Friday, January 27, 2023

The OGL is saved! (Or is it?)

Wizards of the Coast tapped out.

The OGL 1.0a is here to stay . . . for now, with no explicit mention of irrevocability. A minor victory for the OSR, a major victory for communities like the one around Cepheus.

The biggest winners are the 5e players and publishers with the release of the SRD 5.1 under Creative Commons. There's a bit of silliness there though, like Pelor's name and position as a sun god being freely usable, but nothing else about him (or her or it). And unfortunately, I think a lot of the good steam that had gathered around the ORC (Open RPG Compatibility License) is dissipating, to say nothing of the OpenDND movement.

But the people who signed off on the replacement of the OGL because the brand was undermonetized are still there and still in power. They still want to do all that even if they can't at the moment. Why did they fail? From a purely cutthroat perspective, because their propaganda about anyone who opposed the OGL 1.1/2.0/1.2 being a horrible *ist and *phobic CHUD didn't have enough evidence to trick customers into believing their bullshit. Clearly, they need to build up that boogieman.

You will see more of the anti-OSR pieces like PBS did. You will see "problematic" content highlighted by "random" twitter accounts. You will see people saying "dang if only we hadn't forced WOTC to remove the morality clause/release the rules under CC." You will see people talking about the "*ist problem in the D&D community." And you will see WOTC pull this again, with a sigh and a nod, saying  "well we knew this would happen but the community was so vocal, we had no choice."

Or maybe I'm just being overly pessimistic.

Wednesday, January 25, 2023

dungeon23: March goal

Level 3

This one felt like a slog, mostly due to individual humanoid treasure.


1 square = 10 feet

Doors are presumed to be 5 feet wide, made of wood banded with metal, and opened according to normal rules

Ceilings are 10 feet high

No light sources unless otherwise stated 

Passages with an arrow or "to parts unknown" may lead to dead ends, lairs, secret entrances/exits, or sub-levels as the referee desires. 

After being encountered the first time, "high traffic areas" have a 50% chance of a randomly determined monster(s) being present

 

3.1 West spiral staircase room

Connects to 1.21 and 2.1

There's a 1-in-6 chance every turn spent here that loud deep, croaking from the toads in 3.25 may be heard.


3.2 Strange staircase room

Connects to 2.25 and 4.2  


3.3 Gas room

This room is filled with a cloud of sweet-smelling purple gas. It has no immediate effect and does nothing while within it, but after exiting it blinds those who passed through for 1d6 turns.

 

3.4 Former bedroom

Dusty. Empty save for a make shift cot of blankets and sacks.

 

3.5  Spiked pit trap

10' deep, 3-in-6 chance to fail unless actively looking, 1d6 spike damage

 

3.6 North junction room

A strange cloud of gray smoke surrounds 3000 cp in the southeast corner. The cloud is actually 3 tweens (HD 1, 4 hp each, MV 12 or as host, AC 10, Al N; Att: by "weapon" against ethereal only; Special: can only be hit on ethereal plane, symbiosis). They will attempt to bond with the highest-hp members of the party.

Note: Fiend Folio doesn't specify the effects of multiple tweens in proximity, so I would rule that the tween-bonded cancel each other out and roll normally, while others roll two dice and take the worst result.
 

3.7 West dead end room

Empty, but engraved on the east wall is a message in huge letters: 

POWER MUST BE USED

 

3.8  West spiral staircase room

Connects to 4.3 and 5.1


3.9 Saint's room

In the west corner is a cleric clad in chainmail sitting on the floor, his head bowed and hands interlocked in prayer. Some bits of moldy food are on the ground before him. He is dead, although it is not immediately obvious and is remarkably preserved. As long as his body is left undisturbed/unlooted, chaotic creatures (including PCs) cannot enter nor attack into this room for any reason, and neutral characters may enter but can only attack inward if struck by those inside. The saint also has a iron ankh hanging from a chain around his neck (holy symbol), a mace, and a vial of holy water.


3.10 Lonely treasure room

3000 sp sit in a 6' long lead bath(?)tub that requires at least three people to lift and four to carry.

 

3.11 Lonely north rectangle room

Empty  

 

3.12 Large square room

A thoroughly rotted backpack and equally rusted dagger are at the position of "12"; there are a scattering of bones in front of the east door 

 

3.13 The Ghast-Knight's Room

In this room are many piles of bones and a ghast wielding black metal full plate and shield, both with a silver lion passant prominently displayed (HD 4, 15 hp, MV 9, AC 2, Al C; Att: 1d4 plus paralysis + 1d8 plus paralysis; Special: stench in 10' save or -2 to attacks, undead). It only wants one victim to eat, but if attack en masse it's smart enough to paralyze multiple opponents.
 

Scattered throughout the room under bone piles are 2000 ep, one large golden yellow gem (500 gp topaz), 6000 pp, a clerical scroll with Hold Person (caster level 6) and Exorcise (caster level 8) , and a wizardly scroll with Invisible Stalker (caster level 13).

