greenblooded, or (5-6) Weather spell sources as well. Brownies do not gain the other benefits of sorcerers, such as witchfire or second sight.
If a brownie is forced to fight, it uses farm implements as makeshift weapons, most often using a sickle or scythe. The brownie can use its Stealth skill to partially hide itself, usually attempting a DC 20 check to get combat advantage, granting a +2 to its Armour Class and a +2 bonus to its attack rolls.
Billy Blind: A billy blind is a special type of brownie that usually dwells in or near the fireplace or chimney. It is blind, but has the ability to prophesy. Questions may be whispered up the chimney, and if the billy blind knows the answer, it will whisper it back down. A billy blind has a chance of knowing the answer to any question as follows: 100% if it pertains to the household (“Where did I lose my keys?”), 75% if it pertains to the area within 15 miles of the household (“Have any of my neighbours found my keys?”), 25% if it pertains to a more distant area within 100 miles (“Would my keys fit the locks in the Duke’s treasury?”), and 5% if the question pertains to an area more distant, or is truly esoteric (“Can you teach me the ritual to make a love potion?”). If the question concerns the future, the chance of the billy blink knowing the answer is reduced by –10% if it pertains to the immediate future (“Will I find my keys today?”), –25% if it pertains to the future within one year (“Will the weather be good this harvest time?”), and –50% if it pertains to an even more distant future than that (“Who will my youngest daughter marry when she has grown?”).
Boggart: An offended brownie becomes a boggart. It can be difficult to tell one from the other initially – stories tell of brownies who only reveal themselves to be boggarts when it becomes obvious that all the good luck of their household is at the expense of the (infuriated) neighbours. In general, while brownies have only slits for nostrils, boggarts have sharply pointed noses.
Boggarts can be (1-3) mischievous, (4-5) malicious, or (6) even deadly.
A mischievous boggart performs pranks meant to annoy rather than to cause real damage. It might hide important pieces of equipment, spook the livestock, clog the chimney, or rearrange the furniture while the household is asleep or out. In many ways, the behaviour of such a boggart resembles that of a gentle poltergeist. Any reasonable attempt to make amends with the boggart has a 50% chance of being successful.
A malicious boggart uses its abilities to harm the household, but isn’t seeking anyone’s death. Such a boggart will ruin crops, lame animals, steal equipment outright (and it will seldom, if ever, be found again). It will ruin materials, cut straps, put holes in pots, and otherwise prevent the household from prospering. All skill checks made in the household suffer a –4 penalty due to the boggart’s sabotage. Any reasonable attempt to make amends with the boggart has a 25% chance of downgrading it to a mischievous boggart.
A deadly boggart means to see its household dead. It saws partly through saddle straps, balances blades over doorways, carefully places items near the top of stairways to cause falls, and so on. In such a household, all skill checks suffer a –4 penalty due to the boggart’s sabotage, and each member of the household over the age of nine must make a saving throw each day (DC 20) or suffer 1d6 points of damage due to a boggart-inspired accident. If the save fails by 10 or more, the individual takes 2d6 points of damage instead. Each individual can use its best save bonus for this saving throw. Any reasonable attempt to make amends with the boggart has a 5% chance of downgrading it to a malicious boggart.
Brown Man: A brown man, sometimes called a Buckawn or Bucca, is a type of brownie that protects natural regions. Unlike most brownies, the brown men often travel in groups of 2d6 individuals and are not shy of being seen. Often a single brown man will appear to mortals traveling in an area they protect, warning them not to harm beast or fowl in their lands, and to do no damage. Those who attack the brown man, or violate his prohibitions, find themselves feathered with stone-tipped arrows sped by unseen hands. These brownies have Wilderness Lore +15 and 6 ranks in Archery.
Fenodyree: The fenodyree is a large brownie, taller and bulkier than a man, and hideously ugly. Like most brownies, it is shy around mortals. The fenodyree aids in reaping, mowing, threshing, and herding during the hours between dusk and dawn.
Killmoulis: A killmoulis is a Tiny brownie with an enormous nose, but no mouth. It lives in mills, where it aids the miller by grinding grain during the night and keeping the mill free of mice and rats. It attacks using a poisoned needle. The needle does a single point of damage, plus poison (1d6 Con damage, Fort save DC 15 for half damage, rodents have a – 4 penalty to the save and take double damage). Killmoulis apparently eat by stuffing grain up their noses, and can communicate by telepathy with a whispery-sounding voice at a range of 30 feet.
