Thursday, March 14, 2024

Adventure Seed: Temple of the Threefold Eye

Artwork copyright: Gerald Williams

The Temple of the Threefold Eye, is an Adventure Seed meant to take place as a one shot scenario taking a few sessions, or can be dropped into a longer running campaign. It may not be used in a commercial product. Nor included in any collection or product without the express permission of the author, Gerald Williams.

The original premise for the adventure was a hidden, solitary temple, with a statue of an otherworldly entity. The idea was that anyone who made the treacherous journey through the mountains to find the temple, and then spend the night sleeping inside, would be granted a prophetic dream, or have their mind crushed by eternal madness. The mysterious Trioptic Entity, would be of unknown origins and power.

Overview:

Hidden amidst treacherous peaks, the Temple of the Threefold Eye, stands as a testament to forgotten cosmic forces. Its crumbling stone walls cling to the mountainside, and the air within hums with ancient magic. Few dare to venture here, for the temple’s reputation is as varied as the shifting winds that whip through its corridors.

The Statue:

At the heart of the temple’s dimly lit sanctum rests the Statue of the Trioptic Entity. Carved from obsidian, its features evoke both awe and unease:

Horned Aspect: The statue depicts a towering, horned figure—an otherworldly being that defies mortal understanding. Its curved horns sweep back like crescent moons, hinting at celestial or infernal origins.

Dual Eyes: Two eyes, each the size of a human head, gaze outward. Their irises shimmer with iridescence, reflecting the colors of distant galaxies. These eyes are said to see beyond the veil of reality.

Third Eye Gem: The most captivating feature lies in the statue’s forehead: a colossal, multifaceted gem. Its facets shift between azure, amethyst, and obsidian. Legends claim it holds the secrets of creation and destruction.


The Legends:

Whispers echo through the mountain passes, recounting the temple’s dual nature:

1. The Gift of the Trioptic Entity:
  • Those who sleep within the temple’s shadow may experience profound revelations:
  • Inspiration: A bard might awaken with verses that weave reality itself. A playwright could pen a drama that moves gods to tears. An author might birth a tome that alters history.
  • Truth Unveiled: Seekers of hidden knowledge may glimpse cosmic truths—their minds expanded or shattered by revelations.
  • Lore and Spells: The temple occasionally imparts forgotten spells or cryptic lore, inscribed on dream-touched scrolls.
  • These fortunate souls emerge changed, their creativity ignited or their understanding of existence forever altered.
2. The Madness of the Trioptic Curse:
  • Others who slumber here suffer a darker fate:
  • Insanity: Their dreams twist into maddening nightmares. They wake with fractured minds, haunted by visions of eldritch realms.
  • Whispers from the Abyss: The gem’s third eye whispers forbidden knowledge, driving them toward madness. Some become obsessed with deciphering its cryptic messages.
  • Eyes of the Entity: A few claim to see through the statue’s eyes, glimpsing distant worlds and the cosmic dance of gods. But this communion exacts a toll—their sanity unravels.

Adventure Hooks:

  • The Seeker’s Quest: A desperate artist seeks inspiration. They journey to the temple, hoping to create a masterpiece. Will they emerge as a genius or a broken soul?
  • The Scholar’s Obsession: A sage believes the gem holds the key to rewriting reality. They hire the party to retrieve it, unaware of the curse that awaits.
  • The Cult of the Trioptic Eye: A secretive cult worships the statue. They seek to awaken the entity, believing it will reshape the world. Can the adventurers thwart their plans?


GM Notes:

Be as creative as you want to be with the mood and reality of the temple's environment. Use surrealistic background music. Foreshadow with mad prophecies, whatever you like.
  • Dreamscapes: Use dream sequences to convey revelations or madness. These dreams will occur and get stronger to any outside the temple as they approach it.
  • Gem’s Whispers: Drop cryptic hints about forgotten spells or cosmic events. Use the temple as a way of revealing new spells, lore, or information in your campaign.
  • The Entity Awakens: As the temple’s power waxes, the statue’s eyes glow brighter. Cataclysm loomsMaybe the entity begins to awaken on its own when disturbed, or when someone tries to steal its powerful eye gem.

May your adventurers tread carefully, for the Trioptic Entity guards its secrets with both benevolence and malevolence.

Friday, March 1, 2024

NASA's Free TTRPG Adventure: The Lost Universe!

 NASA, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, has created and published their very own table top role-playing adventure, The Lost Universe! Now while they say it can be used with any role-playing system, it's clearly written for use with the current D&D 5e. They have released it over on their own official NASA website, but I'll drop the links here for your convenience.

