Spells: Dream Sight, Oath, and Omen

Dream Sight and Omen are 3rd level Cleric spells; Oath is both a Magic-User and a Cleric spell.

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Dream Sight
Level: 3
Range: 1 mile per level
Duration: 1d4 rounds plus 1 round per level
This spell untethers the caster from his body, allowing him to travel as a spirit. The caster can pass through solid objects, but not see through them, and cannot pass through or enter any area protected with any form of magic circle or protection spell. He is incorporeal, silent, and invisible but can be seen by creatures that can perceive invisible, out-of-phase, other-dimensional, or aetherial creatures. Incorporeal creatures can touch and be touched by the caster. In dream form the caster moves at a walking pace except when travelling to a destination within range, at which time he travels at a speed of one mile per round, but cannot see details while doing so. At the end of the spell’s duration, the caster’s spirit instantly returns to his body.

Oath
Level: 3
Range: Touch
Duration: Permanent
This spell extracts an agreement from an unwilling target in return for a favor or consideration from the caster, such as sparing the target’s life, interceding for them with a higher authority, or performing some service. The caster enters into the oath willingly, but the target gets a saving throw; if successful, the oath does not take effect. If the save fails, the oath is binding. The target suffers a -2 penalty to the save if it is under the control of the caster, by force of arms or other means. The caster sets the terms of the oath, which cannot bring direct harm to the target, and must be within the target’s abilities. If the caster breaks his oath or releases the target, the oath is dispelled. If the target does not comply with the terms of the oath, he suffers 1d6 points of damage per day until he relents or dies.

Omen
Level: 3
Range: Touch
Duration: 1 day per level
Once cast, this spell discharges immediately before the target undertakes a potentially dangerous or rewarding task, manifesting as an unmistakable sign of warning (or blessing) that give the target an opportunity to change their mind. Things that would trigger the omen would be setting off a trap, stepping into an ambush, passing a secret door behind which lies great treasure, or meeting a potential patron or companion. (In out-of-game-terms, this spell takes effect after the player has declared his or her actions, but before they take effect. After the spell goes off, the player can choose a different action if they so desire.)

Spells: Three Spells and What's Happening

I've accidentally fallen into a project that's sucking up most of my free time right now, so posting is going to be infrequent for a week or two.  Also, I thought February went pretty well posting-wise, but I'm going to try to shift things and post slightly fewer but meatier posts when I do get back to more regular postings.

In the meantime, have some 3rd-level spells. Chant of inspiration doesn't easily fit into an existing class's arena, but could be a cleric spell. Cloudburst is a 3rd-level magic-user and druid spell. Death's door is a 3rd-level cleric spell.

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Chant of Inspiration
Level: 3
Range: One ally within 60 feet of you
Duration: Concentration
You sing, chant, or recite a poem, and by doing so one ally within range receives a +2 bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls and 2d8 bonus hit points for as long as you continue this spell. You cannot cast another spell while chanting, but you can melee. If you take damage, you must make a saving throw to keep chanting.

Cloudburst
Level: 3
Range: 30 foot radius burst within 120 feet.
Duration: 1 round per level
A sudden downpour drenches the target area – even indoors or below ground.  Visibility within and into the cloudburst is only 30 feet. Ranged weapon attacks are impossible in or through the area of a cloudburst, unless the missile is boulder-sized. Unprotected non-magical fires smaller than bonfires are immediately extinguished; larger fires are extinguished in 2 rounds. Small magical fires, such as a flaming weapon or 1st or 2nd level spell, are suppressed for the duration of the cloudburst. Larger magical fires do half of their usual damage and create billows clouds of steam that reduce visibility to 10 feet for a radius around equal to half the radius of the magical fire source.  Instant magical fires, such as fireball, do half damage as above and create steam clouds equal to 150% of the fire’s normal area. The steam clouds do 1 point of damage per round to creatures within them, unless they are immune to fire. They do 2 points a round to cold-based creatures.
If the ambient temperature is below freezing, the effect will be of a snowburst instead.

Death’s Door
Level: 3
Range: Touch
Duration: Instant
You stabilize one character who is dying but not dead, bringing them to 0 hit points and unconsciousness. Left alone, they awaken in 24 hours with 1 hit point.

S&W Race: Valco

Valco
Valco are a hardy race of bipedal goatlike humanoids. They are generally viewed as uncouth, untrustworthy primitives with no social graces and questionable intentions. The valco find these views flattering. They are also confrontational and aggressive, preferring to find employment whenever possible as mercenaries, soldiers, explorers, bandits, or some other martial endeavor. They are never wholly accustomed to the idea of asking before taking, though they eventually make an effort to conform to society most of the time.

