Musical Composition Inspiration Table

The Book of Arrogance has a strong musical component.  As a result, I was inspired to create a Musical Composition Inspiration Table to assist in explaining the music that’s playing in the background.

Example of Use

Overture from The Barber of Seville

Type of Song: Chamber music/Classical.

Key: E

Degree: Natural

Chords: Major

Dynamic: Fortissimo

Additional Flavor: Crescendo, Decrescendo

Overall Theme: Love

Title: <Professional Rank> <Geographic Location>

Strontium Zork

Type of Song: Dance/Disco

Key: G

Degree: Natural

Chords:  Minor

Dynamic: Fortississimo

Additional Flavor: Brio (with vigour), Forza (strongly accented),

Overall Theme: Dreams

Title: <Element/compound> <4 letter word with any of the following letters: J,Q, Z, K, or Y>

The song that’s hitting the chart is Strontium Zork, disco guaranteed to be heard in the afterlife.

  

Here's a .pdf to download that might be easier

Musical Composition Inspiration Table - in .pdf

If you manage to make any songs with this, let us know. 

#drevrpg #d20 #apocalypse #music

Relic Roadshow #1 - The Pysanka Peril

Although Easter was a few weeks ago.  Inspiration has struck.

The times of revelation has remade many tourist traps and enspelled them: for good or for ill.

Writers note: Part of the reason I love doing these is to showcase some of the more unusual attractions in the world.  Besides using this in your game, it’s always fun to actually visit this and future places presented in these articles.

So we would like to present the following.

The Vegreville Egg

 Coordinates: 53°29′34″N 112°03′08″W

Pre-Revelations History

In 1929, an artist by the name of Paul Maxum Sembaliuk designed this giant Pysanka.  However, the design sat on the shelf for decades until it it was one of the first statues designed using computer design.

Times after Revelations

When the time of revelations occurred, it “awakened.”  It started slowly, and was barely conscious of the world around it.  But little by little, it gained sentience. 

As a symbol of prosperity, it grew plants at an alarming rate.  The thicket of vines stretched not only within the former town, but also sent out “astral vines” into the Dreamtime.

What it wants is currently unknown.  It has allowed “locals” to live nearby, but not too close.  In fact the locals worship the egg and are known affectionately as “mother.”

 Overall Properties

The Pysanka is a giant sculpture of a giant colored egg. It was the largest Pysanka in the world before the times of revelations and it is believed that none surpass it at this time.  The egg is 31 ft. (9 m) long and three and a half stories high, weighing in at 2.5 tons.  Every so often it crackles with blue-white energy.

Symbolism of the Egg

·         The colours of bronze, silver and gold symbolize prosperity.

·         Bronze refers to “good earth”

·         The radiating gold stars refer to Life and Good Fortune

·         The three pointed stars alternating in gold and silver represent devotion to the faith of ancestors which includes itself as the ultimate ancestor.

·         Band of silver represents eternity with no beginning or end

·         The Gold and Silver windmills originally represented the rich harvest.  It now represents the Rich plant life that the Pysanka now creates.

Magical Effects

Place of Power: Major

Special Usage: This magical effect is like fertilizer for plants.  It allows fast healing 2 to all plants within a 30 foot radius.  This causes normal plants to grow like weeds, but decreases the further you go from the plant.

Other Rules: A creature that can make a successful knowledge occultism check (DC = the CR of the party) can use it to restore either 3d6 spell points.  It can also be used to recharge 1d4 psychic points using a knowledge: parapsychology check.  This can be done 3/day but every future attempt adds +2 to the DC.

                If the character has the plant-kin template (See Book of Arrogance), they can use the knowledge check to heal crx2 hit points.

It also acts like a Weather Vane.

The Scenario

The Situation: A series of Mercenaries (Mooks) have quarantined off the Psyanka and are itching for a fight.  They have brought in a spellcaster to harness the energy of the egg. 

Potential Twists:

·         All of the Mooks are plant-kin (see the upcoming Book of Arrogance) and will heal from the Pysanka’s power.  They could have been created by the harvesters or by the Pysanka itself. 

·         Alternatively, all the local farmers are plant-kin and the mercenaries are trying to stop their infestation.  The Pysanka area of effect is growing at an alarming rate and the mercenaries were hired to cut it off at the chase before it expands to cover the entire province.

·         The ritual is an attempt to corrupt the egg into a nightmare which will change its power from heal to harming.  Once the ritual is completed, it will entities will flock and make it a dark place indeed.

