TERPSICHORA MASK

TERPSICHORA MASK

A white domino mask with elaborate gold and black inlays carved around the eyes. Black laces made of silk hang from the mask’s eyes like tears. It changes from pale white to blood red once activated. Said to be possessed by the spirit of a dancer murdered by an obsessive fan.

What's It Do?
When the command word (TERPSICHORA!) is spoken the mask removes the wearer's subconscious strength limiters allowing them to fight at peak performance at the cost of damage to their body. The wearer's STR & DEX score becomes 18 (+3) and they fight as a Fighter twice their level for the duration of the ability. However the human body has limiters to protect itself, each round the ability is used the wearer's muscles become shredded & their bones riddled with hairline fractures causing 1d2 points of temporarily CON damage. The wearer may end the ability early before combat ends by asserting their will and passing a save vs magic. A failure means the wearer will fight until combat ends regardless of any CON damage received.

Updated the Body Over Mind Spells here btw.

Additionally if the wearer's HP or CON is reduced to 0 or less the user’s body (corpse) rises and eloquently fights unarmed as a Fighter twice their level with their STR & DEX becoming 20 (+5). The body fights (anyone, including allies) for 1d4 plus level rounds or until the body takes damage equal to 8 plus level.

Influence:

My favorite video game of all time is The Legend Of Zelda: Majora's Mask. One of the things the game tasks you to do is collect an assortment of weird masks scattered throughout the world map. All the masks are unique and have different properties and abilities. Now I tend to throw in weird magical masks in my games as an homage to Majora's Mask. This particular mask's ability is from the anime/manga Hunter x Hunter and was used by the sinister royal guard Pitou.
Anime and manga are a gold mine for RPGS btw.

Like this magic item? Let me know in the comments and definitely let me know if you throw it in your games.

LotFP Equipment Kits

Happy Easter/Bunny Day!

I made some Equipment Kits for my players since they're lazy as shit when it comes to buying equipment...

Check'em out here.

Probably some mistakes but it should be usable.

eXPerience

The following are some alternative ways I want to try out in my home LotFP game. I already use Session Attendance & Carousing but I want to try the others.

SESSION ATTENDANCE

+500xp
Let’s face it life gets in the way of gaming. If you take the time to come hang out with me I’m gonna give your character a bonus. Simple as that.

MAUSOLEUM FOR THE DAMNED

+100xp per previous dead character (capped at 2nd level)
For each character you’ve had die this campaign your next character gains +100xp for each, up to 2nd level. Better keep track! Idea from Bernie the Flumph.

FUNERAL RITES

+1xp per 1sp spent (see description)
Characters are going to die but all that precious XP needn't go to waste. As long as you have the deceased character’s body (or piece of it) or a memento (the family sword for example) you may hold a funeral for them once you are back at civilization.
Each silver piece spent on the funeral allows you to buy back the deceased character’s XP at 1:1 ratio. The XP can only be bought back during the first funeral, no double dipping. Idea from TenFootPolemic.

NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE

+50xp x level for each time your HP dropped below 0 or you almost died (Ref discretion). Almost dying changes a person, in this case for the better.

STAY WEIRD

+100xp for surviving an encounter with the Weird or Supernatural (Ref discretion).
This one is heavily dependent on your game. If you’re playing a typical elf or a gonzo themed game then this probably won’t be relevant.. However if you’re playing LotFP using the default 17th century Earth then seeing a monster and living is a big deal. This represents that.

Transylvanian Encounters

HAPPY NEW YEAR ANYONE READING THIS.

I've been neglecting the blog but unfortunately life has once again gotten in the way of gaming. The day job and side job (I freelance for LotFP now btw) have been keeping me very busy as well as the normal stuff at home. My gaming group's holiday hiatus ended and one of my players wants to run 5e for a bit before we go back to me running the ol love LotFP. BUT ANYWAYS I wrote a random encounter table for my future continuation of Transylvania Nights (my discord LotFP campaign). I wrote this because I was heavily inspired by Bernie the Flumph's Bleak European Encounters found here and wanted my own for Transylvania.

Check out the link below and let me know what you think:

Transylvanian Encounters

I Eat The Elf (A Holiday Table)

*gags*

North Pole Elf
AC 13(+1 DEX), Move 120′, HD 1, HP 1, Pinch Cheeks 1d4, Morale 10.
Special:
Elf Tricks; A North Pole Elf can use their dirty elf magic(psionics) to perform various minor parlor tricks.

After crash landing in the North Pole over 200 years ago, the REDACTED were on the verge of death when Santa Claus found them and brought them back to the Claus Estate to recuperate. The REDACTED were forever grateful and vowed to repay Santa by working in his toy factory. They now call themselves the Elfs as their native name is unpronounceable without 2 tongues and a squeedlyspooch. There are currently 33 "elfs" at the Claus Estate.

So, I hate elves. I just don't think their cool or interesting or anything. They suck. And so with my hatred of Elves/Elfs, I present what happens when you consume a North Pole Elf! Happy Holidays!

I EAT THE ELF
As you swallow/snort/smoke/inject/etc the elf you feel a warmth flow throughout your body and...

1. You explode into a fine red mist that blows away in the wind. Yes, you just died. Fuck elfs am I right?
2. The Elf's DNA sequences itself onto your pathetic human strands. You slowly and painfully become a elf (with the above stats) over the course of 1d6+1 days. You retain the memories of your human life.
3. Your brain grows to twice its size. Your skull and neck muscles also grow to house the weight. Your INT becomes 18 or 20 if it was already 18. 
4. You gain a random psionic power, pull out that Dark Sun book. 
5. All your teeth fall out and are replaced by hair like bristles like a baleen whale.
6. You glow in the dark at night, with all the penalties/bonuses that come with that.
7. Your left hand painfully becomes a weird skin claw thing. You do gain a 1d4 pinch attack, that's kinda cool?
8. You become immune to all human diseases thanks to the elf's super immune system. The downside is you have to orally expel all the bile build up randomly every 1d4 days. The vomiting takes a turn. 
9. You no longer age thanks to the elf's ability to repair decayed DNA. However after 100 years you explode into a fine red mist. Why? Because fuck elfs that's why. 
10. You gain a squeedlyspooch, idk what it does but you have it. 

