The Carbuncle King was once a mortal with enormous financial power who hoarded wealth beyond even the capacity to spend it in his lifetime. In death, he was claimed by devils and became one of the Ten Thousand Kings of Hell. His form now is mighty and fearful, but lacks the ability to appreciate his wealth and power.
Those who give service to the Carbuncle King must obey his avaricious wishes, bringing him ever greater wealth. They are often set against one another in competitions to prove their fealty, and showered with gifts of power if they prove their ability. The Carbuncle King's demesne is a festering endless mountain riddled with holes, and with gold and fabulous riches crammed into every nook and cranny. The Carbuncle King's servants are similarly misshapen and beshelled, although they have grasping hands to move their master's wealth (and secret some away for themselves). Those who give oath to the Carbuncle King bear a hard shell-like growth somewhere on their body, which grows with their favour. Statistics: The Carbuncle King's physical might is equivalent to a Pit Fiend, although with no tail or wings. Instead, he has twelve great legs, of which he can use up to four to attack in any round (2d6+4 piercing damage), and an adamantine-hardness shell granting an additional +2 AC. How you can use the Carbuncle King in your game: - A Player Character might serve the Carbuncle King as a Warlock, gaining power to protect themselves and find trasures. Although the Carbuncle King is thoroughly wicked and greedy, he is somewhat caring, perhaps even avuncular, to those who serve him. He does often set them at odds with one another, asking them to compete in exchange for a reward. - The servants of the Carbuncle King might become adversaries who are not mortal enemies, who could be in turns comedic and troublesome but not avowedly evil. They might be behind any number of heists- the crown of a princess, the rosary of an archbishop, or the sunken treasure of an armada. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 30 April 2020. For our final (at least for now) #WestMarchesWednesday post, I'd like to talk about something I was reading about today: Session Omega. Similarly to Session Zero, this is something you should 'plan in' and factor into your game, to give your players a sense of 'closure' and success.
Keep track of what's gone on in each game, for your NPCs and towns (I can recommend our Session Record Sheet for that!), and have an 'end goal'- the defeat of Magister Acardolo, the turning back of the invading army, or the exploration of the entire map, for example. When that point is reached, you can make it a big knock-down drop-out fight or not, as you choose- and then it's time to turn over your ending slides. Let people know what happened to that cute couple back in the first town, and how things went with the crooked mayor gone. Tell them where that dragon that got away went and what it got up to, and how the invading army turns back with their tail between their legs, and then (this bit is important)- let your players tell you what their characters get up to. Give them a chance to tell the story for once, and help them along when they need it. If they go too big and declare themselves King of all Thedas, that might need reining in a little, but let them tell you where they go, and what they do. You can use all of this to set up their old characters as NPCs for your next campaign! This can take a little while, and if you can, you may want all your players in attendance (even if you're playing online) - this is your big finale, after all! Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 29 April 2020. The Sacred Seven are a threat renowned across multiple kingdoms, and feared for their cold vengeance. A small order of rogue knights, each member of the Sacred Seven is a skilled warrior and a dangerous foe in their own right. United, they are an almost insurmountable threat for anything short of a small army.
