An unique object of great power. See also The Rod Of Oration and The Crook of Ruling.
Extremely rare – One of a kind. POW 30 AP 17
History: The Staff of Kings comes in two parts (a Rod and a Crook), which fit into each other – see Rod of Oration and Crock of Ruling. Legend states that the staff belonged to a king of a long forgotten civilisation. During his rule, he conquered many nations. He is said to have remained invulnerable to attack as long as the staff was in his possession. The king eventually died of old age without naming an heir to his empire. A civil was ensued in which the staffs two pieces were separated and subsequently lost.
The bottom half of the staff (The Rod of Oration) has appeared from time to time. Most recently, scholars have speculated that it is in the possession of a powerful orcish warlord. The top half of the staff (The Crook of Ruling) has never been traced. Scholars are in two schools. Some say it was destroyed while others state that it still exists, but is well hidden.
Some legends state that the staff was created by the kinds court wizards. In reality, the king feared sorcery but was very devout. The staff was a reward from his gods, for building temples in all the lands he conquered and thereby spreading their worship.
Further legends tell of how the staff is the key to finding the ancient empire whence it came.
Description: The staff is 1.2 metres in length and resembles a shepherds crook. It is made of bronze and is covered in raised hieroglyphs. The hieroglyphs are in an ancient, forgotten language. Should the two halves ever be reunited, the result will be no more than a fancy walking stick, unless the activation word of power is spoken. This word is coded into the hieroglyphs and would take considerable study and hands on knowledge of a language, which has been dead for millennia.
Should the activation word ever be deciphered and spoken while the staff is whole, the following will result:
Anyone holding the staff will become invulnerable to all but the most powerful of magical attacks. (The staff will boost their POW with its own POW.) Weapons, which have been magically enhanced, will only be able to do their normal damage, non-magical damage.
•The holder of the staff will also be covered in a faint bronze aura, which for game play, can be considered as an additional 2 AP in each hit location.
These effects will depart as soon as the staff is released. A further word of power is required to separate the staff back into its two halves. This word can also be deciphered from the hieroglyphs upon the staff in the same way as the activation word.
History: The Crook of Ruling is part of a two piece set. (See Rod of Oration). In ancient times, the Crook belonged to a king from a long since disappeared kingdom. The king was a military genius who conquered all his kingdom’s neighbours and launched successful campaigns against powerful nations from across the sea.
Description: The Crook is made of bronze and resembles the traditional Egyptian Pharaohs crook in most ways. It measures 70 centimetres in a straight line from base to tip, the curved part taking up one third of its entire length. It has a diameter of 5 centimetres, which narrows to 4 centimetres at the base, as if the Crook were to be fitted into something. The Crook is covered in raised hieroglyphs and is surprisingly light for its size.
The Crook is more a symbol of rulership than anything else. It is magical though and bestows a calm upon the holder, allowing them to clear their thoughts and concentrate on a task at hand. Treat as a 5% bonus on all intelligence based skill rolls.
History: The Rod of Oration is part of a two piece set. (See Crook of Ruling). In ancient times, the Rod belonged to a king from a long since disappeared kingdom. The king was a military genius who conquered all his kingdom’s neighbours and launched successful campaigns against powerful nations from across the sea. His armies became so vast that he was unable to address them all at one time. In exasperation, he turned to his court wizards to create something to help him address his people. Their reply was the Rod or Oration.
Description: The Rod is made of bronze and is 50 centimetres long, with a diameter of 5 centimetres. It has raised hieroglyphs all over its surface. These hieroglyphs spell out command words in a lost language. For its size, it is surprisingly light. One end is hollow, as if something was meant to fit into it. The Rod has two charges, which are replenished daily, but do not accumulate – thus it can be used up to 2 times a day.
Should someone hold the rod when making an orate roll, their base chance of success will increase by 15%. Thus if a character with an Orate of 10% holds the rod when making an orate roll, he will have to roll less than or equal to 25 (10 +15) on D100 to succeed. Orate rolls made with the assistance of the Rod do not allow the character to make a mark in their Orate check box.
The Rod has other drawbacks. Characters who use it regularly (more than once a week) will become addicted to it over time. They will try to orate (with the Rods help) whenever there is an opportunity. Glib loudmouths are not always welcome everywhere and interesting events could result. Its second major drawback is that as much as it helps a character orate, it will also make their fumble so much worse if they fumble. Fumbles are on the characters normal Orate %, not on the rod-adjusted %. EG: A character who fumbles a normal Orate may get booed, but a character who fumbles while using the Rod may get stoned.