Magic Missile

Magic Missile, usually the first offensive spell a budding Magic-User adds to their grimoire. There’s a reason for this. Unlike glamors and charms, casting a spell with the intent to cause harm takes an unwell mindset and costs a sliver of humanity.

The Missile's Form

Every Magic Missile is a combination of past traumas, personal biases and environmental stimuli.

Roll a d20 to determine what your missile looks like.
Your chanting ceases and you point your finger at your foe. A glowing light coalesces before taking the form of…

1. Your mother’s severed head, freshly cut and sobbing.
2. A black serpentine creature with a thousand insectoid legs that crawls across air.
3. A single jaundiced eye that frantically looks at its surroundings.
4. A thorned rose stem, sans bud.
5. A human rib riddled with teeth marks.
6. A snarling and barking black dog head with glowing red eyes.
7. A cancerous hunk of flesh with hair and teeth jutting out.
8. A still beating heart that pours out coagulated blood with each slow pump.
9. An arrow carved from charred wood with a rusted iron head.
10. An unnaturally black hole that pulsates in time with your breath.
11. A circular saw fashioned from fish bones.
12. Iron nails twisted together to form a cross.
13. A chain of intertwined wedding rings with a fishing hook at the end.
14. A knife fashioned out of pages torn from the bible.
15. A ball of murky brackish water with a shadowed fish swimming inside.
16. A large iron key with eight fluttering moth wings.
17. An infant sized horsefly with a curled human finger at the end of each of its legs.
18. An amniotic sack with a lamb fetus twitching and squirming inside.
19. An egg made of obsidian with cracks filled with liquid amber.
20. A phallic stone object with a needle at the tip.

Don't’ like the edge? Try these hyper animesque missiles instead. (I’m a huge weeb lol)

1. A clock face with the hands slowly ticking towards midnight.
2. A spiral of cherry blossom petals.
3. A heart made of entwined tree twigs.
4. The spirit of your childhood animal.
5. A spear shaped icicle.
6. A javelin made of white hot fire.
7. A mocking Jack O’ Lantern.
8. A ball of sparkling glitter.
9. A fist made of stone.
10. A cat claw made of gold.

The Thing Under The Bed (Halloween Monster)

The Thing Under The Bed 
Armor 14, Move 120′, HD 3, HP 15, Psychic Attack 1d8, Morale 10. Special: Dragged Under
Save vs Paralyzation or be dragged under the bed. See Description.

*This monster only pops up on your random encounter tables during October.

Next time one of your characters(lowest CHA or the player who's the most cautious) tries to cuddle up in bed (favorite inn, property, etc) alone they will get an overwhelming feeling that something is under the bed. If the character gets out of bed, nothing stops them. If they check under the bed, nothings there. If they leave the room nothing happens and the encounters ends. BUT if they ignore that strange feeling and try to go to sleep then The Thing Under The Bed will pay a visit. 
The Thing will wait until the character is fast asleep to strike (Save vs. Paralyzation at -2) and try to drag the character under the bed with supernatural strength. If the character failed their save they are dragged under the bed. If they succeed they manage to fend off the attacker and may roll initiative.

Under the Bed

Characters who are successfully dragged under the bed are pitched into a cold desert-like plane of existence shrouded in total darkness. This realm is the Thing's digestive system and if feeds on fear and misery. The character is stuck here for 1d6+1 days. If the character survives the starvation and dehydration checks then they are spit out from under the bed unharmed save for being exhausted, starving and dehydrated X turns later where X is the number of days spent under the bed.

The Thing Under The Bed takes the form of whatever the character's player's worst nightmare is. That means doing some homework on your players.If the Thing fails it's morale check it will attempt to flee under the bed. If successful it disappears never to be seen again, or will it?
Happy Spooktober!

Blog Update:
Still working on that zine. Turns out decent writing is hella time consuming. lol

Giulia Tofana, Our Lady of Poison, Saint of Widows.

"Husband problems eh, I got just the thing.."

Giulia Tofana a.k.a Tofania was a prolific poisoner who lived during the early to mid 17th century in southern Italy. It's estimated she killed 600 people with her signature poison the "Manna di San Nicola" or Mana of St.Nicholas. This "mana' was a mixture of arsenic, lead, and belladonna. The finished product was odorless, tasteless and easily slipped into the victim's drinks and meals. The poison was also undetectable in the bloodstream during post mortem investigation. Tofanna sold her poison by hiding them in various cosmetic items(make-up powder) and selling them to unhappy wives looking to become happy widows. Unsurprisingly with the way women were treated then, business was good. Eventually Tofana, her daughter Girolama Spera and her followers would be apprehended, tortured and executed for their crimes in 1659. Giulia Tofana's name would live on in infamy and her poison would become known today as Aqua Tofana, named after it's creator.

Tofana screams Lamentations NPC so I stated up her, her daughter, followers and the poison. I took some artistic liberties with their characters since other than the mass killings, not a lot is known,

Giulia Tofana, Armor 13, Move 120′, 2nd Level Specialist, 8 hp, Dagger 1d4 damage , Morale 10. Fancy clothes, case of aqua tofana(12 vials), gold pendant with onyx jewel worth 150sp, 2 silver rings worth 50sp each, 3gp. Charisma 17(+2), Intelligence 14(+1) 4-in-6 Sleight of Hand, 4-in-6 Tinkering, speaks Italian, Sicilian, & Latin.

Goals: 

Help women elevate themselves, live independently, help daughter.

Persona: 

Highly charismatic, quick witted, loves to sell her wares. Will try and bring downtrodden women into her employment.

Appearance:

  Fancy period clothes, tied light brunette hair, olive skin, emerald green eyes. Average height & build.

Secret(s):

Her daughter Girolama was adopted after Giulia killed her real mother. Giulia is sterile.

Girolama Spera, Armor 12, Move 120′, 1st level Specialist, 5 hp, Dagger 1d4 , Morale 9. Fancy clothes, vial of aqua tofana, diamond necklace worth 200sp, 1 gold ring worth 75sp, 1gp. Intelligence 16(+2), 5-in-6 Tinkering, speaks Italian, Sicilian & English.

Goals: 

Perfect the family poison, have children to pass recipe to.

Persona: 

Very intelligent and well spoken would rather focus on her work than socialise. Loves gallows humor though.