..."A dark mystery has settled over the city of Aldastron, on the rogue planet of Exlaris. Researchers dedicated to studying the cosmos have disappeared, and the Hubble Space Telescope has vanished from Earth’s timeline."...

Sounds exciting!

These links are good as of 3/1/24 (The time this post was published.)


The Lost Universe

Download The Lost Universe gameplay instructional booklet. HERE

Map of Aldastron

Download the map of Aldastron to help you navigate through your adventure.  HERE

The Lost Universe Poster

Download and print The Lost Universe poster.  HERE




Monday, February 19, 2024

Optional Rules: Fighting Offensively or Defensively?

 
Fighter charging with a shield
Fighter using shield for Vigorous Defense

Melee combat in Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) often feels mundane—a repetitive exchange of blows unless special abilities or spells come into play. But what if we could inject more depth and strategy into these encounters? In this article, we’ll explore voluntary maneuver modifiers that players can employ to elevate their melee attacks.

Voluntary Maneuver Modifiers

At the start of a combat round, players can declare specific maneuver modifiers for their attacks. These modifiers apply to all actions taken by the character throughout that round. However, they cannot be used for special abilities or attacks like Sneak Attack. Let’s delve into offense and defense:

Offense:

To-Hit Rolls: Adjust your chances of hitting the targets in front of you.

Damage Rolls: Enhance the impact of your strikes.

Defense:

Armor Class (AC): Determine how difficult it is for opponents, you directly face, to land hits on you.

Offensive / Defensive Modifiers

±0 Normal  / ±0 Normal - Normal Melee

+1 Offense / -1 Defense - Risky Attack

+2 Offense / -2 Defense - Reckless Attack

-1 Offense / +1 Defense - Cautious Defense

-2 Offense / +2 Defense - Vigorous Defense

Remember, these voluntary maneuvers add tactical flavor to combat, allowing players to tailor their approach based on the situation. So, let’s break free from the mundane and make every swing count!


Example: Toral the Rat-Catcher, finds his escape route blocked by three guardsmen. He knows that if they dogpile him, he's done for. In desperation to rushes forwards with an all-out Reckless Attack, hoping to bring down the guard on his right, so that he can escape, with only one guard having a possible attack on him.. Assuming he incapacitates the guard he's rushing. (In this case Toral gets Advantage on his attack because of surprise.)



Friday, February 16, 2024

Help Naming your NPCs (and PCs)

Jarl Ogren and Toral the Rat-
Catcher

In the realm of tabletop role-playing games, Game Masters (GMs) often find themselves in a familiar predicament. They meticulously introduce player characters (PCs) to a scene, describing the main non-player character (NPC) who awaits their interaction. Yet, much to the GM’s chagrin, the players frequently veer off course, drawn to some seemingly insignificant background NPC—the one hastily added as an afterthought. And, as if scripted, they insist on knowing the name and life story of this inconspicuous figure. Fear not, dear GMs, for this article shall address the former: the art of naming.

In my day-to-day work, I encounter individuals from diverse corners of the globe. Consequently, I maintain a running catalog of unique and unconventional names. This list remains within arm’s reach during game sessions, ready for swift deployment when an NPC requires identification. However, even armed with my trusty roster, I occasionally yearn for additional resources. Picture a quaint village nestled in the folds of history, where names resonate with shared cultural or ethnic origins—perhaps an enclave of Armenian-sounding appellations. For such scenarios, I turn to the following invaluable naming resources:


1. The Everyone Everywhere List - TEEL

From: Erik James Olsrud
Current Price: $6 at Drivethrurpg


2. Treasury of Archaic Names - ToAN
From: Bill Owen
Current Price: Varies


3. Extraordinary Book of Names - EBoN
From: Malcom Bowers as part of the Gary Gygax World Builder Series.
Price: Varies (Back in print from Troll Lord Games)


4. Story Games Names Project - SGNP
From: Various contributors of the RPG community
Price: Free (Easily found on-line)


Due to the ever-changing nature of the Internet, and quickly changing link addresses, I'm just pointing out these resources instead of directly linking to anything.

If you don't have access to your books, in a pinch, a quick search on-line will bring up any number of random name generators, or NPC naming lists. Again, I would suggest searching your own sources on-line and bookmarking them for quick use. The following have been pretty stable links, so I'll include a short list.

I suggest:

Thursday, April 20, 2023

Site Under Reconstruction!