The Sacred Seven were drawn together as the last surviving members of a holy order, each fallen from grace when their order faced a massacre and they were found wanting in their faith. They banded together and swore a terrible pact, one that promised ruin for all the kingdoms who had abandoned them in their time of need. Each of the seven members was infused with dark power and sent out into the world to hunt their foes, and bring them to ground. Each of the Sacred Seven is a Blackguard, a powerful servant of the forces of evil. They are known by their choice of weapons: Tearer wields a terrible greataxe, Lance is a cavalier with a weapon made of starmetal, Bastarde is a master duelist with a longsword. Flamberge carries a battered greatsword, dented and nicked by battle. Bulwark is a sword-and-shield expert, Shatterer carries a great two-handed warhammer originally made by dwarves to break dragons, and Case a pair of matched longswords. They speak rarely, and dress in the tattered remnants of their order's old surcoats and cloaks. Statistics: Each of the Sacred Seven casts spells from the Paladin spell list, usually favouring smite spells. Their attacks vary by weapon, and each is a Challenge Rating 8 encounter on their own. Being favoured by the dark gods, they can even escape death unless all seven are vanquished. How you can use the Sacred Seven in your game: - On a hunt for a foe, a servant of one of the kingdoms who betrayed them, the Player Characters are joined by a mysterious knight with a sepulchral appearance and the robes of a long-dead order of paladins. The knight seems highly competent, and driven to bring their foe to ground without asking for payment. When they are wounded in battle, however, their true nature may start to become apparent. - If one of the PCs' identity relates to a specific kingdom, this may be one of the ones which betrayed the Sacred Seven. One of the band, or perhaps even several, may come for them. Spotting their distinctive helmet crests and surcoats across a foggy moor or a crowded street should turn the blood cold. They Sacred Seven will think nothing of slaughtering their way through a crowd or eliminating any allies their target might have, and a confrontation could lead to dozens of collateral deaths if not handled well. - Even those who would supply them quake when they hear the Sacred Seven making movements. Information could come from a very unexpected source- an assassins' guild, the Temple of Bane, or some other group which would normally be the PCs' enemies. Hearing that the Seven are coming together for a mission should be terrifying. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 25 April 2020. This spell plagues its target with ghostly whispers to distract them and drive them insane.
Maddening Whispers 4th-level enchantment (Bard, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard) Casting Time: 1 action Range: 60 feet Components: V, S, M (a few droplets of mercury) Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute One humanoid of your choice that you can see within range must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or take 2d6 psychic damage and become charmed by you for the duration. While the target is charmed in this way, a chorus of incorporeal spirits appears, visible to the target only, whispering and laughing constantly. The charmed target takes 2d6 psychic damage per round. On the charmed target's turn, you can choose to make them use its action before moving to make a melee attack against a creature other than itself that you mentally choose. If you do choose to make them make an attack the target can make a Wisdom saving throw at the end of its turn. On a success, the spell ends. The target can act normally on its turn if you choose no creature or if none are within its reach. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 24 April 2020. Saint George's Day is the Catholic feast day of Saint George, usually celebrated in England (as St. George is England's patron saint). Saint George is celebrated as a slayer of dragons, which most player characters can find an appeal in.
It can be useful to think of this in terms of worldbuilding- what saints and heroes do your players know of in the world's history? What legends have shaped their development, and what archetypes do they look up to and aspire to emulate? You can also flavour this for creatures in your world, and use it to lay groundwork for new creatures that you want to introduce. How you can use Saints' Feast Days in your game: - Having a Feast Day can be an excuse for a festival in a town or city, one that involves all sorts of interesting dressing-up, pantomimes, and memorial activity. This can be a great opportunity for performers, thieves, or just characters who would like a day off. It can also be an excuse for you to delay things a little, if you haven't got a session prepped. - You can use this to recount and spill forth some lore. If you need to tell people about Saint Huloro, who freed a hundred gentlefolk, defeated King Rannock, and refused a crown, then attending a puppet show or hearing about his story from a local minstrel can do it. - This can also lay groundwork for sacred relics that the PCs could recover from a tomb, monsters that have returned because the saint's bones have been disturbed, or a comet signalling future badness that they can recognize. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 23 April 2020. Today's #WestMarchesWednesday is about player concepts. For a West Marches campaign, your players aren't being "main characters", they're just regular (heroic) folks. If one dies, they can be substituted, rather than having ongoing plot relevance.