 

3.14 Northeast square room

Empty   


3.15 Odd room

6 orcs (HD 1, one leader with 5 hp, others 4 hp each, MV 9, AC 6, Al C; Att: varies/see below) are camping in the northeast section, part of the the group that's also in 3.16 and 3.17 and bear the symbol of silver lion on a red field prominently. They will simply observe unless battle is joined. The leader has a whistle that only orcs and elves can hear and will use it to signal intruders to 3.16. Noise of a battle will bring 1d6 orcs from 3.16 every round. 

Treasure/Equipment:

Leader: Orcish whistle, sword, spear, 4 ep

Others: axe, polearm, 9 ep; spear, 9 ep; axe, 8 ep; sword, flail, 12 ep; and sword, spear, 8 ep

 

3.16 Far east rectangle room

17 orcs (HD 1, one leader with 8 hp, others 4 hp each, MV 9, AC 6, Al C; Att: varies/see below) are camped here, part of the the group that's also in 3.15 and 3.17 and bear the symbol of silver lion on a red field prominently. They were ordered to secure an area by "The Red Lady"on levell ??. They know of the elevator room (3.20) and will permit a party to pass through to it. They will seemingly allow a part to pass through to 3.17, but this is a feint: They are the "hammer" in a shakedown/attack plan.

Treasure/Equipment: 

Leader: Axe, crossbow, 10 bolts, 10 ep

Others: polearm, 6 ep; polearm, 3 ep; axe, polearm, 3 ep; spear, 7 ep; axe, 8 ep; sword, flail, 7 ep; sword, spear, 7 ep; axe, crossbow, 10 bolts, 10 ep; axe, bow, 10 arrows, 7 ep; sword, battleaxe, 5 ep; axe, spear, 8 ep; axe, spear, 7 ep; axe, 5 ep; and axe, polearm, 8 ep

 

3.17 Southeast square room

4 orcs (HD 1, 4 hp each, MV 9, AC 6, Al C; Att: varies/see below) are guarding this passage, part of the the group that's also in 3.15 and 3.16 and bear the symbol of silver lion on a red field prominently. Two are south of the east door and two are north of the west door. They are the "anvil" in the orcs' organization and after the party enters, the orcs in 3.16 will encircle: They desire treasure but are not averse to slaughter.

Treasure/Equipment: 

North pair: axe, polearm, 11 ep; axe, bow, 10 arrows, 10 ep

South pair: sword, flail, 9 ep; axe, polearm, 9 ep

 

3.18 Southeast rectangle room

Empty, but if the orcs of the silver-lion-on-red group allowed the party to pass they will move 4 orcs (HD 1, others 4 hp each, MV 9, AC 6, Al C; Att: varies/pick from 3.17 roster) from 3.17 to here. Equipment and treasure will be unchanged in the move.   

Space to note Treasure/Equipment: 

 

 

 

3.19 North rectangle room

3000 cp lies scattered on the floor; it will take one full turn to gather up 1000 coins. There are random teeth of man, beast, and others intermixed with the coins.

 

3.20 ELEVATOR TO HELL

The south wall of this room has a large iron panel with two copper buttons: An arrow pointing down and an arrow pointing up. Up here, the up arrow does nothing. If the down arrow is pressed, roll 1d6: 1-5 it descends that many floors without stopping at a rate of 5 ft/round; on a 6 in remains stationary. See connections, below.

On levels 4-7: If down/up are pressed, roll 1d6 and descend/ascend that many floors, if the result is greater than the number left below/above it goes the opposite direction instead.

On level 8: If the up arrow is pressed, roll 1d6: 1-5 it ascends that many floors without stopping at a rate of 5 ft/round; on a 6 in remains stationary. Down here, the down arrow does nothing.

The elevator will ascend 1 floor/day until it returns to level 3.

A number of parameters can be adjusted via 3.21

Treat those who fall from a higher floor onto the platform or into the shaft as having fallen 20 ft/floor. 

Technically this room only has one wall (the south panel wall) and no ceiling

 

Connections:

Level 4: Rooms 4.17 and 4.22

Level 5: Secret door that opens to a passage

Level 6: Secret door that opens to 6.13, room 6.38

Level 7: ???

Level 8: ??? 


3.21 Elevator control room

Within this room are a cot, chair, table, and a large brass console with three marked levers. A <> indicates the levers' current positions when first encountered. From left (farthest from the door) to right (closest), they are: 

SPD                  MOV            RST

MIN   <>          MIN              DAY <>

MED                MAX             WK

MAX                RND <>        NO

SPD is speed. MIN makes the elevator travel 5 ft/round. MED makes the elevator travel 10/ft per round and knocks passengers prone. MAX makes the elevator travel 20/ft per round. and if descending passengers are treated as though they fell 10 ft per floor, while if ascending each passenger is merely knocked prone for the duration of the movement.

