Friday 29 December 2017

Four Gods of The City, manifested in Augmentations and Mutations

The City roils over a corrupted and mutated plane of intersecting multiverses, a situation brought on by wanton abuse of magically weaponry during the Guild Wars. As such, it is a place home to a multitude of Gods, too vast to catalog. The most archetypal of holy beings do manifest in a somewhat systematic way, allowing their influence to be felt in both the weird warpings known as mutations, and the induced body reconfiguration known as augmentation. Here are four such beings. Their imminence and venerability put them above base description but their manifestations are removed enough from their holy power to allow documentation. 

The White Worm:


Augmentations, Sacraments of the Worm King, d4:

1) Legs: Fat snake sized worm installed between skin and muscle, glows brightly. Food requirements doubled but can cast Cure Light Wounds once per day.

2) Arms: Golden ouroboros tattooed to palms, can be ignited/dimmed at will to provide illumination as Light spell.  

3) Torso: Plump pale and pulsing fist sized larval growths, receptors of empathy from Nearby beings, +1 CHA .

4) Head: Wreath of writhing worms fused to head, allows the command of two extra hirelings who have undying loyalty and no morale checks.

Mutations, Host of the Golden Worm, d4:

1) Legs: Veins glow white beneath the skin, always know the direction of the closest lawful place of worship.

2) Arms: White faint glowing worms writhing beneath skin, one per day can transfer 1d6 HP to target.

3) Torso: Stomach bulges, grows and is wrapped in a chitinous golden sworl, it thrums and beats harmoniously. Test CHA whenever a  HD1 beasts is Nearby. If successful it is calmed and quietened.

4) Head: Faint glowing halo hovers above head, those of lawful persuasion will find you more agreeable, those chaotic less so.

The Unifying Pattern:


Augmentations, Order Bringer Patterned Couplings, d4:
1) Legs: Intricate geometric plates of metal seared to feet. May walk on air with successful WIS test Rolled at Disadvantage. Can no longer move silently.
2) Arms: White chains bolted into joints of arms, running to hand and shoulder. Roll with Advantage when attacking beings of chaos, Roll with Disadvantage when attacking neutral or lawful beings.
3) Torso: Barrell like plating of alkalizing minerals bolted around stomach. Can cancel the casting of a target’s spell once per day with a successful CON test via round long spell eating ritual.
4) Head:A perfectly geometric unihorn sprouts from forehead. Bearers of the geometric unihorn can share thoughts. Those that share the same design of unihorn Roll with Advantage when testing actions done in unison.

Mutations, Holy Rhythm Orderings, d4:
1) Legs: Feet contorted into geometric holy symbols, can walk on water but -d4 DEX.
2) Arms: Fresh birthmark like geometric pattern form on flesh daily. Interpreting these has given insight into the future, but stunted other academic pursuits. -1 INT, can re-roll one dice roll a day.
3) Torso: A rhythmic thrum surges through body when standing Close to Chaotic entities.
4) Head: Features have perfect symmetry, + 1 CHA. This aesthetic perfection makes your face much more memorable.

Cranikax The Glowing:


Augmentations, Orbs of the Enlightened, d4:
1) Legs: A line of small, dull glowing auxiliary external brains installed along leg, +1 INT.
2) Arms: Golden, hive like growths on palm of hands produce glowing goopious substance that can be applied to objects once per day, allowing object to illuminate to a distance of Nearby for d6 hours.
3) Torso: Network of fleshy brain nodules installed over body, give receiver a sixth sense for incoming danger and boosted mind power,+1 INT and WIS, the delicate nature of the modules means a greater susceptibility to pain, - d6 HP .
4) Head: Eyes replaced with bulging glowing brain-like globes. Allows perfect vision in all light conditions and Roll with Advantage on all visual based tests. Visually, this augmentation is relatively affronting, -1 CHA.

Mutations, Growths of Cranikax, d4:
1) Legs: Bulbous thighs swollen with growth of additional brain. +1 INT, -1 DEX. Can survive without head, if removed (and nutrition provided).
2) Arms: Appendages atrophy into puny pink tentacles. Arm based STR tests and attacks Rolled with Disadvantage. Can use tentacles to  read the mind of a target via touch and INT test.
3) Torso: Glowing brain like growths cluster and bulge, producing illumination as a lantern if uncovered.
4) Head: Brain bulges expanding skull and cranium. Decreased balance and increased tottering, +1 INT, - 2 DEX.

Lord of The Flesh Lotus:


Augmentations, Flowers of the Awakened One, d4:
1) Legs: Pink fleshular flowers daily sprout along leg.  If leg bare, once per day can release pollen based sleep spell, test CON, if failure caster also falls asleep.
2) Arms: Puckered anemone’s grown from fingers, release calming magic on touch. Can be used once per day per level. Those touched by calming anemones re-roll reaction roll twice, and use the “calmest” result.
3) Torso: Soft flesh flap covering pink spongy mass growing on ribs, releases calming gas once per day that causes all Nearby to Roll with Disadvantage for d10 rounds.
4) Head: Pink cluster papules behind ears, once per day inundate Nearby target with gas, test CHA if successful target obeys all commands for 1 day.

