GLoGtober 2.1: Castles in the Air (Hypogeum)

 

Its GLoGtober once again, and though I pretty much missed last year, I thought I'd return to form with some Hypogeum-posting. The prompt this time is "Atlantis-type situation but in reverse. It goes up instead of down."

Angels (also called Harpies, or simply the Winged People) are a race generally considered legendary in the Hypogeum. It is said they have wings rather than arms, and live in floating cities obscured by the haze of the upper reaches. Which is rather preposterous, isn't it? If humans developed wings, they could never use them to fly. They're too heavy! And floating cities? How would they navigate the narrow archways and passages that connect caverns?

Nevertheless, they are real.

(Spoilers ahead)

Angels are a race of sorcerers. Magic doesn't run in their blood, however. It runs in their feathers. Angel feathers are uniquely adapted to collect and store ambient magic. However, they use this great power rarely. This is because, without it, they would fall out of the sky.

Magic, as everyone knows, is a pervasive gas which tends to collect in liquids or crystals, suspended like the carbonation in a soda. Contrary to this force of suspension, magic is much lighter than air. This is why angels can fly, and why powerful sorcerers are such whimsical assholes: they take themselves lightly.

Because their wings collect magic, frequent flight actually makes it easier to fly, rather than tiring them out. However, an excess of magic in their wings can be rather uncomfortable in daily life (rather like being constantly tugged by your lapels). Since water can easily take up magic, it is easy to wash off, and produces quite potent magic potions. When they are flying, the water condensation on their wings often drops to the ground as droplets, often incorrectly called Angel Tears. When they are at rest, they save these magic potions for a different purpose.

The cities of the angels are diverse. However, contrary to popular belief, they are seldom monolithic structures. But they tend to have this in common: like the angels, they float by magic. Most angelic cities are aggregate structures, with each building or household being held aloft by its own means, and tied to other buildings by ropes. The means by which they hold magic vary: some employ balloons, while others are built around highly thaumiferous plants or minerals. The maintenance of these means is the main use of angel tears among angels themselves.

Rarely, lone angels or solitary clans will build their homes on large aerial darkbeasts. Though this often prevents them from joining a larger angelic city, it is generally agreed to be sick as hell.

The aggregate and modular nature of most angelic cities explains the conundrum of travel. When they wish to enter another great chamber in the hypogeum, they simply lead their buildings through whatever passages are necessary in single file. As well, it is entirely possible for certain buildings to break off and gradually reassemble a city-of-theseus elsewhere.

The extreme concentration of magic in their society obviously makes them targets for ambitious sorcerers and agents of the dragon. This is the reason for their extreme isolationism and nomadic lifestyle.

For thrice ten thousand dwell on mother earth, Immortal (GloG: More gods for Adventurers)

 

The Twins (the Lovers, the Protectors of the Universe, the Wanderers)

A pair of messenger gods, male and female, who are probably not the same creature. They are considered subservient deities, receiving their power from many other gods. They are widely worshiped, yet have no cult-center. Being always moving, it is considered that one may worship them anywhere and receive their favor anywhere (albeit infrequently). They are thought of as intercessors, gift-givers, and patrons of humanity in general (as opposed to particular city states). It is said they invented mail, Angels, and bees.

(Digression on Angels: lower-case "a" angels, also called daemons, are spirits, animals, and minor gods in the employ of a god. They deliver messages and miracles (and MD) to people. They can generally look like anything. Upper-case "A" Angels are those guys with wings. They are also spirits, and mostly serve as lower-case "a" angels, but they have a union. Some Angels were once mortal).

The Twins are symbolized by Feathers, Mirrors, Eyes, Halos, Scales (both senses), and Honey

If you make an offering to the Twins by one of their shrines, there is a 4-in-6 chance each day that it will be taken by an angel to them, leaving in return an MD. If you try to make them your patron gods without actually offering to them in person, there is a 3-in-6 chance your offering gets eaten by one of their angels instead. The Twins know the following spells:

1. Cure Wounds
2. Featherfall
3. Message
4. Light
5. Paper Automaton
6. Mirror Image
7. Master Ludwig's Guiding Lights
8. Speak with Birds
9. Control Air
10. Grow Wings
11. Elegant Judgement
12. Resurrection

An Angel of the Twins knows (1d3)d4 of these spells, rolled with d12.