Secret: The real secret of the Rod is in the hieroglyphs. If the activation word can ever be deciphered and spoken, it will immediately boost the speakers Orate by 70% and will allow the speakers words to be heard for a radius of 2.215 kilometres (1 Roman League). The speakers words will be heard as they are spoken – a whisper will be a whisper and a shout a shout.
RuneQuest rules for the monster briefly described in that Hugh Cook’s Chronicles of an Age of darkness Book 1 – The Wizards and the Warriors.
The Lopsloss is derived from Hugh Cook’s book: The Wizards and the Warriors Chapters 13 & 19. In the book it is described as an amorphous creature that lives under Castle Vaunting.
For RuneQuest purposes the lopsloss is distantly related to the head hanger. In its natural state it lives in darkened gulleys and caves, where it can feed on creatures that may fall to their deaths, or stumble within close reach. It can move slowly, but if food is in close proximity, can display a burst of rapid movement to snag its prey. It has an amorphous gelatinous form and is usually greyish in colour. Some specimens have been known to evidence pinpricks of bio luminescence, perhaps to lure [prey to within reach.
The Lopsloss is not a magical creature like its distant relation and feeds on flesh. It does however have similarities, with a tendency to retain the non digestible bits of its prey, such as armour , coin etc. It will feed by enveloping its prey within its gelatinous form and then excreting strong digestive enzymes to break down flesh and bone into a base fluid which it will absorb. These enzymes have the ability to immobilize prey swiftly, but while the prey is still mobile, the Lopsloss will move to suck the prey deeper into its mass to prevent escape. Given enough time, it will digest all organic parts of its prey, including bone, claws etc.
In terms of movement and propagation, it is similar to the amoeba, using pseudo pods to assist with movement and splitting via binary fission. Even so, it is a very rare creature to come across as it does not like daylight and any offspring would have to live within the same cave complex as they would not be able to migrate across land for any distance that may expose them to light.
Small lopsloss have been known to be captured and transplanted to other locales, such as crypts, to guard against grave robbers. In certain instances, goblins have been known to have a symbiotic relationship with lopsloss, whereby in exchange for food and protection, the lopsloss gestates goblin offspring within its mass.
A Lopsloss will vary in SIZ depending on the size of the area it inhabits, age and food availability.
this article was initially published on IX January 2010
Lopsloss
Characteristics
Average
STR
4D6 + 6
20
Move 1
CON
4D6
14
Hit Points 18
SIZ
1D6 + 8 to 6D6 + 20
6 – 7
Fatigue 15
INT
3
3
POW
2D6 + 6
13
DEX
2D6
7
Hit Location
Melee (D20)
Missile (D20)
Points
Pseudopod
*
*
4/8
Body
#
#
4/12
* Determine how many pseudo pods before combat (1D12) and list each as a hit location. # The difference between 20 and number of pseudo pods.
Weapon
SR
Attack %
Damage
Pseudo Lunge
1
40 + 3
2D8 knockdown / entangle
Envelop
10
70 + 10
1D6 per round
Notes: The Lopsloss will use its pseudo pods to try and knock down or entangle its prey in an attempt to immobilise. If more than one pseudo pod manages to hit the same hit location, the prey will be considered entangled. It will then try to envelop its prey at the end of the round. Enveloped prey must match STR against the Lopsloss STR on the resistance table to escape. The Lopsloss does not like heat and will retreat from an open flame or similar, which can be used to force it to disgorge recently enveloped prey. Being enveloped will restrict movement and stop prey from cutting themselves free unless a critical success is rolled or the prey has freed their arms by matching STR on the resistance table. Prey enveloped for more than 2 rounds must try to survive asphyxiation as per standard asphyxiation rules.
“The path of the Gecko ” – A guide to the Jahmori Gecko clan inhabiting a remote jungle basin in south central Vasniss.
The Jahmori Gecko clan inhabits an extremely rich and fertile jungle basin known as “the crater of plenty” which is near the source of the Ssaliktor River, overlooked by the peaks of Sas-Ketah. The jungle basin itself is a source of many tropical fauna and flora as well as jade and many other gemstone deposits.
