Below are my spellburn results for Mycetes-Thrax. I was inspired by the description of glowburn in Mutant Crawl Classics, where shamans ingest radioactive substances to overclock the processing of their wetware programs.
One idea I'm trying out is removing the flexibility to choose which ability score is sacrificed (for most of the entries). Typical spellburn results suggest that whatever the caster has done can be represented by her choice of Strength, Agility, or Stamina loss - but I thought I might be able to imagine more evocative results if I tied each one directly to a specific ability score.
SPELLBURN (MYCETES-THRAX)
1 The caster inhales a handful of soporific spores. She becomes exhausted and lethargic, expressed as temporary Strength loss. The caster must sleep for 12 hours tonight.
2 The caster inhales psychotropic spores or ingests hallucinogenic fungi. Motion swirls, colors glow, and she perceives objects doubled or tripled, expressed as temporary Agility loss. The caster cannot read for the rest of the day.
3 The caster ingests a handful of toxic fungi. She gags, sweats, weeps, and vomits, expressed as temporary Stamina loss. The caster cannot eat or drink for the rest of the day (and gains no benefit if she does.)
4 The caster receives a blessing from Mycetes-Thrax. The caster improves her spellcheck result by 2 for every 1 point of spellburn. Her skin blossoms with tiny flesh-colored mushrooms that easily snap off at the base, expressed as her choice of temporary Strength, Agility, or Stamina loss. The number of mushrooms is equal to the spellcheck increase (double the ability score loss.) Any other character who eats these mushrooms heals 1 hp for each, but is afflicted by temporary narcolepsy, illiteracy, or nausea, as above, depending on the caster's choice of ability score loss.
Showing posts with label patrons. Show all posts
Showing posts with label patrons. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 1, 2018
Friday, September 29, 2017
Spells I Want to Cast - The Horned King's "Name of the Quarry"
In Dungeon Crawl Classics #72: Beyond the Black Gate, author Harley Stroh introduces a patron called The Horned King, the king of the Wild Hunt. Stroh writes "The Horned King rules from the Thrice-Tenth Kingdom, venturing across the multiverse on his Wild Hunts. A solemn and grim lord, he delights only in the hunt, testing his martial prowess against the deadliest foes. A patron of the old ways, the Horned King bestows his blessing on heathen witches, barbarian shamans, and warriors that exalt the wild savage hidden within."
Beyond the Black Gate includes the Horned King's Invoke patron results, his patron taint, and his 1st level spell, Slaying strike. Stroh also gives the name of the Horned King's next two spells, Name of the quarry and Call of the wild hunt.
Below, I've written a possible version of Name of the quarry. I wrote it awhile ago after reading about the legend of Actaeon, and after reading about the victims of a certain roving internet auto-de-fé, about how they all reported that every time they tried to speak online after being targeted, someone showed up to harass them back into silence, about how they all came to feel that remaining silent was their only defense from having themselves and their family members attacked both online and in person. I have no intention of making light of their experience by writing this; instead it made me think what Actaeon would have felt if his legend had been true.
I think this is a truly evil spell. It's not a spell that kills the target; it's a spell that ruins their life. Refereeing the results of this spell requires the judge to develop an outline of the target's plan for the duration of the spell. Once per day within the game, the judge should make a saving throw on the target's behalf, and if the save fails, report a vision of the target's plight to the caster.
NAME OF THE QUARRY
Level: 2 (Horned King)
Range: Varies
Duration: Varies
Casting time: 1 turn
Save: Will vs. spell check
General: The caster invokes the Wild Hunt to blaspheme the name of a specific creature, her quarry. The caster speaks a litany of complaint against her quarry, destroying its reputation and turning everyone it meets against it. Rumors begin to spread about the quarry and its location, and the caster's words find their way onto the gossipers' lips when they speak of it. At higher levels of success, the spell begins to transform the quarry into a deer-like creature, brands it with a new true name created by the caster's indictment, and turns even the quarry's closest friends and allies into accomplices of the caster and her hunt. This spell's curse becomes especially acute each time the quarry speaks; its only defenses are to remain silent or to flee beyond the range of the spell.
This powerful spell requires at least 1 point of spellburn to cast. Additionally, the caster must select a worthy target as her quarry; the Horned King has no tolerance for cowards who waste his wrath on small game. The caster must select a target with HD at least equal to her current level, or the spellcheck is automatically treated as a result of 1, and this result cannot be altered by spending spellburn or luck.
Manifestation: Roll 1d4: (1) The entire text of the caster's indictment is burned into nearby stone, a permanent monument available for any visitor to read; (2) all the birds in the forest begin singing and tweeting the caster's complaint, her words echo in the local birdsong for the duration of the spell; (3) the air fills with the scent of blood and all the predators of the wood howl and cry, for the duration of the spell their eyes turn red and they gather in the open as proud and unafraid as if they were rabid; (4) a vision of a ghostly white deer appears before the caster and flees at top speed, for the duration of the spell, wherever the caster looks, she will see a vision of the ghostly hind fleeing from the corner of her eye.
Mifire: Roll 1d6: (1) The party immediately encounters a local wild animal which attacks the caster, and any tame animals in the party join for one attack against the caster each; (2) for the rest of the day, any strangers the party encounters will be automatically hostile, and will automatically attack if the caster speaks to them; (3) for the next week, whenever the party hears rumors, at least one will be about the caster, accusing her of cowardice and weakness; (4) for the next week, whenever the party hears rumors, at least one will be about the intended target, praising its virtues; (5) 1d6 men-at-arms (DCC434) and 1d6 wolves (DCC431) appear before the intended target and swear their fealty to help it track and slay the caster; (6) the intended target learns the caster's current location and a lesser secret name for the caster, granting it the benefits described in result 30-31 below.
1 Failure! Lost, misfire, and patron taint. Unlike normal spells, this spell may not be attempted against the same target for at least one month, or against a different target for at least a week.
2-11 Failure, lost. Unlike normal spells, this spell may not be attempted against the same target for at least one week, or against a different target for at least a day.
12-13 Failure, but spell is not lost. However, unlike normal spells, this spell may not be attempted against the same target for at least one day.
14-15 For the next day, every time the quarry speaks, it must save or strangers become hostile to it and nearby strange animals become restive and anxious in its presence. The caster receives a faint premonition each time the quarry fails a save. This effect is only active in the immediate geographic region around the casting location (a castle, a dungeon level, a village, a neighborhood within a city.)
16-19 For the next week, every time the quarry speaks, it must save or strangers become hostile to it, acquaintances become indifferent, nearby strange animals attack it, and nearby familiar animals become restive and anxious. The caster receives a faint premonition each time the quarry fails a save. During this week, every time the caster and her companions hear rumors, at least one will be about the quarry. This effect is active in the close geographic region around the casting location (a castle or village and the surrounding countryside, a dungeon level or city neighborhood as well as the adjacent levels and neighborhoods.)
20-21 For the next week, every time the quarry speaks, it must save or strangers and strange animals attack it, acquaintances and familiar animals become hostile to it, and even close friends become uncomfortable and indifferent toward it. The caster receives a definite impression of the result each time the quarry fails a save. During this week, every time the caster and her companions hear rumors, at least one will be about the quarry. This effect is active in the entire geographic region around the casting location (an entire countryside, on every level of a dungeon, throughout a city and its metropolitan area.)
22-25 The quarry permanently grows the stub antlers of a fawn deer. For the next month, every time the quarry speaks, strangers and strange animals attack it with no save allowed, and it must save or acquaintances and familiar animals attack it, and even close friends become hostile to it. The caster receives a definite impression of the result each time the quarry is attacked. During this month, every time the caster and her companions hear rumors, at least one will be about the quarry. This effect is active in the entire geographic region around the casting location, and along the borders of the neighboring regions.
26-29 The quarry permanently grows the antlers of an adult deer. For the next month, every time the quarry speaks, strangers, acquaintances, and any nearby animals attack it with no save allowed, and it must save or even close friends attack as well. The caster hears the sounds of combat each time the quarry is attacked. During this month, every time the caster and her companions hear rumors, at least one will be about the quarry. This effect remains active throughout the entire kingdom or country where the spell was cast, as well as along the borders of neighboring principalities.
30-31 The caster brands her quarry with a new lesser secret name. The quarry gains a -1 penalty to saving throws against all spells sent by the caster and anyone else who knows their new name, and all attempts to magically influence the quarry by using this new name gain a +1 to the spell check result. The quarry permanently grows the antlers of an adult deer, and its ears reshape to become deer-like. For the next year, every time the quarry speaks, everyone nearby attacks it with no save allowed. The caster hears the sounds of combat each time the quarry is attacked. During this year, every time the caster and her companions hear rumors, at least one will be about the quarry. This effect remains active in every land and kingdom of the empire where the spell was cast.
32-33 The caster brands her quarry with a new greater secret name. The quarry gains a -2 penalty to saving throws against all spells sent by the caster and anyone else who knows their new name, and all attempts to magically influence the quarry by using this new name gain a +2 to the spell check result. The quarry permanently grows the antlers of an adult deer, its ears reshape to become deer-like, its hind feet become cloven hooves, and it becomes an obligate vegetarian unable to consume meat. For the next year, every time the quarry speaks, everyone nearby attacks it with no save allowed. The caster receives a vision through the eyes of an attacker every time the quarry is attacked. During this year, every time the caster and her companions hear rumors, at least one will be about the quarry. This effect remains active throughout the empire where the spell was cast, as well as its imperial neighbors.
34+ The caster brands her quarry with a new true secret name. The quarry gains a -4 penalty to saving throws against all spells sent by the caster and anyone else who knows their new name, and all attempts to magically influence the quarry by using this new name gain a +4 to the spell check result. The quarry permanently grows the antlers and furry coat of an adult deer, its ears and entire face reshape to become deer-like, its hind legs become back-bending and its hind feet become cloven hooves, and it becomes an obligate vegetarian unable to consume meat. For the rest of the target's life, every time it speaks, everyone nearby attacks it with no save allowed. The caster receives a vision through the eyes of an attacker every time the quarry is attacked. For the next generation, every time the caster and her companions hear rumors, at least one will be about the quarry, whose infamy will be still spoken of by today's children until their old age. This effect remains active anywhere in the world; the quarry can only escape by fleeing to another planet or plane of existence.