Victorian Brownie: Compared to the traditional brownie, the brownie of the Victorian Era was smaller (size Tiny, as with the killmoulis), and formed more similarly to a human or elf. They have normal noses, pointed ears, and are not exceptionally hairy. A Victorian brownie only has a Strength of 7 and a Prowess save of –2, and never becomes a boggart or curses its household. If offended, it simply leaves.
Short Form
Brownie (Small Fey): Mv 20 ft.; AC 17; Init +4; HD ½d8+1; Att 1 weapon; SA Sorcerer Spells; SD DR 5/cold iron; SQ Low-light vision; SV (Fort +1, Perc +2, Prow +4, Reas +2, Refl +6, Will +3); ML 6; XP . Skills: Climb +8, Craft (any three) +12, Handle Animal +12, Heal +8, Profession (Farmer plus one other) +12, Stealth +15, Theft +8; Scythe Fighting 3 ranks.
Brownie (Billy Blind) (Small Fey): Mv 20 ft.; AC 17; Init +4; HD ½d8+1; Att 1 weapon; SA Sorcerer Spells; SD DR 5/cold iron; SQ Low-light vision, oracle; SV (Fort +1, Perc +2, Prow +4, Reas +2, Refl +6, Will +3); ML 6; XP . Skills: Climb +8, Craft (any three) +12, Handle Animal +12, Heal +8, Profession (Farmer plus one other) +12, Stealth +15, Theft +8; Scythe Fighting 3 ranks.
Brownie (Boggart, Mischievous) (Small Fey): Mv 20 ft.; AC 17; Init +4; HD ½d8+1; Att 1 weapon; SA Sorcerer Spells; SD DR 5/cold iron; SQ Low-light vision, mischief; SV (Fort +1, Perc +2, Prow +4, Reas +2, Refl +6, Will +3); ML 6; XP . Skills: Climb +8, Craft (any three) +12, Handle Animal +12, Heal +8, Profession (Farmer plus one other) +12, Stealth +15, Theft +8; Scythe Fighting 3 ranks.
Brownie (Boggart, Malevolent) (Small Fey): Mv 20 ft.; AC 17; Init +4; HD ½d8+1; Att 1 weapon; SA Sorcerer Spells; SD DR 5/cold iron; SQ Low-light vision, mischief (–4 penalty to all skill checks in the household); SV (Fort +1, Perc +2, Prow +4, Reas +2, Refl +6, Will +3); ML 6; XP . Skills: Climb +8, Craft (any three) +12, Handle Animal +12, Heal +8, Profession (Farmer plus one other) +12, Stealth +15, Theft +8; Scythe Fighting 3 ranks.
Brownie (Boggart, Deadly) (Small Fey): Mv 20 ft.; AC 17; Init +4; HD ½d8+1; Att 1 weapon; SA Sorcerer Spells; SD DR 5/cold iron; SQ Low-light vision, mischief (–4 penalty to all skill checks in the household, DC 20 save each day or 1d6 damage, double damage if save fails by 10 or more); SV (Fort +1, Perc +2, Prow +4, Reas +2, Refl +6, Will +3); ML 6; XP . Skills: Climb +8, Craft (any three) +12, Handle Animal +12, Heal +8, Profession (Farmer plus one other) +12, Stealth +15, Theft +8; Scythe Fighting 3 ranks.
Brownie (Brown Man) (Small Fey): Mv 20 ft.; AC 17; Init +4; HD ½d8+1; Att 1 weapon; SA Sorcerer Spells; SD DR 5/cold iron; SQ Low-light vision; SV (Fort +1, Perc +2, Prow +4, Reas +2, Refl +6, Will +3); ML 6; XP . Skills: Climb +8, Handle Animal +12, Heal +8, Stealth +15, Theft +8, Wilderness Lore +15; Archery 6 ranks.
Brownie (Fenodyree) (Large Fey): Mv 40 ft.; AC 13; Init +2; HD 2d8+4; Att 1 weapon; SA Sorcerer Spells; SD DR 5/cold iron; SQ Low-light vision; SV (Fort +3, Perc +3, Prow +8, Reas +2, Refl +6, Will +5); ML 6; XP . Skills: Climb +5, Craft (any three) +12, Handle Animal +12, Heal +8, Profession (Farmer plus one other) +12, Stealth +11; Scythe Fighting 4 ranks.