MOV is movement, i.e. how the elevator moves between levels. MIN makes the elevator only descend/ascend 1 level at a time. MAX makes the elevator descend level 8 and ascend to level 1, without any stops between. RND makes the elevator's movement randomized: Roll 1d6 and descend/ascend that many floors, if the result is greater than the number left below/above it goes the opposite direction instead.

RST is for reset. DAY means the elevator will automatically ascend one floor/day until it returns to level 3. WK means the elevator will automatically ascend one floor/week until it returns to level 3. NO means the elevator will not ascend automatically at all.

 

3.22 Grand oval room

Empty  

 

3.23 Horizontal southern rectangle room

Empty 

 

3.24 Dragon's square lair

Here be an unusually large very young white dragon (HD 7, 7 hp, MV 12/30, AC 3, Al C; Att: 2 claws 1d4 each + bite  2d8; Special: breath weapon 3 times a day, damage = hp in cold damage, save for half) This dragon cannot speak or cast spells. It is 60% likely to be sleeping.

Its hoard is guarded by its pet(?) toads in 3.25. Combat with them is 25% likely to awaken it.

 

3.25 Toad abode

8 giant toads (HD 2+4, 11 hp each, MV 6+6 hop, AC 6, Al N; Att: bite 2d4; Special: can attack mid-hop) are lairing here. They are pets/snacks of the white dragon in 3.24 and combat with them is 25% likely to awaken it. Otherwise, they are vicious, hungry, and fight to the death, even chasing.

Beneath assorted toad detritus is 3000 sp in a semi-orderly stack.

 

3.26 Lonely west square room

Empty, but engraved on the west wall is a message in huge letters: 

CHANCE MUST BE SEIZED


3.27 Vertical southern rectangle room

Empty.


3.28 Drow camp

13 drow (Leader HD 3, 10 hp; rest HD 2, 9 hp each, MV 12, AC 4, Al C; Att: adamantine sword 1d8+1; 50% magic resistance, +2 to saves; leader has Nystul's Magic Aura prepared)

Their leader is a fighter/mage named Kelbyr; he and his band have been tasked by a superior to bring tribute to The Master on level ??? but they were unsure if they could tackle the white dragon in 3.24. They are not obviously hostile but won't hesitate to kill or capture a weakened or small party if the opportunity presents itself. 

Each drow has a skull-shaped buckler +1, a wickedly barbed sword +1, and red chainmail +1.  Their treasure is on their persons underneath their armor: Kelbyr has 25 pp and 3 average yellow-green gems (100 gp chrysoberyls). The rest have: 15 pp and 4 small pure black gems (50 gp onyxes); 15 pp and 4 average pearls (100 gp ea) ; 15 pp and 1 tiny mottled blue gem (10 gp azurite); 15 pp and 4 tiny pink gems with "moss" patterns (10 gp moss agates); 15 pp and 2 small orange gems (50 gp carnelians); 15 pp; 15 pp; 15 pp; 15 pp; 15 pp; 15 pp; 15 pp; and 15 pp

300 pp in an iron chest is half of the tribute, with the other stored in 3.29


3.29 Fire beetle chamber

6 fire beetles (HD 1+2, 6 hp each, MV 12, AC 4, Al N; Att: bite 2d4; Special: 3 light glands, each illuminates 10' and lasts six days after removal) lair here, and using their weird ways the drow have "tamed" them so that they will attack them. Otherwise they are territorial.

300 pp in an iron chest is hidden beneath carefully placed scraps of bone and chitin, the other half of the 3.28 drows' tribute

 

3.30 Southwest rectangle room

Empty. 

 

3.31 Hallway room

Empty. 

 

3.32 Lonely south square room

Empty.

Sunday, January 15, 2023

dungeon23: February goal

Level 2



1 square = 10 feet

Doors are presumed to be 5 feet wide, made of wood banded with metal, and opened according to normal rules

Ceilings are 10 feet high

No light sources unless otherwise stated 

Passages with an arrow or "to parts unknown" may lead to dead ends, lairs, secret entrances/exits, or sub-levels as the referee desires. 

After being encountered the first time, "high traffic areas" have a 50% chance of a randomly determined monster(s) being present

 

2.1 South spiral staircase room

Connects to 1.21 and 3.1

The jermlaine in 2.4 have a 90% chance of hearing movement in/through here.

 

2.2 Fountain chamber

The faintly glowing water (no useful illumination) circulating through the central stone fountain will permanently reduce a drinker's Wis by 1d3 while giving him a permanent +1 hp. Only the first drink has an effect for any given entity.

 

2.3 3-way chamber

Empty. The jermlaine in 2.4 have a 70% chance of hearing movement in/through here.

