Showing posts with label Pathfinder. Show all posts

Azkun knelt before the bleeding miscreant, his hand swirling with grey clouds. Gently, the smoke filtered in through the dying man's nostils, and his wounds scabbed over. Waking with a cough, the thief seemed dazed and uncoordinated despite the worst of his wounds having been healed. Standing, the Orc frowned down at his victim. "Now," he boomed, not even bothering to pin the reeling man "You will tell me what I need to know, or you will die a hundred more deaths."


Cure Light Wounds, Baleful

For the record, I am very hungover right now, and I was just pondering to myself how I definitely was suffering penalties for the condition. (author's note: I wrote this first sentence and then literally just did nothing for an hour). My gift to you today is something we all need; more rules bloat! Yaaaaaay!

Hangover Rules
A character can drink several drinks before the dreaded hangover kicks in, but the exact amount varies from person to person and the situation. Typically, a character can drink up to twice their constitution modifier (minimum 2) in drinks before having to worry about ever having a hangover. After that, each drink consumed forces a Constitution check (DC=10+amount of drinks consumed). Any bonuses to saves against poisons may be added to this check, and immunity to poison ensures one never gets a hangover (and, indeed, can never get drunk!). The amount of times this check is failed determines how the character will feel in the morning.

• 1-2 failed saves: The thirsty condition. A thirsty character takes a -2 penalty on skill and ability checks. This condition lasts until the character drinks one good glass of water, or until they have been awake for at least an hour.
• 2-4 failed saves: The hungover condition. A hungover character takes a -2 penalty on all skill and ability checks, a -4 penalty on Perception checks, can neither run nor charge and takes a –2 penalty to Strength and Dexterity. This condition lasts 1d3 hours after the character drinks two good glasses of water, or until they have been awake for at least 1d6+1 hours.
• 5+ failed saves: The urrgh-what-the-hell condition. A urrgh-what-the-hell character takes a -4 penalty to all skill and ability checks, a -8 penalty on perception and concentration checks, and is considered nauseated and exhausted. This condition lasts for 2d6 hours, but if a the afflicted character consumes a gallon of water it is reduced to the hungover condition. 

I'm feeling better already!

Any seasoned necromancer knows that skeletons aren't the only tools at their disposal. When it comes down to it, sometimes a more freshly-dead corpse is more convenient or desirable for the task at hand; thus, a zombie is born. Anyone making the dead rise again that's worth their salt knows that the same subtle infusions of magic that can personalize skeletons is also used to create very unique and useful zombies.

The following skeleton variants can be raised by players by sacrificing a spell slot or prepared spell detailed in the variant along with a casting of animate dead. (For example, the "Fleshnaught" zombie variant requires a spell with the force descriptor. A wizard casts animate dead and sacrifices a prepared wall of force, and creates a Fleshnaught zombie that has a +5 bonus to CMB checks.) (continued after the jump)

To some, raising the skeletal remains of the dead is nothing but business. They are but minions, serving their masters thoughtlessly and generically, and the necromancer thinks nothing of these servants. To others, however, these skeletons are a grisly canvass - a blank slate - for a morbid art little have the dark knowledge to take part in. The following skeleton variants can be raised by players by sacrificing a spell slot or prepared spell detailed in the variant along with a casting of Animate Dead. (For example, the "Dry Bones" variant requires a spell with the fire descriptor. A wizard casts Animated Dead and sacrifices a prepared scorching ray, and creates a Dry Bones skeleton that had Fire Resistance 10 and deals 2 extra fire damage with natural attacks.) (continued after the jump)

When I first started getting into computer programming (I very briefly almost learned basic C++), I decided my very first project would be RPG-related. After all, I'd used a variety of very excellent tools in the past (shout out to DMGenie for helping me make it through early high school as DM) and couldn't think of a better practical application for barely functional programming skills. What came to mind first, you ask? Why, an initiative tracker, that's what! Needless to say it never really materialized. I have a habit of getting excited about things and never finishing them.

I bring it up because I've been experimenting with a new initiative system these last few months, and I'd like to share my results with you, dear readers. As someone who often runs games for large parties, I have dealt with the crippling slowdown that can occur as initiative drags painstakingly from player to player. People who complete their turns can sometimes have as much as 20 minutes in worst case scenarios to wait for their next turn. People occasionally have a hard time staying focused, especially if there are forms of entertainment about, or something else preoccupying them (March madness, anyone?). (continued after the jump)

This is the last 24 hours worth of search results (top ten) that led people to arrive at Rocks Fall

Have you ever been playing a video game or watching a movie, only to find yourself thinking "I want to play a character like that in a Tabletop RPG"? Welcome to my new series, Pathfinding, where we show off the versatility of the Pathfinder RPG ruleset and recreate popular culture archetypes for your using pleasure.