If your players are coming fom a game where their plot relevance is very high, this can take some adjustment, and needs to be something you discuss with them in your Session Zero. They need to understand, and base their character concepts on that. Often people write their character backgrounds like main characters, rather than ones who might be supporting characters. So rather than writing a character concept about someone who's the last descendant of the slain King, they might be last descendant of a slain noble. Rather than an assassin hunted by their whole guild, they might be an assassin hunted by their old partner. Get them to think of characters who have occasional plot relevance, and can share the limelight with other players who will also have their own subplots. Now, while today's post is specifically relevant to a West Marches game, it's valuable to all roleplaying games- getting your players to play nicely with others is quite rewarding, and means less friction at the table. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 22 April 2020. The mysterious figure known as The Godmother appears as a faceless creature with withered, jet-black skin and spotless white robes. She is mysterious, arriving unpredictably and conferring gifts upon people in need. Those who have magical senses have told that she seems to be an undead creature, and that her true face is shrouded in magical darkness. Her voice is sot and melodic, her accent archaic and quaint. Her manner is kindly, but people who are excellent judges of character sense some reserve in her.
Statistics: The Godmother is an ancient Lich, her humanity gone a long time ago. However, she does like to feel appreciated, and enjoys hearing tell of her own legend, distorted and retold though it is. She is incredibly insightful, and often delivers just what is needed in time. However, the actions which come about due to her gifts often lead to darker outcomes- tragedies, civil wars, and murders. Even if confronted, she rarely engages in combat, preferring to flee and stir up trouble against someone much later. How you can use The Godmother in your game: - In times when everything seems lost and your Player Characters seem to have run out of options, a mysterious figure might arrive to grant them salvation. While they might be suspicious of the gift, it is offered freely and without provisions. It seems to be everything they need, and something that can be displayed or re-used later. - If the players need to meet with a noble, she can offer a long-lost and tarnished silver family seal that will gain them immediate access to the noble, with the side effect of sparking off a feud that has been dormant for a generation. A magic item conferring the ability to breathe underwater can assist them to descend to the underwater kingdom of the Merfolk, but aggravate the Sahaugin whose territory they will have to pass through. - This could be a a "get-out card" that you can use if your PCs are trapped by a cave-in or seem like things are otherwise doomed, allowing you a way to keep the game flowing. This can let you fix a situation that seems like it's a problem, and lead to future badness. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 18 April 2020. This post is harvesting copiously from a Reddit post I saw about five years ago, about the importance of making a Lawful Evil religion actually attractive to the people who follow it, instead of just being an excuse to be a jerk. The adage "no-one is a villain, in their own head" applies here.
In the original post, user u/almightyolive described Infernalism as below: [QUOTE] Infernalism first made it's appearance on the continent at the same time as the Fellborn pact (where humans allowed themselves to be transformed by the Devils in return for their and their future offspring's souls), but it is believed to be the dominant belief system among Devils. It emphasizes the importance of individual wealth and power, and while Infernalism advocates following the law it stresses that rules are meant to be bent. Infernalism is all about the individual and the present; it does not matter how the world was created because you are here now and you matter. Infernalism implores it's adherents to live in the moment, increase your personal power and not worry about silly things like the afterlife or reputation. It matches current scholarly thought on the nature of Devils, who are thought to be Fallen Angels who could no longer bear the responsibility of their duty and broke free of their bonds. The core of the religion is the Codex, or the set of codified rules that an adherent follows. There is evidence of a variety of conflicting rule sets in circulation (even among Devils) despite it's central importance, leading some scholars to speculate that some adherents view that even the Codex itself is inferior to one's power and can be changed at will. There are two existing forms of Infernalism worship; the Cult and the Induction.
Author's note: The following list is a selection of common rules that appear on most versions of the Codex. It is not an exhaustive list.
