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class='column-center-inner'> <div class='main section' id='main' name='Main'><div class='widget Blog' data-version='1' id='Blog1'> <div class='blog-posts hfeed'> <div class="date-outer"> <h2 class='date-header'><span>Wednesday, April 2, 2025</span></h2> <div class="date-posts"> <div class='post-outer'> <div class='post hentry uncustomized-post-template' itemprop='blogPost' itemscope='itemscope' itemtype='http://schema.org/BlogPosting'> <meta content='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHu17EMq-GvzRNpXRyZnWBVCldD84oVMwbumL_3bRl7ml5py9akKMCo2PCjX-uJ9SaUMsibRo1e57hCgrhn4sJ4DzSEgKp2Y8KhkZyUpWdsWBNSNnzlZjyllPRj7gL0p7kC9P7B-2RJXzxbLp8JbGMDrKjvjWfWIglqXaD4o4mOFYLn_h6AjFw_0UluMc/w640-h442/in%20time%20all%20the%20world%20likely%20to%20be%20cossack%20or%20all%20republican.png' itemprop='image_url'/> <meta content='4732712959114181705' itemprop='blogId'/> <meta content='2171100273245650174' itemprop='postId'/> <a name='2171100273245650174'></a> <h3 class='post-title entry-title' itemprop='name'> <a href='https://as-they-must.blogspot.com/2025/04/ghosts-ghouls-and-goblins-of-no-fixed.html'>Ghosts, Ghouls and Goblins of No Fixed Abode </a> </h3> <div class='post-header'> <div class='post-header-line-1'></div> </div> <div class='post-body entry-content' id='post-body-2171100273245650174' itemprop='articleBody'>     <style> .blog-posts { background-color: white; } div.post-body ol li { padding-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: .75rem; } </style>     On the secret GLOG server, <b>semiurge</b> said somebody ought to write a monster post. No setting stuff, no Lore, just 'orrible monsters. Here you go.  <br /><br /><br /><b><a href="https://as-they-must.blogspot.com/2024/08/picture-pong-with-phlox-1.html"></a></b><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHu17EMq-GvzRNpXRyZnWBVCldD84oVMwbumL_3bRl7ml5py9akKMCo2PCjX-uJ9SaUMsibRo1e57hCgrhn4sJ4DzSEgKp2Y8KhkZyUpWdsWBNSNnzlZjyllPRj7gL0p7kC9P7B-2RJXzxbLp8JbGMDrKjvjWfWIglqXaD4o4mOFYLn_h6AjFw_0UluMc/s3274/in%20time%20all%20the%20world%20likely%20to%20be%20cossack%20or%20all%20republican.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2258" data-original-width="3274" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHu17EMq-GvzRNpXRyZnWBVCldD84oVMwbumL_3bRl7ml5py9akKMCo2PCjX-uJ9SaUMsibRo1e57hCgrhn4sJ4DzSEgKp2Y8KhkZyUpWdsWBNSNnzlZjyllPRj7gL0p7kC9P7B-2RJXzxbLp8JbGMDrKjvjWfWIglqXaD4o4mOFYLn_h6AjFw_0UluMc/w640-h442/in%20time%20all%20the%20world%20likely%20to%20be%20cossack%20or%20all%20republican.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: Thomas Nast, political cartoon for "Time"</td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <blockquote> <h3 style="text-align: left;"><b><a href="https://as-they-must.blogspot.com/2024/08/picture-pong-with-phlox-1.html">Carrion Crawler</a></b></h3> 3<b>HD</b> (12<b>HP</b>), <b>AC</b> as leather, 5 <b>morale</b><br />Squamous <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onychophora"><b>onychophoric</b></a> vermin which eat anything and everything. Despite often being in excess of 10' long and 100kg in weight, they move in complete silence over level ground (over extremely rough terrain they engage their claws for traction, which produces a characteristic click-click-click). <b>Carrion crawlers</b> are ambush predators who use darkness and streams of glue from glands near their fanged mouth to sneak up on and disable their prey. Their eyesight is poor, but their sense of hearing is more sensitive than a cat's.<br /><b>Movement</b>: Never faster than a speedwalk<br /><b>Morality</b>: Animalistic predator (<b>True Neutral</b>)<br /><b>Intelligence</b>: Unusually high for a big bug. Form complex social structures in large nests, where mothers protect and raise their live-born young. Capable of understanding traps.<br />Attacks: +2 <b>to-hit</b>. Vicious crushing jaws (<b>2d6</b>), or a spray of goo (applies a <b>-4</b> penalty to <b>AC</b> and all physical checks, can be applied multiple times. Removable with alcohol. 3 uses per day)<br /><b>Soft Body</b> — Can't survive long-term in an arid environment. Loses 1 <b>HP </b>an hour in <b>sunlit </b>areas. Takes <b>1d6</b> damage from exposure to salt water, and won't deliberately step across salt spilled on the ground.<br /><b>Tremorsense </b>— Landbound creatures can't approach within 20' of a <b>carrion crawler</b> without alerting it to their presence. </blockquote> <br /><br /> <blockquote> <h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>Who Will Know</b></h3> 2<b>HD</b> (8<b>HP</b>), <b>AC </b>as leather, <b>morale </b>7<br />A furtive man in dark clothing, hat low over his face casting a deep shadow, something long and sharp under his coat <br /><b>Movement</b>: as man<br /><b>Morality</b>: hateful and sniveling (<b>Lawful Evil</b>) <br /><b>Intelligence</b>: Smarter than its summoner by just a tad<br /><b>Attacks</b>: +2 <b>to-hit</b>, with weapon<br /><b>Man is the Real Monster</b> — a <b>Who Will Know</b> is born when someone dreams day and night of killing another person for weeks and weeks, months and months, years and years. With enough focus, they begin to idealize the murder itself; the <b>Who Will Know</b> is born. It stalks the target like a poacher until it catches them alone and brutally kills them. <b>Who Will Knows</b> always leave bizarre riddles and clues in their wake, at first to terrify the target (things like open windows, menacing notes on pillows, slaughtered pets) and then to mock investigators and incriminate their summoner (bloody messages on walls, poems with obvious acrostics, personal items at the scene of the crime). Until it kills its target, this monster will merely brutally maim and exsanguinate other intelligent beings. After its target is killed, it begins to hunt others, preferring those who know most about its summoner's identity.<br /><b>Bad Manners</b> — an aggravated <b>Who Will Know</b> will steal the best magical weapon from a party's unguarded camp on a <b>2-in-6</b> chance every night, then use that weapon in its murders. <br /><b>Immortal</b> — so long as its master is alive, when a <b>Who Will Know</b> is killed it returns within 72 hours </blockquote> <br /><br /> <blockquote> <h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>Thousand Ghost Strings</b></h3> 1<b>HD</b> (1<b>HP</b>), <b>AC </b>as plate, <b>morale </b>13<br />Translucent hands plucking the strings of a golden harp. Always willing to play for a suitably impressed audience. Murderously violent towards philistines. <br /><b>Movement</b>: instant teleportation room by room in a structure<br /><b>Morality</b>: interested only in art (<b>Neutral Evil</b>)<br /><b>Intelligence</b>: maestro's taste for art, illiterate berk otherwise<br /><b>Attacks</b>: +1 <b>to-hit</b>, strike a chord to send a vein-severing blade of air (<b>1d6+1</b>). One <b>extra attack</b> per turn for each sequential turn it spends attacking.<br /><b>Ghost Musician</b> — characters armed with musical instruments may play a tune to roll another <b>reaction</b> check with a <b>+2</b> bonus<br /><b>Golden Harp</b> — worth <b>100gp</b>. worth <b>5gp </b>if smashed or burned by AoE magic or large weapons <br /><b>Spirit </b>— takes no damage from conventional weapons, <b>fire</b>, <b>poison </b>&c </blockquote> <br /><br /> <blockquote> <h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>Hesitate When It</b></h3> 6<b>HD</b> (12<b>HP</b>), <b>AC</b> as leather, <b>morale </b>7<br />Enormous brain with six sets of bat wings, twelve eyes, pitcherplant mouth and steely ovipositer. Can't talk, but you can tell it wants to. <br /><b>Movement</b>: slow bobbing float through the air<br /><b>Morality</b>: incomprehensible enlightenment (Chaotic Evil) <br /><b>Intelligence</b>: infinitely beyond yours. So smart it can hear players discussing plans in real life. <br /><b>Attacks</b>: +4 <b>to-hit</b>, three eye beams (<b>1d8 fire</b>) against three separate targets or vomiting digestive acids (<b>1d8 </b>in 15' cone, check <b>strength </b>or become <b>grappled</b>) once every three turns, or vicious sting against a <b>grappled </b>target (<b>1d8+4</b>, implants target with thought eggs)<br /><b>Magic</b>:  4ND, Detect Magic, Speak Language, Greater Disguise Self, Cloudkill<br /><b>Implanted Thought</b> — eggs of the <b>Hesitate When It </b>are immaterial. Affected creatures experience intrusive thoughts of black goats and rapid movement through dark water. After <b>1d6 </b>days, brain bursts from skull and flies away on bat wings. Drink so much alcohol you must <b>save or die</b> and you are cured. <br /><b>Exposed Brain</b> — takes double damage from <b>acid</b>, <b>poison</b>, or <b>fire</b>. </blockquote> <br /><br /> <blockquote> <h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>Robotic Cop Statues</b></h3> 2<b>HD</b> (8<b>HP</b>), <b>AC </b>as plate, <b>morale </b>10<br />12' tall, wielding hundred-pound iron bars and clad in armor of imperishable metal. Glowing red eye-slit clearly indicates where he is looking.<br /><b>Movement</b>: steady pace just a bit faster than a light jog, never slowing <br /><b>Morality</b>: Enforces <i>xenia</i> and respect of the Burgomeister (<b>Lawful Neutral</b>)<br /><b>Intelligence</b>: like a man, but without creativity. Falls for the same tricks every time. <br /><b>Attacks</b>: +2 <b>to-hit</b>, two relatively rapid swipes (<b>2d6</b>) or one Vom Tag with agonizing windup (<b>2d12</b>, but with <b>-6 to-hit</b>). Always attempts to Vom Tag a target who is standing still. <br /><b>Hardbody</b> — takes <b>1</b> damage when hit with a blade, half damage from hammers and maces, full damage from picks and railroad spikes<br /><b>Raised Visor</b> — if his Vom Tag misses you, you may run up his weapon (if ye be brave enough) and strike at his eyes (<b>AC</b> as unarmored) </blockquote> <br /><br /> <blockquote> <h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>Marmoreal Darling </b></h3> 5<b>HD</b>, <b>AC </b>as leather, 7 <b>morale</b><br /><b>Movement</b>: as a man, but totally silent<br /><b>Morality</b>: bloodthirsty predator (<b>Neutral Evil</b>)<br /><b>Intelligence</b>: more cunning than a bear<br /><b>Attacks</b>: +5 <b>to-hit</b>, whiplike limbs (<b>1d8+4</b>, range as a thrown knife) or strangling appendages (strikes only from surprise, renders target unable to speak, opposed <b>MOVE </b>every round: victim escapes after three successes, falls unconscious and is dragged away after three failures) <br />    These beasts are said to dwell in new growth forests, where fields or towns have been abandoned and the thin young trees have sprung up. Their fat spidery bodies can fold and warp to hide behind fence posts or beneath shrubbery or other places you wouldn't think a creature the size of a cart can hide. The only rigid part of the <b>Marmoreal Darlings</b> are their faces, seemingly carved from marble, which depend from long wavy necks and might be taken for pareidolic tricks of the light in a sun-dappled woods. <b>Darlings </b>prey on lone travelers, especially lost children, though bolder ones may try to steal scullery maids from wells or gardeners from orchards when they are out of earshot from other humans. They strangle their victims with long pink tongues and bury them in shallow graves. After a few weeks, they return to the site to stick their tongues into the ground and suck up the liquid rot. <br />    <b>Marmoreal Darlings</b> have a cow-like unwillingness to cross even very low fences or pass through even very broad gates. Though they are enormously strong, they never attempt to force doors. <b>Darlings</b> sleep in nests of clothing stolen from drying lines or picked off of corpses. Some have been seen to wear veils or shawls, perhaps to keep warm (they quickly enter a state of torpor in cold weather or at night) or perhaps to enhance their camouflage. </blockquote> <br /><br /> <blockquote> <h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>Colored Vire</b></h3> 4–6<b>HD</b> avian, <b>AC </b>as chain, <b>morale </b>7 <br /><b>Movement</b>: crashing and ungainly when crawling on the earth, fast and silent like an owl while flying <br /><b>Morality</b>: apex predator (neutral) <br /><b>Intelligence</b>: turkey-stupid, but with good instincts when protecting its nest or hunting. <br /><b>Attacks</b>: +2 <b>to-hit</b>, two bites with low-slung jaws (<b>1d6</b>), or one with gnarled claws (<b>1d8+HD). +HD</b> to <b>grapple</b> attempts<br /><b>Breath Weapon</b> — per color <br /><br />    <b>Vire</b> (rhymes with "wire") are lone flying predators that roost in rockpiles in dry locations. Despite the fact that they resemble scrawny plucked roosters with bat-wings, they are widely imagined to be a type of dragon, as they possess breath weapons whose elements are connected to the color of their wings. Peasants will call <b>vire </b>"old [color] men" for their distinct habit of craning their necks from a high perch while bundling themselves in their wings; while doing so they faintly resemble 12' tall humanoids with rail-thin bodies wrapped in colored rags.<br /><br />    All <b>vire</b> have a special organ in their teardrop-shaped bodies which produces a bezoar that they may projectile-vomit 60' away. They can only do this once per hour, and won't waste it when hunting wild pigs or small farmers. A bezoar harvested from a recently-deceased <b>vire </b>is a valuable reagent if immediately preserved in mineral spirits. <br /><br />    <b>Red vire</b> are the most common. Their bezoar, famously, explodes in contact with atmospheric moisture, dealing <b>2d6 fire</b> damage in a radius of 10'. <b>Red vire</b> resist mundane <b>fire</b>, and prefer to prey on goats and hikers in their hillside habitats<br /><br />    <b>Blue vire</b> make their homes in wastes and deserts. Their bezoar produces noxious blue fumes as it flies disintegrating through the air; the moment it makes contact with a target, the <b>vire</b> completes a circuit in its jaws and deals <b>2d6 lightning</b> damage to all those in contact with the ionized smoke. Notably, <b>Blue vire</b> <u>do not resist <b>lightning</b> damage</u>. If they attempt to use their bezoar during a storm, both they and anyone in contact with the smoke are struck by an <i>actual</i> thunderbolt for <b>6d6 lightning</b> damage. <b>Vire </b>are dumb as shit and don't know this.<br /><br />    <b>Green vire</b> are the most feared kind, as they are sometimes encountered by monster hunters expecting easier prey. Their bezoar produces great choking clouds of pus-yellow smoke, which deal <b>1d6 poison </b>damage every round of skin contact, and another <b>1d6 </b>with every breath you take. <b>Green vire</b> are immune to the <b>poison </b>of their own bezoars, and resistant to other types. <br /><br /><br /><b>STRATEGY</b>: <b>Vire </b>are preferential scavengers. They avoid dangerous-looking enemies or large groups, unless protecting their eggs and chicks. During most of the year <b>vire </b>hunt alone but in springtime they nest together. <b>Red Vire</b> mate for life and return to the same nesting areas each year, which are shared between <b>2–12</b> pairs. <b>Blue vire</b> mate for life and build a new nest each spring, which the female will guard as the male decimates surrounding ecosystems for prey. <b>Green vire</b> do not mate for life. The flight displays of the gloriously green males — almost always interrupted by a vicious aerial grapple with a rival —  are reason to immediately contact several monster hunters.<br /><br /><b>TACTICS</b>: Vire are more stupid than most birds. Their decisions in combat are fairly deterministic, which experienced hunters will exploit. <br />When in combat:  <ul style="text-align: left;"> <li>If they're in a fair fight, then they flee. <b>Vire </b>will break this rule to protect their nests, but are otherwise terrible cowards. </li> <li>If it is the first round of combat, then they do not use the breath attack. <b>Vire </b>never open with their breath attack. Perhaps they are afraid of ambush, or are just slow to react? Either way, they will attempt some other attack on their first turn. </li> <li>If <b>50%</b> of enemies could be hit with a breath attack, then they use the breath attack. <b>Vire </b>are not smart enough to use their breath attacks in a calculated way — e.g. by electrocuting the 4th level Wizard when she's separated from her two 1st level Fighter friends, or by waiting for a better opportunity. </li> <li><b>Red vire</b> will attempt to grapple enemies and drag them (up to 30') off nearby cliffs or across rocky terrain. They cannot lift more than 30 or 40 kilos, so this is their preferred method of killing larger prey.