 

2.4 Jermlaine warrens

This angled chamber is the lair of 22 foot-tall jermlaines (HD 1/2, 2 hp each, MV 15, AC 7, Al C; Att: 1d3; Special: 5-in-6 chance to surprise, 75% to remain undetected while attempting to be stealthy). Through extremely narrow crawlways (no chance for even a halfling to squeeze in), they have two warrens, a small eastern area and a larger western area (not mapped because it should be impossible for a party to enter). They are 75% likely to remain hidden and then attempt to set up woven hair triplines (4-in-6 chance to fall) once intruders have exited the chamber.

They will attempt to attack obviously weakened and wounded parties: If a battle goes south they will plead and beg for mercy, offering their "entire treasury" of 1000 cp.

In addition to the 1000 cp they may offer as a bribe, they have another 1000 cp, an apple-green gem (50 gp chrysprose) and a blue-green gem (50 gp zircon) in their eastern warrens and 500 gp, 2000 cp, a large olive-green gem (500 gp peridot), and a large violet gem (500 gp garnet) in the western warrens. 

 

2.5 North rectangle chamber

Empty 

 

2.6 Pit trap

10' deep, 3-in-6 chance to fail unless actively looking

 

2.7 Treasure chamber

A locked oaken chest contains 200 pp.

 

2.8  High traffic area

6 Orgillons (HD 2, 9 hp each, MV 12, AC 6, Al C; Att: punch 1d6+1 or by weapon +1; Special: Only speak ogre and alignment) are following the albino fire beetle at 2.9 as part of a totemic quest. They will not permit any to pass them but they have no problem with a party following them. Their treasure is: 6 gp; 4 gp; 8 gp; 8 gp; 4 gp; and 3 gp.


2.9 High traffic area

8 fire beetles (HD 1+2, 6 hp each, MV 12, AC 4, Al N; Att: bite 2d4; Special: 3 light glands, each illuminates 10' and lasts six days after removal) are currently resting here. One is an albino. If left undisturbed they will eventually pass through 2.10 and 2.11, before nesting in 2.12.

 

2.10  South strange chamber

Empty, but engraved on the south wall is a message in huge letters: 

DESIRE SETS US INTO MOTION


2.11  North strange chamber

Empty, but engraved on the north wall is a message in huge letters: 

WILL IS THE FINAL FORCE

 

2.12 Dead end chamber

Empty. 2-in-6 chance to hear activity from the mites in 2.14 

 

2.13 Hallway room

Empty.  4-in-6 chance to hear activity from the mites in 2.14 and the mites have a 5-in-6 chance to hear entry into this room

 

2.14 Former refectory

22 mites (HD 1-1, two leaders with 7 hp, rest 3 hp each, MV 9, AC 8, Al C; Att: 1d3; Special: can't [?] speak) lair amid tables, chairs, and clay pots in varying states of disrepair. They are always ready to set up an ambush using the awkward corners and furniture of the room, but can't get into perfect position if they don't hear movement in 2.13. They eat captives and prisoners. They have a hoard of 2000 sp, scattered in amongst detritus and in random pots.

 

2.15 South rectangle chamber

Empty  


2.16 Four-door Room

4 zombies (HD 2, 8 hp each, MV 6, AC 8, Al N; Att: 1d8; Special: always strike last, undead) each stand in a corner of this room, all wearing rotted leather armor and bearing rusted weapons. They will not attack those entering or exiting from the north or south doors. They will attack any who enter or exit the west or east doors. If one is attacked, they all respond in kind.

 

2.17 Gas Pocket

A cloud of opaque but harmless gas seeps up from the floor, blocking all vision through and in the indicated area

 

2.18 Trap door

Leads down to level 4

 

2.19 High traffic area

When the party first arrives there will be a party of 16 orcs (HD 1, one leader with 8 hp, others 4 hp each, MV 9, AC 6, Al N; Att: varies/see below) here. The leader is notably larger; He is Uthak, a princeling of the Gray-Eye tribe. His father, King Gray-Eye, ordered him and his brother to find an albino creature and bring it back dead or alive, with the one who brings a prize back first securing succession to the throne. Uthak has 7 gp and is armed with an axe and a polearm. He is open to alliances and will remember any good or ill done to him. The rest of the orcs' armaments and treasures are: 

3 gp, axe, polearm; 4 gp, axe, crossbow, 10 bolts; 4 gp, spear; 5 gp, axe, crossbow, 10 bolts;

6 gp, axe; 5 gp, spear; 6 gp, sword, spear; 4 gp, sword, spear;

1 gp, battleaxe, sword; 4 gp, sword, spear; and 6 gp, axe, polearm.

The orcs will eventually head south and toward 2.12 in their search.

 

2.20 Columned intersection

The black stone columns have vertical script on each of them:

D                               P                         C                          W  

E faces south            O faces east        H faces west        I faces north

S                               W                         A                          L

I                                E                          N                          L

R                              R                          C

E                                                           E

The pillars detect as evil but have no other special features.

