Frost Coyote

Here's a simple cold-based beastie to throw at your low level PCs.

Coyote, Frost

No. Enc: 2d6

Alignment: Chaotic Evil

Movement: 180’ (60’)

Armor Class: 7

Hit Dice: 1+2

Attacks: 1 (bite) or frost breath

Damage: 1d4 or special

Save: F1

Morale: 6

Hoard Class: None

XP: 21

Frost coyotes are white or off-white with yellow eyes that glow in darkness. They are more intelligent than normal coyotes and quite clever hunters (90% chance to track prey up to 1d4 miles away). They have a malicious nature that draws them to torment and torture their prey before eating it. Once per day a frost coyote can breath a cloud of frost up to 5' away similar to the Magic-User spell cone of cold dealing 1d4+1 points of damage to any creature within the cone that fails a save vs. breath attack.

Frimmsreach Episode #9

EPISODE #9

Game Date: 05-26-14

Cast: Sparruu, Gul’Daryh, Skat, Quilliam

Supporting Cast: Argus, Sideth, Bolgart

Argus, drunk and sick on Olliman’s Mystical Mana Juice™, has racked up a 150 gp debt. Sparruu dips into the barbarian’s funds to pay it off and explains to the norg how they discovered the dead norg’s body back in the Ice Forest. Nothing much comes of it. The norg don’t seem to have cared for the one they called Bara the Sky Sweeper. They suggest going to see his sister, Lara the Sky Reader. They take the norg axe that Argus was carrying along with the gold and are on their way.

Quilliam, a travelling mage in search of knowledge, has come to old Raferta’s tent to seek wisdom. She quickly suggests he should join our intrepid heroes on their quest to find the dreaded ganguth. He readily agrees.

The team head to Nani’s Room and Board where they get some relatively cheap rooms and promptly dump the vomit-stinking Argus onto a bed (after Gul’Daryh’s cantrip cleans him up a bit). Discussions are had, plans made. Sideth admits to having a peculiar sense of something important deep within the ganguth's lair. She wants to go back and look into it.

The next morning they set out, purchase a new axe for Argus, have one final meeting with old Raferta, and head south, backtracking to the ganguth’s lair.

Some frost coyotes aside, the team finds little trouble in this journey and are soon picking their way through the lair, across the deadly ice bridge, and back into the gaudy demesnes of the foul monster. They find it ransacked, cleaned out, mostly emptied. Through the back door they go with Argus in the lead.

Crack! The ancient stairs of stone and ice cave in, sending the strapping barbarian 20’ down into a dark cavern. Sparruu shimmies down a rope to check on the boy. Moments later some unknown threat snatches the gnome by the ankle and drags him rapidly into darkness…

End episode #9.

Frimmsreach Episode #8

EPISODE #8

Game Date: 05-19-14

Cast: Sparruu, Gul’Daryh, Skat

Supporting Cast: Argus, Sideth

Having braved the Ice Forest and bested a small tribe of red orcs, the party prepares to make the final leg of the journey to the city of Frmmsreach. Norgyl and Oda part ways with our heroes. Argus, brother of Norgyl (and the reason for the couples’ dangerous trek through the Ice Forest) is not going with them. The young, muscled warrior is dead set on heading to the big city with Skat, Sparruu, and Gul’Daryh. His brother offers him the great axe of the dead norg to take on his journeys and bids him farewell.

The journey to the city is cold but uneventful. Argus pulls the two-wheeled cart the whole way, as if to prove his vitality (and secure his drinking money upon selling the cart). The party sees more-and-more travelers as various roads merge into the great northern road which terminates at Frimmsreach.

The city lies before them, tall as a mountain. They enter its 300’ tall gates and, upon disclosing their purpose to the 12’ tall norg guards, they enter.

The city under Frimmsreach, inside its very belly, is Frimmsbottom. This is a space enchanted to be comfortable to most people, warmer than the frigid air outside. Here the party sees many incredible things and many terrible things. The slave blocks are very active. Violence in the street is almost overlooked. It is a menagerie of oddities, necessities, food, and unsavory activities. Sparruu and Argus enjoy some of this, particularly the delicious “ice camel” kabobs.

