jagerfury

Cool as sheet!

I'm sure there were a few RPG players following the heavy geek action at the JPL tonight with another rover landing on Mars tonight. And you could watch from the command room live! Wow, the imagination is on fire.

I'm looking for the minimal approach as represented in OQ, and that is why I went for it. For those who want to dig deeper into whether or not OQ2 is what you are looking for I recommend going to Newt's site where he explains why he is releasing it... OpenQuest 2 IndieGoGo campaign, why? | Sorcerer Under Mountain

Open character creation with all the right fantasy tropes to pull off the shelf and assemble. This is then married with a great use of BRP/d100 combat mechanics for what should be great hand to hand combat sequences. The magic system has a solid base which is, like character creation prior, open to any type of customization. You can model the strange power of the Bene Gesserit found Herbert's Dune to the most typical magical conventions. Coming up with fantastical ways to story work your warrior's battle magic spells into the character concept has been great fun. Warrior's can create Berserker Rage, Rangers can create wilderness talents, Duelists can fashion secret combat styles. It's all there! You can also have the rules set in word format so you can customize the whole kit for your own fantasy creation. A never ending tool box! The more I reread the rules set the more "house rules" I reflexively usually put it I took back out. If you have a great fantasy story you want to play, OpenQuest will help you make it fun!

For anyone who has run OpenQuest combat straight; what was your impression? Thanks all.

I have time this thursday GMT+8? (for Colorado) thru till sat morning to rpg some OpenQuest Newt. If there is some gaming via skype or some such please PM and give details. The work is grand, thanks.

I've printed out the free pdf version, and have read it thru. For a group of players which like to go complete homebrew I think this source book has much to like. The total build up of characters from scratch is essential to these types of rpg's and this game does not have a complex character creation path. How hard is "In one sentence sum up what your character is all about." Then start building from there. The skills are compressed into a small list as opposed to individual specializations. This makes sense for fantasy. All in all a great resource for creating complete homebrew fantasy one shots and/or campaigns. I highly recommend it.

They are "new" BRP fans. The two players had played GURPS before, but otherwise D&D and Gamma World. So it was their first play with the system. Good news is no one got bogged down in the system. If they saw that their character had an 82% with the sword he was going to start swinging! And don't worry if I hit the east coast again any time soon you will be the first to know. Dice before, well, most anything else .

I'm in western colorado so I feel your pain.

The party sets out three days later after the new young stallion is born. They do not now have the luxury of riding on horseback. Pytor refuses to lend any more to the PC’s. The journey on foot takes five days as they skirt the edge of the Dymrak forest. This is to avoid being spotted on the open plains to the north while keeping as much distance between the party and the goblin horde. Upon arriving on the rocky hills where the tombs can be found the party examines the portals on each. They all appear to be blocked up with a stone door sealed in with mortar. Choosing the tomb of the warrior they look for traps before chiseling away the old mortar. The PC’s do not intend to let the terrible visions inflicted by the evil presence of the tomb turn them away from their labor. Once inside and they resist the stench of death the PC’s penetrate the length of the tomb and confront the two weirds. Successfully turning the undead terrors, the cleric strides forth and claims the silver tipped spear gripped in a statue of human warrior. This propels the globe wielding fiends at the rest of the party who have fun engaging the elusive shades. The battle is over quickly though. The characters combat skills so far have kept them from serious harm. They return to the outside, and rest for the night. In the morning they tackle the next tomb entrance. This one leads them to a crystal coffin containing a mummified corpse. The presence of the PC’s and the close inspection in which they give all the frescos is too much for the starved ghoul and it leaps out at the characters. It is brought down under a flurry of sword strokes leaving the ghoul in shreds. The crystal coffin is shattered without trouble and the jewel encrusted mace. Successful incantation of a perceive spell reveals the ancient weapon has magical properties. This leaves one more tomb to be braved. Close inspection reveals an additional entrance from the main. Upon receiving the seductive and pleasant visions delivered by the unknown enchantment the PC’s decide to proceed through the newly discovered secret door believing it to be the “safer” of the two choices. Once inside the damp, rough hewn chamber beyond they are immediately set upon by the living statue guardian inside. The acidic ooze which spills from the creature manages to ruin a spear and a broadsword before the creature is reduced to an acidic pool. Reaching the finished stone chambers beyond they come across the last weapon in which to provide the edge they need, the Huntsman’s Knife. An enchanted, silver edged short sword worn by rangers who fought against the were creatures and demons in the beast lords dark armies. After realizing they had avoided any traps by entering the tomb from the secret entrance the party retreats back out the way they came. Standing once again in the daylight the characters agree to rest and discuss their next move. The elf princess will want to eliminate the were-beasts so as to secure the release of her father’s new stallion. She holds no illusion that Pytor will not give up the new born without the return of his livelihood. The cleric would like to inspect the room in which he retrieved the mace and the mummified remains of the body which held it. His scientific interest has been piqued. The writing on the mace is entirely foreign and the mummy had unnatural physiology which he had no time to examine in any sort of detail. The fighter is concerned for the safety of Sukiskyn steading and wants to know what to do about the goblin horde at large. He is extremely anxious to return and see to the homestead’s defenses. The ranger will want to see the centaur’s task completed as quickly as possible. He wants to get the princess back to Rifflian as soon as he can. Baby horse or not. What does the party do?