Beyond the Black Gate includes the Horned King's Invoke patron results, his patron taint, and his 1st level spell, Slaying strike. Stroh also gives the name of the Horned King's next two spells, Name of the quarry and Call of the wild hunt.
Below, I've written a possible version of Name of the quarry. I wrote it awhile ago after reading about the legend of Actaeon, and after reading about the victims of a certain roving internet auto-de-fé, about how they all reported that every time they tried to speak online after being targeted, someone showed up to harass them back into silence, about how they all came to feel that remaining silent was their only defense from having themselves and their family members attacked both online and in person. I have no intention of making light of their experience by writing this; instead it made me think what Actaeon would have felt if his legend had been true.
I think this is a truly evil spell. It's not a spell that kills the target; it's a spell that ruins their life. Refereeing the results of this spell requires the judge to develop an outline of the target's plan for the duration of the spell. Once per day within the game, the judge should make a saving throw on the target's behalf, and if the save fails, report a vision of the target's plight to the caster.
NAME OF THE QUARRY
Level: 2 (Horned King)
Range: Varies
Duration: Varies
Casting time: 1 turn
Save: Will vs. spell check
General: The caster invokes the Wild Hunt to blaspheme the name of a specific creature, her quarry. The caster speaks a litany of complaint against her quarry, destroying its reputation and turning everyone it meets against it. Rumors begin to spread about the quarry and its location, and the caster's words find their way onto the gossipers' lips when they speak of it. At higher levels of success, the spell begins to transform the quarry into a deer-like creature, brands it with a new true name created by the caster's indictment, and turns even the quarry's closest friends and allies into accomplices of the caster and her hunt. This spell's curse becomes especially acute each time the quarry speaks; its only defenses are to remain silent or to flee beyond the range of the spell.
This powerful spell requires at least 1 point of spellburn to cast. Additionally, the caster must select a worthy target as her quarry; the Horned King has no tolerance for cowards who waste his wrath on small game. The caster must select a target with HD at least equal to her current level, or the spellcheck is automatically treated as a result of 1, and this result cannot be altered by spending spellburn or luck.
Manifestation: Roll 1d4: (1) The entire text of the caster's indictment is burned into nearby stone, a permanent monument available for any visitor to read; (2) all the birds in the forest begin singing and tweeting the caster's complaint, her words echo in the local birdsong for the duration of the spell; (3) the air fills with the scent of blood and all the predators of the wood howl and cry, for the duration of the spell their eyes turn red and they gather in the open as proud and unafraid as if they were rabid; (4) a vision of a ghostly white deer appears before the caster and flees at top speed, for the duration of the spell, wherever the caster looks, she will see a vision of the ghostly hind fleeing from the corner of her eye.
Mifire: Roll 1d6: (1) The party immediately encounters a local wild animal which attacks the caster, and any tame animals in the party join for one attack against the caster each; (2) for the rest of the day, any strangers the party encounters will be automatically hostile, and will automatically attack if the caster speaks to them; (3) for the next week, whenever the party hears rumors, at least one will be about the caster, accusing her of cowardice and weakness; (4) for the next week, whenever the party hears rumors, at least one will be about the intended target, praising its virtues; (5) 1d6 men-at-arms (DCC434) and 1d6 wolves (DCC431) appear before the intended target and swear their fealty to help it track and slay the caster; (6) the intended target learns the caster's current location and a lesser secret name for the caster, granting it the benefits described in result 30-31 below.
1 Failure! Lost, misfire, and patron taint. Unlike normal spells, this spell may not be attempted against the same target for at least one month, or against a different target for at least a week.
2-11 Failure, lost. Unlike normal spells, this spell may not be attempted against the same target for at least one week, or against a different target for at least a day.
12-13 Failure, but spell is not lost. However, unlike normal spells, this spell may not be attempted against the same target for at least one day.
14-15 For the next day, every time the quarry speaks, it must save or strangers become hostile to it and nearby strange animals become restive and anxious in its presence. The caster receives a faint premonition each time the quarry fails a save. This effect is only active in the immediate geographic region around the casting location (a castle, a dungeon level, a village, a neighborhood within a city.)
16-19 For the next week, every time the quarry speaks, it must save or strangers become hostile to it, acquaintances become indifferent, nearby strange animals attack it, and nearby familiar animals become restive and anxious. The caster receives a faint premonition each time the quarry fails a save. During this week, every time the caster and her companions hear rumors, at least one will be about the quarry. This effect is active in the close geographic region around the casting location (a castle or village and the surrounding countryside, a dungeon level or city neighborhood as well as the adjacent levels and neighborhoods.)
20-21 For the next week, every time the quarry speaks, it must save or strangers and strange animals attack it, acquaintances and familiar animals become hostile to it, and even close friends become uncomfortable and indifferent toward it. The caster receives a definite impression of the result each time the quarry fails a save. During this week, every time the caster and her companions hear rumors, at least one will be about the quarry. This effect is active in the entire geographic region around the casting location (an entire countryside, on every level of a dungeon, throughout a city and its metropolitan area.)
22-25 The quarry permanently grows the stub antlers of a fawn deer. For the next month, every time the quarry speaks, strangers and strange animals attack it with no save allowed, and it must save or acquaintances and familiar animals attack it, and even close friends become hostile to it. The caster receives a definite impression of the result each time the quarry is attacked. During this month, every time the caster and her companions hear rumors, at least one will be about the quarry. This effect is active in the entire geographic region around the casting location, and along the borders of the neighboring regions.
26-29 The quarry permanently grows the antlers of an adult deer. For the next month, every time the quarry speaks, strangers, acquaintances, and any nearby animals attack it with no save allowed, and it must save or even close friends attack as well. The caster hears the sounds of combat each time the quarry is attacked. During this month, every time the caster and her companions hear rumors, at least one will be about the quarry. This effect remains active throughout the entire kingdom or country where the spell was cast, as well as along the borders of neighboring principalities.
30-31 The caster brands her quarry with a new lesser secret name. The quarry gains a -1 penalty to saving throws against all spells sent by the caster and anyone else who knows their new name, and all attempts to magically influence the quarry by using this new name gain a +1 to the spell check result. The quarry permanently grows the antlers of an adult deer, and its ears reshape to become deer-like. For the next year, every time the quarry speaks, everyone nearby attacks it with no save allowed. The caster hears the sounds of combat each time the quarry is attacked. During this year, every time the caster and her companions hear rumors, at least one will be about the quarry. This effect remains active in every land and kingdom of the empire where the spell was cast.
32-33 The caster brands her quarry with a new greater secret name. The quarry gains a -2 penalty to saving throws against all spells sent by the caster and anyone else who knows their new name, and all attempts to magically influence the quarry by using this new name gain a +2 to the spell check result. The quarry permanently grows the antlers of an adult deer, its ears reshape to become deer-like, its hind feet become cloven hooves, and it becomes an obligate vegetarian unable to consume meat. For the next year, every time the quarry speaks, everyone nearby attacks it with no save allowed. The caster receives a vision through the eyes of an attacker every time the quarry is attacked. During this year, every time the caster and her companions hear rumors, at least one will be about the quarry. This effect remains active throughout the empire where the spell was cast, as well as its imperial neighbors.
34+ The caster brands her quarry with a new true secret name. The quarry gains a -4 penalty to saving throws against all spells sent by the caster and anyone else who knows their new name, and all attempts to magically influence the quarry by using this new name gain a +4 to the spell check result. The quarry permanently grows the antlers and furry coat of an adult deer, its ears and entire face reshape to become deer-like, its hind legs become back-bending and its hind feet become cloven hooves, and it becomes an obligate vegetarian unable to consume meat. For the rest of the target's life, every time it speaks, everyone nearby attacks it with no save allowed. The caster receives a vision through the eyes of an attacker every time the quarry is attacked. For the next generation, every time the caster and her companions hear rumors, at least one will be about the quarry, whose infamy will be still spoken of by today's children until their old age. This effect remains active anywhere in the world; the quarry can only escape by fleeing to another planet or plane of existence.
Wednesday, June 14, 2017
DCC Patron: Mycetes-Thrax
MYCETES-THRAX
Mycetes-Thrax, the Great Sleeping Growth, lurks beneath the soil. This titanic entity is a single fungus that stretches for hundreds of leagues under the earth and has grown sentient and wise with the eons. It rewards its servants with utterly alien but useful and fearsome powers. Its wisdom is great and it knows much forgotten lore.
INVOKE PATRON SPELL CHECK RESULTS
12-13 Mycetes-Thrax exhales in its slumber, and the air within 10' of the caster fills with spores like winter snow, while the ground is a 10' circle erupts with cilia like frost-covered grass, surrounded by a fairy-ring of inch-tall mushrooms.
For the next combat round, the caster and her allies can withdraw from combat without opening themselves up to free attacks, and anyone who flees the area this round will not be chased.
14-17 Communication spores. The air within 20' of the caster fills with a cloud of twinkling spores like a vision of distant stars.
For the next 2 exploration turns, every creature with at least animal intelligence present within the cloud gains the ability to speak Basidiomata, the racial language of Shroomen and other creatures aligned with Mycetes-Thrax. This has two effects: first, everyone present is now capable of speaking to and understanding everyone else; and second, every creature present halts combat for at least one round in order to talk and listen. The result of this conversation may be an end to hostilities, or if combat resumes, it may continue under altered circumstances.
Additionally, the caster must make a Will save versus the spell check result. If the save is successful, the caster permanently speaks and understands the Basidiomata language.
18-19 Mycetes-Thrax blinks awake for a moment, and the air within 30' of the caster fills with spores like mottled green fog, while the ground in a 30' circle erupts with foot-long tentacles like hungry leeches.
The spores cloud the air and obscure vision, providing cover for the caster and her allies for the next 3 combat rounds. (Attack rolls against a character with cover get -2.)
In addition, the caster's enemies must make Ref saves versus the spell check result of become entangled for 3 rounds by the tentacles wrapping around their legs. (Entangled creatures move at half their normal speed, and attack rolls against entangled creatures are at +1d.)
20-23 Sleeping spores. The air within 40' of the caster fills with blinking spores like a cloud of fireflies.
The caster's enemies must make Fort saves versus the spell check result or fall into a supernatural slumber for 4 hours. During this time, they cannot be woken by normal means (except by being attacked), and only a reversed sleep spell or other counterspell can end this effect early. The sleeping creatures are helpless until they awake. Even if attacked, the creatures can only wake early by making a successful Fort save. (Attack rolls against helpless creatures are made at +1d.)