The heroes go and see a gnome called Trelloff, one of the local foodies and spice merchants. After a bit of negotiation they come to an agreement on the value of the wagon and its precious spices. The savory gold spice is identified as having the power to repel evil creatures…so naturally they keep a bit of it but walk away from the deal with two things. First, over 500 gold pieces jingling in their collective pocket (though this belongs to Argus by all rights). And second…the knowledge that there is no such thing as an “ice camel” and that you gotta do something with the bodies of dead slaves and criminals.

“Soylent Green is random encounters…” – Andy

Argus heads off to get properly drunk while the others make a path to the magical district of this bizarre bazaar. But once the barbarian is out of their midst Skat notices the team is being followed by what appear to be common thugs. The scene turns sour. Sparruu attempts to bedazzle some passerby into causing a commotion and drawing the attention of norg guards…but no suck luck. Blades flash! Skat emasculates the leader and Sparruu drops faerie fire on the rest…claiming it will kill them. In the end the thieves are routed with only the leader tasting death.

Norg guards immediately arrive and ask what the heck is going on. “He fell on his dagger” seems to be an adequate response. But now the dead body is the party’s responsibility and they are instructed to take it to the “meat sheds”. This turns out to be an unseemly place to the west of the district where hunters bring their kills and virtually all other bodies are “disposed of”.

Quickly the team drops off the unfortunate thief’s body (after looting it, naturally) and heads back to the magic district. In that district it becomes clear that many vendors are purveyors of junk…which the norg seem to love. Instead of stepping into a particularly gaudy glowing mushroom house the party instead enters the quaint tent of an old witch. Inside Sideth quietly procures what are obviously witchy spell components and the like. Then the heroes begin to ask the old lady, whose name is Raferta, about the nature of various items they have acquired. At a meager cost of 20 gold coins each she gives them all the information she can about:

-A ring with starburst patterns that can “turn” spells.

-A gray potion that grants the drinker the strength of a giant.

-A bowl and spoon that a chef can use to bend people to his will.

-A pair of bear skin gloves that transform your hands into claws.

While the witch is examining these items the gang notices a beautiful young girl sitting at the back of the shop, knitting. She says nothing, but smiles. She is beautiful beyond compare, mesmerizing by her mere presence. The grandmother doesn’t like this attention and sends poor Lezza to the back.

As the team begins to leave they inquire about what sort of trouble they might get into in the area. And old Raferta puts a challenge to them. Her granddaughter is under a curse that makes her mute. Bring back the rib bone of a vicious ganguth and she will be cured!

It just so happens our heroes know of such a beast…

Meanwhile Argus is dragged before the tent by two norg guards. He is so drunk his insides come out and the guards inform the others that the young lad owes 150 gold pieces to the barkeep known as Markus.

What could the lad possibly have imbibed in a few hours that cost so much?!

End of Episode #8

Barbarian!

In my current Labyrinth Lord campaign I have a few NPC barbarians. I realize that a barbarian is basically a fighter. And I realize there are lots of takes on the barbarian class out there to be had. But, as with the witch, I needed something that fit my own campaign world. So here is my barbarian.

I went for something that was a little bit Conan, little bit ranger, and little bit hilljack. Not overpowered, not redundant.

And here's the pdf for it too.

BARBARIAN

Requirements: Con 12

Prime Requisite: Str, Con

Hit Dice: 1d10

Barbarians are a hearty, uncivilized lot that inhabit cold mountains, deep forests, badlands, and virtually any landscape outside the scope of civilization. These savages take care of their own and will fight to the death to defend family, friends, and others of their tribe.

They are often unaccustomed to magic and may harbor fears and superstitions against it. Because of this distrust, barbarians suffer a -2 penalty on saving throws vs. spells.

Barbarians use the ranger's level progression, saving throw, and attack value charts. They are proficient with any weapon common to the area in which their tribe lives. When using foreign or elegant weapons they have a -2 penalty to hit. They may wear any armor, though it may affect some of their class abilities.

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Battleclad: Barbarians who wear no armor may adjust AC by ½ their level out of toughness and battle fury.