I've had this post saved for years, waiting for an opportunity to introduce it to my campaign, but it's never quite fit. That said, it might fit for some of you, wonderful readers. Here are some ideas and comments on how you could use such a concept: How you can use Infernalism in your game: - For Pathfinder players, this concept fits perfectly for a native of Cheliax and their practice of Diabolism. For players in other campaign settings, the Shadovar of Forgotten Realms, the Scarlet Brotherhood or the Empire of Iuz in Greyhawk, these kinds of beliefs might drive a Lawful Evil player character, without leading to them just disrupting the party and ruining everything. - For those who have played the updated versions of Doom, there's a religion similar to Infernalism going on, which the NPC Olivia Pierce follows and has led a cult in. This cult becomes an uprising that triggers off the main events of the game. This could be used as the basis for a new-age spiritualist belief system in a modern or sci-fi game with very little change. - Even if you (wisely) limit your player characters to not being evil, this kind of philosophy could be one that some of your Neutral or even Good characters might practice, eschewing the more manipulative or usurious commandments. Given that many of these commandments are to do with self-actualization and looking out for what's dear to you, it's not something that would necessarily "trigger off" someone's evil-detection senses. - The Ten Thousand Kings of Hell have become aware of the audacity practiced in seeding this religion among the mortal races, and even they are impressed with its success. They have elected one of their members, the Heresiarch, to orchestrate its growth. He is clad in darkened steel and cannot speak, only breathe words of fire that float upon the air, and yet his words are praised and listened to. The practices of concealment and deception are being discarded for honest semblance- and yet mortals still listen. Although this technically does not breach the Truce Celestial, the forces of the Heavens are mightily concerned by its growth, and would send word to their own agents to work against it. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 17 April 2020. Some foes cannot be destroyed, only overcome for a time. Legend tells of a powerful wizard, imprisoned in time by three knights who all gave their swords and their lives to hold him.
The swords, stained with the wizard's blood, were taken up by each knight's squire and have long and glorious histories of their own. The knights each passed into undeath, their mortal lives burned into the sorcery imprisoning their foe. As their spirits dwindle, the sorcery is starting to fade, and there are whispers that he has been seen appearing again. A band of heroes must seek out the knights' spirits and their swords to renew the spell, before their foe can return in full. How you can use Bound by Heroes' Blades in your game: - This campaign concept includes a bunch of regular fantasy tropes- questing across the land, collecting relics, stopping an incredibly powerful enemy, and seeking out hero-spirits from another time. You can use it as the basis for a solid campaign just as it is, or personalize it for your own use. - The Player Characters might be reincarnations of the original heroes, descendants of them or their squires, or completely unrelated. You can have the Knights' ghosts be willing to aid your PCs, but be trapped, drained, or unhelpful. Perhaps one of them has even fallen to corruption in undeath. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 16 April 2020. I'm skipping this week's #WestMarchesWednesday post to share what Wizards of the Coast is doing- an initiative they're calling "Stay at Home, Play at Home".
Wizards are offering a pile of free content for adventurers of all ages, including Adventurers' League modules, colouring pages, and more. They're free to download, great quality stuff to play with, and could be something to help you teach some non-gamer friends, housemates, or family, whether online or sheltering in place. So have a look, grab some content, and get gaming! Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 15 April 2020. 'One-Eye' is a fierce and protective warlord in the post-apocalypse. Her warriors have conquered vast swathes of territory, and crushed their enemies mercilessly. And yet the jackals keep picking at the fringers of her domains, testing for weakness...
'One-Eye' or 'Debbie' to her friends, is a reluctant warlord who never wanted any of this. She started out as just a regular person, someone who got sick of the toughs running her town and just had enough. An armed uprising led her to leadership of her own town, and then the bullies just kept getting bigger. From there, it's been sixteen years of non-stop fighting, and protection of an ever-expanding definition of "her" people. 'One-Eye' is tough, fair, and just about 4,010% done with everything. What she needs is weapons, food, and supplies for her people, as well as a respite from constant attacks and threats. What she *really* damn needs is some good news, because that would be a nice change. And if you can bring her a nice teacup in good condition, well, that just might be enough to buy you a few minutes of her attention. How you can use 'One-Eye' in your game: - 'One-Eye' might be someone at first introduced as a threat, a warlord expanding her territory to include the players' region. Her demands are harsh, and require people to serve in her army and supply food and resources to her troops. They might not realize at first that the other threats to their region could be even worse. - 'One-Eye' might have information that the players need, but getting it out of her will require some kind of service. She might need a favour, she might need a trade. Who knows? - If the players have proven themselves useful, they might even get to know 'One-Eye' personally, and start to understand her constant struggle. Offering some kind of assistanc, or a way to stabilize her region, would be sorely appreciated. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 11 April 2020. A sturdy surface on which to write is invaluable for people who need to study. This magic item is even more useful than that for arcanists, assisting them to travel and refresh their knowledge more easily.
