Logging another Dyson joint - the Sunken Ruins

More slow progress transcribing and prettifying various maps and notes. In this case, a small stronghold ruins that the party discovered while tracking some stolen horses.

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Just another case of some unclaimed real estate becoming occupied. Although the party successfully assaulted the crumbling fortifications, the leader of the defenders sensed that they were in pursuit of the horses, and released them in exchange for no more deaths.

Many of the occupants and items were lined out in my rough table notes, and I expanded their story a bit for the final document.

This usable space was scribbled on...

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...and occupied by an extended family of zealous serpent-folk, with a leader convinced that he is a new prophet to their god. 

I AM YOUR PROPHET

Anyhow, the leader chose discretion over valor, allowing the PCs to retrieve their horses before more blood was shed. I'll post a full session writeup soon.

So check out who's squatting in Grimlil's Sunken Hold... (all ShadowDarked up).

Note: A couple of new spells were cribbed from “Forbidden Priest Spells for ShadowDark RPG” by C. Sella. Of course, now I can't find the original link to attribute the writer. I'm sharing the document here, but if anyone can point me to the original source, I'll update. 

The Hedge-Mage for Old Games and Shadowdark

Whew, its been a long time since I cobbled together a character class! Looks like the last time I dabbled in class creation was the Tabaxi...

That will not do.

So - a couple of things. First of all, I snuck in the "Hedge-mage" at the back of my Brindlegrit Gatehouse scenario, so it's likely that the class went unnoticed. So I wanted to pull it out as its own post.

Secondly, for anyone who's suffered through watching our Shadowdark sessions - If Bloggah the goblin mage happens to level up at the end of a session, I roll his new spells randomly. It just fits the character, and the fact that I enjoy the random nature of magic in Shadowdark (even if my colleagues in the game may not have similarly refined tastes).

So, expanding on that theme, we have the hedge-mage, an unschooled, or perhaps undisciplined, student of magic, who happens to pick up magic wherever and however they can. And therefore, randomly. If fact, they may even be unburdened by the constraints of magical schools or mechanics. Therefore, every spell that they own is rolled randomly.

It may not be to everyone's (or anyone's) taste. But magic should be random, mysterious, and somewhat out of control. That's my story and I'm sticking with it.

Anyway, here we have the Hedge-Mage for your generic Old School Funny Dice Game:

Download me!

And for Shadowdark... I formatted the language and table for SD, but didn't duplicate the layout and style because my design skills are one step above crayons and edible school paste.

Download me, too!

AND NOW, SHADOWDARK V. 2.0, updated after a couple of reader suggestions (plus a tweak to the OSR variant).

Slightly shady spellslinger by Nicholas Roerich.

Campaign Journal: Trenches and Horses

Who's here?

• Jax
• Fulvus
• Slick
• Frederick
• Rondel

Where are they? Cobalt Lake. The party retrieved the broken lens from the tower to return to the dwarves for raw material. They said their farewells and thanks and headed back north. The first night they found an abandoned cabin to hunker down in and get out of the weather. Unfortunately, a pair of worgs was also interested in the cabin and a disagreement on squatters rights occurred. A tense battle occurred as the two beasts pushed into the cabin, but Jax and Goober pulled through, making killing blows to both the beasts. 

The rest of the night passed, and the party rode north on a cold clear day.

That is, until Slick and his horse fell into a concealed trench in the road. Dammit. They party was swarmed by a pair of Chaos knights and their respective mutie mooks. Both of the knights missed on their charges. Slick, his priorities in the right place, attacked the horse.

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Magicking Up the Magic Missile (for Shadowdark)

Ok, now that my co-players have been whining about Shadowdark magical casting, it's my turn. Or Bloggah's turn, at least.

"Hey! Look at this! I found this old tome in your archives! It has all sorts of magic!"

"Um, that's my AD&D Player's Handbook. And I'd appreciate if you didn't get mouse pâte, or whatever it is you're eating, on the pages."

"Just a moment.... I could have three magic missiles? What is this sorcery?!?" 

"Well, some of the rules scale the spell at higher levels."

"Where can I get some of that?"

"Tim said you'd have to do some research."

"Bah! If I knew there would be reading involved, I would have just kept that cursed bow!" 

