The Axe Lands Volume 1: Men & Magic

I have updated my old Blessed Realms of Normandie campaign rules for my Axe Lands setting, and created a new document with new layout and art (well public domain art). Included are update (revised) rules for jousting as well.

You can find the pdf here and in my download section, Also if my proofs look okay, I will make them available on LULU for cheap.

Mortzengersturm, The Mad Manticore of the Prismatic Peak now on sale.

The longest title in the Hydra Cooperative catalog, Mortzengersturm, The Mad Manticore of the Prismatic Peak is now on sale in pdf. Excellent adventure by Trey Causey.

Kensei Class

Gakusho Class

Gakusho 1st Level Spells

I have decided to fallback to Swords & Wizardry as my base rule set for Deluxe Ruins & Ronin, and today I have been converting character classes back to that set. In addition, I have begun creating the spells lists for the Gakusho (formerly the Sohei class). The Gakusho are the priests of the Ruins & Ronin game (either a shinto-like priest to one of the thousands of gods, or a follower of the path of eightfold enlightenment). 

Here are the spells for 1st level Gakusho:

Gakusho Spell List

Level 1

Animal Companion

Bless*

Cure Light Wounds*

Deflection

Detect Evil

Detect Magic

Light

Purify Food & Drink

Resist

Weapon Bless

Gakusho First Level Spells

Animal Companion

Spell Level: Gakusho, 1st Level

Range: 1 mile radius

Duration: Special

This spell is only effective outdoors and will summon one normal woodland creature within 1 mile of the caster. The animal is determined by the Referee based on the local fauna and must be equal to or less than the HD of the Gakusho. The creature is friendly to the Gakusho and will travel with him but will not go beyond 20 miles from where summoned, and will not enter any human settlement.

There is no telepathic communication, the animal will understand simple commands and hand gestures and will serve the caster to the best of its’ abilities and nature.

Bless

Spell Level: Gakusho, 1st Level

Range: Only upon a character not in combat

Duration: 1 hour (6 turns)

This spell grants its recipient a +1 to attack rolls (and improves morale, if the recipient is a non-player character). The recipient cannot already be in combat when this spell is cast. An evil reversal of this spell allows a Chaotically aligned Gakusho to curse a target causing a -1 to hit & morale (if cast before combat).

Cure Light Wounds

Spell Level: Gakusho, 1st Level

Range: Touch

Duration: Immediate

Cures 1d6+1 hit points of damage. An evil reversal of this spell allows a Chaotically aligned Gakusho to cause light wounds rather than healing them.

Deflection

Spell Level: Gakusho, 1st Level

Range: 30 feet

Duration: 2 rounds per level

Creates a mystical shield that protects all within range from missiles and melee attacks. Any hit on a protected target allows a saving throw vs. death, if successful the target takes no damage from missile weapons and ½ damage from melee attacks. (Failed saves take normal damage).

Detect Evil

Spell Level: Gakusho, 1st Level

Range: 120 feet

Duration: 1 hour

The caster detects any evil enchantments, evil intentions, evil thoughts, or evil auras within the spell’s range. Poison is not inherently evil and cannot be detected by means of this spell. Whether there is any distinction between “evil” and “Chaos” is left to the Referee; in most campaigns they are exactly the same.

Detect Magic

Spell Level: Gakusho, 1st Level

Range: 60 feet

Duration: 20 minutes

The caster can perceive, in places, people, or things, the presence of a magical spell or enchantment. For example, magical items may be discovered in this fashion, as can the presence of a charm secretly laid upon a person.

Light

Spell Level: Gakusho, 1st Level

Range: 60 feet

Duration: 2 hours

The target person or object (at a range of up to 60 feet) produces light about as bright as a torch, to a radius of 20 feet.

Purify Food & Drink

Spell Level: Gakusho, 1st Level

Range: Close/Touch (Referee’s discretion)

Duration: Immediate

Enough food and water for up to a dozen people is made pure, removing spoilage and poisons.