Rage: A barbarian may choose to forgo all pretenses of battle finesse and attack his enemies in a blind rage. In this mode the character makes two attack rolls, each at a -3 penalty. If successful, such attacks deal +1d4 damage. For every 3 levels of experience (levels 3, 6, 9, etc.) the barbarian can make an additional attack roll, but always at a -3 penalty. If the barbarian attempts to make an attack on a round directly following a rage attack he suffers a -1 to hit and may not rage. It takes a moment for him to regain his composure.

Wild Movement: Barbarians run, jump, and climb like wild beasts, based on the climb walls skill of a thief of the same level. This skill does not allow them to climb sheer surfaces like a thief, but instead they may climb trees and cliffs, leap over small canyons or across small rivers, or out-run most normal humans and humanoids.

Resist Elements: Barbarians gain +2 to save against the effects of natural weather or -2 to damage from natural weather.

Detect Magic: A barbarian has a 2-in-6 chance to detect the presence of magic in an item or surrounding a place or person. The player must announce an intention to be aware of such magic. The barbarian cannot assess the nature of magic, simply its presence.

Tracking: Barbarians track as rangers of the same level but with a base 75% chance of success.

Witch! (revised)

I wasn't entirely happy with my witch character class for LL/B/X, originally posted here. So I tweaked her a bit into what I feel is more representative of what I was going for. The main changes were to simplify the summoning power, give her the ability to fly, and remove the AC bonus for being naked. I didn't want to make this a character that, if clothed, was less powerful. So while naked she definitely has a great advantage in saving throws but no advantage to AC and she is limited on how many rings and things she can wear.

So here's the witch...again. And here's a pdf of the class for your pleasure and enjoyment.

WITCH

Requirements: Wis 12, Cha 12, Int 9
Prime Requisite: Wis, Cha
Hit Dice: 1d4

A witch is a female practitioner of ancient magic. Witches tend to live alone or with other witches. They can commune with natural spirits, create magic potions, and cast a variety of spells using natural ingredients, often cobbled together on-the-spot.

Witches may not wear armor and may only use the staff, dagger, and other small weapons (sling, blackjack, etc.).

Witches progress in saving throws, attack values, spell progression, and levels as magic-users. They are able to learn magic-user, cleric, or druid spells of the following types: summoning, divination, charming people or monsters, and transforming living things into different forms. Witches gain +5% XP earned per Prime Requisite above 12.

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Commune with Spirits: A witch may summon one supernatural entity per day. The entity will appear in the witch's magic circle in 1d4 turns. The creature is trapped in the circle and cannot affect anything outside it. The witch may ask a question, which the entity is obligated to answer. The witch may only summon one entity per day. If she attempts to ask a second question it is up to the LL how the entity will answer, if at all.

Upon reaching the 9th level of experience a witch may compel a summoned entity to perform a task before it is released from her charm. The entity may then travel freely but only toward completion of the command. The entity is allowed a saving throw vs. spells minus the witch’s Cha modifier to resist the witch's command.

It is up to the LL to determine what kind of entity is summoned, though typically the HD of the entity should not surpass that of the witch.

Familiar: Witches possess the ability to cast the spell summon familiar without the gp cost. They may cast this spell at any point when they do not currently have a familiar. A witch’s familiar gains 1 additional Hit Die per 3 levels of the caster.

Flight: In addition to all other spells, witches may cast the magic-user spell fly once per day and an additional time per day for every 3 levels of experience (3, 6, 9, etc.).

Potions: A witch can create a number of potions per month equal to her level + Wisdom modifier. The player may select potions from the Labyrinth Lord Potions table, or from other sources made available by the LL. A witch has a 10% chance per level of being able to identify a potion.

Skyclad: When naked, the witch is wrapped in natural magic. She gains saving throw bonuses equal to half her level (rounded down) to all saving throws except breath attacks. In this mode the witch may wear no more than 1 piece of jewelry or other accoutrement.

Frimmsreach Episode #7

Episode #7

Game Date: 05-12-14

Cast: Sparruu, Gul’Daryh, Skat

Supporting Cast: Norgyl, Oda, Urtel, Argus, Sideth

The party makes off with the treasures of the ganguth – two locked chests to be opened at a later time. Outside the dreaded ice cavern the battered heroes take a rest in the hilly forest. But sleep is interrupted as a large herd of snow-white deer come barreling down the hillside…spooked by an unknown force. The hooves of the beasts are as silent as snow falling on snow.