The Jahmori have inhabited this area for as long as any race can remember and their existence in this area is a mystery to most races as the human populations on this continent are made up of only immigrants. The Jahmori have explained this in their myths which revolve around their primary deity – Llahgorah (The divine lizard – a god of temperance and fertility). The myths are passed down by word of mouth through generations and start with Llahgorah carrying his people away on his back from a great cataclysm across the sea. The elders say that Llahgorah swam across the great ocean and up to the source of the great Ssaliktor River to deposit his people where they would be safe – always. He guided them to settle in the Crater of Plenty and the Jahmori have flourished ever since. The clan now numbers upwards of 500 members.
The people of the Jahmori Gecko clan lead a secluded, highly traditional lifestyle based stringently on what they call ” The path of the Gecko “. This revolves mainly around how chieftains are selected. When the current chieftain is nearing the end of his 100 moon rulership period all young men must leave the tribe for a full 20 moons and quest to find any knowledge and resources to help the clan prosper. Upon returning to the clan the candidates gather the following spring and are judged by the elders of the clan according the gifts they bring back, this is viewed as a rite of passage and also serves to determine future status in the clan. Only the best candidates are then selected to face Llahgorah’s challenge :- The candidates must head into the dark heart of the crater and find the egg of the Gorah lizard (An extremely rare species of lizard only living in the crater about the size of the komodo dragon, many Jahmori believe this creature to be the incarnation of Llahgorah). This is an extremely dangerous quest as the dark heart of the crater is inhabited by many species of poisonous reptile as well as many much feared mutant lizard men.
Once an egg has been found it must be taken back to the clan and preparations for the Great Gorah’aan festival begin. The festival is the conclusion of the current chieftainship, the beginning of a new clan leadership era and fertility ceremony all in one, and is the most holy festival of all for the Jahmori.
The Gorah’aan festival is a ten day long festival where the gorah egg is slowly heated over a fire in the great chamber for the duration of the celebrations until the climax when the gorah hatches. All prospective chieftains line the walls of the great chamber waiting for the hatching and may not move until the newly hatched gorah lizard has touched one of them, who then becomes the next chieftain. This symbolises the “shedding of skin” for the tribe and is believed amongst the Jahmori that this ceremony is how Llahgorah selects the next king.
The old chieftain must then take the hatchling back to the dark heart. Llahgorah then passes judgement on the ex-chieftain through his gorah lizards – if the chieftain has ruled justly they leave him alone (possibly only marking him as blessed) or if his reign was unjust or evil they will devour him to punish him for his actions. This symbolises the tribe “losing its tail” and serves as a deterrent to unjust rule. This is the path of the gecko and is how it has always been.
The tribes people live according to rules governed by the path and have many smaller cultural traditions all linked to the “divine lizard”. The gorah lizards seem to have a mutualistic relationship with the Jahmori as its eggs require fire to hatch and due to its rarity and very prolonged mating rituals and gestation periods this leads to a small sustainable population of gorahs in the crater. (Coming soon stats for the gorah and mutant lizardmen of the crater of plenty).
As to the history and politics of the Jahmori nation, the Jahmori are a peaceful nation who have had only minor contact to the outside world and only ever clashed with the snake-people of Vasniss. The coming of the Onyx Empire to Vasniss found the Jahmori in a perfect place to trade with the Giss and due to their bias towards all things lizardly the Jahmori immediately made peace and accepted protection from the Onyx Empire. With the lucrative gemstones, jade and medicinal herbs trade heading up-river into the empire, Jahmori – Onyx relations are on an all time high and the Jahmori have of late experienced a huge boom in technology and knowledge. They are up to date the only human population to have herds of war trained land dragons and now even have an elite unit of mounted warriors working within the emperors legions.
This article was initially published XX November MMII
Why do elves all look the same? Are they just long living pointy eared humans? This article should explain some of the mysteries around elves.
Warning: Some of the themes in this article may be considered as having mature content. If you do not think you can handle such content, do not read further.
Foreword
Like 99% of Fantasy Role Players, I have read Lord of the Rings. While I appreciate Tolkien’s take on elves and by extension goblins and orcs, I do not believe that can be the only view. Simply put, it is a concern that so many people adhere to the elfin canon created by Tolkien.
You know which one: “Elves are pure, beautiful, long lived etc, while orcs are evil and base creatures.” Then there is the ultimate insult: “Orcs are a degenerate form of elf!”
This treatise describes an alternate take on the canonical picture of elves. It is based on the authors own ideas and dislike of the elves that the classic FRP gamer loves so much.
It does not reflect the views of other members of RuneQuest.orc. I do however hope that it is of some use, even as a discussion point for other players out there. Furthermore, its main focus is that of elfin physiology and as such this cannot be viewed as an exhaustive document of elfin culture.