As this blog has been active for several years, it's no surprise that some of the links and resources mentioned in past articles have become outdated. In the spirit of keeping our content fresh and relevant, I am currently in the process of reviewing and updating all of our articles.

This process includes fixing broken links, re-editing articles for clarity and accuracy, and in some cases, even re-writing articles to reflect changes in the industry or new information that has come to light. I understand that this can be a time-consuming process, and I appreciate your patience as we work to ensure that our blog remains a valuable resource for our readers.

My goal is to provide you with the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, and I believe that this ongoing effort to maintain the quality of our content is an important part of achieving that goal. Thank you for your continued support and interest in our blog.

Image created by Gerald Williams, using Blue Willow AI


Monday, April 17, 2023

Myths & Monsters: Shroudwalker

 Name: Shroudwalker


Image created by Gerald Williams, using Blue Willow AI

Appearance: The Shroudwalker is a tall, gaunt humanoid figure covered in a tattered shroud or cloak that obscures its features. Its eyes glow with a sinister light, and it emits a chilling aura that can freeze its victims in terror.

Abilities: The Shroudwalker possesses a range of supernatural abilities, including the power to manipulate shadows and darkness, move silently, and phase through solid objects. It can also summon spectral apparitions to attack its foes and drain the life force of those it touches.

Weaknesses: The Shroudwalker is vulnerable to bright light, which can disorient and weaken it. It also has a weakness to silver, which can harm and potentially kill it.

Motivations: The Shroudwalker is a malevolent creature that delights in causing fear and suffering. It preys on unsuspecting travelers, lurking in the shadows and striking when they least expect it. It has no qualms about killing its victims or enslaving them as spectral thralls.

Habitat: The Shroudwalker can be found in dark, abandoned places like graveyards, ruins, and haunted forests. It prefers places where it can move unnoticed and strike from the shadows.

Modus Operandi: The Shroudwalker is a stealthy hunter that relies on surprise and deception to catch its prey. It will often wait for its victims to enter its lair before attacking, using its powers to isolate and disorient them. Once it has incapacitated its prey, it will drain their life force or turn them into spectral thralls to serve its twisted desires.

Origins: The origins of the Shroudwalker are shrouded in mystery and may vary depending on the folklore or legend. However, one possible theory is that the Shroudwalker was once a human or a creature that was cursed or transformed by dark magic or demonic influence.

According to some legends, the Shroudwalker was once a mortal who made a pact with a demon or devil in exchange for power and immortality. The demon granted the mortal's wish but twisted their body and soul, transforming them into a monstrous being with a shroud-like cloak that conceals their true form.

Other legends suggest that the Shroudwalker is a restless spirit or a malevolent entity that was conjured or summoned by a powerful sorcerer or necromancer. The entity was bound to the sorcerer's will and tasked with carrying out their dark bidding.

In some folklore, the Shroudwalker is associated with death or the afterlife, and is said to be the manifestation of a vengeful ghost or a malevolent spirit that was once human. The spirit is said to have been transformed into a monstrous form by the rage and resentment that consumed it in life.

Overall, the precise origins of the Shroudwalker may vary, but the common thread is that it was created or transformed by dark forces and is now a malevolent and powerful entity that preys upon the living.

Friday, April 7, 2023

QUICK Adventure Plot Ideas! March 2023

The plot adventure synopsis:

The party must uncover the truth behind a series of strange occurrences in a haunted mansion.

https://publicdomainvectors.org/

Suggested Ideas:

    1. The mansion is cursed, and the party must find a way to lift the curse before it claims more victims.
    2. The ghost of a former owner of the mansion is haunting the place and is seeking revenge against those who wronged them.
    3. The party must navigate a series of deadly traps and puzzles in the mansion to uncover its secrets.
    4. The mansion is home to a powerful artifact, and the party must retrieve it while avoiding the mansion's ghostly inhabitants.
    5. The party must confront a powerful undead sorcerer who is using the mansion as their base of operations.
    6. The mansion is built over an ancient burial ground, and the restless spirits of the dead are causing the strange occurrences.
    7. The party must explore the mansion's extensive library to find clues to its mysterious past.
    8. The mansion's former owner was a notorious serial killer, and the party must uncover their identity to put their spirit to rest.
    9. The mansion is the site of a long-forgotten magical ritual, and the party must uncover its purpose before it's too late.
    10. The mansion's current owner is using the strange occurrences to scare away any potential buyers, and the party must uncover their scheme. (And they would have gotten away with it too if not for those pesky adventurers and their dire wolf companion!)