Mutations, Birth Scents of the Flower Lord, d4:
1) Legs: Sweet smelling flower petal like plates cover flesh. +1 AC, can never run. Petals shed once a week and can be used as Fresh Rations.
2) Arms: Pink flesh loti ever bloom on skin. Emit calming scent, Roll Reactions checks with Advantage. May never raise arms in anger (cannot be used to attack).
3) Torso:  Enormous sweet smelling flesh lotus lives on belly, ever opening and closing. +4 CHA and total pacificity (lose the ability to attack, physically, mentally or magically).   
4) Head: Fleshy petals encase visage. Once per day a sentence length thought can be sent via pollen spore olfactory communication (Test CHA to check if message is interpreted correctly). Mind scent ever billows from petals making lying difficult (Roll with Disadvantage when attempting any sort of interpersonal subterfuge).

Thursday 9 November 2017

Elde Spellcasting for Guild Dogs and Others

A school of sorcery nigh outlawed since the coming of the Curse of the Law. The uncontrolled and corrosive practice of Elde was infamously destructive during the apocalyptic height of the Guild Wars. Any bound by the Curse of the Law, the pact of the guilds, is forbidden from using this school (by pain of instant quenchment of existence). The Guild Dogs that corrupt the streets of The City are, alas, not bound by such accords. 

An elde wizard

Elde spell casting is a random potential skill of the Guild Dog character class. A pure "Elde Spellcaster" could be run in The Black Hack by simply changing "Acane Spells" of the conjurer to the spells below. Keep everything else the same as per the Conjurer class.

An elde wizard 
Notes: 

Getting these spells written has been eating away at me for a while, so I've pushed them out in a slight rush to at least semi nail them down. As such, they may be a little rough at times and are completely NOT in the neat, tidy and logical format of the original The Black Hack spellbooks. They may be tidied up over time, or alternately all Guild Dogs stuff may just keep getting wilder and unwieldy over time.

A few spells refer to "as determined by the gm", "random bless", "random summon", etc. These additionally tables are on their way. Use the "Aspect" table at the bottom of the post for now.


Elde Spellcasting:

Elde spellcasters receive 1 random mutation each level.


1
Minor Summon from the depths: Summon random monster from lower plane, 5% chance per caster level it is under caster’s control. If not under caster’s control, roll random reaction roll. Random creature’s HD =  d4. Monster lasts till killed, test 5% per caster level chance of caster control each day.   

Evoke Minor substance from the depths: Summon caster level x sack fulls of random substance from lower planes (determined by GM).

Alkalize metaphysics: Make a distinct and inert item more normal and lawful.

Acidify metaphysics: Make a distinct and inert items more weird and chaotic.
2
Slow warp: Randomly acidify/alkalize metaphysics of an entire room over time. Transformation takes d20 days minus caster level days to complete.

Minor compact: Caster only randomly determined bless. Lasts d6 hours. See “The Gods of the City” table.

Otherworldly insight : Requires entrails as  reagent to cast, the specific entrails used determine the type of insight given.  Caster can consult the otherworld about a specific topic through the lense of the entrails provided. The caster will receive their level in number of points of detail in the insight.

Cause dread: Put 4d8 HD worth of  beings on the cusp of terror for caster level hours. Test their  WIS every round they have to do something vaguely or conceivably scary. If failed they flee for d6 rounds.  

Lesser sacrificing ritual: randomly determined bless on caster level x targets.  Must sacrifice 1 hd sentient being in a ceremony that takes 1 hour. Lasts 1 day. See “The Gods of the City” table.
3
Growth from the depths: Summon weird architecture or plant growth (determined randomly by GM). Covers d6 x level square meters/feet.

Homunculus: Random, permanent and man like summoned servant, -1 caster HP permanently (from total) each time cast. Homunculus has 1d6 for each attribute and 1d6 HP. Levels up with caster, receiving d4 extra HP and +1 to attribute of caster’s choice.  

Blast from the depths: Random elemental breath attack. Does caster level x caster damage die damage to all targets Close to area visually targeted by caster plus the following follow random effect:
d12
1: Air, targets test DEX to avoid being blown to the ground.
2: Water, targets all drenched with elemental water, wet for d4 days (test for appropriate illnesses if appropriate).
3: Fire, targets set alight for d4 rounds, taking d6 damage a round.
4: Earth, targets encased in stone for d6 rounds.
5: Bile, CON test all equipment on targets to avoid rotting away.
6: Disease, CON test all targets to avoid getting a random disease.
7: Sludge, CON test all targets to avoid losing 1d6 CHA permanently.
8: Mineral, increase damage by 1 die.
9: Animal, d6 x targets 1HD biteling vermin accompany blast and set to devouring any nearby targets
10: Vegetation: Targets encased in vines for 1 day, all tests Rolled with Disadvantage)  
Cause horror: Test 4d8 HD worth of beings WIS, if fail they are terrified of the caster and flee from their sight for caster level hours.  
S
uggestion worm: Caster summons a 1HD mind control worm. If able to penetrate the skin of a target they will follow all commons of the caster for caste level x hours.
4
Travel the lower depths: Travel through a random section of “The lower depths” to traverse an area in the physical world. Distance depends on level, random encounter check - Caster level number of sentient beings can accompany the caster. See “The Gods of the City” table.

