10,000th viewer and doodle

So I got my 10,000th hit sometime on August 27th - 28th, almost exactly three months after I started this blog.  In honor of that event I have posted the drawing below.  It's of an Otyugh Sewer Prophet or something and it is meeting my ASE adventuring party in a suitably ASE setting - an abandoned water treatment facility rusted and flooded from centuries of ill use and no maintenance.  Not sure if a fight or a discussion of the relative merits of sewage worship and Monstcromism is about to happen.

I've always been fond of the Otyugh - it's a uniquely D&D creature I believe and fulfills the lovely dungeon naturalism function of garbage disposal.  It's all a downright disgusting monster, and completely alien. All of these make Otyugh's interesting, especially as they aren't evil and can be reasoned with - sparing the otyugh is incredibly sensible - though no one does I suspect, at least if the GM is describing the vile things correctly.  Oh and as a child I had the AD&D otyugh creature toy - it was pretty awesome & at the same time, kind of lame.

HMS Appolyon Session V - Gunrooms and Ghosts

No feats of arms are performed, but amazing feats of luck occur.  Interactions with gloomy dead things, unwholesome live things and increasingly threatening men occur.

The Desperate and Foolhardy Adventurers

Quartle(Th/MU1) , Frogling water elementalist and former junkyard owner, with his familiar the Steam Beaver.

Vorning Vess (E1), Former member of the passenger class, exiled for necromancy.

Sem, The Cleric From Beyond (C3) - A heavily muscled priest of an unknown god.

Thalia (C2) - Death Priestess, now a 2' tall hobgoblin

Kerup Potali (Th/MU1) - Incautious frogling appraiser of valuables, Augur and spearphbian

HENCHMEN: Pincip, (now) Pikeman of Argos (Lvl 1 Fighter), Krang the Unkownable, Dinosaur Hunter (Lvl 1 Fighter)

Their Monstrous Victims

None

Subtotal: 0XP

The Glorious Cargo Salvaged

1 Suit of composite Steward riot Armor (Light AC6)  - 100GP (cause it'll look good on parade)
3 Riot Shields (Large Shield) - 60 GP
1 Shock Rod (1D4 + Stun - Unknown number of charges) - 300 GP
7 Batons (5 Given to Guards for reentry) -4 GP

Anything retained will not give XP or GP.

Subtotal: 464GP/474XP

Mysterious Objects Recovered

Unstable Explosive Junk - The Gunners of the Rust Gate recognize to goo on the end of Vess' pole as unstable explosive, they say its very dangerous and in bulk it can explode if exposed to fire or jostled too much.  They want to know where you found the stuff and how much you found.

Subtotal: 25XP for learning about a dangerous substance

Exploration

Party ran from something like this - Art by 8eelze

Avoided Crawling Death - 50 XP
Encountered the Buck Nakeds again, still no violence - 50 XP
Discovered 2nd Entrance to Steward Station - 100 XP
Narrowly Avoided Unstable Explosives - 100XP
"Defused" Door trap - 100 XP

Mapping: Will determine depending on if party wishes to reveal existence of way into Substation.

Subtotal:400XP

TOTAL:899XP/464 GP

Per Surviving Party Member - 150 (Plus any mapping XP) 
Per Henchman - 75 (Krang a Fighter 1 now)

Merrow Man - An HMS Apollyon Humanoid

MERROW MAN

No Enc. 2-12 (22 - 220)

Movement: (40')/40' Swim

Armorclass: 5

Hit Dice: 1+1 HD

Attacks:1

Damage: 1D6 + Special

Save: F1

Morale: 10

Hoard Class: IV/XXI

XP: 21

Merrow Men are small, generally about 4.5' tall, humanoids, appearing much like eels with arms, legs and vaguely human features.  They are amphibious and while Merrow Men primarily live on land they must immerse themselves in water for a few hours a day to avoid drying out.  Merrow Men are fairly intelligent, but most only speak their own language as they tend to be private and clannish.  Their encounters with humans invariably turn to conflict as Merrow Men have volatile tempers.  

