28 January 2020

WIZARDS OF POHJOLA

Init +0
Melee Atk
• sword or dagger +1 (1d5 or 1d3)
Ranged Atk
• hot iron sparks +3 (1d4+2 to two targets within 20' but not closer than 5')
AC 14
HD 12d6+3
MV 30
Act 3d20
SP spells +2, mob
Fort +6
Ref +5
Will +4
AL C

[I was re-watching MST3K's version of The Day The Earth Froze, and I got to thinking...]

Residing in the far, far North, these wizards toil in rowdy unison, producing what items of magic the waning spells of these troll-blooded wizards can muster. They are not as powerful as they were in the previous Century, but their long lives mean that they have seen much. Remembering it all clearly is another matter...

They work together and fight together. Every two hit points represents one Wizard of Pohjola in the group, i.e., if an arrow targets the group of them and does 4 points of damage, two of the Wizards were cut down by that arrow! The crowd of them produces three actions per round, unless there are only five or fewer left (though they are likely to flee well before they drop to such low numbers).

While the mighty power to create a sampo has slipped their gnarled grip, they can still clap reigns on a workmanlike magic to fashion worthy items. A few examples follow:

• Armor that allows a second Reflex Save, if the first is failed. If another individual is nearby and needs make such a Save, the wearer of the armor can give one or both Saves to that person, interposing themselves to 'deflect' the effect.

• Weapons that never Fumble. However, they are sundered beyond repair after the roll of 2d5 Fumbles.

• They are clever enough to craft leathern sacks and mighty chains capable of containing and holding the North wind or the Spring fog.

• Lanterns that blind the sighted within 80', except those bearing the lanterns. That's blinded as in being made blind.

The Wizards of Pohjola can also manage a few arcane tricks if they are attacked, or need themselves to make war. In each case they use 1 Action Die for each magical effect they desire to cast.

• With a roll of 12 or more, they can increase their Armor Class by the same amount as the attack bonus of the attack which most recently hit them. This effect lasts for 2d4 rounds, or until re-cast.

• With a roll of 14 or more, they can race like the wind at a ground speed of 70, or a flying speed of 20, for 1d4 rounds.

• With a roll of 16 or higher, they can grant themselves a pool of 1d12 Luck points, with which to enhance others of their rolls until the points have been spent or the effect re-cast.

• With a roll of 18 or higher, they can turn half their number invisible for up to 2 rounds, thereafter (for one round) giving them a +5 to hit in melee and doing an automatic crit on a successful hit (Table III/1d12).

Each group of Wizards may have their own variations on these powers, as the Judge sees fit.


Excuse me now, I need to go finish my Unhappy Meal...

[Get your own Unhappy Meal here]


14 January 2020

OCHRE SAND

Init +0
Ranged Atk
• fire burst +3 (1d14+1, 20')
AC 17
HD 3d6
MV 60
Act 1d24
SP 'breath' weapon, sideslip, perfect silence, morphing
Fort +5
Ref +8
Will +6
AL C

Ochre sand may be some further evolution of one (or more?) slime-, mold-, or jelly-like creatures. It exists as a non-thinking, highly territorial thing. If somehow anyone could make contact with it's mind, they would come to understand the creature's territory in the most complete and extreme way, but they'd also suffer from headaches for 1d7 days thereafter (minus 1d3 to Int).

An ochre sand attacks by forming an opening in it's form which erupts with fire. A Reflex Save vs. a DC 13 will cut the damage in half.

It occupies a space of about 3' cubed, and can avoid damage by simply deforming away from the attack, giving it it's high AC and reducing all physical attacks against it by 6 points of damage. It can approximate the shapes of things in it's environment, so it might take the form of an elaborate but apparently-weathered arch over a passageway or a heavily worn statue.


01 January 2020

HARPY (NEW YEAR)

Init +5
Melee Atk
• claws +4 (1d5+1 or grab)
AC 14
HD 3d6+5
MV 20, fly special
Act 1d20
SP carry, storm immune
Fort +2
Ref +7
Will +4
AL C

Cousins to the Gorgons, Harpies dwell in caves and exist to serve the gods as agents of punishment. They will torture and harass those on their way to the Underworld (Hades, Hell, whatever you care to call it, whatever it's nature).

When called upon to serve the gods, they are employed to abduct those the gods find deserving of punishment and take them to the source of vengeance and retribution. They can carry an individual, no matter their weight and encumbrance. Anything the gods might command them to fetch, they can carry. In other circumstances they have the equivalent of 3d5+1 Strength.

When bored, they will harass folks by stealing food and other significant objects.

They are always unhindered by storm winds despite the severity, and are sometimes heralded by such winds.

A Hapry can always fly at a faster speed than whatever other creatures around it can achieve. Take the flying speed of the fastest creature within 500' (be that "zero" or anything else) and add 1d6X10' to it to determine the Harpies current flying speed. This only changes if they encounter something faster than that, in which case the flying speed is re-determined.