Farthing and Tig, farther into the hole... (What's in the hole, Part 1c)

Final (?) installment of our two friends' misadventures with a worm and a tomb.

...

"Throw! Throw!" Farthing darted around the lunging ghoul, as it swung ragged claws at the halfling.

"I'm trying!" shouted Tig, throwing another unsuccessful loop.

"Nine hells, Tig!" Farthing re-secured his grip and started to sprint in a circle around the raging undead.  The ghoul connected with a claw, ripping Farthing's jerkin and arm.  Farthing's arm bled and went numb, but that was all.

"Trip it!"

"Trying! A hand would be helpful!" Farthing continued to attempt to circle the ghoul and tangle its legs. Tig tossed another loop, this time at the ground, and yanked as the snarling ghoul stepped into the loop. The ghoul went down hard, splaying as one leg tangled in Tig's line.

"Whoop! Hog tie the thing!"

"Get a loop on its arm!"

"Watch the claws!"

"Biting!"

"Who knew they we so quick!"

"Ow, that's me!"

"Sorry, sit on it!"

"Like hell! Get that leg!"

Cantrips

The cantrip, or '0-level' spell, makes for some potentially useful utility spells that a conjurer may have picked up along the way - and also may add some color or surprise to other characters, perhaps a thief who picked up some tricks somewhere, or a failed cleric or mage acolyte who now campaigns under a different guise.

# of cantrips available + INT bonus, each may be used once daily.  Select randomly.

A list of 'useful' cantrips.  Some of these probably exist elsewhere, some are de-powered 1st level or similar spells, some may even be original content...

1. Dispel Swarm (up to 1 HP total)
2. Heat Water (Boil up to 1 gallon)
3. Water Witching (locates water but not quality (1/2 mile outside, 150 ft inside))
4. Gnat Swarm (1d4 rounds, 5'radius, target -1 to hit)
5. Fire Arrow (cast on arrow: +1d3 fire damage + 25% chance to set target on fire)
6. Sticky Hands (1d4 turns, +2 climb/pickpocket)
7. Stink Bomb (Save vs. Spells or nausea 1d4 rounds)
8. Itch (2d4 rounds, 1 target -1 to hit/ physical actions)
9. Obscuring Mist (1d6 rounds, 10' radius)
10. Squeaky Hinge (Minor alarm on single portal)
11. Annoying Buzz (1d6 rounds, 1 target -1 concentration (spell casting, picking locks, etc.))
12. Sour drink/food (1 serving, not poisonous, but unpalatable)
13. Fabulous Hair (1 day - +1 to reaction rolls)
14. Tangle (upon 1 rope, hair, net, whip, etc.)
15. Detect Food (locates food but not quality (1/2 mile outside, 150 ft inside))
16. Command Vermin (up to 1/2 HD total, 1d4 turns, simple 1-word commands)
17. Talking Page (One non-magical page of text or scroll in unknown language will translate - as text to speech)
18. Predict Weather (1-2 days)
19. Sparkle (1 target outlined, +1 to hit w/ missile, 1 round/level)
20. Find Trinket (conjure item of up to 2 gp value from equipment list)
21. Fumble (target saves or drops item)
22. Sneezing Fit (target sneezes 1d4 rounds, no actions except defense)
23. Kitchen Voice ("GETOUTOFTHEKITCHEN!") (causes one opponent to flee) 
24. Conjure Cookie (Makes one delicious gooey cookie.  Everyone will be jealous.)
25. Eyes in the Back of the Head (1d4 turns, surprise on 6 only)
26. Sharpen (restore edge on one tool or weapon)
27. Annoy Undead (your guess is as good as mine)
28. Restful Sleep (+1 HP recovery)
29. Dog Whistle (attracts 1d4 stray dogs)
30. Magic Dart (1d3, addtl dart/3 levels)
31. Sprint (move at 2x speed 1d4 rounds)

Knighting, the new threat...

https://clickhole.com/people-are-finding-suits-of-armor-washed-up-on-the-beac-1825122300/

heh.

"Invasive Species" (July 2014 RPG Blog Carnival)

Looks like Jim Garrison has assumed the mantle for this month's RPG Blog Carnival - "Invasive Species"

Minor Amphibious Horrors That Have Shown Up Recently in the Kingdom:

1. Pustule-toad: Large toad covered in corrosive, seeping nodules (bite 1d4 + 1d4 acid damage on initial contact, with 1 pt of damage for the following two rounds). Kills plant life and leaves a scorched trail in its wake. Areas occupied by the toads will not grow crops or other vegetation for one year.  Belligerents have been known to collect these nasties and 'seed' them in enemies' fields in order to damage crops and degrade cropland. 1+1 HD, AC 7/13, Encounter 4d4.

2. Rage Salamander: An extremely territorial flame-red salamander that charges forward, jaws drooling hallucinatory poisons. The poisons are reportedly refined by the psychotic Mercenaries of  Zoeh for their battle-rituals. Several dozen salamanders escaped into local river valleys after the defeat of the rebel prince Oldoron and his mercenary army along the Plains of Aras.  Bite 1d4 damage + save vs poison or suffer acute hallucinations for 1d4 turns (1-4 - Attack nearest PC or NPC, 5 - Abject terrors, 6 - Catatonic), 1+1 HD, AC 7/13, Encounter 1-2.

3. Bleeding Caecilian: The warmer, wetter springs have seen an influx of these legless, burrowing amphibians moving north from tropical climes. Although nearly blind, they are equipped with an acute sense of smell and sense motion via vibrations. Their bite is relatively strong for a small animal (1d4 damage), and their skin secretions contain a hemolytic poison (dam 1d4 + 2 hp hemolysis/day until cure disease or 2x save). 1-1 HD, AC 8/12, Encounter 1d4.

4. Thunder-Frog:  No one is quite sure where these noisome nuisances came from, but evidence points to a vivimancer's misguided experimentations.  These large frogs puff up to three times their normal size to issue forth a bellowing croak. To another Thunder-Frog this says, "I am sexy," but to other creatures, these vocalizations can deafen and stun for 1d4+1 rounds any caught within a 15' cone in front of the frog. Multiple frogs croaking in concert will multiply the stun effect for 1.5 x the rolled duration per frog, plus cause 1-2 HP damage per frog within a 15' cone. If a frog is injured while puffing, there is a 50% chance for it to explode for 1d6 damage in a 5' radius. 1 HD, AC 7/13, Encounter 2d4.

Farthing and Tig, farther into the hole... (What's in the hole, Part 1b)

Leftovers from the June RPG Blog Carnival:

Jim Garrison was curious as to what happened to Farthing and Tig in their predicament, and so was I...

...

Farthing's palms tingled as he crawled into the burrow.  The digging was fresh, still damp with the worm's protective slime.

"I think we're on the right track," he called back to Tig.  "Fresh slime, too."

"See anything?"

"Nope, tunnel bends hard here - feels like our friend hit a big rock."

Farthing crawled around the constriction, sniffed hard. Yup. The lemony worm smell.

"I think I hear it.  Definitely can smell it."

"Lovely. Whatcha want to do?" Tig called.

"Go home and bake bread. But I suppose that's not happening quite yet. I'm backing out Tig, take up rope."

"Chicken out all ready?" goaded Tig. '"I suppose I can find a dwarf, or maybe a couple of hard-up dagger-gnomes.  They are always up for a dirty challenge."