Elves in Context
What the orcs say: Elves are females! Have you ever seen a male elf? They all carry bows, so they must all be female.
It could be a case of cultures clashing, because only orc females use bows. It is thought of as a feminine weapon by orcs, even being seen to touch one could cause a male orc to be shamed and lose status among his peers.
But there is some merit in what the orcs say. Elves all look the same. Long hair, slim, soft features, sexually ambiguous. Are they hippies, or is there a deeper mystery about them? Has anyone seen one naked?
Note: Where comparisons are made below, unless otherwise specified, such comparisons are based on a human benchmark.
Basic Physiology
Elves are part of the animal kingdom. They tend to have symbiotic relationships with various plant species which has at times caused some to confuse them as being a vegetable based species. They can be divided into various sub species, but generally the views expressed are those of the common or “wood” elf.
While exceptions to the norm do exist, most elves reflect the following traits to various degrees:
Long lived
Tall
Wiry
Androgynous
Herbivorous
Diurnal
Unique class of animal (i.e. not mammals, reptiles etc.)
Art by Erich Heckel
The symbiosis they share with their host plants is usually so close that lifespan is tied in with a host plant. Thus if the host plant dies, generally the elves tied to it die as well. This may explain why elves tend to be super protective of the woodlands and forests they live in. It may also serve to explain the longevity of sup species who share mutualistic or commensalistic relationships with long lived tree species. By extension it is thus assumed that a parasitic relationship will be less likely to exist, although such a concept should not be entirely ruled out.
Travel of any large distance from the host plant can be difficult, sometimes impossible for species with very tight symbiotic bonds. This can be alleviated thought certain rituals and matrices which allow for communion with the host via the spirit plain.
Magic
Elves tend to have a natural affinity with spirit magic which is usually ritual in nature. Most rituals are communal. Certain spirit spells ane however readily available to elves who have reached maturity. These spells are usually of an earthy or pastoral nature.
Sorcery is not unknown among elves, but the rules to study and master their sorcerous arts are the same for elf and human. Elves do however have much more time to learn sorcery and build up reserves of magic. Simply put – beware the aging elfin sorcerer!
Elves do not perform divine magic.
Some consider elves to be magic creatures due to their affinity with the spirit plane. This may be true to some degree. It would also mean that while elves may access the spirit world with relative ease, vice versa would also apply. Thus issues that may stem from the spirit plane could be exasperated among elfin kind. Simply put, their sensitivity to the spirit world can make them strong, but it can also cause them to be affected to a greater degree by events on the plane, be the consequences beneficial or dire. See goblins further in this document.
Reproduction
The big question! Why are elves so difficult to tell apart? The answer is simple. One cannot differentiate as they are hermaphrodites. Elves are true hermaphrodites (as opposed to so called human hermaphrodites.) When sexually mature, they are able to breed with any other sexually mature member of their own or similar sub species.
Elves take many years to reach sexual maturity, another aspect that may be linked to their host plant. Once maturity is reached, they undergo periodic fertile cycles. These cycles differ from species to species, but are thought to generally occur every five years. As such it is imperative that members of the same tribe become fertile at the same time. Should a member of another tribe wish to breed for the sake of strengthening the gene pool, it would be imperative that they live among the tribe they wish to breed with for a sufficient period that their fertility cycles may align. (This may also possibly be facilitated via magical means.)
Due to the timing necessary to ensure successful breeding, mating has become highly ritualised. It would appear that emotions (assuming elves experience such) have no place in the mating ritual, but rather that partners are selected in terms of best genetic parings, to strengthen the overall tribal gene pool.
Physical coupling requires some hours to complete. It is thus essential that elves who have coupled are not disturbed, which also speaks to the structure of the mating ritual. The reason that coupling takes so long is that they do not deposit their sperm into each other, like a mammal may. Instead, one elf transfers its egg to its partner. This is done via means of an ovipositor, which enters the others birth canal where it passes over male organs which excrete sperm cells. The sperm must make their way into the opening at the end of the ovipositor and fertilise the egg that by this time would already be making its slow way down the ovipositor. The ovipositor then makes its way further down the birth canal to the womb, where the now fertilised egg is deposited to take root. The ovipositor is subsequently retracted back into its owner.
The ovipositor and birth canal are separate organs and thus allow both coupling elves to deposit eggs into each other during the same coupling if they so choose. Single sided couplings do occur, mostly among sub species with shorter fertility cycles.
