New Magic Item: Red Water

"Are you ready?" Dzo asked the assembled herd kneeling around the pit of the Death Worms.

"We are" their voices answered in unison.

"Then take this vessel, taste of the Red Water." Dzo handed the jug to the first kneeling figure. His large brown eyes watched as the pitcher was brought up to the supplicant's lips, and the water flowed over them. The pitcher was lowered, and passed to the next figure. The first gave a slight cough, and then fell forward into the pit.

"His mind was not ready." Dzo said sadly, watching the worms investigating the body.

The second figure trembled as the pitcher came up to his lips.


Potion: Red Water

This potion opens the imbiber’s mind, unlocking mental powers... if they survive the experience. Anyone drinking this potion must make a saving throw vs poison or die. Every attempt to drink another Red Water after the initial attempt suffers a cumulative -3 penalty to the saving throw. The powers gained are rolled randomly, and are per the spell description unless noted otherwise.

1. Speak with Animals
2. Telepathy - can take no other actions
3. ESP
4. Remove Fear
5. Cause Fear
6. Charm Person
7. Detect Magic
8. Detect Invisible
9. Unseen Servant
10. Knock (non-magical locks only)
11. Produce Fire
12. Mind Blast (1d4 damage/2 levels, roll to hit or auto hit but take half the damage inflicted)
13. Clairvoyance
14. See Through Animal Eyes
15. Dark Vision
16. Pyrotechnics
17. Player's Choice
18. Roll Twice on this chart, funky physical change (DM's choice), ignore rolls of 18+
19. Roll Three times on this chart, -2 Str, Con, Cha, ignore rolls of 18+
20. Roll again on this chart, ignore rolls of 18+, +2 to Int or Wis

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My original notes

Spreading the Witch

Tim of the Other Side Blog wrote a book about witches for fantasy RPGs called The Witch.

He's looking for people to spread the word, so I am.

This also gives me an excuse to show off an old diorama I made some years back.

Happy Halloween!

New Monster: Mongolian Death Worms

“Dzo, come quickly. It is time.” The young calf said as he stuck his head through the yurt door frame.

The bulky shape lifted itself from the carpets and pillows, its long fur was streaked with gray, and its horns showed the marks of many years, and many battles. The calf held the door flap for the elder. The chill wind cut across the land, blowing the scrub grass and stunted trees decidedly to the east. Just to the north of the yurt stood the low round ovoo.

Crouching low, Dzo descended the stone stairs and stooped under the overhanging lintel. Within the ovoo the round wall was lit by candles placed haphazardly stuck to the irregular stones that made the wall. In the center of the dirt floor was a round stone lined pit. The stones were stained an unnatural yellow with streaks of brownish red. At the bottom of the pit were three red worms, each about 3 feet long, and thicker around than the haft of an ax.

The calf passed Dzo a hooked pole, and he used it to catch one of the worms and lift it from the pit. As he removed it from the hook, the worm hissed, and Dzo’s hand began to smoke. In a rumbling low voice, Dzo called out to the gods of the land. Turning he walked to the far side of the pit, the worm hissing the whole way.

Lifting the worm up, Dzo twisted it in his hands. The hissing grew louder, and the worm spat a coy smelling glob at the wall. Dzo twisted, and with a snap the worm broke, ichor falling into the pit, covering the remaining two worms.

“Extinguish the candles.” Dzo ordered.

Mongolian Death Worms
Armor Class: 6
Hit Dice: 1-4 (S-M)
Move: 90’ (30’)
burrow: 30’ (10’)
Attacks: poison spit or bite
Damage: 1d4 + ongoing or 1d6+1/HD
No. Appearing: ()
Save As: F (level =1/2 HD)
Morale: 10
Treasure Type: nil
Intelligence: 2
Alignment: Neutral

Death Worms are greatly feared among the peoples of the high grasslands. When found, they are usually killed immediately. It is said the very touch of them is instant death, and the strange yellow stains the creatures leave in their wake is merely another indication of the ill wind that follows them.