The Vanguard

I've had a little time to tinker around in Bioware's third installment in their epic space RPG, Mass Effect 3, and the selectable Vanguard class has me positively giggling every time I play as one. I got to thinking about how one would replicate the instant charge and crushing offense of the vanguard within the confines of the Pathfinder roleplaying system, and after a little bit of tinkering I was able to come up with a pretty decent replication. (continued after the jump)

I've been DMing a campaign in my Ralsenna setting, the first session of which took part in the process of travelling from city to city. Since the tech level in Ralsenna is higher than in the traditional D&D/Pathfinder setting, this necessitated a bit of research on my part, presented here for your benefit.

Steam Era Transportation
Service	Speed	Cost
Steam ship's passage	5 mph	15 cp per mile
Train ride, fast	70 mph	25 cp per mile
Train ride, slow	50 mph	2 sp per mile
Trolly	—	1 cp per ride

Steam ships: Steam ships are essential keelboats with steam engines, allowing them to travel at about 5 miles per hour.

Trains: Average trains can travel anywhere between 35 and 80 miles per hour between stops, moving along a fixed track. Depending on how many cars are in the train, the vehicle can be a hundred feet long or more. A passenger car can usually hold 24 to 30 passengers, and a freight car can hold about 25 tons of cargo.

Trolly: Larger cities may have trolly systems in place, wherein an electric system of train cars travels a set track around the city at regular intervals. In a larger city, where coach cabs are in high demand, sometimes the trolly is the only way to get where you need to go.

Zabuzel wiped the specks of blood from the hem of his cloak and aimed his rifle at the last man standing in the hot saloon. "W-What do you want? Please, j-just let me—" "Silence," the drow gunman growled, "The bag you took from me. You know the one. Where is it?" The man looked confused, pointing behind the bar. "You came for that? But... why? It's worthless." Zabuzel let the man finish his sentence before pulling the trigger. "The same could be said of many things, friend."

Aura moderate conjuration; CL 9th
Slot —; Price 2,500 gp; Weight 10 lbs.

This nondescript hemp sack constantly leaks a small amount of grey dust from gaps in its fibers. Without the command word, all that can be found in the bag is 10 lbs. of this dust. However, with the proper command word, an item placed in the bag, under the dust, becoming stored safely in an extradimensional space. The bag can contain up to 8 cubic feet or 80 pounds of material. Even when so filled, the bag always weighs only 10 pounds.

The stored items can be retrieved by speaking the same command word and clearly mentally picturing the item while reaching into the dust. Alternatively, all stored items can be retrieved at once by speaking the command word and dumping the bag's dust onto the ground.

If emptied of dust (either with or without the command word), the bag cannot be used again for one week as the dust magically re-accumulates.

Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, glitterdust, secret chest; Cost 1,250 gp (+100 XP for D&D)

By now, you've probably read a review of the Pathfinder RPG Advanced Player's Guide; if you haven't, our friends over at Troll in the Corner have a lovely piece up singing the tome's praises, and you should go check that out if you want a full review.

What I'm more interested in is demonstrating the flexibility afforded by the new options available in the Advanced Player's Guide. One of the main issues that the Advanced Player's Guide addresses for the races is that certain race/class combinations leave you with abilities that you can't use; the best example of this is that an elf who classes as a non-spellcaster has no use for elven magic. You still might make a good character this way, but from a mechanics standpoint it makes more sense to build a character that can take advantage of all its abilities. By adding alternative abilities to elven magic and other racial abilities, the Advanced Player's Guide effectively makes race/class combos feasible.

The class options also open a lot of doors. I felt very much like, where in the past a whole new class would have been created to accomodate an archetype, many of the class variants negated that need. I think this is an important step toward avoiding some of the class-glut that happened in D&D 3.5. (Also, longtime readers may appreciate the weight of the following statement: The Advanced Player's Guide made me want to play a bard. But only a little!)