Sacrifice to the old ones: More powerful random bless. Day long random bless on level x targets.  Must sacrifice 4HD being, ceremony takes 1 hour. See “The Gods of the City” table.

Bind entity from the depths: Summon random permanent monster, minus 1 from random attribute. HD = level of caster, see Random Summoned Monster for abilities and form.

Curse: Random affliction on target, lasts caster level hours. See “The Gods of the City” table.

Swarm from the depths: Caster level x  d6 horde of random 1hd creatures, lasts d4 x caster level rounds. Only has form as per Random Summoned Monster table, no abilities.

Madness: Random temporary insanity on target, lasts caster level days.
5
Contact old one: Random elde god takes an interest in casters life for caster level days. HP, CON STR and DEX of caster halved during this time . See “The Gods of the City” table.

Voodoo: requires materials and organic material from target, cause damage from afar. 5% cumulative chance of haunting by random lower depth beasts per day when cast.

Scrying: Consciousness disconnects from the body for caster level hours. Caster may not be able to return to body, caster level x 10% is the possibility of returning to corporeal form. If returning to body fails caster must wait d6 hours to attempt to rejoin with body.

Warp area: Randomly acidify/alkalize metaphysics of an entire city block over time. transformation takes d20 days minus level days to complete. Each time this is cast the caster losts 1 STR permanently.  

Dissipate to lower depths: Take on random incorporeal visage in random section of the lower depths. Appears as unconsciousness in the physical realm. Caster gains the full ability to communicate with the denizens here. Lasts up to caster level hours.
6
Unholy breeding: Gain the homunculus offspring of two things within the caster’s sight. Caster becomes pregnant with the offspring and the gestation period = d20 days hours minus caster level which the caster rolls all tests at Disadvantage. Caster loses 1 from random attribute at birth. Birthed homunculus is an independent being that views the caster as a godlike figure, but can rebel if mistreated. Birthed homunculus can level up as a player character.

Awaken old one: Sacrifice d10 hd4 beings to manifest a random elde god in the physical realm. Roll a reaction roll to see how they feel about that. See “The Gods of the City” table.

Cause insanity: Random permanent insanity on target, caster loses 1 hp.  

Tear reality:open a random portal to the lower depths (what pours forth determined by GM), lasts caster level hours.

Winged swarm from the depths: Caster level x  d6 horde of random 1hd creatures with wings. Lasts d4 x caster level rounds. Only has form as per Random Summoned Monster table, no abilities.

Reveal truth: Reveal the utter truth about something in caster level x points of detail.
7
Alkaline paradigm shift : Randomly alkalize metaphysics of an an entire suburb over time. transformation takes d20 days minus level days to complete. Caster permanently loses 1 point of charisma and gains mutation.  

Acidifying paradigm shift: Randomly acidify metaphysics of an an entire suburb over time. transformation takes d20 days minus level days to complete. Caster permanently loses 1 point of wisdom

Greater sacrificing ritual: Sacrifice d10 hd6 beings, gain permanent random bless. See “The Gods of the City” table.  

Change truth: A truth is changed in a random way (GM determined). Caster targets truth. Lose 1 wisdom and gain a mutation.

Aspect table:

1
2
3
4
1
Good, peaceful, kind
Holy, ordered, right
Light, illumination, enlightenment
Floating, peace, meditation
2
Air, empty, vacuum
Ethereal, wispy, ghostly
Wind, blowing, unseen mover
Storm,  rapid movement, speed
3
Tiny, shrinking, wasting away
Invisible, translucent, clear
Intangible, non corporeal, fading
Life, regrowth, rejuvenation
4
Value, gems, gold
Thought, philosophy, intellect
Internal organs, viscera, blood
Reflection, mirror, stillness
5
Water, cycles, karma
Equalization, law, justice
Cleansing, alkalizing, evaporation
Procrustean, rigidity, incarceration
6
Wildness, out of place, overgrown
Bestial, savageness, feeding
Nature, grove, peace
Chaos, disorder, mutation
7
Fire, explosions, heat
Destruction, rubble, ruin
Limbs, appendages, grasping locomotion
External action, destiny, prophecy
8
Monstrous, terrifying, abomination
Gargantuan, giant, enormous
Enveloping, enclosed, soft embrace
Straining, breaking, cracks
9
Deep, below, underground
Earth, soil, stone
Solid, mass, black holes
Time, dust, history
10
Evil, hate, pain
Profane, cruelty, desecration
Darkness, shadows, loss
Death, rot, decay