Appearance:

  Fancy period clothes, short brown hair, olive skin, earth brown eyes. Short, thicc.

Secret(s):

Knows she's adopted. Doesn't know Giulia killed her real mother though.

Tofana's Followers, Armor 12, Move 120′, 0-level Fighters, 2 hp, Pistol 1d8, Dagger 1d4 damage, Morale 9. Vial of aqua tofana, 1d10sp. Speaks Italian, Sicilian & English

Most of Tofana's Followers are young women who have been lifted out of poverty, unhappy marriages or worse. They are fiercely loyal to both Giulia and her daughter Girolama but at the end of the day are just people, and people make mistakes.

Giulia can be found traveling from town to town in southern Italy selling her "cosmetics" with 1d4+1 followers. Her daughter Girolama stays back at their apothecary in Milan with two assistants brewing the poison and selling various medicines & remedies as a front.

Aqua Tofana, 1 vial costs 25sp and contains 4 doses.

Aqua Tofana is an undetectable poison. The poison kills after 4 doses and is usually administered slowly to mask the poison as a sickness. NPCs do not get saving throws. PCs who pass their saving throws will begin fighting off the poison after 3 days of bed rest. Unless another does is given before then. 4 doses at once is lethal and character must make a Saving Throw vs Poison or die. The cause of death will be obvious.

1st dose Symptoms- Appears as a nasty cold, -1 to all dice rolls.

2nd dose Symptoms- Health decline, cold worsens. -3 to future Poison Saving throws.

3rd dose Symptoms- Bedridden, verge of death. Will fail the next poison saving throw for Aqua Tofana.

4th dose- Death

Conclusion

My sources were this & this. I wrote this up because LotFP needs more mundane stuff to amplify the weirdness. People can be monsters too and some are born from circumstance. Also one my players asked where he could buy some poison.

Specialist LEVELS UP!

I had fun writing the Fighter level up bonuses and was requested to do one for thieves. Problem is LotFP doesn’t really have a thief class, they have the Specialist which is a build your own class kind of deal. With that in mind I made these Level Up bonuses a bit more generic(and fun) because of that.

-Whenever the Specialist levels up they roll a d12 and consult the table below-

1. Death Proof: Gain a Death Proof token, you may spend this token on the following: If an attack or effect would cause you to have 0 or less HP, you have 1 instead.
2. Slick as an Eel: You have learned of a plant that when eaten makes your sweat especially oily. You can now slip into spaces ½ your size with ease. Must be nude.
3. Devil's Luck: Once per day you may reroll a skill check you failed.
4. Tools of the Trade: You can macgyver a set of Specialist’s tools out of mundane objects, these tools last for 1 skill check then break. Takes 2 hours minus 1 turn per level to find and make the tools.
5. Concealed Item: Choose a minor weapon or small item. You can hide that weapon/item on your person and it will be undetectable during a search. No stealth check needed.
6. Persona: Add 1 to a mental stat(WIS,INT,CHA) of your choice, cannot exceed 18.
7. Harlequin: During downtime you have learned the Jester skill and begin with it at 1-in-6 modified by CHA(cannot fall below 1). A successful check allows you to entertain peeps with various parlor tricks and jokes, you might earn a little coin too…Also allows you gain a favorable reaction and rumors from any clowns you may encounter. Increase skill by 1 each time this is rolled.
8. Heightened Senses: Choose a sense: Sight, Touch, Smell, Sound, or taste. When making a check with that sense, roll twice take the favorable result. May choose a different sense when rolled again.
9. The Fabled Mcguffin: Name a treasure, could be a pirate’s booty, a magic item or a Saint’s relic, etc. You gain a solid lead to the whereabouts of said treasure. Adventure! If rolled again choose a new treasure or gain another insight to the last one. Your choice.
10. Hypnotism: You have learned how to trick people into doing what you want with subtle word play and gestures as per the Suggestion spell. Must roll a Successful Hypnotism Skill Check, starts at 1-in-6 modified by CHA(Cannot fall below 1). Victims get a Save vs Magic. Increase Hypnotism skill by 1 each time this is rolled.
11. Swashbuckler: Add your DEX & STR mods to melee attack rolls & damage.
12. You See Dead People: Literally. You can sense any undead in a 10ft area around you. Increase by 10 ft each time this is rolled. Careful if you can see them, they can see you...

If the character rolls something they already have and it doesn't have a rolled again option, they get number 1 instead.

Fighter LEVELS UP!

A little something-something for the Fighters when they survive long enough to level up.

Whenever a Fighter levels up they roll a d12. Consult the table below.

1. You gain 1d4 Hit Points.
2. While Parrying, any melee attack against you triggers an immediate melee riposte attack.
3. Increase critical range by 1, up to 3 times. (So a Nat 19-20 would be a critical)
4. You may add your STR/DEX mod to melee/missile damage rolls
5. You gain a Cleave attack, whenever you down a foe with a melee attack you may make another melee attack against an enemy within 10ft.
6. You gain a wicked battle cry. Once per combat you may incite an immediate morale check against humans.
7. Your unarmed attacks do 1d6 damage now. Increase die size each time this is rolled up to a d30.
8. You gain 25 bonus XP for each finishing blow you preform.
9. Add 1 to a physical ability score(STR, DEX, CON) of your choice. Scores cannot exceed 18.
10. Your criticals now do triple damage.
11. You are only surprised on a roll of 1.
12. Choose a favored weapon. You gain +1 to Hit and damage with that weapon. Increase by 1 for each time rolled.

If the character rolls something they already have and it doesn't have a rolled again option, they get number 1 instead.

Sobek's Children//Werecrocs

Lycanthropy-Werecrocodile

One of the greatest blessings bestowed by the god Sobek is the ability to change into a human-crocodile hybrid, a werecrocodile. This strain of lycanthropy is only found in Egypt due to the transformation’s dependence on the Nile river. An unusual strain since the ability is not passed by the usual vector, a bite, but is passdowned hereditarily. Scribes believe this restriction may be connected to Sobek’s association with fertility, others say it was done to prevent enemies from contracting the strain. Werecrocodiles do not undergo their first transformation until after puberty is reached and only during Akhet, the Season of Inundation when the nile floods, which happens from June to September. As per my generic lycanthropy rules I’ll be using LotFP’s RAW disease rules as a base for this strain of lycanthropy.

