DIY Driders

I had some old Mageknight minis lying around (I got them in a big lot of MK minis...) and I had some cheap spiders.  Over at The DM's Craft message board, I saw someone made a Lolth out of an Electra mini and a spider, so....

I don't need a Lolth (got one in my Reaper Bone's KS) but you can ALWAYS use more driders!

Here's the starting bits --

One spider is slightly different (it has a stinger on the back) so that goes with Red.  The other two will be Blue and Yellow.  I'm glad I had one of each color for the driders.  :)

Using epoxy putty, I made a little mound on the top of the body, with a divot for the torso.  I waited for that to dry then I epoxied the torso onto it.

The plastic that MK minis are made out of is just not good.  It doesn't glue well.  Epoxy is about the only thing that I can get to work.

I painted the epoxy "blob" black, but I left the spider and the MK minis painted as is.  I think they are perfect for the table.

They ended up a little low to the ground, but that's not terrible.  You can put a little bit of poster-tac on their belly and they can climb on things like my Dwarven Forge or on a flight stand or on a bread box...

Spells from the Past (5)

Previous posts here, here, here, and here.  This stuff was written over 24 years ago.  No play balance is promised.  :)  This spell was created by one of my players, and longtime friends, GZ.  His wizard was Joryn Gemseeker.

JORYN'S MYSTICAL ARMOR

(Abjuration, Evocation, Divination)

Level 3

Range:  0
Components:  VSM
Duration:  1 day per level or special
Casting Time:  1 hour
Area of Effect:  Caster
Save:  None

This spell is a vastly improved version of Joryn's Gemstone Armor.  It is a full spectrum damper of most known damaging attack forms.  Its purpose is to lessen the damage to the mage so that counter-attack or ...perish the thought...retreat... is possible.

The physical manifestation of the spell resembles a crystalline field surrounding the caster, not unlike shimmering diamonds.  This effect may be turned on or off, at will.  When it is off, there is no protection afforded from the Mystical Armor.

The Mystical Armor spell allow the caster to subtract a certain amount from damage done to him by successful attacks.  The protection tops out at twelfth level of effectiveness. 

The Armor itself is divided into three categories of protection: physical, normal energy, and magical.  The amount of protection afforded to the caster is shown on the table below.  The Mystical Armor protects the caster differently from each attack form.

TYPE OF ATTACK	BASE  DAMAGE REDUCTION	* BONUS DAMAGE REDUCTION	FIELD DAMAGE
Physical (swords, claws, etc.)	Level	Level	1†
Normal Energy (fire, acid, etc.)	Level	1/2 Level	2
Magical damage	Level	None	3

* The caster may add this additional protection with a successful Spellcraft roll.  A -2 penalty is incurred for each additional attack beyond the first each round.

† The field integrity takes an additional amount equal to the '+' bonus of a magical weapon striking the Mystical Armor.

Under actual combat conditions, the duration is typically much shorter than one day per level of the caster.  

The Mystical Armor has a field integrity equal to double the caster's level plus 0 to 9 additional points.  The 0 to 9 additional points is rolled secretly by the DM.  Each and every attack which hits the caster, damages the Armor a little bit according to the Damage column in the table above.  

The Armor will persist until brought down by attack, dispelled, or the duration runs out.  The Mystical Armor does not reduce the damage of the blow which sunders it.

The wizard will know what type of attack is used against him.  When the Armor is struck, it flashes briefly, a specific color for each attack form.  Blue for normal physical, red for normal energy, and black for magical.

The material components of this spell are three robes.  The first robe must be spun of fine blue linen, woven with metal threads, and costing no less than 200 gp.  The second robe is made of red fabric inundated with phlogiston and worth at least 500 gp.  The third robe is solid black cloth, blessed by a Priest of Malko, and then charged with a Dispel Magic from the caster.  The black robe costs 1500 gp minimum.  The robes are only donned individually during the casting process then they are typically removed and put away for safe keeping.

(Unfortunately Joryn's Gemstone Armor has been lost to the mists of time...)

Spells from the Past (4)

Previous posts here, here and here.  I wrote these spells over 24 years ago.  No game balance should be expected.  :)

GRIMWELL'S GRINNING GLOBE

(Enchantment/Charm)

Level 2

Range:  2"

Components:  VSM

Duration:  4 rounds + 1 round/level

Casting Time:  2

Area of Effect:  Special

Save:  Neg.

This spell brings into being a grinning 2' Globe with a ridiculous grin on one side, like a face.

Any creature of 4 HD or less which gazes upon the sphere must save versus spell or stand mesmerized on the spot, staring at the sphere, with an equally stupid grin on its face.

The grin of the Globe is very hard to avoid.  Any creature facing it with its eyes open must save versus spell every round to avoid becoming mesmerized.  The caster can change the facing of the sphere at any time, but should the sphere turn away from a mesmerized creature, that creature regains its senses within one round.

The material component is a fist sized ball of wax with a smile carved on one side.  The component is consumed with the casting.

I was inspired to create this spell, so that my wife could use this funny "laughing face" prop at the game table.  (Yes I still have it!)  The batteries have died, so I don't know if it still works -- but I've taken it apart and I plan to get some batteries...   :)

Spells from the Past (3)

Previous posts here and here.  I wrote these spells over 24 years ago.  No game balance is promised or assumed.  :)

GRIMWELL'S GLOWING GLOBE

(Alteration)

Level: 1

Range:  0

Components:  VM

Duration:  1 hour per level

Casting Time:  1

Area of Effect:  20 foot radius globe

Save:  None

This spell creates a glowing sphere, about 6 inches in diameter, with a luminescence equal to torchlight.  The light from the sphere can be nearly any color the caster desires, including black.  The color of the sphere cannot be changed once the spell is cast.  Alternately, it can be set to change colors randomly.  