Brownie (Killmoulis) (Tiny Fey): Mv 20 ft.; AC 19; Init +6; HD 2 hp; Att 1 needle (1); SA Poison (1d6 Con damage, Fort save DC 15 for half damage, rodents have a – 4 penalty to the save and take double damage), Sorcerer Spells; SD DR 5/cold iron; SQ Low-light vision, telepathy 30 ft. range; SV (Fort –1, Perc +4, Prow +2, Reas +2, Refl +8, Will +3); ML 5; XP . Skills: Climb +8, Craft (any three) +12, Handle Animal +12, Heal +8, Profession (Miller) +12, Stealth +17, Theft +10.
Brownie (Victorian) (Tiny Fey): Mv 20 ft.; AC 19; Init +6; HD ½; Att 1 weapon; SA Sorcerer Spells; SD DR 5/cold iron; SQ Low-light vision; SV (Fort –1, Perc +2, Prow +2, Reas +3, Refl +8, Will +3); ML 5; XP . Skills: Climb +8, Craft (any three) +12, Handle Animal +12, Heal +8, Profession (any two) +12, Stealth +15, Theft +8.
__________________ [A]ny good dungeon will have undiscovered treasures in areas that have been explored by the players, simply because it is impossible to expect that they will find every one of them.
RCFG - My free mostly-OGC OGL game! RCFG is intended to be a fusion between OS & NS playstyles, giving the advantages of SRD-based gaming coupled with quick character and adventure generation and an Old School feel.
Movement: 30 ft.
Armour Class: 15
Initiative Bonus:
Hit Dice: 3d8+
Attacks: 1 weapon or 1 bite (1d4)
Special Attacks: Charming Gaze (Will or Reas DC 25), Frenzy
Special Defences: DR 5/cold iron
Special Qualities: Addictive Inspiration, Low-light vision
Saves: Fort , Perc , Prow , Reas , Refl , Will .
Ability Scores: S 14, I 10, W 8, D 16, C 12, Ch 16.
Morale:
Habitat: Any
Frequency: Rare
No. Appearing: 1d6 (6d6)
Skills:
Treasure Type:
XP Value:
The baccae (singular and plural) are fey who represent the nature of wine, both good and bad. They represent liberation from inhibitions, love of song and poetry, good cheer, licentiousness, poor judgement, and primal fury. They are attracted to bards, poets, musicians, and other creative types, sometimes spurring them on to greater creativity, and other times dragging them down into carnality, addiction, and sometimes even suicide. Most of the time, baccae appear predominantly as scantily-clad human(oid) females of startling beauty, very often at the first blush of womanhood. However, when threatened or angered, their great age shows through, as though it had been concealed by layers of now-peeling cosmetics. Their fingernails become claws and their teeth are revealed to be uncommonly long and sharp. A baccae can switch between these aspects as a reaction.
In her more attractive aspect, a baccae can charm humanoids who meet her gaze (Willpower or Reasoning DC 25 negates) as a charm person spell. This is an action. If the target is male, the baccae seek to entice him into temporary carnal pleasures, to drink, and to song. If the target is female, the baccae seek to entice her to giving up her old life, and to join the baccae for all time. Any female humanoid who spends a full nine months with the baccae becomes one herself, and cannot be restored by any magic short of a wish. However, a bard who gains baccae as followers through the 10th level bard ability, Fanatical Followers, does not become a baccae due to spending time with her followers.
In their feral aspect, baccae can enter or exit a frenzy as a reaction. When frenzied, baccae gain a +4 bonus to initiative, attack rolls, and damage. They have a –4 penalty to AC while frenzied, plus 1 round thereafter. Any allied creatures within 30 feet of one or more frenzied baccae must make a Willpower or Reasoning save (DC 20) or become frenzied themselves (gaining the same bonuses and penalties as the baccae). Baccae automatically ignore this save – if one in a group becomes frenzied, they all become frenzied.
Baccae can turn in a moment from immodest revellers to a savage, bloodthirsty mob. It can be difficult to determine what will cause this change beforehand, although most agree that saying “No” is a common trigger, causing baccae to turn feral about 25% of the time.
Any being of a mortal race that spends an hour in the company of one or more baccae during one of their revels gains a permanent +1 bonus to Perform skill checks.
If that being spends another four hours with the baccae, he can gain a +4 bonus to Perform skill checks that lasts 24 hours. However, thereafter he must succeed in a DC 30 Willpower save or become depressed, taking a –2 penalty to all attack rolls, saves, and ability and skill checks until he can again spend at least 1 hour in the company of the baccae or until 1 month has passed (whichever comes first). If the month ends first, the being must make a DC 30 Willpower or Reasoning save to throw off this depression or else commit suicide. This is a mind-affecting effect. A bard who spends time with baccae followers to gain the bonus to Perform checks is not immune to this side effect.