Resist

Spell Level: Gakusho, 1st Level

Range: Touch

Duration: 1 turn per level

This spell hardens the target against the pains and discomforts of heat, cold, fatigue, and hunger. The target is unaffected by normal heat or cold and suffers -1 per die of damage from magical fire/cold. Fatigue is banished as is the target rested for 1 hour for each level of the caster (although this does not allow spell casters to regain spells). The effects of hunger or starvation are dispelled until the spell has expired.

Weapon Bless

Spell Level: Gakusho, 1st Level

Range: Touch

Duration: Special

The Gakusho can prepare one weapon for combat against a particular foe. The Gakusho must write upon the weapon the identity of the foe and several sutras to give the weapon power. The exact name of the foe is not needed but the identity must be specific, identifying only a single character or creature. For example, stating that the weapon is to be used against the “Jorogumo” is not sufficient. However, stating that the weapon is to be used against the “Jorogumo the dwells in the falls below the Gorge Temple” is a precise enough description. The weapon is considered a magic weapon with a +5 to hit and damage for the first attack only. If the weapon is used against a different creature, the spell is wiped clean and no bonus is given. The spell cannot be cast upon an already magical weapon.

Strange Stars OSR now available...

My good friend Trey at the Sorcerer's Skull blog has released the OSR edition of Strange Stars:

Now available for digital download:

Now you can explore the STRANGE STARS universe in Sine Nomine Publishing's acclaimed Stars Without Number or similar Old School Rennaissance-derived games!

Join a salvage mission to steal ancient tech from the wreck of a deranged sophont warship. Scavange parts from giant ancient robots on Gogmagog. Cross swords with a Zao Pirate in hard vacuum. Experience a galaxy of adventure with STRANGE STARS OSR!

This 35-page rule book includes:

- Tips for creatings characters and 19 clades from Atozan librarians to armored thrax warriors as player character options.
- A catalog of adversaries and threats from the monstrous ssraad to the more subtle agents of the Instrumentality.
- A gazeteer of known worlds and rules for creating random orbital habitats
- A sampling of factions big and small from across the known galaxy
- Advice on running adventures and campaigns in the Strange Stars with a random adventure seed generator

Get it here!

A new Ruins & Ronin monster, the Hari Onago...

Hari Onago (Hook Girl)
No. Appearing:	1(1)
Alignment:	Chaotic
Movement:	120’ (40’)
Armor Class:	5
Hit Dice:	3
Attacks:	4 (2 hooks & 2 claws)
Damage:	1d6 (hooks) / 1d8 (claws)
Save:	Bushi 3
Morale:	11
Hoard Class:	XX
XP	200

Hari Onago are fierce creatures that roam darkened city streets and alleys looking for young male prey.  From a distance they appear as young, pale women with long black hair. Once close enough to their victim (within 10’) they smile at their target (usually handsome young men), and if the target returns the smile, they strike. In a lightning fast attack their hair whips out in long strands which end in sharp hooks, and latches onto their prey with a successful to-hit roll (doing 1d6 damage). If one or both attacks hit, they are latched on and do a further 1d3 damage each round. To break free requires a strength check on 4d6 (roll equal or less than the character’s strength to break free). The victim is then dragged within striking range of the creature’s claw attack.

Once a victim is killed, the monster will devour him there in the dark streets, thus they usually prey on solitary men perhaps too drunk to resist a beautiful girls advances.

The Hari Onago makes its lair in caves, tombs, or abandoned houses near to cities and large castle-towns.

Note: This art is not from the book. Though it is amazing work.