The globe will hover anywhere within one or two feet of the caster, and he can move it around slowly as he wills.  

The spell cannot be used to blind a creature or to cancel an area of magical darkness and other than the changes above and the increased duration, the spell functions exactly as the first level Wizard spell, Light (p. 136 2ndPH).

The material component of the spell is a bit of phosphorous and a prism.

Spells from the Past (2)

Previous post here   (I wrote these spells 24 years ago; no game balance is promised or assumed.  :)

GRIMWELL'S GHASTLY GHOST

(Illusion/Phantasm)

Level: 1

Range:  2"

Components: VS

Duration:  1 round per level

Casting Time:  1

Area of Effect:  Special

Save:  Neg.

When this spell is cast, the wizard creates an incredibly horrifying apparition to appear within 2" of his person.  The description of this Ghastly Ghost is so terrible it defies description.  

Any creature that gazes upon this grotesque aberration must immediately save versus spell at -1 per 2 levels of the caster or flee as quickly as possible away from the Ghastly Ghost for the duration of the spell.  Undead will pause for a single phase to make an assessment the Ghastly Ghost, but thereafter will resume their activities as normal.

It is important to note that creatures which are immune to fear, or are nearly as horrible to look at, as the Ghastly Ghost, are unaffected by the spell.  It is also important to note that the casters own party is subject to the Ghastly Ghost as well, though they do not suffer the saving throw penalty.  

Spells from the Past

I woke up this morning and I found myself thinking about some of the magical spells that my players and I made up for my game world, years and years ago.

The one that popped into my head was Agathon's Arcane Arbalest.  

I decided to search my computer's HD to see if I still had an electronic copy.  Yup.  There it was.

It was soooo old that my OS didn't recognize it, but I forced TextEdit to open it and I got somewhat garbled but totally usable text.

:)

That wasn't the best part.

I looked at the Creation Date on the file -- December 11, 1989.  Seriously.  Almost EXACTLY 24 years ago today, I typed this little beauty up on my Mac.  Wow.  That is extremely eerie and cool.

:)

Presented without (much) editing and without any regard to play balance, here is Agathon's Arcane Arbalest.  (IIRC the spell was much used but not terribly destabilizing in my game.  Folks typically loaded it with Magic Missiles.)

PS: I have a couple other spells with the same creation date that I will be posting over the next couple of days.

---

AGATHON'S ARCANE ARBALEST (Evocation)

Level: 3

Range: 0

Components: VSM

Duration: Until dispelled or discharged†

Casting Time: 1 Turn (plus CT of stored spells)

Area of Effect: Caster†

Save:  None†

The spell creates an extra dimensional device for the indefinite storage and release of spell energies.

The wizard must first cast this spell, then within one turn thereafter, must cast up to three additional first level spells, which will be stored by the dweomer.  The wizard must set the order in which the spells will be released when casting the Arbalest.  

Once the Arcane Arbalest has been energized, it will remain potent for an indefinite period of time.  A Dispel Magic cast upon the wizard has a normal chance to dissipate the Arbalest.  

Only a single Arcane Arbalest can be in existence at any given time for any wizard.  Any wizard with an active Arcane Arbalest spell will have one less 3rd level spell slot at their disposal.  It is effectively "filled" and in use.  

In lieu of casting a spell during any combat round, the wizard can choose a target(s) and activate the Arcane Arbalest.  That round, and every round thereafter, (until the Arbalest is exhausted) the Arcane Arbalest will discharge its stored spells in order at the chosen target(s), with NO action necessary on the part of the mage.  Should the wizard decide to change target(s), it can be done in lieu of casting a spell during a round (this can be done before the Arbalest discharges that round.)  

The material component of the spell is tiny, fully functional, crossbow made of the finest materials and three small diamonds; all placed within a small pouch woven of phase spider silk.  This should cost at least 5,000 GP, but its final cost is left to be determined by the GM.  The component is not consumed by the casting.

NOTE:  Should the Arbalest slay the target(s) while it still retains spell energy, it WILL continue to discharge the remaining spells into the corpse, unless the target is changed.

† The spells held within the Arbalest use their own Duration, Area of Effect and Save rules.

NPC Traits from Griffin Mountain

Saw this post about Griffin Mountain (I am a big original Runequest fan) so I did a little digging on the interwebs.

As I was giving the module the once over, I discovered this graphic in the NPC record section.  I had a thought --

When an NPC is asked to perform one of these actions, which is to say an action along the continua represented within this chart, roll 2d6 and mark the number down.

Low numbers represent a tendency toward the trait on the right, while high numbers represent a tendency toward the trait on the left.  Let me give an example --

Here's a partially fleshed out NPC.  In social situations, where he might need to be out going he is very likely to be INTROVERTED.  When posed with a problem, he is likely to favor a PHYSICAL solution.  He is very much a FOLLOWER.

Once the numbers are established, just roll 2d6 and compare the result to the number shown.  If the number is greater, look to the right.  If it is less, look to the left.  If you roll the number exactly; pick one or pick the more likely or roll again.  Your call.  :)

If you roll a 2 or a 12 for the trait -- the NPC always acts as described.  2 = right, 12 = left.

In the example above, the NPC is always a follower and will not lead. 

This is just an untested idea.  YMMV.  I just thought I'd share.  :)

EDIT:  A gentleman by the name of Alex Chalk created a random generator based upon my crazy idea.  Thanks Alex!