Campaign Chronicles

"Hit the Road, Jack" was playing on the radio this morning.  I caught just enough of the song to send a cavalcade of "Jacks" streaming through my head...Jack and Diane, Jack Daniels, Captain Jack Sparrow, Wolfman Jack, Jack-in-the-Box, Jack Jack, Kangaroo Jack... no, random thoughts, don't stop there!  Keep going...! Too Late. I guess I'm writing about Kangaroo Jack today... SPOLIER ALERT! Kangaroo Jack, despite what the trailers would have you believe, has more in common with “Eight Heads in a Duffle Bag” than a movie like “Babe” or “The Incredible Journey”.   The movie is a pretty bad organized crime “comedy” (I use quotes because comedy in this case is highly subjective).   The talking kangaroo that is so prominently featured in the preview is pretty much limited to a single hallucinated scene and another one near the end of the film.   (We will not be touching the animated sequel at all for purposes of this article). To be clear, t...

I was at work this morning and out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of a “thank you” card hanging on one of the bulletin boards.   From where I was standing, I could make out the words, “Thank you, The Chamber…”   That was all I could see but I laughed to myself as my mind substituted words and arrived at the abovementioned title.   I started thinking about what the Chamber of Commerce could be in a classic or modern fantasy RPG and I would like to present two of the options below.   Enjoy!   Chamber NOUN chambers (plural noun) a large room used for formal or public events. synonyms: assembly room, hall,  auditorium (archaic) a private room, especially a bedroom. synonyms: bedroom, bedchamber, boudoir, room, bower   Commerce N OUN the activity of buying and selling, especially on a large scale. synonyms: trade, trading, buying and selling, business A chamber of commerce (or board of trade ) is a form of busin...

Rocketeer II (Herman Kampfmueller, Major) Male Human LN Expert 1 Init: +1, Senses: Listen +1, Spot +1 Languages: Read/Write and Speak English, French, and German AC: 12 (Leather Jacket, +1 Dex); t: 11; ff: 11; -0 ACP Hp: 10 (1HD) Energy: 15 Immune: - - Fort +3,Ref +2, Will +2 Spd: 30’ (6 squares), fly 180’ (good) (36 squares) Melee +3 Unarmed Strike: 1d4+3 (20/x2) Ranged +1 Pistol: 2d6 (20/x2, 20’) Combat Gear: Mauser C96 Pistol, Cirrus X3 Rocket Pack Str: 17, Dex: 12, Con: 14, Int: 14, Wis: 12, Cha: 14 SA/SQ: Class Abilities Feats: Improved Unarmed Strike (b), Nimble Fingers Skills: Bluff +6, Climb +6, Diplomacy +6, Disable Device +8, Hide +4, Move Silently +4, Open Lock +7, Pilot +5, Search +6, Sense Motive +5, Sleight of Hand +5, Swim +6 Possessions: Insulated Leather Flight Jacket (provides +2 circumstance bonus to save vs cold weather), Khaki Pants, Blue Shirt, Leather Boots, Mauser C96 “Broomhandle” 7.63 mm Pistol (w/ two magazines with 10 rounds...

Day Five of the Odinsleep (5 am, 2 hours until sunrise) With the arrival of Idunn and the Valkyrie Hildr, the rest of the group begins rising from their slumber. Drax awakens refreshed and ready for the day’s trials. He gathers his gear, checking all to ensure its readiness before whispering the words to two different spells – both meant to ward against the divinations of potential enemies, “غير كشف” which will turns aside scrying spells and “محاذاة غير قابلة للكشف” to conceal his allegiance to order, chaos, good, and evil. Cedron takes a deep breath as his eyes fall upon the goddess and his heart soars, filled with vitality and smiles as he replies, “Mischief thrives on innocence and simplicity brought by common expectations. Odin is wise, and I believe we are here because we are neither innocent nor predictable. So perhaps we do not need to find Loki, but to act in a way so unpredictable, that his curiosity brings him to us. What we must determine ...

