Jinome (Montporte Dungeon Campaign Critter)

JINOME
Armor Class: 7 [12]
Hit Dice: 1
Attacks: Small spears or clubs (1d4)
Saving Throw: 16
Special: Laughter; Music; Spells
Move: 7
Challenge Level/XP: 2/30

Jinomes are undead gnomes. They live in forests in or near lands that are tainted or deeply evil. Jinomes travel in small bands and appear in forests at night to hunt their prey. Despite their undead state, jinomes still possess the intelligence, cleverness, and prankster characteristics found among the gnomes, only in this case it has been twisted by long-term contact with evil.

Jinomes are turned as zombies by clerics.

COMBAT:  Jinomes feed on the fear and confusion of their victims so they prefer to use their specialized attacks from a distance rather than engage in melee combat. If forced into combat, they will attempt to attack any gnomes in the opposing party.

LAUGHTER: Groups of three or more jinomes are able to unleash hideous cackling laughter that causes confusion to those within 40’ for those creatures failing their saving throw. The jinomes may use this ability once per day.

MUSIC: Groups of six or more jinomes are able to create lively but disturbing music that causes nausea for those within 40’ who fail their saving throw. Nauseated opponents have a -1 penalty to their attack rolls. Jinomes can play this music but once per day but they can continue playing until they are physically attacked. The nausea will last 1-6 turns after the music stops.

SPELLS:  Each jinome can cast Darkness, 15 ft Radius and Mirror Image once per day.

Note: The jinome appeared in The Manor #4. Special thanks to Tim (Gothridge Manor) for giving me the thumbs up to share it on my blog (I did create it but he was gracious enough to include it in his zine).

Linen Golem (Montporte Dungeon Campaign Critter)

LINEN GOLEM
Armor Class: 9 [10]
Hit Dice: 2
Attacks: Sleeve slap (1d3) x 2
Saving Throw: 16
Special: Cleric spells; Blunt weapon resistance; Immunity to magic
Move: 8
Challenge Level/XP: 3/60

A linen golem is typically created by a powerful cleric to a guard key area in a temple or shrine. A linen golem is an animated vestment and is capable of following the simple commands of its creator.

COMBAT: The linen golem is not an especially dangerous foe to a well-armed prepared opponent, but it is capable of driving off the weak or casual individual who has intruded into sacred space. The linen golem attacks by slapping its opponents with its sleeves, possessing two attacks per round that each do 1d3 points of damage on a successful strike.

CLERIC SPELLS: A linen golem can cast one first or second level cleric spell per day. Each linen golem is given one such spell at its creation and it can be cast once per day when certain conditions are met or the linen golem is attacked.

BLUNT WEAPONS: Blunt and non-edged weapons do half damage against the linen golem.

IMMUNITY TO MAGIC: Like other golems, a linen golem is immune to magic. The linen golem will take normal damage to magical and non-magical fire-based attacks.

Note: The linen golem appeared in The Manor #4. Special thanks to Tim (Gothridge Manor) for giving me the thumbs up to share it on my blog (I did create it but he was gracious enough to include it in his zine).

Beer Ooze (Montporte Dungeon Campaign Critter)

BEER OOZE
Armor Class: 9 [10]
Hit Dice: 1
Attacks: Slosh (1d2)
Saving Throw: 17
Special: Surprise; Nausea; Inebriation
Move: 3
Challenge Level/XP: 1/15

Beer ooze forms when barrels of beer are stored for exceedingly long periods near magical locations. They appear as foamy puddles on the floor near kegs or barrels of beer.

COMBAT: A beer ooze will attack those who come close to it. It has the ability to form appendages that slosh its opponents for 1d2 in damage.

SURPRISE: A beer ooze can surprise an unsuspecting opponent on a roll of 1-4 (1d6).

NAUSEA: The beer ooze has a nasty odor that causes nausea in those creatures with a sense of smell. Creatures coming within 10’ of the beer ooze must make a saving throw or be stricken with nausea for 1d4+1 turns. The nausea causes a 1d4 temporary loss of dexterity and a penalty of –2 on all attack rolls.

INEBRIATION: When a beer ooze successfully strikes its opponent, that opponent must make a saving throw or become inebriated. The effects of the beer ooze’s inebriation powers is cumulative. The first time an opponent is affected, the opponent is slightly inebriated and temporarily loses 1 point of intelligence and wisdom. When a slightly inebriated opponent is affected a second time by the beer ooze, the opponent becomes moderately inebriated and temporarily loses 2 more points of intelligence, 3 more points of wisdom, 2 points of dexterity and has a –1 penalty on attack roles (in addition to any other penalties). The third time an opponent is affected by the beer ooze, they become greatly inebriated, losing 3 more points of intelligence, 3 more points of wisdom, 2 more points of dexterity, and in penalized an addition –4 on attack roles (in addition to any other penalties). The fourth time the opponent is affected, they become comatose.

