Monday Recap: Broodmother Skyfortress

When someone asks you if you're a Space God, you always say yes!

We got together on Saturday to play another Campaign of Chaos game. This time, I used a pre-made module by the excellent game master Jeff Rients. It's called Broodmother Skyfortress, because there's a Broodmother and a Skyfortress in the module. It's quite fun.

Part of the module (and an excellent part, at that) is a sort of thematic modularity that allows you to build the game to suit your campaign. The "Giants" of the Brood can be from 4 different origins, or more if you make one up yourself. Same for the Skyfortress itself. Also, the horrible wretches that live beneath the tunnels of the Skyfortress have a bunch of traits that are left up to the DM, to make them as hostile/dangerous/friendly as you like.

So naturally, this being Chaos Quest, I left all of these decisions up to the players.

It did not go as expected.

This story is part 4 of a series. The campaign is complete.
| Previous Campaign | Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 |

Campaign of Chaos: Broodmother Skyfortress

Cast of Characters
Jon: Dungeon Master
Shannon: Cressen Juhl, Fallen Aasimar Trickery Cleric of Ralishaz, hates their dad Pholtus
Cody: Myst, Tabaxi Rogue, likes the shiny and shoots the arrows
Quinn: Jakky, Darkling Shadow Monk, sneaks into places to do a murder
Wade: Agne, Kobold Warlock of the Great Old Ones, killed his family for creepy powers
Wes: Magic Man, Drow Transumation Wizard, kind of creepy, teaches magical life lessons
NPC: Artorius, Void Dragon Wyrmling, hangs out with Agne

When we last left the Chaos Crew, they had just finished spreading all sorts of mayhem across the city of Auraglow. Just as their patron, Mr. Lizard, returned to their graveyard hideout, a massive thunderstorm rolled in. Declaring that this was their ticket out of here, Mr. Lizard led the group up the massive chains tethering the cloud to the ground, while huge, centaurian monsters rampaged through the darkened city below.

They arrived on the surface of a cloud, where the storm was gone, and the moonlight shone above them. In the distance, they saw several structures, the largest of which was a domed building with a huge golden obelisk sticking up out of it.

Mr. Lizard then asked the group who they though built the domed building, and what they though those monsters looked like. The party agreed: those monsters were certainly fiends of some kind, and the building looked like it was made by some creatures so technologically advanced that they had fled Ahneria long ago.

Mr. Lizard then told them their goals: capture the Skyfortress so they could use it as a base of operations, and travel the world in it. Also, set it on a path towards Garton and figure out how to use its laser cannons or whatever weaponry it had.



Heavy Metal Shark Elephants - my new band name

The crew decided to check out some of the smaller structures first, and made their way towards them. Drawing closer, they realized these were similar in construction to the larger dome: but the blinking lights and sci-fi glow had long faded. Magic Man realized that these structures had fallen through the cloud supports below, meaning this cloud structure was slowly destabilizing.

They then realized Mr. Lizard had disappeared, leaving only a note in Agne's pocket stating "BRB". It wasn't the first time their patron had vanished on them, and they shrugged it off.

The group decided to venture into the basements of these buildings and see what they could find. They eventually made their way all the way down, and could see the distant city on fire below them. Also, the chains they had climbed up on were now being used by the monsters to return to the cloud. The group was finally able to get a good look at the creatures who had been destroying Auraglow.

They were centaur-like, but massive - their lower halves were elephant-like, and as large as elephants as well. Their upper halves were humanoid, except their heads, which looked like hammerhead shark heads. Their skin was dark reddish-grey, and they sported long curled horns and sharp black claws on their hands. One of them had a monstrous glowing blue sword strapped to his back. Cressen had to hold Myst back from jumping at the shiny object.

Meanwhile, Agne had spotted a small golden bracelet and was trying to figure out how to reach it, since it was all the way across a cloud chasm. Artorius offered to fly over, but it was rather precariously placed and his claws weren't the most dexterous. Instead, Cressen used his wings of flying to swoop over and snatch up the charm, though he nearly dropped it as well.

They fiddled with the charm a bit, before realizing a small part of it could extend out and shoot poison-covered needles. The needles seemed to be coated in a tranquilizer-like toxin, and there were only two shots remaining. The technology completely befuddled them.

Agne, with his natural Kobold instincts, discovered a tunnel that lead towards the center of the cloud island. The group decided to follow it inwards, heading towards the area beneath the massive domed fortress.

(Fair warning: remember how I said I let the players dictate some of the details of this adventure? Well. Things got weird.)

They arrived at a cave with a pool in it, lit by phosphorescent mushrooms. In it, they saw strange ghosts, flickering spirits that appeared to be young human girls wearing bathing linens and rolling around in poo. The party called out to them, and they leapt up at the sight of strangers. But as soon as they saw Magic Man, they started to call him by name and rush forward to greet him. Their clothing flickered and transformed into some sort of naval uniform.

I don't know how it came to this. I wish it hadn't.

Magic Man had no idea what was going on, but he could smell someone cooking meat and mushrooms, which reminded him of his grandfather. Brushing aside concerns from the party that he had eaten his grandfather, they followed these strange spirit girls into a cavern used as a dining hall.

The party spent some time figuring out what was going on here. (Like, three hours of in game time.) Jakky, with his Darkling blindsight, couldn't see the girls, but instead saw small spheres that appeared to be doing the talking. The girls told Magic Man that he could also visit the "Hall of the Lost Ones" or "Sempai", neither of which he understood. Meanwhile, Jakky and Myst ate the food and drank the mushroom beer, which gave them horrifying hallucinations. Magic Man joined in later, after talking to and flirting with the "Student Council President" spirit, who was named "Misu".

They eventually figured out that they were in some sort of game (dating sim) called "Romance High", which was apparently owned (and extensively modded) by Magic Man. The "Lost Ones" were spirits (holograms) that had died (fallen into disrepair), and "Sempai" was their leader and spiritual guide (he acted as the principle in the game and could reveal data about the game file).

The group went to see "Sempai", and were told that they needed to take the game into a certified repair shop, the closest of which was thousands of light years away. Also, the current game session was almost two million years old. They weren't sure what to make of this information, and eventually decided to explore the rest of the caves and come back.

When they did so, they quickly discovered that they had found a small entrance to the main building. They peeked out from behind a pile of boulders and saw a huge columned room, with red glowing columns and tiny spiders webbed across the ceiling. The area looked like it was once a high-technology marvel, but had since been decorated by the giant creatures with blood, skulls, chains, and torture implements (basically a heavy metal album cover).

They also got an up-close view of two of the Giants within the chamber they could view. One of them, who kept coughing and hacking up vomit, was kicking and bullying a smaller Giant that looking runtish and underfed. The monsters seemed busy, so the group decided to sneak past them. Cressen used his Pass Without Trace spell to conceal the group.

They snuck through the huge doorway and into the next room, which prominently featured an enormous platform standing on struts, surrounded by strange paintings that flickered images from around the building and outside. Stuck through the platform was a massive contraption, an octahedron that extended into the empty space below the platform. It was covered in lines and gems, some of which glowed bright colors. Also, standing on the platform was a Giant, a massive specimen even for their race, with massive muscles and a big beer belly. On his back was the big blue glowing sword.

Once again, Cressen held Myst back from dashing forward. The group debated what to do, and decided to try and tranquilize the massive monster. Cressen, still under the effects of his spell, crept forward and fired two needles packed with poison into the Giant's haunches. The first one seemed to have no effect, but the second caused the monster to relax his arms and start to sway slowly.