• Incubation- The incubation time is from birth to the first Akhet after puberty.
• Infection- During Akhet, the Season of Inundation.
• Interval- Whenever human blood is detected. A Save vs. Magic may be made to resist the transformation with a +4 due to Sobek's Blessing.
• Effect- Transform into a werecrocodile(see below). Takes 2 minutes and is excruciatingly painful. Reverting back to human takes a round.

This strain was created to be a combat boon for Sobek's most devout followers and thus is dependent on detecting human blood to transform. Unlike the werewolf, werecrocs are fully in control of themselves until a kill is made, only then does the lure to devour take hold. 

Werecrocodile Stats

Armor 16, Move 120’(Swim speed 160'), 5 Hit Dice, 30hp, 1x Bite 1d12 damage 1x Tail Slap 1d6 damage, Morale 10. Whenever a kill is made a Save vs. Magic must be made to resist wasting a round devouring the corpse. Double damage from Silver Weapons(triggers a immediate morale check when hit, will flee on a fail)

Appearance & Traits

When transformed werecrocs stand over 6 feet tall and have a huge snout and rows of jagged teeth as well as an equally deadly serrated tail. Werecrocs have an excellent sense of smell, especially when it comes to blood. Those infected are able to differentiate the blood types and can even tell which pool or spray belongs to which victim. Any wounds received from non-silver, non-magic weapons while transformed heal at a rate of 1hp per hour.

The Cure

There is no known cure for this strain of Lycanthropy, mostly due to the small number of recorded infected.

Context

If you've been following my blog you'll know I'm planning on running a LotFP game set in 17th century Egypt. One of the bullet points I wanted was for the players to act as one of the many factions running around gathering treasure and macguffins. My players decided on playing as a forgotten cult of Sobek worshipers that are werecrocodiles. Yup.

I've never actually run a "monster" game so I'm interested to see how they handle a little power at the start of the campaign. The goal I gave them is to find a way to revive their dead god Sobek to reign over Egypt like the good old days. Should be pretty interesting. I'll probably come back here and update this strain after I've seen it in action.

Death Masks

"L'Inconnue de la Seine"

Death Masks

have been been used to preserve a person's likeness from the time of the pharaohs to relatively recently when photography became prevalent. However a hidden family of morticians in Egypt known as the Coin Eaters(the process is very expensive) have passed down an ancient ritual to imbue death masks with the deceased's personality and memories. This allows one to continue existing on the material plane using a surrogate body after death.

Ritual of Transference

The following components are required to begin the ritual:

• The deceased's head(with/without body) which is cleaned, sutured, and painted to the look alive to the best of the mortician's ability*. This done to ease the transference of the deceased's persona and to shape the mold of the face with wax. Requires a successful Cosmetology Skill roll to complete. A failed roll means the process must be redone from scratch wasting 1d10 x 10sp worth of materials. The client of course foots the bill.
• Offerings of precious metals equal to 1000sp x the character's level that is smelted down to construct the mask. The stronger the personality the more expensive the mask to house it. Requires a Successful Mask Making Skill roll to complete. A failure means the mask must be melted down and recast again, costing the family 1d10 x 25sp worth of materials. The client of courses foots the bill.
• A whole corpse to wear the mask. The family will provide the body for an additional charge of 100sp or will work with whatever the client provides. When the ritual is completed and the mask worn, the corpse takes the physical appearance of the character the mask was made for.

*Mortician Skills- Usually the family requires a substantial donation to allow one of their more experience members to forge the mask. In lieu of coin, the family may also ask for an errand(of varying difficulty) to be completed at their behest. 

1. Novice Mortician- 250sp, 3-in-6 Cosmetology Skill, 3-in-6 Mask Making Skill
2. Experienced Mortician-  500sp 4-in-6 Cosmetology Skill, 4-in-6 Mask Making Skill
3. Expert Mortician-  1000sp 5-in-6 Cosmetology Skill, 5-in-6 Mask Making Skill
4. Master Mortician- 2000sp 6-in-6 Cosmetology Skill, 6-in-6 Mask Making Skill

Once the mask has been forged(and the fees paid) the Ritual of Transference may commence. The family allows the clients to view the forging of the mask but the actual magic is done behind closed doors. Its a family secret after all. In my game the process involves a certain piece of music...and takes three days to complete.

Once completed the mask holds the deceased's Class Level/XP, Mental Stats(INT,WIS,CHA), personality, and memories. The body procured earlier provides the Physical Stats(STR,CON,DEX) and holds any gained XP. As long as the mask stays intact(the mask has 50hp), the character only needs a new body upon death to continue. Though they begin with the stats they had when the mask was constructed and any new xp or levels are lost. I'll let you decided if they get to keep memories or not.

Moon Baby//Lycanthropy

For my upcoming Egypt campaign one of my players expressed his desire to play as a werespider. Yes, a werespider. I was perplexed and hesitant at first but after thinking about it, why not? Lifespans in lamentations tend to be quickly and brutally extinguished. So, in order to fulfill this wish I had to do some research into Lycanthropy and how I would implement it into my game. I asked around the official LotFP Facebook page, the OSR discord and did some googling and got a lot of good feedback. I did struggle because I wanted to the curse to be powerful but with powerful consequences. Also I didn’t want it to be overly complex. Thankfully I was inspired by listening to one of Fantastic Dimension’s Rogue to Riches sessions and how he used the LotFP disease rules in his game. *Update* 08/31/19 Thanks to some great random encounter rolls 2 of my players are werewolves now. I had to tweak some things here after some testing.

Lycanthropy-Werewolf Strain

The curse of Lycanthropy acts much as a disease would so we’ll be using LotFP’s Rules & Magic disease rules as the base for the curse. The curse is transferred through bodily fluids, most commonly saliva via bite. On page.35 in the Rules & Magic book you’ll see diseases are broken up into four stages: incubation, infection, interval, and effect. We’ll use these to fill in what actually happens when your infected by Lycanthropy.
Note: I’ll be using the traditional werewolf as the example for this strain of Lycanthropy, in future posts I’ll be going over some other strains, the werespider and werecroc.