</li> <li><b>Blue vire</b> will attempt to tuck their wings and drop onto targets. If they succeed in an attack, this deals an extra <b>2d6 </b>damage to the target and the <b>vire </b>flies off. If they miss, this deals <b>1d6 </b>damage to them and the same to the target, and grounds the <b>vire</b>. If they <b>critically fail</b>, they miss entirely and slam into the ground for normal falling damage. Ha!</li> <li><b>Green vire</b>, the smartest and most vicious, will attempt to use bait. On the first round of combat, they circle the area to locate enemies. Then they vomit their bezoar near the most delicious-looking target and land in the smoke. The <b>vire</b> then <b>grapples </b>them to prevent escape and waits for others to attempt a rescue. If no one comes before the target dies, they're also perfectly happy to eat the free meal and fly off before the smoke clears.</li> </ul> </blockquote> <br /> <div style='clear: both;'></div> </div> <div class='post-footer'> <div class='post-footer-line post-footer-line-1'> <span class='post-author vcard'> Posted by <span class='fn' itemprop='author' itemscope='itemscope' itemtype='http://schema.org/Person'> <meta content='https://www.blogger.com/profile/16076993341999529525' itemprop='url'/> <a class='g-profile' href='https://www.blogger.com/profile/16076993341999529525' rel='author' title='author profile'> <span itemprop='name'>G. R. Michael</span> </a> </span> </span> <span class='post-timestamp'> at <meta content='https://as-they-must.blogspot.com/2025/04/ghosts-ghouls-and-goblins-of-no-fixed.html' itemprop='url'/> <a class='timestamp-link' href='https://as-they-must.blogspot.com/2025/04/ghosts-ghouls-and-goblins-of-no-fixed.html' rel='bookmark' title='permanent link'><abbr class='published' itemprop='datePublished' title='2025-04-02T06:09:00-04:00'>4/02/2025 06:09:00 AM</abbr></a> </span> <span class='post-comment-link'> <a class='comment-link' href='https://as-they-must.blogspot.com/2025/04/ghosts-ghouls-and-goblins-of-no-fixed.html#comment-form' onclick=''> No comments: </a> </span> <span class='post-icons'> <span class='item-control blog-admin pid-773858241'> <a href='https://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=4732712959114181705&postID=2171100273245650174&from=pencil' title='Edit Post'> <img alt='' class='icon-action' height='18' src='https://resources.blogblog.com/img/icon18_edit_allbkg.gif' width='18'/> </a> </span> </span> <div class='post-share-buttons goog-inline-block'> <a class='goog-inline-block share-button sb-email' href='https://www.blogger.com/share-post.g?blogID=4732712959114181705&postID=2171100273245650174&target=email' target='_blank' title='Email This'><span class='share-button-link-text'>Email This</span></a><a class='goog-inline-block share-button sb-blog' href='https://www.blogger.com/share-post.g?blogID=4732712959114181705&postID=2171100273245650174&target=blog' onclick='window.open(this.href, "_blank", "height=270,width=475"); return false;' target='_blank' title='BlogThis!'><span class='share-button-link-text'>BlogThis!</span></a><a class='goog-inline-block share-button sb-twitter' href='https://www.blogger.com/share-post.g?blogID=4732712959114181705&postID=2171100273245650174&target=twitter' target='_blank' title='Share to X'><span class='share-button-link-text'>Share to X</span></a><a class='goog-inline-block share-button sb-facebook' href='https://www.blogger.com/share-post.g?blogID=4732712959114181705&postID=2171100273245650174&target=facebook' onclick='window.open(this.href, "_blank", "height=430,width=640"); return false;' target='_blank' title='Share to Facebook'><span class='share-button-link-text'>Share to Facebook</span></a><a class='goog-inline-block share-button sb-pinterest' href='https://www.blogger.com/share-post.g?blogID=4732712959114181705&postID=2171100273245650174&target=pinterest' target='_blank' title='Share to Pinterest'><span class='share-button-link-text'>Share to Pinterest</span></a> </div> </div> <div class='post-footer-line post-footer-line-2'> <span class='post-labels'> Labels: <a href='https://as-they-must.blogspot.com/search/label/Random%20Lists' rel='tag'>Random Lists</a> </span> </div> <div class='post-footer-line post-footer-line-3'> <span class='post-location'> </span> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="date-outer"> <h2 class='date-header'><span>Saturday, March 15, 2025</span></h2> <div class="date-posts"> <div class='post-outer'> <div class='post hentry uncustomized-post-template' itemprop='blogPost' itemscope='itemscope' itemtype='http://schema.org/BlogPosting'> <meta content='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKpUwvPMBS9_NdYH8UOgHMbyzhjp8pVl1NgxTZGfSM1NwDAVI7T8LgGJbEFV8C47uSOtZW-JHzpxR0Rxu4U3f2Tz7OfaI5o5a0qpTluEx5MD2hIhVimY1rVPV0X-CKRSxPdzK8p5Gtgo59XAxYenjj3ypMSoQvfAmnfgRM4SBHoT-JTavwzqxLyAssHcc/w640-h458/obol%20desert.png' itemprop='image_url'/> <meta content='4732712959114181705' itemprop='blogId'/> <meta content='3997967749926532079' itemprop='postId'/> <a name='3997967749926532079'></a> <h3 class='post-title entry-title' itemprop='name'> <a href='https://as-they-must.blogspot.com/2025/03/the-bazaar-of-memorable-obol-desert.html'>The Bazaar of the Memorable (Obol Desert)</a> </h3> <div class='post-header'> <div class='post-header-line-1'></div> </div> <div class='post-body entry-content' id='post-body-3997967749926532079' itemprop='articleBody'>     <style> .blog-posts { background-color: white; } div.post-body ol li { padding-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: .75rem; } </style> This is a post for the <b><a href="https://as-they-must.blogspot.com/search/label/Obol%20Desert">Obol Desert</a></b>, a setting I've been working on with friend-of-the-blog Eos of <b><a href="https://noblesse-goblige.blogspot.com/">Nobless Goblige</a></b>. This one mostly focuses on caravans and caravan management. Stay tuned for posts on all sorts of exciting topics, like weather, and what exactly an "oasis" is. <br /><br /><h4>Coinage</h4><br />    The standard coin in day-to-day life is the <b>copper obol</b>, or <b>co</b>. It's a fat little coin, about five grams (the size of a nickel), and each city mints their own. This buys you a hardboiled egg, a broadsheet, a glass of lemonade on a hot day, a lead bullet, a pinch of snuff, or a ticket to a traveling show. <br />    The most common coin for buying and selling goods is the <b>silver obol</b>, or <b>so</b>. It's the same size as the <b>copper obol</b>, but ten times more valuable. This buys you a good meal, a day of unskilled labor from the urban poor, a bed at a caravanserai, a skin full of wine, a bucket of oats for your horse, or a pouch of gunpowder.<br /><br />    For large transactions, there are <b>silver doubles</b>, <b>silver trebles</b>, <b>silver tetrobles</b>, and the <b>silver drachm</b> (six oboloi make one drachm). The rarely-used <b>gold obol</b> is the equivalent of <b>1 silver stater</b>, <b>2 silver drachma</b> or <b>12 silver obols</b>; a <b>gold drachm</b> would be worth twelve <b>silver drachma</b>, seventy-two <b>silver obols</b>, or a jingling sack of seven-hundred-and-twenty <b>copper obols</b>. One <b>gold obol</b> buys you a high-quality backpack, a pair of leather boots, a big knife, a hunting dog, or a musical instrument. Note that an unskilled laborer needs to work two weeks (with Sundays off) to afford a pair of leather boots, assuming that he doesn't need to eat and when the workday is over he falls asleep standing up at the job site. If he's buying food and lodging during those two weeks then he... never buys a pair of leather shoes. Unskilled laborers weave reeds into shitty sandals. It sucks to be an unskilled laborer. <br /><br />    Six hundred <b>obols</b>, one hundred <b>drachma </b>or fifty <b>staters </b>(the weights, not the possibly-debased coins) take up one <b>slot</b> in your inventory; this is a <b>mina</b>, about 3000 grams of metal in a convenient-to-carry shape. Ten <b>slots</b> make one <b>sack</b>; the GLOG-standard "inventory capacity". A <b>sack</b> of silver is, conveniently, a <b>talent</b> of silver: one <b>talent</b> is ten <b>minae</b>, one-hundred <b>librae</b>, one-thousand <b>drachma</b>, or six-thousand <b>obols</b>. Don't try to compare these terms to historical usages. None of these align even slightly — well, actually, the <b>talent</b> is close enough, but I've been perusing Wikipedia pages about ancient coins until my eyes hurt and not a single one of those ancient fuckers could ever decide on how many tetradrachm to the sextertius, or how many asses make a shekel, or the relative values of an almost-tenth versus a two-tenth (closer to 3:2 than 1:2, I think), so I don't care any more. This is the system they use in the Obol Desert. <br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKpUwvPMBS9_NdYH8UOgHMbyzhjp8pVl1NgxTZGfSM1NwDAVI7T8LgGJbEFV8C47uSOtZW-JHzpxR0Rxu4U3f2Tz7OfaI5o5a0qpTluEx5MD2hIhVimY1rVPV0X-CKRSxPdzK8p5Gtgo59XAxYenjj3ypMSoQvfAmnfgRM4SBHoT-JTavwzqxLyAssHcc/s2560/obol%20desert.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1829" data-original-width="2560" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKpUwvPMBS9_NdYH8UOgHMbyzhjp8pVl1NgxTZGfSM1NwDAVI7T8LgGJbEFV8C47uSOtZW-JHzpxR0Rxu4U3f2Tz7OfaI5o5a0qpTluEx5MD2hIhVimY1rVPV0X-CKRSxPdzK8p5Gtgo59XAxYenjj3ypMSoQvfAmnfgRM4SBHoT-JTavwzqxLyAssHcc/w640-h458/obol%20desert.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /> <h4 style="text-align: left;">Trade Goods</h4> <br />    These are generic high-value low-bulk trade goods, of the kind it is economical to carry overland on camelback. Food, water, lumber, stone — these are valuable, of course, but not enough to justify the high transport costs. The price listed is the purchase price in cities that produce the goods or import them into the desert; generally, you can sell trade goods for significant premiums depending on how far the product has traveled, about <b>1%</b> per mile of main roads. Specific cities may pay several times the purchase price for select goods; others may have no interest in a product at all. The wily trader keeps track of shortcuts, seasonal changes, and all the little cultural variances which make <b>Andona</b> pay dear for ghoul vinegar and the <b>bedouin</b> trade gold nuggets for an ounce of green dye. <br /><br /> <ol style="text-align: left;"> <li><b>Animal Skins</b>. Leathers and furs harvested in the deep desert can be sold to the wealthy city-dwellers, if you ever make it home alive.. One <b>sack</b> costs anywhere between <b>1–10 silver minae</b>.</li> <li><b>Asbestos</b>. A miraculous mineral, more valuable than pearls, which can be woven into fireproof shrouds or used as a perpetual wick. One <b>sack</b> costs <b>15 silver minae</b>. </li> <li><b>Black Dye</b>. Blacker than venom, nearly priceless, imported from far, far, far, far away. One <b>sack</b> costs <b>20 gold minae</b>. </li> <li><b>Chrism</b>. A strongly-scented substance harvested from certain trees and mixed with olive oil to make it liquid. Medicos use it to treat injuries and hasten the healing of surgeries, while cultists use it to fuel demon-propitiating lanterns in underground shrines. One <b>sack</b> costs <b>15 silver minae</b>.</li> <li><b>Copper</b>. The price of copper is constant between cities, making it a poor trade good (there's no profit in moving money around in a pre-FinTech world), but a good choice as a stable resource to trade <i>for</i> other things. One <b>sack</b> costs <b>1 silver mina</b>, and is <b>1 copper talent</b>. </li> <li><b>Cotton</b>. A lightweight and marvelously soft and durable textile imported by Foreigners, whose merchants were surprised to learn could sell the sails of their ships for admirable profits. One <b>sack</b> costs <b>8 silver mina</b>. <br /></li> <li><b>Foreign Pottery</b>. Faintly translucent, like fine animal bone, but hard and heavy like a bronze vessel. Particularly fine pieces may be worth alone as much as a <b>sack</b> of the normal stuff, which costs <b>12 silver minae</b>. <br /></li> <li><b>Green Dye</b>. Produced in the southern hills, beloved by the <b>bedouin</b> of the desert. One <b>sack</b> costs <b>5 silver minae</b>. <br /></li> <li><b>Ghoul Vinegar</b>. Explosive and poisonous. Alchemists require large amounts of this stuff for their work, and wizards use it to pickle the eyeballs of horrible things from beyond the horizon of Xater. One <b>sack</b> costs <b>20 silver minae</b>. <br /></li> <li><b>Glue</b>. Adhesive, produced from pitch or animal bone in the desert and brought to the cities to make boats and other things. One <b>sack</b> costs <b>6 silver minae</b>. <br /></li> <li><b>Gold</b>. A stable resource, not a trade good. One <b>sack</b> is <b>1 gold talent</b>.</li> <li><b>Lead</b>. Dug up in certain desert mines, and used everywhere to cast bullets, produce reliable trade-weights, sweeten wine, counterfeit coins and assemble bizarre arcane devices. One <b>sack</b> costs <b>5 copper minae</b>.</li> <li><b>Machinery</b>. Springs, sprockets, gears and cogs, fine chains and delicate mechanisms. <b>Andona</b>'s primary export. One <b>sack</b> is <b>30 silver minae</b>. <br /></li> <li><b>Red Dye</b>. Cheap and easy to sell. One <b>sack</b> costs <b>3 silver minae</b>. <br /></li> <li><b>Rubber</b>. Extracted from groves of strange trees in northern cities, useful in making waterproofed clothing and containers. One <b>sack</b> costs <b>15 silver minae</b>. <br /></li> <li><b>Salt</b>. Used to flavor and preserve food, extremely cheap on the shores of the ocean but increasing in price at double the rate as you travel inland. One <b>sack</b> costs <b>1 silver mina</b>. <br /></li> <li><b>Sandalwood</b>. Maintains its rich scent for many years. Small chests of this wood are used to store fine clothing, sweet treats, or the jewels of blue-bloods. One <b>sack</b> costs <b>6 silver minae</b>. <br /></li> <li><b>Silk</b>. A wondrously rich, shining textile imported by Foreigners. Takes dye beautifully. One <b>sack</b> costs <b>20 silver minae</b>. <br /></li> <li><b>Spices</b>. Grown on far-off islands and always expensive. One <b>sack</b> costs <b>15 gold minae</b>.  <br /></li> <li><b>Spirit of Wine</b>. The most common alchemical product, created by carefully heating wine and capturing its essence in perfumery stills. Generally too cheap to be worth carrying, but a small amount of the good stuff is a valuable gift to a tribe of desert neanderthals. One <b>sack</b> costs <b>2 copper minae</b>. <br /></li> <li><b>Steel</b>. The best-quality steel is made in <b>Dimashkus</b>, a city which predates even ancient and mighty <b>Andona</b>. Blades, guns and toolheads of dimashkene have a <b>+1</b> bonus. Purchased in the city itself, billets of the steel are one <b>sack</b> for <b>15 silver minae</b>. <br /></li> </ol> <br /><br /> <h4>Camels</h4> <br />    The common pedigrees of camelids perform similarly in similar conditions. Despite this fact there are significant differences of price and availability, partly due to economic realities and partly due to desert superstitions and traditions. Pedigrees are differentiated by four factors: their <b>sturdiness</b>, their <b>stubbornness</b>, their <b>virtues</b> and their <b>vices</b>. <b>Sturdiness</b> determines how long a camel can survive extreme conditions. Camels have great stores of vitality, but not limitless ones, and when those stores are exhausted only food and water and rest at an oasis can replenish them. When a camel's <b>sturdiness</b> is challenged, roll a <b>d6</b> and compare it to their <b>Sturdiness</b> score; if the number is higher than the score, the camel becomes <b>weak</b>. A camel that would be <b>weakened</b> twice lies down patiently in the sand and waits to die. <b>Stubbornness</b> is the measure of how willing the camel is to put up with its driver's stupidity. When asked to do something it does not wish to do, roll a <b>d6</b> and compare it to the score; if the result is equal or lower, the camel refuses to participate until the situation meaningfully changes (and please keep in mind that camels are very difficult to deceive). <b>Virtues</b> and <b>vices</b> are unique to each breed and generally only relevant for riders, not camel-drivers. <br /><br />    A brief aside — <b>stubbornness</b> is already scored assuming that you are doing your utmost to persuade the camel. Hitting the camel with a stick is factored in. Yelling at the camel will do no one any good. Screaming at the camel, begging the camel, threatening the camel, threatening the camel's family, insulting it, beating it over the head with a wrench, WHERE 馃敡 IS 馃敡 MY 馃敡 MONEY, none of these things will shift the <b>stubbornness</b> score. Camels are intelligent enough to be vulnerable to <b>psionic</b> damage, but cannot be swayed by <b><a href="https://as-they-must.blogspot.com/2025/03/the-advantage-universe-has-over-him.html">mystical</a></b> techniques. <br /><br />    Any normal camel can go 30 miles in a day carrying eight <b>sacks</b>, 20 miles carrying nine or ten, or 10 miles struggling under eleven or twelve. A rider is two <b>sacks</b>, and their inventory is a third. You can bump more heavily-encumbered camels up to a higher speed, but they roll for <b>sturdiness</b> at the end of the day. A camel can be provoked into a dash of forty miles an hour for one minute at a time, checking <b>stubbornness</b> at the end of each minute. Camels who have <b>stubbornly</b> refused to dash will not do so again until the next day, unless their lives are in danger. Camels can go a week without food or water with no issue. If running them like this, at the end of the week they'll want to drink 3 <b>sacks</b> of water in ten minutes and eat a <b>sack</b> of food over the course of a few hours.