***

So yeah, at the end of last night's session we were kibitzing on how some spells scale in Shadowdark, but not others. For instance Dremont (Ken) is rolling multiple d6s for his Cure Wounds spell at this point. But, as is expected of a TTRPG, homebrewing happens, and Tim tasked Bloggah (or me) with coming up with a scaled Magic Missile spell worthy(?) of Shadowdark.

I came up with three four (added based on a comment from Ken):

Magic Missile and Magic Missile Accessories (For Shadowdark)

Magic Missile is a cornerstone of any self-respecting wizard's spell-book. So much so, that the spell has earned a permanent ADV status among the spells, allowing a bit more ease in manipulation of the arcane forces required to cast it out into the fray.

That said, any number of mages from various schools, collectives, and haunts have experimented with bolstering this rather pedestrian spell to better represent the powers and skills of its caster. In other words, to make a bigger, badder, boom.

Of the variants, three casting adaptations have emerged to take lead among the choices. 

All spell variations have Duration and Range as per Magic Missile and may be cast with ADV spellcasting check once learned.

1. The Bigger Caliber: At 3^rd, 5^th, and 7^th levels, the missile damage die size is increased by one (d6, d8, d10, respectively). The spellcasting DC remains as Tier 1 (DC11).

2. The Sniper: Missile damage is increased to d6+1, and is also rolled with Advantage. The spellcasting DC remains as Tier 1 (DC11).

3. The “Mirv:” At 3^rd, 5^th, and 7^th levels, the number of missiles is increased by one (2, 3, and 4, respectively). The missiles may be individually targeted, or all focused on a single target. DC increases according to spell tier. No one knows where this nickname came from.

4. The Big Missile: At 3^rd, 5^th, and 7^th levels, the damage of the missile increases by one d4 (2d4, 3d4, 4d4, respectively). DC increases according to spell tier.

Note: Due to the unpredictability and mutability of arcane energies, any individual mage must select one version of the spell to specialize in once they advance to 3rd level. To learn the selected advanced Magic Missile variant, the mage must successfully make a Tier 3 (DC14) spellcasting check. Failure means that they are stuck with the basic version, and have a sneaking suspicion that other spellcasters are giggling about them behind their back.

Note 2: Not playtested. Cast at your own risk. The Scorn Chapter of the Guild of Arcane Knowledge accepts no responsibility or liability for spell mishaps, performance anxiety, singed eyebrows, or rifts in the space-time continuum.

BAZAP!

Shadowdark: Bloggah's Blog Part 8: Children of the Scorn

Title blatantly stolen from Joe and Paul.

Whoa, you look rough. 

Tell me about it... Damned kids...

(Note: Bloggah has missed a couple-few sessions due to work and travel)

***

So there we were, standing on the edge of the Harrow. We looked at the decrepit and collapsed buildings as the fog cleared. This place needs some urban renewal...

Creeping through a vacant lot, we find ourselves surrounded by a bunch of kids with skull faces, or skull masks. Is it a holiday?

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One approaches with another of those accursed cards. Columbo lets the kid slide it onto his shield, in case it explodes. Nope. I look at it. Image of the Forest Spirit on one side (lot of good it will do here) and an old, complex sigil on the back. Something to do the the Ash Elves, I hear.

Are they going to attack us? Of course they're going to attack us...

Fine.

Saint Sephaton's Wine Garden (a quick-and-dirty encounter)

As I mentioned in the prior entry, Slick and Orzu took care of a little bit of necromantic housekeeping on behalf of the local temple. but not until after enjoying a bit of wine and cheese. 

The encounter was built on the fly, using a spare map in hand, as well as a necromancer's spell list and a few lightly modified undead. It's pretty bone-simple, but perhaps a useful side hook for a few adventurers trolling about in a city. So I'm sharing a lightly edited encounter for anyone's table. Enjoy.

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Download Saint Sephaton's Wine Garden

(Edit: added sewer access option for PCs who don't mind getting their feet dirty)

Returning to the Watchtower, or, More Fun With OP Old-School Spells

Whew, that was a session....

So the gang got together for a bit more restrained mischief. We had:

• Frederick - Thief
• Slick - Another Thief
• Waegstan, née Bonk - Fighter
• Jax - Barbarian
• Rondel - Elf
• Mareth - Another Elf

First of all, we made sure that the charmed ogres are fed and busy digging a ditch around town. They like a job to do, after all... Although there is some grumbling regarding the local mutton supply.