• Incubation- The incubation time is from first infected to the time of the next full moon and every full moon after.
• Infection- Every night that hosts a full Moon.
• Interval- From the Moon's Peak to Dawn.
• Effect- Transform into a werewolf.(see below). Takes 2 minutes and is excruciatingly painful. Reverting back to human at dawn takes a round.

So in other words once infected to the time of the next full moon(incubation) and every full moon after(infection) the infected transforms into a Werewolf(effect) from the full moon's peak to dawn(interval).

Werewolf Stats

Armor 16, Move 180’, 5 Hit Dice, 28hp, 2x Claw 1d8 damage, 1x Bite 1d6 damage, Morale 10. Those injured by a Werewolf that survive must make a Save versus Magic or become infected with Lycanthropy. Double damage from Silver Weapons(triggers a immediate morale check when hit, will flee on a fail)

Retaining Control

The real reason anyone would even want to play a Lycanthrope, the possibility of harnessing the curse. So, how do you do it? Certain packs have devised religious rituals to soothe their bestial side. Others have had tamed the beast through sheer will and an overpowering persona, though these individuals are a rare breed, 18 Charisma maybe? Check out the Lunar Lullaby below for an example of how to tame the curse.

The Lunar Lullaby

Music is a gateway to the soul and some would say the key to one's humanity. One pack in southern France devised a way to keep control of themselves during their transformation by playing a secret piece of music written and known only to them. Learning this piece and having it played during your transformation grants a a Save vs. Magic with a +4 to during the transformation phase of the curse. Success means your are fully in control of your character while transformed.

Lingering Consequences

The biggest would be a TPK after the referee gains control of the werewolf. If you've seen An American Werewolf in London after the protagonist killed his best friend he was haunted by him, which is a great idea for a lingering consequence. Here are some side effects for those afflicted with Lycanthropy.

•  Aversion to Silver, touching silver with bare skin causes the afflicted to lose 1d100 experience points.
• Aversion to non-meaty meals: Food without meat tastes bland and terrible not matter how well made it is. It takes twice the amount of food/rations to satisfy a werewolf if it has no meat.
• Add a +1 Modifier to Strength & Constitution. Does not increase the ability score, just the modifier.
• Death Friend: If the afflicted kills a Player Character that character may haunt the afflicted a number of times per week equal to twice their Charisma Score Modifier, Minimum 1. The "Death Friend's" spirit may never rest until the werewolf that killed them is dead.
• NPCs killed can haunt the afflicted but they tend to crowd together to judge from a distance.

The Cure

A Remove Curse spell during the incubation phase will cure the infected. However once the first transformation has occurred the only way to remove the curse is a lengthy quest(at referee's discretion).

Nábrók (Corpse Trousers)/Necropants

I was listening to the newest Last Podcast on the Left episode about Icelandic Sorcery and was inspired to make a magic item from one of the occult objects they talked about, Necropants.

-Nábrók (Corpse Trousers)/Necropants.
Allows the wearer to reach into their Necropants(the scrotum pocket) and pull a silver coin from it once a day. 1-in-6 chance to pull a gold coin. Works as long as the original widow's coin isn't removed.

In order to create a pair of Necropants a Magic-User must first complete the following ancient ritual:

• Make a true male friend.(Why male? We need that scrotum pocket!)
• Ask said friend to let you skin them from the waist down upon their natural death.
• If yes, proceed. If no, make a new friend.
• Wait until friend is buried, then dig him up and skin him. Make a relevant skill check to not damage it or hire a flesh tailor.
• Once you have the skinned flesh of your friend, steal a coin from a poor widow.
• Place stolen coin in scrotum along with a runic symbol.
• Put Necropants on and bathe in goats milk under the moon.
• Profit???

Congrats your now the proud owner of a pair of Necropants! Taking them off requires a Remove Curse spell.

These'll make a great addition to the magic items for sale at the Ghoul Market. Or make your insane Magic-User NPCs wear them. Anyways let me know what you think!

Pishtaco, Fat Eater

I remember watching a episode of Supernatural where a pair of fat eating monsters open a very successful weight loss clinic. Only after one of the monsters starts greedily taking too much fat and killing people do they draw the ire of hunters. I really liked that idea and after doing some research it turns out the monsters, called a Pishtaco, is a local legend from the Andes region in South America. If you want the history & lore check out the wiki here. I'm going to be taking the skeleton of the monster and changing it to better suit what I want it to do.

Here’s the stats real quick:

Pishtaco/Fat Eater
Armor 16, Move 60′, 5 Hit Dice, 22hp, Big Nasty Knife 1d8 then Fat Suck, Morale 9. Fat Suck, the victim makes a Save vs Paralyzation, a failure means they're pinned. At the start of each round a pinned character takes 1d6 Constitution damage and the Fat Eater gains that much hp back as a animated intestine erupts from the Pishtaco's stomach and sucks the fat from the knife wound. At the end of the round the pinned character may make another save to escape.

The Pishtaco looks like a morbidly obese person(usually caucasian) dressed in the local fancy attire. It travels in a carriage with a entourage of followers that wants the “healthy” look the Pishtaco has. The Pishtaco travels town to town offering its services to those who can pay.

The Pishtaco Services

• The Pishtaco can transfer fat from one person to another. When the Pishtaco steals the fat from humans it can't digest it completely and it forms a kind of ambergris in the gut. Once enough fat is gathered it can extracted via vomiting or opening up its stomach upon death. The ambergris can be mixed with water or alcohol(masks the horrid taste) to make a high caloric cocktail. Consuming one pound of Pishtaco ambergris adds 25 lbs of weight once digested and adds 1 Point of Constitution to a maximum of 18. 
• Consuming too much ambergris at once usually leads to heart attack. Save Vs Poison or die for each pound consumed more than twice a day. Note:Make sure to add encumbrance to characters who become overweight.
• Additionally the ambergris has an odd curative effect. If made into a poultice and spread onto a wound it will heal faster and not scar. In game terms a PC heals at twice the usual rate. 
• Candles made with Pishtaco Ambergris last twice as long.

1 lb of Pishtaco Amergriss is worth 500sp to the right people or can be bought from the Pishtaco for a service or some fat, just a bit.

The Gambler

"I thrice had a name, twice a face, and once a soul but lost each to myself."