HMS Apollyon - State of the Ship, Session V

Below is the a map showing Exploration of the Hull.  Currently Only Deck 9 has been investigated.

As of the date of the map the following factions in the Hull have been discovered:

Hull Dwellers                                                                                                                         
1) The Craydogs - Semi-Intelligent, non-verbal crayfish headed dogs.  Live in Auxillary Power area, especially the Western rooms, destroying walls, mimicking former victims and setting crude traps.

2) Merrow Men - Intelligent, utilize mutagenic flesh sculpting, numbers have been winnowed but are still unknown.  Dwell in caves carved from junk pile in buried vault, and possibly in other areas to the North of it.  Likely very very angry.  May have captives.

3) Sheriff Buck Naked's Men - "Nudist" humans covered in glyphic symbols, some crossdress.  Live above the Southern Stairs (apparently) and have demanded food and metal supplies in exchange for 'safe' passage.

The Current Status of NPC Parties:

1) The Gearmen, Exhalted of the Ship Spirits.  12 Effectives, mostly armored fighters and clerics in good bronze and steel armor.  Some Blunderbuss armed retainers.  Led by Brazen Gear (C1).  After thier recent haul of 1200GP worth of copper pipe the Gearmen have begun to turn the Rustgate storefront church of the Ship Spirits into a real temple.  They plan to raid into the hull some more to gain funds.  There has been talk of Lady Stott accompanying the Gearmen on a tour of the "reclaimed" areas of the mushroom farms.

2) The Sons of Vanderdecken.  4 Effectives, Well equipped in high quality armor and gear.  Led by Marco Templeman (F/MU 4/1) Hiring and recruiting with very limited success after their pitched battle with the Merrowmen.  Obvious reluctance to join them by most of the Rustgate's denizens.  Have hired Hanz the Engineer and given him some armor and a boarding axe.

SternTown Factions

1) Mechamn and the 'Scavenger's Guild' - Plans for a hall and exchange continue, apparently there's been some success with his map/bond sales and stories of the various scavenger groups exploits.  He's trying to spin the battle with the Merrowmen into a heroic war against evil by paladins of the upperdecks (with limited success - especially amongst the rich).

2) The Vory - Rumblings that the underworld is considering getting in on the scramble for wealth from the hull.  Known Thieves in law seen hanging about Rustgates (usually with perfumed  kerchiefs in front of their noses) and increased activity around Madam Bibi's establishment.

3) The Factors - Trade is picking up (why is unclear - speculation mostly) and talk of retaking the Machine Shops is high.  Funding opportunities may exist.

4) Church - A young priest of The Queen has been seen in the Rustgates and may be looking to buy space for a small chapel due to the increase in Ship Spirit Conversions.  The Gearmen are talking tough - but since the churches are not actively hostile that seems odd.

5)Frogtown - Magicman seems to have a lot of money lately.  He's always been known to be a spy for Boss Wugg, and he was showing off a bound Undine of some size a few days ago, but he's not talking.  Local Frogling Merchants also seem especially close mouthed.

6) Uptown - Party Season is about to start. Apparently scale and fish-like fashion is all the rage - recent summonings have emphasized this.

Baby's on Fire.

So Adventurers love oil, they like to pour it on the floor, douse things in it, and most of all to throw Molotov cocktail style bombs of it at everything that looks remotely flammable.  All this pyromania should have consequences.  Below is a table for effects of fumbling with flaming oil bombs. The effects are not pleasant, but one or two fumbles will have any surviving characters considering oil based grenades with a bit more circumspection...