__________________ [A]ny good dungeon will have undiscovered treasures in areas that have been explored by the players, simply because it is impossible to expect that they will find every one of them.
RCFG - My free mostly-OGC OGL game! RCFG is intended to be a fusion between OS & NS playstyles, giving the advantages of SRD-based gaming coupled with quick character and adventure generation and an Old School feel.
Wow, thanks RC. And, regarding all of them, really nice work! Many bestiaries and the like could benefit from this kind of style - and substance - IMO. I'll see if it lets me give you some more XP. . .
Hm, nope, Well, when I can. Hopefully someone else can cover, for now.
Wow, thanks RC. And, regarding all of them, really nice work! Many bestiaries and the like could benefit from this kind of style - and substance - IMO.
Thank you, kind sir.
I hope you note that the Baccae have been seen in historical times, attending many a rock concert. One wonders if any of those early deaths were caused by the Baccae?
RC
__________________ [A]ny good dungeon will have undiscovered treasures in areas that have been explored by the players, simply because it is impossible to expect that they will find every one of them.
RCFG - My free mostly-OGC OGL game! RCFG is intended to be a fusion between OS & NS playstyles, giving the advantages of SRD-based gaming coupled with quick character and adventure generation and an Old School feel.
Wow, thanks RC. And, regarding all of them, really nice work! Many bestiaries and the like could benefit from this kind of style - and substance - IMO. I'll see if it lets me give you some more XP. . .
Hm, nope, Well, when I can. Hopefully someone else can cover, for now.
__________________ [A]ny good dungeon will have undiscovered treasures in areas that have been explored by the players, simply because it is impossible to expect that they will find every one of them.
RCFG - My free mostly-OGC OGL game! RCFG is intended to be a fusion between OS & NS playstyles, giving the advantages of SRD-based gaming coupled with quick character and adventure generation and an Old School feel.
Candle Call Conjuration/Evocation [Fire]
Class and Level: Sorcerer (Fire) 0
Casting Time: Reaction
Components: V
Range: 15 feet
Target: One flame
Duration: 10 rounds plus 1 round per sorcerer level
Save: None (harmless)
This spell calls into being a single small flame that sheds illumination as does a candle. It appears where the caster desires, within 15 feet of the caster. The caster can move this flame as a reaction, directing it to any point within range.
This flame does not make a very effective weapon, doing only 1 point of damage on a ranged touch attack. It blinds any creature if directed into its eyes, but the creature can clear this by even a small movement, causing it only a reaction.
__________________ [A]ny good dungeon will have undiscovered treasures in areas that have been explored by the players, simply because it is impossible to expect that they will find every one of them.
RCFG - My free mostly-OGC OGL game! RCFG is intended to be a fusion between OS & NS playstyles, giving the advantages of SRD-based gaming coupled with quick character and adventure generation and an Old School feel.
Ants are among the most common type of vermin. Normal ants are found everywhere in the world except arctic regions and exist in thousands of subspecies. They are social insects, so that even though they are individually mindless, they exhibit organized behaviour as a group. Ant colonies can solve even complex problems, given time. For example, chasms and rivers may be crossed using a bridge of living ants. That many ants may be lost creating such a bridge is immaterial – any individual ant is willing to give its life for the colony, literally without thought about the matter.
Some types of ants keep livestock (aphids for normal-sized ants), or grow fungi to eat upon a mulch of leaves and/or animal matter. Honeypot ants store food in the distended abdomens of specialized workers. Some ants carefully cultivate the areas around their nests to make the region more attractive to allied species. Others make nests of their own bodies, carrying queen, eggs, and pupae with them as they travel.
Giant ants are about 2 feet long, and weigh roughly 60 lbs. They are divided in castes with workers, soldiers, and a queen. When a soldier hits with a successful bite, it may sting as a reaction. Each colony has a single queen, which is Large sized and can only move at a rate of 5 ft. per round. If the queen is slain, the ants cease acting in a coordinated fashion, behaving instead as though they were under the effects of a confusion spell. There are also male drone ants, statistically identical to the workers, but they are typically short lived. When the queens and drones swarm, they have a fly speed of 60 ft.