 

2.21 Gas Pocket
A cloud of opaque but harmless gas seeps up from the floor, blocking all vision through and in the indicated area

 

2.22 The awkward room

3 Bullywug outcasts (HD 1, see below for hp, MV 3//15, two AC 6 and one AC 7 [see below], Al C; Att: varies/see below; Special: +1 to hit after hopping) are lairing here. They are Gort (5 hp, armed with a glowing sword +1 and a beautiful golden shield -1 with a lion's face), Nurk (4 hp, armed with an axe +1 of dwarven make), and the albino Hee (8 hp). They are generally unfriendly but may be recruited as hangers-on for food and 10 gp each. They are very likely to betray the party, especially if their lives are at risk. They have no other treasure.

 

2.23 The Chapel

The pillars bear the same engravings as 1.1:

D                               P                         C                          W  

E faces south            O faces east        H faces west        I faces north

S                               W                         A                          L

I                                E                          N                          L

R                              R                          C

E                                                           E

There is an empty altar here. On the north wall are four almost life-size figures carved of red stone; they are on tiered pedestals. First tier: A monkey-headed woman, centered; Second tier (1' above the first): A rabbit-head woman on the left and a bull-headed man on the right; Third tier (1' above the first): a tiger(?)-headed man, centered.

The statues, altar, and pillars all detect as evil but are otherwise inert.

 

2.24 North square room

Empty 

 

2.25 North spiral stair case room

Connects to 3.2 and 4.2

 

2.26 Dead-end rectangle

Empty   


2.27 Huge square room

Empty   


2.28 Southwest square room

Empty   


2.29 High traffic area

A generally indifferent train of 22 foot-tall jermlaines (HD 1/2, leader with 4 hp, rest 2 hp each, MV 15, AC 7, Al N; Att: 1d3; Special: 5-in-6 chance to surprise, 75% to remain undetected while attempting to be stealthy) are on their way to 2.4. Their leader, Eyes-of-gray, is a grandson of an ousted chieftain and seeks to reclaim the warrens; he is mounted on a loyal giant rat named Orc-Eater (HD 1/2, 4 hp, MV 12//6, AC 7, Al N; Att: bite 1d3+ 5% chance of disease). He is honest and is willing to part with most of the treasure in the warrens (although he will agree in ballpark figures) and/or his train's carried treasure in exchange for aid. Their treasure is 2 gems, one small and glassy blue-white (50 gp chalcedony), the other very small and striated green with dark green (10 gp malachite).

 

2.30 Norker toll route

A group of 12 Norkers (HD 1+2, 7 hp each, MV 9, AC 3, Al C; Att: bite 1d3 or club 1d6) have set up a small shakedown operation here, although there are usually (75%) 4 in this room at a time, with the other 8 in 2.33, which is also where they keep their treasure. The toll is 1 gp per person, adjusted based on if they think they can wring more out, and they will ask which door the party wishes to go through. If the eastern door is indicated, one will whistle then guffaw, a signal to the norkers in 2.33 to prepare an ambush; the others will brush off his actions as a joke.

 

2.31 Yellow-carpeted room

The "yellow carpet" that covers the floor is in fact yellow mold (on contact releases a cubic foot of deadly gas for 1d8 damage, save vs poison or die, destroyed by fire but otherwise immune to most damage).

 

2.32 Dead-end room

A humanoid skeleton with a a caved in skull is sprawled on the floor. Next to it is a message scrawled in chalk: 

I'M SORRY

HE ATTACKED ME

☥ HAVE MERCY

 

2.33 Norker lair

The norkers in 2.30 keep their treasure here: 2000 sp separated into two small sacks of 200 sp each, one large sack of 800 sp, and two average sacks of 400 sp. There are usually 8 norkers (HD 1+2, 7 hp each, MV 9, AC 3, Al C; Att: bite 1d3 or club 1d6) here at any given time. There are many more empty sacks, some used as bedding.

Thursday, January 12, 2023

dungeon23 supplemental: The town(?) of Silverlion

Originally I was going to make multiple posts about the town of Silverlion as opposed to the Castle Silverlion above the dungeons, but that was far too much effort. I think that if I were to run what I have right now, I'd use a combination of Hommlet and The B2 Keep. 

The Castellan would either be Lord Silverlion himself or a subordinate. 

The chaotic (evil) ne'er-do-wells of the village would just be part of a specific demon cult rather than ToEE employees.

I like the religious tension in Hommlet but I think I'd try to work in something more reflective of the Scottish/English religious tensions - the Old Church with its rustic presbyterian structure vs the Royal or Proper Church with an appointed episcopacy. One would be in the village (probably the newcomers) and the other in the keep (the old guard). The druidics would be the major third wheel. 

I imagine tension between Lord Silverlion and village leaders, as well as with the wizard/fighter duo of T1.

Lots of potential for political intrigue.


Wednesday, January 11, 2023

dungeon23: "weeks" 3-4

 I have completed January's goal for my dishonest subversion of this dungeon23 thing.



A number of sprawling passages are optionally choked with rubble as avenues for future expansion.