1D10 (+ or -)	The table of accidental incineration (Flaming Oil Fumbles) Roll 1D10 and add or subtract the appropriate DEX bonus/penalty
-2	Inferno of Death – Somehow You've managed to coat yourself, and every party member within 10' in a flaming haze of oil doing normal oil damage. That's not the worst though. The flames have caused a chain reaction as any oil bombs in the party's possession explode, unless a save vs. Paralysis is made for each vial. These vials will do 1D6 damage per explosion to the individual carrying them.
-1	Airburst – A perfect throw scatters flaming oil over all party members in 10' of the oil thrower. The oil does normal flaming oil damage.
0	Premature Impact – You've thrown the vial perfectly, assuming you were attempting to drench another party member. Randomly pick another party member and do full oil damage to them for three rounds.
1	It's in Your Armor – Not only did you manage you break the oil over yourself, but you managed to light it after it had soaked into the nooks and crannies of your armor. Take normal oil burn damage for the next three rounds as the trapped fire takes longer to burn.
2	Self Immolation – Your doused in flaming oil. You're on fire and it hurts. Take normal oil damage.
3	Friendly Fire – You've doused 1D4-1 party members in flaming oil for normal oil damage.
4	Splash Damage – It wasn't a clean hit, but you've splashed 1d4-1 party members (including yourself) with flaming oil. All will take 1D4 points of damage.
5	Ceiling of Pain – Now the Ceiling is covered in flaming dripping oil. Everyone in a 10' radius must save vs. paralysis or take 1D6 points of damage for the next two rounds. If outdoors treat as a roll of (-1).
6	Hot Foot – You just dropped a flaming bottle of oil on your foot. Take 1D4 damage and roll a Save vs. Paralysis to hop away before taking an additional 1D8 next round. In any event you're jumping around with a flaming foot, unable to act for 1D4 rounds.
7	Fails to Light – The bottle clash against the ceiling, a branch or your fighter pal's helm and douses 1D4-1 party members in oil. Luckily it was unlit, and your allies are simply soaked in highly flammable oil.
8	Covered in Oil – You managed to break the bottle over your head and are now soaked in oil. It's not on fire, but it could easily get that way.
9	No Retreat – Whoops, slippery bottle. The oil lands directly behind your party and blocks any hope of retreat until it burns out in two rounds.
10	A Perfect Disruption – Arcing with perfect aim the oil bursts between the shield walls and creates a flaming barrier that prevents melee combat between the belligerents for two rounds. Missiles may still be used,
11	Drops in Eyes – The oil flew off fine, despite missing embarrassingly, but a big splash of unlit oil ends up in your eyes. You'll be blind for 1D6 rounds, attack at -4 each round or rub your eyes and save vs. Paralysis to get the painfully stinging junk out.
12	That's not Oil – You threw something else by accident, GM decides what else in your pack was hurled, and its effects, but hobgoblins are nonplussed by holy water, and that potion of heroism you were saving, well now it's on the shattered on the floor.
13	Stoppered Vial – In the excitement you forgot to light or unstopper the darn thing and it bounces off a target landing unbroken on the floor. Maybe you can pick up it later.

Vaults of Pavelorn - Session V - Incineration by Lion

Beni Profane - rat catcher and affable spelunker

Once again the four adventurers, Lune the Veteran, Higgans the Sorcerer, Sarin the Cleric and Travin the Crusader entered the vaults of Pavelorn in search of easy gold.  Gold was recovered but it wasn't easy.  Lune was hampered by an incredible hangover that left him with only 2 HP (a poor initial roll) and bad judgment (my own), but the rest of the party was in good spirits and suitably chastised by last week's narrow escape.

Entering as usual the party investigated the first room to the South of the entrance, its walls molded with faces and its entire width bisected by a cliff dropping to the boulevard fifteen feet below.  As the party investigated the faces, finding nothing, their light attacked the notice of something wearing heavy boots and marching feet echoed in the distance.  A troop of Monster Men was expected to arrive shortly so Lune encouraged an ill advised ambush involving placing a pole with the lantern in one area with hiding out of its light.  The ruse worked and a group of ten armored figures and one smaller rag wrapped one investigated the light.  The rag wrapped creature began writing something on the floor and playing with a strange object.

The Certopsian Situation - Player's Map

Below is the a player's handout map for the Certopsian Situation.  It's mostly to scale, the map being based on the region map in ASE 12.

