"The Ahriman Tablets" for Haunts and Horrors - Coming Soon

Coming soon from Gethsemane Games a new Haunts and Horror's adventure, "The Ahriman Tablets".

Set in Egypt sometime between 1870 and 1876 The Ahriman Tablets can be played as the follow-up to "The Curse of Amun Menetnashti" or it can be played as a stand-alone scenario.

The discovery of ancient Achaemenid artefacts in the Bazar lead the party on a deadly expedition into the Kharga Oasis to find a nomadic tribe who may hold the secret location of a lost Zoroastrian temple.

While an evil force seeks to prevent the party from ever finding the haunted ruins, a dark secret lurks in the sand-buried ruins.

The PCs will face Efreet, Angra Mainyu and other friends of Persian and Arabic folklore before their journey ends.

 

Free Cave Map

I have been pottering about with some cave maps, trying out a few ideas before adding cave systems to our GM's maps range.

Caves can be challenging to map because they are irregular in shape to a much greater degree than most buildings.  Creating something that doesn't look too artificial can be harder than expected, especially if you do it by hand on squared paper as your natural tendency is to stick to the sides of the squares.  Hence I usually draw hem by hand on blank drawing paper.

I wanted to have a go at doing it in CC2 (yes yes, I know, I need to get around to upgrading to CC3 - well I plan to do so later in the year).

I'm quite happy with this for a first attempt so you can have it free to do with as you please (So long as you don't try and make money off it).

As usual with my maps you may include it in a product of your own so long as you credit me and include a line crediting Profantasy software and campaign cartographer 2.  The product must not be a collection of maps and you must add your own content.

I will be releasing more caves as part of the GM's maps line in the near future but those will be larger complexes of caves than this small example.

Suggested Partial Key
1/. Cave mouth, the river flows out of the cave hear  but the cave is large enough to sail in on a small boat or walk in on the river bank.  The cave floor here is covered in pebbles and silt.
2/. Submerged passage.  The passage here is totally submerged, the river flows into the mapped area from the west and other caves beyond - how long the submerged passage is remains a matter for the GM
3/. Semi-submerged passages. These passages are submerged for the most part, but occasionally the ceiling is high enough to allow swimmers up for air.
4/. Submerged grotto
5/. Semi submerged grotto
6/. Partially flooded chamber. Although the floor of this room is underwater there is at least as much room above the waters surface as beneath it.
7/. Light water fall.  Water drizzles into this room form above. The effect is that of a curtain of water rather than a solid fall as it forces it's way in form cracks in the rock above.
8/. and 9/. Submerged dead ends

SQ A "Squeeze A" is narrow and only characters that are small enough will be able to navigate it.
SQ B "Squeeze B" is narrow and only characters that are small enough will be able to navigate it.

Spring Fantasy Sale!

It is now officially spring here in the UK and you know what they say, in the spring a gamer's fancy turns to Fantasy!
Well okay, by 'They' I mean'I' and by 'Say' I mean, 'I've just made this up this instant', but still.  IT's certainly true that for me as the days grow liter I find myself turning towards Fantasy as my genre of choice.  Not sure how I acquired that association but anyway, I'm waffling now, so back to the point!

For 1 Week only I am selling all the PDFs in my fantasy range - 'Spelldancer' at an incredible knock down price of between $1 and $2 each with the following special codes.

Simply add the code at check out OR purchase the product through the URL given which will automatically add the discount.

Hurry though, the sale only lasts till April 27th (The fact my mortgage payments are due on the 28th is totally coincidental, obvs). ;)

So snap up a bargain now!

Here are the Deals:-

Rules

Spelldancer Revised Rules for $2
Use Code 96593a1737
Or visit  http://www.rpgnow.com/browse.php?discount=96593a1737


Adventure Modules

Born In Flames: Book 1 for £2

An adventure for starting characters
Use Code 9661362555
Or visit http://www.rpgnow.com/browse.php?discount=9661362555

Secret of Serpents Tor for £1

Adventure scenario.  An ancient evil walks the land after curious farmers accidentally uncover a long sealed cavern in the earth.  Can the PCs drive the Serpent-men back into their ancient prison?

Use Code 966b7393ad

Or visit http://www.rpgnow.com/browse.php?discount=966b7393ad

Sulphur pits of Nathezda for £1

Forgotten since the Mage wars the ancient demon Nathezda harbors many of his own secrets.  Now, tired of hiding and grown bold that his old enemies are no longer a match for him the demon begins to stir once more.