Next, trailing a caravan came a gnome driving a somewhat odorous wagon. Hugo was his name, and he claimed to be a seller of potions of a restorative nature. After some haggling, the party were the proud owners of four "healing" potions of dubious quality. (Hugo is an NPC stolen/borrowed from other friends' campaigns, so has been putting some serious mileage on that wagon.)

After a brief discussion, it was confirmed that the party intended to revisit the tower explored in the last session. With the excitement of charming ogres and all, they hadn't given the space a good once-over.

Which was good, since I'd actually prepped for this... 

Tower and inevitable underground bits

The party returned to the locale with no wandering ogres or other critters encountered. Waegstan, always optimistic, strode toward the tower, taking arrow fire. Determining that the tower was now guarded by hobgoblins, the party made plans. Waegstan continued to dodge arrows as the two thieves successfully reached the door unnoticed. The remainder of the party wisely provided cover fire from the trees. 

Frederick and Slick breached the door SWAT-style, taking a third hob by surprise and quickly dispatching him. The two headed upstairs, as most of the remainder of the party now rushed the tower. The remaining roof hobgoblins were done in with minor injury.

This gave the party time to inspect a plinth with a cracked red glass hemisphere previously noted in the tower main level. After some poking about, they decided to chip off a bit of the glass for later analysis.

A Jungle Tower

Back on the creative bent, or at least completing a few really rough drafts languishing long enough that I needed to call a necromancer to help me revive them...

Some time ago, I found a few maps posted by Billy Longino on some social media (defunct blog, shared post? Google lens has failed me.). Anyway, selected a few that had good, workable spaces to my amateur's eye. This tower...

... was a good candidate, and I roughed up a few ideas that sat in a notebook. I had a tough time building a 'story' for the space and its occupant(s), but a pool on the summit of a jungle tower needed some story...

I came up with a damaged or controlled 'spirit' or similar being held in thrall by a Bad Person (tm). I had some helpful inspiration from JB's Comes Chaos, in creating the side-effects of such tampering.

So here is a short scenario, of bringing things back into order. We'll see how this presentation works, since the accessory spells, etc., take up as much page count as the scenario itself, but I wanted to show everything in a single space. 

Anyway - let's go see if we can clean up the local water supply...

Finding a forgotten project.

Was cleaning up my writing files a few days back and considering expanding on a prior project when I noticed a rogue document with an April date. Looks like I started working on infesting one of Jackson's map, then dropped it when work got crazy. Appropriately - it looks like one of his "CoronaCon" maps. Forgot where I found it. Welcome to my brain.

So I revisited the map and started revising. Shifted a couple of features about and set up to finalize. And then I noticed three more rooms. Welcome to my brain.

That said, I'd started down a 'four elements' path, so better shoehorn in Air and Fire, since I'd already addressed Earth and Water.  And there's a totally unrelated statue of a jolly fat guy in a red suit... I'm sure it all makes sense...

Original

And of course there are mushrooms.

RPG Blog Carnival: Eclipse Magic

It's been a few months since I contributed to the RPG Blog Carnival, so here I am...

Kobold Press is hosting this month's RPG Blog Carnival, entry, themed 'Magic', with open-ended options on where to explore with the topic.

Sooo...  I think I'll noodle around on the topic with respect to another event this month, the August 21 total solar eclipse...

Although a lot of the online references/resources talk on the magical elements of eclipses with respect to the wiccan/pagan tradition, I'll leave Timothy Brannan to discourse on that...

However, taking a few of the traditional superstitions and themes of the eclipse...  An eclipse is: 1) a focal event, 2) a symbol of compressed time (a day in minutes), 3) an event of reformation/rebirth, and 4) a moment of the Moon suppressing the sun, and

I'm not providing many specific mechanics/spells/items, but more of a meditation on the themes and hopefully some seed ideas...

Focal Event:  The conjunction of the lunar and solar powers loosen the gateways and wards between planes of existence, and of the elements.

• Conjuration or summoning of extra-planar beings is eased.  Servants are summoned, demons more readily called to their binding circles (Although the bargains they press are still just as hazardous)
• Elementals may be summoned by lower-level mages and elementalists, and the command more stable, with the risk of loss of control reduced.
• The dead come closer to the veil of the living, their communications clearer, answers less ambiguous.  
• Perhaps even the gods bend a bit closer to the mortal plane, and entreaties to their ineffable ears heard with more clarity and openness.