<br /><br />    Humans can go 30 miles in a day carrying three <b>slots</b>, 20 miles in a day carrying up to one <b>sack</b>, or 10 miles a day carrying up to two. A three-liter waterskin occupies one <b>slot</b>. In the desert, humans require two liters of water per day, plus one liter per 5 miles walked. At a three-liter water deficit, a human has <b>disadvantage </b>on all checks. At a six-liter water deficit, humans fail all checks automatically and begin to vividly hallucinate. When a human is in debt 10 liters, they die in extreme agony. Humans are not as good as camels. <br /><br /> <h3 style="text-align: left;">Important Camel Lineages</h3> <br /> <blockquote><b>Baklo Line-Drawer</b><br />    Queen of the desert, charcoal-furred beauty beloved by <b>bedouins</b>, common in every caravan. Their ruby-red eyes are filled with ancient and malign intelligence that looks with scorn on the works of man. They take riders well, but they know what blades are, and muskets, and fear them with a rational self-interest. <br /><b>Sturdiness </b>2, <b>Stubbornness </b>3<br /><b>Virtue</b>: Intense loyalty and startling intelligence. <b>Baklos </b>have been known to drag injured riders to safety over fifty miles of desert; if they like you, they'll even drag you by your collar instead of your hair.<br /><b>Vice</b>: Hatred of violence. <b>Baklos </b>will never enter a melee, preferring to flee to a safe distance where they can keep an eye on things. Checks stubbornness before carrying a rider with a drawn weapon, or to not dash for cover if fired upon.<br /><b>Price</b>: 3 <b>silver minae</b>, anywhere. <br /></blockquote> <br /> <blockquote><b>Oeth Congenial</b><br />    Taller than any other camel by a head — and what a large and impressive head it is! Said to have been bred by an ancient, morbidly obese lord who ruled much of the coast of the desert in bygone days. A royal bloodline, then, and one crowned with an oilslick mane like a melanistic lion's. <br /><b>Sturdiness </b>3, <b>Stubbornness </b>4<br /><b>Virtue</b>: Noble bearing. Checks <b>stubbornness </b>on the first overloaded day, only checking <b>sturdiness </b>that day if its will fails.<br /><b>Vice</b>: Immense pride. <b>Congenials </b>will not carry anyone who disparages their breed, and will viciously attack any who insults them personally while refusing to carry their baggage (whatever trick you're thinking of trying, they've seen through it before). Only placated by a spa day, in town.<br /><b>Price</b>: 6 <b>silver minae</b> in the cities, 10 <b>silver minae</b> in the desert. <br /></blockquote> <br /> <blockquote><b>Midnight Cool</b><br />    Resembles its cousin, the <b>Baklo</b>, at a distance. Close inspection reveals the mincing step, milk-white gums, and ingratiating sneer that marks this breed like a fiery brand. The <b>Cools </b>are notoriously pliable — for a camel, obviously.<br /><b>Sturdiness </b>1, <b>Stubbornness </b>1<br /><b>Virtue</b>: Servile grace. Does not spit, and will not make a sound unless commanded. Some swear that <b>Cools </b>can walk through puddles of water without leaving a ripple.<br /><b>Vice</b>: Oily meekness. <b>Midnight Cools</b> must check <b>stubbornness </b>if left alone for more than ten minutes; on a failure they have walked off following someone, or something.<br /><b>Price</b>: 2 <b>silver minae</b> in the cities (or free if you steal it), 6 <b>silver minae</b> in the desert. <br /></blockquote> <br /> <blockquote><b>Ghoubka Canny</b><br />    Its short neck is dwarfed by a pair of tuberous humps. Slablike, sullen brow. Unique odor. No lack of disrespect. Favored by the <b>Foreigners</b>, for obvious reasons.<br /><b>Sturdiness </b>2, <b>Stubbornness </b>3<br /><b>Virtue</b>: Severe addiction to foreign drugs. <b>Cannies </b>will reroll a failed <b>stubbornness </b>check for an ounce of imported tobacco (36 ounces fit in 1 slot, and cost 1 <b>gold obol</b>), as many times as you can stand hearing it chew and seeing its eyes roll back in pleasure.<br /><b>Vice</b>: Severe addiction to foreign drugs. Requires one ounce of imported tobacco to put in a days work. <b>Cannies </b>carry nothing, not rider, not food, not water, without the daily ration.<br /><b>Price</b>: 3 <b>silver minae</b> in the coastal cities, 1 <b>silver obol</b> in the desert (typically from someone who has run out of tobacco). <br /></blockquote> <br /> <blockquote><b>Suus Gradial</b><br />    The <b>bedouin </b>war-mount. <b>Gradials </b>only resemble camels from some distance; desert legend says the first of the breed were somehow cross-bred with scorpigans. Anyone coming face to face with a <b>Gradial</b>, and seeing the twin pupils of their eyes, and their wolfish fangs, is forced to admit that old legends sometimes bear a grain of truth.<br /><b>Sturdiness </b>3, <b>Stubbornness </b>3<br /><b>Virtue</b>: Petulcus enthusiasm. Lashes out in combat, striking at +2 <b>to-hit</b> with a bite (<b>1d6</b>) as it goes or a pair of thunderous trotters (<b>1d10</b>) if reined up.<br /><b>Vice</b>: Plain laziness. <b>Gradials </b>would literally rather die than carry a fourth <b>sack</b>. If somehow surprised (say, by a heavy person landing on them), will front-flip and lie still until the weight is gone.<br /><b>Price</b>: 20 <b>silver minae</b> in the cities, 15 <b>silver minae</b> in the desert (if you can find a <b>bedouin</b> breeder who likes you)</blockquote> <br /> <blockquote><b>Mirror-Finished Radical</b><br />    Radicals are held in superstitious terror by the <b>Hillmen</b>, who insist that feral herds of the beasts are a sure sign of evil spirits. The <b>bedouin </b>hold them to be sacred agents of the <b>Green</b>, sacrificing their own bodies to protect watering holes from defilement. <b>City-folk</b> believe that coats of their shining hair repel disease. Nobody will sell you one for cheap.<br /><b>Sturdiness </b>2, <b>Stubbornness </b>3<br /><b>Virtue</b>: Cleanliness that verges on godliness. <b>Radicals </b>produce no waste, and their milk and blood are clear citrus-scented water. They can consume any organic material and many inorganic ones. <b>Radicals</b> produce one liter of drinking water per day, or two on days where they have consumed something particularly dangerous.<br /><b>Vice</b>: Beacon of sin. Those who ride a <b>Radical </b>suffer a -1 <b>reaction </b>penalty with all civilized folk. You will be assumed to have leprosy, or syphilis, or both. Caravans with large numbers of <b>Radicals </b>will be taken for plague pilgrimages, and may require a fast-talking captain to be allowed rooms in small caravansaries. <br /><b>Price</b>: 30 <b>silver minae</b> in the cities, 45 <b>silver minae</b> in the desert. <br /></blockquote> <br /><br /> <h4>Beasts</h4> <br />    These common animals can be purchased in most large bazaars. Raised in captivity, they are kept for their venom or their pelts, or simply as exotic and inadvisable pets. Met in the wild, some are quite dangerous. <br /><br /> <blockquote><b>Stockwhip Asp (purchasable for 1 silver drachm)</b> <br />0.5<b>HD</b> (1<b>HP</b>), <b>AC</b> as unarmored, 5 <b>morale</b><br />    Possessed of long wiry tails which they swing in circles to produce an irritating whir like a brewing storm. Not aggressive, but will bite the shit out of you if startled. Tradition holds that assassins know how to delicately trick these snakes into biting fruit, injecting them with deadly venom for wicked harvest.<br /><b>No. Appearing</b>: <b>2d6</b><br /><b>Movement</b>: faster than walking pace<br /><b>Code</b>: <b>Desert</b> (2 sins)<br /><b>Intelligence</b>: animalistic <br /><b>Attacks</b>: -2 <b>to-hit</b>, two bites (<b>1</b> damage, <b>HRTS </b>or take <b>1d8 poison</b>)</blockquote> <br /> <blockquote><b>Blood-Red Scavenger Worm Long as Your Arm (purchasable for 1 silver stater)</b> <br />0.5<b>HD</b> (1<b>HP</b>), <b>AC</b> as unarmored, too stupid to check <b>morale</b><br />    Foul creatures, the bane of caravans. The color of fresh blood. Any <b>bedouin</b> or hermit will pay a <b>silver drachm</b> for a dead worm; for one thing, destroying scavenger worms is surely worth a bounty, and for another, they are delicious when smoked thoroughly over a low fire. <br /><b>No. Appearing</b>: <b>3d6</b> (a result of <b>1</b> on any die indicates an encounter with a 2<b>HD</b> blood-red scavenger worm long as your whole body)<br /><b>Movement</b>: pathetic hopping and flopping, but can burrow through sand faster than a man can crawl<br /><b>Code</b>: <b>Monster</b><br /><b>Intelligence</b>: deterministic and easily manipulated<br /><b>Attacks</b>: +1 <b>to-hit</b>, toothy bite (<b>1</b> damage, anticoagulant venom reduces <b>CON </b>and <b>STR </b>by <b>1</b> as the torn flesh bleeds)<br /><b>Powerful Nose</b> — scavenger worms can smell flesh (living or dead) in contact with sand at a distance of two miles. They preferentially target intelligent creatures, but will chew the feet off of a camel if nothing else presents itself.</blockquote> <br /> <blockquote><b>Scorpigan, Green (purchasable for 5 silver drachma)</b><br />1<b>HD</b> (4<b>HP</b>), <b>AC </b>as chain, 7 <b>morale </b><br />    Muscular arachnids as big as wolves. Green scorpigans are known to travel in harems, not fear fire, and to rot in hours when slain. <br /><b>No. Appearing</b>: <b>1d6</b> males and one Alpha Female (6<b>HP</b>) <br /><b>Movement</b>: quiet creeping, or camel-speed galloping <br /><b>Code</b>: <b>Desert </b>(1 sin)<br /><b>Intelligence</b>: pack-hunting predator<br /><b>Attacks</b>: +1 <b>to-hit</b>, two pinches (<b>1</b> damage). If both hit, one strike from bewareful stinger-tail (<b>1d6 poison</b>, check <b>HRTS </b>or unable to benefit from food or rest for 24 hours)<br /><b>Rending Charge</b> — in combat, a scorpigan can charge a target slower than itself and automatically hit with both pinches. Only one scorpigan can charge a target per turn, and they require 30' of runup. <br /><b>Alpha Female</b> — the larger female scorpigans have larger pinchers, which deal <b>2</b> damage, and more venom, which deals <b>1d10 </b>damage and applies 48 hours of debuffs on a failed <b>HRTS</b>. </blockquote> <br /> <blockquote><b>Black Moth, Baby (purchasable for a silver stater) </b><br />    Winged insects larger than your outspread hands. Suicidally attracted to light-sources. Often believed to herald death. Can be harvested for one dose of flashpowder, if you are patient and have a good comb. <br />1<b>HD</b> (2<b>HP</b>), <b>AC </b>as leather, 5 <b>morale </b><br /><b>No. Appearing</b>: <b>2d6</b><br /><b>Movement</b>: flight as graceful as a fat seagull <br /><b>Code</b>: <b>Desert </b>(0 sins)<br /><b>Intelligence</b>: bugge <br /><b>Attacks</b>: no <br /><b>Psionics</b>: those who mean black moths harm<b> save vs. charm</b> to approach within melee range. If failed, suffer one minute of disgusting wracking ugly-sobs: drip snot, produce a lot of racket, and apply a <b>-2</b> to any checks that require un-teary vision. <br /><b>Black Dust Wings</b> — when a black moth takes <b>fire </b>damage, they detonate in a 10' fireball. <b>Save </b>or take <b>1d6 fire</b> damage.</blockquote> <br /> <blockquote><b>Tiny Jumping Lizard (purchasable for a silver drachm, another buys a little woven cage)</b><br />0<b>HD</b> (0<b>HP</b>), <b>AC </b>as leather, 5 <b>morale</b><br />    Sings at sunrise and sunset. Delicious when eaten raw, but it's good luck to leave him be. <br /><b>Movement</b>: as tiny jumping lizard<br /><b>Code</b>: <b>Desert </b>(1 sin)<br /><b>Intelligence</b>: negligible<br /><b>Attacks</b>: +0 <b>to-hit</b>, ferocious nip (0 damage)<br /><b>Psionics</b>: carried in its small cage, kept fat and plump with crumbs of food, the song of this tiny lizard soothes the soul of its owner. Rest heals 1 more <b>hitpoint </b>than normal, or restores 1 extra point of <b>stat damage</b>. Those who have knowingly harmed or eaten tiny jumping lizards cannot benefit from this until they have assuaged their guilt at a shrine to the Lizard Gods out in the deep desert. </blockquote> <br /> <blockquote><b>Albino Camelroo (adolescents purchasable for 5 silver drachma)</b><br />2<b>HD</b> (6<b>HP</b>), <b>AC </b>as leather, 5 <b>morale<br /></b>    Ghostly-white creatures with long powerful limbs and two large humps of fat protecting the spine. Well-adapted to life in the desert, eating cacti and stomping scorpigans flat. Quality pelts may fetch as much as a <b>gold drachm</b>. <br /><b>No. Appearing</b>: <b>2d6 </b>females, <b>1d6 </b>adolescents (1<b>HD</b>, 3<b>HP</b>), <b>1</b> alpha male (10<b>HP</b>, does not check <b>morale </b>when protecting wives)<br /><b>Movement</b>: bounds and leaps as fast as a horse<br /><b>Code</b>: <b>Desert </b>(1 sin)<br /><b>Intelligence</b>: pack animal<br /><b>Attacks</b>: +2 <b>to-hit</b>, pair of ferocious punches (<b>1d6 </b>damage) or a tremendous double-barreled kick (<b>1d6+2</b> damage, fly 20' back, take impact damage as if falling) <br /><b>Psionics</b>: alpha males will <b>challenge </b>large or ostentatiously dressed combatants, filling them with injured pride. <b>Save vs. charm</b> or attacks against any other target have <b>disadvantage</b>. </blockquote> <br /> <blockquote><b>Coyote-Mouth Cattle (a cow for six silver drachm, a bull for one gold drachm)</b><br />3<b>HD</b> (12<b>HP</b>), <b>AC </b>as leather, 7 <b>morale </b><br />    Built like stone towers, with steely hooves and sharp fangs for tearing carrion or gnawing trees. Domesticated herds live in symbiosis with the Reaver culture. Wild herds live in oasis-rich regions, along the banks of the Neilos, or on the shores of the ocean, with each population being slightly different in size and hide pattern. Outside of mating season the cows travel in large related clans protected by a single massive Grandmother who may mass as much as 1000kg. Desert folklore holds that coyote-mouth cattle speak a language that they never use in the presence of bipeds, even in extreme need. <br /><b>No. Appearing</b>: <b>2d6 </b>bulls (16<b>HP</b>), or <b>5d6</b> cows with <b>5d6</b> juveniles (1<b>HD</b>, 3<b>HP</b>) and a Grandmother Cow (4<b>HD</b>, 20<b>HP</b>)<br /><b>Movement</b>: like a bigass cow<br /><b>Code</b>: <b>Charnel God</b> (1 sin)<br /><b>Intelligence</b>: cowlike for example<br /><b>Attacks</b>: +3 <b>to-hit</b>, a charge at a distance (<b>1d6+3</b>, target checks <b>MOVE</b> or falls prone) or a powerful kick from the rear legs when close (<b>2d6+3</b>). Bulls with at least 20' of runup deal maximum damage with their charge.<br /><b>Psionics</b>: receptive to telepathic communication. In combat, Grandmother Cows may force an intelligent target to check <b>SKLL </b>or become overwhelmed with brainfog and lose their turn.<br /><b>Grandmother Cow</b> — intelligent as an old woman. directs other cows with powerful telepathic broadcasts.