Laras-Ep-Korash (the Wise, the Opener of Ways, the Architect)

Laras-Ep-Korash is in many ways a typical god. He was a sphinx, deified in the city now bearing his name. He was a rather lawful creature before his deification, and so he remains. But as much as he loves laws, he loves loopholes, and as much as he loves riddles, he loves when they are solved. As such, he's rather fond of adventurers, even of a chaotic type, and especially wizards. He's considered the patron of several secret societies, both of wizards and of lawyers.

He is symbolized by Keys, Rams (both senses), and Floating Stone. He really enjoys long and repetitive poems praising him.

Laras-Ep-Korash has 7 MD. However, 4 MD are normally spent on various patronages. He has the following spells:

1. Lock
2. Knock
3. Deflect Spell
4. Orbiting Spikes
5. Wizard Vision
6. Wall of Stone
7. Track Leylines
8. Death Ward

Avikal (The Champion, The Nail-Driver, The Sudden)

Avikal is a hero, as well as a god. He was born, it is said, by the Father of Winds and Rains, and certainly has something of a meteoric nature. He blessed the city of Gorable with his patronage, but roves far and wide slaying monsters, and imprisoning those he can't slay. He was the one who imprisoned Pysoloth beneath Charpysos with his Lightning Stakes. There's a festival every year where people reenact his various conquests (both senses) in pantomime, often against papier-mache monsters (which might even be more gruesome than the originals).

He is symbolized by Nails (and consequently Hammers), Borders, Fur, and Dry Lightning.

Avikal has 6 MD and gives them out rarely to really cool people. He knows the following spells:

1. Hold Person
2. Geld Animal
3. Mighty Thews
4. Imprison
5. Magic Weapon
   
6. Lightning Bolt
   

Lest Thou Be Filled Therewith (GLoG: Wizard) + d6x7 Sandwiches

Confection Wizard

Starting Equipment: Chef hat but it has a wizard brim, wooden spoon
Perk: Advantage on reaction for children and nobles
Drawback: Effects can be dispelled by water
Cantrips:

• Conjure a handful of sparkly sugar-substitute. No calories. If you throw this at someone, its about as effective as sand.
• Spend 10 minutes running your hands over your clothing to remove any stains or dirt.
• Taste a food to learn how long ago it was created, and get an impression of its creator

Spells: 

1. Crystallize
2. Summon Candles (see Here)
   
3. Steel to Spun Sugar
4. Rock Candy Regalia
5. Candycane of Thalia
6. Savorous Sweets
7. Gingerbread House
8. Summon Marshmallow
9. Cottoncandy Web (as Entangling Web)
   
10. Become Delicious (see Here)
    
11. Chocolate Replica
12. Let Them Eat Cake

Crystalize
R: 60' T: Creature or Object D: Instant
Target takes [Sum] damage. Plants or other especially sugary creatures take twice as much. Sugar will drop out of solutions, and rations will be candied. By default, this crystalizes sugar, but with 2 dice you can target salt, and with 3+ you can target more esoteric compounds.

Rock Candy Regalia
R: Touch T: Creature D: [dice] Hours
Target is bedecked in crystalline jewelry and fondant in the form of an elaborate formal costume. They gain +1 AC and are sufficiently dressed for a ball. (The transformation is pretty much just like Cinderella)

Candycane of Thalia
R: 30' T: Creature or Object D: Instant
A giant candycane grabs the target and drags them [highest]*5' (maximum) in any direction and path. It has a strength of 18. If the target is small and without anything to hook onto, it only can drag them half that distance.

Savorous Sweets
R: Touch T: N/A D: 1 Minute
[dice] magic, dice-shaped candies are summoned in the caster's hand. They each heal whatever number was displayed on the die when eaten.

Gingerbread House
R: Touch T: Special D: 8 Hours
A fully furnished gingerbread house of up to [dice]*100 Square Feet is constructed over the course of the next 10 minutes by Elves (the chill kind, not those other bastards). Obviously not effective for rain, but very good for winds and snows. Also counts as rations! Can't be constructed to overlap with things too big for it to contain (e.g. pillars or trees). Also, the elves can be rather skittish, and have a morale of 6+[highest]. They'll resume work when danger is gone. If [sum] is more than 12, it is permanent (though not imperishable).

Summon Marshmallow
R: 60' T: [dice]*10' diameter D: 1 Minute
A giant marshmallow explodes into existence with a muffled Fwumph. Creatures in the diameter are flung comically away, traveling 5 feet beyond the circumference of the marshmallow. Can be cast in reaction to falling. Highly flammable.