Compressed Time:  A day is compressed into mere minutes, and those attuned will take advantage of the event as a catalyst.

• Spells and processes requiring time become instantaneous. Scrolls are transcribed immediately, potions brew spontaneously. 
• Caster levels required to utilize certain spells are reduced during the eclipse, temporarily allowing lower-level casters a glimpse into the powers they may eventually grasp.  This, as all magic, should be approached with great caution, or only under extreme circumstances, as the consequences of failure (or of the end of the eclipse during such machinations) can be catastrophic.

Reformation/rebirth: As the walls between the planes are thinned, the eclipse may offer a multitude of opportunities for reformative events.

• The deceased have an increased success for resurrection or reincarnation by the priests, with better outcomes, or fewer detrimental side-effects...
• Curses are more readily lifted, as positive energies may be accessed to wash away the liabilities.
• The pallor of the undead's touch is healed. Levels lost, such as from powerful undead, may be regained, bringing characters back to their hale and hearty selves. Likewise, faded attributes from magic, poisons, or disease may be recovered...
• The deities may show a certain forgiveness or clemency.  There may be chances for restoration of lost abilities, particularly lost Divine powers, especially those associated with lunar deities.

"Moon Power":  Like any celestial event, not all is positive energy.  The Night temporarily overcomes the Day for the briefest of moments, allowing dark forces a momentary advantage and freedom...

• The weakened boundaries between the planes don't benefit only the just, as the powers of Darkness, too, may be unleashed or amplified.  How many plot lines of devices has required the gateway of the eclipse to unleash a particularly maleficent force?
• Likewise, as the boundaries between the living and dead loosen, the necromantic arts feel a temporary amplification of powers - Creation or animation of the undead is catalyzed, and armies may be raised...
• Curses may be cast, having greater effects upon individuals, or ranging across wider areas...
• There comes a sudden eruption and fury of creatures of the dark. Knowing that their opportunity is brief (10-15 minutes of dusk, 2-7 minutes of totality), they mass at crypt doors, at sewer lids, waiting to flood forth.  Storming under the corona's haze, they swarm and feed in a frenzy.  Their numbers and powers magnify, making the turning powers of the holy warriors ineffective against their mass....

Bonus:
Here’s what you’ll see where you live.

Corrupted Potions

Another bit of rumination on Potions and their sensitivity to the environment around them, in contribution to Of Dice and Dragons' October RPG Blog Carnival topic.

Part 1 here.

While there are a number of spell failure tables and mechanics are available, I don't know if there are any for potions (or I'm just lazy and never looked).

I would theorize that, although potions are typically treated as infallible 'magic bullet' items in game-playing, that in 'reality' they may be more unreliable - concoctions brewed by sketchy alchemists, or enchanted by second-rate mage's assistants...

Additionally, if the potion is considered a distillation enchanted with a spell effect, would the fluid be susceptible to magical influences?

So... A consideration of a few things, in no particular order, that may have an effect on a lowly potion, minding its own business in its flask or vial....

Temperamental Potions

Of Dice and Dragons is sponsoring this month's Carnival topic of potions.

Per Omas Qualor is an itinerant healer and alchemist who somehow glommed onto the party one or two towns back.  His pack clinks with vials, pots and retorts.  No one wants to get too close to him, as he reeks of rancid distillations and esters, but no one has come up with a way to ditch him, quite yet.

He goes on and on about his researches into the 'essential essences' of the various races, and how his potions are attuned to emphasize and amplify the the natural 'humors' of the individual.  Qualor claims to have distilled potions that are attuned to the 'internal chymistry' of the individual races.  "Wait! Don't go away, I have a number of vials here if you would care to sample!"

Salt Dwarves (and salt golems)

The Salt Dwarves, in contrast with their mountain kin, mine the subterranean salt domes and evaporite basins eschewing their brethren's search for gems and precious ores, instead excavating the "buried ocean."  These mines extend deep into the ground, tapping the halides left by ancient seas and buried under eons of deposits.

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Like their hard rock mining cousins, the Salt Dwarves hollow huge caverns beneath the earth, for the mines are both their vocation and homes.  The mines are supported by elaborate timber and rope shoring and cribworks, proof against the slowly settling and flowing salt.  Massive water wheels and pumps evacuate the caverns of brackish water.