In this adventure the heroic PCs may face more than they bargained for and may even learn the fate of one of the lost lords of the Malmori.
A scenario for experienced and powerful PCs

Use Code 967a5b29a5

Or visit http://www.rpgnow.com/browse.php?discount=967a5b29a5

Trouble at the Troubadour's Rest for $1

Horror meets fantasy in this dark adventure for the Spelldancer RPG which can easily be modified for use with other systems.

The party and a few bedraggled fellow travelers seek shelter at a travelers inn somewhere in the Twin Kingdoms when they blunder into something far more dangerous than a bowl of broth and a bed for the night.

Use Code 96854839d9

Or Visit http://www.rpgnow.com/browse.php?discount=96854839d9

Source Books and Gazateers

City Book 1: The City of Vor-Laran for $1

Compatible with any fantasy RPG the city book describes the vibrant urban environment of Vor-Laran, first capitol of the Empire in detail with adventure and plot ideas, notable NPCs, places of note in the city and much more.

Use Code 967f183c24

Or Visit http://www.rpgnow.com/browse.php?discount=967f183c24

City Book 2: Port Apek for $1

Compatible with any fantasy RPG the city book describes the vibrant urban environment of Port Apek in detail with adventure and plot ideas, notable NPCs, places of note in the city and much more.
Use Code 966660e175
Or visit http://www.rpgnow.com/browse.php?discount=966660e175

Secrets of the Sea Kingdoms £1

The mysterious Sea Kingdoms have have perhaps more of an impact upon the world of Elizium than any other nation of comparable size.  Their constant raids along the Eroon coast lead to the foundation of the Gothman alliance which became the Empire.  There contact with the Felixiads of D'Grathia resulted in the freeing of human slaves there.

Their raids against the Western Isles lead the islanders to seek defense by becoming an Imperial protectorate.

Where other lands shun magic, in the Sea Kingdoms it is the core of their religion.

Even today the sales of Sea Kingdom warships strike fear into all but the strongest of hearts.

'Secrets of the Sea Kingdoms' details the culture, magic, religion, geography and unique creatures of the region in great detail and includes rules for sea going adventure.

Use Code 9675bd013b

Or Visit http://www.rpgnow.com/browse.php?discount=9675bd013b

(Spelldancer) New Monster: Cavern Creeper

Cavern Creeper

STR 25-55

SIZ   10-30

AGL   30-70

PER   25-70

LUC  10-30

WIP  10-20

Armour;- 10 point body and head, 5 point legs, 

Attacks;- Mandibles 50-85% KP; 29 + Poison

Kick 35-65% KP; 17

Web 25-55% Entangle with STR= to animals STR.

Skills ;- Stealth 55-75%, Climb 70-98%, Swim 25-45%, Hunting 50-75%

Tracking 45-85%

Description;- These giant arachnids can grow to the size of a fairly large man.  Their bodies are large and covered in thick, leathery hide and course hair which is mottled in shades of browns, providing camouflage against the stone of the caves it most commonly lives in.  The creatures head, such as it is, consists of a cluster of 8 eyes, and a mouth flanked by a large set of mandibles, all set directly on the front of the creatures body.

Habitat;- Cavern creepers, as the name suggest, dwell in caves and caverns, although they emerge at night to hunt. They are commonly found in D’grathia and Eroon, although there are legends of creatures that seem very similar, told amongst the people of the western isles.

Behaviour;- Aggressive and territorial carnivores, Cavern Creepers lair in caves but emerge at night to hunt.  However, they are opportunistic and will happily attack anything that enters their lair.

  Cavern Creepers tend to live solitary lives, only coming together to mate about once every other year.  During this mating season the males can travel hundreds of miles in an attempt to find a mate.  The females will lay a clutch of up to 50 eggs.

  Cavern Creeper young emerge from the egg sack fully formed, although quite small, and are capable of supporting themselves.  Hatching time turns into a macabre feeding frenzy as the animals are cannibals and they will attack their own siblings.  Generally only 10% survive, and they leave the lair to find another home for themselves.

  Because of their life cycle and cannibalistic nature, the population of these creatures is kept quite low, and they seem constantly in danger of extinction, although they always seem to muddle through.

Special notes;- The bite of a Cavern Creeper injects a potent paralytic poison with a 75% attack and a POT equal to the animals SIZ. The poison takes 1-5 CR to take effect.

Result Effect

W The toxin has no effect on the victim

L The toxin causes sluggishness in the victim for a period of 1-10 hours. The victims AGL and IL fall to one half their usual level during this time.

M The toxin causes intense sluggishness in the victim for a period of 2-20 hours. The victims AGL and IL fall to one half their usual level during this time.

H The toxin causes the victim to become completely immobile for the period of 1-5 hours.  During this time the victim is conscious but unable to move any muscle.