Cressen started talking to the monster and trying to work out a language, while Jakky, Myst, and Magic Man pored over this strange contraption. They recalled "Sempai" had mentioned something about a Skydrive, this must be it. They poked and prodded, and managed to pry off a few gemstones with no ill effects. Meanwhile, Cressen convinced the Giant to give up his cool sword, which turned out to be made of some strange substance that gave it powerful properties.

Something like this

Jakky went to grab off another gem, but this time, something happened: the entire fortress, maybe even the entire cloud, jerked violently into a tilted position! Cressen used his wings to fly and Magic Man shrugged off the sudden motion, saying it happened to him all the time. However, Agne, Myst, and Jakky were thrown to the ground, and Jakky only barely avoided being crushed by their new Giant companion.

The party wasn't sure what just happened, and certainly wasn't about to find out what would happen if they touched the Skydrive again. Also, they realized that they didn't have much longer before the tranquilizer was going to wear off, according to Cressen's poison-identifying skills. They decided to take this opportunity to wipe out the Giants in the red-columned room they had just passed through.

Myst rode the Giant they had tamed, which he called "Sharkey", into the next room, where the two Giants were still moving about, confused at the recent shift in the direction of gravity. Myst ordered an attack, and Sharkey lunged forward at the vomiting monster.

Magic Man, Agne, and Jakky all unleashed their attacks at the beast, but unfortunately its hide was so thick (like, thicc) that they could barely scratch the beast. Only Myst's Oathbow arrows, Cressen's new sword, and Sharkey's ridiculously powerful punches seemed to be having any effect at all.

Frustrated, Magic Man and Jakky switched to supporting their allies while Agne scoped out the other Giant, the runt. He seemed scared, and possibly willing to join the group and gain the power that comes with Chaos. Agne began to speak into his mind, frightening him with power but also coaxing him into servitude.

The vomiting monster had unleashed a torrent of acidic bile that nearly left Jakky dead, and Cressen began to switch to healing his ally. Sharkey kept wailing on their opponent, making several of Myst's arrows fly off in odd directions. Finally, the beast went down after three brutal blows from Sharkey, and the tranquilized Giant began to charge towards the Runt to finish him off as well.

Cressen and Myst yelled at Sharkey to stop, and he did so, reluctantly. Agne kept talking to the Runt, and finally convinced him to join their cause. The group nicknamed him Luci, since he was a devilish fiend and all.

Luci said he somewhat knew how to deal with the Skydrive, and they returned to the engine room. Luci set the Fortress back to its proper alignment, and charted a course towards Garton. They were almost out of time on Sharkey's tranquilizer, and they weren't about to fight Sharkey. So instead, Artorius lead Sharkey outside and near a hole in the clouds close to the Fortress. Then, he used his Gravitic Breath to make Sharkey fall through the hole and plummet to the ground far below.

Miles below, on the path leading from Garotn to Auraglow, an adventuring party had just set out on their biggest and best adventure yet. They had grown close as friends, and closer as comrades-in-arms. They knew that this was going to be it: the amazing adventure that changed everything. Deep in their hearts, they knew.

Then, the Gnome Wizard looked up and said "What in the Hells is tha-"

And they were all crushed by the massive shark-elephant-demon-centaur that landed directly on them, exploding in a shower of meat and feces, leaving a massive crater in the path. The end.

Back above, the group decided to take a quick rest in a room that Luci told them should be safe: the Crypt. They ventured there through the Red-Columned room and found a small alcove with some glass coffins containing strangely tall skeletons with elongated skulls. Myst found an old Map of Ahneria made of Gemstones, and pried them off.

They took a quick rest, knowing that they weren't quite finished yet: they had taken control of the ship, for sure, but they still had to deal with the rest of the Giants before they could truly capture the fortress. According to Luci, four more remained: "The Smart One", "The Twins", "The Scary One" and "Mother".

Mr. Lizard's note now read: "Accidentally got sucked into an other plane of existence. At least I found a friend! Back before you know it!"



Magic stuff and really wild things, baby

We stopped there for the night. I never expected to introduce such high science fiction into Ahneria (though we did have a steampunk time traveler that one time). But hey, that's Chaos! I'm planning to keep everything sufficiently advanced, that this sort of thing won't be reverse-engineerable. At least then whatever they find will be limited to the Skyfortress.

Thanks for reading!

Lore of Ahneria: 25 Dungeons In and Around Garton

This is part of a series on the lore of my homebrew world, Ahneria. As I outlined here, much of this information will be pulled from existing D&D lore and tropes. At the end, I'll be including a section on how to use this sort of thing in your own games. 

Party levels:

• Low: levels 1 to 4
• Mid: levels 5 to 10
• High: levels 11 to 16
• Epic: levels 17 and higher

1. The Ooze Tunnels, a natural cavern connecting the Garton sewer system to an underwater cave in the nearby Mane river. The floors are slippery or sticky, depending on where you go, and any drip from the ceiling could be water or corrosive slime. Suggested Party Level: Mid

2. The former lair of Lumien Ratheart, a section of the sewer partially flooded and cleared out by a city watch patrol. Lots of bones and magical puzzles, could easily be reclaimed by a wererat gang or doppelganger. Suggested Party Level: Low

3. The Undercity, a shanty town located in a deep cistern below the streets, infamously difficult to get to and current headquarters for the Thieves' Guild. A system of scaffolding and elevators allows travel between different levels of the city. Suggested Party Level: Mid

4. The Elite Rogue Training Grounds, a gauntlet of traps and challenges located below the Undercity. Used to raise the Thieves' Guild's best and brightest, it was recently reclaimed by Romero Calabra and is back in full working order. However, there are many secrets still hidden in its twisting tunnels... Suggested Party Level: High

5. The Shaft, a long vertical pit with connections to every level of the sewer. Fraught with slick walls and monsters that can scale them, the descent is just as dangerous as the destination. However, the upside is there is some light from a grate at the top - at least, during the day. And don't expect that light to travel all the way down. Suggested Party Level: Low

6. Blockage, a deep sewer system so packed with muck and filth that you have to tunnel your way through. Expect to fight other tunneling creatures, like rats, bugs, and even the occasional Umber Hulk. Finding a pre-dug tunnel is a blessing, though with the weight of all the crap that has accumulated down here, don't be surprised if the tunnels slowly shrink behind you. Suggested Party Level: Mid

7. Pipe Central, a maze-like section of the Garton sewer system that connects the city's plumbing and water supply. Pipes here constantly break and need repair, and the only permanent resident is the maintenance manager: Stinky Jake, who has been killed and resurrected twice already. Suggested Party Level: Low

8. The Drain, a massive underground cistern with a lake-like body of water situated under the Garton sewer system. The ceiling is constantly dripping here, meaning over time stalactites and rock pillars have formed in the area. An Aboleth rules the very bottom of the lake, which means nobody has been able to prove whether or not the bottom of the pool has a plug that can be pulled out. However, there are many dangerous water creatures which also make their home here, meaning such a journey would not be for the faint of heart. Suggested Party Level: High

9. The Gas Lines, an area of the Garton sewer system that still contains the toxic gasses dug up in the ancient mining process. Water accumulation from rain sealed off these gasses long before the city was built, and they remain hidden in deep caverns ever since. No flames, no breathing, limited visibility - these tunnels are as difficult to navigate as they are to find. Still, the promise of ancient dwarven treasure untouched by monsters and thieves has lured many adventurers to their deaths. Suggested Party Level: Mid