Additionally, the caster has a dream vision of Mycetes-Thrax. The caster sees the Great Sleeping Growth at rest in its realm beneath the earth. The caster immediately suffers one random patron taint, and must make a Will save versus the spell check result or suffer one more.
24-27 Mycetes-Thrax wakes and briefly glances at the caster. For 50' around the caster, the air fills with a sleet of stinging, sticking spores, and the ground erupts with human-height tentalces that grasp and grope like children lost in the dark.
The caster's enemies must make Fort saves versus the spell check result or be blinded by these toxic spores. Any creature that rolls a natural 1 on this save is blinded permanently. (Attack rolls against a blinded creature get +2. Attacks made by a blinded creature have a 50% chance to miss.)
In addition, for the next 5 combat rounds, the caster's enemies must make Ref saves or grappled by a tentacle, hoisted aloft, and crushed for 1d8 damage per round. A grappled creature cannot attack anything except the tentacle holding it. A grappled creature can escape by making an attack with a cutting weapon against AC 10 that deals at least 5 damage in a single round, or by using its action to make a DC 15 Strength check. A creature that escapes can still become grappled again during the next round if it fails its Ref save. (Attack rolls against helpless creatures are at +1d.)
28-29 Hallucinatory spores. The air within 60' of the caster fills with a cloud of flashing spores like neon lights.
The caster's enemies must make Will saves versus the spell check result or spend one combat round making their most powerful or magical attack against another random enemy as they hallucinate the caster multiplying and becoming omnipresent.
In addition, the caster's enemies must also make a Fort save or take only one action every other round (until 6 rounds have passed), as they hallucinate the passage of time slowing and becoming dreamlike.
Additionally, the caster has a hallucinatory vision of Mycetes-Thrax. The caster may ask a single question, which Mycetes-Thrax answers truthfully. Although the answer comes slowly from the caster's perspective, only an instant of real time passes during the vision. The caster immediately suffers two random patron taints, and must make a Will save versus the spell check result or suffer two more.
30-31 Mycetes-Thrax comes fully awake and turns its full ire on the caster's foes before drifting back into its eternal slumber. A blizzard of purple spores like gale-blown confetti swirls in the air within 70' of the caster, while tiny white puff balls float up from the floor and pop like balloons, and 10' tentacles like limbless birch trees burst from the ground, whipping and dancing violently in a circle extending 70' from the caster in every direction.
The caster's enemies must make Fort saves versus the spell check result or begin to suffocate, losing 1d6 Stamina per round until they either die or make a successful save. Any creature that rolls a natural 1 on this save suffers permanent Stamina loss rather than temporary Stamina damage for that round.
In addition, 7 giant white puff balls drop from the ceiling and roll across the room, each crushing one random enemy for 2d8 damage and knocking it prone unless it makes a Ref save. Any creature that rolls a nature 1 on this save takes the maximum 16 damage. Each puff ball that strikes an enemy explodes when it reaches the far side of the room, creating a deafening boom, a violent wind, and another cloud of purple spores that cover and cling to the caster's enemies.
Every opponent who survives this experience must check Morale or run screaming for their lives, and the check is at -1 for each giant puff ball that exploded.
32+ Reproductive spores. Within 90' of the caster, spores rise from the ground billows of dust being kicked up from a forgotten floor.
All dead bodies within 90' of the caster arise as Shroomen and attack the caster's enemies. Everyone living creature that dies for the next 9 rounds arises as well. (Bodies arise as one Shrooman per HD of the original creature.)
In the next combat round after this spell is cast, the caster's enemies must make a Fort save versus the spell check result or transform into Shroomen themselves. (Again, those who transform become one Shrooman per original HD.)
Additionally, the caster immediately suffers three random patron taints, and must make a Will save versus the spell check result or suffer three more.
Once combat is over, the Shroomen remain in the area as an army under the caster's command. This army is ultimately loyal to Mycetes-Thrax, and is tasked with a specific quest to advance the Great Sleeping Growth's agenda. Like their patron, the Shroomen are patient and will tolerate delays and diversions as long as the caster appears to be pursuing the quest, but they will attack the caster and her allies if any of them act to subvert Mycetes-Thrax's interests.
PATRON SPELLS: MYCETES-THRAX
Myctetes-Thrax grants three spells, as follows:
Level 1: Mouldering Touch
Level 2: Spores of the Basidirond
Level 3: Mycetes-Thrax's Fecund Fungi
Mycetes-Thrax, the Great Sleeping Growth, lurks beneath the soil. This titanic entity is a single fungus that stretches for hundreds of leagues under the earth and has grown sentient and wise with the eons. It rewards its servants with utterly alien but useful and fearsome powers. Its wisdom is great and it knows much forgotten lore.
INVOKE PATRON SPELL CHECK RESULTS
12-13 Mycetes-Thrax exhales in its slumber, and the air within 10' of the caster fills with spores like winter snow, while the ground is a 10' circle erupts with cilia like frost-covered grass, surrounded by a fairy-ring of inch-tall mushrooms.
For the next combat round, the caster and her allies can withdraw from combat without opening themselves up to free attacks, and anyone who flees the area this round will not be chased.
14-17 Communication spores. The air within 20' of the caster fills with a cloud of twinkling spores like a vision of distant stars.
For the next 2 exploration turns, every creature with at least animal intelligence present within the cloud gains the ability to speak Basidiomata, the racial language of Shroomen and other creatures aligned with Mycetes-Thrax. This has two effects: first, everyone present is now capable of speaking to and understanding everyone else; and second, every creature present halts combat for at least one round in order to talk and listen. The result of this conversation may be an end to hostilities, or if combat resumes, it may continue under altered circumstances.
Additionally, the caster must make a Will save versus the spell check result. If the save is successful, the caster permanently speaks and understands the Basidiomata language.
18-19 Mycetes-Thrax blinks awake for a moment, and the air within 30' of the caster fills with spores like mottled green fog, while the ground in a 30' circle erupts with foot-long tentacles like hungry leeches.
The spores cloud the air and obscure vision, providing cover for the caster and her allies for the next 3 combat rounds. (Attack rolls against a character with cover get -2.)
In addition, the caster's enemies must make Ref saves versus the spell check result of become entangled for 3 rounds by the tentacles wrapping around their legs. (Entangled creatures move at half their normal speed, and attack rolls against entangled creatures are at +1d.)
20-23 Sleeping spores. The air within 40' of the caster fills with blinking spores like a cloud of fireflies.
The caster's enemies must make Fort saves versus the spell check result or fall into a supernatural slumber for 4 hours. During this time, they cannot be woken by normal means (except by being attacked), and only a reversed sleep spell or other counterspell can end this effect early. The sleeping creatures are helpless until they awake. Even if attacked, the creatures can only wake early by making a successful Fort save. (Attack rolls against helpless creatures are made at +1d.)
Additionally, the caster has a dream vision of Mycetes-Thrax. The caster sees the Great Sleeping Growth at rest in its realm beneath the earth. The caster immediately suffers one random patron taint, and must make a Will save versus the spell check result or suffer one more.
24-27 Mycetes-Thrax wakes and briefly glances at the caster. For 50' around the caster, the air fills with a sleet of stinging, sticking spores, and the ground erupts with human-height tentalces that grasp and grope like children lost in the dark.
The caster's enemies must make Fort saves versus the spell check result or be blinded by these toxic spores. Any creature that rolls a natural 1 on this save is blinded permanently. (Attack rolls against a blinded creature get +2. Attacks made by a blinded creature have a 50% chance to miss.)
In addition, for the next 5 combat rounds, the caster's enemies must make Ref saves or grappled by a tentacle, hoisted aloft, and crushed for 1d8 damage per round. A grappled creature cannot attack anything except the tentacle holding it. A grappled creature can escape by making an attack with a cutting weapon against AC 10 that deals at least 5 damage in a single round, or by using its action to make a DC 15 Strength check. A creature that escapes can still become grappled again during the next round if it fails its Ref save. (Attack rolls against helpless creatures are at +1d.)
28-29 Hallucinatory spores. The air within 60' of the caster fills with a cloud of flashing spores like neon lights.
The caster's enemies must make Will saves versus the spell check result or spend one combat round making their most powerful or magical attack against another random enemy as they hallucinate the caster multiplying and becoming omnipresent.
In addition, the caster's enemies must also make a Fort save or take only one action every other round (until 6 rounds have passed), as they hallucinate the passage of time slowing and becoming dreamlike.
Additionally, the caster has a hallucinatory vision of Mycetes-Thrax. The caster may ask a single question, which Mycetes-Thrax answers truthfully. Although the answer comes slowly from the caster's perspective, only an instant of real time passes during the vision. The caster immediately suffers two random patron taints, and must make a Will save versus the spell check result or suffer two more.
30-31 Mycetes-Thrax comes fully awake and turns its full ire on the caster's foes before drifting back into its eternal slumber. A blizzard of purple spores like gale-blown confetti swirls in the air within 70' of the caster, while tiny white puff balls float up from the floor and pop like balloons, and 10' tentacles like limbless birch trees burst from the ground, whipping and dancing violently in a circle extending 70' from the caster in every direction.
The caster's enemies must make Fort saves versus the spell check result or begin to suffocate, losing 1d6 Stamina per round until they either die or make a successful save. Any creature that rolls a natural 1 on this save suffers permanent Stamina loss rather than temporary Stamina damage for that round.
In addition, 7 giant white puff balls drop from the ceiling and roll across the room, each crushing one random enemy for 2d8 damage and knocking it prone unless it makes a Ref save. Any creature that rolls a nature 1 on this save takes the maximum 16 damage. Each puff ball that strikes an enemy explodes when it reaches the far side of the room, creating a deafening boom, a violent wind, and another cloud of purple spores that cover and cling to the caster's enemies.
Every opponent who survives this experience must check Morale or run screaming for their lives, and the check is at -1 for each giant puff ball that exploded.
32+ Reproductive spores. Within 90' of the caster, spores rise from the ground billows of dust being kicked up from a forgotten floor.
All dead bodies within 90' of the caster arise as Shroomen and attack the caster's enemies. Everyone living creature that dies for the next 9 rounds arises as well. (Bodies arise as one Shrooman per HD of the original creature.)