These two aspect, of course, don't even scratch the surface of everything the Advanced Player's Guide has to offer, they are simply the most important aspects in my opinion. To whet your palate for all the option-y goodness in this book, I whipped up a nice little NPC to show off a few things. Readers, meet Kzazsi:

A male half-orc appears before you, his heavily-tattooed body trembling with uncontrolled rage, a length of chain studded with wicked barbs hanging from his meaty grasp. His form is surrounded by translucent spirits that beckon you forth.
XP 800
Male half-orc superstitious barbarian 4
CG Medium humanoid (human, orc)
Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +7
AC 18, touch 10, flat-footed 18 (+2 Dex, +7 armor, +1 natural, –2 rage); +1 insight on surprise rounds
hp 43 (4d12+12)
Fort +8, Ref +3, Will +4
Defensive Abilities sacred tattoo*, sixth sense*, uncanny dodge
Speed 30 ft. in +1 breastplate (40 ft. base)
Melee mwk spiked chain +11 (2d4+9), slam +5 (1d4+1 negative energy)
Attack Options Power Attack
Special Attack rage (15 rounds/day), rage powers (quick reflexes, lesser spirit totem)
AC 20, touch 12, flat-footed 20 (+2 Dex, +7 armor, +1 natural); +1 insight on surprise rounds
hp 35 (4d12+4)
Fort +6, Will +2
Melee mwk spiked chain +9 (2d4+6)
CMB +8; CMD 20
Str 18 (22), Dex 14, Con 13 (17), Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 13
Base Atk +4; CMB +10; CMD 22
Feats Ironhide*, Power Attack
Skills Intimidate +10, Perception +7, Survival +7; Racial Modifiers +2 Intimidate
SQ chain fighter*, fast movement, intimidating, orc blood
Languages Common, Orc
Combat Gear potions of cure light wounds (4) potion of enlarge person, smokesticks (2), tanglefoot bags (2); Other Gear masterwork spiked chain, javelins (3), +1 breastplate, war paint of the terrible visage*, 100 gp
*See Advanced Player's Guide for full description

Kzazsi was born to an orc mother, Azanna, an oracle and protector of their people who was tormented by the restless spirits of her dead kinsmen. During his early years, Kzazsi was regarded as normal at best, and somewhat frail at worst. However, since he first learned to speak, it was clear that he was cursed with a mystic connection to his orc ancestors. The spirits that haunted his mother also tortured her son, driving his young mind to the brink of sanity. In a final attempt to save her son, Azanna travelled to the peak of a mountain to commune with the gods. They sent her a vision of an intricate pattern. As soon as she returned from her pilgrimage, she had the pattern tattooed on Kzazsi's body.

The tattoos empowered the spirits and turned them to Kzazsi's will, and he quickly learned to channel his anger to control them. However, his new power frightened the rest of the tribe, and many believed he would grow to be a powerful necromancer. Out of respect for his mother, they simply exiled him instead of killing him as some wished.

Away from the security of his tribe, he was soon captured by marauding human slavers. He remained their prisoner for several years, variously serving as a laborer, gladiator, or servant as his masters pleased, and narrowly avoiding death while continuing to hone his connection to the spirit world. When the slavers were eventually attacked by a group of elven rangers, Kzazsi broke free and aided their assault, then fled to a nearby city.

He has since scraped by in human society, chasing down rogue magic users and bandits for money.

The standard ghost template provides a number of fearsome special attacks to attach to your campaign's phantoms, but these six abilities by no means cover the myriad reasons a ghost may return from beyond the veil. Below are five more special attacks to haunt your players.

Cursesworn (Su): When the ghost died, it laid a curse upon its enemies which never came to fruition. It now spits magical curses nearly as easily as it speaks. As a move action, the ghost can lay a curse on a target within 60 feet with one of the following effects: –2 to one ability score, –2 on attack and damage rolls, –2 on all saving throws, –4 on concentration checks, or reduce the target's speed by half. The target can resist being cursed with a successful Will save. There is a 20% chance every time the ghost uses this ability that the target gains a boon instead of being cursed; this comes in the form of a +1 luck bonus to attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks and ability checks. The effects of this ability (be it a curse or a boon) lasts for a number of round equal to the ghost's HD. No target can be affected by more that one of these curses at a time; if it becomes cursed again, the previous curse ends.

Eternal Warrior (Su): The ghost died in righteous battle. The ghost may choose to treat any weapon, armor, or shield with which it is proficient as though it had the ghost touch weapon quality.

Lull (Su): The ghost was killed in its sleep. In death, its touch saps its target's will and lulls the target into a lethargic stupor. It gains a touch attack that deals 1d4 Wisdom damage and causes fatigue. If the target is fatigued, it instead becomes exhausted. If the target is exhausted, it instead falls into a magical sleep, as per the spell (no HD limit, caster level equal to the ghost's HD). If the target is asleep, it instead rises, sleepwalking, under the ghost's full control; treat the target as under the effects of the dominate person and slow spells for a number of rounds equal to the ghost's HD (caster level 9th or equal to the ghost's HD, whichever is greater); after the duration elapses, the creature falls into a magical sleep (see above). The target can resist the attack with a successful Will save. This is a mind-affecting effect.