At the Lake of Lost Dreams the PC’s are confronted by a much larger goblin horde than they had encountered during the fight for Sukiskyn steading. The Viper, Red Blade, and Wolf Skull tribes are joined by at least one other goblin tribe. Maybe more. The number of goblins is over two hundred and fifty with at least a quarter of them mounted on dire wolves. The additional horses captured in the raid are held against the edge of the forest under the surrounding gaze of 4 wargs. The horses have been hobbled so they cannot run away. On the shore the goblins are roasting horseflesh over great fires while the goblin kings argue with a thin man clothed in yellow . The angry man is backed by a group of fearsome hobgoblin bodyguards. A smaller squad of goblins is finishing a raft which they are loading the pregnant mare onto. The raft is adorned with horse skulls and markings of the beast lord cult. While the PC’s deliberate on what to do five elves make their appearance out of the night. They are a group of Vyalia elves and they believe the yellow robed magician intends to summon the beast lords by performing an ancient ritual at the temple on the island found in the lake. The goblin horde has been gathering on the lake shore for the past several days seemingly in anticipation of the blood ritual. The elves implore the PC’s to aid them in their attempt to thwart the summoning ritual. While the Vylia elves are forbidden to step foot on the island itself, they can show the PC’s a secret stone path which leads across the water to the island. They inform the PC’s that there is a temple at the center of the island which was dedicated to the Grey Gods, the gods of the Vylian elves. But the beast lords were ascendant, and the Grey Gods were cast out of Mystara. Not until the coming of man, and the High Clerics where the beast lords and their demon allies cast from the realm and the age of man established. But the temple on the island had been desecrated and a great evil laid over it. Insanity and death befell any of the Vyalia who dared tread in the once hallowed halls of the temple. The great artifact, the White Mirror, was turned toward the summoning of evil. The “Black Mirror”, under the hands of mad necromancers of old, would call forth the black beast lords to walk the earth among elves and men. Great sorrow poured forth from the mirror and only after the total annihilation of all the sordid priesthood’s acolytes and the dark knowledge they possessed were the beast lords stopped. The elves fear the magician is going to try and open that long dormant gateway once again. The elves promise to help free their white horses from the clutches of the goblins if they make an attempt to stop the summoning ritual. Once upon the island the party sees the magic user leading a group of 4 hobgoblins and the pregnant mare. At the temple 4 hooded acolytes are positioned around a central alter. Torches adorn the temple, while the hobgoblins have each a torch as well as a rope attached to the horse. The party wastes no time on the attack. Conjuring another sleep spell the elf is successful in knocking 2 of the hobgoblin guards unconscious. The ranger sinks an arrow into Golthar which brings him to his knees. Additional volleys are sent at the nearest acolyte striking home. Suddenly the temple is shrouded in a cloak of darkness yielding no more visible opponents. The 2 hobgoblin guards on their feet howl in anger and charge the party wielding large broadswords. The sword play is protracted with the charmed hobgoblins shaking off the sleep spell and joining the fray. Fortunately the party is able to maintain a 2-1 advantage and cut down the guards beneath multiple attacks. Approaching the darkness enveloped temple the cleric boldly runs up the steps and in. Satisfied the mist only affects vision he is shortly joined by the rest of the heroes. A visible blood trail leads to an iron ladder leading into a stone lined chamber below. Two acolytes standing in the shadows attack the party with knives. The mad eyed fanatics are dispatched and their robes turned out. They are inscribed with Dog and Bear symboligy while the sleeves have stitched in an attached pair of gloves made of tough layers of leather. The fighter and the elf don the robes in an attempt to appear as the cultists. The elf listens at the opening before descending. Exploring the level they notice the original motifiefs to the Elvin lords is scarred and overwritten by much more primitive hieroglyphs. Inanimate skeletons found in the anti chambers leads to party to conclude that they are burial chambers. And who is to say they are not? The elf makes a successful dodge roll after grabbing hold of the stair without using the gloves inside her robes. A critical success avoids all damage while a blue white crackling discharge erupts in the room. After much discussion about being careful, the fighter and elf head down the next ladder. Once on the deepest level of the temple the elf once again leads the way down the passage. A failed spot roll leads to the dart trap being triggered. Failing the second consecutive dodge roll the elf sinks to the ground unconscious with a dart in her ankle. The rest of the party decides to leave her there and press the attack. Bursting through the door the fighter? and cleric? Fail sanity rolls and are immobilized by the sights before them. The elf is protected from the maddening inducing properties of the mirror by the fact she is rendered senseless by the dart venom. The remaining upright character gets entangled with the two remaining acolytes while Golthar pleads for aid from the appearing Dog and the Bear. Without the blood sacrifice of the unborn stallion the Dog and Bear could not step through the mirror. Without the consummation of the blood pack their powers are diminished, but they would send what aid they could. The beast lords tell the magician to look to their champions Balikask and Kalakask to lead the goblin tribes and return the Dymrak to the domain of night. The beast lords urge the magician to strike soon as his path is now being thwarted by the will Lords of Light. With that they fade and Golthar, wailing in anger, departs the underground chambers in a foaming black comet. The chamber is left with the bodies of the two dead acolytes and the smoldering black mirror. The party smashes the mirror with their weapons and departs, but not before the elf regains her senses. The elf is on the verge of attacking the party when the mirror is smashed. She is immediately released from her increasing madness. Fleeing the lower chambers they find the mare roaming the island and return to the mainland. Here the Vyalia elves approach the successful party again, and suggest freeing the horses from their hobbles. With the goblin band unaware of what has transpired on the island they could charm the dire wolves, and give the horses the break they need to flee into the forest. With the protection of Lorshad being extended to the creatures of the forest once again the elves feel once released the horses will find themselves to Loshad and come under his protection. At least they will be free of the goblins and the stew pot. The elves urge the princess to bring the mare back to Sukiskyn as soon as possible. One of the Vyalia leads the PC’s safely away from the lake and on the path to Sukiskyn. The party makes the journey back to the steading with only the mare in tow. The journey is uneventful. There are no further encounter with roving bands of goblins, though signs of their passing can be found by the sharp eyed ranger. Pytor is relieved to see the mare returned in good health. He had already given her and the unborn foal up for lost. The lack of any of the rest of his herd has him totally despondent though. He doesn’t see how they will ever recover the lost herd. If the heads of the were-beasts are truly required to earn the horses release Pytor laments such a task could be accomplished. The steading has no such weapons of power to thwart such evil. The idea of melting down silver into weapons is discarded as impractical as what little silver could be gathered no one on the grounds possesses the skill to manufacture. It would seem the Tombs on the Hill as suggested by the Vyalia would be the only known place in which to find enchanted items.