The herd passes through the camp and in the confusion Utrel’s emerald necklace falls to the ground. The large man starts to behave erratically, desperately searching for it. When Oda comes to calm him he knocks her into a tree and the others notice his visage shifting into that of a demonic entity. The Urtel they knew transforms hideously into a beast and there is much grappling and loosing of arrows. The creature gets its hands on the necklace and tears it apart, threatening to kill everyone and finish Oda last (with a disturbing glimmer in his red eyes).

The party descends upon the creature and do it serious harm. The creature warns them…”You are killing HIM, you know…” But there is nothing for it.

A red mist escapes the creature’s ears, nose, mouth, and eyes like a soul leaking into the ether…and Utrel, once more himself, collapses to the ground. Through blood he smiles…”Sorry…” he says. And then he dies. Sparruu’s healing cannot help him. He is gone.

They gather wood and give Urtel a proper funeral pyre. Sparruu officiates, speaking words of praise for the brave-but-unskilled hulk of a man.

Later, after a proper rest, the party treks on, gathering the various treasures they stashed on the route from the main road to the ice cavern. During this walk Argus and Norgyl argue. Argus was sold into slavery several years ago and the family has not heard from him since. Norgyl wants to know where’s he’s been and what happened to him. Argus is short and uninterested in conversation. “I escaped those idiot slavers a long time ago. But this brand on my neck marks me. The one-eyed orc slavers thought they could handle me too. Hah! I showed them.”

Argus offers no thanks for his rescue.

Back at the spice wagon, they manage to get the two trunks open. Out of one springs four frail skeletons…a shocking but ineffective deterrent. The empty chest is shoved to the side and its twin opened…revealing potions, daggers, rings, and furry gloves!

The treasure is divided. It is agreed upon that the party will tug the spice wagon to Frimmsreach where they will seek some respite from an arduous journey through the Ice Forest and beyond.

But will Oda and Norgyl join? Will they be stuck with the arrogant, brash Argus as an adventuring companion?

End of Episode #7.

Frimmsreach Episode #6

Episode #6

Game Date: 05-05-14

Cast: Sparruu, Gul’Daryh, Skat

Supporting Cast: Norgyl, Oda, Urtel, Argus, Sideth

Our intrepid heroes enter the ice cavern, searching for Argus, brother of Norgyl. The steps are slick and poor Urtel, not the most coordinated guy in the world, slips and tumbles down to the bottom. They find him dangling from an orc spear lodged into the side of a narrow ice bridge…over a bottomless chasm.

There is a way across. A cart on the other side is attached to a chain and it rides along the narrow bridge. Skat uses a great length of rope to secure himself to the chain and bravely walks across the slick bridge then ties the rope to the cart. In this way the entire party is able pull the cart over and use it to pull themselves across.

The cave’s treacherous ice gives them no quarter and several party members slide down into darkness, landing painfully in a bed of icicles. Not a total loss…a handful of gold and a few weapons are recovered from the poor saps who came before.

The tunnel leading down from the chasm terminates at a great iron door, which the party opens, all weapons at the ready. Inside is a deadly scene. Two large rat-men hold a small girl hostage, knife to her throat. She cries out for help. Gul’Daryh lets fly an arrow, knocking one of the brutes to the ground.

But something is amiss. Sparruu and Skat think this is not what it seems. And when the rat thing hits the ground it seems to shimmer for a moment then turn into a small white-haired woman! Sparruu weaves some divine magic and puts a bit of faerie fire on the rat-thing and the girl. The magic lends some clue as to their true nature, revealing that the rat-man is just a man and the little girl is not such a little girl.

The illusion is broken, a snake-haired medusa stands before them penetrating the party with her terrifying gaze. Oda, Gul’Daryh, and Urtel stand transfixed, unable to move, seeing only her sinister eyes. The others shake off the effect and fly into action. Daggers are thrown, axes are wielded, and Sparruu sports the mirror he found on the dead Norg back in the Ice Forest.

The creature wheels around and comes face-to-face with her own image! She is unable to withstand her own gaze…Norgyl’s axe then takes her head neatly off.