Valco can see in the dark (darkvision) with a range of 60 feet. They have a +2 bonus to saves against poison and disease, and can, will, and do consume almost any organic substance without harm. If a valco can charge for at least 10 feet, they can make a charge attack with their horns that inflicts 1d8 points of damage.

Valco can be Assassins (5th level), Fighters (6th level; 7th level with a Strength of 15+), or Thieves (4th level).

1d6 Random Valco Characters

1. A smuggler looking (1d4: 1-for a route under the mountains; 2-for places to store contraband; 3-to diversify into tomb robbing and grave goods; 4-to get out of town for awhile).
2. A fledgling (kidling?) valco swordmaster is interested in testing his metal (literally) against monsters, rather than “civilized” opponents.
3. A roguish valco has been trading on the resemblance, and reputation, of satyrs, and needs to get out of town to avoid some angry husbands (or wives).
4. A former bandit is under a magical compulsion (geas, quest, oath, or similar) to behave in a “honorable and righteous” manner, and is trying to comply.
5. A valco assassin has been hired to eliminate one of the party under very specific circumstances, but is considering switching sides for the right payoff.
6. A former minion of an evil politician/wizard (now dead) has decided looting the secret dungeons of her former employer could be a profitable endeavor.

Spells: Four More Updated Spells for Swords & Wizardry

These are the 2nd-level spells that I updated or created for the gondlir. In regular play, Aid, Augury, and Portent are all 2nd-level Cleric spells; Countersong does not clearly fit into an existing class spell list.

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Aid
Level: 2
Range: Touch
Duration: 1 hour
The recipient gets a +1 bonus to attack rolls for the duration of the spell, and 1d8 bonus hit points, potentially increasing their hit points above normal for the duration of the spell. This spell cannot be cast on a character already in combat.

Augury
Level: 2
Range: Personal
Duration:  Special/ 3 turns
You perform a divination to reveal whether a particular action within the next 3 turns will bring weal or woe to yourself and your companions. The chance of success is 70% plus your level.

Countersong
Level: 2
Range: 120 feet
Duration: Concentration
You sing, chant, or recite a poem, and by doing so negate the effects of any auditory power or spell from creatures with a HD of double your level or less. Creatures already under the effect of such a power get a second save from this spell. The effect lasts for as long as you continue.

Portent
Level: 2
Range: Touch
Duration: Special
This spell warns the caster if the target is likely to have an episode of good or bad luck, in the form of a modifer to a d20 roll.  The Referee rolls a d6 and a d12 in secret when this spell is cast: the d6 determines the modifier, and the d12 the interval. On the d6 1=-3, 2=-2, 3=-1, 4=+1, 5=+2, and 6=+3. This information is given to the caster in the form of “good” (a +2 or +3 bonus), “fair” (+1 or -1), or “poor” (-2 or -3). The d12 is the number of attack rolls and saving throws the target must make until the modifier takes effect; in other words, if the d12 result is “7”, the 7th attack roll or saving throw the target makes after portent is cast will receive the portent modifer. The Referee should count only rolls that have real consequences, such as injury, and not “play-fighting” or other attempts to control the result.

Monsters: Hybrid Horses Haul Heroes

Nothing says your grain has gotten moldy and there's something wrong with the water quite like medieval bestiaries and heraldry. If your heroes are bored with horses, but not quite ready for hippogriffs and griffons, here are four equine-ish creatures to help out.

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Alektrequus
Hit Dice: 4 
Armor Class: 5[14] 
Attacks: 2 claws (1d4+1), 1 bite (1d6) 
Saving Throw: 13 
Special: Rake (2d4) 
Move: 18 (Fly 21) 
Alignment: Neutral 
Number Encountered: 3d4 (herd) 
Challenge Level/XP: 4/120 
An alektrequus has the head, wings, and forelegs of a rooster, and the body of a horse. They can be trained to carry a rider, but they are extremely bad-tempered.

Alektrequus: HD 4; AC 5[14]; Atk 2 claws (1d4+1), 1 bite (1d8); Move 18 (Fly 21); Save 13; AL N; CL/XP 4/120; Special: None.

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Asittern
Hit Dice: 2+1
Armor Class: 7[12]
Attacks: 1 bite (1d6), 2 hooves (1d3)
Saving Throw: 16
Special: None
Move: 15
Alignment: Neutral
Number Encountered: 3d6 (herd)
Challenge Level/XP: 2/30 

The asittern, or ass-bittern, is a hybrid animal with the body of a donkey and the head of a bittern, a water bird. They live in marshes and swamps, and are sometimes domesticated by marsh dwellers as beasts of burden. They are stubborn and bad-tempered. The hippittern is a larger breed of the same creature.

Asbittern: HD 2+1; AC 7[12]; Atk 1 bite (1d6), 2 hooves (1d3); Move 15; Save 16; AL N; CL/XP 2/30; Special: None.