From the private diaries of Princess Illiria: A tale of bold adventure as written by Lady Illiria Callathian of House Callathian in the month of Klarmont this common year of 978 from the home of my father, Lord Callathian. May his spirit always lend light to the protectors of the realm. This is a tale of the brave clansmen of Sukiskyn Steading and their valiant defense of their homes against a rising tide of evil which threatened East Karameikos, if not all of the great Duchy itself. Guided by the steady hand of Ethan the Pure, relying on the forest lore of Darkin Youngshanks, and aided by the strength of the mighty Traldarian warrior Udoben I am able to relate to you all the dark days of adventure which befell us all… PC’s have no trouble holding the steading against the goblin squads which attempt to overrun the buildings. Assessing the damage the attacking monsters wrought the clan’s leader, Pytor, is completely despondent. With the theft of his entire herd his successful horse operation is ruined. He begs the PC’s to try and save his animals from the clutches of the goblin hordes. He reminds the elf princess that the pregnant mare is amongst the captured. The pressure to rescue the herd of whites is indeed great. The cleric uncovers religious fetishes carried by the goblin dead which indicate the two goblin tribes worship the ancient beast lords the Dog, and the Bear. The party consists of the elf princess who is always accompanied by her ranger body guard, the visiting cleric feels compelled to investigate the threat of the beast lord cult, while the fighter who is under Pytor’s employ is ordered to lead the expedition. The four will be able to travel on the horses they arrived on. They leave by early afternoon quickly on the heels of the retreating goblin horde. Knowing they were only hours behind the fleeing horde, the PC’s take deliberate care to stay just off the monster’s heels. The ranger mostly ranged while the party stayed put, bringing them up once he had scouted many leagues ahead. The frightened herd of Sukiskyn whites is spotted across from a wooded hillside with a rocky brook trickling along the front. The primitive paddock is constructed of thorny bunches of brambles grown into a thick, dense mass approximately four feet high. Two wargs loiter outside the one opening. The horses are too frightened to attempt to run or leap the thorn bush walls. The horses have the capability. They could easily leap the paddock walls, and outdistance the wargs, but they are too gripped with fear. The PC’s count the number of horses in the paddock, and look for the pregnant mare amongst them. They notice it is only half the herd. 21 total horses are in the thorn paddock, and the pregnant mare is not among them. The elfin princess cast forth arcane symbols in the air breathing strange words of power and a white wisp, tendrils of delicate smoke begin to rise from the earth around the 2 menacing dire wolves. Unaware of the subtle clouds enchanted qualities, the fearsome creatures doze gently into a sleep. With the only outside guards neutralized, the party boldly approaches the goblin’s front door. The stout wooden door has a crude lock keeping the handle from working. The elf’s lock pick set does not have the appropriate tool to unhinge it so the ranger, and the fighter?cleric? jointly kick it down. The warriors force their way into the entry. After lighting torches one of the party members (I believe it was either the ranger or fighter with spear) moves down the passage way. Confronting the goblin blockade they quickly overrun the position, and continue on. They push their way into the main hall of the underground goblin lair. Here the goblin shaman with the rock pythons has assembled his personal guard to meet the attackers. He immediately throws two squirming snakes and one manages to wrap around the elf’s arm. The guards rush the party. While the elf struggles with the crushing grip of the rock python, the warriors make quick work of the goblins. It takes a moment to stab the aggressive snake, but not before the elf’s arm received significant crushing damage. Chance to cast spell has been reduced by 25% until healed. The party takes a moment to attend to the wounds received in the two quick melee sessions. The cleric and the elf received wounds which require attention. While administering the triage, the party forgets about the other Rock Python the dead goblin shaman had hurled. It strikes from the shadows and bites down on the elf’s leg causing a wound. With this minor annoyance dealt with the party investigates the room a bit. Here they find a small box with three bottles of potion, jewelry, and coin. They also turn up a wounded goblin (or one of them surrendered?) and do a fast interrogation. Confirming that the goblin raiders are making for the Lake of Lost Dreams the fighter kills the goblin. The party is now confronted with the issue of the split herd. The pregnant mare is believed to be essential in the goblin’s plans and whatever the goblins are up to should be stopped. Unchecked goblin aggression and sorcery can only spell doom for countless Traldarian homesteaders. But to forge ahead onto the lake would mean leaving the current horses they just secured defenseless and lost in the Dymrak forest. The ranger smartly asks if he knows any helpful information about the Dymrak and wants to roll against his wilderness lore, and folk lore skills. Scoring a good roll, he knows of Loshad, a centaur. He is rumored to be a self appointed keeper of the Dymrak and the creatures which inhabit it. Surely if he could be summoned he could be entrusted with the safekeeping of the horses. The fact that they wish to pursue even more horses and save them from the black goblin beasts should say the woodland druid to their cause. There is a glade in which the Vylari elves pay homage to the keepers of the forest not far from here and the ranger recommends they make an attempt to contact Loshad. The elf and the cleric agree to accompany the ranger and try and call the on the centaur while the fighter chooses to stay and guard the horses. The ranger knows the fabled greeting verse but says he is not good at such things. The cleric steps forth and gives his best oration in the woodland glade. Presently a centaur appears flanked by three majestic war horse and gives the group a greeting. The centaur listens intently to what the PC’s have to say and offers a bargain. Loshad agrees to take the 21 Sukiskyn horses under his protection but if the PC’s would like them returned to Sukiskyn Steading they will have to destroy the earthly champions fighting on behalf of the Dog and the Bear. These two loathsome servants of evil crave power over the Dymrak and wish to feast on the blood of its denizens. Upon delivering their heads to this glade Loshad will release the horses from his care. He does forewarn the party they lack the weapons of power to face these demons. That they are men transformed by the disease of lycanthropy and will take special care to defeat. The path to the lake will bring you face to face with danger, but also on this path will you find the tools you need to be victorious. None have called on the vanquished beast lords of old in countless centuries, and the goblins should not be allowed to try herald their return. All this Loshad discloses to the PC’s. “Ask the Vyalia elves who watch the lake for where such weapons of power can be found. Ask for the weapons of the huntsman because the beast is loose.” And with that the mighty centaur vanishes into the forest with his body guards and the herd. Upon returning to the Viper’s lair they find the fighter bereft of horses. He explains three magnificent war horse came galloping into the glen and led the herd away. He was transfixed by the brilliant singing which emanated throughout the surrounding forest. While the language was not intelligible, the effect was exhilarating as it was calming. He assumed the negotiations with the magical centaur went well. Resuming their journey now on foot (as all the horses went with Loshad’s heralds) the PC’s arrive at the Lake of Lost Dreams .