Paranoia (Su): The ghost was betrayed by a trusted friend or ally. By whispering its suspicious, paranoid delusions to an opponent within 30 feet as a standard action, it can cause the target to become confused (caster level 7th or equal to the ghost's HD, whichever is greater). The target can resist the attack with a successful Will save. A creature that successfully saves is immune to that same ghost's paranoia for 24 hours. If the ghost attacks the target, it gets another save against this effect. If the target attacks a former ally while under this effect, it must make another Will save. If it fails, the confusion ends but it becomes charmed (as per the charm monster spell, caster level 7th or equal to the ghost's HD, whichever is greater). This is a language-dependent mind-affecting effect.

Shroud of Despair (Su): The ghost died by its own hand. It gains the ability to consume its enemies with thoughts of the inevitability of death. As a standard action, the ghost evokes a thin shroud of smoke in a 10-foot radius burst centered on itself. This smoke remains for a number of rounds equal to the ghost's HD. This smoke provides concealment from foes more than 5 feet away and, in addition, any living creature in the smoke or who enters it must make a Will save or be filled with despair as long as they remain in the shroud. Creatures affected in this way suffer the effects of crushing despair, always attempt the save against harmless spells and effects (such as cure light wounds), and refuse to leave the shroud willingly. Affected creatures can attempt a new save as a full-round action. A creature that successfully saves is immune to that same ghost's shroud of despair for 24 hours. This is a mind-affecting effect.

Sha'nes ducked behind a fallen tree, narrowly avoiding the blast of brackish green energy that seared away the brush around her. Wiping cold sweat from her brow, she leapt back atop the tree trunk, charging through the moonlit woods, rushing toward the necromancer. She punched him once square in the chest, knocking him back a step, before he hoisted a small darkwood chest in his arms. The thing gave off a palpable enervating energy which grew stronger as the necromancer undid the lock keeping it shut. As the lid lifted, a thin mist raced through the air, searing Sha'nes's skin, opening wounds where none had been before...

Aura strong necromancy; CL 15th
Slot —; Price 200,000 gp; Weight 15 lbs.

This item is a darkwood chest bound in black chains. If any living creature dies within 30 feet on the black coffer, its soul is instantly trapped inside unless it succeeds on a Will saving throw (DC 22). If the coffer is open when a creature fails this save, it immediately closes. Creatures whose souls are contained in the black coffer cannot be returned to life until the soul has been released except by the intervention of a deity.

If used as a spell focus for a Necromancy spell, the caster gains a +1 circumstance bonus to caster level per soul trapped within the black coffer.

If used as a spell focus for a Conjuration (healing) spell cast to return one of the souls contained in the coffer to life, the soul can be released as part of the spell. This drastically reduces the physical stress of returning to life, negating any Constitution drain or permanent negative levels the target may have incurred as part of the spell, and the target instead suffers 2 Wisdom drain from the mental stress of having been in the coffer.

The coffer can be opened as a full-round action. Trapped souls are immediately released when the coffer is opened, and these confused spirits harm any creature nearby as they escape. If the black coffer contains at least one soul and is opened, all creatures within 30 feet a number of d6s of damage equal to the CR of the creature with the greatest CR whose soul is trapped in the coffer. A Fortitude save (DC 22) halves this damage. An open coffer also emits an area of desecrate centered on itself regardless of whether any souls were trapped inside.

The black coffer holds a maximum of five souls at a time. If a new soul enters the coffer while it contains five souls, the soul that has been in the coffer is immediately released. As it escapes, it emits a terrifying moan, and all creatures within 30 feet of the coffer must make a Will save (DC 22) or be panicked for 2d4 rounds.

Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, desecrate, trap the soul; Cost 100,000 gp (+8,000 XP for D&D)

Goblins breed with notorious speed, and their industriousness in this occupation, aside from providing numerous warriors to replenish the ranks, results in a rather high frequency of physical mutations. Aside from the usual bugbear and hobgoblin, there are a variety of other goblin mutations:

Caveling (CR +0): These goblins hail from the deeper parts of the world. They gain darkvision 60 feet, light blindness, two claw attacks that deal 1d3 damage, and a climb speed of 20 feet.