Note that successful constitution saving throws negate the inebriation effect of that particular attack but do not “sober up” the opponent. Inebriation may be negated with neutralize poison.

Note: The beer ooze appeared in The Manor #4. Special thanks to Tim (Gothridge Manor) for giving me the thumbs up to share it on my blog (I did create it but he was gracious enough to include it in his zine).

Stuff for the Next Issue of The Manor

+Tim Shorts asked me to contribute to the next issue of The Manor (#5). I am planning to submit three different items:

• A haiku (chosen especially for +matt jackson ).
• A short article on mapping stairs. It would basically be some simple plugin equations for figuring out the horizontal run for stairs, based on the vertical distance (and the reverse, as well) for steep, regular and shallow stairs.
• Three or four rooms with puzzles, traps or other interesting feature that can be dropped into a larger building or dungeon. This would go along with an article that Tim is planning on writing.

While I have little desire to publish gaming stuff (much to the dismay of +Rob Conley ), I do enjoy a much more limited role as contributor and proofreader. 

Treasures in the Mailbox

So I have not been buying much in the way of gaming stuff. Oddly enough, I don't buy much while I am in the middle of GMing a campaign. I also bought a bass guitar a few months ago and that seriously deleted my fun money account. However, I did get Tim's (Gothridge Manor) latest volume of The Manor. The Manor #4 is the best one yet, although I admit to being biased as I have a few critters published within. The monster cards are a nice touch.

I also ordered GURPS Mysteries (4th Edition) and it arrived today. I haven't had a chance to look through it yet, as we had our Monday Night Gaming Group session tonight, but I plan on starting my reading during my morning smoothie. I have heard good things about this book but it is out of print (still available in PDF). I have been keeping an eye out for a used copy on Amazon, but the price had been hovering around $50. I managed to score a copy for $17.00. Happy I am. There are still some copies available on Amazon for the same price. I am not sure why the price bounces around so much..maybe a group of speculators creating havoc in the market?

I also received some gaming goodness from my wife for Father's Day back in June. I finally have the hardcopy of The Swashbucklers of the 7 Skies. My wife and I talked about playing but we have not made any definite plans yet. I have not tried out the PDQ system (or, in this case, PDQ Sharp), but I am intrigued by it. Plus, the setting is awesome...it easily lands in my top 3 settings of all time. Thanks, Deb!!

Manor #4 Is Now Out and About

Tim Short's (Gothridge Manor) The Manor #4 is now in print and ready to meet your gaming needs. While it might not lead you further along the path to enlightenment, The Manor #4 promises to entertain and will give you some fun goodies for your gaming table. You get another one of Tim's excellent adventures, plus monsters galore. And the art is nothing short of awesome.

This is Tim's best effort yet. Don't miss it!

Book Bundle Giveaway

Hey, boys and girls! Who doesn't love giveaways and prizes? The Happy Whisk is giving away an ebook bundle in celebration of her 444th blog post. It includes Tim's latest issue of The Manor, but don't let that dissuade you (The Happy Whisk is Tim's wife...not sure how he engineered that). The other stuff looks really cool, too (3 other ebooks!).

Weekend Update: Out and About with My Axe

Me with one of my axes

I have had a couple of busy weeks with music--3 gigs in the last two weeks plus rehearsals. Last night I was the substitute bass player for a three piece blues band. My plan is to set aside my gig money for music equipment, but it never quite works out that way. We usually raid the gig money envelope for cash for our NYC trips. Lately, the money has been going for RPG Kickstarters.

My world of gaming looks something like this:

• Delvin the dwarf in Rob's Majestic Wilderlands GURPS campaign. We started out as 75 point characters in a mercenary band. Having captured the enemy's king and received part of the king's ransom, we have decided to leave the mercenary business and build an inn. We had to get permission of the local bigwig, Sir Kaymus (which took up most of the last session). The next task is getting permission of the local guild. Delvin, who has spent his life as a soldier of fortune, is now faced with the task of learning how to brew ale (a specialty under the GURPS Cooking skill). Up until now, Delvin had little use for such non-martial skills.
• Montporte Dungeon: Our next Montporte session is scheduled for March 4, with me as GM. We are using Blood & Treasure. The guys are working on their characters. I am redoing my hand-drawn maps, using AutoREALM, so that I can upload JPEGs into Roll20. All of those cartography classes I took in college are finally being put to use...although I do have 30 years of rust.
• City of Onyx: I have a pile of notes to organize and some maps to create. Rob Conley has graciously offered to help me on the maps. I am also reading through the pile of GURPS books on our dining room table.
• The Manor: I am reworking two of my homebrew creatures for Tim to use in the next issue of The Manor.
• Kickstarters: Both of the Kickstarters I pledged surpassed their goals (Fate Core and Tavern Cards).