200 miles South of Denethix

Forces on Map

3rd Unyielding Fist Expeditionary Force 
 Operating out of Camp Cestus on the Eastern Edge of the Livid Hills 180 miles SOuth of Denethix.  The long supply lines have reduced the 3rd to an almost purely defensive force.  It contains a small irregular Cavalry regiment (varied mercenaries, including the PCs) and a regiment of infantry, mixed Certopsian militia and fist regulars. Support units include a battalion sized formation of Steel Leviathans (20) and an entrenched force of anti armor engines and artillery, almost a battalion of each.

11th Arrow
An almost exclusively snakeman force, fortified atop the Dry Steps mostly to prevent progress South by Denethix's larger forces mobilizing near the city.  It consists of a strong infantry battalion equipped with heat staves and octopod rifles and a battery of light torque guns. 

14th Golden Arrow
An small but elite force encamped at the Moribund Pleasure dome.  A mixed company of snakeman infantry, nomad scouts and a section of mutated triceratops armor.

Wampus County - Small Packages of Death

The latest correspondence from Chauncy Woolstrike to his deadbeat Father.

Father,

Our Antagonists By Thurz of Deviant Art

First, I demand word of the valuable Artifacts I have entrusted you with, those frescoes were cut from the walls of an ancient tomb at great personal risk, in the very teeth of a murderous cult intent of using my vitals in unspeakable rituals.  While I am aware of the effort that you have taken to care for the children, and your constant need for funds - I too am in need of funds.  I have a business now, and am expecting an increase in custom now that I have made a client sharing arrangement with the local witch, as such a reserve of Capital is essential.

Second, Allow me to relate the difficulties and extreme privations that I face here in Wampus, so that you will appreciate the efforts that went into acquiring those art artifacts that you appear to have squandered in your usual way.

Recently my companions (Ornibus, Mr. Early, Mr. Iornwall) and two other adventurous individuals, one Slin Zade, a wizard of unknown pedigree, and some sort of squirrelly rummy named D'earf, set off to aid me in the collection of the skulls of several "Devil Fairies" and to aid themselves in the collection of lucre.  I also hired a Mandril bodyguard named Habenero Pete and Mistress Cobweb, the young lady we rescued from the cult, to act a gunbearers.

The Certopsian Situation - Checkers & Dr. Benway

It's guaranteed that the only way (ok maybe if you've given them a wand of lightning bolts or they're really crafty) that your party will beat the Serpentman manned, cuthonically enhanced, pair of armored triceratops guarding the front of the moribund Pleasure dome where the 100,000 GP prize is stored is with some armored back up. Well at least if they go about it in a stand up fight way.  I will post about my armor system when I work it out - but it'll be some sort of Structural Damage thing like Mekton or SpellJammer.  Basically your bullets, spears and magic missile will only serve to annoy an armor unit unless you manage to get very lucky. I'm aiming for that sequence in war movies where the tank just chases people down, bullets sparking off the glacis plate until its treads fill the screen - expect it's you wizard's carefully hoarded fireball that only manages to shake the monstrous beast for a second.

Old Steel Leviathan Doodle

Below is the obvious solution to a pair of twenty ton triceratops armored in coats of eldritch signs and sprouting grabby tentacles. An insane robot tank and its insane scientist mechanic. Yes, it's Science Fantasy Oddball.  When I played the scenario in its rough form the Steel Levitihan below was able to hurt the 16HD brutes pretty good before the caught up and gored Checkers onto its side (horns ripping through steel plate), dislodging Benway and stamping him to bits.  Both triceratops were hurt bad,stitched with .50 Caliber bullets and the party was able to get rid of their last few HP with magic missiles, a critical with a poisoned crossbow bolt and several blasts from the pneumatic dart gun on the dune buggy they stole.

Prison of the Hated Pretender - PDF

NOTE: This adventure has been updated and revised with GM Notes, and published as a PWYW PDF by Hydra Co-Op.

Prison of the Hated Pretender

A PDF of the Adventure Location that I wrote up on this very blog a few weeks ago. It's a small tower designed with 0 -1st level PC's in mind.  Nothing complicated, but there are some opportunities for things to go a little different than a normal dungeon crawl. 

It's a merciless monster!

The link is HERE.  As always if you run it for someone let me know how it goes.