·         If one of the plant minions successfully grapples the party, it will gift wrap it and use its astral vines to teleport it somewhere else on the planet and/or send the character to a dimensional pocket.  The later might be within the egg itself.

·         If the party convinces the egg, it will open the route in the dreamtime to transport the party somewhere else.

Common monsters to use:

For the plants, Fierce Ficus, Hogweed Goliath, Kabbage Roll, Storm Maize, and heck even a Damnation Eater if the party is a high enough CR.

Mooks will easily be selected based on CR.  If you are unsure of what to use, try support raiders (See Book of Danger for additional info)

#drevrpg #d20 #apocalypse #relicroadshow

Rules Spotlight - Traps

I really like traps.

I like the raw inventiveness of setting up a dangerous device that requires patience to use effectively.

It’s one of the reasons I laid down a solid metric in the adventure guide to make it easy for a G.M. to create a trap.

Then one day, I was playing Sang-Froid - Tales of Werewolves, I came to a strange conclusion.

I really want to play a trap expert in DRev and have it be competitive with the other classes.

At that point, I began to re-purpose my trap rules for npcs and began to see what a pc could do with them.

I broke down classic traps into my system and came up with some basic rules.

1. Traps costs money
2. Traps can only be built up to the level of the character.
3. Explosives are more powerful and therefore have a lower level cap for both balance and the fact that explosives are more dangerous overall.
4. Traps can be dissembled and used again and again until triggered
5.  Traps take time to setup.

In my opinion, there is no real difference between a spellcaster dropping a 5d6 fireball and a trapmaker building a trap that does 5d6 fire damage.  Only when it’s used and what resources are expended.

Both ultimately soften up the target and the trap might stop the fight before you even pull out the mini’s.

It is also why some common adventuring items might be more expensive than they are in other d20 games.  It’s because they follow the same metrics that I laid down in the trap rules.

Trapmaker Build – Clever Serpent

<Copied over from the adventure character build pamphlet>

 

Clever Serpent

Step Aside and I’ll show you how it’s done.

Class/Path:  Adventurer/Troubleshooter

Recommended Races:  Medusa; requires Gaze and Vision Racial Talent Trees

Party Role:  Skill monkey; you are very good at improvising unique solutions to unusual problems.  Through a combination of training, intelligence and good old fashion luck, you manage to slither your way out of dangerous situations.     Your role is often defensive in nature, ranging from traps and basic self-defense.  But you have your trusty pistol just in case.

Focus On:   Intelligence (Str 10, Dex 13, Con 10, Int 15, Wis 12, Cha 14); Best Skills: Knowledge, Perception, Sabotage, Survival, Treat Injury

Who Are You?  You always have an answer for just about anything, even things you’re technically not trained in.

Equipment: You like traps:  picking up an alarm is usually the first step, but explosive traps and portable traps are always on your wish list. You almost always get some sort of magic storage device when they become available.  Your armor should be light to be able to move out of danger.

Level 1

Feats: Combat Expertise

Talents:  All Around Vision, Daunting Stare, Knack, Trap Rigging

Level 5

Feats: Parry, Save: Iron Will 

Talents: Cat Burglar, Knack-Lucky Shot, Evasion

Level 10

Feats: Parry-Advanced, Save: Nerves of Steel

Talents: Gaze Attack- Mesmerize, Knack-Fortunes Favor, Problem Solver

Achievement: Combat Expert Achievement

Level 15

Feats: Iron Will-Improved, Save: Brave

Talents: Cannibalize Material, Gaze-Improved, Steady Hands, Trap Line

Achievement: Willpower Achievement

Level 20

Feats: Dodge, Dodge-Improved, Improved Initiative

Talents: Evasion, Improved, Uncanny Dodge ,Uncanny Dodge-Improved

Master Path: Trap Wiz

#drevrpg #d20 #apocalypse #rules

Exotic Build #3 – Hell Rider - Joe Edition

Quote: “It’s always been about you and me, baby.  LET’S RIDE!”

Why Build it?

Because you want to play a mysterious stranger who swoops into town in her hell-powered death machine.  Who rights the wrongs no earthly justice can handle with her fires of righteousness and damnation.  Who then, perhaps after a tryst or two in the spacious back seat, drives off into the desert/wilderness/ruins only to appear again where she is needed.  Maybe tomorrow, she’ll want to settle down.  But, until tomorrow, the whole world is her home.