Scholar's Desk Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement) The item itself is a foot-wide slate tile, bound in brass and weighing about 10lb. When the command word is spoken, it transforms into a fully-equipped writing desk, taking up about 5 feet of space. When the command word is spoken again, it transforms back into its more transportable form. Once per day, when a wizard uses this desk during a short rest, they double the effects of the Arcane Recovery feature when it is used. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 10 April 2020. This week, as part of staying close to my gaming group, we're doing a remote movie night- all watching a movie at the same time, and then getting together on our shared Google Hangout to be able to chat with each other. You can use some tools like this to stay in touch with your game group, or just your family!
Another thing you can use this for is research, and a movie like Howl's Moving Castle, which today's pic is fanart from, is RIPE for inspiration. It looks like a cute cartoon and not something that would fit D&D at all, right? WRONG! The story is about a woman who's cursed by a witch, who goes to work for a shapeshifting wizard during a war with another nation, in a house that not only moves around, but has a magic portal-door that leads to a variety of different locations. And that's not even giving away the major plot spoilers! If you can't make anything out of that, then sure. But... come on! So, give it a go. Try out something you wouldn't normally watch, read, or play. Watch the freakin' Care Bears movie from 1985, or the new Sabrina series, or some new anime thing (that Fast And Furious "street racers" cartoon looks a little dodgy, though!). You'd be surprised how many fantasy elements you can steal from that. And if you're stuck at home watching Netflix, try out something new instead of just Season 16 of Unfulfilling Law Enforcement Power Fantasies: Specialist Division. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 9 April 2020. This horrid spell conjures a swarm of burrowing insects, which tunnels from the target's skin and then erupts to devour them.
Infestation 1st-level Conjuration (Druid, Warlock spell) Casting Time: 1 action Range: 90 feet Components: V, S, M (a piece of rotting meat) Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute You conjure forth burrowing insects under the target's skin, which tear forth and then form a swarm. One creature that you can see within range must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the target takes 4d4 points of piercing damage, and then a summoned swarm of insects appears in their space. On a successful save, the target takes half damage, and no swarm is summoned. Constructs, elementals, and undead are not affected by this spell. The summoned swarm of insects disappears when it drops to 0 hit points or the spell ends. The summoned swarm of insects is friendly to you and our allies. Roll initiative for the swarm, which has its own turns. It obeys any verbal commands that you issue to them (no action required by you). If you don't issue any commands to them, they defend themselves from hostile creatures but otherwise take no actions. The DM has the creatures' statistics. At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, you may choose a number of targets equal to the spell's level, and the base damage increases by 2d4 for every spell slot above 1st. How you can use Infestation in your game: - Druids might use this spell to terrify those who would threaten them. Having targets consumed by swarms of biting insects is visually horrifying, as well as being intimidating. They might even teach this spell to those who share their aims. - Warlocks of a cruel bent might know this spell. It seems appropriate for a warlock who serves a fiendish patron or even a Fey one. - This could make for quite a nasty villain's tool, perhaps a necromancer who wishes to 'clean' his targets before animating them. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 9 April 2020. Today's #WestMarchesWednesday post is about NPCs- the people who fill out your setting. Apart from the nameless masses that populate every town- bartenders, blacksmiths, merchants and peasant farmers, you ideally want 2 or 3 named NPCs per location- memorable people who can initiate quests, start trouble, or be allies. You don't even need to have a lot of information prepared on each, just a sentenc or two, enough to work with and spur you on if they come into contact with your PCs.