 

15. Hint room

In the middle of the floor (where the "15" is) is an a message in chalk: An arrow pointing to the northeast corner and "THIS WAY"

 

16. Dusty room

This room has a thick layer of dust upon the floor.

 

17. Chamber of passages

Empty, but see 20

 

18. The rat nest

13 very angry giant rats (HD 1/2, 2 hp each, MV 12//6, AC 7, Al N; Att: bite 1d3+ 5% chance of disease )have made a nest here using bits fur, cloth, wood, and dead adventurers. They are territorial and attack on sight.

 

19. Room of Ruses

A magic mouth on the ceiling activates when the door is opened: "WELCOME ADVENTURERS! TWO DOORS LIE BEFORE YOU, ONE GUARDS WEALTH AND THE OTHER GUARDS DEATH! CHOOSE WISELY!"

The two "doors" are immobile, solid iron facsimiles with thin wooden paneling

Has a thick layer of dust upon the floor.

 

20. High traffic area

Due to its proximity to the only accessible passage from level 1 to level 3, there's a 50% of wandering monsters at this location.

 

21. Spiral Staircase Room

The spiral staircase here descends to room 2.1 and from there to 3.1

 

22. Trap door and stairs

Beneath this wooden trap door are 5-ft wide stairs that descend to level 2

 

23. Rats' hoard?

1000 sp lay in a neat pile at the location of the "23," covered in rat droppings and corpses

 

24. Rats' neighbor

Empty save for some old blood stains

 

25. Octagonal chamber

Empty

 

26. Horizontal Rectangle Room

Empty, has a thick layer of dust upon the floor.

 

27. Vertical Rectangle Room

Empty, has a thick layer of dust upon the floor.

 

28. Pit Trap!

Most of this corridor is dominated by a 10' deep pit, 3-in-6 chance to fail unless actively looking

 

29. Gas Pocket

A cloud of opaque but harmless gas blocks all vision through and in the area of the  "29"

 

30. Hexagonal Chamber

Empty

 

31. Secret Room

Empty with a thick layer of dust upon the floor., but because of its remoteness acts as a safe place to rest in the dungeon.

Sunday, January 8, 2023

Are we in the midst of an Old School Reformation?

Although some still hold out hope (or cope) that OGL 1.1 will not render OGL 1.0a unusable, it's already causing a stir in the OSR scene. There's talk of abandoning the SRD and OGL entirely and moving to Creative Commons, because, as James Mishler says on his blog, "Even if they don't follow through now, there is no knowing if they might try to follow through later."

Chris Gonnerman, author of Basic Fantasy RPG, has announced his intention to remove SRD text from the game and work has already started.

Tenkar likewise announced his intent to de-SRD Continual Light.

James Mishler is bowing out the OGL business but hinted at Daniel Proctor looking at non-OGL avenues

As for myself, I'm finishing up a shoddy but playable product that been moldering on my hard drive for a couple of years. My OGL products until WOTC decides to C&D me or a viable system suitable for conversion presents itself. Regardless, I think we're in the midst of a watershed moment for the OSR.

Thursday, January 5, 2023

The Doom That Came To OGL, or The Dagger At The Throat Of OSR

I'd read about the new leaked Open Game License 1.1 from WOTC for D&DOne on Bat in the Attic but the discussion surrounding it has recently exploded as non-publishers and the legally-inclined start to notice it.

Is the OGL 1.0 getting revoked?

We have no idea until WOTC tells us. It should be noted that there was a change in OGL from 3rd edition to 3.5 edition that added in more product identity and tightened the legalese (that's why you can find beholder or mind flayers in very early OGL stuff); after the update, such content was "grandfathered in" but there was no option to continue use the older license. It should be noted that the first OGL was issued as a "test model" and an olive branch to creators burned by interactions with Lorraine Williams' T$R. When WOTC introduced the GSL for 4e, they did not attempt to revoke or alter the OGL. With 5e and the Dungeon Master's Guild, WOTC began a big push to devalue the OGL. Thus, at the moment, if WOTC were to revoke the license, all current content would be "grandfathered in" but no new content could be made under OGL 1.0

How does this affect publishers?

An added notice that the license can be revoked for badwrongthink has its most obvious bullseyes in James Desborough, Venger, Raggi, and the Skrotched 'Urf studio, but consider this: If there's a female slave or noncombatant in a module, is that misogyny? If a tomboyish lass or sensitive lad are ostracized from the village for their ways but are otherwise presented as potentially helpful NPCs, is that transphobic? Some of the most vocal anti-discrimination advocates argue that showing discrimination empowers and supports it, a position that got noted liberal writer and artist Howard Chaykin into hot water a few years ago. Semantics are a game with few winners.

There's another clause about how if you make $X in a year you must pay your tithes to WOTC, which I doubt affects the OSR publishers much but is a tremendous deterrent to anyone in 5e publishing at the moment. Most retroclones are free, with their profits in 1st party splats or POD products. This can be potentially disastrous to print-at-cost retroclones like BFRPG if POD is classifed as revenue by WOTC.