In the next combat round after this spell is cast, the caster's enemies must make a Fort save versus the spell check result or transform into Shroomen themselves. (Again, those who transform become one Shrooman per original HD.)
Additionally, the caster immediately suffers three random patron taints, and must make a Will save versus the spell check result or suffer three more.
Once combat is over, the Shroomen remain in the area as an army under the caster's command. This army is ultimately loyal to Mycetes-Thrax, and is tasked with a specific quest to advance the Great Sleeping Growth's agenda. Like their patron, the Shroomen are patient and will tolerate delays and diversions as long as the caster appears to be pursuing the quest, but they will attack the caster and her allies if any of them act to subvert Mycetes-Thrax's interests.
- Shrooman: Init -5; Atk slam +4 melee (4d4); AC 18; HD 2d8+6; MV 10'; Act 1/2d20; SP fungal cloud (starting in the second combat round: creatures within 20' are -2 to attack, damage, and saves; and creatures within 20' must make DC 14 Fort save or lose 1d4 Agility and 1d4 damage per round), half damage from bludgeoning weapons, infravision 100'; SV Fort +8, Ref -4, Will +4; AL N; Crit M/d6.
PATRON SPELLS: MYCETES-THRAX
Myctetes-Thrax grants three spells, as follows:
Level 1: Mouldering Touch
Level 2: Spores of the Basidirond
Level 3: Mycetes-Thrax's Fecund Fungi
Tuesday, February 21, 2017
Index: Snails
Below is an index of snail-related materials I might use in my own games.
At the time of creation, this Index has content from Dyson's Dodecahedron's "Snail Lords of the Salt Flats" mini-setting, (which may someday be published by Lost Pages,) and from Bernie the Flumph!'s "Blorgamorg, the Chthonic Snail" patron for DCC. More categories, as well as more entries within the existing categories, will be added as it becomes available.
from Dyson's Dodecahedron:
Snail Lord Character Class
Polearms of the Snail Lords
Dark Spire through Salted Lands
Twelve Bodies in the Firmaments of the Salt Flats
from Bernie the Flumph!:
Patron: Blorgamorg, the Chthonic Snail
Invoke Patron, Patron Taint, and Spellburn (Blorgamorg)
Patron Spell 1: Snail Mail (Blorgamorg)
Patron Spell 2: Shell Shelter (Blorgamorg) (formerly planned as 3rd level spell "Shell House")
Patron Spell 3: Love Dart (Blorgamorg) (formerly planned as 2nd level spell "Slobber Globber Lobber")
Index of Blorgamorg entries on the Bernie the Flumph! blog
Crepuscular zine, issue 1, featuring Blorgamorg and "The Sanctum of the Snail" adventure (available for sale in print and pdf, note: I playtested this adventure)
As an aside, I keep wanting to call this patron "Blorg-ma-gorg" instead.
6 May 2018: "Sanctum of the Snail" adventure added
At the time of creation, this Index has content from Dyson's Dodecahedron's "Snail Lords of the Salt Flats" mini-setting, (which may someday be published by Lost Pages,) and from Bernie the Flumph!'s "Blorgamorg, the Chthonic Snail" patron for DCC. More categories, as well as more entries within the existing categories, will be added as it becomes available.
from Dyson's Dodecahedron:
Snail Lord Character Class
Polearms of the Snail Lords
Dark Spire through Salted Lands
Twelve Bodies in the Firmaments of the Salt Flats
 |
| "Snail Lord" by Dyson Logos |
from Bernie the Flumph!:
Patron: Blorgamorg, the Chthonic Snail
Invoke Patron, Patron Taint, and Spellburn (Blorgamorg)
Patron Spell 1: Snail Mail (Blorgamorg)
Patron Spell 2: Shell Shelter (Blorgamorg) (formerly planned as 3rd level spell "Shell House")
Patron Spell 3: Love Dart (Blorgamorg) (formerly planned as 2nd level spell "Slobber Globber Lobber")
Index of Blorgamorg entries on the Bernie the Flumph! blog
Crepuscular zine, issue 1, featuring Blorgamorg and "The Sanctum of the Snail" adventure (available for sale in print and pdf, note: I playtested this adventure)
As an aside, I keep wanting to call this patron "Blorg-ma-gorg" instead.
 |
| "Blorgamorg" by Josh Burnett |
from Le Chaudron Chromatique:
 |
| "Snail Flailer" by Evelyn Moreau |
Update Log:
22 Feb 2017: Index created
31 Mar 2017: Snail Flailer Character Class added
2 Sept 2017: "Shell Shelter" and "Love Dart" spells added, Blorgamorg index added, artist information for "Snail Flailer" corrected6 May 2018: "Sanctum of the Snail" adventure added
Monday, December 26, 2016
DCC Spells I Want to Cast - Spores of the Basidirond
Below is my write-up for the 2nd level patron spell for Mycetes-Thrax. This spell is based on the effects of a famous second-tier monster from the world's most popular roleplaying game. Spores of the Basidirond is probably weaker than the 1st level spell Sleep, but in many ways, this isn't a spell you cast when you merely want to incapacitate your enemy - this is a spell you cast when you want to unleash total chaos.
SPORES OF THE BASIDIROND
Level: 2 (Mycetes-Thrax)
Range: 10' per CL
Duration: Permanent until save (or 1 turn per required save)
Casting time: 1 action
Save: Will vs. spell check
General: The caster releases airborne fungal spores and an alluring fragrance. Everyone who inhales the spores experience powerful hallucinations, which show them an alternate and dangerous world, and which compel them to take action to protect themselves from the nightmarish scenarios the hallucinations place them in. Creatures who inhale the spores can make an immediate saving throw to resist the effects, and may repeat this save on their initiative each round, but are trapped in their hallucination until they succeed. In general, everyone who is affected by the spores at one time sees the same terrible visions (except in the case of a critical success or a result of 34+.)
Any target who rolls a natural 20 on their saving throw is immediately freed from any remaining effects of the spell. Any target who rolls a natural 1 on their saving throw is rendered permanently insane, and continues to perceive their current hallucination as their only reality for the rest of their life.
Truly mindless being and creatures who don't need to breathe are immune to this spell (this includes most plants, fungi, slimes, constructs, and un-dead.) Anyone who is protected by a gas mask or other breathing apparatus is also immune.
Outside of immediate combat, the judge should assume that afflicted creatures succeed 1 saving throw per turn, rather than continuously rolling to determine the exact timing. (However, the judge is encouraged to check once for each target to see if they go permanently insane.)
On a critical success, the range of the spell and the possible number of targets are both doubled. In addition, each target of the spell rolls individually to determine their specific hallucination.
Roll 1d16 to determine the nature of the hallucination (and the target's reaction to it:)
(1) The floor has becoming a shifting desert, swallowing everything like quicksand. (Drop prone and attempt to swim to stay above-ground.)
(2) Every light in the room grows to blinding brilliance. (Close your eyes tight and drop any light source.)
(3) The floor has become a gulping, viscous swamp. (Take off your boots and armor to escape from drowning in the mud.)
(4) Every light in room explodes in flames, everything is burning. (Drop prone and attempt to extinguish the fire, pour any liquids you have onto yourself.)
(5) Your body is melting into puddle. (Attempt to hold your skin in place, press your flesh back into its proper shape.)
(6) The floor is blazing hot, melting into lava. (Hop from foot to foot, jump onto any flat surface above ground level.)
(7) Your body has shrunk to size of an insect or mouse. (Stare up at everything towering overhead, attempt to hide underneath smallest object you can find.)
(8) Your friends are all dead, their corpses fall to floor. (Run away screaming.)
(9) The floor is covered in millions of swarming, biting insects. (Attack the floor with your melee weapons.)
(10) The room is filled to brim with ocean water. (Hold your breath, attempt to swim to the ceiling, climb up any available vertical surface.)
(11) Your friends are all dead, but their lifeless yet animate bodies turn to attack you. (Attack your friends with most powerful attack.)
(12) Your clothes are filled with biting fleas and bedbugs. (Strip off your armor and clothing.)
(13) The ceiling is covered in thousands of swarming, screaming bats. (Attack the ceiling with your missile weapons.)
(14) Your back is covered with blood-drinking leeches. (Tear off your pack and anything worn on your torso and attack them.)
(15) The objects you hold in your hands are turning into biting, constricting snakes. (Drop or throw away what you're holding, leap backward to get away.)
(16) The ceiling is collapsing in a cave-in, debris rains down from overhead. (Drop prone and attempt to take cover underneath any sheltering objects.)
Manifestation: Roll 1d8: (1) shafts of light pour out of the caster's mouth an eyes, illuminating dancing motes in Brownian motion, accompanied by the smell of old books; (2) what looks like snow or white ash falls from the ceiling, accompanied by the smell and crackle of burning wood; (3) fish-like gills open on the caster's neck, revealing mushroom gills in the openings, the smell of saltwater fills the air as the gills appear to breathe; (4) thousands of puffballs sprout from the floor, releasing a miasma of dust and the smell of chalk; (5) the caster breathes billows of smoke from her nose and mouth, the scent of incense mixes with tobacco; (6) a sad, simple melody plays, as on a child's music box, there is a patter of rain, the air fills with mist and petrichor; (7) spiraling clouds of gold flecks waft away from the caster with every movement, and every mind present remembers the scent of of perfume; (8) there's a loud pop and the air fills with brightly colored paper confetti, the sound of party horns, and the aroma of a baking oven.
Misfire: Roll 1d4: (1) The caster is afflicted by 1 random hallucination for 1 round; (2) the caster is afflicted by different hallucinations each round for 1d3+1 rounds; (3) the caster and 1d3+1 of her allies are afflicted 1 random hallucination for 1 round; (4) the caster and 1d3+1 of her allies are afflicted by different hallucinations each round for 1d3+1 rounds.
1 Failure! Lost, misfire, and patron taint.
2-11 Failure, lost.
12-13 Failure, but spell is not lost.
14-15 One target of the caster's choice is afflicted by a single hallucination until it succeeds a saving throw.
16-19 Up to 1d3 targets of the caster's choice are afflicted by a single hallucination until they succeed a saving throw.
20-21 Up to CL number of targets of the caster's choice are afflicted by a single hallucination until they succeed a saving throw.