Here are some of the NPCs I've worked up quickly, which might have been previous blog posts, might get used for later blog posts, or might be enough to give you some fun ideas to work with. - The Witch Hunter (pictured), a rogue Templar who roams the world, never showing his hideously scarred face. He hates all mages, but will put up with them just long enough to betray and destroy them. - Magister Acardolo, an evil archmage who perfectly fits the "evil schemer" trope. He has hordes of slaves that he misuses terribly. - Burly Jaykin, a giant of a man who runs the Burly Giant tavern with his daughters. He just wants some peace and quiet in the area, and has put together a collection to hire people to get rid of trouble. - Lady Sophia, curator of a museum holding many ancient relics. She pays adventurers to return the relics to their resting-places, warning them of the traps and guardians. - Baron Fearghas Catach, a forlorn noble who neglects his duties due to being haunted by his lover's death. - Teddyn the Cat-Minstrel, a bard who's not great at his job- but loved by all animals. - Alfonso de la Cavalliero, a master duelist and arrogant drunk. He hires himself out as a sometimes-bodyguard, but gets himself into trouble and needs help a lot. - Lady Olahna, a dangerous and bold noble who can be a patron for adventurers. She has no problem defying other nobles, but might get people in over their heads. - Thaoron, a loyal advisor who is at his wits' end and desperate for people to aid his ailing King. He is willing to go behind his liege's back to help. - Garzim, a mercenary mage with a flashy attitude and appearance, and a legendary resume. It's all a lie and he's terribly out of his depth. - Lumpen, an Earth spirit trapped in the Material plane and trying to get back home. The superstitious local villagers are trying to hunt him down. - Tarrence Hargrave, a mercenary mage who is an erudite man-about-town. He loves fine things, and might cross paths with PCs as a friend or acquaintance before he's hired by the bad guys. - Gruugor of the Blades, a hobgoblin out of his element, who buys and sells exotic swords. PCs might be directed to him to sell a rare blade, and might be given a mission to find another. - Pliedunk, a goblin junk trader with a penchant for turning up in wierd places and buying all sorts of random crap. Now, some astute readers may accuse me of just looting my last years' worth of posts, and they might be right. But there's no point in being a prolific writer if you can't use your own work now and then, right? Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 8 April 2020. One of humanity's strengths is its ability to empathise with and add personality to almost any creature, even ones that have no personality themselves. This is one such example.
The Golem of Greenbend has walked the streets of the sleepy town for decades, since being made by a long-dead wizard. It has defended the village from bandits, wolves, and a corrupt and overly-zealous tax inspector and his guards. Over time, it has taken damage which the villagers have attempted to repair with bolts and straps of metal. It has also been adorned with flower-chains, long since worn away, and a nice red wool cloak made by the children, "to keep it warm". The golem itself barely notices the adornments, but very occasionally displays behaviour more suited to a person than a construct. It will pat a head with terrifying gentleness as it approaches someone, or merely trail its fingers along a wall as it passes. Perhaps it is learning after all? How you can use the Golem of Greenbend in your game: - A Player Character might be from the town of Greenbend, familiar with its protector and unsure why other golems aren't similarly cared for. - Strangers coming into Greenbend might be alarmed to witness a clay golem walking the streets, on some sort of patrol. The locals reassure them that it will give them no trouble- unless they cause any. The display of rusted staved-in breastplates that they display serve as a warning to any who might stir anything up. - A mage has fascinated by the level of emotional display which the golem displays has moved to town, and has started tinkering with the golem's binding spells. If he manages to sieze control of the Golem, will it be able to resist his commands, or will it be only a slave to its nature again? Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 6 April 2020. Deathborn are terrifying undead, formed in ancient dark rituals which are forbidden by all civilized societies. They require the sacrifice of countless lives to attain, and left unchecked, have been the doom of kingdoms. These creatures are voracious and relentless murderers, with an internal connection directly to the Negative Energy plane, fueling them and bringing their prey screaming back into the material plane as ravenous ghouls.