S The toxin causes the victim to become completely immobile for the period of 1-10 hours.  During this time the victim is conscious but unable to move any muscle.

C The toxin causes the victim to become completely immobile for the period of 2-20 hours.  During this time the victim is conscious but unable to move any muscle.

F The toxin causes the victim to become permanently paralyzed unless an anti-venom or magical cure can be found.

The creatures can launch a highly adhesive web strand from its spinnerets at a victim.  The spinnerets are located in the creatures hind quarters, and to fire the strand at a victim the creature must rise up and curl its hind quarters under its body, squirting the web from between its legs which are at full stretch.  This leaves the creature vulnerable, so it prefers not to make the attack until most or all of its foes are incapacitated.

Hit Locations;-

Roll Location

81-00 Head

51-80 Abdomen

41-50 Front left leg

31-40 Front right leg

26-30 Middle front left leg

21-25 Middle front right leg

16-20 Middle rear left leg

11-15 Middle rear right leg

5-10 Rear left leg

1-5 Rear right leg

GMs Map 14 released: Medium Theatre.

The 14th in our 'GMs maps' range has just been released via RPGNow.

The medium Theatre. Perfect for those of you who want to set a scenario in a haunted theatre, or who have a yen to recreate 'the 39 Steps' as an RPG scenario.

Or perhaps you have an idea for a mystery set in a theatre.

We are also offering to publish the most imaginative scenario's you can devise to use with this map on out 'Whispers form the Other-Verse' blog.

http://www.rpgnow.com/product/209452/GMs-Maps-14-Medium-Theatre?manufacturers_id=3429

New Creatures for Spelldancer: The Sanguiphage

The Sanguiphage Moths first appeared in 'Born In Flames: Book #1'.  These horrific parasites can be found across Eroon but are especially common in the wild  lands south of the empire and in parts of Thule.  They are he bane of cattle farmers and horse merchants.

Sanguiphage Larvae

STR  1

SIZ  1-2

AGL  1-5

PER  10-20

LUC  10-20

WIP  1-10

Armour;- None

Attacks;- Bite 20-45% KP; 5, then drain 1 hp per round.

Description;- These larvae are a few inches long and conicle in form. At one end they have a circular mouth with an arrangement of long, needle-like organs that they use to penetrate a hosts flesh so they can drink the hosts blood. The creatures are a light tan in colour when hungry, but turn a terracotta as they gorge on blood.

Habitat;- Found on Eroon, wherever large host animals can be found. With the advent of domesticated animals, these creatures can be found wherever beastmen have domesticated large animals such as horses, carsen and particularly Dronith.

Behaviour;- The larval stage of the Sanguiphage are laid in clusters of 5-15 on suitable host animals, such as Carsen and Dronith. They feed off the host animal, draining 1-5 HP worth of blood each day, per larvae. This makes a large infestation quite dangerous, and capable of killing the host in a few days. However, they are often predated by Sornth birds, so that only one or two of the clutch of larvae might survive to adult hood.

They are remarkably aggressive, and will attack any warm blooded animal the size of a small human or larger that makes contact with the host animal, trying to drain them of as much blood as possible. They also transfer from one host to another if the host animals come into close contact with one another, so a single clutch of larvae laid on one Dronith may disperse across a herd quite quickly, thus increasing the host animals chance of survival, and consequently the parasites as well.

Sanguiphage larvae pupate into Sanguiphage Moths after about two weeks.

Sanguiphage Moths

STR 1-2

SIZ  2-3

AGL 10-20

PER  10-25

LUC  10-25

WIP  10-25

Armour;- None

Attacks;- Bite 20-45% KP; 7, then drain 1 HP per round.

Description;- Large, leathery moths with a dark russet red-brown coloration, they are about the size of a domestic house cat.

Habitat;- Native to Eroonian forests, they will dwell anywhere that has a supply of warm blooded prey animals, and some dark nooks for he moths to lair in. This means they can be found in caves, ruins, and even in the barns and grain stores of civilized areas.

Behaviour;- These creatures live in small colonies of 3-8 individuals and mate about once a year, in the summer. They then lay a clutch of 5-15 live larvae later in the year (usually as the weather starts to turn cold), on the bodies of large prey animals like Carsen or Dronith (the latter are preferred).

The moths hunt by night and will attack any warm blooded animal, they will make an incision with their first attack then will fasten onto the victim and drink blood at the rate of 1 HP per round until they have drunk an amount equal to twice their SIZ, at which point they will fly off.

This small amount of blood drinking will kill small animals, but leaves larger ones only mildly harmed. However, they do tend to carry blood diseases, and any wound caused by a Sanguiphage moth has a +25% chance of infection.