How does this affect others?

Production of new OGL content will exhibit unusual and variable waves, as publishers either panic and try to rush out anything almost complete to make $ before the hammer drops or slow down and wait for things to shake out. A glut of shit and a drought of quality.

Publishing without the OGL

I refuse to count Lamentations of The Flame Princess as OSR because of its mechanical and tonal breaks from TSR D&D, but it's the canary in the coal mine for me because:

1. it has "problematic content"

2. the grindhouse version was published under OGL but the current version isn't

3. it's very obviously B/X -derived

4. it's a "brand name" 

5. it is/was profitable

If WOTC doesn't sue Raggi then I'd wager the door is open for non-OGL retroclone. The caveat here is that LotFP doesn't have a bestiary, which is where WOTC claims most of its product identity. Sine Nomine also has a slew of profitable B/X-based games.

What should I do?

Download or buy all OGL content you've had wishlisted. Pirate or buy secondhand TSR D&D (WOTC doesn't deserve your money). Finish that content that's almost done or put it in the freezer. And wait. And fight on! 

Wednesday, January 4, 2023

dungeon23 "week 2"

I continue to make a mockery of this thing by going against the spirit of it. I can't tell if this is bad or speaks to naviete of those behind it. Perhaps it's more about motivation than action?

7 rooms have been added to represent the days of 1/8-1/14. As I suspected, the dungeon generator from The Strategic Review definitely seems to favor clusters of rooms more akin to B2 that the DMG's mazes of corridors. As Gygax himself advised, liberties were taken with some room shapes.


1 square = 10 feet

Doors are presumed to be 5 feet wide, made of wood banded with metal, and opened according to normal rules

Ceilings are 10 feet high

No light sources unless otherwise stated


8. Room of doors

Each of the doors has an iron plaque with a word engraved on it, reminiscent of the pillars in room 1.

The east door (most likely the party's egress) has POWER; north has WILL; west has CHANCE; and south has DESIRE.


9. Crooked room

In the southwest corner in front of the door is a person-shaped pile of mold on the floor and upon the door itself is a crude carving that says LIBERA TE TUTEMET EX INFERIS


10. Lonely room

Empty


11. Spear trap

This masterwork of a trap is easy to avoid activating but hard to figure out. An entire 10-ft square of the passage acts as the pressure plate, with the spear in the middle. Those moving faster or slower than the normal movement rates can trigger the trap but not be struck by the spear, while those moving at normal rates risk a random spear strike. Once deployed, it takes a full round for the trap to withdraw and another to reset to readiness. Those struck are damage as though hit by a spear (no save).

 

12. Triangle room

Empty


13. Squished room

Empty


14. Bas-relief room

This room contains eight reliefs that tell a story. It starts on the south wall to the left of the door and proceeds clockwise. The scenes are as follows:

1. A younger man and an older man stand near a castle on a hill that overlooks a town. The younger man looks to the west.

2. The young man, now armed and armored along other soldiers with ankhs on their livery fight knights bearing eyes, severed hands, and/or fiery serpents on their livery

3. The young man, new disheveled, in a dungeon or torture chamber with banners of fiery serpents hanging from the wall. Fellow prisoners are depicted being sacrificed or cannibalized

4. The young man stands over the bodies of fiery serpent knights, holding a bloody sword and apparently eating

5. The man, no longer young, returns to the castle on the hill. The old man is older, bent and supported by cane, but greets him joyfully.

6. The man stands before a tombstone. The castle looms in the background.

7. The man is in a dungeon or torture chamber. Men with whips direct labor gangs of both men and monsters, some digging, some building.

8. The man kneels in a temple or church. Upon the altar is a black triangle.

Tuesday, January 3, 2023

dungeon23 supplemental: A brief sketch of Castle Silverlion and its sordid history

As mentioned in my first d23 post, the entrance to the dungeon leads to the lower works of Castle Silverlion. The Castle has been a vague notion I've had for a while, as Gygax exhorts (or mayhaps implores?) the DM in the DMG Appendix A to generate the upper works above the dungeon, something he often didn't do and which his successors have largely abandoned.

Castle Silverlion is the former ancestral abode of the Silverlion family, petty nobility whom claim varying authority and rights from the Free City of Silverlion. It stands on a hill overlooking the city. 

The Upper Works have fallen into ruin and rot one is hard-pressed to argue have any natural cause, overgrown with moss and often strangely fog-choked even on clear days. There is no real treasure here, and despite some overgrown vermin, the main threat is some groups of greedy villagers, bandits, and/or brigands waiting to jump exiting adventurers.

The Lower Works are in much better shape than above, and there are more vermin and less knaves. It is also long-since looted and quite mundane, with typical storage, bunk, and gaol/jail rooms. Toward the far north end is trap door, a mighty square of black iron the feels cool on hot days and warm on cold days, with two handle-rings. It requires a combined strength of 20 to lift up fully from above or push up from below and leads to room 1 of the dungeon.