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Periodically, the dwarves, with their salt-encrusted beards and cracked hands, will come to the surface of their mines, hauling their troves of salt to the surface. Salt dwarves, when encountered, tend to be kitted out in leather armor, with a thick, padded skullcap, and wielding a mining or war-pick. They wear no metallic armor due to the corrosive tendencies of the saline atmosphere within the mines.

One Page Dungeon Entry, 2015

Well, compiled, composed, and composted this year's entry - a bit of a rogue pocket universe (or universes) invading a little town...

Download

Contest website here, with entries so far.  Looks to be another excellent year of creative goods!

Random Magic: Kieli's Karttagrafik Curse

Kieli's Karttagrafik Curse:

Ah, to be guileful, never misdirected or lost.  Your mapping skills would be flawless, never wavering, nor confused by tortuous underworld pathways. As an adventurer and explorer, how you prayed for such skills as you desperately tried to backtrack out of a maze before the torches guttered out, or to cross the wastes before the last waterskin was drained.

So when you happened upon that genie, and a wish was proffered, you knew what to request. Lesser adventurers may ask for a life of leisure, or untold riches, but for you, the quest has always been the greatest reward.

And after all, the wish was granted, that you would always have a map in your head.  But as with any wish, specificity is highly advised.

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"Where are we?"
"I dunno."
"Say 'ah'."
"Ugh, not again.  AHHHH...."
"Ye gods! What have you been eating? Orc ass?"
"Thutup! Just sketch."

Y&Z and done.

Hammered out Y and Z today - whew...

The Yellow Coliseum

Carved out of mother-rock deep within the under-levels of the dungeon complex, the Yellow Coliseum is part of the politics and ritual of the insect-men. The competition area and surrounding viewing gallery are hewn into the hex-form of their hive-city. The ceiling is domed, its pyrite-veined bedrock illuminated by luminous, gas-filled air-cnidarians, which drift and bounce along the stone ceiling. Five stone pillars line the killing floor for the punishment and torture of show-victims, or the ritual insect-man executions by slow carapace-rending.

another application of isometric paper

The insectoid unter-carls line the stone benches to stomp and cheer on the victorious and doomed competitors as they spar, grapple, and bleed into the coliseum's sandy floor. Obsessive gamblers, wagers are thrown, not only for victories, but for more trivial matters as first blood, whether a competitor will stumble, or if one of the wall guards will scratch... Winners of wagers cheer and losers moan. Coins and promissory notes fly from clawed hand to clawed hand as events turn on the killing floor below.

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Underlying the coliseum floor are four sets of three gladiator-cells, populated by disgraced hive-warriors, political foes, random humanoids, and/or captured adventurers. Singly or in groups, they are forced to climb the spiral steps to their fates above, be it by an executioner's shucking-rake, or the weapon of a goaded foe. Either way, they are fodder for the amusement of the insect-men chattering and wheezing above.

Overseeing this all, is the Hive-Ryss, the necro-elementalist leader of his race.

He sits upon the Zirconium Throne, symbol of power for the insect-ment.  The seat is composed of etched stone and massive jacinth crystals, nearly as old as the world itself. The throne is too massive to be moved, but even a single breadloaf-sized crystal, if somehow pried away without damage, would be worth 5,000 GP to a collector. The crystal would be worth even more to an elementalist, where it would provide enough cut gems to create wands, potions and components to last a lifetime.

Silent and contemplative, in contrast to the boisterous warriors and nobles surrounding him, the Ryss both gained, and holds, his power through political machination and subterfuge. He notes those who cast covetous glances at his throne, as well as intelligence whispered by his many informants.

The Ryss is not above periodically ripping a xorn or earth elemental from its home plane and into the ring. Disoriented and raging, it throws itself against the only visible perpetrators of its violation, crushing and consuming doomed combatants, to the thrill and joy of the spectators. A leader must, after all, provide some amusement, along with a reminder of the powers he commands...

X: Xeric Blast

Geh - missed a day or so - i'll finish this exercise this weekend.
Work is overwhelming, plus I couldn't think of anything for X - I suck.

Wand of Xeric Blast

Appearing to be nothing more than a desiccated stick wrapped with some crumbling, poorly tanned leather.  However, the 'stick' emanates magic, and, upon closer examination, is found to be a wand.

A blast from this wand is sufficient to reduce some creatures to desiccated husks, if not to outright piles of dust. A found wand will have 2d12 charges remaining.