10. The Depths, the very bottom of the Garton Sewer system. Long ago, these used to be dwarven mines, and they dug too deep, too greedily. They opened the mine right up to the Underdark, and down here the sewer walls turn into natural caverns. Monsters from the depths are more dangerous than anything else near the city, and sometimes they might find their way up to the city streets... Also, don't rule out Demons, since this place still reeks with Abyssal energy. Suggested Party Level: High

11. Hippogriff Cave, located in the Plains of Garton outside the city. Notably, contains a rock that has eroded into the shape of a hippogriff. Local kids play here often, but the rock looks so realistic that cautious parents think it might be a statue, not just a random rock. They don't want their kids uncovering ancient and dangerous ruins, so they forbid the kids from playing there. Of course, that only makes them more curious. Suggested Party Level: Mid

12. The Stinkhole, a small cave dug into the ground not far from the city walls. Farmers don't go near it for fear of being attacked by an Otyugh, but that has lead many other creatures to lair there. As long as they don't mind the stench. Suggested Party Level: Mid

13. Mushroom Grotto, a deep cave near Garton that is used for harvesting mushrooms. The deeper you go, the more dangerous it becomes, until you're fighting off myconids at the very bottom. However, rumors abound of fungi that can cure rare diseases, grant immortality, and more. If you have the guts to brave the very depths of Mushroom Grotto. Suggested Party Level: Mid

14. Yoblin Den, named for the goblin-like creatures that grow there. Actually a species of mushroom, they were named such due to the local accent, and because anthropologists remained unable to convince locals that these weren't garden-variety goblins. They live in a filthy cave near the outskirts of Garton's farming fields, which might contain the seed yoblin at the bottom. Nobody has bothered checking. Suggested Party Level: Low

15. A pond in the low district of Garton has a cave at the bottom of it, yet unnamed but known about by some local children who swam to the bottom to check it out. It was too dark for them to make anything out, but they think they heard footsteps down there. If it's cleared out, you become the heroes of the group of children. Suggested Party Level: Mid

16. The Necromancer's Tower, an ancient tower in Garton Forest surrounded by a long-empty moat. Currently houses the remaining undead of a necromancer who was confronted and killed some time ago. Also, Giant Spiders have been known to take up residence in the lower levels. Strange energies swirl around this area! Suggested Party Level: Mid

17. Full Moon Grove, a clearing with a nearby cave system within the depths of Garton Forest. Home to several Lycanthropes, it becomes a hive of activity leading up to and during the full moon. Many Circle of the Moon Druids are tasked with cleansing this area during the daylight, in hopes that these dangerous and ritualistic festivals will cease. Many have lost their lives doing so. Suggested Party Level: High

18. The Old Walnut Tree, a large tree in Garton Forest. It's a common spot to pray to Obad-Hai, God of Nature, so there are often people and guards around. However, the tree is blessed by Fey magic, and sometimes the little tricksters living in its branches will shrink humans down to minuscule size and bring them in the tree. Inside is a maze of tunnels, rife with creatures that are deadly to tiny folk, but also friendly fairies that speak of a powerful magical fungus deep under the roots of the tree. Suggested Party Level: Mid

19. The Fillard Manor, a home in the Upper District of Garton. It is a fine home, but keeps passing hands from family to family. No resident stays long, and rumors of ghosts and specters haunting its halls have spread throughout the city. If you can clean out its many rooms, it could be yours for a very reasonable price! Suggested Party Level: Mid

20. The Home of Doctor R. R. Ribbenwald, a renowned medical practitioner. At least, he was, until it was discovered that his home in the Middle District of Garton was an elaborately constructed death trap, and his "experiments" had a murderous side to them. Even now, a year after his arrest and execution, his home is a fortress of terrible and deadly traps. The city watch will pay handsomely if someone goes in and disables all the dangers, but nobody who has gone inside has come out yet... Suggested Party Level: High

21. The Vision Library, located in a difficult-to-find corner of the Middle District of Garton. The librarians are blind and the library is kept pitch dark, and the books here are blasphemous, cursed, or worse. Finding dark lore is likely, but finding the exact information you need will require you to face down the masters of the library, who have trained long years to defend these books. Suggested Party Level: Epic

22. The False House, a fancy manor in the Upper District of Garton. Actually sparsely decorated, but a group of Doppelgangers and Mimics keep any occupied rooms furnished. Their goal is to get visitors to come to the basement, where they can be eaten by the biggest mimic - the house itself. They are skilled at playing off of people's need to be formal, and a few rich folk disappear a year to this trap. Suggested Party Level: Mid

23. The Cloven Sword, a small tavern in the Middle District of Garton. Contains a small underground complex beneath it, including passages to the sewers and other buildings. Used by the Cult of Kam but cleared out by C.H.A.O.S, this tavern has been purchased by a private entrepreneur, and might now house a new set of mysterious occupants. Suggested Party Level: Low

24. The Boss's Pub, a sizable establishment in the Upper District of Garton. Known for being avoided by the nobility, this is where Boss Cass sets up shop. A party of heroes would have to prove they are doing something illegal before they could raid the place, however, and even then the series of backrooms and hallways would have to be cleared before Cass himself could be confronted. Suggested Party Level: Mid

25. The Abandoned Toy Factory, a warehouse in the Middle District. Long ago, a Gnomish tinkerer set up a Toy store in Garton, and it did phenomenally well. As time progressed, they expanded to include all varieties of entertainment products, including some of an adult nature. However, this eventually caused backlash and the business was shut down. Now, the building is home to various gangs and urchins without anywhere else to go. Suggested Party Level: Low

 

Using This Material in Your Setting

• In any area, set up locations your PCs can hear about and try to explore
• This can lead to "West Marches" style play, where the players tell the DM they want to explore a certain location and they set up the time to do so.
• Not that I'm hinting at my players to do that
• Hint hint
• Are there requirements to entering certain locations? Are they magical, legal, secret, etc?
• What are the areas surrounding the city like? Are there interesting landmarks there? How can those landmarks be turned into adventures?
• Where do common monsters in your setting hang out? Where are their safe havens? Can the adventurers explore these areas?
• How powerful do characters need to be before exploring a particular area? If that level is not too high, why hasn't anyone explored this area already?

Thanks for reading!

Passive Investment

I call it my "Fixed" income

In my constant struggle to make the D&D system more like reality, I came across this Angry GM article. That's right, it's time for yet another Angry GM update!!

In the article, he defines a Skill Check as something resulting from a Character Action that has a discrete chance of failure and success. If something is impossible to do, or something is so easy it can't be failed, you don't need a skill check to do it. But if a character isn't taking an action, that shouldn't be a skill check either!

The primary place this comes up is for Perception and Knowledge skills. If your character simply sees something or simply knows something, that isn't an action with a discrete chance of failure. Rather, that's a passive ability.

Angry touches on the Knowledge and Perception skills in his article, but I wanted to add to this by creating a passive score for every standard skill/ability score combination. The reason I'm not getting into weirder skill checks is because these skills work in a very limited range if you aren't actively using them.

I also don't want to make a ton of new systems if I don't have to. I'd rather use existing systems and add a cool effect to them. This isn't always possible, but there are plenty of interesting ways for the player to engage with the game world that we can modify.

Finally, let's set some baseline numbers for our passive scores. For reference, a passive score is equal to 10 + the relevant ability score modifier + the character's proficiency bonus, if applicable.