There is another entrance, a shaft on the hill below the Castle called "Matilde's Folly" that leads to a lower level (3?) and at least one other rumored secret entrance.

Brief history of Castle Silverlion and Silverlion Family

~250 years ago: Henri Elf-blood is created Lord of the Manor by King Njall III for his service on the borderlands. He adopts a silver lion passant on a blue field as his coat of arms, and a town of uncertain name is rechristened "Silverlion's Town"

~230 years ago: Castle Silverlion's Upper and Lower Works are completed and remain largely unchanged for almost a century.

~180 years ago: Rivalry between brothers sees Claude Silverlion abandon the Castle and town (by now simply called "Silverlion"), leaving his brother Pierre Silverlion as the unquestioned authority of the locale

~130 years ago: Sole heir Luc Silverlion answers the call by many churches for a Lawful crusade into the Chaotic realms of the west.

~125 years ago: Luc returns home, his quiet and thoughtful demeanor turned aloof and cold. Pierre, already in bad health, dies a few month later.

~124-120 years ago: Luc becomes withdrawn. Slaves, both human and other, are brought in to perform mysterious labor in the castle. The villagers are worried but otherwise hands off, as Luc requests very little labor from them and channels much of his tax rights back into food and raw materials. Most family servants leave or are dismissed

~119-118 years ago: After two years without sight or sound of Luc or any of his remianing servants, the mayor and other local grandees reach out to Claude's branch of the family.

~117 years ago: Jean-Claude Silverlion, a man of staunch piety and healthy superstition, arrives with his wife and child. He assembles a posse to investigate the abandoned Castle, and upon venturing beneath the black iron trapdoor and seeing the pillars below, tells his men to grab all valuables they can carry and flee to town. He warns the village that there is something Evil beneath the Castle and to avoid it. He and his family relocate to a manor in town.

~100 years ago: The Castle begins to rapidly, and almost supernaturally, fall into disrepair. An unexplainable fog often shrouds it.

~50 years ago: Headstrong and independently wealthy from past expeditions in the borderlands, Matilde Silverlion and various mercenaries begin excavating a shaft on the side of the hill for not-understood reasons. After local miners refused to continue due to strange illness, foreign laborers and slaves were brought in. She and her party spoke of  discovering a structure beneath and mounted an expedition but never returned.


Sunday, January 1, 2023

dungeon23 week 1: Nothing good will come of this

I'm jumping on the dungeon23 bandwagon, although it is doubtful I'll stay on it long. I feel the format will lead to a lot of overdone setpiece funhouses.

Tools:

"Solo Dungeon Adventures" from The Strategic Review - a prototype of the 1e DMG Appendix A. So far seems to generate room clusters as opposed to 1e's corridor webs

Monster Tables from Fiend Folio - to add a bit of weirdness to the vanilla

Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st Edition Dungeon Master's Guide

Dice

Pencil

Notebooks (2)

Imagination

2 hours (not counting the time writing this post)


1 square = 10 feet

Doors are presumed to be 5 feet wide, made of wood banded with metal, and opened according to normal rules

Ceilings are 10 feet high

No light sources unless otherwise stated

 

1. Entrance

Stairs lead up to the lower works of Castle Silverlion. The black stone pillars have vertical script on each of them:

D                               P                         C                          W  

E faces south            O faces east        H faces west        I faces north

S                               W                         A                          L

I                                E                          N                          L

R                              R                          C

E                                                           E

The pillars detect as evil but have no other special features.

 

2. Room of Secret Doors

Otherwise empty.


3. Piles and Parasite

There's a messy pile of 1000 sp in the center of the room, along with a (probably) human skeleton. Closer examination: The skeleton's skull has scratches/gouges on top and its fingers are dulled/cracked/split. Hidden within the pile is a Cerebral Parasite if the party has psionics or a Vital Parasite otherwise. It will take four people a full turn to gather all the SP and there is a cumulative 10% chance per round that a random person gathering the coinage will be infected.

Cerebral Parasites drain psionic power points when the host uses psionic powers and can only be removed via Cure Disease. cf.  Monster Manual 1e p 14

Vital Parasites are similar but drain vital energy, reducing all healing by 1. This means that a host using RAW recovery rules regains no hp. A Cure Disease destroys the parasite.


4. Empty

Unidentifiable scraps of fabric and some bones.


5. Empty

But cramped.


6. Secretary Room
The remains of a brittle skeleton with a rusted manacle shackled to totally rotted and collapsed desk/table

-edit-

7. Hidden Hexagonal Room

This room is filled with various (harmless fungi) but there is a Shrieker (HD 3, 8hp, MV 1, AC 7, Al N; light with 30' or movement within 10' causes shrieking, 50% chance of additional encounter per turn) in a clump of foot-tall fungi at the approximate spot of the "7"