Classic Fantasy Volume 1

From the private diaries of Princess Illiria... A tale of bold adventure as written by Lady Illiria Callathian of House Callathian in the month of Klarmont this common year of 978 from the home of my father, Lord Callathian. May his spirit always lend light to the protectors of the realm. This is a tale of the brave clansmen of Sukiskyn Steading and their valiant defense of their homes against a rising tide of evil which threatened East Karameikos, if not all of the great Duchy itself. Guided by the steady hand of Ethan the Pure, relying on the forest lore of Darkin Youngshanks, and aided by the strength of the mighty Traldarian warrior Udoben I am able to relate to you all the dark days of adventure which befell us all… On a return trip back to NH to see my folks I managed to scare up a couple gaming buddies to try an old school D&D module using BRP's Classic Fantasy rules. Each of my friends had to run two PC's. Not ideal but I wanted to get as many looks at how the system works as I could. My friends, though they haven't played in a while, recognized it is always good to have another warm body to throw into the front lines when your favorite character takes some serious damage. Per long standing DM tradition I modified the module as fit my personal preferences and accommodate the storyline for the pre generated characters I had prepared. The party consisted of a female elf fighter/magic-user/thief, a human ranger, a human fighter, and a human cleric. The female elf is the daughter of an Elvin lord of Rifflian. Known for his exceptional horse breeding skills, Lord Callathian is getting ready for his trip to Sukiskyn. Impressed with the Sukiskyn Whites at last year’s horse trading fair in Rifflian, Lord Callathian bred a choice stallion to one of Pytor's mares. It is time for the foal to be born, and Lord Callathian has high hopes of capturing lightning in a bottle. Buuuut he is called away on an urgent task he will not reveal. It is serious enough that he is taking his trusted partner, a rugged Highreach Ranger. The princess must take his place, and the ranger's son will be her escort. In Kelvin they are greeted by a fighter recently hired to add to Sukiskyn's defense. Increased goblin activity has got the steading hiring men at arms. He is in Kelvin to escort the steading's honored guests to their chartered river boat and overland to the steading itself. A grim faced cleric of the church of light and dark is also on board traveling to Sukiskyn. He is interested in the ruins beneath the tower at Sukiskyn as they are believed to be an ancient shrine to one of the High Cleric's of old. I pass on the river attack by the Iron Ring gang, and hurry the party to the walls of Sukiskyn and get them right into battle! PC’s have no trouble holding the steading against the goblin squads which attempt to overrun the buildings. Taking THAC0 as presented for each creature I used this to give all my attack skills. THAC0 19=30%, THAC0 18=35%, etc. This would give Vlack the Hobgoblin with a THAC0 of 15 a 50% with his 2H Sword. Hit points I kept the same, and threw out armor values when I thought appropriate for flavor. Mostly doing 1D6-1 with no hit locations for monsters. Only PC's get hit locations, and major NPC's. Assessing the damage the attacking monsters wrought the clan’s leader, Pytor, is completely despondent. With the theft of his entire herd his successful horse operation is ruined. He begs the PC’s to try and save his animals from the clutches of the goblin hordes. He reminds the elf princess that the pregnant mare is amongst the captured. The pressure to rescue the herd of whites is indeed great. The cleric uncovers religious fetishes carried by the goblin dead which indicate the two goblin tribes worship the ancient beast lords the Dog, and the Bear. The party is sufficiently motivated with the elf princess, who is always accompanied by her ranger body guard, needing to succeed for her father, the visiting cleric feeling compelled to investigate the threat of the beast lord cult, while the fighter who is under Pytor’s employ is ordered to lead the expedition. The four will be able to travel on the horses they arrived on. They leave by early afternoon quickly on the heels of the retreating goblin horde. Knowing they were only hours behind the fleeing horde, the PC’s take deliberate care to stay just off the monster’s heels. The ranger mostly ranged while the party stayed put, bringing them up once he had scouted many leagues ahead. I skip the horse thief encounter, and Viper dead. I bring the characters to the Viper Lair door. The frightened herd of Sukiskyn whites is spotted across from a wooded hillside with a rocky brook trickling along the front. The primitive paddock is constructed of thorny bunches of brambles grown into a thick, dense mass approximately four feet high. Two wargs loiter outside the one opening. The horses are too frightened to attempt to run or leap the thorn bush walls. The horses have the capability. They could easily leap the paddock walls, and outdistance the wargs, but they are too gripped with fear. The PC’s count the number of horses in the paddock, and look for the pregnant mare amongst them. They notice it is only half the herd. 21 total horses are in the thorn paddock, and the pregnant mare is not among them. The elfin princess cast forth arcane symbols in the air breathing strange words of power and a white wisp, tendrils of delicate smoke begin to rise from the earth around the 2 menacing dire wolves. Unaware of the subtle clouds enchanted qualities, the fearsome creatures doze gently into a sleep. With the only outside guards neutralized, the party boldly approaches the goblin’s front door. The stout wooden door has a crude lock keeping the handle from working. The elf’s lock pick set does not have the appropriate tool to unhinge it so the ranger, and the fighter?cleric? jointly kick it down. The warriors force their way into the entry. After lighting torches one of the party members (I believe it was either the ranger or fighter with spear) moves down the passage way. Confronting the goblin blockade they quickly overrun the position, and continue on. They push their way into the main hall of the underground goblin lair. Here the goblin shaman with the rock pythons has assembled his personal guard to meet the attackers. He immediately throws two squirming snakes and one manages to wrap around the elf’s arm. The guards rush the party. While the elf struggles with the crushing grip of the rock python, the warriors make quick work of the goblins. It takes a moment to stab the aggressive snake, but not before the elf’s arm received