22-25 Up to CL number of targets of the caster's choice are afflicted by hallucinations, which change each other round until they succeed a saving throw.
26-29 Up to CL number of targets of the caster's choice are afflicted by hallucinations, which change each round until they succeed 1d3 saving throws.
30-31 All possible targets within range are afflicted by hallucinations (unless explicitly excluded by the caster.) Targets experience a single hallucination until they succeed a saving throw. Additionally, up to CL number of targets are afflicted by hallucinations that change each round until they succeed 1d3 saving throws.
32-33 All possible targets within range are afflicted by hallucinations (unless explicitly excluded by the caster.) Hallucinations change each round until they succeed a saving throw. Additionally, up to CL number of targets are afflicted by hallucinations that change each round until they succeed CL number of saving throws.
34+ All possible targets within 30' per CL are afflicted by hallucinations (unless explicitly excluded by the caster.) Each target rolls individually to determine their specific hallucination. Hallucinations change each round until targets succeed CL number of saving throws.
SPORES OF THE BASIDIROND
Level: 2 (Mycetes-Thrax)
Range: 10' per CL
Duration: Permanent until save (or 1 turn per required save)
Casting time: 1 action
Save: Will vs. spell check
General: The caster releases airborne fungal spores and an alluring fragrance. Everyone who inhales the spores experience powerful hallucinations, which show them an alternate and dangerous world, and which compel them to take action to protect themselves from the nightmarish scenarios the hallucinations place them in. Creatures who inhale the spores can make an immediate saving throw to resist the effects, and may repeat this save on their initiative each round, but are trapped in their hallucination until they succeed. In general, everyone who is affected by the spores at one time sees the same terrible visions (except in the case of a critical success or a result of 34+.)
Any target who rolls a natural 20 on their saving throw is immediately freed from any remaining effects of the spell. Any target who rolls a natural 1 on their saving throw is rendered permanently insane, and continues to perceive their current hallucination as their only reality for the rest of their life.
Truly mindless being and creatures who don't need to breathe are immune to this spell (this includes most plants, fungi, slimes, constructs, and un-dead.) Anyone who is protected by a gas mask or other breathing apparatus is also immune.
Outside of immediate combat, the judge should assume that afflicted creatures succeed 1 saving throw per turn, rather than continuously rolling to determine the exact timing. (However, the judge is encouraged to check once for each target to see if they go permanently insane.)
On a critical success, the range of the spell and the possible number of targets are both doubled. In addition, each target of the spell rolls individually to determine their specific hallucination.
Roll 1d16 to determine the nature of the hallucination (and the target's reaction to it:)
(1) The floor has becoming a shifting desert, swallowing everything like quicksand. (Drop prone and attempt to swim to stay above-ground.)
(2) Every light in the room grows to blinding brilliance. (Close your eyes tight and drop any light source.)
(3) The floor has become a gulping, viscous swamp. (Take off your boots and armor to escape from drowning in the mud.)
(4) Every light in room explodes in flames, everything is burning. (Drop prone and attempt to extinguish the fire, pour any liquids you have onto yourself.)
(5) Your body is melting into puddle. (Attempt to hold your skin in place, press your flesh back into its proper shape.)
(6) The floor is blazing hot, melting into lava. (Hop from foot to foot, jump onto any flat surface above ground level.)
(7) Your body has shrunk to size of an insect or mouse. (Stare up at everything towering overhead, attempt to hide underneath smallest object you can find.)
(8) Your friends are all dead, their corpses fall to floor. (Run away screaming.)
(9) The floor is covered in millions of swarming, biting insects. (Attack the floor with your melee weapons.)
(10) The room is filled to brim with ocean water. (Hold your breath, attempt to swim to the ceiling, climb up any available vertical surface.)
(11) Your friends are all dead, but their lifeless yet animate bodies turn to attack you. (Attack your friends with most powerful attack.)
(12) Your clothes are filled with biting fleas and bedbugs. (Strip off your armor and clothing.)
(13) The ceiling is covered in thousands of swarming, screaming bats. (Attack the ceiling with your missile weapons.)
(14) Your back is covered with blood-drinking leeches. (Tear off your pack and anything worn on your torso and attack them.)
(15) The objects you hold in your hands are turning into biting, constricting snakes. (Drop or throw away what you're holding, leap backward to get away.)
(16) The ceiling is collapsing in a cave-in, debris rains down from overhead. (Drop prone and attempt to take cover underneath any sheltering objects.)
Manifestation: Roll 1d8: (1) shafts of light pour out of the caster's mouth an eyes, illuminating dancing motes in Brownian motion, accompanied by the smell of old books; (2) what looks like snow or white ash falls from the ceiling, accompanied by the smell and crackle of burning wood; (3) fish-like gills open on the caster's neck, revealing mushroom gills in the openings, the smell of saltwater fills the air as the gills appear to breathe; (4) thousands of puffballs sprout from the floor, releasing a miasma of dust and the smell of chalk; (5) the caster breathes billows of smoke from her nose and mouth, the scent of incense mixes with tobacco; (6) a sad, simple melody plays, as on a child's music box, there is a patter of rain, the air fills with mist and petrichor; (7) spiraling clouds of gold flecks waft away from the caster with every movement, and every mind present remembers the scent of of perfume; (8) there's a loud pop and the air fills with brightly colored paper confetti, the sound of party horns, and the aroma of a baking oven.
Misfire: Roll 1d4: (1) The caster is afflicted by 1 random hallucination for 1 round; (2) the caster is afflicted by different hallucinations each round for 1d3+1 rounds; (3) the caster and 1d3+1 of her allies are afflicted 1 random hallucination for 1 round; (4) the caster and 1d3+1 of her allies are afflicted by different hallucinations each round for 1d3+1 rounds.
1 Failure! Lost, misfire, and patron taint.
2-11 Failure, lost.
12-13 Failure, but spell is not lost.
14-15 One target of the caster's choice is afflicted by a single hallucination until it succeeds a saving throw.
16-19 Up to 1d3 targets of the caster's choice are afflicted by a single hallucination until they succeed a saving throw.
20-21 Up to CL number of targets of the caster's choice are afflicted by a single hallucination until they succeed a saving throw.
22-25 Up to CL number of targets of the caster's choice are afflicted by hallucinations, which change each other round until they succeed a saving throw.
26-29 Up to CL number of targets of the caster's choice are afflicted by hallucinations, which change each round until they succeed 1d3 saving throws.
30-31 All possible targets within range are afflicted by hallucinations (unless explicitly excluded by the caster.) Targets experience a single hallucination until they succeed a saving throw. Additionally, up to CL number of targets are afflicted by hallucinations that change each round until they succeed 1d3 saving throws.
32-33 All possible targets within range are afflicted by hallucinations (unless explicitly excluded by the caster.) Hallucinations change each round until they succeed a saving throw. Additionally, up to CL number of targets are afflicted by hallucinations that change each round until they succeed CL number of saving throws.
34+ All possible targets within 30' per CL are afflicted by hallucinations (unless explicitly excluded by the caster.) Each target rolls individually to determine their specific hallucination. Hallucinations change each round until targets succeed CL number of saving throws.
Tuesday, September 20, 2016
DCC Spells I Want to Cast - Mouldering Touch
The spell Hepsoj’s Fecund Fungi (DCC 247) mentions the existence of a patron-level entity, Mycetes-Thrax (result 38+). Mycetes-Thrax is described as "the Great Sleeping Growth that lurks beneath the soil ... a single fungus that stretches for hundreds of leagues and has grown sentient and wise with the eons." Below is my write-up for the first of Mycetes-Thrax’s patron spells, Mouldering Touch. The effects of this spell mimic the effects of the most common oozes in the world's most famous role-playing game. A write-up of the second patron spell, Invoke Patron results, spellburn, and patron taint will follow.
Mycetes-Thrax’s third patron spell should obviously be Mycetes-Thrax’s Fecund Fungi, with results identical to Hepsoj’s version of the spell, except at 3rd level.
MOULDERING TOUCH
Level: 1 (Mycetes-Thrax)
Range: Touch
Duration: Varies
Casting time: 1 action
Save: Varies
General: The palm of the caster's hand is coated in protoplasmic slime mold, allowing her to deliver lingering toxic effects to her enemies by touching them. On a critical success, both the caster's palms are coated, allowing her to deliver two touches, and she can choose any effect at or below the level of her spell check, including different effects for each hand.
If spell is used against a player character (or anyone else with a known Stamina score,) result 28-29 causes 1d6 points of temporary Stamina loss (instead of Fortitude and hit point loss,) and result 30-31 causes 3d6 points of temporary Stamina loss.
Manifestation: See below.
Misfire: Roll 1d4: (1) the caster's entire body is coated with a thin layer of phosphorescent white dust, and for the next hour, all attack rolls against the caster are +1d to hit; (2) the caster takes 1d3 cold damage and any light sources she's carrying are extinguished; (3) the caster is temporarily paralyzed for the next 1d3 combat rounds; (4) a cloud of toxic yellow dust puffs up into the caster's face causing 1d3 temporary Stamina damage.
1 Failure! Lost, misfire, and patron taint.
2-11 Failure, lost.
12-13 Phosphorescent fungus. For the next hour, the caster's palm is coated with a ghostly white dust. The dust glows too weakly to serve as a light source, but for the next day, it will serve as a highly visible marker on the next creature or object the caster touches. A marked creature loses any benefits of invisibility or cover.
14-17 Ochre jelly. For the next turn, the caster's palm is covered in a orangish-brown gel. The next creature the caster touches takes 2d4 damage and must make a Fortitude save vs. the spellcheck result or lose its next action.
18-19 Brown mold. For the next turn, the caster's hand is covered in a rich brown dust. The next creature the caster touches takes 2d6 cold damage, and any light sources that creature is carrying are extinguished.
20-23 Gelatinous cube. For the next turn, the caster's hand is covered in a translucent gel. The next creature the caster touches is paralyzed for the next 3d6 combat rounds. That creature may attempt a Fortitude save vs. the spellcheck result to reduce the duration by half.
24-27 Gray ooze. For the next turn, the caster's hand is covered in a wet gray scum. The next creature the caster touches takes 2d6 damage. One piece of armor worn by that creature is -1 AC and one weapon it wields deals -1d damage. Any armor reduced to +0 AC and any weapons reduced to 1d3 damage collapse and fall apart due to acidic corrosion. The defender may choose to make a Reflex save vs. the spellcheck result to take double damage in order to protect its armaments. Instead of attacking, the caster may use this touch to destroy one wooden door over the course of 1 turn.