The Lore

The Gambler is an ancient cursed gamer(self-professed King of Games) that wagered it’s identity* against an old god and lost. Now it wanders the globe eternally cursed to lose any sense of self it may regain.

*Identity consists of a person's Name, Appearance, & Soul.

The Gambler's outward appearance varies based on the local fashion at the time. For example if encountered in the default 17th century period LotFP uses it wears a fresh white doublet beneath a pristine buff coat with fashionable trousers and speckless black leather boots(all won from bets). Where skin would be seen are worn bandages with most assuming the Gambler is a leper. A simple wooden mask conceals its featureless face. Beneath the Gambler’s bandages is a mannequin-like body of a sculpted marble human. A strong minty scent wafts off the Gambler due the peppermint it rubs in the cracks of its skin to keeps fairies from collecting a debt it owes. The Gambler speaks in a low almost whispering voice and is well mannered(a bit dull personality wise) but fiercely competitive and will grow frustrated with each loss though never to the point of violence.

Location & Rules

The Gambler is well known in the underground gambling scene and those there will point to its last known location or current one, for a hefty price. The Gambler stays in one place until it gains a few new identities then goes on to quickly lose them attempting to win back its original self to the same god that cursed it. The Gambler can also be found at Vacant Ritual Assembly's Ghoul Market.

When encountered the Gambler will introduce itself as the King of Games and offer to play a game of its choice with a wager. If the players demand to choose the game and/or wager the Gambler will offer to flip a coin for it. If the PCs win, they can choose the game & terms. The Gambler knows how to play all traditional games and will quickly learn new ones once explained. It has a near infinite supply of treasure to wager with though not all on its person.

The games it chooses to play should reflect the time period. The Gambler's current games of choice are Veintiuna(21) & Liar’s Dice which were popular at the time(I also know how to play them!). If you don't want to play a board/card game  or don't have/know any on hand, offer to play these:

1. Staring Contest
2. Arm Wrestle
3. Rock, Paper, Scizzors
4. Thumb War
5. Hangman
6. Charades

If you want to narrate the game and use a dice to determine the outcome have the players roll a d6 and add any relevant modifiers, then have the Gambler roll a d10. Highest number wins.

The buy in for the first game is 100sp(or higher if the players are ballsy) for each player participating. Winner gets the pot. The Gambler will accept and explain essence* in lieu of coin. Once the first game is over the Gambler will offer to play another round with the bet doubled each time. If the player's tire of playing for coin, the Gambler will offer magic items, or valuable information. The Gambler WANTS/NEEDS identities, its desperate to get its old self back and become human again.

*See Vacant Ritual Assembly #1 for Essence.

Any coin/treasure won from the Gambler counts as XP once the encounter is over. This should keep the PCs coming back for more punishment. If the PCs rack up a debt and cannot pay immediately(no talking their way out of this one) the Gambler will nonchalantly offer to erase it in exchange for their identity. If asked what that entails, the Gambler just says “It shan't be missed”. If they refuse to pay up then the Gambler will forcibly take it by removing its mask and sucking their identity through a small hole where its mouth should be. An eerie whistling sound is heard when this transpires. Should the PCs turn to violence, the Gambler will defend itself with rapier & pistol, & Identity Theft if the requirements are met. See stats below.

The Gambler, 8 HD(30HP)
AC 18(Marble Body) Movement as Human
Save as Fighter = to HD
Morale 10
2x Attacks: 1x Rapier Attack & 1x Pistol Attack(has 4 loaded hidden in Buffcoat)
OR
Identity Theft: (Once per round)
If the target/character owes any form of debt to anyone, the Gambler may suck out their identity. No save.
Losing your Identity:

• All your Ability Scores become 10.
• Everyone forgets you existed(except you & the Gambler).
• Your body becomes featureless & mannequin-like.
• Pacifism: you lose your fighting spirit & flee this battle. Save vs Magic each new combat to avoid fleeing. 

Gambler's Loot:
3d6 x 500sp, 1d4-1 Minor Magic Items*, 1d4 worth of identities it can burn Essence with.
*I really liked Bernie the Flumph's Ghoul Market Items, so I would use those for the Minor Items.

*Me when I introduce the Gambler.

Notes

• Defeating the Gambler causes all currently held identities(1d4) to return to their owners. This also pisses it off.
• The Gambler is cursed to gather identities eternally and thus will respawn 1d4 weeks in a corpse buried in a shallow grave closest to where it died. It regains its marble body and will track down the PCs for a “final game”, death.
• If the PCs encounter the Gambler a couple of times & pay their debts without hostility, the Gambler will offer to trade identities from its current stock as a show of goodwill. Doing this allows the PCs to trade their current identities for a new one. This entails a new Name, Appearance, and Soul(Reroll all Ability Scores).
• Becoming besties with the Gambler gives them its backstory & info on the god of Gambling that cursed it. Perhaps a Quest to aid the Gambler in regaining its identity?

Let me know if you use this thing and how it goes!

Death and Cannibalism

I read a post on the OSR subreddit about death in old school games and it got me thinking. How do I want to treat death in my next LotFP campaign? My last one had surprisingly(disappointingly) few deaths. When it did happen I allowed new characters to start at half the level of their old one. That seems super boring to me now. Someone in the post linked to Tenfootpolemic's blog post about character funerals and letting surviving characters buy the deceased’s XP. I like that alot but I want another option, something weirder.

Death & Cannibalism
Many cultures held(some still do) the belief that eating the flesh of your enemies would bestow special powers like bellowing courage or spiritual knowledge. In our age of easily accessible information we know that the only thing you'll get from eating human flesh is Kuru, a ailment similar to mad cow disease. However in our campaign world maybe the lore held some modicum of truth. You see player characters(PCs) are different, they have something the NPCs of the world don't. I always called it Fate or Essence(Vacant Ritual Assembly #1), but whatever you call it the PCs have it and it makes eating them special.

Da Rules
Whenever another Fated(Player Character) dies you may consume that character’s flesh to gain special properties. Roll 3d6 and note them separately. If the first roll was a 1(2-in-6 for Magic-Users) consult the tables below:

Seeing a Fated die triggers a horrible, graphic vision of you eating this person's…(2nd d6 result)

1. Brain
2. Heart
3. Genitals
4. Skin
5. Eyes
6. Liver (with fava beans and a nice chianti)

And your certain it will bestow…(3rd d6 result.)