When not mating, genitals look like two holes next to each other, the birth canal being the larger. Curious humans have been known to confuse the birth canal with a human vagina and either overlooked the retracted ovipositor or thought it to be a urethral opening. (In fact elves do not have a urethra or kidneys. Their blood waste is excreted via their colon.) Gestation period once again differs among sub species, but is generally accepted to be between 340 and 410 days. Birth occurs via the birth canal and in this way is probably the closest in similarity to that of humans.
Infants are not nursed by their “mother”. Elves do not have mammary glands. They receive sustenance from their sub species host plant. Depending on the sub species, this may be in the form of fruits, leaf sap, or even special sap excreted specifically for the purpose of the plants symbiotic partner. It is at this time that the young elf bonds with its host plant.
Half Elves
Though physically elves may appear to look similar to humans, such similarities are purely superficial. Interbreeding between the two species would not only be impossible at a chromosomal level, but would also be physically impossible. One could appear to put the right bits in the right places, but would indeed not be doing so.
Thus, the reader is asked to cast the idea of a half elf from their mind. They cannot exist by any natural means. If a half elf character is so deeply desired, one would suggest playing a game like Dungeons and Dragons that does not pay attention to the concept of species and chromosomes.
What about the tree?
If elves are so closely bonded with a host plant and gain so much benefit from the plant, what does the plant get in return? It depends on the form of symbiotic relationship that exists between the sub species and the plant:
Mutualism – Both parties benefit each other. This is probably the most common form of symbiosis employed. The tree will in turn for providing shelter, sustenance and a physiological bond receive protection, sustenance (compost) and propagation. In extreme cases, the tree may be unable to survive or propagate without its elfin partner.
Commensalism – One party benefits, the other party is not harmed. The elf receives the same as per mutualism, but does not give anything substantial back to the host plant. Less common, but leads to a looser bond with the host, allowing the elf to travel from its host, or even change hosts.
Parasitism – One party benefits to the detriment of the other. Very unlikely and as such longevity associated with the tree would not be possible and would indeed be detrimental to the elf’s lifespan should a elf/tree bond exist. Alternately, if no such bond existed, associated elfin lifespan would be intermediate, probably similar to that of a human.
Orcs
Orcs are in no way related to elves. Case closed! If you wish to insult an orc, insinuate that he has elf blood. You will succeed, you will also likely die shortly thereafter. If anything, orcs are probably closest likened to humans, but share a very dissimilar ancestral tree and do not derive from simians. They are however mammalian in a very broad sense. And no, you do not get half orcs.
Goblins
Goblins on the other hand are distantly related to elves, although one will never hear an elf confirm this. When reference is made to “a degenerate form of el” it is with goblins in mind. How these base creatures came to be is debatable, but various hypothesises have them as being the result of, inter alia, some bizarre failed experiment, inbreeding of an isolated elf community, corrupted and warped by diabolic spirit magics, cursed by the gods etc. Some people believe they exist as a result of some or all of the above!
Goblins are small, scrawny creatures with a tendency to steal anything they can carry or lead away. They are not very bright having intellect similar to that of a rat insofar they have a capacity to learn, but can also pass on some crude learning’s to their family. Family is used here in a broad sense, as a goblin tribe is usually very much related.
Why goblins are considered dangerous and highly undesirable is not through individual encounters, which are bad enough as they carry disease and are generally a nuisance. The main problem with goblins is that they breed fast and profusely and if they are allowed to establish a nest, a few nuisance goblins will become a menacing, ravenous hoard in the space of a season. What they lack in individual strength and stature, they make up for in numbers.
Goblins are fortunately the opposite of their elfin ancestors in terms of longevity, leading short, violent lives. Those that do survive to old age may count perhaps four years before their body wears itself out. Their scrawny bodies are barely sufficient to sustain themselves, let alone offspring. In terms of reproduction they have taken a symbiotic leaf from their ancestors book.
Within a goblin nest (usually a warren of caves), a large chamber is excavated. Within this chamber is a creature called a Lopsloss. The Lopsloss is related to a head hanger, but has long since lost the ability to move. It relies on its symbiotic goblin partners for sustenance, protection and propagation:
Sustenance is provided by the goblins in terms of any flesh they can feed the Lopsloss, flesh or carrion, it digests it all.
Protection is provided deep within the goblin warren, were the goblins will fight to the death to protect their Lopsloss.