significant crushing damage. Chance to cast spell has been reduced by 25% until healed. The party takes a moment to attend to the wounds received in the two quick melee sessions. The cleric and the elf received wounds which require attention. While administering the triage, the party forgets about the other Rock Python the dead goblin shaman had hurled. It strikes from the shadows and bites down on the elf’s leg causing a wound. With this minor annoyance dealt with the party investigates the room a bit. Here they find a small box with three bottles of potion, jewelry, and coin. They also turn up a wounded goblin (or one of them surrendered?) and do a fast interrogation. Confirming that the goblin raiders are making for the Lake of Lost Dreams the fighter kills the goblin. The party is now confronted with the issue of the split herd. The pregnant mare is believed to be essential in the goblin’s plans and whatever the goblins are up to should be stopped. Unchecked goblin aggression and sorcery can only spell doom for countless Traldarian homesteaders. But to forge ahead onto the lake would mean leaving the current horses they just secured defenseless and lost in the Dymrak forest. The ranger smartly asks if he knows any helpful information about the Dymrak and wants to roll against his folk lore skill. Here begins a long string of critical successes when any of the PC's role against Religious Lore, Academic Lore, etc. Any knowledge roll the players seemed to roll would hit on critical success or a couple of points above! Scoring a good roll, he knows of Loshad, a centaur. He is rumored to be a self appointed keeper of the Dymrak and the creatures which inhabit it. Surely if he could be summoned he could be entrusted with the safekeeping of the horses. The fact that they wish to pursue even more horses and save them from the black goblin beasts should sway the woodland druid to their cause. There is a glade in which the Vylari elves pay homage to the keepers of the forest not far from here and the ranger recommends they make an attempt to contact Loshad. The elf and the cleric agree to accompany the ranger and try and call the on the centaur while the fighter chooses to stay and guard the horses. The ranger knows the fabled greeting verse but says he is not good at such things. The cleric steps forth and gives his best oration in the woodland glade. Presently a centaur appears flanked by three majestic war horse and gives the group a greeting. The centaur listens intently to what the PC’s have to say and offers a bargain. Loshad agrees to take the 21 Sukiskyn horses under his protection but if the PC’s would like them returned to Sukiskyn Steading they will have to destroy the earthly champions fighting on behalf of the Dog and the Bear. These two loathsome servants of evil crave power over the Dymrak and wish to feast on the blood of its denizens. Upon delivering their heads to this glade Loshad will release the horses from his care. He does forewarn the party they lack the weapons of power to face these demons. That they are men transformed by the disease of lycanthropy and will take special care to defeat. The path to the lake will bring you face to face with danger, but also on this path will you find the tools you need to be victorious. None have called on the vanquished beast lords of old in countless centuries, and the goblins should not be allowed to try herald their return. All this Loshad discloses to the PC’s. “Ask the Vyalia elves who watch the lake for where such weapons of power can be found. Ask for the weapons of the huntsman because the beast is loose.” And with that the mighty centaur vanishes into the forest with his body guards and the herd. Upon returning to the Viper’s lair they find the fighter bereft of horses. He explains three magnificent war horse came galloping into the glen and led the herd away. He was transfixed by the brilliant singing which emanated throughout the surrounding forest. While the language was not intelligible, the effect was exhilarating as it was calming. He assumed the negotiations with the magical centaur went well. Resuming their journey now on foot (as all the horses went with Loshad’s heralds) the PC’s arrive at the Lake of Lost Dreams . Travel Times 48 miles from Sukiskyn to the Viper’s lair. 27 miles from the Viper’s lair to the Lake of Lost Dreams. 27 miles from the lake to the Tombs on the Hill. 63 miles from the tombs to Sukiskyn. 21 miles from the tombs to the Were beasts lair. 59 miles from the lake to Sukiskyn At the Lake of Lost Dreams the PC’s are confronted by a much larger goblin horde than they had encountered during the fight for Sukiskyn steading. The Viper, Red Blade, and Wolf Skull tribes are joined by at least one other goblin tribe. Maybe more. The number of goblins is over two hundred and fifty with at least a quarter of them mounted on dire wolves. The additional horses captured in the raid are held against the edge of the forest under the surrounding gaze of 4 wargs. The horses have been hobbled so they cannot run away. On the shore the goblins are roasting horseflesh over great fires while the goblin kings argue with a thin man clothed in yellow . The angry man is backed by a group of fearsome hobgoblin bodyguards. A smaller squad of goblins is finishing a raft which they are loading the pregnant mare onto. The raft is adorned with horse skulls and markings of the beast lord cult. While the PC’s deliberate on what to do five elves make their appearance out of the night. They are a group of Vyalia elves and they believe the yellow robed magician intends to summon the beast lords by performing an ancient ritual at the temple on the island found in the lake. The goblin horde has been gathering on the lake shore for the past several days seemingly in anticipation of the blood ritual. The elves implore the PC’s to aid them in their attempt to thwart the summoning ritual. While the Vyalia elves are forbidden to step foot on the island itself, they can show the PC’s a secret stone path which leads across the water to the island. They inform the PC’s that there is a temple at the center of the island which was dedicated to the Grey Gods, the gods of the Vyalian elves. But the beast lords were ascendant, and the Grey Gods were cast out of Mystara. Not until the coming of man, and the High Clerics where the beast lords and their demon allies cast from the realm and the age of man established. But the temple on the island had been desecrated and a great evil laid over it. Insanity and death befell any of the Vyalia who dared tread in the once hallowed halls of the temple. The great artifact, the Crystal Mirror, was turned toward