The Deck of Several Things, a revisitation of the Deck of Many Things

www.deviantart.com/karla_chan

I'm not sure how the DoMT came to my mind. I've never encountered or used it in play, but I suppose that the idea of a pack of random boons/banes floated into my head, and I needed to expand on that.

But when my favorite thrash-bluegrass outfit has a song about The Deck, I'm compelled to write something...

Serendipitously, Prismatic Wasteland posted this review of the original Deck cards, rating each card for its effect and game-breaking abilities.  So it was, again, A Sign.

Anyway, below are three Decks of Not-Quite-Many Things... 

The Deck of Several Things: A less-wondrous collection of cards, de-powered to break the world less. Several of the effects are more reversible, as compared to the very limited reversible effects of the original DoMT. I've kept the 50/50 proportions of beneficial and detrimental cards, and renamed some of the cards to better fit the effects of the drawn card. Starred cards are included in the 22-card deck:

1. Ace of diamonds — Vizier*: Gain the ability to cast Augury 1d4 times
2. King of diamonds — Sun: Random non-weapon magic item usable by your class (Selected by GM).
3. Queen of diamonds — Moon: Gain the ability to cast True Seeing 1d3 times
4. Jack of diamonds — Star: +1 to prime requisite attribute.
5. Two of diamonds — Favored Enemy: If you single-handedly slay the next enemy, gain it as a favored enemy (+1 to-hit/damage).
6. Ace of hearts — The Fates*: Reverse the effects of a negative/tragic event. Applies to either the past or may be held for a future event.
7. King of hearts — Throne: +1 charisma, and a deed to a ruined tower...
8. Queen of hearts — Key: One random magic weapon usable by your class (Selected by GM).
9. Jack of hearts — Mook: 1st-level man-at-arms appears (6hp, chainmail, spear, short sword). Loyal unto death. Gains experience as a retainer.
10. Two of hearts — Gem*: A 1000gp gem appears.
11. Ace of clubs — Talons*: One magic item held by the character loses its ability (weapon becomes mundane, potion inert, etc.).
12. King of clubs — Mindless: As Feeblemind, may be dispelled with Remove Curse.
13. Queen of clubs — The Imp: Attacked by a most disagreeable imp. Anyone supporting you summons their own imp to defeat.
14. Jack of clubs — Haunt: Haunted by a ghost of a slain enemy for one month. Prevents natural hp recovery and spellcasters must save vs spells (or equivalent) to gain daily spells due to fatigue and distraction. May be dispelled with Exorcise or similar.
15. Two of clubs — Hampered: -1 to prime requisite attribute.
16. Ace of spades — Kidnapped: Dragged to the fey realm for 24 hours. Returned bereft of gear and no memory of what happened. Permanent haunted look and random paranoia.
17. King of spades — Gone Broke: All carried wealth (coin, gem, jewelry) disappears.
18. Queen of spades — Bane: -1 to all rolls for one month, or until Remove Curse.
19. Jack of spades — Rumors: The PC has gained the ire of the local law enforcement, realm leadership, or inquisition.
20. Two of spades — Re-balance: Rearranged attributes, new PC class.
21. Joker (with TM) — Fool*: Lose one level, draw again.
22. Joker (without TM) — Jester: Sufficient XP to level up, or two draws.

www.deviantart.com/McHughstudios

Moar Minotaur. And the Shaman class!

Well, figured I should give my minotaur the Advanced Version of ye olde game treatment, and give them a little class, or classes, as well. So here's our bovine friend kitted out for 1e/OSRIC/OSE Advanced Fantasy/etc. 

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Gave them the fighter and thief, of course, because apparently anyone can do that. And barbarian, because uncivilized. But felt like I needed a bit of a spellcaster too. Not being satisfied to just toss them the cleric/druid class, I wanted to perhaps give them something a bit hybrid. So the shaman class came to be. Now I know that there are likely plenty of shaman/witch/druid/nature-priest classes out there, but why not one more? 

Besides, I had this guy for inspiration:

www.deviantart.com/eoghankerrigan

The Minotaur Player Class

Well, I haven't done up a character class in entirely too long, so a quick and dirty writeup of that labyrinth denizen and antagonist of disoriented heroes everywhere: The Minotaur! 

by www.deviantart.com/calebcleveland

(Made up for OSE-B/X, or similar old-school flavored games)

HD: D8

Saves: As dwarf

Allowed armor: Light or medium, shields

Allowed Weapons: Single or two-handed melee

Requisites: STR, CON 12

Prime Attribute: STR/CON

A denizen of the labyrinths and dark, twisting places, your chimeric, monstrous appearance keeps you on the edge of the civilized world. 

Unless, perhaps, some serious muscle is needed, a spectacle is demanded for the gladiator ring, or a party needs someone who does not get turned about in the underground. And then, who do they call? Your bull-headed self of course... Hulking and outcast, you tend to be a loner, but will join up if the coin is good and the maze is worthy of your nose for direction.

Your native habitat is the mazes and winding passages, either engineered or natural. You have an inherent sense of direction underground, and can readily track back to the last known exit or passage to a level change.

You’re a big boy (or girl). Your height is six feet+1d12 inches (watch your head). Armor costs 25% more to fit your majestic physique. That bullishness, though, has made you tough as nails. Add your CON bonus to your armor class.

You much prefer to get up close and personal for bashing, stabbing, and slashing, so missile weapons are not on your shopping list. That said, you can use two-handed weapons single-handedly. 

That whole man-eating thing is a myth... Isn't it? Whatever. You can forgo your weapon attack to bite or gore (1d6 damage) an opponent.

You may be big, but you're surprisingly light on your feet. You may move silently in the tunnels as a thief of the next higher level.

And, of course, you can see in the dark (infravision to 60'). Not much good underground otherwise, eh?

Download the maze-runner here (includes XP table and Move Silently matrix)

Jam Entry - The Funnel

Oop - been remiss on my scribblings and paltry efforts....

Stumbled upon the itch.o jam page. I honestly haven't perused itch.io much other than a few recommended downloads, and only had a passing familiarity with their jams. But it's always good to have a deadline...

The one that caught my interest was the Funnel Jam - building a 0-level funnel game and/or adventure to run classless PCs into 1st level characters. 

I previously built a funnel adventure, complete with a 0-level character mini game in my 2018 One Page Dungeon entry. The 0-level mechanics are loosely based on the DCC method, with some added randomness and a brief framework for attempting class-like skills. Most importantly, a PC doesn't "know" if they are potentially good at something until the first time they attempt an action, at which point the player rolls the relevant stat.

Without the imposed space restriction, I could add to the 0-level character mini-game, as well as build a small adventure that our hapless mooks may find themselves in... In this case, they are The Help for a local mage, who has asked them to open and tidy up his summer house for the season. Unfortunately, it has squatters, as well as other tenants left from more diabolical activities. It's going to take some serious elbow grease to get these dust bunnies all swept up...

Anyway, here it is, for your perusal.

Download here

The Funnel Jam runs thru August 31.

Sapiam's Observatory

Good morning, 

Here's an island location, with its main occupant a skilled craftsman or some renown. 

Hopefully, a locale like this could be used for a number of possibilities: PCs seek to either purchase or commission a lens ground by Sapiam, gathering some astronomical information or interpretations, hired to infiltrate his compound and gain secrets of his methods and materials. An NPC like Sapiam can also become a patron, or commission the acquisition of raw materials, as well. 

Download me here