28-29 Green slime. For the next turn, the caster's hand is covered in a wet green scum. The next creature the caster touches loses -1d3 from its Fortitude save and -1d3 hit points from each Hit Dice. One piece of armor worn by that creature is -2 AC and one weapon it wields deals -2d damage. Any armor reduced to +0 AC and any weapons reduced to 1d3 damage collapse and fall apart due to acidic corrosion. The defender may choose to make a Reflex save vs. the spellcheck result to take double damage in order to protect its armaments. Instead of attacking, the caster may use this touch to destroy a wooden or metal door or a row of metal bars over the course of 1 turn.
30-31 Yellow mold. For the next turn, the caster's hand is covered in a chalky yellow dust. The next creature the caster touches loses -3d3 from its Fortitude save and -3d3 hit points from each Hit Dice. That creature may attempt a Fortitude save vs. the spell check result to reduce the penalty by half.
32+ Black pudding. For the next turn, the caster's hand is covered in a thick black sludge. The next creature the caster touches takes 4d6 damage. One piece of armor worn by that creature is -4 AC and one weapon it wields deals -4d damage. Any armor reduced to +0 AC and any weapons reduced to 1d3 damage collapse and fall apart due to acidic corrosion. The defender may choose to make a Reflex save vs. the spell check result to take double damage in order to protect its armaments. Instead of attacking, the caster may use this touch to destroy a wooden or metal door, a row of metal bars, or a brick or stone wall over the course of 1 round.
Mycetes-Thrax’s third patron spell should obviously be Mycetes-Thrax’s Fecund Fungi, with results identical to Hepsoj’s version of the spell, except at 3rd level.
MOULDERING TOUCH
Level: 1 (Mycetes-Thrax)
Range: Touch
Duration: Varies
Casting time: 1 action
Save: Varies
General: The palm of the caster's hand is coated in protoplasmic slime mold, allowing her to deliver lingering toxic effects to her enemies by touching them. On a critical success, both the caster's palms are coated, allowing her to deliver two touches, and she can choose any effect at or below the level of her spell check, including different effects for each hand.
If spell is used against a player character (or anyone else with a known Stamina score,) result 28-29 causes 1d6 points of temporary Stamina loss (instead of Fortitude and hit point loss,) and result 30-31 causes 3d6 points of temporary Stamina loss.
Manifestation: See below.
Misfire: Roll 1d4: (1) the caster's entire body is coated with a thin layer of phosphorescent white dust, and for the next hour, all attack rolls against the caster are +1d to hit; (2) the caster takes 1d3 cold damage and any light sources she's carrying are extinguished; (3) the caster is temporarily paralyzed for the next 1d3 combat rounds; (4) a cloud of toxic yellow dust puffs up into the caster's face causing 1d3 temporary Stamina damage.
1 Failure! Lost, misfire, and patron taint.
2-11 Failure, lost.
12-13 Phosphorescent fungus. For the next hour, the caster's palm is coated with a ghostly white dust. The dust glows too weakly to serve as a light source, but for the next day, it will serve as a highly visible marker on the next creature or object the caster touches. A marked creature loses any benefits of invisibility or cover.
14-17 Ochre jelly. For the next turn, the caster's palm is covered in a orangish-brown gel. The next creature the caster touches takes 2d4 damage and must make a Fortitude save vs. the spellcheck result or lose its next action.
18-19 Brown mold. For the next turn, the caster's hand is covered in a rich brown dust. The next creature the caster touches takes 2d6 cold damage, and any light sources that creature is carrying are extinguished.
20-23 Gelatinous cube. For the next turn, the caster's hand is covered in a translucent gel. The next creature the caster touches is paralyzed for the next 3d6 combat rounds. That creature may attempt a Fortitude save vs. the spellcheck result to reduce the duration by half.
24-27 Gray ooze. For the next turn, the caster's hand is covered in a wet gray scum. The next creature the caster touches takes 2d6 damage. One piece of armor worn by that creature is -1 AC and one weapon it wields deals -1d damage. Any armor reduced to +0 AC and any weapons reduced to 1d3 damage collapse and fall apart due to acidic corrosion. The defender may choose to make a Reflex save vs. the spellcheck result to take double damage in order to protect its armaments. Instead of attacking, the caster may use this touch to destroy one wooden door over the course of 1 turn.
28-29 Green slime. For the next turn, the caster's hand is covered in a wet green scum. The next creature the caster touches loses -1d3 from its Fortitude save and -1d3 hit points from each Hit Dice. One piece of armor worn by that creature is -2 AC and one weapon it wields deals -2d damage. Any armor reduced to +0 AC and any weapons reduced to 1d3 damage collapse and fall apart due to acidic corrosion. The defender may choose to make a Reflex save vs. the spellcheck result to take double damage in order to protect its armaments. Instead of attacking, the caster may use this touch to destroy a wooden or metal door or a row of metal bars over the course of 1 turn.
30-31 Yellow mold. For the next turn, the caster's hand is covered in a chalky yellow dust. The next creature the caster touches loses -3d3 from its Fortitude save and -3d3 hit points from each Hit Dice. That creature may attempt a Fortitude save vs. the spell check result to reduce the penalty by half.
32+ Black pudding. For the next turn, the caster's hand is covered in a thick black sludge. The next creature the caster touches takes 4d6 damage. One piece of armor worn by that creature is -4 AC and one weapon it wields deals -4d damage. Any armor reduced to +0 AC and any weapons reduced to 1d3 damage collapse and fall apart due to acidic corrosion. The defender may choose to make a Reflex save vs. the spell check result to take double damage in order to protect its armaments. Instead of attacking, the caster may use this touch to destroy a wooden or metal door, a row of metal bars, or a brick or stone wall over the course of 1 round.
Friday, May 13, 2016
Clerics and the God Worm
Below are my thoughts for clerics serving the God Worm, based on Tony Dowler's Purple Worm Graveyard. In the adventure, it's implied that there's a tradition of human cultists worshipping a powerful Worm God, and that it usually goes badly for them.
I liked the implication that there might be good reasons for humans to worship a giant worm, and that it might still be a terribly bad idea for them to do so. Worms are the eaters of the dead, so the God Worm bestows all the usual clerical powers, albeit with some variations in their appearance. Servants of the God Worm are also invariably destroyed by their connection to such a powerful inhumane entity. I've added the option for clerics to choose to become tainted, instead of accepting the usual consequences of deity disapproval, and I've added a very tempting offer, for clerics to burn away their minds instead of their luck, for a larger one-time benefit, but at a cost that's irrecoverable.
CLERICS AND THE GOD WORM
Alignment: The God Worm is neutral in (or perhaps prior to and separate from) the great Cosmic Struggle between Order and Chaos, but its worshippers may be of any alignment.
Holy Symbol: The cleric's holy symbol might be a wood staff carved to look like a worm, an ourouboros (a symbol of a worm making a circle and biting its own tail) or an auryn (a symbol of two worms making a knot and biting each other's tails), or a live worm that she keeps as a mascot.
Lay on Hands: Whenever the cleric calls on the God Worm's power to heal the injured and sick, her healing touch manifests as a swarm of maggots, leeches, and other medicinal vermin. These fall from the cuffs of her sleeves, sweat from the pores of her hands, and burrow up through the skin of the patient. They eat any infected or necrotized flesh, leaving a clean sterile wound, and disperse at the end of the healing.
Turn Unholy: Whenever the cleric calls on the God Worm's power to turn away the unholy, the primary manifestation is of worms and maggots rising halfway up from the soil to repulse the enemies of her faith. If the turning attempt includes a holy smite, this manifests as a stream or cone of devouring worms flowing out of the cleric's hand and drilling into her foes.
Deity Disapproval: Whenever the cleric rolls within her current disapproval range, she may choose to receive patron taint from the God Worm instead of accepting the result of the disapproval roll. She may choose to receive patron taint after seeing the disapproval result, but after this choice is made, it cannot be reversed based on the patron taint roll.
Burning luck: Clerics who serve the God Worm may choose to permanently burn their Personality or Intelligence ability scores instead of burning Luck to modify the effects of laying on hands, turning unholy, or spellcasting. The God Worm rewards this alignment of the cleric's mind with the annelid consciousness by granting a +CL bonus to the modified roll in exchange for this sacrifice. Clerics who serve the God Worm can never increase their mental ability scores; any effect that would ordinarily increase a cleric's Personality or Intelligence scores increases her Luck score instead.
Blessing, Holy sanctuary, Protection from evil, Divine symbol, Spiritual weapon, Sanctify: Spells that confer a blessing or protection manifest as an anointing of worms crawling over the affected person, object, or place.
Detect evil, Detect magic, Second sight, True name: When the cleric casts spells that allow her to commune with the mind of the God Worm to gain knowledge, she must accept patron taint if she rolls in her disapproval range, as described above.
Food of the gods: The God Worm sends edible meal worms for the cleric to eat.
Cure paralysis, Neutralize poison or disease, Restore vitality, Remove curse: Healing magic is affected as the laying on of hands, described above.
Snake charm: The affected snakes shed their skins to reveal snake-sized earthworms beneath. This change persists even after the spell's duration ends.
Stinging stone, Bolt from the blue, Affliction of the gods, Vermin blight, Whirling doom: Spells that afflict the cleric's enemies manifest as an attack by worms instead of other creatures or objects.
Wood wyrding, Cause earthquake, Desecrate: The God Worm sends burrowing worms to drill though the affected object or piece of land, and their movement creates the effect of the spell.
Animate dead, Speak with the dead: The God Worm does not allow its clerics to animate or speak with the dead. If the cleric's random determination of spells would result in her learning either of these spells, she re-rolls to learn a different spell instead. Attempting to cast these or similar spells results in automatic failure, deity disapproval, and patron taint.
Other magic: Clerics who serve the God Worm manifest their spells differently than other clerics. The player and the judge are encouraged to devise additional alternate manifestations for these and other clerical spells.