1. +1 Skill Point.
2. +1 Hit Point.
3. +1 to Charisma.
4. +1 to Saves.
5. +1 to AB.
6. Euphoria(as a one time Bless Spell)

If the PC wants to act on this intrusive thought and eat the dead character let them. There will be terrible consequences.

Some Notes: 

• The cannibal vision only procs rarely. I don't want everyone eating each other all the time. Just on occasion. Feel free to mess with the numbers or even proc the vision when you want!
• Put a Magic book about Ritualistic Cannibalism somewhere in the world. Reading it let's the player's learn about the benefits without needing the vision.
• If the needed flesh is missing then your out of luck. No cannibalism perks for you.
• Each Fated’s flesh only produces the effect once. So no passing or spitting of the corpse for everyone to take a nibble.
• Eating hirelings or retainers does nothing. Only Leveled Characters(Fated) give up the goods.
• Said Flesh must be fresh(still warm), no saving for later.
• Obviously eating human flesh in front of any retainers or hirelings incites an immediate loyalty check.

Eating Magic-users as a Magic-User
Those who weave the strands of chaos have a different flavor than their non-spellcasting companions. A Magic-User who eats the [tasty] brain of another magic-user may decipher that person's spellbook as if it were their own. No need for those pesky Read Magic/Comprehend Languages spells now.

The Consequences
I'm all about Consequences. I usually let my players do whatever they want but they know every action as a reaction. Eating the flesh of your dead companion is pretty messed up yo.

The Laughing Disease(Kuru)
Those who partake of human flesh risk infection of Kuru, a nasty disease that leaves holes in the victim's brain like swiss cheese. Each time a character or NPC digests human flesh have them make a Save vs Paralyzation. A failure means they contract Kuru and begin at Stage 1 with each additional failure moving them to the next stage. IRL the disease takes years to manifest but this a game and that's boring. So inflicted characters start getting symptoms 1d4 weeks after failing their save. If no further flesh is eaten the disease progresses naturally and slowly. Stage 1 progresses to Stage 2 after 3d4 weeks and to Stage 3 after 2d4 weeks.

-Stage 1-
Infected begins to show signs of Kuru. Muscle spasms, difficulty speaking.
-1 to Initiative rolls, -1 to physical saves, Save vs. Paralyzation for Spellcasters to attempt to cast spells.

-Stage 2-
IRL people become unable to walk without support but we want our cannibals to suffer a bit more. We'll focus more on the uncontrollable Laughter the infected experiences at this stage.

Infected must make a Save Vs. Paralyzation whenever attempting to make a skill check(or anything REALLY important). A failure means they are overcome with heaving, tear-filled laugher that leaves them incapacitated for 1 turn. Also triggers Wandering Monster Checks & Loyalty checks.

-Stage 3-

Once the infected reaches this stage they are now terminal. They must make a Save Vs. Paralyzation each night slept. After 3 failures they expire in their sleep with their eyes open and mouth agape.

If infected died in the new world(Colonial America) due to Kuru theres a 1-in-6 chance their spirit becomes a Wendigo, or if in Europe a 1-in-6 chance their corpse becomes a Ghoul.

Cannibalism & Carcosa

Now that I think about it this would make a great mechanic for Carcosa. Instead of a low chance of seeing the cannibal vision, I would just make it a culture thing. Everyone knows eating people is good! and I would also get rid of Kuru, residents of Carcosa would have been bred to eat themselves!

Jörmungandr's Blood, Redux

*Note: I posted this on my old blog but I wanted to redo/update it.*

My Last LotFP campaign ended when the earth was hurled into the void of space. How? Why?
PVP man, pvp.

Anyways. What does that have to do with Jörmungandr, child of Loki? or its blood? Well, early in the campaign I had put Skerples’ Tomb of the Serpent Kings out in my campaign's wilderness. My player's stumbled upon it, conquered it and claimed it as their own. Of course one of the reasons they turtled up there was the treasure in the last room. Something so valuable it would serve as one of catalysts for the campaign’s finale…

The Well Room

The last room in the Tomb of the Serpent Kings says to place your own treasure, so I did. I called it the Well Room and it held a way to get Jörmungandr's Blood. Here's what I had in my notes:

• The room is empty save for three items. A large well(15ft wide), a large drillis suspended with rope above the well. The rope winds around a spool hidden in the ceiling. A lever nearby activates the drill.
• The well is miles deep.
• At the end of the well sleeps Jörmungandr, the world snake.
• Activating the drill sends it down to the snake drawing blood that fills the well.
• Roll a d10. An earthquake with magnitude equal to the result erupts after the drill causes the world snake to stir possibly collapsing the entire Dungeon. Insta death.

Looking back this kinda sucks. I never explained how the drill works. Magic, science? Who knows!. What happened to the blood still in the well? Eh. A d10 roll for a possibility of insta death? That's a Raggi fuck you, still digging that. Also a lot of rope. Alot. I think I can do it better, here's what I would use today:

• Large well made of black scale and stone in the middle of room, 20ft wide now. Still miles deep.
• The room’s floor is slick with dried blood.
• Along the walls are ancient clay jars filled with coagulated blood. Useless.
• The big change is instead of a drill now there's a cow sized monstrous tickworm. Its chained up and suspended above the well with its grotesque head pointing down into it.
• A person must continuously crank the enormous spool of chain that now lies next to the well. Turning the lever clockwise lowers the tick into the well.
• Takes 3 turns of cranking for the tick to reach the sleeping serpent and latch on.
• The tick worm is trained to drink until full then detach. Takes 1 turn.
• Now requires 4 turns of cranking counter-clockwise to return a full tickworm back to the surface due to its added weight.

Alright! We got a giant gross tick full of a demi god's blood. Now what? Time to harvest! Now assuming (big assumption) the PC's don't just immediately kill the tick, which is harmless btw. They'll be able remove the blood via a removable plug in the tick's abdomen.