Besides the cool factor, a Driver is a great way to combine the Transrider Car-Fu with the mad scientist madness of the Faustian Mechanic.  A car is a great place to stack spell after spell, which you and your allies can both use.  Your vehicle combat skills, plus a tricked out board, mean you can hold your own in a fight even before you bust out the spells.  And it’s a build where you can focus on two attributes only (INT and DEX) and still get a really affective character.

The obvious downside is the lack of skills and skill points for the FM, including Tinkering.  You may need another character for the actual “mechanic” part of this Faustian Mechanic.

Class/Path: Channeller/Faustian Mechanic

Race: Human.  Kamidavers are also an obvious choice for this build, but will require changes in the level one feats and traits.

Party Role: Heavy artillery, mobile cover.

Focus on: INT and DEX.  Best Skills: Use Vehicle, Ritual, Tinkering.

Who are you?

The Hell Driver.  Aka The Night Rider, The Street Hawk, Bullitt.

A dozen names for a mysterious figure who eschews the safety of walls and society for the freedom of the open road.  You may be good, bad, or somewhere in between: Drivers ultimately answer only to themselves.  And to anyone who is fast enough to catch them.

Equipment: Most of your money is going to go toward your vehicles: a board for battle and a car for travel.  A set of light armor and a backup ranged weapon are a good idea.  Feel free to get your teammates to pay for the emergency kits you can keep in your trunk, since you’re bringing the wheels.

Level 1

Feats: Sunday Driver.  Dodgy Driving.

Talents: Battery Charger.  Better Faust Charging.

Spells:

0: Animated Tools.  Arcane Mark

1: Burning Hands

Level 5

Feats: Driving Mobility.  Toughness

Talents: Draw on Others.  Multi-spelling

Spells:

0: Create Water.  DeFrag

1: Alarm Trap.  Repairs- Light

Level 10

Feats: Drive By Attack.  Combat Driving.  Survive a Crash

Talents: Malfunction Reduction.  Damage Amp

Spells:

1: Fox Hole

2: Web.  Continuous Flame

3: Flame Ammo.  Repairs- Serious.  Greasy Slick- Flame

4: Fire Flight.  Fire Trap.  Repairs- Critical

5: Cloudkill.  Passwall

Level 15

Feats: Combat Driving.  Out the Window

Talents: Faustian Sniper Scope.  Friend or Foe Field Generator.  Infernal Machine

Spells:

3: Quench

4: Stone Tell

5: Transmutate- elements.  Wall of Stone

6: Earth Bunker.  Ray of Disintegration. Stoning

7: Magma Blast.  Transmutate- erode

8: Faustian Mega Cannon

Level 20

Feats: Toughness: Robust.  Lightening Reflexes.  Improved Lightening Reflexes.

Talents: Enhanced Potency.  Range Booster.  Faustian Protection

Spells:

6: Wall of Iron.

7: Instant Wheels.  Legend Seeking

8: Incinerary cloud.  Repairs-Ultimate.  Uncanny Box.

9: Ray of Disintegration- multi.  Temporary Stasis- imprison.  Freedom

The Devil’s Duce

Faustian car

Base: Interceptor 4X4  16,000

Tech upgrades:

Higher AC (+5 AC, +5 VCMD) - 4000 

Magic:

Higher Level Cap (to level 10, +1 SL cost, +1 malfunction)

Shocking Grasp (Attack Activated) SL : 1(3), CL: 5

Safe Crash SL: 1, CL: 5

Flammable slick (rear mounted) SL: 3, CL: 5

Burning Hands (rear mounted) SL: 1, CL: 5

Ray of Frost- Greater (front mounted) SL: 2, CL: 5

Create Water in trunk SL: 0, CL: 5

Comprehend Languages- CB Radio SL: 1, CL: 5

Malfunction Reduction (-1 Mal, +.5 SL)

SL: 9.5 (13)

CL: 5

Malfunction: 8

Cost: 13 X 5 X 150 = 9750 GB

DD Total Cost = 16,000 + 4000 + 9750 = 29750 GB

Bealzaboard

Faustian Vectorboard

Base: Sparrowhawk Vectorboard  16,000

Magic:

Shocking Grasp (Attack Activated).  SL : 1(3), CL: 3

Shield.  SL: 1, CL: 3

Expedious Retreat.  SL: 1, CL: 3

Malfunction Reducation (-1 Mal, +0.5 SL)

SL: 3(5.5)

CL: 3

Malfunction: 3

Cost: 5.5 X 3 X 150 = 2475

Total BB cost = 18475 GB

#drevrpg #d20 #apocalypse #builds

April Fool's Special - Little Bears

Little Bears

Background

One of the most common races of the Northern Regions of North America is Little Bears.  This small, but burly folk have been the salvation for many travelers whom have “lost their way.”