I liked the implication that there might be good reasons for humans to worship a giant worm, and that it might still be a terribly bad idea for them to do so. Worms are the eaters of the dead, so the God Worm bestows all the usual clerical powers, albeit with some variations in their appearance. Servants of the God Worm are also invariably destroyed by their connection to such a powerful inhumane entity. I've added the option for clerics to choose to become tainted, instead of accepting the usual consequences of deity disapproval, and I've added a very tempting offer, for clerics to burn away their minds instead of their luck, for a larger one-time benefit, but at a cost that's irrecoverable.
CLERICS AND THE GOD WORM
Alignment: The God Worm is neutral in (or perhaps prior to and separate from) the great Cosmic Struggle between Order and Chaos, but its worshippers may be of any alignment.
Holy Symbol: The cleric's holy symbol might be a wood staff carved to look like a worm, an ourouboros (a symbol of a worm making a circle and biting its own tail) or an auryn (a symbol of two worms making a knot and biting each other's tails), or a live worm that she keeps as a mascot.
Lay on Hands: Whenever the cleric calls on the God Worm's power to heal the injured and sick, her healing touch manifests as a swarm of maggots, leeches, and other medicinal vermin. These fall from the cuffs of her sleeves, sweat from the pores of her hands, and burrow up through the skin of the patient. They eat any infected or necrotized flesh, leaving a clean sterile wound, and disperse at the end of the healing.
Turn Unholy: Whenever the cleric calls on the God Worm's power to turn away the unholy, the primary manifestation is of worms and maggots rising halfway up from the soil to repulse the enemies of her faith. If the turning attempt includes a holy smite, this manifests as a stream or cone of devouring worms flowing out of the cleric's hand and drilling into her foes.
Deity Disapproval: Whenever the cleric rolls within her current disapproval range, she may choose to receive patron taint from the God Worm instead of accepting the result of the disapproval roll. She may choose to receive patron taint after seeing the disapproval result, but after this choice is made, it cannot be reversed based on the patron taint roll.
Burning luck: Clerics who serve the God Worm may choose to permanently burn their Personality or Intelligence ability scores instead of burning Luck to modify the effects of laying on hands, turning unholy, or spellcasting. The God Worm rewards this alignment of the cleric's mind with the annelid consciousness by granting a +CL bonus to the modified roll in exchange for this sacrifice. Clerics who serve the God Worm can never increase their mental ability scores; any effect that would ordinarily increase a cleric's Personality or Intelligence scores increases her Luck score instead.
Blessing, Holy sanctuary, Protection from evil, Divine symbol, Spiritual weapon, Sanctify: Spells that confer a blessing or protection manifest as an anointing of worms crawling over the affected person, object, or place.
Detect evil, Detect magic, Second sight, True name: When the cleric casts spells that allow her to commune with the mind of the God Worm to gain knowledge, she must accept patron taint if she rolls in her disapproval range, as described above.
Food of the gods: The God Worm sends edible meal worms for the cleric to eat.
Cure paralysis, Neutralize poison or disease, Restore vitality, Remove curse: Healing magic is affected as the laying on of hands, described above.
Snake charm: The affected snakes shed their skins to reveal snake-sized earthworms beneath. This change persists even after the spell's duration ends.
Stinging stone, Bolt from the blue, Affliction of the gods, Vermin blight, Whirling doom: Spells that afflict the cleric's enemies manifest as an attack by worms instead of other creatures or objects.
Wood wyrding, Cause earthquake, Desecrate: The God Worm sends burrowing worms to drill though the affected object or piece of land, and their movement creates the effect of the spell.
Animate dead, Speak with the dead: The God Worm does not allow its clerics to animate or speak with the dead. If the cleric's random determination of spells would result in her learning either of these spells, she re-rolls to learn a different spell instead. Attempting to cast these or similar spells results in automatic failure, deity disapproval, and patron taint.
Other magic: Clerics who serve the God Worm manifest their spells differently than other clerics. The player and the judge are encouraged to devise additional alternate manifestations for these and other clerical spells.
Tuesday, May 10, 2016
God Worm Spellburn
Below is my spellburn patron for my God Worm patron. This table is heavily inspired by the "Worm Madness" table in Tony Dowler's Purple Worm Dungeon.
SPELLBURN
1 The God Worm places burrowing worms inside the spellcaster's body. For each 1 point of spellburn, 1d3 worms burrow out of the caster's flesh and fall wriggling to the floor, dealing 1 damage each as they do so. The first worm emerges 1d3 combat rounds after the spellburn, and each successive worm eats its way free 1d3 exploration turns after the previous one.
2 The spellcaster hallucinates being eaten alive by delusionary worms. For each 1 point of physical ability sacrificed, the caster must also temporarily sacrifice 1 point of Intelligence or Personality.
3 The spellcaster falls to her hands and knees voraciously consumes the dirt of the floor for 1 round per point of spellburn, (or breaks her fingers and teeth attempting to eat a stone or tiled floor.)
4 The spellcaster must spend the next 1d3 rounds after casting the spell doing nothing but vomitting. In return, the God Worm grants +1d3 to the spell check for each 1 point of ability score sacrificed.
SPELLBURN
1 The God Worm places burrowing worms inside the spellcaster's body. For each 1 point of spellburn, 1d3 worms burrow out of the caster's flesh and fall wriggling to the floor, dealing 1 damage each as they do so. The first worm emerges 1d3 combat rounds after the spellburn, and each successive worm eats its way free 1d3 exploration turns after the previous one.
2 The spellcaster hallucinates being eaten alive by delusionary worms. For each 1 point of physical ability sacrificed, the caster must also temporarily sacrifice 1 point of Intelligence or Personality.
3 The spellcaster falls to her hands and knees voraciously consumes the dirt of the floor for 1 round per point of spellburn, (or breaks her fingers and teeth attempting to eat a stone or tiled floor.)
4 The spellcaster must spend the next 1d3 rounds after casting the spell doing nothing but vomitting. In return, the God Worm grants +1d3 to the spell check for each 1 point of ability score sacrificed.
Saturday, May 7, 2016
God Worm Patron Taint
Below are the patron taint results for invoking the God Worm. Several of the entries are derived from my idea that the maggot naga monsters in Tony Dowler's Purple Worm Graveyard might represent former cultists who have been transformed by their service to the Worm God.
PATRON TAINT
1 The caster's skin becomes an ashen gray color and takes on a rubbery appearance. If this result is rolled a second time, the caster's skin becomes tinted a deep purplish-gray and begins to protect the caster as though she were wearing leather armor (AC 11). If this result is rolled a third time, the caster's skin becomes vivid purple and protects as though she were wearing hide armor (AC 13).
2 The caster can no longer gain nourishment from fresh food and must instead only consume food that is spoiled or has become rotten. She no longer needs to eat normally, but must make a Will save against a DC of 5 + the number of meals skipped to avoid spending a turn eating any spoiled food, rot, vomit, or excrement she encounters. If this result is rolled a second time, the caster can no longer eat anything but dead flesh, and must make a Will save against a DC of 10 + number of meals skipped to avoid spending a turn gorging herself on any freshly killed character or monster she encounters. If this result is rolled a third time, the caster is no longer tempted by the recently dead, but must make a Will save against a DC of 15 + the number of meals skipped to avoid spending a turn consuming the flesh or gnawing the bones of any corpses, skeletons, or undead she encounters. (The caster generally skips one meal per day, plus any "meals" she avoids by making a successful Will save.)
3 The caster takes off and throws away her boots, insisting on going barefoot so she can feel the ground beneath her feet. If this result is rolled a second time, the caster's feet and legs become boneless tentacles. The caster's gait becomes unnatural and she receives a +5 bonus to climb walls or other sheer surfaces. If this result is rolled a third time, the entire lower half of the caster's body transforms to become a single worm-like tail. She can no longer wear pants or hide her deformity, but she receives a +10 bonus to climb walls or other sheer surfaces.
4 The caster's teeth begin to fall out of her mouth and are replaced by hundreds of tiny barbs and hooks. If this result is rolled a second time, the caster's tongue falls out, and her voice becomes a whispered rasp. If this result is rolled a third time, the caster's entire mouth reforms into the O shape of a lamprey.
5 The caster seethes with the God Worm's ferocity against the undead. When fighting the undead, the spellcaster uses the critical range of a Warrior with level equal to her CL (so a 1st level caster would have a critical range of 19-20 instead of 20.) If this result is rolled a second time, when fighting the undead, the caster enters a battle frenzy every time she crits, and she must burn at least 1 point of Personality or Intelligence (each ability point burned adds +1d12 damage to her hit.) If this result is rolled a third time, the caster uses the monster ciritical hit matrix and crits as a monster with HD equal to her CL (so a 1st level caster would roll M/d6 instead of I/d6.)
6 The caster cannot attack any vermin, except in self-defense after it has attacked her or her allies. If this result is rolled a second time, the caster cannot attack any vermin unless it has already damaged her. Additionally, she must make a DC 10 Will save to avoid making a single attack against the first person to kill a vermin each combat. If this result is rolled a third time, the caster cannot attack any vermin under any circumstances, and is considered helpless against attacking vermin. Additionally, she must make a DC 15 Will save to avoid attacking the first person who makes an attack a vermin each combat. If she fails this save, she may attempt it again at the beginning of each new round, but she will fight this person to the death unless she succeeds her Will save before making the killing blow.
PATRON TAINT
1 The caster's skin becomes an ashen gray color and takes on a rubbery appearance. If this result is rolled a second time, the caster's skin becomes tinted a deep purplish-gray and begins to protect the caster as though she were wearing leather armor (AC 11). If this result is rolled a third time, the caster's skin becomes vivid purple and protects as though she were wearing hide armor (AC 13).
2 The caster can no longer gain nourishment from fresh food and must instead only consume food that is spoiled or has become rotten. She no longer needs to eat normally, but must make a Will save against a DC of 5 + the number of meals skipped to avoid spending a turn eating any spoiled food, rot, vomit, or excrement she encounters. If this result is rolled a second time, the caster can no longer eat anything but dead flesh, and must make a Will save against a DC of 10 + number of meals skipped to avoid spending a turn gorging herself on any freshly killed character or monster she encounters. If this result is rolled a third time, the caster is no longer tempted by the recently dead, but must make a Will save against a DC of 15 + the number of meals skipped to avoid spending a turn consuming the flesh or gnawing the bones of any corpses, skeletons, or undead she encounters. (The caster generally skips one meal per day, plus any "meals" she avoids by making a successful Will save.)