Gibberling (CR +1): These goblins have been touched by aberrant influence. They gain light sensitivity and the gibbering ability (see gibbering mouther) which can be activated as a move action with a range of 30 feet.

Hellion (CR +1): These goblins are born of dark energies, and are immediately identifiable by the flames that dance in their mouths. They are immune to fire and gain a bite attack that deals 1d4 damage plus 1d6 fire damage.

Lasher (CR +1): This type of goblin has an unusually long tongue. As a standard action, they can use their tongues to perform disarm or trip attempts against targets within 10 feet with a +2 racial bonus and without provoking attacks of opportunity.

Thorn (CR +1): Some goblins are born covered in soft thorns that grow rigid as they mature. These goblins gain a slam attack that deals 1d3 damage plus grab. In addition, a creature in a grapple with the thorn takes 1d3 damage at the beginning of the thorn's turn, and any an attacker who successfully strikes the thorn with an unarmed attack or natural weapon take 1d3 damage.

Most of the time, world building is accomplished in large part by adding character options. To create the 'arcanepunk' feel of Eberron, the warforged race and the artificer and magewright classes were added, and it's unusual for a published campaign setting not to include a slew of new feats, items, prestige classes, and often spells as well. While this is a totally legitimate way of expanding on a campaign setting and drawing player interest in the lore of the setting, it's important to realize that it's not the only way to build your world.

Published settings are at somewhat of a disadvantage in that there is great pressure to preserve all the core rules to maintain a common base of character option. However, in your homebrew campaign setting, no such pressure exists. Therefore, you may find that removing certain options provides a more effective means of conveying the look and feel of your setting than adding new elements alone.

For example, I've made the following exclusions from my Ralsenna setting:

• Bards: I'm not a fan of the bard class. In my many years of playing D&D I have yet to be able to imagine a bard in a way that isn't silly. There are still bards in Ralsenna, but they merely rogues or experts with ranks in various Knowledge and Perform skills.
• Clerics: Unlike bards, I've got nothing against clerics, but they don't fit nicely with the setting as I've established it. After all, the gods are distant entities (if they still exist at all) which are not terribly interested in diverting power away from their struggle and into the hands of petty mortals. Instead, the oracle class is available, representing those randomly imbued with divine power.
• Wizards: Magic, especially arcane magic, is nigh impossible for mortals to control. Druids channel the latent magic inherent in Ralsenna, oracles suffer grievous curses for their trouble, and sorcerers manage only by the graces of their powerful ancestors. Instead of wizards, the alchemist class is available, representing the height of learned arcane magic.

But those are just examples. Have a setting whose defining feature is its inhospitability? Remove the druid and ranger classes to represent the disconnect between the races and the land. Want a noirish setting where gray areas abound? Remove paladins. And so on.

Has any of you tried this in your campaigns? Tell us about it in the comments.

I recently received a review copy of Kobold Quarterly's Imperial Gazetteer, a 68-page tome detailing the undead domains of Morgau, Doresh, and the the subterranean Ghoul Imperium of the Free City of Zobeck campaign setting. While this review is of the Pathfinder version (available in print or PDF), the Gazetteer is also available for D&D 4e (print/PDF).

If you're a fan of Zobeck, or even just a KQ subscriber, you're probably somewhat familiar with the empires detailed in the Gazetteer: Realms ruled by the undead. While kingdoms fitting this general description aren't uncommon in fantasy settings (I remember the one I made for my first homebrew setting, the oh-so-originally named "Vampyria"), there are a number of great things about Morgau, Doresh, and the Imperium that caught my interest.

First, authors Wolfgang Baur and Scott Gable go to great lengths to give each faction within the empire a face, detailing many specific undead nobles' and generals' personalities and motivations. As a whole, this gives the empire a lot of personality, but these villains are also easily transplanted if you're running an undead-heavy campaign in another setting.

I also liked the faiths if the empire; Marena, the Red Goddess, and her matriarchal clergy. Goddess of death and lust, her priestesses (and priests) are the arbiters of justice in the empire. Mavros, The War God, is also interesting because his clergy is the source of many of the more powerful magical weapons, so enterprising PCs may have to seek out this cruel order.

There are also plenty of undead items and mundane details of undead society that really help a DM flesh out such a society, such as how much a zombie costs and how fast ghoul armies travel underground.

The only part of the empire I didn't like was Baba Yaga; this legendary, setting-transcending witch is portrayed as being the fear of god and mortal alike, with no possible rival. While sort of interesting, it adds little interest to campaign to have a challenge that cannot be overcome, and, at best, can only serve as a deus ex machina (and as a TPK machine at worst).