I was watching YouTube today and a documentary on the man-eating lions of Tsavo popped up in my feed. It was pretty fascinating and while I had seen “The Ghost in the Darkness” way back whenever, I had forgotten much of the story. Still, what I watched today gave me some ideas on how to incorporate the lions into an ongoing campaign. For my  game , I was thinking about a one-shot sequel to my  Western .  The characters, having finished their original story arc have moved on with their lives , started businesses or families and are generally enjoying what amounts to an early retirement when a friendly NPC contacts them from the Tsavo River Valley in Kenya.  Two lions have been preying on railroad workers and have managed to evade all attempts to hunt them down.  This ally is requesting help. It turns out that the cats are under the influence of a native druid who opposes the British presence in the area.   Some of the adv...

Day Five of the Odinsleep (5 am, 2 hours until sunrise) Grotto and Niklas both rise before dawn. The sky has only just begun to take on a silvered-gray hue of the coming day. Several inches of snow fell overnight but by now, both have learned that by noon, the blistering heat of summer will be upon the land. They do not train together but the courtyard is not so large that they are out of each other’s view.    Niklas focuses on his grip and the breathing techniques Raven was telling him about the day before while Grotto revels in powerful swings that stretch his muscles and warm his body (and burn through the remaining haze of his alchemical sleep aids). Cedron, Drax, and Morn all remain asleep while Ra’ziir takes some time to enter the Reverie, replenishing his mind and focusing his spirit. Kysek gives the group a passing glance before retreating to a private alcove to cast a spell of Sending to enable him to send a message to his w...

I have to say that I did not know how I wanted to stat this creature. Did I want to make it an elemental because of the tornado aspect or a plant because of the whole pollen thing? I eventually decided on Outsider with some borrowed traits. I hope everyone enjoys.  Pollenado N Medium Outsider (Swarm of Fine Outsiders) Init: +7, Senses: Listen +5, Spot +5, Low-Light Vision Languages: Speaks Auran and Sylvan AC: 16 (+3 Dex, +3 Natural), t: 13, ff: 13 Hp: 9 (2HD) Immune: as Plant and Swarm Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +3 Spd: fly 50’ (perfect) Melee +5 Slam: 1d6 Str: 10, Dex: 17, Con: 10, Int: 4, Wis: 11, Cha: 11 SA: Distraction, Pollen Cloud SQ: Plant Traits, Swarm Traits Feats: Flyby Attack, Improved Initiative (b), Weapon Finesse (b) Skills: Knowledge (Nature) +2, Knowledge (the Planes) +2, Knowledge (Religion) +2, Listen +5, Spot +5 Environment: House of Nature (Great Mother’s Garden) Organization: Solitary Advancement: 3-6 HD (Medium), 7-11 (Large), 12-15 (...

My wife had Army Reserve Drill this past weekend.   In addition to exploring the area surrounding the base , I went to Wal-Mart, purchased and read Rudyard Kipling’s “The Jungle Book”.   I have seen the Disney cartoon probably a dozen or so times and while I expected some differences from film to novel, I was surprised by a few things, most notably the inclusion of several non-jungle stories (a white seal that leads his people to the safe nursery grounds and the struggle for an Inuit village to survive a particularly brutal winter).   I also learned that Rikki-Tiki-Tavi is part of the book (I had seen a cartoon when I was little but did not realize this was its source material).   The biggest change in my opinion is how much of a bad@$$ Kaa is.   Unlike his comic-relief cartoon counterpart, Kaa is a force to be reckoned with.   In his first appearance, Kaa is recruited by Baloo and Bagheera to help rescue Mowgli from a band of monkeys in a ruined...