• 5: To get a 5 on your passive score, you need a 1 in the respective ability, as well as no training in that ability. That's like having the intelligence of a frog.
• 10: This is the standard commoner score. A totally average person with no training could get this.
• 15: Most adventurers start with a +3 to their best ability score, and a +2 proficiency bonus. So a 15 is the starting point for those who are trained in a particular skill. Also, those who lack training (not proficient) but have great natural aptitude (as ability score of 20) can achieve a 15.
• 16: I want to point this one out because the maximum proficiency bonus is +6. Therefore, we can say that a 16 is the best passive score you can achieve if you have the training but not the natural aptitude for a skill.
• 17: Same as 15, but the starting point for those who have specialized in a skill via the Expertise feature.
• 21: This represents the pinnacle of most passive scores. Those who have been trained in their skill and combine that training with great natural aptitude can achieve a 21.
• 27: This is the highest score most mortals can achieve. This is an expert in their field displaying their powerful natural aptitude and intense training. Anything above this score involves breaking the bounds of mortal creatures, via magic or godly power.

So, with that in mind, let's dive into the passive scores a player has at their disposal!

Passive Scores

Acrobatics

Normally, you 1d6 bludgeoning damage per 10 feet you fall.

However, you can fall a distance (in feet) equal to your Passive Acrobatics score without taking damage. However, if you fall further, the resulting damage is still calculated based on the full distance fallen. A character with a passive Acrobatics score of 15 can fall 15 feet without taking damage, but still takes 1d6 damage if they fall 16 feet.

(I wrote about this in greater detail here!)

Animal Handling



This is my friend. His name is Toasty.

If your passive Animal Handling score is equal to or greater than the sum of the Intelligence and Wisdom scores of a Beast, you can use an action to calm it and befriend it. This does not change its behavior towards your allies.

This action cannot be attempted on a Beast that is charmed, summoned, hostile towards you, damaged by you, or part of a swarm. A character with a passive Animal Handling score of 15 can calm and befriend a wild Mastiff (INT 3, WIS 12).

Arcana

This is a knowledge skill. You can use it to see what your character knows about a situation based on their past training and experience. The DM assigns a knowledge DC to different pieces of information, and if your passive Arcana score is equal to or greater than that DC, you know the information. Passive Arcana is used to recall lore about magic.

• 5: This information is directly in front of you. You are currently reading it.
• 10: This information is obvious. Even common folk have heard of this.
• 15: This information is something you learned, by training or experience.
• 20: This information is hard to come by, unless you are a specialist in this field or highly trained.
• 25: This information is something only a true genius would be able to comprehend. It's likely  that only a handful of mortals know it.
• 30: This information requires godly intervention to know. If you can recall it, it's likely you have been blessed by the higher powers.

Athletics

When travelling, you can travel up to 8 hours per day without taking a penalty. For each hour travelled beyond 8, the character must make a Constitution Saving Throw of 10 + 1 per hour travelled beyond 8. Failure means the character gains one level of exhaustion.

However, if the DC of this save is less than or equal to your Passive Athletics score, you may automatically pass this check. A character with a passive Athletics score of 15 could travel 13 hours in a day with no ill effects.

Deception

This is a social skill. If you are trying to deceive everyone you meet over a certain period of time, you can use your passive Deception score instead of a skill check. Compare your passive Deception score to each NPC's Charisma score. If it is equal to or greater than the NPC's score, your deception is successful.

A character with a passive Deception score of 15 could convince a town of commoners (CHA 10) they were a noble, but couldn't convince a party full of actual nobles (CHA 16).

History

This is a knowledge skill. You can use it to see what your character knows about a situation based on their past training and experience. The DM assigns a knowledge DC to different pieces of information, and if your passive History score is equal to or greater than that DC, you know the information. Passive History is used to recall lore about humanoids, both in your lifetime and in the past.

• 5: This information is directly in front of you. You are currently reading it.
• 10: This information is obvious. Even common folk have heard of this.
• 15: This information is something you learned, by training or experience.
• 20: This information is hard to come by, unless you are a specialist in this field or highly trained.
• 25: This information is something only a true genius would be able to comprehend. It's likely  that only a handful of mortals know it.
• 30: This information requires godly intervention to know. If you can recall it, it's likely you have been blessed by the higher powers.

Insight



Wait guys! I think this dude might be evil!

This is an observational skill. You can use it to see what your character observes about a situation based on their past training and experience. The DM assigns a DC to different things that could be observed, and if your passive Insight score is equal to or greater than that DC, you observe that thing. Passive Insight is used to observe the mood or goals of an NPC.

• 5: This information is directly in front of you. Someone is spelling it out for you.
• 10: This information is obvious. Nearly everyone can tell what it is.
• 15: This information is apparent to those with a quick eye, but might take most people a minute or two to figure out.
• 20: This information is subtle. If you don't know what you're looking for, you'd never see it.
• 25: This information is obscured. It would require extensive training and practice before you would be able to see it.
• 30: This information requires godly intervention to know. If you can see it, it's likely you have been blessed by the higher powers.

Intimidation

This is a social skill. If you are trying to intimidate everyone you meet over a certain period of time, you can use your passive Intimidation score instead of a skill check. Compare your passive Intimidation score to each NPC's Charisma score. If it is equal to or greater than the NPC's score, your intimidation is successful.

A character with a passive Intimidation score of 15 could make a town of commoners (CHA 10) stay out of their way, but couldn't stop a network of spies (CHA 16) from approaching them.

Investigation

This is an observational skill. You can use it to see what your character observes about a situation based on their past training and experience. The DM assigns a DC to different things that could be observed, and if your passive Investigation score is equal to or greater than that DC, you observe that thing. Passive Investigation is used to observe the function of purpose of objects.

• 5: This information is directly in front of you. Someone is spelling it out for you.
• 10: This information is obvious. Nearly everyone can tell what it is.
• 15: This information is apparent to those with a quick eye, but might take most people a minute or two to figure out.
• 20: This information is subtle. If you don't know what you're looking for, you'd never see it.
• 25: This information is obscured. It would require extensive training and practice before you would be able to see it.
• 30: This information requires godly intervention to know. If you can see it, it's likely you have been blessed by the higher powers.

Medicine

In combat, stabilizing a creature requires a Wisdom (Medicine) check of 10.

Out of combat, you may use your action to stabilize a creature. If your passive Medicine score is 10 or greater, you automatically succeed on your stabilization attempt. Additionally, the creature regains hit points equal to your passive Medicine score - 10. A character with a passive Medicine score of 15 can stabilize a creature and cause them to regain 5 hit points, as long as they are outside of combat.

Nature

This is a knowledge skill. You can use it to see what your character knows about a situation based on their past training and experience. The DM assigns a knowledge DC to different pieces of information, and if your passive Nature score is equal to or greater than that DC, you know the information. Passive Nature is used to recall lore about plants and animals that inhabit the world.

• 5: This information is directly in front of you. You are currently reading it.
• 10: This information is obvious. Even common folk have heard of this.
• 15: This information is something you learned, by training or experience.
• 20: This information is hard to come by, unless you are a specialist in this field or highly trained.
• 25: This information is something only a true genius would be able to comprehend. It's likely  that only a handful of mortals know it.
• 30: This information requires godly intervention to know. If you can recall it, it's likely you have been blessed by the higher powers.