Society

Little Bears congregate in small, but close communities.   Their habitation varies, but usually takes advantage of local resources.  Most Common material used are sod, and evergreen trees, but will attempt to repurpose pre-revelation housing to take advantage of electricity and running water where they can.  While they do not strictly hibernate, they do go for long periods asleep during harsh weather.  They just happened to use alarm clocks to wake up on time.

There is a “Head Bear” within a community, but there are weekly town meetings to discuss the issues of the day.

Little Bears are omnivorous, and as a result, they grow crops and hunt.  They love sweets and often trade for sweet foods and candy’s that they cannot grow locally.

The largest known community is built on the ruins of Churchill, Manitoba and has become a mecca within Little Bear Culture.  All Little Bears are expected to make this pilgrimage once in their lifetime.

Psychic are slightly more common than with humans.  They play a prominent role within the community.

Relations:

Little Bears get along with just about anybody.  They understand the primal nature of the wild races, but also appreciate good manners of the more civilized races.  They do not generally enjoy the Desecrators or the Undead, but will give most races the benefit of the doubt until proven otherwise.  Feylin are the sole exception as Feylin consider Little Bears “boring.”

The only exception is the Bee People.  The Little Bears just cannot resist raiding their hives for honey.

Adventuring

Little Bears adventure for the most noble of reasons, but also for the experiences.  After all a Little Bear that brings home a truck full of sweets will be considered a hero to his or her people.  They usually keep a log or journal to keep track of their various experiences.

Recommended Class/Path:   Combatant/Brute is the most common.  Psychic/Psycho warrior is also common amongst those psychically inclined.  They also seem to gravitate towards Channeler/Sentinel and Ritualist/Rainmaker.

Personality

Polite but primal is the best way to describe Little Bears.  While they often have proper manners, there is a wild disconnect when they fight or eat where they seem to revert to a primal state that is absolutely terrifying.

While Bear speak is usually difficult to pronounce for non-bear races, they usually take a “human name” This can be a based on a geographic locations or on a quality of the Little Bear.

Description

They are small bears with all the normal features: stocky legs, long snouts, shaggy hair and short tails

They come in all colors associated with bears.  These are usually shades of brown, but can also include greys and pure white on occasion (the Little Bear equivalent of an albino).

Quite a few of them like to try to do tattoos and strange etchings.  These are done on top of the fur not unlike highlights rather than actual shaving.  Some dye their entire body a bright color.

While they do not need clothing, they usually grab a piece of clothing to put on, such as a hat or scarf.  They also are not averse to wearing armor, as the world is “a very dangerous place indeed.”

Height: 3’0” Height mod: +3d4 inches

Weight: 60 lbs. + Height mod x 5 in lbs.

Age: Starting 5 +1d4 years (+1d4 years for spellcasters).

Middle Age: 20 years; Old: 40 years; Venerable: 60 years; Max Age: 60 years +3d10 years

Little Bears

Creature Type:  Monstrous Humanoid

Template: None to start - can take templates as a monstrous humanoid creature.

Racial talent tree access:   Natural Weapons, Savvy, Stout, Savage

Ability Score Adjustments:   +2 Str; Little Bears are really strong for their size.

Size:  Small: +1 to attack and AC, -1 to CMB/CMD, +4 to Stealth skill, carry capacity is ¾ (x 0.75) that of normal medium creature. Weapons must be sized for a small creature (treat tiny weapons as light, small weapons as one-handed, medium weapons as two handed, cannot use large weapons).

Base land speed: 20 feet

Basic Features

·         Alignment:  Any, but usually ‘Good Alignments

·         Vision:   Normal

·         Languages:  Bear Speak.

·         Talents:  The race gets the talents Iron Stomach, Scent and Thick Hair talents

·         Diplomatic:  Little Bears get +2 to Diplomacy and Sense Motive checks

·         Natural Claws: 1d4 Slashing (20/x2)

#drevrpg #d20 #apocalypse #races