3 The caster takes off and throws away her boots, insisting on going barefoot so she can feel the ground beneath her feet. If this result is rolled a second time, the caster's feet and legs become boneless tentacles. The caster's gait becomes unnatural and she receives a +5 bonus to climb walls or other sheer surfaces. If this result is rolled a third time, the entire lower half of the caster's body transforms to become a single worm-like tail. She can no longer wear pants or hide her deformity, but she receives a +10 bonus to climb walls or other sheer surfaces.
4 The caster's teeth begin to fall out of her mouth and are replaced by hundreds of tiny barbs and hooks. If this result is rolled a second time, the caster's tongue falls out, and her voice becomes a whispered rasp. If this result is rolled a third time, the caster's entire mouth reforms into the O shape of a lamprey.
5 The caster seethes with the God Worm's ferocity against the undead. When fighting the undead, the spellcaster uses the critical range of a Warrior with level equal to her CL (so a 1st level caster would have a critical range of 19-20 instead of 20.) If this result is rolled a second time, when fighting the undead, the caster enters a battle frenzy every time she crits, and she must burn at least 1 point of Personality or Intelligence (each ability point burned adds +1d12 damage to her hit.) If this result is rolled a third time, the caster uses the monster ciritical hit matrix and crits as a monster with HD equal to her CL (so a 1st level caster would roll M/d6 instead of I/d6.)
6 The caster cannot attack any vermin, except in self-defense after it has attacked her or her allies. If this result is rolled a second time, the caster cannot attack any vermin unless it has already damaged her. Additionally, she must make a DC 10 Will save to avoid making a single attack against the first person to kill a vermin each combat. If this result is rolled a third time, the caster cannot attack any vermin under any circumstances, and is considered helpless against attacking vermin. Additionally, she must make a DC 15 Will save to avoid attacking the first person who makes an attack a vermin each combat. If she fails this save, she may attempt it again at the beginning of each new round, but she will fight this person to the death unless she succeeds her Will save before making the killing blow.
Thursday, May 5, 2016
DCC Patron: The God Worm
Below is my write-up for the God Worm, an inhuman patron based on the Worm God from Tony Dowler's Purple Worm Graveyard. The God Worm is a powerful patron, but this comes at a pretty steep price. The Savage Cannibals of the Great Worm Cult living in Park Pobedy in Dmitry Glukhovsky's Metro: 2033, and the Eater cult on Vavatch Orbital in Iain Banks's Consider Phlebas are both possible literary models for what the worshippers of the God Worm might look like.
THE GOD WORM
The God Worm is a powerfully and deeply ancient supernatural being. It has been worshipped in many guises, but its true nature is unknown. It might simply be the largest worm in the world. It might be the progenitor Mother of all worms, or the Platonic ideal of worm-kind, the last surviving Cambrian god, or the god-creator of all annelids. It might be the Great Worm that dug the many tunnels of the underworld, or the Eater of the Dead. It might even be the Hyperborean Worm, the White Worm that presages the glaciers, or the Conqueror Worm, death, or the world-serpent Jörmungandr, the Worm Ourouboros, who encircles the world.
The God Worm has been worshipped primarily by farmers hoping for better crops and villagers besieged by the unquiet dead, but its cults can also be found among cave dwellers seeking protection from the great tunnel digger, among islanders fearing earthquakes or volcanoes, and in cities ravaged by plague. The God Worm is an un-human mind, and all who pray to it or attempt mental contact eventually succumb to madness. The God Worm's dictates are only occasionally compatible with human desires, and it is an essentially unknowable alien entity. Its wants are not our wants, its needs are not our needs, and trying to please or understand it is a suicidal act of self-destruction. Worm cults inevitably self-obliterate, or are purged from the earth by their frightened neighbors, as their members turn to detrivory, corpophagy, auto-cannibalism, self-mutilation, cultivating worms under the skin of their own bodies, digging ever-deeper burrows and tunnels, and breeding ever-more, ever-larger monstrous worms.
INVOKE PATRON RESULTS
12-13 The God Worm turns in its sleep. The earth trembles with vibrations, and all sentient minds must succeed a Will save vs. the spell check result or lose their next action. (Worshippers and servants of the Worm God are miraculously unaffected, but other allies of the spellcaster need to save as well.)
14-17 The God Worm gazes briefly at the spellcaster, and visions of madness afflict the spellcaster's foes. Each sentient opponent must make a successful Will save vs. the spell check result or spend their next combat round clutching their heads in pain. Any opponent holding a weapon or shield has a 50% chance of dropping whatever they were holding.
18-19 The ground shakes with the movement of worms beneath the earth. Everyone present must make a successful Reflex save vs. the spell check result or fall prone and drop whatever they are holding. (Worshippers and servants of the Worm God are miraculously unaffected, but other allies of the spellcaster need to save as well.) Anyone who falls prone take 1d4 damage from the fall and must spend the next round regaining their feet.
20-23 The God Worm sends a Worm That Walks. This writhing human-shaped mass of worms rises from the ground next to the spellcaster and fights by her side until it is damaged, when it immediately discorporates.
28-29 A sinkhole opens beneath the feet of the spellcaster's foes. A perfectly circular 10' diameter hole opens beneath the most dangerous enemy who falls in (no save). Other combatants engaged in melee must make a successful Reflex save vs. the spell check result or fall in as well. (Worshippers and servants of the Worm God are miraculously safe, but other allies of the spellcaster may need to save as well.) The sinkhole is at least 20' deep, but if a dungeon level exists below the spot the hole opens, it will tunnel all the way through, even hundreds of feet down. Falling creatures take 1d6 damage for each 10' they fall. A successful Climb Sheer Surfaces skill check or Agility check against DC equal to the spell check result is needed to climb up the smooth-sided walls of the sinkhole.
30-31 The God Worm sends a Purple Worm. This colossal beast erupts from the ground and interposes itself between the spellcaster and her enemies, fighting them for 1d3+1 rounds before burrowing away.
THE GOD WORM
The God Worm is a powerfully and deeply ancient supernatural being. It has been worshipped in many guises, but its true nature is unknown. It might simply be the largest worm in the world. It might be the progenitor Mother of all worms, or the Platonic ideal of worm-kind, the last surviving Cambrian god, or the god-creator of all annelids. It might be the Great Worm that dug the many tunnels of the underworld, or the Eater of the Dead. It might even be the Hyperborean Worm, the White Worm that presages the glaciers, or the Conqueror Worm, death, or the world-serpent Jörmungandr, the Worm Ourouboros, who encircles the world.
The God Worm has been worshipped primarily by farmers hoping for better crops and villagers besieged by the unquiet dead, but its cults can also be found among cave dwellers seeking protection from the great tunnel digger, among islanders fearing earthquakes or volcanoes, and in cities ravaged by plague. The God Worm is an un-human mind, and all who pray to it or attempt mental contact eventually succumb to madness. The God Worm's dictates are only occasionally compatible with human desires, and it is an essentially unknowable alien entity. Its wants are not our wants, its needs are not our needs, and trying to please or understand it is a suicidal act of self-destruction. Worm cults inevitably self-obliterate, or are purged from the earth by their frightened neighbors, as their members turn to detrivory, corpophagy, auto-cannibalism, self-mutilation, cultivating worms under the skin of their own bodies, digging ever-deeper burrows and tunnels, and breeding ever-more, ever-larger monstrous worms.
INVOKE PATRON RESULTS
12-13 The God Worm turns in its sleep. The earth trembles with vibrations, and all sentient minds must succeed a Will save vs. the spell check result or lose their next action. (Worshippers and servants of the Worm God are miraculously unaffected, but other allies of the spellcaster need to save as well.)
14-17 The God Worm gazes briefly at the spellcaster, and visions of madness afflict the spellcaster's foes. Each sentient opponent must make a successful Will save vs. the spell check result or spend their next combat round clutching their heads in pain. Any opponent holding a weapon or shield has a 50% chance of dropping whatever they were holding.
18-19 The ground shakes with the movement of worms beneath the earth. Everyone present must make a successful Reflex save vs. the spell check result or fall prone and drop whatever they are holding. (Worshippers and servants of the Worm God are miraculously unaffected, but other allies of the spellcaster need to save as well.) Anyone who falls prone take 1d4 damage from the fall and must spend the next round regaining their feet.
20-23 The God Worm sends a Worm That Walks. This writhing human-shaped mass of worms rises from the ground next to the spellcaster and fights by her side until it is damaged, when it immediately discorporates.
- Worm That Walks: Init +0, Atk 1 tentacle +6 melee (1d12) or engulf +6 melee (2d6), AC 13, HD 8d8, Act 1d20, MV 20, SP takes half damage from cutting and piercing weapons, first tentacle attack has 5% chance to deliver Chill Touch with 1d8 + 10 spellcheck result, engulfed creature takes 2d6 bite damage per turn (DC 14 Agility check to escape), death throes discorporates into mass of earthworms, SV Fort +6 Ref +2 Will +2, AL N, Crit M/d14
28-29 A sinkhole opens beneath the feet of the spellcaster's foes. A perfectly circular 10' diameter hole opens beneath the most dangerous enemy who falls in (no save). Other combatants engaged in melee must make a successful Reflex save vs. the spell check result or fall in as well. (Worshippers and servants of the Worm God are miraculously safe, but other allies of the spellcaster may need to save as well.) The sinkhole is at least 20' deep, but if a dungeon level exists below the spot the hole opens, it will tunnel all the way through, even hundreds of feet down. Falling creatures take 1d6 damage for each 10' they fall. A successful Climb Sheer Surfaces skill check or Agility check against DC equal to the spell check result is needed to climb up the smooth-sided walls of the sinkhole.
30-31 The God Worm sends a Purple Worm. This colossal beast erupts from the ground and interposes itself between the spellcaster and her enemies, fighting them for 1d3+1 rounds before burrowing away.
- Purple Worm: Init +0, Atk 1 bite +11 melee (1d24 + swallow) and 1 sting (1d8 + poison), AC 16, HD 15d8, Act 2d20, MV 20, SP swallows opponent whole on any attack roll that exceeds the target's AC by 4 or more, or any natural 20, swallowed opponents take 2d6 crush damage per round while the worm lives, sting injects lethal poison (DC 18 Fort save to survive), SV Fort +9 Ref +5 Will +2, AL N, Crit M/d20
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