Perception

This is an observational skill. You can use it to see what your character observes about a situation based on their past training and experience. The DM assigns a DC to different things that could be observed, and if your passive Perception score is equal to or greater than that DC, you observe that thing. Passive Perception is used to observe your surroundings.

• 5: This information is directly in front of you. Someone is spelling it out for you.
• 10: This information is obvious. Nearly everyone can tell what it is.
• 15: This information is apparent to those with a quick eye, but might take most people a minute or two to figure out.
• 20: This information is subtle. If you don't know what you're looking for, you'd never see it.
• 25: This information is obscured. It would require extensive training and practice before you would be able to see it.
• 30: This information requires godly intervention to know. If you can see it, it's likely you have been blessed by the higher powers.

Performance



It's well known that 95% of Bards choose the worst instrument

If you spend a day performing (and not adventuring), you earn an amount of copper equal to your passive Performance score, multiplied by the settlement size modifier below. If you wish to earn more than that, you must find a venue and put on a full performance, which requires a skill check.

• Wilderness, outside society: 0
• Village: 2
• Town: 5
• City: 10

A character with a passive Performance score of 15 could earn 150 (15 x 10) copper in a big city, netting them a modest lifestyle.

Persuasion

This is a social skill. If you are trying to persuade everyone you meet over a certain period of time, you can use your passive Persuasion score instead of a skill check. Compare your passive Persuasion score to each NPC's Charisma score. If it is equal to or greater than the NPC's score, your persuasion is successful.

A character with a passive Persuasion score of 15 could convince a town of commoners (CHA 10) to give them directions around town to avoid getting lost, but couldn't convince a those in the noble district of a city (CHA 16) to do the same.

Religion

This is a knowledge skill. You can use it to see what your character knows about a situation based on their past training and experience. The DM assigns a knowledge DC to different pieces of information, and if your passive Religion score is equal to or greater than that DC, you know the information. Passive Religion is used to recall lore about the Gods and their doctrines.

• 5: This information is directly in front of you. You are currently reading it.
• 10: This information is obvious. Even common folk have heard of this.
• 15: This information is something you learned, by training or experience.
• 20: This information is hard to come by, unless you are a specialist in this field or highly trained.
• 25: This information is something only a true genius would be able to comprehend. It's likely  that only a handful of mortals know it.
• 30: This information requires godly intervention to know. If you can recall it, it's likely you have been blessed by the higher powers.

Sleight of Hand

If you spend a day grifting (and not adventuring), you earn an amount of copper equal to your passive Sleight of Hand score, multiplied by the settlement size modifier below. If you wish to earn more than that, you must plan and pull off a heist, which requires a skill check.

• Wilderness, outside society: 0
• Village: 2
• Town: 5
• City: 10

A character with a passive Sleight of Hand score of 15 could earn 150 (15 x 10) copper in a big city, netting them a modest lifestyle.

Stealth

If your passive Stealth score is greater than or equal to an NPC's passive Perceptions core, you can choose whether or not they see you. This ability is negated if the creature is actively guarding an area or looking for you, if the creature has blindsight, or if you are in combat. In those situations, a skill check is required. Also, the rules for hiding still apply: if you attack or cast a spell, you are seen, etc.

A character with a passive Stealth of 15 can slip through a tavern without being noticed, except by the Spy (passive Perception 16) who is sitting in the corner.

Survival



Improvise. Adapt. Overcome.

In certain environments, you can find food and water indefinitely if your passive Survival score is greater than or equal to the environment's DC. This DC can be increased or decreased by weather (a dry spell makes food scarcer). This does not allow you to find enough food for the entire party.

• 5: Coastal or urban areas
• 10: Forests or hilly regions
• 15: Grasslands, swamps, open sea, and underwater
• 20: Arctic tundras, mountains, or the underdark
• 25: Deserts, the more hospitable Outer Planes of the Multiverse
• 30: The Elemental Planes, the less hospitable Outer Planes of the Multiverse

A character with a passive Survival score of 15 could live in a Swamp indefinitely.

Thanks for reading!

Monday Recap: The Reptile Archives

We sat down to play another session of Maze of the Blue Medusa this weekend! I really enjoy this campaign, it's easy to prepare for and there's so much content.

However, my players have started expressing some fatigue in going through room after room of the dungeon. As you'll see this session, I used NPCs to help them along, and lowered the number of random encounters. They are still progressing, we're just skipping some of the extraneous stuff.

Of course, I'm still getting used to the dungeon crawl style of play. It's a lot different than the games I normally run!

Edit: This series was written before allegations about the authors of this module were released. To respect the players of the game, as well as the brilliant writing of Patrick Stuart, I've decided to keep these posts up. However, all links and art have been removed. Thank you for understanding.

This story is part 10 of a series. The campaign was completed.
| Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 |

Maze of the Blue Medusa: The Reptile Archives

Cast of Characters
Jon: Dungeon Master
Megan: Aniria Lightningblood, Firbolg Tempest Cleric, accidentally destroyed her home, now an adventurer, rushes in to danger but loves cute things
Makayla: Coria Kelvardil, Moon Druid Elf, traveling the world and cataloguing all the animals she can find, cartographer and voice of reason
Jackie: Derrik Evanwood, Human Bardbarian, punch things, woo women, deal with alcoholism, collect magic swords, learn about the feelings of trees
Tom: Alan Xanthudides, Human Phoenyx Sorcerer, not-so-secretly a noble with a bad family, someday hopes to burn the maze down, actually quite good at social graces

When we last left our group of intrepid explorers, they had returned to the in-dungeon island of Elatior, only to find themselves surrounded by machete-wielding temple guards. Behind the ring of swords stood Lady Nine-Bones, colorfully robed and wearing her signature nine-bone necklace.

She accused the group of bringing a "Loa", a God of the Maze, to the surface after she had asked them not to. She was referring to Marquis Aeolis and Lady Torc, the newlyweds that had been frozen in time in the Dead Wedding. The people of the island had only ever known the lovers to be a statue, and they had woken up that day to find themselves visited by said statue.

Aniria was upset that people were so upset, and tried to make things right. She appealed to the fear of the islanders, saying that they were also afraid of the maze and wouldn't bring something to the surface that they didn't trust. The Bondye Reparte lowered their weapons, and Lady Nine-Bones seemed willing to talk.

The party explained that Marquis Aeolis and Lady Torc were human, not Gods, and that they were looking for refuge from the Maze as well. Lady Nine-Bones declared that they could stay, although she would be having a talk with them to confirm their intentions.

The group wasn't quite sure what to do next, and Lady Nine-Bones offered a solution: she touched one of the bones on her necklace, and suddenly clasped her hands over her eyes. She spoke in a different voice, and asked what the party was doing.

As they told their story, the group slowly realized that they were not speaking to Lady Nine-Bones anymore, but to the Medusa Psathyrella. They immediately informed her of Lady Crucem Capilli, the dragon bent on destroying the dungeon. The Medusa advised them that she would take care of the situation, and seemed intensely interested in how Chronia was doing. Finally, she told them they were amazing, and pitched backwards into a faint.

Aniria managed to catch Lady Nine-Bones before she fell. The Bondye Reparte assured the party that she would be alright. They also told them that they hadn't spoken to the actual Medusa - just a representation of her personality. Now they knew that the Medusa would want to be informed of Lady Crucem Capilli. Also, she didn't really think they were amazing; Lady Nine-Bones used a phrase that the Loa would never say to break her trance.