There were also a few editing errors that I noticed; there's a chart that listed "Endurance" check DCs that seemed to be leftover from the 4e version, and the 'PC' classed NPCs didn't include the –1 CR that Pathfinder introduced (though, oddly, the NPCs with NPC classes included the appropriate –2 CR).

I'll give the Imperial Gazetteer a 6 on a d10; like I noted above, there are a few mechanics-related errors, but the majority of the stats are solid and the fluff is great.

This humanoid creature has the head of a deer and the wings of moth, with vine-like tendrils where its fingers should be. Its dirty, vegetation-covered body twitches with barely-contained rage.
XP 800
CN Medium fey
Init +6; Senses low-light vision; Perception +9
Aura fervent aura (30 ft.)
AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 14 (+2 Dex, +4 natural)
hp 33 (5d6+15)
Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +5
Immune fear
Weakness fearful daze
Speed 30 ft., fly 50 ft. (poor)
Melee 2 vine lashes +5 (1d4+3)
Str 16, Dex 14, Con 15, Int 9, Wis 12, Cha 15
Base Atk +3; CMB +5; CMD 19
Feats Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Toughness
Skills Acrobatics +10, Fly +6, Perception +9, Stealth +10, Swim +11
Languages Common, Sylvan
Environment any forest
Organization solitary, pair, gang (3–6), or pack (7–12)
Treasure standard
Fearful Daze (Ex) While the grix is immune to fear, if it is targeted by a fear effect that offers a save, it rolls a saving throw as normal. If it fails, the grix is slowed for 1 round and cannot use its fervent aura for 1d4 rounds.
Fervent Aura (Su) The grix is surrounded by an aura of powerful emotions. Any creature in the aura who suffers hit point damage must make a Will save (DC 14) or enter a mild form of rage for 1d4 rounds which grants a +1 morale bonus to attack rolls and a –2 penalty to AC. Creatures with the rage ability in this aura are affected differently, and must instead make a Will save (DC 14) or enter a rage which lasts either until the creature runs out of rage points or leaves the aura and ends the rage voluntarily. The save DC is Charisma-based. This is a mind-affecting effect.

Grixes are violent spirits born when druidic energies bond with castoff elements of the forest. They often spontaneously appear near the borders between forests and cities or towns, where they lurk, waiting to ambush unwary travelers. Sometimes a community will feed a Grix, placating it and using it to defend their roads from thieves.

Knowledge (nature) DC 13 This is a grix, an angry, fearless nature spirit. While not evil, it will often attack unfamiliar creatures on sight.
Knowledge (nature) DC 18 Grixes are surrounded by an aura of raging emotions, and draw power from those emotions.
Knowledge (nature) DC 23 Grixes are uniquely vulnerable to fear, which lulls their anger.

It's that time again, kids! Now, gather 'round so Uncle Spenser can tell you about the new issue of Kobold Quarterly* and how I came to possess it.

It was a cool spring day, not more than a week ago, that I was approached by a member of the shadowy reptilian enclave that prints and binds Quarterly. I was tending to my studies at the time, perhaps lost in thought over the depths of ancestral literature or the lost history of some defunct nation, locked away in my quarters in any event. I recall now it was long past sundown, as candle wax had glued several pages of my notes together. It was then that the one the kobolds call Shelly came before me.

It must have been nearing the witching hour. I first felt a tingling in my fingertips, and though I never set eyes on the Serpent Queen, I was sure she stood just over my shoulder. She spoke—ah! her voice, remembering it, even now, sends me reeling with thoughts of ecstasy and darkness—of the new lore her mongrel minions had uncovered, deep in the forbidden recesses of the earth. It was perhaps more fear than anything else that broke my will to resist the temptress's offer.

I felt a cold nail dig into the flesh of my neck, though it left no mark, so all that followed may have been naught but a dream or nightmare. The lore she spoke of flashed before my eyes with no need to paper or ink. The last thing my cursed mind recalls was, again, her voice—and perhaps the lash of a forked tongue?—asking me, commanding me: Tell the others.