</blockquote> <br /><br /> <h4>Treasurer </h4><br />     A large caravan might consist of a handful of wealthy merchants, two or three servants for each merchant, the same number of retainers and bodyguards, a five-man squad of mercenary guardsmen, a dozen pilgrims, a score of camel-drivers, and three or four score camels — not to mention the wizards, slaves, doctors, captured bandits, mailmen, tourists, and the <b>Foreign</b> cartographers and rubbernecks who inevitably end up trotting behind. Such a group needs its officers. <br /><br />    One member of the caravan (that is to say, one real-life player) is to be elected <b>treasurer</b>. The <b>treasurer</b> tracks the financial holdings and obligations of the caravan. This includes the denominations and value of all the coinage and bullion and gems, the wages to be paid out to hirelings, the conversion rate between various mints, the distance that various goods have traveled, opportunities for larger profits in specific cities, &c &c &c. In short, one player handles a bit of the paperwork and math so the <b>DM</b> doesn't have to. That player earns an extra <b>10 XP</b> per session. If the <b>DM</b> checks the financials and discovers a discrepancy, then the caravan was surreptitiously robbed at some point: half the money (by the <b>DM</b>'s estimate) has vanished and the <b>treasurer</b> doesn't get the extra <b>XP</b> that session. <br /> <div style='clear: both;'></div> </div> <div class='post-footer'> <div class='post-footer-line post-footer-line-1'> <span class='post-author vcard'> Posted by <span class='fn' itemprop='author' itemscope='itemscope' itemtype='http://schema.org/Person'> <meta content='https://www.blogger.com/profile/16076993341999529525' itemprop='url'/> <a class='g-profile' href='https://www.blogger.com/profile/16076993341999529525' rel='author' title='author profile'> <span itemprop='name'>G. R. Michael</span> </a> </span> </span> <span class='post-timestamp'> at <meta content='https://as-they-must.blogspot.com/2025/03/the-bazaar-of-memorable-obol-desert.html' itemprop='url'/> <a class='timestamp-link' href='https://as-they-must.blogspot.com/2025/03/the-bazaar-of-memorable-obol-desert.html' rel='bookmark' title='permanent link'><abbr class='published' itemprop='datePublished' title='2025-03-15T15:43:00-04:00'>3/15/2025 03:43:00 PM</abbr></a> </span> <span class='post-comment-link'> <a class='comment-link' href='https://as-they-must.blogspot.com/2025/03/the-bazaar-of-memorable-obol-desert.html#comment-form' onclick=''> 3 comments: </a> </span> <span class='post-icons'> <span class='item-control blog-admin pid-773858241'> <a href='https://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=4732712959114181705&postID=3997967749926532079&from=pencil' title='Edit Post'> <img alt='' class='icon-action' height='18' src='https://resources.blogblog.com/img/icon18_edit_allbkg.gif' width='18'/> </a> </span> </span> <div class='post-share-buttons goog-inline-block'> <a class='goog-inline-block share-button sb-email' href='https://www.blogger.com/share-post.g?blogID=4732712959114181705&postID=3997967749926532079&target=email' target='_blank' title='Email This'><span class='share-button-link-text'>Email This</span></a><a class='goog-inline-block share-button sb-blog' href='https://www.blogger.com/share-post.g?blogID=4732712959114181705&postID=3997967749926532079&target=blog' onclick='window.open(this.href, "_blank", "height=270,width=475"); return false;' target='_blank' title='BlogThis!'><span class='share-button-link-text'>BlogThis!</span></a><a class='goog-inline-block share-button sb-twitter' href='https://www.blogger.com/share-post.g?blogID=4732712959114181705&postID=3997967749926532079&target=twitter' target='_blank' title='Share to X'><span class='share-button-link-text'>Share to X</span></a><a class='goog-inline-block share-button sb-facebook' href='https://www.blogger.com/share-post.g?blogID=4732712959114181705&postID=3997967749926532079&target=facebook' onclick='window.open(this.href, "_blank", "height=430,width=640"); return false;' target='_blank' title='Share to Facebook'><span class='share-button-link-text'>Share to Facebook</span></a><a class='goog-inline-block share-button sb-pinterest' href='https://www.blogger.com/share-post.g?blogID=4732712959114181705&postID=3997967749926532079&target=pinterest' target='_blank' title='Share to Pinterest'><span class='share-button-link-text'>Share to Pinterest</span></a> </div> </div> <div class='post-footer-line post-footer-line-2'> <span class='post-labels'> Labels: <a href='https://as-they-must.blogspot.com/search/label/Obol%20Desert' rel='tag'>Obol Desert</a>, <a href='https://as-they-must.blogspot.com/search/label/Random%20Lists' rel='tag'>Random Lists</a> </span> </div> <div class='post-footer-line post-footer-line-3'> <span class='post-location'> </span> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="date-outer"> <h2 class='date-header'><span>Wednesday, March 12, 2025</span></h2> <div class="date-posts"> <div class='post-outer'> <div class='post hentry uncustomized-post-template' itemprop='blogPost' itemscope='itemscope' itemtype='http://schema.org/BlogPosting'> <meta content='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6j1tHG39dbhv5Suhj2gjG-VeSgNVVOq85CFBxKy5E0w-Mjr0OyZMvMtmAx80hux85iK1eIPEcXUOgISim_XFq8YcVcdq0LmplyxeIl4Btc8rSL6C2AzZasqytX_VSbyQe2ojGBv8mw5bRWbiqD2FzacFHsR7HbIJCB9PQpg4AYUHuH_Nk127ZgwACDX0/w408-h640/psion.png' itemprop='image_url'/> <meta content='4732712959114181705' itemprop='blogId'/> <meta content='7148460761719359100' itemprop='postId'/> <a name='7148460761719359100'></a> <h3 class='post-title entry-title' itemprop='name'> <a href='https://as-they-must.blogspot.com/2025/03/the-advantage-universe-has-over-him.html'>The Advantage the Universe Has Over Him (GLOG Class: Mystic)</a> </h3> <div class='post-header'> <div class='post-header-line-1'></div> </div> <div class='post-body entry-content' id='post-body-7148460761719359100' itemprop='articleBody'> <br />    You are a <b>mystic</b>, whose <b>psionic </b>techniques circumvent the need for magic and arcane tradition. <br /><br />    You have a pool of <b>psions</b> used to fuel your powers (fun fact: the term "psion" originally referred to the theoretic basic particle of ESP fields), equal to your <b>HP</b> modified by <b>INT</b> instead of <b>CON</b>. You regenerate one point per hour of undisturbed meditation; you also gain the normal benefits of sleep and rest while meditating.<br /><br />    You also have a <b>Limit</b>, which is equal to the number of <b>levels </b>you have in all <b>mystic</b> classes. This determines the maximum number of <b>psions</b> which you can spend in a single round under normal conditions.<br /><br />    Additionally, you have <b>focus</b>, which is your ability to maintain powerful ongoing <b>psionic </b>effects. You can change your <b>focus</b> with a combat round of intense concentration. When you take damage, check <b>INT </b>or lose your <b>focus</b>. Lost <b>focus</b> is regained with <b>[limit]</b> hours of undisturbed meditation—as a mystic attains ever more elevated and esoteric states, the mental effort required to enter them grows as well.<br /><br />    Your powers are divided into <b>talents </b>and <b>disciplines</b>, and <b>disciplines</b> are divided into generic and class-specific lists. All <b>mystics</b> begin with a single <b>talent</b> and a single <b>discipline</b> from the generic list. They develop a new one, from either their class' list or the generic list, each time they gain a <b>level</b>. Masters of various traditions can also teach you new <b>disciplines</b>; some traditions are more closely-guarded than others.<br /><br />    I know this sounds like a lot, but you'll get the hang of it. Basically, you use your cool magic powers to do cool magic tricks.<br /><br />    As a <b>mystic</b>, you are <b>proficient</b> with spears, hunting bows, clubs, knives, and any weapons in your starting equipment. You can wear only <b>light</b> armor, but you know how to use shields. You can ride a camel into combat. Warhorses don't like the looks of you and will attempt to bite. Any <b>mystic </b>may spend six seconds to send a sentence (up to 10 words) telepathically to a creature they can see, and receive a sentence in response if that creature wishes.<br /><br /><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6j1tHG39dbhv5Suhj2gjG-VeSgNVVOq85CFBxKy5E0w-Mjr0OyZMvMtmAx80hux85iK1eIPEcXUOgISim_XFq8YcVcdq0LmplyxeIl4Btc8rSL6C2AzZasqytX_VSbyQe2ojGBv8mw5bRWbiqD2FzacFHsR7HbIJCB9PQpg4AYUHuH_Nk127ZgwACDX0/s1152/psion.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="736" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6j1tHG39dbhv5Suhj2gjG-VeSgNVVOq85CFBxKy5E0w-Mjr0OyZMvMtmAx80hux85iK1eIPEcXUOgISim_XFq8YcVcdq0LmplyxeIl4Btc8rSL6C2AzZasqytX_VSbyQe2ojGBv8mw5bRWbiqD2FzacFHsR7HbIJCB9PQpg4AYUHuH_Nk127ZgwACDX0/w408-h640/psion.png" width="408" /></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: 1949 illustration by Call茅 for the story <i>The Impossible</i>, written by Ray Bradbury</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <br /><br /> <h4 style="text-align: left;">Nomad</h4> <br />    Among the uncommon <b>mystics</b>, the most common breed is the wandering <b>nomad</b>. They travel from oasis to oasis plying their trade for the benefit of the peasants of the Obol Desert. <b>Nomads</b> are rarely seen in the coastal cities, but never unwelcome when they do appear. Most are simple adventurers and philanthropists, with no deeper understanding of the primal force they wield — though a few have developed their abilities to the point of being able to walk across the world, or (it's said) even into others. <br /><br /><b>Starting Equipment</b>: Durable traveling clothes (as <b>unarmored</b>, appropriate clothing for the desert), engraved shikarsword (<b>medium</b>), sturdy waterskin (holds 3 liters), book of quotations (<b>Desert Code</b>), 100' of boiled manila rope, 10 silver obols<br /><b>Skills</b>: 1. <b>Camel management</b> 2. <b>Surgery </b>3. <b>Gardening</b><br /><br /> <blockquote> <ul style="text-align: left;"> <li><b>A</b> Wanderer, +1 extra <b>Nomad Discipline</b></li> <li><b>B</b> Footprints in Sand, +1 <b>to-hit</b></li> <li><b>C</b> Far-Reaching, +1 <b>HP</b></li> <li><b>D</b> Effortless Journey, +1 <b>to-hit</b></li> </ul> </blockquote> <br /> <blockquote><b>Wanderer</b><br />    The <b>nomads</b> always seem to be one step ahead, knowing just what they need to know for every situation. Each morning, when you wake, choose two of any <b>skills</b>, <b>languages</b>, or <b>weapon proficiencies</b>. You're an expert until next you sleep.</blockquote> <br /> <blockquote><b>Footprints</b><br />    Space and time are memories, and you remember everywhere you've been. Once per dawn, when you would be hurt, you retroactively hadn't moved from where you last stood six seconds ago. This causes attacks to miss (the attackers must have been confused, and swinging at air) and most environmental hazards to not harm you.</blockquote> <br /> <blockquote><b>Far-Reaching</b><br />    Your study of the <b>Nomad Disciplines</b> is rewarded. When you use a <b>Nomad Discipline</b> to teleport, you teleport twice as far. </blockquote> <br /> <blockquote><b>Effortless Journey</b><br />    Once per round, you may forgo walking to teleport to some position you can see and could have walked to in one round. Among other things, this means that you can travel at a normal pace, ignoring rough terrain, while in full meditation. </blockquote> <br /><br /><br /> <h4 style="text-align: left;">Immortal</h4> <br />    The <b>Immortals</b> do not represent a single philosophy, but rather a single goal: survival. They earned their name half in awe, half as a curse. Even when all your friends are dead, you, an <b>immortal</b>, have a good chance of crawling back to civilization. The <b>bedouin</b> tribes of the Obol Desert, devoted to the <b>Green</b> as they are, see you at best as a coward and a quisling, and at worst as a traitor to the Great Work of the human race. There's little they can do about it.<br /><br /><b>Starting Equipment</b>: Dreary traveling clothes (as <b>unarmored</b>, appropriate clothing for the desert), hunting bow (<b>medium</b>), quiver with sheaf of arrows, waterskin (3 liters), sharp shovel (<b>medium</b>, must be wielded in two hands), 10 silver obols<br /><b>Skills</b>: 1. <b>Cookery</b> 2. <b>Camel management</b> 3. <b>Alchemy </b><br /> <blockquote> <ul style="text-align: left;"> <li><b>A</b> Tough as Leather, +1 extra <b>Immortal Discipline</b></li> <li><b>B</b> Not Luck, +2 <b>SAVE</b></li> <li><b>C</b> Shed Skin, +2 <b>HRTS</b></li> <li><b>D</b> Still Not Luck, +2 <b>INIT</b></li> </ul> </blockquote> <br /> <blockquote><b>Tough as Leather</b><br />    You may add your <b>level</b> to your <b>max hitpoints</b> (this doesn't increase your <b>psion</b> pool, sorry). You may add your <b>DEX</b> bonus to your <b>AC</b>, if positive. In your bare skin, you may add your <b>CON</b> bonus to your <b>AC</b>, if positive.  </blockquote> <br /> <blockquote><b>Not Luck</b><br />    At the beginning of each round, you gain two <b>temporary hitpoints</b>. </blockquote> <br /> <blockquote><b>Shed Skin</b><br />    When you would take damage from any source, you may break your own <b>focus</b> to halve that damage.</blockquote> <br /> <blockquote><b>Still Not Luck</b><br />    When you would be reduced to 0 <b>hitpoints</b> or below for any reason, you may spend 5 <b>psions</b>. You heal to <b>[level + CON mod] hitpoints</b>. </blockquote> <br /><br /><br /> <h4 style="text-align: left;">Overlord</h4> <br />    While the primal forces can be applied to material reality, they are more effective when leveraged to influence the minds of others. <b>Overlords</b> take advantage of this to sit atop hierarchies of servants for their own benefit. You can whip up frenzies like cattle, call down sorrows like witch-women call storms, inspire loyalty like beautiful women inspire love-poems, all without lifting a finger of your own. The only thing you need to take care of is this: most communities in the Obol Desert (quite reasonably) see thrallmaking as no different from a slave raid, while others see it as tantamount to murder. The common punishment for captured slavers is to be branded as a slave. You, they'll simply hang. <br /><br /><b>Starting Equipment</b>: Fine clothing (<b>+1</b> to <b>reactions</b>), foreign longsword (<b>medium</b>, attractive gilt), shield, high-quality foreign hauberk (<b>medium</b> armor.), a <b>good</b> camel, 50 silver obols.  <br /><b>Skills</b>: 1. <b>Poetry </b>2. <b>Household management </b>3. <b>Andonan history</b><br /> <blockquote> <ul style="text-align: left;"> <li><b>A</b> Charm School, +1 extra <b>Overlord Discipline</b></li> <li><b>B</b> Domination, Extra attack </li> <li><b>C</b> Font of Health</li> <li><b>D</b> Icon of Battle</li> </ul> </blockquote> <br /><br /> <blockquote><b>Charm School</b><br />    You received the finest education that money and connections can obtain. You can wear <b>medium</b> armor and ride a warhorse. People of importance have a <b>[level]-in-6</b> chance of knowing who you are (the rising chance representing your rising value as a possible friend).</blockquote> <br /> <blockquote><b>Domination</b><br />    When you and an NPC are off-screen together for more than an hour, you can declare that they have become your <b>thrall</b>. <b>Thralls </b>behave normally, except they treat your opinions as their opinions, and your suggestions as brilliant ideas. You can maintain up to <b>[limit] HD</b> of<b> thralls</b>; going over your <b>limit</b> frees earlier <b>thralls</b> immediately, which is painful and confusing for both of you. You can free <b>thralls</b> at-will, and they do not recall the experience as being out of the ordinary and will be offended by suggestions otherwise. Your <b>thralls</b> are not released when you die.</blockquote> <br /> <blockquote><b>Font of Health</b><br />    Your soothing touch enhances both natural and supernatural healing. Allies in your presence gain an additional <b>[limit] HP</b> from anything that restores their <b>hitpoints</b>, including rest.  </blockquote> <br /> <blockquote><b>Icon of Battle</b><br />    You're an inspiration to your soldiers, whether they recognize you as their leader or still believe in their independence. Allies in your presence add your <b>[limit]</b> to their <b>INIT</b> rolls at the beginning of combat, and to their attack rolls when targeting creatures who are personally threatening you.</blockquote> <br /><br /><br /> <h4 style="text-align: left;">Jeddak</h4> <br />    Called "jedi" by uneducated foreigners, the <b>Jeddak</b> are the oldest traditions of <b>mystic</b>, even predating the so-called <b>Ancients</b>. When the world was young and green and filled with all manner of strange things, brave <b>Jeddak</b> warred against the forces of evil and walked the horizon to guard against intrusion from other planes. Today, the few who remain in the Obol Desert are but a tiny fraction of the old order. Other survivors may exist, out in the stars of <b><a href="https://as-they-must.blogspot.com/2020/10/eyes-and-nostrils-hotter-than-hell.html">other planes</a></b>...