Like this! *gags*

Harvest Notes:

• "Harvesting" the blood yields 20 gallons worth.
• Not leaving at least 10 gallons for the tickworm will cause it to starve and die after a week.
• Not letting the tickworm digest it's yield, which takes a week, causes it to starve & die.
• The blood of Jörmungandr is only usable when it's mixed with the tick's saliva and digestive fluids. I would a place a "how to milk the tick" guide somewhere in the dungeon or in this room. Have it have sketchings of the tick and the hole in its abdomen. Also give the book a weird title and written in a ancient(snake) language.(Put those langage pips to use!)
• Sending the Tick down more than once a day causes Jörmungandr to stir, d4 roll, result equals a earthquake of that magnitude. Increase die size for each time the tick is sent down more than once a day, up to a d10. (7 roll equals a 7.0 magnitude quake, etc.) 1-4 is scary. 5-6 causes minor damage(falling shelves, glass breakage), 7-9 Causes falling rock damage. Magnitude 10 is insta death for anyone in the dungeon as it collapses on itself.
• Harvested Blood spoils after a month.

The Harvested Blood (Jörmungandr's Blood)

Originally I had made the blood similar to cocaine. A supreme high that completely changed a person. I had this change represented by letting characters reroll their ability scores during their first high and take the higher number. Afterwards they would make a Save. vs Magic, a failure would mean that character was addicted and had to take a hit at least once a day. After the first dose you get more tolerant and take on more snake-like qualities on with each failed save, eventually becoming a horrible snake monster. Still sweet, but I want to update it a bit.

The Blood‘s Effects:

1. During the first dosage(8oz), Reroll your physical ability scores(STR, CON, DEX) using 4d6, drop the lowest.
2. While the blood is in your system(lasts 1 hour) you may reroll any saving throws and take the higher result.(Advantage) Does NOT affect saving throws from the Blood.
3. Each time the blood is consumed, make a Save vs. Poison, if you fail you are now addicted to Jörmungandr's Blood and must take one dose each day. Failure to do so causes you to take 1d6 Permanent CON damage each day the blood isn't taken. 0 CON ='s Death.
4. After you are addicted you must make Save vs. Poison after each dose. For each failed save afterwards consult the list below in order:
5. Your eyes become snake like, and you gain infravision(sense heat) with a range of 60ft.
6. Your skin becomes pale & scaley, once a week you instinctively seek solitude to shed your skin. (takes 8 hours of painful shedding)
7. You grow serpentine fangs and gain a 3d6 Poisonous bite attack, usable once a day.
8. Your tongue elongates and bifurcates at the tip, you gain the ability to speak to snakes & reptiles. (Parseltongue yo)
9. Your jaw gains the ability to dislocate, you can swallow large prey whole such as a chicken, or small child. Each such meal counts as a week's sustenance.
10. Your Intelligence & Charisma becomes 3. Congrats on your new life as a snake-person abomination.

Breaking the Habit

A character may attempt to break their addiction to Jörmungandr's blood by spending 72 hours in a dark room, water fasting (consume only water). They still take CON damage as per my addiction rules and RAW starvation rules. After the 72 hours the character may make a Save vs. Poison. A success means they broke their addiction to the god's blood. Any CON score damage suffered by the blood heals at the same rate as HP.

The Woodsman's Hatchet

A long time ago, early in my Referee career I had to quickly improvise some backstory for a spontaneously created magic item. The item in question was the Woodsman's Hatchet and has since become somewhat iconic in my games.

The Lore
Once there was a Woodsman who fell in love with a beautiful maiden. He wooed the woman with small wood carvings of roses and hearts and she fell madly in love with his earthly charms. The two gleefully went to get approval from the woman's family but were denied due to the man's meager earnings. Heart broken the woman fled deep into the woods and was spirited away by the monstrous Beast of the Forest. The woman's family begged the man to save their daughter and promised to give the man her hand in marriage. The Woodsman marched into the forest with a single musket and his trusty hatchet. After days of tracking the beast he finally cornered it outside its lair, a dark cave. The man fired at the Beast with his musket but the missile bounced off the monster's wood-like hide. It charged and tore at the man, who howled in pain. The Woodsman then raised his hatchet and hacked away at the Beast. The monster bled a strange green liquid that seeped into the head of the ax and sharpened it with each strike. Finally after exchanging blows, the Woodsman raised his hatchet one last time and claimed the beast’s head. Exhausted and wounded the man searched the cave but was horrified to discover his beloved’s partially devoured corpse. The sullened man returned her remains to the family and fell back to the forest, never to return. While preparing the woman for burial the family discovered the body was missing one thing, her left hand. To this day the townsfolk say they occasionally find trees and boulders split in half deep in the woods. When asked they claim: “the Woodsman's rage.”

The Woodsman's Hatchet
was lost to time but now it's tradition for me to throw it in any campaigns I run. In fact the only reason I thought to write about it now was because my character found it in a play-by-post game my brother was running. So what does it do? The Woodsman's Hatchet has one simple ability, it can cut through any solid material as if it were wood. Stone, steel, dragon scales, or even adamantine, doesn't matter the hatchet will cut through it. Obviously you don't give this sucker out if your player characters are dungeon crawling, or do. The user still has to use their strength to cut since the material has the consistency of wood. Additionally the hatchet never dulls and in combat any armored foe's AC becomes 12. Now this thing is all pluses, it's useful in and out of a fight. Be careful if you want to throw it in your world as it can and will wreck your game if given to intelligent players. If you want to give it some horrid curse Lamentations style check out the one I made below.

--The Hatchet's Curse--

The beast's blood sharpened the blade but left a dark stain.

Whenever the wielder slays a living thing with the hatchet they must make a Save vs. Magic. For each failure the following happens in order:

1. Your skin becomes bark-like after a night's sleep. Your AC becomes 14 unarmored and you gain +1 permanent point of encumbrance due to your new wood weight.
2. Your skin secretes a resin like substance, attracting crawling things that chew. -1 to all saves as the insects are, distracting.
3. The insects chew deeper. -2 to all saves.
4. The insects reach your brain, -1d6+1 Intelligence. (this again for each additional failed save)

When your Intelligence becomes 3 or less you become a new Beast of the Woods and the following happens:

• The Hatchet is "misplaced".
• Your body is completely made of wood and riddled with crawling things.
• You automatically attack anything that has a melee weapon, preferably a hatchet.
• You lurk in deep woods hunting local fauna and the occasion maiden.