When groups of goblins split off to establish new colonies, they take a portion of Lopsloss with. As the Lopsloss propagates by binary fission a new one will soon grow in the new colony.
In return, the goblins receive a valuable service from the lopsloss. It gestates their offspring. Goblins become fertile often, every season it is thought. When they mate, they follow a similar procedure to elves, but are no longer in possession of wombs (which have become superfluous and desiccated ove many generations of non use.) Instead, the egg, once fertilised, is deposited into the lopsloss.
The fertilised egg is somehow recognised by the lopsloss and in return for sustenance, it converts proteins and secretes nourishing fluids that help the goblin embryo grow. If however the lopsloss begins to starve, it will digest the embryos. This is why as a last resort, goblins will immolate themselves to feed the lopsloss and save their offspring, if such an event comes to pass.
Due to their nature and the way they are sustained as embryos, goblins are carnivorous.
Gæa is our groups home grown world. The name is hardly original, but it works. Gæa started out as a continent which one of our players (Carol) drew up when our RQ group got back together after a long role playing drought. Using Coral Draw, she took the outline of Germany, reversed the image and transposed mountains, rivers, borders, country names and the like onto it. It was a bit of a rush job, but Carol is very talented, so even her rush job looked great and had a nice fantasy feel to it.
Some of the country names were straight out of novels (Drasnia – The Belgeraid, by David Eddings) and real life places. (Faerie Glen is actually a suburb of Pretoria, South Africa – really cool name for a fantasy place as well). It was a lovely setting and we quickly notched up numerous adventures there. As time went by, we replaced plagiarized names – Drasnia became Dalatia etc. Many unnamed features were fleshed out, the huge mountain range in the North became the Northice Mountains and we even found a place far to the south to situate Elderad, The Lost City (A RuneQuest module).
I am never content with what is available. I needed a place for my favorite creatures, Lizard Men. So some more continents and islands sprung up, Araktor, Vasniss, The Misty Isles, The Tinn Isles, Illium Cromia to mention but a few.
Gæa retained its name but we needed to name the world, so we ended up with a continent of Gaia on the world of Gæa. Maps were drawn and re drawn (by hand, with MS Paint, Campaign Cartographer (free demo) and eventually Autorealm, a shareware package which is written in Delphi).
The original Coral Draw map of Gaia was lost during a PC rebuild, but we still have the paper printout. Histories were written, gods dreamed up and this process still continues.
As existing material is rehashed to make sure its fits and new material is written, it will be published here. The maps will be redone again before they are published as some basic rules of geography and cartography were broken and need to be remedied. (E.G.: There are way too many jungle areas at latitudes which should not warrant that sort of vegetation.)
As always, criticisms and comments are welcome. Even if you pick up something like a name or concept which appears to be the work of someone else, let us know. We have read so many books and played so many games that sometimes ideas and names which we consider original are far from it! As such, we would hate to be thought of as pinching other peoples ideas and/or work.
Also encountered as Bazzats Best Bezzle, Bazzats Bilious Beer, Bazzats Berserk Barrel, and Bazzats Bitter Bevvy
Rare POT 2d12 (per barrel)
History: Bazzat was an infamous orcish brew master. It is reasonable common knowledge that orcish beer can make guzzlers do some strange things. Most orcish beer differs greatly from barrel to barrel, depending what ingredients were available to the brewer at the time of brewing. Bazzat was an orc of exceptional intelligence. While experimenting on new brews, he stumbled across a recipe, which contained certain herbs known to have magical properties, which was to become his masterpiece. A beer that would make the drinker invincible. He committed this recipe to memory.
Unfortunately, orcish brewing techniques being what they are, the recipe was not always duplicated exactly, resulting in some interesting side effects. The net results was that Bazzat was beaten to death by an enraged chieftain, after his army of veterans was forced to join battle sick from one of Bazzats kegs and were subsequently slaughtered. The recipe supposedly dies with him although his apprentices often tired to duplicate it. Kegs of Bazzats original brews are still to be found and drunk, if one dares.
Description: Imbibers of Bazzats Battle Brew must resist their CON vs. the brews POT, per mug quaffed. (The brew being active). A successful resist will allow the drinker to roll on the success table below. A critical success (01) will result in the imbiber going berserk. (The original brew resulted in an immediate berserk rage, but the process was never duplicated). A failure to resist will allow imbiber to roll on the failure table below. A critical fumble (00) will result in the imbiber dropping dead on the spot. (Subject to standard divine intervention rules, nyar nyar snigger.)