<br /><br /><b>Starting Equipment</b>: Ragged traveling clothes (as <b>unarmored</b>, appropriate clothing for the desert), your horizon blade fetish (see your A template), begging bowl, 10 copper obols<br /><b>Skills</b>: 1. <b>Religion </b>2. <b>Extreme sports</b> 3. <b>Calligraphy</b><br /> <blockquote> <ul style="text-align: left;"> <li><b>A</b> Horizon Blade, +1 <b>to-hit</b></li> <li><b>B</b> Honed Edge, Extra attack </li> <li><b>C</b> Soul Thief, +2 <b>HP</b></li> <li><b>D</b> Soul Cutter, +1 <b>to-hit</b></li> </ul> </blockquote> <br /> <blockquote><b>Horizon Blade</b><br />    In your possession is a sacred relic of the <b>Jeddak</b> order; the fetishes which allow you to summon your horizon blade. These fetishes are just small pieces of silver, carved with strange runes and set with many symbolically-important gemstones, and their weight is negligible. You may pay one <b>psion</b> to ignite your horizon blade, and can dismiss it with a thought. The "blade" is a portal to the Astral Plane, one inch wide, two feet long (one end touching the fetish), and infinitesimally thin when viewed from the side. The inner and outer edge of the portal cuts like an angle-grinder. This "blade" deals <b>1d8</b> damage plus your highest stat modifier (you use it powerfully if you're <b>strong</b>, cunningly if <b>wise</b>, hotly if <b>charismatic</b>, &c). If held in two hands, the damage increases to <b>1d10</b>. You know how to use it to <b>parry</b> attacks, reducing incoming melee weapon damage by your <b>to-hit</b> modifier. <br />    Replacing this fetish costs 10 gold obols, and you cannot multiclass as a <b>Jeddak</b> unless you own a fetish. Horizon blades are <i>absolutely terrifying</i> to NPCs, and igniting yours may prompt <b>morale</b> checks from everyone present, even your own hirelings. Sometimes eyes are visible through the portal.</blockquote> <br /> <blockquote><b>Honed Blade</b><br />    When you ignite your blade, you may pay an extra <b>psion </b>to increase its size by a foot, granting you +1 <b>to-hit</b> and damage. If you pay two extra <b>psion</b> its size is increased by two feet, granting you +2 <b>to-hit</b> and damage, and bumping the damage dice up one level. If you pay <b>4 psions</b> (in total), the horizon blade is eight feet long, and deals <b>2d6</b> damage in one hand or <b>2d8</b> in two, with +4 <b>to-hit</b> and damage in addition to your stat modifier. At this size, there is a <b>2-in-6</b> chance that something escapes the portal.</blockquote> <br /> <blockquote><b>Soul Thief</b><br />    You've learned how to tax a little part of passing souls. When your horizon blade kills a living creature, you regenerate <b>[target's HD] psions</b>. </blockquote> <br /> <blockquote><b>Soul Cutter</b><br />    Your horizon blade can strike at a creature's essence directly, ignoring petty material concerns such as "armor" and "whether they dodged you or not" If you make one attack in a turn instead of two, that attack hits 10 <b>AC</b>. </blockquote> <br /><br /><br /> <h4 style="text-align: left;">Ancient</h4> <br />    The supreme power in the world, once. In ancient times, the Ancients drew new coastlines, raised new mountains, laid new roads. They could produce food and water from nothing, send messages instantly across thousands of miles, travel through the air in flying ships, and even create new life from common flora and fauna. That was then. So many millennia have passed that even the foundations of their cities are gone from the earth; the only traces of that mighty civilization are patches of colored sand which can be found here and there in the Obol Desert, where their moldering bones once lay, so long ago, in great stinking heaps. Once upon a time you wandered deep, deep into the desert, to where the mountains rise as sheer and unbroken walls of stone, and looted the ancient holdfasts preserved there. You found forgotten treasure. You learned forbidden knowledge. Perhaps you are like them, now: the ones who killed the world.<br /><br /><b>Starting Equipment</b>: Somber traveling clothes (as <b>unarmored</b>, appropriate clothing for the desert), augmented limb (see your A template), damask saber (<b>masterwork medium</b>), raygun (deals <b>1d8 fire</b> damage at 30', requires charge to attack, holds 3 charges, regains 1 a day), waterskin (holds 3 liters), 20 silver obols<br /><b>Skills</b>: 1. <b>Ancient history</b> 2. <b>Genetics </b>3. <b>Engineering</b><br /> <blockquote> <ul style="text-align: left;"> <li><b>A</b> Augmented Limbs, +1 extra <b>Ancient Discipline</b></li> <li><b>B</b> Elemental Investigation</li> <li><b>C</b> Dabbler</li> <li><b>D</b> Psionic Specter</li> </ul> </blockquote> <br /> <blockquote><b>Augmented Limbs</b><br />    You know some of the secrets of the ancients, allowing you to replace or improve the physical bodies of human beings. An augmented limb requires 10 gold obols of materials to make, though you can save 1 obol if the creature still has a functioning limb to build on top of. Augmented arms grant +1 <b>MOVE</b> (improved strength) or <b>SKLL</b> (improved delicacy), and +1 <b>to-hit</b> either way. Augmented legs grant +1 <b>MOVE</b> (improved strength) or <b>INIT</b> (improved speed), and +1 <b>AC</b> either way. These limbs are so much better than the originals that it almost makes you forget that they require one <b>psion</b> per day to function; if they don't get their <b>psion</b>, they are entirely nonfunctional. </blockquote> <br /> <blockquote><b>Elemental Investigation</b><br />    Your affinity for the past allows you to perceive the world as it was. If you concentrate on an object for ten minutes, you gain a mental impression of its perspective over the previous 24 hours. If you know the exact time you're looking for, you can view that in real time; searching for something takes you 1 minute to scrub through 1 hour of "footage" from the object's memory. Objects only perceived what they could have perceived (e.g. a coin in a pocket doesn't see very much), and you can only receive impressions of sight, sound, and touch (objects don't have noses or tongues). </blockquote> <br /> <blockquote><b>Dabbler</b><br />    When you acquire this template you gain a pair of <b>spell slots</b> in your brain, allowing you to store <a href="https://as-they-must.blogspot.com/2022/11/5-glog-wizard-classes-mtg-style.html"><b>spells</b></a>. It may be possible to find these in the wild, or buy them at the bazaar. You can break your own <b>focus</b> to cast a spell with <b>[limit] MD</b>, suffering <b>mishaps</b> as an Orthodox Wizard. You don't need to worry about <b>Dooms</b>. The <b>Ancients</b> have been doomed enough already.  </blockquote> <br /> <blockquote><b>Psionic Specter</b><br />    Once per dawn, you can transmogrify yourself into a translucent, ghostly version of your normal self. In this form you take half damage from all sources, move at at only 10' a round, and can pass through solid objects in your way (so long as they aren't thicker than 10'). This ends after 10 minutes or with a thought. </blockquote> <br /><br /><br /><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Ru6VlMKaRGSdUANUd8bU2osjfOzEMtTDuLR2mXeFJxYcDBGbA71ta0frHDqOgTi82e5FNAgIMAq2KZgmtNEBg6cecu8jm2yT7v8mOWBx-kbNil7GqciCyXzWmJXIsZjF-DnXHzqnkBXoaNQO-CCTyd1AEPL9chVhXO7I9r1uH98GqOaDFSF_LypmRLg/s650/psion1.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="650" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Ru6VlMKaRGSdUANUd8bU2osjfOzEMtTDuLR2mXeFJxYcDBGbA71ta0frHDqOgTi82e5FNAgIMAq2KZgmtNEBg6cecu8jm2yT7v8mOWBx-kbNil7GqciCyXzWmJXIsZjF-DnXHzqnkBXoaNQO-CCTyd1AEPL9chVhXO7I9r1uH98GqOaDFSF_LypmRLg/w640-h640/psion1.png" width="640" /></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: Illustration by Alexander L. Brown for the French band Bar煤s</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <br /><br /><br /> <h4 style="text-align: left;">Talents</h4> <br /> <ol style="text-align: left;"> <li>Project <b>bright light</b> 20' out of your eyes for one round.</li> <li>Fasten a weapon to your hand such that it cannot be taken from your grip, or release the same.</li> <li>Render a single creature unable to see you for one round. If you use this on the same creature over several consecutive rounds, they notice flickering afterimages and may become alarmed.</li> <li>Cause a creature to experience an auditory or visual hallucination for one minute. Visual hallucinations are only visual (no other sense), do not produce or reflect or block light, occupy a 5' cube at most, and disappear if the creature touches them.</li> <li>Enhance your movement psychokinetically, shoving against gravity sharply to double jump height and length. <br /></li> <li>Enhance your movement psychokinetically. pushing against gravity slowly to run 30' along a wall or over a pool of liquid. <br /></li> <li>Touch one willing intelligent creature and meld your minds for one minute. you can communicate telepathically, and either of you may spend the minute transmitting a memory (60 second snippet, full sensory recall)</li> <li>Cause creature within 60' to check <b>CON</b> or be brain-tased and fall prone.</li> <li>Beguile a living creature as you speak with them. They <b>react</b> to your words with <b>3d6</b>, keeping the two highest dice. Hostile results indicate they realize you're pulling a mind-trick. <br /></li> <li>Move an object weighing less than 10 pounds and within 30' of you with your mind, as if you were manipulating it with your hands for one round. You can shift it up to 30', if you wish. This lacks the motive force to shove creatures around, or remove objects from their grasp, though perhaps if they weren't expecting it you could joggle the aim of a pistol as it fires or something like that.</li><li>Pay one <b>psion</b> and throw a bolt of crackling purple energy 60' as an attack, striking for <b>1d6+[INT mod] psychic</b> damage. </li><li>Pay one <b>psion</b> to set a flammable object within 60' on <b>fire</b> with your mind powers. Flammable objects worn by a creature get a <b>save</b> to resist this. <br /></li> </ol> <br /><br /> <h4 style="text-align: left;">Generic Disciplines</h4> <br /> <blockquote> <h3>Aura Sight</h3>     A basic <b>discipline </b>that allows you to see perceive the qualities and movements of the souls of living things. You can <b>focus</b> to sense hostility from living creatures, and while doing this you can't be <b>surprised</b> by a camouflaged foe. <br /> <ul style="text-align: left;"> <li><b>Assess </b>(<b>1 psion</b>): You learn the <b>HP</b>, <b>HD</b>, <b>to-hit</b> and <b>Limit</b> of a creature you can see.</li> <li><b>Read Mood</b> (<b>1 </b><b>psion</b>): You gain a two-word summary of the emotional state of a creature you can see.</li> <li><b>View Aura</b> (<b>2 </b><b>psion</b>, <b>focus</b>): For the duration, you gain two-word summaries of the emotional states of any creatures you can see, and a sense of how your words or actions will alter those emotions before you say/do anything.</li> <li><b>See Unseen</b> (<b>3 </b><b>psion</b>, <b>focus</b>): For the duration, you can see living things within 120' feet clearly, even through walls and concealment, even if they are supernaturally hidden. This functions like the <b>infravision</b> of certain subterranean predators: you do not need a light source to attack living creatures, and if they lack <b>infravision </b>their attacks against you are made with <b>disadvantage</b>. </li> </ul> </blockquote> <br /> <blockquote> <h3>Mental Citadel</h3>     A basic <b>discipline </b>of <b>psionic </b>combat, this one dedicated to defense. You can <b>focus</b> to gain <b>resistance</b> to <b>psychic</b> damage. <br /> <ul style="text-align: left;"> <li><b>Total Defense</b> (<b>1 </b><b>psion</b>, <b>focus</b>): A crackling shield of <b>psionic </b>energy surrounds you. You have a <b>+2</b> bonus to <b>AC</b> and any roll to avoid damage. </li> <li><b>Psionic Parry</b> (<b>2 </b><b>psions</b>): You direct your will against a creature in melee as it strikes you, reducing incoming weapon damage by <b>2d6</b>. If your roll exceeds theirs, excess is dealt to them as <b>psychic</b> damage.</li> <li><b>Psionic Redoubt</b> (<b>3 </b><b>psions</b>, <b>focus</b>): Until you shift your <b>focus</b>, you and up to six creatures you can see gain the benefits of <b>Total Defense</b> and <b>resistance</b> to <b>psychic</b> damage. </li> </ul> </blockquote> <br /> <blockquote style="text-align: left;"> <h3>Awe</h3>     A basic <b>discipline </b>for subtly bending the wills of others, and convincing them you are trustworthy and charming. You can <b>focus</b> to gain a <b>+2</b> bonus to <b>reaction</b>. <br /> <ul style="text-align: left;"> <li><b>Presence </b>(<b>1–4 </b><b>psions</b>): Creatures within 30' of you are <b>charmed</b> by you, with no <b>save</b>, considering you a admirable member of their society. This affects <b>2HD</b> of creatures per <b>psion</b> spent, starting from the lowest-<b>HD</b>. This lasts for 10 minutes, or until you or one of your allies start a fight. </li> <li><b>Center of Attention</b> (<b>2 </b><b>psions</b>, <b>focus</b>): You <b>charm</b> the heart of one creature you can see. They <b>save</b>. If they fail, all other creatures are <b>invisible</b> to them until you shift your <b>focus</b>. </li> <li><b>Slave Will</b> (<b>4 </b><b>psions</b>, <b>focus</b>). You cast aside subtlety and directly seize the minds of others. Up to 6<b>HD</b> of creatures you can see <b>save</b>. If they fail, they are <b>charmed</b> to perceive you as their direct superior, and will follow your verbal commands to the best of their abilities. Each time you order them to do something against their nature, they get another <b>save</b> before obeying. Most creatures become murderously angry upon being freed from this effect.  </li> </ul> </blockquote> <br /> <blockquote> <h3>Precognition</h3>     A basic <b>discipline </b>that allows you to piece together clues and details from your environment. From the outside, it looks like you can see the future. You can <b>focus</b> to gain <b>advantage</b> on <b>INIT</b> rolls.<br /> <ul style="text-align: left;"> <li><b>Hunch </b>(<b>1 </b><b>psion</b>, <b>focus</b>): You allow instinct to guide you. Add your <b>[limit]</b> to all checks. </li> <li><b>All-Around Sight</b> (<b>2 </b><b>psions</b>): After an attack hits you, force the attacker to reroll the attack. </li> <li><b>Danger Sense</b> (<b>3 </b><b>psions</b>, <b>focus</b>): You construct a mental model of reality, with an offset of a few seconds. You cannot be <b>surprised</b>. You have a <b>+10</b> bonus to <b>INIT</b>. No circumstances or other rules can give attackers <b>advantage</b> against you.</li> <li><b>Premeditated Victory</b> (<b>4 </b><b>psions</b>): When <b>INIT</b> is rolled, grant yourself and up to 6 creatures a <b>+10</b> bonus. </li> </ul> </blockquote> <br /> <blockquote> <h3>Assault Mind</h3>     A basic <b>discipline</b> of <b>psionic</b> combat, this one dedicated to offense. You can <b>focus</b> to deal 2 extra points of damage any time you deal <b>psychic</b> damage. <br /> <ul style="text-align: left;"> <li><b>Brain Blast</b> (<b>1–4 </b><b>psions</b>): A creature you can see takes <b>1d8</b> points of <b>psychic</b> damage per <b>psion</b>, or half of that on a successful <b>INT</b> check. </li> <li><b>Superego Whip</b> (<b>2 </b><b>psions</b>): You inflict crippling self-doubt and <b>fear</b>. A creature you can see takes <b>1d8</b> points of <b>psychic</b> damage, and checks <b>INT</b> or loses their turn in combat. </li> <li><b>Id Whip</b> (<b>3 </b><b>psions</b>): You inflict sudden <b>panic</b> and fury. A creature you can see takes <b>2d8</b> points of <b>psychic</b> damage, and checks <b>INT</b> or <i>must</i> attack the nearest creature on their turn. </li> <li><b>Mind Crush</b> (<b>4 </b><b>psions</b>): Choose a 60' cube that you can see. All creatures whose heads are inside the cube take <b>4d6</b> points of <b>psychic</b> damage, or half on a successful <b>INT</b> check. </li> </ul> </blockquote> <br /> <blockquote style="text-align: left;"> <h3>Haunt Mind</h3>     A basic <b>discipline </b>of <b>psionic</b> combat, this one dedicated to spreading madness and confusion. You can <b>focus</b> to impose a <b>-2</b> penalty to enemy <b>morale</b> rolls. <br /> <ul style="text-align: left;"> <li><b>Figment </b>(<b>1 </b><b>psion</b>): A creature you can see believes it is being hunted by some <b>fearful</b> thing they cannot see. They whirl around in place, trying not to turn their back on imaginary threats. Real threats have <b>advantage</b> on attacks against them. At the end of each of the target's turns, or whenever it takes damage, it check <b>INT</b> to break free from the delusion.</li> <li><b>Invisible Fiend</b> (<b>2 </b><b>psions</b>, <b>focus</b>): A creature you can see vividly hallucinates a <b>fearful</b> monster, exactly what would most scare them, charging their position. They take <b>1d6 psychic</b> damage each turn as it tears out their flesh and sucks the juice out of their eyeballs. Real threats have <b>advantage</b> on attacks against them. At the end of each of their turns, the target may check <b>INT</b> to break free from the delusion. If the damage kills them they die with their bodies unmarked yet their faces contorted in masks of extreme agony and wild terror.