Indeed, the man standing beside the creature is Argus, Norgyl’s brother! This huge blonde barbarian seems aloof, haughty, and less impressed to see his family than one might expect.

The white-haired girl, Sideth, is healed by Sparruu’s magic. Behind them is another iron door behind which, they surmise, is something the snake witch called “Master” (but turns out to be “Mister”). Sideth wants nothing to do with it and suggests leaving immediately. Others echo her sentiment. But bold Argus flings open the door as is his wont.

Inside is a strange scene. The large room is filled with all manner of decorative chairs and tables, dressing tables, armoires, vases, paintings, books and other fine things. Yet they are all decrepit, dirty, broken, even faked. Sitting among these things is a tall and lurching creature with a long hooked nose. He is wearing ratty clothes that once were fine. He speaks strangely, using words that don’t make sense, seeming to put on an air of intellectual power. His words have sinister charm and Sparruu seems to be taken by them, accepting cake and tea offered by the creature’s tiny goblin slaves.

But no one else buys it. The gig is up when Oda hurls her spear and the creature bursts out of its suit, tooth and claw and full of rage! Spells are flung, axes swung, daggers thrown! Sparruu recovers the dead medusa’s head…a desperate ploy to use her magic against her master. But it does not work…alas the magic seems spent.

Soon the tall creature’s wounds seem to take a toll. Just as Gul’Daryh reads an incantation from a magic scroll the monster mutters “So much for dinner.” In a puff of black smoke it vanishes without a trace!

A trap door is found and Sparruu springs the trap, taking a javelin to the chest. But the tough gnome persists. Two chests are recovered from the cubby hole under the door.

Another door leads out and further into the labyrinth…but our heroes are tired and sore. Perhaps another day?

End of Episode #6.

Witch!

For my current Labyrinth Lord campaign I wanted a witch class. There are several you can find online for various editions of D&D. My favorite was the B/X witch by StuartRobertson. But I needed something with that same aesthetic, simple and direct, that also included mechanics for summoning. So here's my own take on the class. You can also get a PDF here.

WITCH

Requirements: Wis 15, Cha 13, Int 9

Prime Requisite: Wis, Cha

Hit Dice: 1d4

A witch is a female practitioner of ancient magic. Witches tend to live alone or with other witches. They can commune with natural spirits, create magic potions, and cast a variety of spells using natural ingredients, often cobbled together on-the-spot.

Witches may not wear armor and may only use the staff, dagger, and other small weapons (sling, blackjack, etc.).

Witches progress in saving throws, attack values, spell progression, and levels as magic-users. They are able to learn magic-user, cleric, or druid spells of the following types: summoning, divination, charming people or monsters, and transforming living things into different forms.

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Skyclad: A witch who is skyclad (wearing nothing, including rings and jewelry) is protected by the aura of nature itself and subtracts her level from AC. For every 3 levels of experience the skyclad witch gains +2 on all saving throws vs. elemental and natural forces, such as wind, cold, and fire. However, a skyclad witch takes +1d4 damage from all successful physical attacks.

Potions: A witch can create a number of potions per month equal to her level + Wisdom modifier. The player may select potions from the Labyrinth Lord Potions table, or from other sources made available by the LL. A witch has a 10% chance per level of being able to identify any potion.

Commune with Spirits: Witches have a 10% chance per level (+ Charisma score) of summoning a supernatural entity. If successful, an entity will appear in the witch's magic circle in 1d4 turns. The creature is trapped in the circle and cannot affect anything outside it. The witch may ask a question, which the entity is obligated to answer. The witch may only summon one entity per day. If she attempts to ask a second question it is up to the LL how the entity will answer, if at all.

Upon reaching the 9th level of experience a witch may compel a summoned entity to perform a task before it is released from her charm. The entity may then travel freely but only toward completion of the command. The entity is allowed a saving throw vs. spells to resist the witch's command.

It is up to the LL to determine what kind of entity is summoned.

Familiar: Witches possess the ability to cast the spell summon familiar once per year per level at no gp cost. A witch's familiar gains 1 additional Hit Die per 3 levels of the caster. Therefore the familiar of a 1st level witch will have the normal 2HD while the familiar of a 3rd level witch will be a 3HD creature.