Note: Imbibers should resist once for every mug quaffed and roll on one of the below tables for every mug, bar for critical successes or fumbles. The brew takes up to an hour before any effects are felt.
Success Table
D100
RESULT
Critical (01)
Berserk rage. *
02 – 10
Attack fury, +10 to primary weapon attack %, -5 to primary weapon/shield parry %. Effect lasts for 1 hour.
11 – 18
Thick skin, +3 to AP in all areas, -2 to MR. Effect lasts for 1 hour.
19 – 27
Feel great but still drunk, +5 to global HP, -5% to dodge. HP bonus stays, Effect to dodge wears off in 2 hours.
28 – 40
Alert, +10 to current fatigue. Will sleep for 5 hours once effects wear off (1d4 hours).
41 – 55
Projectile vomit, enemies within melee range must dodge or take 1d4 damage from acid vomit. Unable to use weapons while vomiting. Will vomit 1d6 times.
56 – 70
Clever tongue, able to throw the best insults and demoralise opponents. (Use current fast talk +35%) Demoralised foes will only attack once every second round – effects not cumulative. A fumbled roll will demoralise the imbibers comrades. Brews effects last 1 hour.
71 – 85
Animal instincts, weapon attacks are forgotten. Attack with fists, feet, head and claws and teeth. All natural attacks at +20%. No shield or weapon parry. Effects last 1 hour.
86 – 90
Fast man, brew lends super speed. Moves at twice normal MR and attacks at twice normal attack %. Damage is halved. (Divide damage by 2). Effects last ½ hour.
91 – 95
Blind rage, lash out blindly at friend or foe. Double his primary weapon attack and double normal damage.
96 – 99
Strong man, become super strong. All damage is doubled, but actions slowed. Attack, move and parry at ½ normal rate.
00
Uncontrollable drunkenness, this confused state will have the imbiber stumbling around in battle. All rolls to be made at ¼ normal %. A hit, which draws blood, will shake the imbiber from his stupor. Re roll on table if this happens. 04 – 02 Sleepy, must resist CON vs. Brews POT every turn or fall into a deep sleep for 1d6 hours.
Failure Table
D100
RESULT
Fumble (00)
Instant death.
99 – 80
Too sick to fight, all rolls at ½ normal %.
79 – 70
Really sick, vomit over self. Take 1d4 points damage per area vomited on (missile hit location table), vomit 1d6 times.
69 – 60
Dodgy aphrodisiac, really attracted to nearest orc (or human if drinker is orc).
59 – 45
Poisoned, lose 1d8 global hit points.
44-35
Feet will not respond to commands, imbiber can only move by shuffling around on knees and must fight from that position (use standard rules for fighting from the ground).
34 – 25
Unbearably weak, loose 1d12 fatigue points and STR halved. Check STR limits to weapon use. Effect wears off in 1 hour.
24 – 20
Vision blurred, cannot see to attack or parry properly. All attack/parry rolls at – 10 and 50% chance of attacking comrades.
19 – 15
19 – 15 Clumsy, continually drop items of equipment/trip over own feet.
14 – 10
Battle master, imbiber thinks he/she is the greatest warrior ever. Will insult comrades and try to direct the battle. Good chance of being stuck in the back by an offended comrade.
09 – 05
Endo parasite, something was living in the mug you just quaffed. This parasite will slowly whittle away at its victims health, eating him from inside. Loose 2 global HP immediately and 1 per day thereafter. Also loose 1 point of CON per week or part thereof until victim dies or parasite removed.
04 – 02
Sleepy, must resist CON vs. Brews POT every turn or fall into a deep sleep for 1d6 hours.
01
Battle lust, all attacks at +20 no parry allowed. Drinker will be stuck in a battle rage and will attack anything moving, friend or foe until effect wears off (1 hour) or he is subdued and calmed down by his comrades (Rolled in snow, water thrown over him etc).
GMs Note: Please modify this table as it suits you. It is designed specifically for orc and human drinkers, so feel free to make changes for other species.
Guarantee: Bazzats Battle Brew is guaranteed to make the imbiber drunk and result in a raging hangover.
Caution: Beware of imitations, such and Danukz Deadly Dram and Gurdoks Grotesque Grog. Be specifically weary of Nimgos Nefarious Nectar – even cave trolls have thought twice before guzzling this baleful booze. Quaffers of Bazzats beer should also be aware of the healing properties of Brodoc Brothers Bottled Black Bull ™.