I woke the next day miles from the safety of my quarters, clutching a few illegible notes I'd managed to scrawl during the night: Cook, the famed havoc mage, rambles for pages on his theories of the Unknown, and ought to fascinate even the sanest among you, and is matched only by the vulgar rantings of Mario Podeschi in his essay on sex and romance—both men write admirably on how to enhance the private worlds we mages spin. Maurice de Mare documents well both the bloodlines and the wizardly study of Shadow magic for the Pathfinders among you, and may we all pray he doesn't disappear down some shady alley for his efforts. Ryan Costello also documents recent and, might I add, very exiting Gnomish advances in flying technology; on a similar note, and David Mallon has thoroughly itemized the capabilities of these so-called firearms I've been hearing so much about, as well as the people who use them. There is also talk of dark gods and strange beasts, but I dare not describe them myself.

For obvious reasons, I cannot recommend you, my fair-minded readers, subject yourselves to the document in question, but it may already be too late for you to turn your back, and if I were to venture numerical summation, I'd assert a 7 out of 10.

Just don't come to me for help when it's you the Serpent Queen visits next.

The tekorum are the supplicants to Tek-Arkon, also known as the Worldmek, the Factory God, and the God Between the Gears. Tekorum are normal people who have decided that following the will of Tek-Arkon is the surest way to protect the planet from the Ur-Revon, the Old Gods. As part of their supplication, tekorum have some manner of mechanical graft installed onto their bodies.

Personality: Tekorum retain much of the personality they had before supplication, though they are invariably changed in some, ambiguous way. The grafting process allows them to receive messages from Tek-Arkon in their sleep, which influences how most of them go about their daily lives.

Physical Description: Some tekorum look entirely normal for their base race, while others have entire limbs replaced by their tekgraft. Perhaps the most coveted advantage of becoming a tekorum is that they age much slower that normal; in the 500 or so years since the first tekorum were forged, none have died of old age.

Alignment: All tekorum are lawful. Chaotic individuals are not allowed to undergo the grafting process, and the process alters those who were neutral previous to be more in line with the will of the Worldmek. Tekorum also tend to be neither good nor evil, preferring to defer to the structure of law and order to decide matters of morality.

Religion: Tekorum defer completely to Tek-Arkon. The only religions they show outright hostility to are cults to the Ur-Revon, but they do tend to dismiss the beliefs of other faiths all the same. Rarely, a rogue tekorum manages to sever its link to Tek-Arkon and flee the faith, but these individuals are usually quickly hunted down and disposed of.

Language: Tekorum speak whatever languages they spoke before supplication.

Names: Tekorum retain whatever names they had before supplication.

Adventurers: Many tekorum are led to pilgrimage by Tek-Arkon, and often these pilgrimages are quite adventurous. Tekorum are just as often led to believe themselves invulnerable after their grafts are in place, and go off in search or hidden riches. Finally, the long-lived tekorum sometimes just get bored and seek out adventure when they can’t stand everyday life anymore.

• Template: “Tekorum” is a template that may be applied to the hill troll or human base races. The base race retains all its normal traits and gain those listed below. Forging a tekorum from a hill troll or human takes a week, and is usually administered free of charge to the supplicant. The next time the tekorum character levels up, it gains the following traits rather than a normal class level (these traits are treated in all ways as a new class level). A character can start as a tekorum at first level (ECL 1) by taking the tekorum template and no class levels, as though the tekorum template were her class. In this case, the tekorum gains max hp for her tekorum HD. The tekorum may level up as normal afterward.
• Hit Dice: A tekorum gains one level, which provides 1d10 Hit Die, a base attack bonus of +0, and base saving throw bonuses of Fort +2, Ref +0, and Will +0.
• Skills: A tekorum’s level gives it skill points equal to 4 + Int modifier (minimum 1). Its class skills are Appraise (Int), Craft (Int), Disable Device (Dex), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (any) (Int), Linguisitics (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).
• Feats: A tekorum’s level may give it one feat.
• Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A tekorum is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, light armor, medium armor, and shields (except tower shields).
• Tekgraft: Choose two of the following:
  
  • Armor: This enhancement grants a +4 armor bonus to armor class. This armor is not natural armor and does not stack with other effects that give an armor bonus (other than natural armor). This armor occupies the same space on the body as a suit of armor or a robe, and thus a tekorum with this enhancement cannot wear armor or magic robes. The tekorum can have this armor enchanted just as armor can be. The tekorum must be present for the entire time is takes to enchant the armor.
    