The party decided to stay in town while Lady Nine-Bones recovered, and to see to the Marquis and Lady's integration into the village. They also planned their next moves: find the children of Torgos Zooth, deliver them into the Almery where he was laired, and then deliver a message to the Medusa about the threat of a Dragon. After that, they could leave the Maze without guilt.

Well-rested and ready to adventure, they travelled down/up to the maze via the stairs in the island's temple. They stopped by Chronia's room to ask her to write a letter to the Medusa explaining the Dragon situation, since they thought it might go over better for her to say it than them.

Coria lead the group as they ventured up through the Gallery, dispatching some Cannibals they found critiquing some artwork. They were passing through a room with visually upsetting art (thus their eyes were closed) when they heard soft crying and moaning. Coria had turned into a Giant Scorpion (which had blindsight) for this task, and was able to see the form of a thin man surrounded by three corpses.

Fortunately, the corpses were Cannibals, and the man was quickly revealed to be Seymore, the mathematician who had supposedly kidnapped the children of Torgos Zooth. The group had already heard that he could turn invisible by saying "See-Me-No-More", and became visible again whenever someone said "Seymore". They demanded he return the children of Torgos Zooth, and he conceded.

He directed the group to follow him, although Aniria hesitated due to his terrible rudeness. He even tried to abandon them at one point, though his attempt to turn invisible was quickly reversed. He seemed to begrudgingly accept that the party was stronger than him and knew his weakness.

They passed through rooms they had explored before, until they came to the stairs leading up to the Reptile Archives. Seymore lead the way, and they passed into a dark stone hall lit only by a lantern filled with red, glowing Moths.

Derrik decided to investigate a lizard-shaped mummy standing in the corner. He was quite surprised when it started speaking to him! It said its name was Scripta Elegans, a mummy stuffed with strategic maxims printed on silk. Here, the Archive was built by Reptiles, and the Reptiles were the Archives!

Scripta seemed quite serene, and happily allowed the group to pass by. They walked past a lamp which shone light from all over the universe, and over a bridge of stacked blue and grey slate. Seymore instructed them to hold their noses as they passed by a room containing a single rose, then stopped for a bit in the next room.

The room contained dusty furniture and an old lizard - not a mummy, but still undead. Seymore bowed, addressing him as "Lord Ambassador Draco Scabra", and proceeded to tell the old lizard a joke, which he found hilarious.

Draco demanded jokes from everyone, and Aniria flubbed hers but Alan came in with a one-liner to save the day. Draco countered by telling them the best joke he knew: due to an odd contractual obligation, his job as an Ambassador had never ended, and he had been alive for over 5,000 years. And now that he had lost the papers somewhere in the archive, he couldn't even break his own curse! He laughed hysterically.

The group realized he might be a bit insane, but he knew a lot of information about the maze. Alan kept telling him jokes and he told them more about the Maze and the Medusa and how it came to be. He thought their plan to get Zooth's children back to him was a solid one, and didn't seem too concerned about the whole "Maze burning down due to art-collecting Dragon" thing.

The party thanked him for his assistance, and continued to Seymore's lab. Succulent flowers and lab implements littered the room. In the corner, a caged door hid the two children, Anole and Anolis Zooth. They wore hats that mostly obscured their heads, but they did appear to be half-selenuim on their father's side. They seemed very afraid and upset.

Seymore, rather reluctantly, unlocked the cage and set the children free. Aniria immediately took them up on her own, setting them on her shoulders like a pair of giggling half-moon-men pauldrons. Their task accomplished, they set back to leave the Archives.

However, upon reaching the stairs down to the Gallery, they found an invisible wall of force in their way. According to Scripta, Seymore had placed it there to prevent people from escaping. Most of his "test subjects" ended up dying, and the lizard mummy had assumed that was what the group had been. It was quite a surprise when they returned, but unfortunately Scripta had no way of opening the wall.

They decided to venture southward, towards the Archive's true entrance. They met a cranky lizard-mummy named Emys Orbicularis, who forbid Alan from using fire in the Archives, claiming a nice young reptile lady had informed him of Alan's propensity for arson.

The group carried on, passing through a few rooms with the help of Chiromantis, a Lizard-Mummy who loudly announced them when they passed from room to room. After some convincing, they finally were able to rid themselves of their loud friend.

They found the exit to the Archives, and stood at a doorway that opened up into an enormous black void, punctuated by exploding rocks frozen in place. They were able to climb down toward a large platform, which looked to be the remnants of some sort of palace or great hall. At one end sat a throne, and on it was a very old lizard. Not a mummy, not undead, just very, very old. He wore a tarnished silver crown, and seemed unbearably sad.

The group stopped to ask him what he was doing here, what all this was, and if they could help him. He said this was the remains of the Reptile Empire, or at least his part of it. Long ago, they had built their archives into the Maze to preserve them, but after a terrible tragedy, all that would have been here was obliterated. He was all that remained, the lonely guard of the Archive entrance.

The group didn't think there was much else they could do, so they carried on, jumping from rock to rock until they got to an odd door standing by itself on a rock. Derrik knocked on the door, and a voice asked them to come inside.

They did so, and entered a room that looked like the Gallery. It was built from sandstone and large columns, with a large sphinx statue wearing a black crown. The Sphinx had been the one to ask them into the room, and requested their help.

She told them the story of the island city she once guarded, where the inhabitants would use the reflections of the stars to predict the future and avoid disaster. No one was allowed to enter or leave the island, for fear of disturbing the waters and muddying the predictions.

She knew the city had fallen, but couldn't remember how. She also knew she was supposed to ask people riddles, and thought if she obtained enough riddles she might remember what happened.

The group came up with some good riddles, the best one being about the stars being of the past, present, and future all at once (since they were used to predict the future, they were seen in the present, and the light came from the past). The Sphinx thanked them and asked if they wanted to see anything in the Maze.

The group had been long looking for clothing for Chronia, and they had heard there was a place they could make immortal clothes in the Reptile Archives, the Grimspindle. The sphinx showed them a hidden room, where the spindle was housed. It sewed clothing of pure light, but in doing so released shadows into the world. The party was divided on whether or not they should use it.

They thanked the sphinx and ventured into the next room. Here, a strange symbol prevented plants from growing out of the next room. Coria quickly surmised they were near the Gardens, which means they must also be near the Gallery...

On Coria's directions, Aniria used Stone Shape to create a tunnel through one of the walls of the room. To the group's delight, they found themselves in the Gallery's Orrery room.

Not wasting any time, Coria quickly lead the group through the remaining Gallery rooms until they had reached Chronia's room. Next stop: the Almery!

We stopped there for the evening. I'm noticing that the players int his group have really different levels of involvement. There really is a "active" and "passive" playstyle here. Which is fine, as long as everybody understands and accepts that!

Thanks for reading!

Lore of Ahneria: In the Merchant's Stalls of Garton

This is part of a series on the lore of my homebrew world, Ahneria. As I outlined here, much of this information will be pulled from existing D&D lore and tropes. At the end, I'll be including a section on how to use this sort of thing in your own games. 

So, you're visiting the City of Free Trade and you want to buy something? Well, why didn't you say so in the first place?

The Garlancian Merchant's Guild

Also known as the House of Coins, The Bank, or the King's Second Coffers.

The Merchant's Guild sets regulations on prices for everything sold within the city. They are usually very lenient about minimum selling prices, but the limit means that a black market does exist for cheap and illegal goods. They are particularly stringent when it comes to magic items: they work with the Mage's Guild to ensure every item is fairly priced. Common magic items (as defined by the DMG) are sellable in any vendor around the city, but beyond that you'll have to get in with the Guild to find more expensive fare.