Xeric Blast:
3rd level MU spell (necromantic/elementalist).
Range: 60 feet
Target: single (wand allows for multiple (up to four) targets within a 15' circle)
Duration: instantaneous

Desiccates a foe by literally ripping the water from their body.  Cells hemorrhage and mists rise from the target in excruciating, massive dehydration.  The target withers and sufficient damage may cause the body to crumble.  Damage caused is 1d4 x the level of the caster (wand acts as 6th level caster, or DM discretion).  Additionally, the target must save or lose 1d3 CON points (permanent) due to system shock.

A target killed by xeric blast has a 10% chance of arising as an undead 'Salt Mummy' that seeks moisture: (HD 4, AC 6/14, Atk; 1d6+1d3 CON damage [dehydration, temporary if target drinks 1 qt water per pt of COM loss within 1 hour], move 6, save 14, Resistances: Magic weapon to hit)

Stone or earth-based creatures (golems, earth elementals, xorn, etc.) are not affected by this spell. Water-based or protoplasmic creatures (water elementals, oozes, gelatinous cubes) lose their consistency and composition and must save or take double damage from this spell.

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Under-druids

U is for Under-druids, distorted, subterranean versions of their more familiar, arboraceous brethren.

Tied to the dark and stone, rather than the moon and forests, the under-druids draw power from the stone, and twist it to their needs.

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Under-druids (spec'ed here for S&W, with some add-ons borrowed from 3.5) share many characteristics with druids, modified for their subterranean environs. Deviations and modifications are noted below:

Prime Attribute: Wisdom and Constitution, both 13+ (a druid character gains a +5% experience bonus only if both their Wisdom and Constitution are 13 or higher.)

Hit Dice: 1d6/level (Gains 1 hp/level after 9th.)

Armor/Shield Permitted: Leather or bone armor and wooden shields only.

Weapons Permitted: Dagger, hammer, spear, sling, oil. Stone or stone-bladed weapons, if wielded by an under-druids may be treated as magical weapons.

Race: Any humanoids may become Under-druids.

Alignment - Any chaotic

Because of their disconnection from the world above, an under-druid does not require mistletoe as a spell/powers component. Instead, they utilize a variety of fungi, many of a hallucinogenic nature. In fact, they are likely addicted to them, resulting in a somewhat addled nature.  However, this also increases their sensitivity to the currents of the world around them, and they may cast an augury (as per 3.5) once per day.

Under-druids gain a +2 saving throw bonus against petrification.

Under-druids share most elements of the druidic spell list, except as noted below:
They do not have access to any weather-related spells, and plant-centered spells are substituted with either fungus/oozes, or stone.

Level 1

• Detect Magic
• Detect Snares & Pits
• Faerie Fire
• Locate Animals
• Predict Weather
• Magic Stone (as per 3.5 spell)
• Purify Water
• Stone Fists (as per 3.5 spell)

Level 2

• Call Stone (as per 3.5 spell)
• Create Water
• Cure Light Wounds
• Heat Metal
• Locate Plants Fungus
• Obscuring Mist
• Produce Flame
• Speak with Animals
• Warp Wood 

Level 3

• Call Lightning
• Cure Disease
• Hold Animal
• Neutralize Poison
• Plant Fungal Growth
• Protection Against Fire Petrification 
• Pyrotechnics
• Stone Shape (as per 3.5 spell)
• Water Breathing

Level 4

• Animal Summoning I (summoned animals limited to subterranean types)
• Control Temperature 10-ft. Radius
• Cure Serious Wounds
• Dispel Magic
• Hallucinatory Forest Stones
• Insect Vermin Plague (calls creeping, flying, scuttling mass of cave vermin)
• Plant Stone Doorway (created passage through stone wall, only accessible by caster)
• Produce Fire
• Protection from Lightning
• Speak with Plants Fungus and Oozes (may communicate with fungus, as well as oozes/slimes/jellies up to under-druid's HD)

Level 5

• Animal Growth
• Animal Summoning II
• Anti-Plant Fungal and Ooze Ward (Protects caster from fungal attacks, as well as oozes/slimes/jellies, 10' radius)
• Commune with Nature
• Control Winds
• Hold Plant Fungus and Oozes
• Transmute Rock to Mud
• Passplantwall (as 5th level MU spell)
• Sticks to SnakesStones to Spiders caster may turn as many as 2d6 normal stones into large (1HD) spiders (lethal poison, +2 save).
• Wall of Fire Stone (as per 3.5 spell)