the summoning of evil. The “Black Mirror”, under the hands of mad necromancers of old, would call forth the black beast lords to walk the earth among elves and men. Great sorrow poured forth from the mirror and only after the total annihilation of all the sordid priesthood’s acolytes and the dark knowledge they possessed were the beast lords stopped. The elves fear the magician is going to try and open that long dormant gateway once again. The elves promise to help free their white horses from the clutches of the goblins if they make an attempt to stop the summoning ritual. Ripping off Martin's hidden steps in the lake from his god awful books the Vyalia show the PC's how to walk out to the island. Once upon the island the party sees the magic user leading a group of 4 hobgoblins and the pregnant mare. At the temple 4 hooded acolytes are positioned around a central alter. Torches adorn the temple, while the hobgoblins have each a torch as well as a rope attached to the horse. The party wastes no time on the attack. Conjuring another sleep spell the elf is successful in knocking 2 of the hobgoblin guards unconscious along with the pregnant mare. The ranger sinks an arrow into Golthar (special success) which brings him to his knees. Additional volleys are sent at the nearest acolyte striking home. Suddenly the temple is shrouded in a cloak of darkness yielding no more visible opponents. The 2 hobgoblin guards on their feet howl in anger and charge the party wielding large broadswords. The sword play is protracted with the charmed hobgoblins shaking off the sleep spell and joining the fray. Fortunately the party is able to maintain a 2-1 advantage and cut down the guards beneath multiple attacks. Approaching the darkness enveloped temple the cleric boldly runs up the steps and in. Satisfied the mist only affects vision he is shortly joined by the rest of the heroes. A visible blood trail leads to an iron ladder leading into a stone lined chamber below. Two acolytes standing in the shadows attack the party with knives. The mad eyed fanatics are dispatched and their robes turned out. They are inscribed with Dog and Bear symboligy while the sleeves have stitched in an attached pair of gloves made of tough layers of leather. The fighter and the elf don the robes in an attempt to appear as the cultists. The elf listens at the opening before descending. Exploring the level they notice the original motifies to the Elvin lords is scarred and overwritten by much more primitive hieroglyphs. Inanimate skeletons found in the anti chambers leads to party to conclude that they are burial chambers. And who is to say they are not? The elf makes a successful dodge roll after grabbing hold of the stair without using the gloves inside her robes. A critical dodge success (again!) avoids full damage while a blue white crackling discharge erupts in the room. After much discussion about being careful, the fighter and elf head down the next ladder using the gloves found in the sleeves of the robes. Once on the deepest level of the temple the elf once again leads the way down the passage. A failed spot roll leads to the dart trap being triggered. Failing the second consecutive dodge roll the elf sinks to the ground unconscious with a dart in her ankle. The rest of the party decides to leave her there and press the attack. Bursting through the door the fighter? and cleric? Fail sanity rolls when witnessing the beast lords making contact with Golthar, and are immobilized by the sights before them. The elf is protected from the maddening inducing properties of the mirror by the fact she is rendered senseless by the dart venom. The remaining upright character gets entangled with the two remaining acolytes while Golthar pleads for aid from the appearing Dog and the Bear. Without the blood sacrifice of the unborn stallion the Dog and Bear could not step through the mirror. Without the consummation of the blood pack their powers are diminished, but they would send what aid they could. The beast lords tell the magician to look to their champions Balikask and Kalakask to lead the goblin tribes and return the Dymrak to the domain of night. The beast lords urge the magician to strike soon as his path is now being thwarted by the will of the Lords of Light. With that they fade and Golthar, wailing in anger, departs the underground chambers in a foaming black comet (fly spell). The chamber is left with the bodies of the two dead acolytes and the smoldering black mirror. The party smashes the mirror with their weapons and departs, but not before the elf regains her senses. The elf is on the verge of attacking the party when the mirror is smashed. She is immediately released from her increasing madness. Fleeing the lower chambers they find the mare roaming the island and return to the mainland. Here the Vyalia elves approach the successful party again, and suggest freeing the horses from their hobbles. With the goblin band unaware of what has transpired on the island they could charm the dire wolves, and give the horses the break they need to flee into the forest. With the protection of Lorshad being extended to the creatures of the forest once again the elves feel once released the horses will find themselves to Loshad and come under his protection. At least they will be free of the goblins and the stew pot. The elves urge the princess to bring the mare back to Sukiskyn as soon as possible. One of the Vyalia leads the PC’s safely away from the lake and on the path to Sukiskyn. The party makes the journey back to the steading with only the mare in tow. The journey is uneventful. There are no further encounter with roving bands of goblins, though signs of their passing can be found by the sharp eyed ranger. Pytor is relieved to see the mare returned in good health. He had already given her and the unborn foal up for lost. The lack of any of the rest of his herd has him totally despondent though. He doesn’t see how they will ever recover the lost herd. If the heads of the were-beasts are truly required to earn the horses release Pytor laments such a task could be accomplished. The steading has no such weapons of power to thwart such evil. The idea of melting down silver into weapons is discarded as impractical as what little silver could be gathered no one on the grounds possesses the skill to manufacture. It would seem the Tombs on the Hill as suggested by the Vyalia would be the only known place in which to find enchanted items. The party (hard chargers that they are) set out three days later after the new young stallion is born. They do not now have the luxury of riding on horseback. Pytor refuses to lend any more to the PC’s