Death Worms are indeed poisonous. Their spit (30’ range) causes 1d4 damage plus an additional point per round for as many rounds as the worm has hit dice. Touching a death worm causes 1 point of damage for every round of contact, and their nasty bite causes 1d6 damage plus the creature’s hit dice.

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Today is the final Monday of October, and this is my The Monstrous Monday Blogfest entry!

Sunday Inspirational Image: Witch House

Witch House by Alex Shatohin

Saturday Starport: Trage's Starship Triage

Today's Saturday Starport is brought to you by Shortymonster who upon hitting 10,000 page views offered his readers a free NPC. In fact, the offer is good until 11/17, so you still have time to go get yours!

DB4 Trage's Starship Triage 

Like all Chadra-Fan, Trage was covered in a rich dark fur from head to foot. Very few of her kind took the time to style the fur on their heads as she did. It was lifted into a long Mohawk and interwoven with fine gems and precious metals. She was very proud of her ‘hair’, and when dealing with her customers could often be seen to stroke it and make minute adjustments to the crest. Some think that she’s compensating for her small stature, small even for the bat-like species she is part off, but the few her know her well, understand it as pure vanity.

She has done well for herself has Trage. using her natural gifts of salvage, and then hiring others to do the dirty work, she runs a successful business on an affluent star-port. Buying damaged components, and sometimes whole space faring vessels that are beyond repair, and stripping them down to the component parts. these are then refurbished and sold on at a higher price as replacements. Although she knows how to make a fast turn-around on a small investment, Trage is always honest with her clients and customers.

In her world it is too easy to make the wrong kind of enemies if a business deal goes south, so she makes sure she is beyond reproach. This has helped her in her successes, but has recently started to cause her an unexpected problem. A criminal Cartel, the Umbruc, have seen her success, and her reputation as straight shooter, and have started to threaten her business. They see her as a perfect front for their smuggling operations, but she knows it will mean saying good-bye to her integrity. For now, no one else knows what is troubling her, but if the threats become too much, she has very few options open to her…

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As an ongoing project I’m stocking the map above with shops and characters, making it something of a mini-campaign setting. However, it’s also want to open to you. This is your chance to be a guest blogger here at Tower of the Archmage! All you need to do is to pick one (or more) of the different stores, and write up a description of what type of store it is!

How to get involved: Leave me a comment or an e-mail letting me know you want to join in, and pick a space. Write your post (or posts if you’re feeling ambitious). Send me your post via e-mail, and I’ll get it up, probably on a Saturday.

New Monster: Wesker

Thus it came to pass that the followers of P’Orcus
did corrupt and debase the greatest gift to the carnies.
They assembled in the great hall, each bringing a component;
flesh and guts ground together, each hand forming the shape.
Their perversion was then given the breath of life,
and the creature did rise and slay those who brought it forth.
Anger made flesh, hate that bleeds, death that walks.

Book of Roomba, BACN, 001-26 - 007-42

Wesker
No. Enc.: 1
Alignment: Chaotic
Move: 120’
Armor Class: 6
Hit Dice: 8+2
Attacks: 2 fists
Damage: 2d8+2/2d8+2
Save: L10
Morale: 11 (2)
Hoard Class: -

The Wesker is a humanoid that appears to be a completely skinned creature with pure white globes for eyes. They are highly destructive creatures, attacking any type of intelligent life they encounter. The Wesker is vulnerable to fire, but it will release a bacon scented spray which will cause 8HD worth of creatures within 15 feet to stand and drool for 2d4 rounds when damaged by flame.

Mutations: Fragrant Development, Natural Armor, Bizarre Appearance, Epidermal Susceptibility

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Happy Monday, and welcome to today's entry in the Savage Afterworld’s Mutated Monday blogfest.

Don't forget that next Monday, October 29, the final Monday of October, is The Monstrous Monday Blogfest!

Sunday Inspirational Image: The Witch by ines-ka

The Witch by ines-ka

Check out those chicken legs!