18th Day of the Month of Sunsebb 573 CY calendar The undead barbarian looks one way then the other. He takes in his surroundings and notes the presence of the guardians before each door. Sensing no immediate threat from them, he looks down the tunnels before asking, “Which way?” “Isn’t that for you to decide ‘General?’ one the Risen asks. Jamaros turns toward his lieutenants. The tone in the undead warrior’s voice is filled with contempt. One of the ghouls stares defiant ... ly at the general while the other paces short laps back and forth just behind him. The speaker’s lips peel back to reveal sharp, jagged teeth, “That is, unless you wish to surrender your title to us. We will lead this army and crush the pathetic resistance of the mortals and whatever rivals we have lurking in the darkness of Kilenor, just like we did with you in the ring.” The remaining rank and file ghouls shift uneasily as the two ghasts continue to stare at the undead Nordheimer. Jamaros: 91...

16 Feb 1371 02:00:00 (2621 Shou calendar) Geylan turns in first. He has his hands and wrists locked in what basically looks like an iron birdcage. The samurai, Jug, places a blanket over the cage, concealing the hands within and the monk lies down to sleep. Jaleda sinks to the ground in the lotus position and closes his eyes. Hansuke’s eyes narrow, “I have two questions. First, what light source are you talking about and secondly, why are you locking your hands in a cage? ... ” The other monk sighs, “There was a brilliant beam of light that shot down from the heavens and struck the earth somewhere not far from here. We seek the location where the beam touched the ground. As for my hands, it is just a precaution. I assure you there is nothing to worry about.” With that, the bound monk lay down and closed his eyes, surrendering himself to sleep. The samurai with the antler-horned helmet moves a short distance away and settles himself into a comfortable position, one...

A hand pokes out of a barred window in the northernmost door, “Over here! Please, hurry! Before she realizes you’re here!” “Come on, we can’t just leave them to suffer in a place like this!” Chronosaj shouts as he heads to the door. The gunslinger aims his grenade pistol toward the center of the room, ready to adjust his aim to any point where a threat may appear from. Knives joins him a moment later. “If we let this guy out before we clear any danger, we are putting both him and ourselves at risk. If he is bait in a trap or he turns on us, then we are caught between him and whatever else is in this tower with us!”  Chronosaj nods and the hand poking through the bars in the door is replaced with the bearded face of a broad-shouldered man. “Hey, I am perfectly content with waiting as long as you get us out of here. Just don’t be fooled when she…Look out! Here she comes!” A rail thin figure staggers disjointedly down the stairs. The flickering lights reveal a woman...

Day Five of the Odinsleep (2 am – 5 am, 2 hours until sunrise) Ra’ziir returns to Völundr’s home. Kysek looks up as the half-elemental bladesinger enters the hall, “Did you find what you were looking for?” Ra’ziir tells his elven companion about his meeting with Saga and her father, explaining what he has learned about the time elemental. He also asks if the group still intends on attempting to beard Loki in his lair. Kysek shrugs and replies, “Unless someone has changed t he plan without telling me, then I suppose we are. Let’s hope that nothing as tragic as what damaged the bracer in the first place befalls our group again. There is nothing to save us now.” While the two elves sit in silence, contemplating the day to come, their companions sleep. Grotto tosses and turns, waking with a start from some nightmare. The scarred dwarf digs through his pouches until he finds an alchemical mixture he prepared some time ago for just such an occasion. He squeezes the mix into a...

This morning, I was listening to Powerslave while doing my work thing and that got me to thinking about Seventh Son and THAT got me to thinking about concept albums in general and THAT led to where I am now … Abigail by King Diamond. At the risk of spoiling an album that is over 30 years old, “Abigail” tells the story of a couple who move into a mansion the husband inherited.   Seven horsemen tell the couple to flee but they do not listen.   On the first night in the house, a family ghost warns the husband that his wife is carrying the spirit of Abigail, the ghost’s stillborn bastard daughter who will be reborn if the wife is not killed.   The husband still does not listen and things go south, fast.   The wife is possessed, the husband is murdered, Abigail is re-born and the strain kills the wife.   Abigail is later found by the seven horsemen in the family crypt beneath the mansion and it is implied in the story that she is eating her own, or...