as he is down to just work animals. The journey on foot takes five days as they skirt the edge of the Dymrak forest. This is to avoid being spotted on the open plains to the north while keeping as much distance between the party and the goblin horde. Upon arriving on the rocky hills where the tombs can be found the party examines the portals on each. They all appear to be blocked up with a stone door sealed in with mortar. Choosing the tomb of the warrior they look for traps before chiseling away the old mortar. The PC’s do not intend to let the terrible visions inflicted by the evil presence of the tomb turn them away from their labor. Once inside and they resist the stench of death the PC’s penetrate the length of the tomb and confront the two weirds. Successfully turning the undead terrors, the cleric strides forth and claims the silver tipped spear gripped in a statue of human warrior. This propels the globe wielding fiends at the rest of the party who have fun engaging the elusive shades. The battle is over quickly though. The characters combat skills so far have kept them from serious harm. They return to the outside, and rest for the night. In the morning they tackle the next tomb entrance. This one leads them to a crystal coffin containing a mummified corpse. The presence of the PC’s and the close inspection in which they give all the frescos is too much for the starved ghoul and it leaps out at the characters. It is brought down under a flurry of sword strokes leaving the ghoul in shreds. The crystal coffin is shattered without trouble and the jewel encrusted mace. Successful incantation of a perceive spell reveals the ancient weapon has magical properties. This leaves one more tomb to be braved. Close inspection reveals an additional entrance from the main. Upon receiving the seductive and pleasant visions delivered by the unknown enchantment the PC’s decide to proceed through the newly discovered secret door believing it to be the “safer” of the two choices. Once inside the damp, rough hewn chamber beyond they are immediately set upon by the living statue guardian inside. The acidic ooze which spills from the creature manages to ruin a spear and a broadsword before the creature is reduced to an acidic pool. Reaching the finished stone chambers beyond they come across the last weapon in which to provide the edge they need, the Huntsman’s Knife. An enchanted, silver edged short sword worn by rangers who fought against the were creatures and demons in the beast lords dark armies. After realizing they had avoided any traps by entering the tomb from the secret entrance the party retreats back out the way they came. Standing once again in the daylight the characters agree to rest and discuss their next move. The elf princess will want to eliminate the were-beasts so as to secure the release of her father’s new stallion. She holds no illusion that Pytor will not give up the new born without the return of his livelihood. The cleric would like to inspect the room in which he retrieved the mace and the mummified remains of the body which held it. His scientific interest has been piqued. The writing on the mace is entirely foreign and the mummy had unnatural physiology which he had no time to examine in any sort of detail. The fighter is concerned for the safety of Sukiskyn steading and wants to know what to do about the goblin horde at large. He is extremely anxious to return and see to the homestead’s defenses. The ranger will want to see the centaur’s task completed as quickly as possible. He wants to get the princess back to Rifflian as soon as he can. Baby horse or not. What does the party do? That was the end of our seven hour play session. So far they had thwarted all of Golthar's attempts to turn East Karameikos into chaos, and get his hands on the tapestry. Instead he is severely wounded and must retreat to Xitaqa in the company of his were beast lieutenants. I figure he will send them on a stealth mission to steal the tapestry through subterfuge instead of direct assault. The goblin army left on the shore will kill Vlack and decide to attack all the "Free Steadings" now they have been ripped of their religious experience and their horses. So the characters will have plenty to work out if we get together again I think. The game went well, and beginning characters seem to hold their own well against goblins. They have yet to battle some wargs which I think can cause some damage. As their opponents become aware of them, and plot against them I think we will see some more closely fought battles. If worse comes to worse and the players are walking over everyone, the Death's Head gnolls can always overwhelm the party on their way to the Lost Valley, strip them of all their possessions and leave them as sacrifices to the undead zombies of Hutaaka! Idea intrigues me, having them forced to make friends with the citizens of the undead city because they need some basic gear! I haven't DM'ed in twenty years, but I just tried to keep the action coming at them and relied on my favorite Moorcockian themes to deliver the story telling. These being; the Dog and Bear from Corum, the Hutaaka will be deformed by their attempts to control the Mythos creatures (HP Lovecraft) inhabiting their dying city (Mountains of Madness), hiding their corrupted bodies behind jackal masks and weird science (Hawkmoon), Golthar's double game he is playing with the goblins and the were beasts (he is providing them serum to control their previously uncontrolled lycanthropy)(Underworld)... those are the literary thefts I can think of. First impressions are B10 is a fantastic module! Second is BRP Classic Fantasy works great for imaginative fantasy role play. This is because BRP is a great system, and Mr. Leary did the brain damage to create accurate class/race representations. The multi class elf was a deliberate choice, and provided a wide range of role play possibilities which were only lightly tapped during the first go. The ranger was deemed the “best” out of the four by a friend who looked at the characters the night before, but didn’t play. The ranger did prove his worth getting the party safely navigating the Dymrak. The fighter at 82% w/1H Sword could hold his own against any grunts, and when another PC could provide a 2-1 advantage quick death for opponents would result. The cleric used his magic abilities appropriately (spiritual hammer, chant, turning undead), attempted to puzzle out religious implications (effen crits!), and had no fear when it came to delivering a shield smash to knock opponent off balance, mace to knee to immobilize opponent, mace in looping downward blow to skull to silence opponent!