Monstrous ants are about 9 feet long, and weigh roughly 300 lbs. They are divided into castes as are giant ants, with a Huge queen that cannot move. Monstrous ants tend to have far smaller colonies than do giant ants. When wounded, monstrous ants release a spray of formic acid in a five-foot radius around the ant. Any creature caught in that radius must succeed in a Fortitude save (DC 12) or a Willpower save (DC 18) or lose its next action. Ants are immune to this effect.
Ant swarms consist of thousands or millions of normal ants attacking as a coordinated unit, as do army ants. Ant swarms also have castes, but as individuals cannot be targeted caste does not matter. Any being that begins a round within a swarm must make a Willpower save (DC 20) or suffer a –2 penalty to initiative and attack rolls; if this save fails by 10 or more, the creature suffers a –4 penalty instead. This is due to the distraction being within a swarm causes. A single ant swarm is roughly 5 feet in diameter.
The types of ants described herein should be taken as a starting point. The GM is encouraged to research additional ant species to create surprises for his players. Nor should the GM feel constrained by real-world terrestrial species – a campaign world can easily contain ant species that spit fire, glow in the dark, or anything else the GM imagines. Intelligent ants, as in H.G. Wells’ The Empire of the Ants, could make terrifying opponents, as could ant swarms with the prowess to carry living medium creatures into their nests.
Tactics
Most ants simply swarm opponents. Others have developed more clever combat tactics.
The most tactically sound strategy developed by ants requires working as a team. A group of ants will surround its victim, but only some of them dart forward while others defend. The attackers seek to disable or sever limbs. When the victim is helpless, team then dismantles it.
In RCFG terms, this group of ants surrounds a foe. Two thirds of the ants Aid Another to increase the attack rolls of the attacking ants – effectively doing so by confusing the opponent as to where the attack is coming from. The attackers attempt a minor combat manoeuvre to reduce speed by 10 feet. With two ants performing a successful Aid Another for each attacking ant, this requires only a normal attack roll.
Once the target’s movement is eliminated, the ants perform the same arrangement of aid and minor manoeuvre to damage the target’s attack rolls, causing a cumulative –2 penalty with each success. As a third of the ants continue attacking to keep movement and attack roll penalties from being fully cleared, the remainder of the team attacks simply to do damage. There is no longer any need to Aid Another, unless the target manages to become mobile once more.
SIDEBAR: Ant Special Qualities
Ants may have several special qualities. The three qualities below all exist in actual ant species found on the Earth today.
Jumping: Some ants are capable of using their two rear sets of legs together in order to jump. A giant ant with this quality can jump up to 20 feet forward and 7 feet upward. A monstrous ant with this quality can jump 30 feet forward and 10 feet upward. Jumping does not affect ant swarms.
Spraying: These ants can spray a stream of formic acid from their abdomens. For giant and monstrous ants, this requires a ranged attack as an action. Giant ants can spray up to 20 feet for 1d6 damage; monstrous ants can spray up to 30 feet for 2d6 damage. Ant swarms with this ability do an extra 1d6 damage per round, and can target creatures within 5 feet with this damage.
Trap-Jaws: These ants do not let go once they bite, automatically doing normal bite damage each round after the initial bite. In addition to the damage, characters bit by these ants are considered to be grappling with them. In the case of giant ants, a Prowess Action Save (DC 20) can force the jaws apart. In the case of monstrous ants, a Prowess Action Save (DC 25) can force the jaws apart. Otherwise, the jaws remain clamped fast (and the character remains grappled) even after the ant is killed. Ant swarms with the trap-jaws quality do an extra 1 point of damage each round, and continue to do cause distraction and do 1 point of damage each round for 1d6 rounds after the swarm is killed or escaped.
Venom: These ants are poisonous. In addition to damage, the bites require a Fortitude save to avoid poisoning. Venomous giant ants require a DC 15 save to avoid suffering 1d6 Con damage. Venomous monstrous ants require a DC 20 save to avoid suffering 1d6 points of damage for 1d6 rounds. Venomous ant swarms require a DC 12 save to avoid suffering 1d6 Con damage.
__________________ [A]ny good dungeon will have undiscovered treasures in areas that have been explored by the players, simply because it is impossible to expect that they will find every one of them.
RCFG - My free mostly-OGC OGL game! RCFG is intended to be a fusion between OS & NS playstyles, giving the advantages of SRD-based gaming coupled with quick character and adventure generation and an Old School feel.
![[RCFG] RCFG Ongoing Development!](http://www.enworld.org/forum/iconimages/general-rpg-rules-discussion/rcfg-rcfg-ongoing-development_ltr.gif)
)
Linear Mode
And yet another word from our sponsors