Ao-Nyobo (Blue Wife)

Ao-Nyobo (Blue Wife)
No. Appearing:	1(1)
Alignment:	Chaotic
Movement:	120' (40') / 90’ (30’) Flying
Armor Class:	5
Hit Dice:	4
Attacks:	1 + special
Damage:	2d4+ special
Save:	Bushi 5
Morale:	11
Hoard Class:	None
XP	450

This female ghoul-creature can be found lurking in the ruins of old castles, she resembles an old courtly lady with blue skin, blackened teeth, and no eyebrows. As with ghouls and ghasts, a hit from the Ao-nyobo causes paralysis if the victim fails a saving throw. The Ao-nyobo is capable of flight and prefers to ambush victims from above - often hiding in the rafters of half-ruined buildings to swoop down upon the unsuspecting. In the outdoors, an Ao-nyobo will often chase down any escaped prey in a relentless, airborne hunt. Ao-nyobo are turned as ghasts.

K'MORI ONI (Bat Goblins)

Today we take a look at the K'mori Oni, bat goblins who were created by the mad K'MORI KAMI (the bat demon) who once ruled over the K'mori Castle and terrorized the western lands of the empire. Though long dead (it is thought), his servants still haunt the caves and ruins of the land in and around Goma Castle Town.

K’Mori-Oni (Bat Goblins)
No. Appearing:	2d4 (6d10)
Alignment:	Chaotic
Movement:	60’ (20’) / 30’ (10’) Flying
Armor Class:	6
Hit Dice:	1
Attacks:	1
Damage:	1d6  or by weapon
Save:	Bushi 1
Morale:	7
Hoard Class:	III (XX)
XP	5

K’Mori-Oni are the twisted servants of the long dead K’MORI KAMI (bat demon lord of K’mori Castle). These twisted little humanoids have terrific hearing but poor eyesight and suffer -1 to attack in bright daylight. They have short, leathery wings that allow them a limited ability to fly for short periods of time. They are vampiric and feed on the blood of any living creature.

Making their lairs in caves and ruins, they sleep hanging upside down like a bat.

MOGURA-JIN (Mole Men)

Mogura-Jin (Mole Men)
No. Appearing:	2d6 (6d6)
Alignment:	Chaotic
Movement:	90’ (30’)
Armor Class:	7
Hit Dice:	2
Attacks:	1
Damage:	1d6 claws
Save:	Bushi 2
Morale:	9
Hoard Class:	XX
XP	60

Mogura-Jin are a race of subterranean humanoids descended from a group of villagers who resorted to cannibalism during a particularly fierce winter and were cursed by the Gods. They are squat beings, between 4 and 5 feet tall with pale skin, small beady red eyes, no body hair, and nails overgrown to claws.

Like their animal namesake (the mole) they are proficient tunnelers and their preferred method of attacking their victims is to tunnel under them and emerge from the ground in a swarm attack to surprise them.

Mogura-Jin can see perfectly well even in total darkness; however their over-sensitive eyes are easily blinded by bright lights.

YUKI ONNA

Another new creature for Ruins & Ronin Deluxe.

Yuki Onna (Snow Woman)
No. Appearing:	1 (1)
Alignment:	Chaotic
Movement:	120' (40')
Armor Class:	3
Hit Dice:	4
Attacks:	2 (grapple/special)
Damage:	1d8 cold damage / drain life energy
Save:	Bushi 4
Morale:	12
Hoard Class:	XVIII
XP	300

Yuki Onna have unearthly beauty with flowing black hair and penetrating violet eyes. They haunt high mountain passes and prey on travelers on the snow covered trails. Their first attack is an attempt to grapple with their prey, and does 1d8 damage from the cold of their touch. If the first attack is successful they then attempt to kiss their victim and drain the life from their body. Each successful kiss attack drains 1 experience level. The victim can attempt to break free with a strength check (rolling 4d6 with success equal or less than current STR score). If the victim breaks free, the Yuki Onna must attempt to grapple again next round, otherwise the Yuki Onna does not attack the next round, but will automatically drain an experience level until the victim is dead (and frozen solid).

Yuki Onna can only be damaged by magical weapons, and is unaffected by sleep, hold, or charm spells.