It's common knowledge within the City of Garton that the epithet "City of Free Trade" isn't as true as people wish it would be.

There are several Guild-sponsored magic item sellers around the city. They are usually located on busy shopping streets or within an open market or bazaar, and they sell Uncommon magic items. They try to keep their stocks full, but there's never a guarantee that what you're looking for is available. The vendors are hesitant to purchase items from adventurers, never going above half the selling price and usually starting their bid even lower.

To purchase or sell Rare magic items, you'll have to go to one of the two Magic Item Specialist shops in the city. They are both located in the High District, one within the Mage's Guild and one within the Merchant's Guild headquarters. The Mage's Guild shop is also known to sell blueprints and recipes for magic items from Common to Very Rare, and sometimes even has fragments of a Very Rare magic item that can be built into a weaker version of the item.

As far as outright purchasing Very Rare or Legendary magic items, you won't have much luck in Garton. However, the Mage's Guild might be interested in purchasing such items if you find the right wizard.

The guild is lead by Oswald Lee Bailey, an intense man with a large mustache and a love for rare and unusual artifacts. He and his trusted advisers oversee and coordinate all of the merchants in the High District, with their branch offices managing the other merchants in the city. They also have an influence in other cities around Garlancia, with Eastcliff being the most prominent.

Shops of All Shapes and Sizes

Since Garton is a town built on trade, you can expect to find anything and everything here. Here's a list of shops a group of adventurers might happen upon while wandering the city. If a shop can't be rolled on the table (for example, in the High District you can't roll and find the Black Market), that simply means that the players won't stumble upon it. They might be able to follow some leads and dig up a shop, though.

The number of dice rolled depends on the district they are exploring:

• Low District - 1d10
• Middle District - 2d10
• High District - 3d10

1. Farm and Feed Store
2. Black Market
3. Stables
4. Roadside Knickknack Vendor
5. Potter
6. Carpenter
7. Mason/Stonecutting Services
8. Leatherworking Shop
9. Tailor
10. Temple
11. General Store
12. Adventuring Supply Store
13. Blacksmith
14. Potion Supply Store
15. Magic Item Shop
16. Glassblower
17. Books and Writing Supplies
18. Brothel
19. Fletcher/Bowmaker
20. Spellcasting Services
21. Fine Clothier
22. Art Supply Shop
23. Fine Spices
24. Map Maker
25. Bodyguard Rental
26. Alchemist
27. Jeweler/Locksmith
28. Spell Supply Store
29. Magic Item Specialist Store (2 in the city)
30. Merchant's Guild Headquarters (1 in the city)

Note that slave trade is outlawed in Garton, however, indentured servitude is practiced by those rich enough to be owed money in large amounts. If you want to buy or sell humanoids, you'll need to find the Black Market.

Most merchants get their supplies from the river that runs through the city, by way of barges that run alongside it. However, there are many caravans and carriages that pass in and out of the city gates.

Unusual Vendors

Being the biggest trade city for miles, Garton draws vendors whose products simply wouldn't sell anywhere else. I took some great lists from elsewhere on the internet and narrowed them down to what you might find specifically in the streets of Garton:

Roll d20 for a unique shop.

1. The Outdoor Librarian, has books/scrolls/tablets/etchings/etc. on wide range of outré subjects stashed in nooks and crannies throughout city
2. Greale, an illegal dungeon intoxicant salesman on home-crafted in-line skates zooms around openly pitching wares, issues obscene gestures to city watch. He's got some banshee protoplasm that will knock you on your butt.
3. Multi-Nefarious Games, sells small dice, various gaming implements. People sit around pretending to go on adventures.
4. Shopkeep Ayala is selling domesticated pork-fed troll fatback: a perpetual food source if byzantine directions followed to the letter (store in acid, allow 1 hour to grow, stab repeatedly before repacking), saving throw required on initial consumption.
5. Bearded witch under black tarp will curse enemies for cash, outcomes range from minor skin eruptions to howling madness to lethal afflictions, priced accordingly
6. Shopkeep Storch is selling Lanterns filled w/bioluminescent fluid harvested from living giant glow worm, shake to activate, lasts 2d4 hours.
7. Kallamants, a foreign vendor sells unusual footwear, mostly mundane w/extremely pointy toes, new line of troll-rubber boots that never wear out, enhance sneakiness.
8. Shopkeep Coljar sells Master-trained monster-detecting falcon: 1 in 6 chance of betraying new owners (flying off, leading in predators, etc.).
9. Rashad, a butcher w/variety of Underworld meats, dubious sausages, menacing terrines, weird shanks, will pay bounty for reasonably fresh monster corpses. Spends a lot of time telling city inspectors they are just unusual beef cuts.
10. Shopkeep Flarsteng, a half-dwarf, selling Mountaineering boots w/toe-activated retractable claw mechanism.
11. Shopkeep Mistletoe (half-elf) is selling torches infused w/a variety of fragrant essences. Your choice of smell!
12. Aunt Dramie's Dust Bunny Ranch. Incredibly cheap, great for distractions and jumping in people's eyes. Keep away from strong winds.
13. Shopkeep Gilvel is selling tentacles. Just tentacles. Squid, Octopus, Grick, Mind Flayer, you name it. He's buying them, too.
14. Shopkeep Polly Chastity Cleora Nottle Cholmondeley, gnome, is selling love potions and charms. 1 in 6 chance they actually work, and even then it's more likely to be mild affection than head-over-heels romance. No refunds. Kept afloat by rumors and gossip she herself spreads.
15. Street Artist (who can cast levitate) named Eugene paying for objects that would look artistic floating in the air. Might include people who are particularly beautiful or hideous. Ties long ropes to his works and sells them like balloons.
16. Mystic Azariah will tell your future for 1 copper, 1 silver, 1 gold, and 1 platinum piece. Most people don't carry around platinum, so business has been slow. Unfortunately, those who do pay find that his predictions always center around the next time they will stub their toe, which invariably comes true.
17. Street Vendor Enoch is buying and selling bones. He claims to store them in crypts steeped in ancient magic, which increases their magic potency. Wizards can confirm the value of these "Crypt-o-Currencies", but others remain skeptical.
18. Shopkeep Hepzibah Hardfist, dwarf, sells magic locks. Locks that only open to a specific person's blood, locks that feature tumblers which change position at dawn, locks that blare alarms when picked, and more. Claims to be the best locksmith in her distant homeland, constantly disappointed by non-dwarvish economic state.
19. Street Artist Quinby sells charcoal sketches of anyone who pays him, usually cast in a funny light. The more you convince him you can take a joke, the funnier the sketches. Nobles get stern portraits, beggars get outlandish caricatures.
20. A large, abandoned warehouse. Passersby say it once sold goods of an adult persuasion, but it went out of business a while back. Frequently used by gangs as a hideout.

Using This Material in Your Setting

• Where can your players go to shop?
• Who controls the market? The Guilds? The Royalty? The Royalty-like Guilds?
• Are Magic Items for sale?
• Where are these shops located?
• Who are some unusual vendors that the PCs might befriend?

Thanks for reading!

6 Figure Characters

Surely they don't ALL need character sheets...

I was continuing to ruminate on different styles of combat, in particular mass combat. I wanted to find a way for my players to cycle through characters in a mass-combat scenario. I had a few goals in mind:

1. Make it quick and dirty. Cut rules when necessary.
2. Preserve the power level and flavor of each class and race at first level.
3. Don't let the players get too attached to the characters.