This article was originally published on XII August XXII
Blend 1 Point Touch, Temporal, Nonstackable, Reusable Common
This camouflages a person or an object by blending in with another object it is placed against. So a person blending in with a tree trunk to appear to the viewer to be part of the tree trunk.
The affected party must be touching the item it is blending with and the total SIZ points of the affected party must be less than those of the item it is blending with.
Multiple items of different appearances or textures cannot be blended with, , however one can blend with sand or pebbles on a beach or bark on a tress trunk. Blending does not make one invisible.
Where the affected party remains motionless, treat Blend as a special success Hide or Conceal roll. A successful Hide or Conceal roll in conjunction with Blend spell will be the equivalent of a critical success.
Moving will not break the spell, but will allow any person searching or looking at the affected party a better chance to see them. I.E. Moving will reduce the affects special affect of Hide or Conceal to a normal success.
Thanks to Leon Kirshtein and Stephen Posey of the RQ Rules List for their contribution to this spell.
These are not your regular razor shells that are often fished for in the sea bed and make a tasty shellfish treat, but a rather more sinister variety.
In the desolate wastes of a dried up sea bed lurk the razor shells. These are close descendants of the more mundane razor shells found under the seas sands, but have been forced to evolve as their habitat dried up.
The shells still eke out an existence beneath the harsh wastelands of the dry seabed and have managed to do so via some remarkable adaptations. Their original cylindrical, cut throat razor, shaped bodies have grown longer. The bottom most section which is deepest in the sand sports long barbs, which help anchor it in place, but still allow it to burrow forward (downwards). A denser and harder shell protects the organism from heat and water loss, allowing it to go for long periods without water, while also providing internal pockets wherein moisture can be stored in times of rain.
Its most remarkable and devious adaptation however is the means whereby the shell is able to sustain itself. Where its ancestor filtered the water for tiny organisms, no such contemporary nourishment now exists. Instead the shell has had to become a devious ambush predator. The upward facing portion of its body has developed a barbed harpoon tongue of razor sharp hard mother of pearl. This harpoon is held inside the shell waiting for pressure from above, the Razor Shell having positioned its top end just below the ground level. When sufficient pressure is applied, coiled muscles shoot the harpoon upward. This action is similar to that employed in the nematocyst of the hydra polyp or jellyfishes stingers.
The razor is not as subtle in subduing its prey as a jellyfish however as it has no poison. Instead it relies on the devastating damage its harpoon does as it pierces its preys flesh. This is where the Razors length and anchoring barbs, as well as its extremely strong muscles, play their role.
The part of the shells body that is attached to the harpoon can stretch to double its normal length. With the harpoon anchored in place, its prey is unable to escape and eventually succumbs to exhaustion, blood loss and shock. This does not mean that the Razor Shell waits for its prey to die; indeed thin feeding tubes extend through a small hollow at the tip of the harpoon and start to dissolve and devour the preys living flesh moments after the harpoon strikes.
While Razor Shells can grow up to a meter long and project harpoons that could be lethal to larger animals, their primary prey is smaller animals. However they do not appear to be able to distinguish potential preys SIZ and often cause a nuisance as they lacerate feet or damage horses inner hooves and cause lameness. Most shells encountered are a more manageable size of roughly thirty centimetres, although there are always travellers’ tales of monstrously sized shells that have skewered horses from beneath the ground.
Razor Shell
Characteristics
Average
STR
2D6
(6D6)*
Move 1
CON
2D6
7-10
Hit Points 10
SIZ
1D6 + 2
5-6
Fatigue 19
INT
2
3
POW
1D6 + 4
8-9
DEX
1D6
4
Hit Location
Melee (D20)
Missile (D20)
Points
Lower Shell
01-05
01-02
6/4
Upper Shell
06-18
03-19
6/4
Harpoon Tongue
19-20
20
6/5
Weapon
SR
Attack %
Damage
Harpoon
1
75+10
1D4 + 2 (1D4)#
Note: The shell lies in wait just below ground level and will shoot its harpoon directly upwards as soon as it perceives pressure from above. As such it has a very high probability to hit. Due to its position in the ground it will only be able to strike the lower limbs of large prey, whereas small prey can be struck in most logical hit locations.
# Damage is always impale damage. Treat as a regular impale but also note an additional 1D4 damage per round that the harpoon remains in the wound where the Razor Shell still lives and starts digesting its prey.
* The higher STR score is to represent the shell anchoring itself in the ground should its victim try to match STR on the resistance table in order to pull the shell from its burrow.