Statistics: Deathborn are 36-Hit Die undead. They can attack with each of their four claws (1d8 base damage), or wield weapons in up to two of them. If they grasp an opponent, they can bite them for terrible damage (4d8 base damage). They have the spellcasting abilities of a 20th-level Sorcerer, with access to any Cleric spells for their selections. In any round where they have killed an opponent, as a bonus action they can "hatch" 1-3 corpse-pale Ghasts from their back. These Ghasts have unquestionable loyalty to the Deathborn, and serve its every wish. How you can use Deathborn in your game: - Legends tell of the terrifying Tӧdesbisken, a beast that "devoured three kingdoms" with death. Only one picture can be found, a woodcut print from centuries ago. The legend tells that it and all its spawn died in a fiery blast, along with the finest knights of its generation. The mountain that once housed it is now known as "Broken Tooth", as the upper half was destroyed in the explosion. - The pale Ghasts which served the Tӧdesbisken were very distinctive, and reports say that they could control any Ghouls nearby. One might be seen controlling a coven and making them more organized in their attacks. Reporting sighting of such a beast will likely trigger alarm in any learned folk, and might trigger more missions. - If the Deathborn truly was not destroyed, its return after so many centuries may shatter kingdoms or form unthinkable alliances between foes. You players may find themselves working with their worst enemies to battle an even more implacable danger. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 5 April 2020. The Mother of Many Hands is a venerable deity, a deity of wronged mothers, of vengeful widows and bitter spinsters, and of hopeful maidens and wives. She aids in peaceful and painful births and deaths, and all of life in between.
When she appears (usually in dreams), her skin is alabaster-white, and her eyes and hair are raven-black. She floats above the ground with tattered robes ending in hooked claws, and her countless arms are constantly in motion. She speaks almost exclusively in cryptic rhyme. While the Mother of Many Hands can be gentle and aid others, she is relentless in destroying those who would wrong her servants, even those who work against one another. Statistics: The Mother of Many Hands is Neutral, with capacity to act in both Good and Evil matters. How you can use the Mother of Many Hands in your games: - Humanoids have mostly moved on to "nicer" and younger deities, while more primitive and savage deities like the Mother of Many Hands tend to still be worshipped by other races like Orcs or Bugbears. Her shamans are dangerous opponents who can heal their tribe and birth monstrous creatures to defend them. - Some humans still serve the Mother as hedge-witches. Their religion is looked down upon by 'civilized' folk, but they often serve as back-alley healers and assistants to those in need of help. - The Mother of Many Hands has slumbered for many years, but perhaps she is awakening. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 3 April 2020. This curious little magical construct is a relic from ages past, which lurks still in an ancient tomb. It is usually dormant, but awakens if disturbed. It is about six inches high and made of a dense green-black stone, with tiny runic engravings covering its surface.
Statistics: The Relic Protector is a Tiny animated object with 30 hit points, and an Intelligence score of 6. It guards any children (or Gnomes or Halflings, as it lacks the intelligence to tell the difference) fiercely, and will defend them fom any who threaten them, waddling along beside them or waiting in a pack otherwise. Its styling is alien to most modern folk, but it appears quite adorable otherwise. It can cast Alarm once per day if it stays in place for the entire hour. How you can use the Relic Protector in your game: - Defenders of a tomb might not be gigantic golems- an army of teddy-bear sized constructs could be quite dangerous as well, especially if the complex is set up to give them hiding-places or cover form attacks. - A PC who discovers and awakens the Relic Protector might be able to convince it to come home with them, and stay as a guard for a child. A noble or powerful person might pay handsomely for such a construct. - An enemy might also have such a guardian, especially if they are one of the smaller races. This could add complication to an encounter which might be simple otherwise. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 3 April 2020. Playing with your players' expectations can be great fun (as long as you don't abuse it). So prepping them for what they expect to be a combat encounter with a dragon or giant, only to find out that the creature they're sent to eliminate really doesn't want to be there either, and would appreciate a hand. Having a dragon behave like a scared dog, or a giant sit down and serve tea, or perhaps even a bound demon which wants to be freed, can stop people in their tracks.
It's important not to overdo things like this, so that they have an expectation to begin with, but it can be a fun subversion of the ordinary. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 2 April 2020. |
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