I wanted to create a system where the players could potentially create and run multiple characters at once, and spend less than 5 minutes creating a character. I think I figured out how.

6 Figure Characters

They are called 6 Figure Characters because they are wholly dependant on the ability scores the player rolls.

To make a 6 Figure Character, roll each ability score, in order, using 3d6 to determine the numbers.

The highest two stats determine your class. Your class determines your offensive and defensive ability, as well as your melee and ranged damage die.

The lowest two stats determine your race. Your race determines a bonus racial feature.

Additionally, each stat determines a few other numbers. All divisions are rounded down.

Strength (STR)

• Melee attack bonus = STR/4 (rounded down)
• Melee damage bonus = STR/6 (rounded down)

Dexterity (DEX)

• Ranged attack bonus = DEX/4 (rounded down)
• Ranged damage bonus = DEX/6 (rounded down)
• DEX = AC

Constitution (CON)

• CON = hit points

Intelligence (INT)

• Tactics bonus = INT/4 (rounded down)
• Wizard spell attack bonus = INT/4 (rounded down)

Wisdom (WIS)

• Passive Perception = WIS
• Cleric/Druid/Ranger spell attack bonus = WIS/4 (rounded down)

Charisma (CHA)

• Morale bonus = CHA/4 (rounded down)
• Bard/Paladin/Sorcerer/Warlock spell attack bonus = CHA/4 (rounded down

Since these characters are going to be rather short-lived, I've created two "new" stats to approximate certain effects on a full character sheet.

All skill checks are now rolled using 1d20 plus the "Tactics" bonus. I imagine these characters are not going to survive a single battle, so clumping the various skills into a single stat seems appropriate.

All saving throws are now rolled using 1d20 plus the "Morale" bonus. The most common saving throws are Dexterity (to dodge), Constitution (to endure a physical effect), and Wisdom (to endure a mental effect). On a battlefield, such effects will be everywhere, and a soldier's ability to fight through the pain is more about their willingness to stay on the battlefield than the meager differences between their stats. Thus, it is assumed that these characters are succumbing to multiple effects, but their dedication to the cause determines if they actually flee.

Race

Race is determined using the two lowest scores. There are many types of dwarves, but most of them aren't dexterous. There are many types of elves, but most of them aren't strong.

Since you know how much I love spreadsheets, I made a spreadsheet to help determine race.

Note that this is based on Ahnerian (specifically Garlancian) racial breakdowns. I highly suggest changing the table if you have a different race makeup in your world.

Beyond that, each class gets a special ability that approximates their most combat-related racial trait.

• Dwarf: Ignore Poison damage
• Elf: Use highest stat for Passive Perception
• Human: Use highest stat for tactics
• Halfing: Use highest stat for Morale
• Dragonborn: Breath weapon - one use, ranged 1d12
• Gnome: Take half damage from magic
• Half Elf: Can select any class that matches highest ability, ignore second highest ability requirement
• Half Orc: If you would be killed, you are left at 1 HP instead
• Tiefling: If damaged, attacker takes 1d6 fire damage

Class

Class is determined using the highest two ability scores. This one was a lot more difficult to put together, and I ended up weighting it towards the core classes (Fighter, Rogue, Cleric, and Wizard), with the two most versatile classes (Monk and Warlock) also being the rarest.

Again, this is weighted the way I see Ahneria, so please adjust if your world is different. You can even adjust if the battle is different - if one side is mostly paladins, you'll want to play that up.

Here is the breakdown of each class.

Barbarian

• Melee attack die - 1d12
• Ranged attack die - 1d6
• Offensive Ability - Rage: +2 melee damage
• Defensive Ability - Unarmored: AC=CON, not DEX

Bard

• Melee attack die - 1d8
• Ranged attack die - 1d8
• Offensive Ability - Spell: Charm Person - force opponent to make morale check
• Defensive Ability - Inspire: Adjacent allies get +1 to attack rolls

Cleric

• Melee attack die - 1d8
• Ranged attack die - 1d8
• Offensive Ability - Smite: double damage against undead
• Defensive Ability - Spell: Bless - Adjacent allies get +1 to saving throws

Druid

• Melee attack die - 1d6
• Ranged attack die - 1d6
• Offensive Ability - Spell: Thunderwave - all adjacent take 1d8 damage
• Defensive Ability - Animal Form: double HP

Fighter

• Melee attack die - 1d10
• Ranged attack die - 1d10
• Offensive Ability - Precise: +2 to attack rolls
• Defensive Ability - Second Wind: heal self 1d10, usable once

Monk

• Melee attack die - 1d8
• Ranged attack die - 1d10
• Offensive Ability - Unarmed: extra attack using 1d4
• Defensive Ability - Unarmored: AC=CON, not DEX

Paladin

• Melee attack die - 1d10
• Ranged attack die - 1d8
• Offensive Ability - Smite: double damage against undead
• Defensive Ability - Lay on Hands: heal adjacent ally 1d10, usable once

Ranger

• Melee attack die - 1d6
• Ranged attack die - 1d12
• Offensive Ability - Spell: Hail of Thorns - on ranged hit, enemies adjacent to target take 1d4
• Defensive Ability - Explorer: ignore difficult terrain

Rogue

• Melee attack die - 1d10
• Ranged attack die - 1d10
• Offensive Ability - Precise: +2 to attack rolls
• Defensive Ability - Dodge: +5 to AC, usable once

Sorcerer

• Melee attack die - 1d6
• Ranged attack die - 1d6
• Offensive Ability - Spell: Chromatic Orb - 2d8 ranged damage
• Defensive Ability - Spell: Mage Armor - AC+3 for remainder of combat

Warlock

• Melee attack die - 1d6
• Ranged attack die - 1d6
• Offensive Ability - Spell: Eldritch Blast - double ranged attack, 1d10 damage
• Defensive Ability - Patron Bond: advantage on tactics and morale rolls

Wizard

• Melee attack die - 1d6
• Ranged attack die - 1d6
• Offensive Ability - Spell: Magic Missile - no attack roll, 1d4 damage to three targets
• Defensive Ability - Spell: Mage Armor - AC+3 for remainder of combat

Level

All of this was put together in order to approximate the power of a 1st level character. To create higher-level characters, just apply the following formulas:

• HP = CON x level
• Number of attacks = level / 5 (rounded down)

Using 6 Figure Characters At the Table

So, obviously it would be pretty inconvenient to use this system as it is presented here in this article. In order to make the system function better, I put together two sheets for players to use. One is a reference sheet for making a character, and the other is the simplified character sheet itself.

Here is the Reference Sheet.

Here is the Character Sheet.

Between them, they contain all of the rules laid out here. If a player has access to both, they should be able to make a character in no time at all.



Another fun game of spot-the-PCs-on-the-battlefield

Now, in my mind, a game using these characters could be the start of a campaign, where the players run through dozens of characters in the first session to simulate a war. Then, the surviving characters are transferred from the 6 Figure format to a full character sheet.

Because of the unusual stat-generation method, I would leave it up to the DM to decide if the players can reroll their stats. I might offer them an option:

1. You can keep your stats as is
2. You can change your stats to the standard array (15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8) but you have to keep them in highest-to-lowest order

This might mean that a couple 16's or 17's are knocked down to 15, but in return, the 4's and 5's are brought up to 8. I'm okay with that.

If I run a game using these rules, I'll make sure to link this article!

Thanks for reading!