</li> <li><b>Phantom Traitor</b> (<b>3 </b><b>psions</b>, <b>focus</b>): A creature you can see is <b>charmed</b> into an episode of delusional paranoia. They believe all other creatures, even their friends and allies, have betrayed them; perceiving themselves to be surrounded by enemies, they marshal all their courage and abilities to escape. They may check <b>INT</b> to break free from this delusion at the end of each of their turns. </li> <li><b>Phantom Riches</b> (<b>4 </b><b>psions</b>, <b>focus</b>): A creature you can see is <b>charmed</b> into perceiving the thing they desire most hovering just a little out of reach. People who try to prevent them from running off after it are perceived as jealous thieves and dealt with accordingly. The target gets one <b>INT</b> check before doing something really really stupid, otherwise they're along for the ride, and will pursue the mirage anywhere without a thought for their own safety. </li> </ul> </blockquote> <br /> <blockquote style="text-align: left;"> <h3>Telepathy</h3>     A basic <b>discipline</b> for communicating your will to others. You can <b>focus</b> to include up to 6 other creatures in your telepathic messages; every connected creature hears the sentence and may respond with a sentence of their own.<br /> <ul style="text-align: left;"> <li><b>Inquire </b>(<b>1 </b><b>psions</b>): A creature you can see, and which is capable of communicating with you telepathically, checks <b>INT</b> or is <b>charmed</b> to answer one telepathically-posed question truthfully. If they pass the check, they are immune to this ability for 24 hours. Targets will attempt to rationalize their behavior. </li> <li><b>Occlude </b>(<b>1 </b><b>psions</b>): A creature you can see, and which is capable of communicating with you telepathically, checks <b>INT</b> or is <b>charmed</b> to believe a (ten word) sentence you transmit to them. If they pass the check, they are immune to this ability for 24 hours. Targets will attempt to rationalize their behavior, and will be confused and distressed by proof the sentence was a lie.</li> <li><b>Break</b> (<b>3 </b><b>psions</b>): A creature you can see, and which is capable of communicating with you telepathically, checks <b>INT</b> or is <b>charmed</b> such that you decide how they move and act for the next 6 seconds. If they pass the check, they are immune to this ability for 24 hours. Targets will attempt to rationalize their behavior.</li> <li><b>Grip</b> (<b>3 psions</b>, focus): A creature you can see, and which is capable of communicating with you telepathically, checks <b>INT</b> or is <b>charmed</b> to hold perfectly still. If they pass the check, &c &c &c. When they receive damage, they are freed. </li> <li><b>Dominate </b>(<b>4 </b><b>psions</b>, <b>focus</b>): As <i>Break</i>, except it lasts indefinitely. Behavior that is extremely out of character gives the target another opportunity to free themselves. Even if they do so, they will attempt to rationalize their behavior. </li> </ul> </blockquote> <br /> <br /><br /> <h4 style="text-align: left;">Nomad Disciplines</h4> <br /> <blockquote> <h3 style="text-align: left;">Vagabond Arrow</h3>     This <b>discipline</b> grants projectiles a certain life of their own, allowing them to seek out their own marks. You can <b>focus</b> to double the range of your ranged attacks<br /> <ul style="text-align: left;"> <li><b>Speeding Dart</b> (<b>1–4 </b><b>psions</b>). As your attack, a number of bolts of energy, equal to the <b>psi</b> spent on this ability, fly from your hand to strike a creature within 30'. Each dart has +2 <b>to-hit</b>, rolls its attack separately, and deals <b>1d4 force</b> damage.  </li> <li><b>Seeking Missile</b> (<b>1 </b><b>psion</b>): When a projectile you can see misses, you can give it another chance. It flies back around for a second attack against the same target. </li> <li><b>Faithful Archer</b> (<b>3 </b><b>psions</b>, <b>focus</b>): You grant a weapon limited sentience. A bow, held in your offhand, will fire at a target of your choice once per round. An axe or javelin will fly from your hand to strike a target, then return, once per round. You could apply this to a sword, technically, but it would only attack things within melee range of your arm. </li> </ul> </blockquote> <br /><br /> <blockquote> <h3 style="text-align: left;">Desert Chameleon</h3>     This <b>discipline</b>, developed for survival out in the Obol Deserts, is devoted to methods of layering shadow and haze to conceal and camouflage the <b>mystic</b> who uses it. You can <b>focus</b> to grant yourself <b>advantage</b> on <b>sneak</b> checks to avoid being seen. <br /> <ul style="text-align: left;"> <li><b>Chameleon </b>(<b>1 </b><b>psion</b>): Close your eyes and check <b>sneak</b>. If you succeed, you disappear, even if you were standing in the middle of a brightly-lit ballroom. You remain hidden until you open your eyes, move, or are bumped into.</li> <li><b>Step from Sight</b> (<b>2 </b><b>psions</b>, <b>focus</b>): You cloak yourself from sight, becoming <b>invisible</b> until you shift your <b>focus</b> or attack another creature. If you spend an extra <b>psion</b> (for a total of three), you may grant a friend the same <b>invisibility</b>. </li> <li><b>Enduring Invisibility</b> (<b>4 </b><b>psions</b>, <b>focus</b>): You become <b>invisible</b> until you shift your focus. </li> </ul> </blockquote> <br /><br /> <blockquote> <h3>Wandering Mind</h3>     This is one of the <b>nomads'</b> fundamental <b>disciplines</b>, as it allows their minds to journey far through the noosphere in their waking lives. You can <b>focus</b> to grant yourself any single common skill or spoken language. <br /> <ul style="text-align: left;"> <li><b>Find Creature</b> (<b>1 </b><b>psions</b>, <b>focus</b>): You cast your mind out along the ancient, dead leylines of the Obol Desert. While you maintain your focus, you know in which direction a specific creature whose name and likeness you know, or who you have personally seen before, can be found.</li> <li><b>Artifact Lore</b> (<b>2 </b><b>psions</b>, <b>focus</b>): You can carefully study an item for an hour to recall information that others have known about it in the past, allowing you to <b>identify</b> its functions (and its name and great deeds if it's a magic sword or something). </li> <li><b>Psychic Speech</b> (<b>3 </b><b>psions</b>): You draw in knowledge of languages old and young. For an hour, you understand any spoken, non-coded language you hear, and your spoken words are understood by any creatures who can understand language. </li> <li><b>Errant Eye</b> (<b>3 </b><b>psions</b>, <b>focus</b>): You detach your vision from your body and attach it to a psionic sensor. The sensor floats in air, <b>invisibly</b>. If you meditate on it intensely, you can cause it to float along at about walking speed. It can't pass through solid objects, but can get into any space an eyeball could roll through. There is no limit to how far the sensor can move. Your body is blind until your <b>focus</b> shifts; if your <b>focus</b> breaks and vision snaps back suddenly, you are disoriented and effectively blind for a minute. </li> <li><b>Alternate Eye</b> (<b>4 </b><b>psions</b>, <b>focus</b>): As above, except it passes through physical objects.</li> </ul> </blockquote> <br /> <br /> <blockquote> <h3 style="text-align: left;">Nomadic Step</h3>     This is the other fundamental <b>nomad</b> <b>discipline</b>, focused on teleportation of the physical body. You can <b>focus</b> to maintain awareness of your position. You'll immediately notice if you've been teleported, or if you're walking down some deceptive sloped pathway, and you know where north is even underground.<br /> <ul style="text-align: left;"> <li><b>Ten Paces</b> (<b>1–4 </b><b>psions</b>): Teleport to a place you can see within 20' per <b>psion</b>.</li> <li><b>Nomadic Anchor</b> (<b>1 </b><b>psion</b>): You can designate a point in 3d space that you can see and memorize the location precisely. For the next 24 hours, any ability that lets you teleport to a point you can see can instead teleport you to your anchor, so long as it is within range. </li> <li><b>Defensive Step</b> (<b>2 </b><b>psions</b>): When you would be hit by an attack, you give yourself a <b>+4</b> bonus to <b>AC</b>. If this causes the attack to miss you can also teleport up to 10' away to a point you can see. </li> <li><b>There and Back Again</b> (<b>2 </b><b>psions</b>): At the beginning of your turn you can teleport 20' away to a point you can see, then move and act normally. At the end of your turn, you may snap back to the position you started from, so long as it is not occupied.</li> <li><b>Baleful Transposition</b> (<b>3 </b><b>psions</b>): A creature you can see within 120' of you trades places with you. If they're another <b>mystic</b>, they get to check <b>INT</b>: otherwise it happens automatically. </li> <li><b>Caravan</b> (<b>3 </b><b>psions</b>): You and up to six other willing creatures teleport to a location you can see within 1 mile. Unwilling creatures may check <b>INT</b> to avoid this. </li> </ul> </blockquote> <br /><br /> <blockquote><h3 style="text-align: left;"> Third Eye</h3>    This <b>discipline </b>opens your third eye chakra, allowing you to perceive more than most. You can <b>focus</b> to give yourself <b><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hbAKswSyZQdY_KU7OCeQi8-Qb4Rp7oN4/view">G24</a></b>-style <b>gloomvision</b>. <br /> <ul style="text-align: left;"> <li><b>Tremorsense </b>(<b>1 </b><b>psion</b>, <b>focus</b>): You have <b>tremorsense</b> in 30', allowing you to precisely locate any movement in contact with the same surface as you</li> <li><b>Piercing Sight</b> (<b>2 </b><b>psions</b>, <b>focus</b>): You can see through solid surfaces within 30'</li> <li><b>Truesight</b> (<b>3 </b><b>psions</b>, <b>focus</b>): You gain <b>truesight</b> within 30', allowing you to see as normal regardless of light level or <b>invisibility</b>, and detect illusions. </li> </ul> </blockquote> <br /><br /><br /><br /> <h4 style="text-align: left;">Immortal Disciplines</h4> <br /> <blockquote style="text-align: left;"> <h3>Fortitude</h3>     This <b>discipline</b> focuses your <b>psionic </b>energy to warp your body to be more suitable for the punishing and extreme environments of the Obol Desert. You can <b>focus</b> to meet your body's daily requirements of food, water, air and sleep with one <b>psion</b>. While doing this, you cannot heal with rest, nor can you meditate to generate more <b>psions</b>.<br /> <ul style="text-align: left;"> <li><b>Environmental Adaptation</b> (<b>1 </b><b>psion</b>): Yourself or a creature you touch ignores the <b>miseries</b> (see <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hbAKswSyZQdY_KU7OCeQi8-Qb4Rp7oN4/view"><b>G24</b></a>) associated with extremely hot or cold weather for 8 hours.</li> <li><b>Reactive Adaptive Shield</b> (<b>1 </b><b>psion</b>): When you would take <b>poison</b>, <b>cold</b>, <b>fire</b> or <b>lightning</b> damage from any source, you can ignore half that damage. </li> <li><b>Total Adaptive Shield</b> (<b>2 </b><b></b><b>psions</b>, <b>focus</b>): Yourself or a creature you touch takes half damage from <b>poison</b>, <b>cold</b>, <b>fire</b> or <b>lightning</b> until you shift your <b>focus</b>. </li> <li><b>Elemental Immunity</b> (<b>3 </b><b></b><b>psions</b>, <b>focus</b>): As <b>Total Adaptive Shield</b>, except you ignore the damage entirely. </li> </ul> </blockquote> <br /> <br /><br /> <blockquote style="text-align: left;"> <h3>Protean</h3>     This <b>discipline</b> focuses your <b>psionic </b>energy to warp your body to imitate the strengths of the wild beasts. You can <b>focus</b> to present as a predator; wild animals check <b>morale</b> when they see you or attempt to flee the situation.<br /> <ul style="text-align: left;"> <li><b>Evolution </b>(<b>variable</b>): You shed your skin and reemerge in a new and better form. Design this new form with the <a href="https://as-they-must.blogspot.com/2022/09/o-friendless-one-glog-class-summoner.html"><b>eidolon</b></a> rules, spending <b>psions</b> instead of <b>evolution points</b>. For the purposes of buying new traits, you are a <b>biped</b>-shaped creature, with <b>legs</b>, <b>arms</b>, <b>human size</b>, and a <b>head</b> with <b>eyes</b>. This transformation lasts for one hour, after which you shed your skin and return as your "normal" self. The evolved form has its own <b>HP</b> total (6 per your <b>level</b>). It is not a <b>mystic</b> and cannot use any of your <b>disciplines</b> or <b>talents</b>, or maintain <b>focus</b>. </li> </ul> </blockquote> <br /> <br /> <blockquote style="text-align: left;"> <h3>Potence</h3>     This <b>discipline</b> focuses your psionic energy to warp your body and grant you inhuman strength. You may <b>focus</b> for <b>advantage</b> on checks to bend bars and lift gates. <br /> <ul style="text-align: left;"> <li><b>Brutal Blow</b> (<b>1–4 </b><b></b><b>psions</b>): When you hit something with a melee attack, you may deal an extra <b>1d6</b>, <b>1d8</b>, <b>1d10</b> or <b>1d12</b> damage from the terrible impact. </li> <li><b>Knock Back</b> (<b>1–4 </b><b>psions</b>): When you hit something with a melee attack, you may launch them 10' backwards for each <b>psion</b> spent. If they collide with something as they fly, they take damage as if they had fallen the remaining distance. </li> <li><b>Impossible Leap</b> (<b>1–4 </b><b>psions</b>): When you attempt to leap a gap on your turn, you can jump an extra 20' per <b>psion</b> spent.</li> </ul> </blockquote> <br /> <br /> <blockquote style="text-align: left;"> <h3>Celerity</h3>     This <b>discipline</b> focuses your psionic energy to warp your body and grant you inhuman speed. You may <b>focus</b> to significantly increase your walking speed (if playing with a battle map, someone who normally moves 30 feet per round moves 40 now), allowing you to easily escape pursuers on foot, or easily run down those who flee from you.<br /> <ul style="text-align: left;"> <li><b>Rapid Step</b> (<b>1</b><b>–</b><b>4 psions</b>): On your turn, take an extra turn's worth of movement for every <b>psion</b> spent.</li> <li><b>Agility </b>(<b>1 </b><b>psion</b>): Dodge an incoming attack and force the attacker to roll with <b>disadvantage</b>.</li> <li><b>Blur of Motion</b> (<b>1 psion</b>): For one turn, you move with such spiderlike rapidity that you are effectively <b>invisible</b> while moving. You can slip past watching guards or underneath falling gates leaving nothing more than a vague impression that a shadow has passed this way. </li> <li><b>Surge of Activity</b> (<b>4 </b><b>psions</b>): Take a turn, now. </li> </ul> </blockquote> <br /> <br /> <blockquote> <h3 style="text-align: left;">Tiny Creature</h3>     This <b>discipline</b> focuses your psionic energy to warp your body, making you small and hard to notice. While <b>focusing</b>, you leave no tracks, and your weight won't break rickety structures or bend slender branches. <br /> <ul style="text-align: left;"> <li><b>Miniature Form</b> (<b>2 </b><b>psions</b>, <b>focus</b>): You become the size of a cat until your <b>focus</b> shifts. You maintain all of your physical capabilities (though your armor probably doesn't fit any more), but can squeeze through a 6" gap, or sneak through a house full of people by scurrying under furniture. Shrinking or growing takes a full round. </li> <li><b>Topple </b>(<b>1 </b><b>psion</b>): You rapidly shrink and then rubber-band back to normal size (or vice-versa, if you're in Miniature Form). This is terrifying, inexplicable, and has enough force to knock over a human unless they pass a <b>strength</b> check.</li> <li><b>Animalculous Form</b> (<b>4 </b><b>psions</b>, <b>focus</b>): You become the size of mouse until your <b>focus</b> shifts. You gain an effective <b>+5</b> bonus to your <b>AC</b> (which is good, because your armor <i>definitely</i> doesn't fit you any more), and can squeeze through gaps one inch wide. You are as strong as you normally are, but you have almost no range of motion, so can't use weapons or most tools.</li> </ul> </blockquote> <br /><br /> <blockquote> <h3>Terrible Monster</h3>     This <b>discipline</b> focuses your <b>psionic</b> energy to warp your body, making you stupendously large and girthy. While <b>focusing</b>, your arms lengthen down past your knees. You have <b>reach</b> like a spear with normal melee weapons.