I can honestly say the detour I took into other games to find a better system to game than what D&D came with... I kinda ended up losing sight of the fact that D&D was my first, one true love.

That is what I did. Got the three ring in my hand right now, love the craft potion skill!

BRP Classic Fantasy has taken my old D&D modules and breathed new life into them. Looks like I'm going to get to take some old friends through B10. I've always wanted to go back to D&D with the Chaosium system ever since I had a chance to play Elric back in '83. This has been the coolest thing to happen to fantasy role play since Gary Gygax found out where he could get different sided dice!

Made it 272, go Chaosium!

That was awesome!!! Thank you very much. To answer your first question, yes, this is an idea for a player character. The Plant Lord is a very intriguing idea, but for a more material based approach the scribing of runes upon matter to be controlled is my favorite so far. Perhaps Runes of Enhancement/Summoning are to be placed while under the influence of certain plant based potions. This would require preparation time, but shouldn't powerful effects take time to conjure? Or, to return to the Plant Lord, the elixirs are required to make contact with various Plant Lord's whereby pacts, and promises are to be made. What kind of Plant Lords would one uncover tapping the Dharzi created forest...? Here an entirely new line of speculation is awaiting!

Any, and all suggestions welcome

Say you have a practitioner of earth elemental magic in the Young Kingdoms. How would you go about simulating the ability to manipulate plants. Particularly, is it spell casting to raise a wall of brambles to choke, and constrict your opponents, or is it elemental summoning with simple to elaborate ritual of various lengths? I'm trying to put together a human magician of the Young Kingdoms whose skill set is a combination of earth elemental magic, and is knowledgeable in the making, and using of potions. He would know earth lore, potion lore, and wilderness lore I imagine for the bare bones skills. His path to wealth could be made supplying poisons to the brisk assassination business of the city. Having trouble being satisfied with my current conceptions of this working together. Maybe it is because there are too many possibilities?