    This armor also provides the tekorum with a 10% arcane spell failure chance, similar to the penalty for wearing light armor. Any ability that allows a tekorum to ignore the arcane spell failure chance for armor lets him ignore this penalty as well.
  • Mobility: This enhancement grants a +10 foot racial bonus to the tekorum’s base land speed.
  • Skilled: This enhancement grants a +2 bonus on all skill checks based on one ability score of your choice (for example, all Dexterity-based skill checks).
  • Vision: This enhancement grants a +2 racial bonus on Perception skill checks and darkvision, allowing the tekorum to see in the dark up to 60 feet.
  • Weapons: This enhancement grants a claw that can be used as natural weapons that deal 1d6 slashing damage (1d4 slashing damage for Small characters) with a 19–20 critical threat range.
• Worldmek Cog: Each tekorum is but a cog in the plans of the worldmek. Through an ethereal wire that connects to the tekorum's machinery, the worldmek can sense everything that the tekorum senses, and when the tekorum sleeps, the worldmek can send it messages (this works as the dream spell, CL 20th).

The other day I was contemplating teleportation in D&D 3.X/Pathfinder, and began considering alternatives to the traditional form in which D&D teleportation came in. My favorite idea was one in which teleportation requires a caster at both ends opening two portals for safe travel. This also brings up interesting problems of whether or not to open a portal in the first place so as to potentially allow enemies to access your location instantly, or to necessitate interesting adventures in which the PC must negotiate with a distance mage to open a portal, or for the PCs to sneak into a location and open a portal for a large force to access (and I'm sure many other scenarios).

Of course, to make this relevant for more than a few levels, you may consider making other forms of teleportation should probably be removed from the game, or made harder or more dangerous to use than normal.

School conjuration (teleportation); Level sorcerer/wizard 3
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V
Range personal
Target you and touched objects or other willing creatures
Duration concentration, up to 10 min./level (D)
Saving Throw none and Will negates (object); Spell Resistance no and yes (object)

This spell opens a portal and makes you aware of the direction and distance from your location of other open portals within 100 miles per caster level, as well as the alignment of the caster, if any, who opened the portal.

At any point during the spell's duration, you can attempt to instantly travel to any of the other open portals that you are aware of as a move action. Interplanar travel is not possible. You can bring along objects as long as their weight doesn't exceed your maximum load. You may also bring additional willing Medium or smaller creatures (carrying gear or objects up to its maximum load) within 30 feet. A Large creature counts as two Medium creatures, a Huge creature counts as four Medium creatures, and so forth. All transported creatures appear within the 30 feet of the caster of the target portal; if this is not possible, the action is wasted and no one is transported. As with all spells where the range is personal and the target is you, you need not make a saving throw, nor is spell resistance applicable to you. Only objects held or in use (attended) by another person receive saving throws and spell resistance. Traveling in this way instantly ends the duration of this spell.

When another creature attempts to use your portal, you become aware of its alignment and caster level (if any) and may attempt to bar it entry. This is resolved as an opposed caster level check.

Paladins have long been a source of frustration to both DMs and players everywhere. They're nearly universally bossy, inflexible, and intrusive. Even worse, they're Lawful Good and everyone knows it, so they end up getting backed by every half-decent government and organization around. And, as a DM, it's impossible to ignore the fact that they can detect evil all day long without breaking a sweat. While there are a few slight variations on how paladins are presented, this is pretty much how I've always seen them played.

But what if we change a few of our assumptions about paladins? In building Ralsenna, I wanted to change how paladins are presented and seen in-game. But let's start with the basics.

What is a paladin?

First, let's go over what a paladin fundamentally is. A paladin is a Lawful Good warrior invested with divine magic who crusades against all things evil. There is nothing in the rules that ties them to a particular god or set of divine ideals (like with clerics and, arguably, druids), and are really guided only by the paladin code of conduct.

Making paladins edgier

So, we've already gone over how paladins annoy everyone out-of-game. So why aren't they likewise reviled in-game?

Here's my take: In Ralsenna, paladins constitute a secret order waging a shadow crusade on evil and, to a lesser degree, chaos. Paladins are seen as half-mad fanatics willing to kill for the slightest infraction, and most governments fear that paladin orders want to usurp their authority. Because paladins are devoted to helping innocents and the downtrodden, commoners are generally fearfully ambivalent toward them, though not outright hostile.

The paladins themselves live shrouded in secrecy. In order to operate unfettered, they present themselves as adventurers or mercenaries while carrying out their missions. Alternatively, some live the lives of common folk by day and fight evil by night. They usually operate by identifying an individual or organization responsible for evil or chaos and then working tirelessly against this target, in most cases even if the target attempts to make amends. Indeed, paladins are among the most tenacious foes.

Thus, in Ralsenna, paladins have to be careful not to reveal themselves in the wrong company, and cannot count on their reputation for being Lawful Good to help them on their quests.