Level 6

• Animal Summoning III
• Anti-Animal Ward
• Conjuration of Fire Earth Elementals
• Feeblemind
• Finger of Death
• Repel Wood Fungus and Oozes
• Transport via Plants Stones
• Weather Summoning Stone to Flesh (as per 3.5 spell)

Level 7

• Animate Rock
• Confusion
• Conjuration of Earth Elementals
• Control Weather
• Creeping Doom
• Fire Storm Meteor storm (as 9th level MU spell)
• Reincarnation
• Transmute Metal to Wood Earth (transmutation of metal to soil in a 10x10 area

Update: Gavin Norman commented on G+ that he'd made up some spells specifically for a druid such as this.  Here, here, and here. Thanks!

Hegemonic Ooze

Channeling my love of mind-controlling parasites.

H: Hegemonic ooze.

Lamplight illuminates a pinkish mass covering the floor, a number of humanoid copses scattered about. Someone cautiously pokes one of the bodies with a staff or spear. The 'corpse' opens its eyes and arises, lumbering toward the party. A number of others crawl to their feet, as well. Slimy tendrils stretch from their bodies back to the mass, and the bodies move in a strangely concerted manner.

A semi-intelligent ooze, perhaps originally meant as pest control, it was the product of an alchemist's lab or vivimancer's vat. Not a true ooze, it is a mass of neurons, sensing and questing for prey. It escaped and evolved, and rather than simply consuming, now co-opts some prey as weapons and sensory organs.

The pink leathery ooze extrudes tendrils, controlling 2d4 victim-puppets. Massive, the ooze may extend up to two tendrils with puppets up to 50 feet away from its central blob to reconnoiter away from its body, or to act as lures to draw prey towards itself and its victim-puppet appendages. If in need of new puppets, it will pummel or grapple intelligent prey to unconsciousness, and take over its nervous system and senses via neural connection through a tendril. The connection and hijacking of the prey's nervous system takes 6 turns (one hour). A victim may be rescued within 3 turns, but will lose 1d3 INT and CON.

HD: 9 (Ooze), 1 or 2 (puppets)
AC: 8/12 (Ooze), natural or worn AC (puppets)
Atk: Slam 1d10+1 (Ooze), 1d6 (puppets)
Move: 1 (Ooze), 3 (puppets)
Defenses: Ooze takes 1/2 damage from normal weapons, acid, and electricity. Puppets have similar resistances to mind-controlling spells (sleep, charm, etc.) as undead due to their networked nature.  If a victim-puppet is severed from the slime, it will collapse, dead from the shock of separation.

Graymalkin

At the edge of torchlight, a glimpse of dark fur, the gleam of a single, golden eye. Then it is gone. The eye is glimpsed again.  It appears to be following.  A flash of reflected yellow, then it blinks out...

Today we find a Graymalkin in the Alphabet Dungeon.

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Lost and abandoned, this familiar of a doomed wizard slinks in the dungeon dark. She is tattered and scarred, one eye lost to an unnamed hazard months ago. Resilient to magics and predation, she lurks alone and unbonded.

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Cunning and habituated to the dark, the Graymalkin subsists on rats, small spiders, and the leavings of other dungeon inhabitants. Scraps of arcane magics and the fallout of cast spells allow her to keep a tenuous hold on intelligence and sanity.  A lost creature, perhaps, but she patrols her corner of the dungeon. She is wary of those who would make a quick meal of her, but senses when another possible bond-companion approaches. She remains cautious, following the party, assessing their worth, retreating if she is spotted, fading as another shadow in lamplight.

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If they make it past this trap, or that lair, perhaps they are worthy to join. Cautious, she approaches, finding the one who will be her new bond-companion. Once the graymalkin bonds, she will guide the party through her corner of the dungeon, passing traps, pointing out bolt-holes, fading through a door into an unoccupied room.

Graymalkin (unbonded familiar)
HD: 2
AC: 6/13
Atk: 2 claws (1d3)
Special: Bonds to a PC in the party, preferably magic user, or barring that, the PC with the highest DEX. As a familiar, she adds her HP to that of the PC. +2 all saves against magic. Confers darkvision on PC. Ability to perform a limited passwall once per day (limited to bonded character only. Can only pass through a door or similar barricade).

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