<br /> <ul style="text-align: left;"> <li><b>Exaggerated Form</b> (<b>2 </b><b>psions</b>, <b>focus</b>): Your body swells until you are 8' tall. You gain 6 temporary hitpoints at the start of every turn, gain a <b>+[limit]</b> bonus to damage and <b>to-hit</b> with melee weapons, and can wield <b>heavy</b> weapons in one hand or hurl <b>medium</b> weapons like a javelin. You have <b>reach</b> like a spear with normal melee weapons. </li> <li><b>Hyperbolic Form</b> (<b>4 </b><b>psions</b>, <b>focus</b>): Your body swells until you are 18' tall. You gain 12 temporary hitpoints at the start of every turn, gain a <b>+[limit*2]</b> bonus to damage and <b>to-hit</b> with melee weapons, and can wield <b>massive</b> weapons in one hand or hurl <b>heavy</b> weapons like a javelin. You have <b>reach</b> like a pike with normal melee weapons. </li> </ul> </blockquote> <br /> <br /> <blockquote style="text-align: left;"> <h3>Thaumaturgy </h3>     This <b>discipline</b> infuses bodies with <b>psionic </b>energy, repairing and revitalizing them. While <b>focused</b> on this <b>discipline</b> you never fail rolls to remove <b>fatal wounds</b> in others. <br /> <ul style="text-align: left;"> <li><b>Mend </b>(<b>1 </b><b>psions</b>): You or a creature you touch heals <b>[limit] HP</b>.  </li> <li><b>Rejuvenate </b>(<b>2 </b><b>psions</b>): You or a creature you touch remove [limit] miseries, slots of exhaustion, or points of stat damage. </li> <li><b>Restore </b>(<b>3 </b><b>psions</b>): You or a creature you touch regrow a missing eye, heal a deafened ear, re-knit a broken spine, or cure a conventional disease. </li> <li><b>Return </b>(<b>4 </b><b>psions</b>): You touch a creature that has died within the last minute and bring it back to life. This does not grant them extra years if they'd died of old age, replace missing body parts if they'd died of dismemberment, or let them breathe in water if they drowned. It also doesn't work on piles of giblets or ash or glass statues caught in poses of panicked defense; there needs to be most of a functioning body left.  </li> </ul> </blockquote> <br /> <br /><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_UgzusRhhO8UDJT0Lc4xFz_HRze8XcrqKmAgL2VqGdDzXEcu4nGiOAkitvxRGCF0Ybeo26V-lu12Z_mCAFWKh7W3OvPIyZ8HMXztiv8wgzlzbGrm36gARVK_Mv2YsQsL1Sm0zCKBOo8GxTb4-1U1OKYFIouZD2eEWzWCzxOcVrMa7yOBjZhuHGQxhpeQ/s461/psion2.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="191" data-original-width="461" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_UgzusRhhO8UDJT0Lc4xFz_HRze8XcrqKmAgL2VqGdDzXEcu4nGiOAkitvxRGCF0Ybeo26V-lu12Z_mCAFWKh7W3OvPIyZ8HMXztiv8wgzlzbGrm36gARVK_Mv2YsQsL1Sm0zCKBOo8GxTb4-1U1OKYFIouZD2eEWzWCzxOcVrMa7yOBjZhuHGQxhpeQ/w640-h266/psion2.png" width="640" /></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: <b><a href="https://nothicseye.blogspot.com/">Locheil</a></b></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <br /><br /> <h4 style="text-align: left;">Overlord Disciplines</h4><br />     The so-called <b>overlords</b> are paranoid, controlling, and never ready to share their secrets for free. Their abilities are not widely understood. Those who have encountered them can tell you that <b>overlords</b> enslave souls, inspire insane passions, warp perceptions, empower armies, and exercise supreme control over the minds of their fellow human beings. A full list of their <b>disciplines</b> is available to someone who plays one in one of my campaigns (for those few of you who might want to run this class on your own, just make some shit up, steal the Avatar <b>disciplines</b> from the 5e Mystic. They're a really boring 4e Leader, and will require a lot of fiddling to be made appropriate for the GLOG). <br /><br /><br /> <h4 style="text-align: left;">Ancient Disciplines</h4><br />     The <b>Ancients</b> are dead. Those who follow in their footsteps, and imitate their legendary abilities, are rare in the Obol Desert and <b><a href="https://as-they-must.blogspot.com/2023/11/self-same-king-glog-setting-campaign.html">almost unheard-of elsewhere</a></b>. Those who have encountered them can tell you that <b>Ancients</b> command the very elements of the natural world, reshape earth, drive storms, topple fortresses, and slaughter nations. A full list of their <b>disciplines</b> is available to someone who plays one in one of my campaigns (for those few of you &c &c, steal the Wu Jen <b>disciplines</b> from the 5e Mystic. They're a really boring 4e Controller, and will require &c &c).  <br /> <div style='clear: both;'></div> </div> <div class='post-footer'> <div class='post-footer-line post-footer-line-1'> <span class='post-author vcard'> Posted by <span class='fn' itemprop='author' itemscope='itemscope' itemtype='http://schema.org/Person'> <meta content='https://www.blogger.com/profile/16076993341999529525' itemprop='url'/> <a class='g-profile' href='https://www.blogger.com/profile/16076993341999529525' rel='author' title='author profile'> <span itemprop='name'>G. R. Michael</span> </a> </span> </span> <span class='post-timestamp'> at <meta content='https://as-they-must.blogspot.com/2025/03/the-advantage-universe-has-over-him.html' itemprop='url'/> <a class='timestamp-link' href='https://as-they-must.blogspot.com/2025/03/the-advantage-universe-has-over-him.html' rel='bookmark' title='permanent link'><abbr class='published' itemprop='datePublished' title='2025-03-12T15:27:00-04:00'>3/12/2025 03:27:00 PM</abbr></a> </span> <span class='post-comment-link'> <a class='comment-link' href='https://as-they-must.blogspot.com/2025/03/the-advantage-universe-has-over-him.html#comment-form' onclick=''> 4 comments: </a> </span> <span class='post-icons'> <span class='item-control blog-admin pid-773858241'> <a href='https://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=4732712959114181705&postID=7148460761719359100&from=pencil' title='Edit Post'> <img alt='' class='icon-action' height='18' src='https://resources.blogblog.com/img/icon18_edit_allbkg.gif' width='18'/> </a> </span> </span> <div class='post-share-buttons goog-inline-block'> <a class='goog-inline-block share-button sb-email' href='https://www.blogger.com/share-post.g?blogID=4732712959114181705&postID=7148460761719359100&target=email' target='_blank' title='Email This'><span class='share-button-link-text'>Email This</span></a><a class='goog-inline-block share-button sb-blog' href='https://www.blogger.com/share-post.g?blogID=4732712959114181705&postID=7148460761719359100&target=blog' onclick='window.open(this.href, "_blank", "height=270,width=475"); return false;' target='_blank' title='BlogThis!'><span class='share-button-link-text'>BlogThis!</span></a><a class='goog-inline-block share-button sb-twitter' href='https://www.blogger.com/share-post.g?blogID=4732712959114181705&postID=7148460761719359100&target=twitter' target='_blank' title='Share to X'><span class='share-button-link-text'>Share to X</span></a><a class='goog-inline-block share-button sb-facebook' href='https://www.blogger.com/share-post.g?blogID=4732712959114181705&postID=7148460761719359100&target=facebook' onclick='window.open(this.href, "_blank", "height=430,width=640"); return false;' target='_blank' title='Share to Facebook'><span class='share-button-link-text'>Share to Facebook</span></a><a class='goog-inline-block share-button sb-pinterest' href='https://www.blogger.com/share-post.g?blogID=4732712959114181705&postID=7148460761719359100&target=pinterest' target='_blank' title='Share to Pinterest'><span class='share-button-link-text'>Share to Pinterest</span></a> </div> </div> <div class='post-footer-line post-footer-line-2'> <span class='post-labels'> Labels: <a href='https://as-they-must.blogspot.com/search/label/5e%20Conversion' rel='tag'>5e Conversion</a>, <a href='https://as-they-must.blogspot.com/search/label/Classes' rel='tag'>Classes</a>, <a href='https://as-they-must.blogspot.com/search/label/Obol%20Desert' rel='tag'>Obol Desert</a> </span> </div> <div class='post-footer-line post-footer-line-3'> <span class='post-location'> </span> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="date-outer"> <h2 class='date-header'><span>Wednesday, February 12, 2025</span></h2> <div class="date-posts"> <div class='post-outer'> <div class='post hentry uncustomized-post-template' itemprop='blogPost' itemscope='itemscope' itemtype='http://schema.org/BlogPosting'> <meta content='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7_Y4WaMoazTlW7O7L4mHslcLirET3vmlo64oSRVlKNvDV_e3of1MC9heiFHTQU_cB-gVjZq3V-p_VIF26UvmM_Yg6I1RKZjgjxvylVIT7kF3nC6CTa4wmGqFO2pUn07Mebf1-lWAEg2lHev0rEBemayATGUJP1M3YKra3TqGi-qtWb_zemMZ1tPm1GEw/w640-h372/hitman%20logo.png' itemprop='image_url'/> <meta content='4732712959114181705' itemprop='blogId'/> <meta content='5371369015392767567' itemprop='postId'/> <a name='5371369015392767567'></a> <h3 class='post-title entry-title' itemprop='name'> <a href='https://as-they-must.blogspot.com/2025/02/world-of-assassination-glog-classes.html'>World of Assassination (GLOG Classes: Assassin)</a> </h3> <div class='post-header'> <div class='post-header-line-1'></div> </div> <div class='post-body entry-content' id='post-body-5371369015392767567' itemprop='articleBody'> <style> .blog-posts { background-color: white; } div.post-body ol li { padding-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: .75rem; } </style>     I'm a big fan of the old Hitman games. I'd count <i>Blood Money</i> among the greatest videogames of all time. I've often idly thought of an all-assassins game, perhaps set in some big high-magic D&D city with lots of thieves' guilds and wealthy merchants and political intrigue, or maybe some kind of near-future cyberpunk hellscape with hunter-killer robots and 8 hour wars — somewhere with very few dungeons. Recently, the GLOG has been writing assassins (see <b><a href="https://choir-of-fire.bearblog.dev/do-you-think-im-cruel-class-assassin/">here</a></b>, <b><a href="https://mediumsandmessages.bearblog.dev/glog-class-guild-assassin/">here</a></b>, <b><a href="https://www.madqueenscourt.com/2025/02/damnation-seize-my-soul-if-i-give-you.html">here</a></b>, <b><a href="https://sinusoidalfreakshow.blogspot.com/2025/02/some-undeniably-true-facts-about.html">here</a></b>, <a href="https://gracklecourt.blogspot.com/2025/02/mastermind-class.html">here</a>, <b><a href="https://pathunending.wordpress.com/2025/02/12/they-are-the-difference-glog-class-assassin/">here</a></b> and <a href="https://whosemeasure.blogspot.com/2025/02/homo-ferox-glog-class-assassin.html"><b>here</b></a>), and I've had this post sitting in my drafts for some nine months. Perfect timing. I knew I kept it around for a reason. <br /> <br />     <a href="https://occultronics.blogspot.com/"><b>Josie</b></a> was the one who prompted this, and some of the class features here were stolen from her musings in the GLOG server. It's only fair, as she stole some of these features from me (after I in turn stole them from the <b><a href="https://as-they-must.blogspot.com/2022/04/they-do-not-know-how-to-do-right-glog.html">5e rogues</a></b>). <br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7_Y4WaMoazTlW7O7L4mHslcLirET3vmlo64oSRVlKNvDV_e3of1MC9heiFHTQU_cB-gVjZq3V-p_VIF26UvmM_Yg6I1RKZjgjxvylVIT7kF3nC6CTa4wmGqFO2pUn07Mebf1-lWAEg2lHev0rEBemayATGUJP1M3YKra3TqGi-qtWb_zemMZ1tPm1GEw/s1016/hitman%20logo.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="592" data-original-width="1016" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7_Y4WaMoazTlW7O7L4mHslcLirET3vmlo64oSRVlKNvDV_e3of1MC9heiFHTQU_cB-gVjZq3V-p_VIF26UvmM_Yg6I1RKZjgjxvylVIT7kF3nC6CTa4wmGqFO2pUn07Mebf1-lWAEg2lHev0rEBemayATGUJP1M3YKra3TqGi-qtWb_zemMZ1tPm1GEw/w640-h372/hitman%20logo.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />    All assassins have a <b>cipher</b> score equal to their <b>[templates]</b> in any assassin class. Given some <b>unusual tools</b> (<b>1 slot</b> for a case) and a few moments of fiddling, they have a <b>cipher-in-6</b> chance of succeeding a <b>cipher </b>check, <i>in addition to</i> whatever the normal resolution rules are. The <b>cipher </b>skills of the assassins are, according to tradition, to <span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Climb Sheer Surfaces</span>, <span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Find Or Remove Traps</span>, <span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Hide In Shadows</span>, <span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Move Silently</span>, <span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Pick Locks</span>, <span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Identify Substances</span> and <span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Surprise Target</span>. <br /><br />    Assassins collect information about their targets before closing in for the kill. For every fact that you know about your target, you have an additional <b>+1</b> damage and <b>to-hit</b> during <b>surprise</b> rounds, up to a max of <b>+4</b>. These don't have to be major facts, but they cannot be trivial. "Drinks Earl Grey tea", "Commands the fifth cavalry", "Is named Ostruchus Poncelroy" are all good facts. "Is currently inside his tent", "Is a man", "Has two arms" are not. If you could learn it by looking at a snapshot of the current scene, it's trivial (thanks Arnold).<br /><br />    Unless otherwise mentioned assassins may wear <b>light armor</b> only, may not use shields, and are <b>proficient </b>with hatchets, knives, clubs, slings and any weapon they start with.<br /><br /><br /> <h4 style="text-align: left;"><b>Ghost </b></h4> <br />    When situations call for grace and elegance, you're the one for the job. Some say a perfect assassination leaves no trace of foul play. You know that's not true — a <i>really</i> perfect assassination would leave no trace of <i>death</i>. With each life you take, you get a little closer to that beautiful shining city on the hill. <br /><b>Starting Equipment</b>: nice suit (<b>+1</b> to <b>reactions</b>), garotte wire (kills silently in 3 rounds if you beat them in a <b>move</b> check and they didn't know you were there), vial of iocaine powder (odorless, tasteless, dissolves instantly in liquid, deals <b>1d6+6 poison</b> damage exactly five rounds after consumption. Expensive to replace), lucky coin, case of <b>unusual tools</b>.<br /><b>Skills</b>: 1. <b>Surgery </b>2. <b>Modern languages</b> 3. <b>Ornithology</b>.<br /> <blockquote style="text-align: left;"> <ul style="text-align: left;"> <li><b>A</b> One of Those Faces, +2 <b>SNEK</b></li> <li><b>B</b> Catburglary, +2 <b>SNEK</b></li> <li><b>C</b> Tearaway Pants, <b>immunity</b> to iocaine powder</li> <li><b>D</b> Empty Eyes, +2 <b>SNEK</b></li> </ul> </blockquote><br /> <blockquote style="text-align: left;"><b>One of Those Faces</b><br />    Something about you is oddly familiar. While wearing a uniform, you are assumed to be the sort of person who wears that uniform. This doesn't let you impersonate specific people (say, by stealing the Duke's fancy dinner jacket), only nameless background characters. </blockquote> <br /> <blockquote style="text-align: left;"><b>Catburglary</b><br />    You don't need to roll to <span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Move Silently</span>, or to <span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Hide In Shadow</span> so long as you're standing still. </blockquote> <br /> <blockquote style="text-align: left;"><b>Tearaway Pants</b><br />    While unobserved, you can change outfits and/or reapply makeup in six seconds. </blockquote> <br /> <blockquote style="text-align: left;"><b>Empty Eyes</b><br />    When you lock eyes with someone and project a killing intent, they can't make a noise until you blink, and must <b>save</b> each round to move or act. You're a dab hand at not blinking. </blockquote> <br /><br /><br /><br /> <h4 style="text-align: left;"><b>Sicarius</b></h4> <br />    You, or your teacher, remember a time when men were free and children weren't raised to fear <i>them</i> (whoever <i>they</i> happen to be, in your corner of the world). <i>They</i> imagine that <i>they</i> are safe. <i>They</i> believe that <i>you</i> are conquered, toothless, too scared from too many beatings to ever rise up again. There is a tendency for confidence to kill. <br /><b>Starting Equipment</b>: nondescript heavy clothing (as <b>leather</b>), 60' rope with grapnel, ordinary blade (<b>light</b>), case of <b>unusual tools</b>. <br /><b>Skills</b>: 1. <b>Religious instruction</b> 2. <b>Military bureaucracy</b> 3. <b>Law</b><blockquote style="text-align: left;"> <ul style="text-align: left;"> <li><b>A</b> The Cloak, +1 <b>HP</b></li> <li><b>B</b> Crowd Work, +1 <b>MOVE</b></li> <li><b>C</b> Extortion, +1 <b>HP</b></li> <li><b>D</b> The Dagger, +1 <b>MOVE</b></li> </ul> </blockquote><br /> <blockquote style="text-align: left;"><b>The Cloak</b><br />    Your preferred technique is "walk up and stick a knife in their throat". If someone in melee range wasn't looking at you, and didn't know they were about to be knifed, you may stab them for <b>6</b> damage plus your useful facts with no need for rolls. </blockquote> <br /> <blockquote style="text-align: left;"><b>Crowd Work</b><br />    Your preferred technique gets you in hot water sometimes. Upon breaking line of sight with pursuit, you disappear into crowds as perfectly as if you turned <b>invisible</b>.