Hippittern: HD 3+1; AC 7[12]; Atk 1 bite (1d8), 2 hooves (1d3); Move 18; Save 14; AL N; CL/XP 3/60; Special: None.

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Hippalectryon

Hit Dice: 3+1
Armor Class: 6[13]
Attacks: 1 bite (1d2), 2 hooves (1d3)
Saving Throw: 14
Special: Rake (2d4)
Move: 18 (Fly 18)
Alignment: Neutral
Number Encountered: 1d4 (herd)
Challenge Level/XP: 3/60
A hippalectryon has the foreparts of a horse, and the wings and hindquarters of a giant rooster. They are can be trained to carry a rider. All hippalectryon are male and reproduce by breeding with other equine species (including alektrequus, asitterns, hippitterns, hippogriffs, horses, pegasi, and unicorns). If a hippalectryon hits with its two hoof attacks, it can leap into the air and attack with the claws and spurs on its hind legs, inflicting 2d4 points of damage.

Hippalectryon: HD 3+1; AC 6[13]; Atk 1 bite (1d2), 2 hooves (1d3); Move 18 (Fly 18); Save 14; AL N; CL/XP 3/60; Special: rake (2d4).

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New Monsters: Giant Chipmunks and the Ghcturu

Uvetyz (Giant Chipmunk)
The uvetyz are chipmunks the size of bears. They live in dense forests, excavating extensive burrows in which to store food and anything that catches their interest. They are primarily vegetarians, but are quick to attack if threatened. They can stuff a halfling-size or smaller creature into a cheek pouch with a successful attack roll instead of doing damage.

Uvetyv: HD 5; AC6(13); Atk 1 bite (1d8); Save 12; Special:cheek pouch; Move 12, burrow 12; Alignment: Neutral; CL/XP: 5/240

Adventure Hooks: Retrieve an item a uvetyz has stolen; take refuge in a uvetyz burrow for shelter or to find food.

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Ghcturu 
The ghcturu are a race of giant ant-like insects that live in open grasslands. They have multi-faceted eyes; long, rigid wings; and an elongated abdomen ending in a stinger. They are charcoal in color and stand six feet high at the shoulder. They dig labyrinth tunnels underground and create towering mounds of soil above ground from which to survey their territory. They speak their own language of movement, scent, and sound, and one ghcturu in each colony can speak Common. Their poison paralyzes for 1d4 hours with a failed saving throw.

Ghcturu: HD 5; AC 3(16); Atk 1 bite (1d8) and 1 sting (1d4+poison); Save 12; Move 9, fly 18; Alignment: Neutral; CL/XP: 6/400

Adventure Hooks: Negotiate an agreement between humans and ghcturu, one of whom is moving into the other's territory; fight off a ghcturu attack and find out why they have suddenly begun attacking travellers.

In my opinion...

...is a phrase you're almost never going to see here.

Recent posts on other blogs have gotten me thinking about opinion essays. They are a stalwart of the OSR blogosphere.  They are, quite possibly, the mainstay of the OSR blogosphere.

I hate writing them.

I have opinions, and I'm not particularly reticent to express them, but I'm not particularly judgmental and I'm not fond of conflict. There is a deep-rooted part of me that does not care how anyone else plays their game, and finds it peculiar that other people actually have emotions about it. Proselytizing my beliefs has no appeal to me; condemning others has no interest; I generally find it more efficient to show rather than say; and when writing for the OSR and Swords & Wizardry, I honestly enjoy working within the context of the system even when it's disagreeable or awkward.

When I first got online, back in the glory days of TSR AOL, I did so expressly to network with the designers at TSR.  Online time was limited, so I picked the board with what seemed to be the best/most intelligent conversation and TSR participation.  That was the Greyhawk board. I listened, I learned, I read, and I wrote Greyhawk.

Fifteen (sixteen?) years later, I still haven't ever run a GH campaign. To my knowledge, I might have played in one GH game, at Gen Con 1999. I homebrew my campaigns.  But writing for Greyhawk, and the feedback from the wider audience (including Roger Moore, Erik Mona, Sean K Reynolds, Gary Holian,  and Eric Boyd) was an invaluable education, and the only thing I regret is not seizing more of the opportunities that knocked on my door (hint: when someone at TSR sends you a message that there's an entry level position open to run the copy machine and you should apply to get your foot in the door...you should DO IT.)

Writing for Swords & Wizardry, I learn something with every post and every comment.  Sometimes this blog is my private little podium behind which I toot my own horn, but usually I think of it as a product.  A whimsical little product that doesn't answer to anyone but me, but a product nonetheless. A game-content delivery product, because that's what amuses me.  And I hate writing opinion pieces.