</blockquote> <br /> <blockquote style="text-align: left;"><b>Extortion</b><br />    Sometimes it's best to stab someone <i>after</i> they've given you what you want. If you grab an NPC with [<b>level]</b> or fewer <b>HD</b> and poke a knife into their back, they do whatever you say until an ally with more <b>HD </b>than you appears.</blockquote> <br /> <blockquote style="text-align: left;"><b>The Dagger</b><br />    The perfect technique, "walking up and stabbing them in the throat", has reached its final form. Melee or thrown weapon attacks deal <b>12</b> damage (plus useful facts) to targets who weren't looking and didn't know they were about to be knifed.</blockquote> <br /><br /><br /><br /> <h4 style="text-align: left;"><b>Metal Man</b></h4> <br />    When situations call for grace and elegance, other assassins are the better choice. That's all. You're not the talkative sort.<br /><b>Starting Equipment</b>: nice suit (<b>+1</b> to <b>reaction</b>), a fucking gun (<b>2d6</b> at 20', -1 <b>to-hit</b> for each 20' after, <b>2 slots</b>, takes a minute to reload), three grenadoes (<b>2d6</b> to uncovered targets within 20', <b>save</b> for half), folding axe (<b>medium</b>, but can be concealed in a sleeve. Expensive to replace), case of <b>unusual tools</b>. <br /><b>Skills</b>: 1. <b>Dog breeding</b> 2. <b>Mechanical engineering</b> 3. <b>Gambling</b>. <blockquote style="text-align: left;"> <ul style="text-align: left;"> <li><b>A</b> Splash Zone, <b>+1 to-hit</b> and damage</li> <li><b>B</b> Lead Foot, <b>Extra attack</b></li> <li><b>C</b> Evil Aura, <b>+1 to-hit</b> and damage</li> <li><b>D</b> Baba Yaga</li> </ul> </blockquote> <br /><b></b><blockquote><b>Splash Zone</b><br />    Your brutality is remarkable, even among murderers. Your damage <b>cleaves</b>.</blockquote><br /><b></b><blockquote><b>Lead Foot</b><br />    What could be opened by a man with a <b><a href="https://aaapolicesupply.com/door-breaching-battering-ram/">16kg hardened steel battering ram</a></b>, you can open instantly and loudly. You have <b>advantage</b> on <b>saves</b> against booby traps and/or being <b>surprised</b> by ambushes when using this ability. </blockquote><br /><b></b><blockquote><b>Evil Aura</b><br />    Something is obviously wrong here. Mooks of 1<b>HD</b> check <b>morale</b> to enter combat with you. </blockquote><br /><b></b><blockquote><b>Baba Yaga</b><br />    Once, ever, you may declare that no one will leave this room alive. <span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Leaving This Room Alive</span> is a <b>cipher</b> skill for you. </blockquote><br /><br /><br /><br /> <h4><b>Ninja</b></h4> <br />    As a member of an ancient and storied order, you have a reputation to uphold and superiors to answer to. Each movement you make is judged by unseen eyes. Each decision is weighed on the scales. The rest of these thugs can only lose their lives; you have much more at stake than they know. <br /><b>Starting Equipment</b>: nondescript clothes, concealed chainmail (+2 to <b>AC</b>, takes up a slot. Expensive to replace), elaborate facemask (unique to you), katana (<b>medium</b>, <b>WIS </b>instead of <b>STR</b>), 60' rope with grapnel, case of <b>unusual tools</b><br /><b>Skills</b>: 1. <b>Flower arrangement</b> 2. <b>Cooking </b>3. <b>Literacy (ninjas who don't have this skill are illiterate)</b>. <br /> <blockquote style="text-align: left;"> <ul style="text-align: left;"> <li><b>A</b> Uncanny Dodge, Kungfu, +1 <b>CD</b></li> <li><b>B</b> Bounty, +1 <b>CD</b></li> <li><b>C</b> Red Vision, +1 <b>CD</b></li> <li><b>D</b> Master Ninja, +1 <b>CD</b></li> </ul> </blockquote> <br /><b></b><blockquote><b>Uncanny Dodge</b><br />    You move like a serpent, or one of those funny little spiders that do the fancy dances. Two empty <b>inventory slots</b> give you a <b>+1</b> bonus to <b>AC </b>and any <b>saves</b> to avoid damage. <br /><b>Kungfu</b><br />    Kungfu, the ancient physical art taught to mankind by the g_ds. <b>Chi</b>, the primal energy which fuels it. You have a pool of eight-sided <b>Chi Dice</b> which you expend to fuel your <b>Jutsu</b>. Your pool refills with ten minutes of restful and undisturbed meditation. Roll <b>2d8</b> on the list below this class to determine your starting <b>Jutsus</b>. If you'd like, you may also roll one <b>CD</b> to deal <b>[sum]</b> damage with a karate chop. </blockquote><br /><b></b><blockquote><b>Bounty </b><br />    Before allowing you to advance in the art, your brethren need to be confident in your abilities. If you can kill a target they name within a week, they'll teach you an additional <b>Jutsu</b> of your choice. Failing to kill the target is a great shame, but you can try again with a new name next week, if you're still alive.</blockquote><br /><b></b><blockquote><b>Red Vision</b><br />    Your eyes have begun to reflect red behind your mask. When you stand still and focus for at least a round, you can see <b>HD</b>, <b>CD</b>, illusions, preferred deadly sin, and concealed weapons. </blockquote><br /><b></b><blockquote><b>Master Ninja</b><br />    The clan has acknowledged your skill, and now you will teach those skills to new ninjas. Other ninjas must refer to you as "master". You may designate an NPC to be killed by a junior ninja; next session, the <b>DM</b> will roll to see if the junior ninja succeeded (the NPC probably has an <b>HD-in-20</b> chance to survive, <b>+1</b> if they've got a fortress, <b>+1</b> if it's a really swell one, <b>+1</b> if they're personally dangerous, <b>+1</b> for each cool bodyguard, <b>+1</b> for being a wizard, <b>+X</b> for other things that the <b>DM </b>might think of which I'm not thinking of right now). If they did, your character is unavailable for a session as they train the junior ninja in a <b>Jutsu</b>. Thanks, <b><a href="https://beyondthegodswar.blogspot.com/">Shribe</a></b>. </blockquote><br /><br /> <h3 style="text-align: left;">Jutsus:</h3> <ol style="text-align: left;"> <li><b>Clone</b>. Make <b>[sum]</b> duplicates of yourself for <b>[dice]</b> minutes. Clones die when they would take damage. You all share one mind; coordinated action is easy, multitasking is very very hard. <br /></li> <li><b>Transformation</b>. Turn into an object you've seen, smaller than a cart, for <b>[sum]</b> rounds. If <b>[dice]</b> is <b>3</b> or more, you may turn into a living creature. <br /></li> <li><b>Smoke Bomb</b>. Produce a cloud of smoke big enough to cover a crowd of <b>[sum]</b> people. Other than yourself, everyone inside must <b>save</b> or be <b>surprised</b>. You may choose to be somewhere else when the smoke clears next round. <br /></li> <li><b>Scroll Seal</b>. Conceal an object the size of (one <b>[die]</b>) a loaf of bread, (two <b>[dice]</b>) a man, (three <b>[dice]</b>) a horse or (four <b>[dice]</b>) a cart as a written word on a large piece of paper. Living subjects must be either willing or restrained. Your <b>CD</b> are invested until the paper is destroyed, which releases the targets on nearby safe, solid ground. <br /></li> <li><b>Earth Swim</b>. Soil is like saltwater to you for <b>[sum]</b> rounds. <br /></li> <li><b>Summoning</b>. Call up a talking animal of <b>[best]</b> or fewer <b>HD</b>. They are under no obligations; clans of wise animals will expect you to sign a contract before they'll take orders or fight for you. <br /></li> <li><b>Acrobatics</b>. Leap <b>[dice]*10'</b> from standstill, or wallrun <b>[dice]*4'</b>. <br /></li> <li><b>Bullshit</b>. <span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Replace With Logs</span> is a <b>cipher</b> skill for you.</li> </ol> (and thanks Josie for the jutsus) <div style='clear: both;'></div> </div> <div class='post-footer'> <div class='post-footer-line post-footer-line-1'> <span class='post-author vcard'> Posted by <span class='fn' itemprop='author' itemscope='itemscope' itemtype='http://schema.org/Person'> <meta content='https://www.blogger.com/profile/16076993341999529525' itemprop='url'/> <a class='g-profile' href='https://www.blogger.com/profile/16076993341999529525' rel='author' title='author profile'> <span itemprop='name'>G. R. Michael</span> </a> </span> </span> <span class='post-timestamp'> at <meta content='https://as-they-must.blogspot.com/2025/02/world-of-assassination-glog-classes.html' itemprop='url'/> <a class='timestamp-link' href='https://as-they-must.blogspot.com/2025/02/world-of-assassination-glog-classes.html' rel='bookmark' title='permanent link'><abbr class='published' itemprop='datePublished' title='2025-02-12T01:01:00-05:00'>2/12/2025 01:01:00 AM</abbr></a> </span> <span class='post-comment-link'> <a class='comment-link' href='https://as-they-must.blogspot.com/2025/02/world-of-assassination-glog-classes.html#comment-form' onclick=''> No comments: </a> </span> <span class='post-icons'> <span class='item-control blog-admin pid-773858241'> <a href='https://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=4732712959114181705&postID=5371369015392767567&from=pencil' title='Edit Post'> <img alt='' class='icon-action' height='18' src='https://resources.blogblog.com/img/icon18_edit_allbkg.gif' width='18'/> </a> 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href='https://as-they-must.blogspot.com/2021/08/'> August </a> <span class='post-count' dir='ltr'>(2)</span> </li> </ul> <ul class='hierarchy'> <li class='archivedate collapsed'> <a class='toggle' href='javascript:void(0)'> <span class='zippy'> ►  </span> </a> <a class='post-count-link' href='https://as-they-must.blogspot.com/2021/06/'> June </a> <span class='post-count' dir='ltr'>(1)</span> </li> </ul> <ul class='hierarchy'> <li class='archivedate collapsed'> <a class='toggle' href='javascript:void(0)'> <span class='zippy'> ►  </span> </a> <a class='post-count-link' href='https://as-they-must.blogspot.com/2021/05/'> May </a> <span class='post-count' dir='ltr'>(2)</span> </li> </ul> <ul class='hierarchy'> <li class='archivedate collapsed'> <a class='toggle' href='javascript:void(0)'> <span class='zippy'> ►  </span> </a> <a class='post-count-link' href='https://as-they-must.blogspot.com/2021/04/'> April </a> <span class='post-count' dir='ltr'>(4)</span> </li> </ul> <ul class='hierarchy'> <li class='archivedate collapsed'> <a class='toggle' href='javascript:void(0)'> <span class='zippy'> ►  </span> </a> <a class='post-count-link' href='https://as-they-must.blogspot.com/2021/03/'> March </a> <span class='post-count' dir='ltr'>(3)</span> </li> </ul> <ul class='hierarchy'> <li class='archivedate collapsed'> <a class='toggle' href='javascript:void(0)'> <span class='zippy'> ►  </span> </a> <a class='post-count-link' href='https://as-they-must.blogspot.com/2021/02/'> February </a> <span class='post-count' dir='ltr'>(2)</span> </li> </ul> <ul class='hierarchy'> <li class='archivedate collapsed'> <a class='toggle' href='javascript:void(0)'> <span class='zippy'> ►  </span> </a> <a class='post-count-link' href='https://as-they-must.blogspot.com/2021/01/'> January </a> <span class='post-count' dir='ltr'>(2)</span> </li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul class='hierarchy'> <li class='archivedate collapsed'> <a class='toggle' href='javascript:void(0)'> <span class='zippy'> ►  </span> </a> <a class='post-count-link' href='https://as-they-must.blogspot.com/2020/'> 2020 </a> <span class='post-count' dir='ltr'>(39)</span> <ul class='hierarchy'> <li class='archivedate collapsed'> <a class='toggle' href='javascript:void(0)'> <span class='zippy'> ►  </span> </a> <a class='post-count-link' href='https://as-they-must.blogspot.com/2020/12/'> December </a> <span class='post-count' dir='ltr'>(1)</span> </li> </ul> <ul class='hierarchy'> <li class='archivedate collapsed'> <a class='toggle' href='javascript:void(0)'> <span class='zippy'> ►  </span> </a> <a class='post-count-link' href='https://as-they-must.blogspot.com/2020/11/'> November </a> <span class='post-count' dir='ltr'>(3)</span> </li> </ul> <ul class='hierarchy'> <li class='archivedate collapsed'> <a class='toggle' href='javascript:void(0)'> <span class='zippy'> ►  </span> </a> <a class='post-count-link' href='https://as-they-must.blogspot.com/2020/10/'> October </a> <span class='post-count' dir='ltr'>(9)</span> </li> </ul> <ul class='hierarchy'> <li class='archivedate collapsed'> <a class='toggle' href='javascript:void(0)'> <span class='zippy'> ►  </span> </a> <a class='post-count-link' href='https://as-they-must.blogspot.com/2020/09/'> September </a> <span class='post-count' dir='ltr'>(2)</span> </li> </ul> <ul class='hierarchy'> <li class='archivedate collapsed'> <a class='toggle' href='javascript:void(0)'> <span class='zippy'> ►  </span> </a> <a class='post-count-link' href='https://as-they-must.blogspot.com/2020/08/'> August </a> <span class='post-count' dir='ltr'>(1)</span> </li> </ul> <ul class='hierarchy'> <li class='archivedate collapsed'> <a class='toggle' href='javascript:void(0)'> <span class='zippy'> ►  </span> </a> <a class='post-count-link' href='https://as-they-must.blogspot.com/2020/07/'> July </a> <span class='post-count' dir='ltr'>(3)</span> </li> </ul> <ul class='hierarchy'> <li class='archivedate collapsed'> <a class='toggle' href='javascript:void(0)'> <span class='zippy'> ►  </span> </a> <a class='post-count-link' href='https://as-they-must.blogspot.com/2020/06/'> June </a> <span class='post-count' dir='ltr'>(2)</span> </li> </ul> <ul class='hierarchy'> <li class='archivedate collapsed'> <a class='toggle' href='javascript:void(0)'> <span class='zippy'> ►  </span> </a> <a class='post-count-link' href='https://as-they-must.blogspot.com/2020/05/'> May </a> <span class='post-count' dir='ltr'>(1)</span> </li> </ul> <ul class='hierarchy'> <li class='archivedate collapsed'> <a class='toggle' href='javascript:void(0)'> <span class='zippy'> ►  </span> </a> <a class='post-count-link' href='https://as-they-must.blogspot.com/2020/04/'> April </a> <span class='post-count' dir='ltr'>(9)</span> </li> </ul> <ul class='hierarchy'> <li class='archivedate collapsed'> <a class='toggle' href='javascript:void(0)'> <span class='zippy'> ►  </span> </a> <a class='post-count-link' href='https://as-they-must.blogspot.com/2020/03/'> March </a> <span class='post-count' dir='ltr'>(3)</span> </li> </ul> <ul class='hierarchy'> <li class='archivedate collapsed'> <a class='toggle' href='javascript:void(0)'> <span class='zippy'> ►  </span> </a> <a class='post-count-link' href='https://as-they-must.blogspot.com/2020/02/'> February </a> <span class='post-count' dir='ltr'>(2)</span> </li> </ul> <ul class='hierarchy'> <li class='archivedate collapsed'> <a class='toggle' href='javascript:void(0)'> <span class='zippy'> ►  </span> </a> <a class='post-count-link' href='https://as-they-must.blogspot.com/2020/01/'> January </a> <span class='post-count' dir='ltr'>(3)</span> </li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul class='hierarchy'> <li class='archivedate collapsed'> <a class='toggle' href='javascript:void(0)'> <span class='zippy'> ►  </span> </a> <a class='post-count-link' href='https://as-they-must.blogspot.com/2019/'> 2019 </a> <span class='post-count' dir='ltr'>(10)</span> <ul class='hierarchy'> <li class='archivedate collapsed'> <a class='toggle' href='javascript:void(0)'> <span class='zippy'> ►  </span> </a> <a class='post-count-link' href='https://as-they-must.blogspot.com/2019/12/'> December </a> <span class='post-count' dir='ltr'>(2)</span> </li> </ul> <ul class='hierarchy'> <li class='archivedate collapsed'> <a class='toggle' href='javascript:void(0)'> <span class='zippy'> ►  </span> </a> <a class='post-count-link' href='https://as-they-must.blogspot.com/2019/11/'> November </a> <span class='post-count' dir='ltr'>(2)</span> </li> </ul> <ul class='hierarchy'> <li class='archivedate collapsed'> <a class='toggle' href='javascript:void(0)'> <span class='zippy'> ►  </span> </a> <a class='post-count-link' href='https://as-they-must.blogspot.com/2019/10/'> October </a> <span class='post-count' dir='ltr'>(6)</span> </li> </ul> </li> </ul> </div> </div> <div class='clear'></div> </div> </div><div class='widget FeaturedPost' data-version='1' id='FeaturedPost1'> <div class='post-summary'> <h3><a 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