Chocolate Replica
R: Touch T: A sufficient amount of chocolate D: [dice] hours
Over the course of a minute, you shape the chocolate into a shocking lifelike simulacrum of whatever object you desire. For the duration, the chocolate behaves as that object would behave. For instance, a chocolate cart could haul loads that would normally break the weaker material, or a chocolate sword would be sharp enough to deal damage. When cast with more than 3 Dice, this can include being animate and mimicking sentience (though, creatures made with this spell have an eerie, permanent smile). If attacked, the replica has [highest] HP, no AC, and cannot attack. At the end of the duration, the replica becomes a mundane, though still very lifelike, chocolate statue.

Let Them Eat Cake
R: 200' T: [sum]*10 creatures in range D: Instant
A Small, Delicious cake in a flavor appealing to the individual appears in front of each creature in a small burst of confetti, hovering until they grab it. This cake counts as a single ration.

Mishaps:
1. MD only return to your pool on a 1-2 for 24 hours
2. Take 1d6 damage
3. Random mutation for 1d6 rounds, then Save. Permanent if you fail.
4. Lose sense of taste for 1d6 days. This includes aesthetic taste (though you probably didn't have that anyway).
5. Overcome by a Bitter-Sourness for 1d6 rounds (its like a Warhead mixed with Black Tea)
6. Require [highest] additional rations, or [highest]/2 rations with considerable sugar content.

Dooms:
1. You become made of sugar for an hour.
2. You become made of sugar for a day.
3. You are permanently made of sugar

Extra: d6x7 Sandwiches

What is Above is What is Below (GLoG: Wizard)

 

Mage of Pacci (Single Template)

You've studied under the tutelage, or the tomes, of that eccentric wizard Pacci. Among wizards, he alone was simple: the man liked to flip things upside-down. The teachings of Pacci can be learned within a week, but can only be applied through leveling up personal growth.

This template counts as if you had advanced (or started) in a wizard class. However, when you would gain spells from your wizard class, you gain 1 less than normal, and gain the spell Pacci's Inversion instead.

Pacci's Inversion
R: Line of Sight T: Creature or Object D: Instant
Target is picked up and flipped upside-down by some golden sparkles. This spell can target a [dice] HD creature, or an object sized up to: human-sized, ogre-sized, house-sized, tavern-sized

If you take this as your first wizard template, you gain any other spells from the Orthodox Spell List.
You also gain the following cantrips:
1. Move a light object with a wave of your finger. You could cause a coin to roll along the ground or turn the pages of a book, but you couldn't open a door or lift a stone.
2. Flick something within 30'. Cannot deal damage, but can knock over a coin or make a faint noise.
3. Enchant a hole or divot to act as a springboard. Increases one jump by 5'. Can spend dice as a spell to increase the jump by [dice]*10'. This technically counts as a casting of Pacci's Inversion

You gain no perks or drawbacks as a Mage of Pacci, but you might gain some when you learn another wizard school. Each template of another school that you take can replace one Mage of Pacci cantrip.

Stolen shamelessly from Zelda.

Whoever You Be, Baffling our Efforts to Behold You (GloG: Deities for Adventurers)

 Some gods, somewhat arising from this. Probably I'll do more at some point.

Comus (the All-Great, The Heart-Kindler, The Night's Consolation)

Comus is the wildly popular living god of revelry, change, and adventurers. He lives in Ortom, where he was originally deified several centuries ago. He invented satyrs, and a considerable portion of his power was spent into creating the rite of Carousing. The Feste is held once a year in his honor, and thousands flock to Ortom to offer sacrifices and participate in the drinking and cross-dressing. It is said that he selects two people who attend and trades their faces (or, some say, their fates).

Comus is symbolized by torches, moons, flies, incense, and flint. And wine, obviously.

Comus is a greater god with several minor gods beneath him. He has the following spells: 

1. Disguise
2. Fear
3. Water to Wine
4. Flip Person
5. Control Flame
6. Moonlust
7. Grease
8. Charm Animal
9. Become Delicious
10. Forceful Boor
11. Sway Crowd
12. Polymorph

His minor gods have a selection from among these spells, and typically 3-4 MD. If you venerate him exclusively, you get these cantrips:

1. You can crowdsurf on any crowd. This includes hostile ones.
2. You can elect not to spill liquid from a cup in your hands, or to spill it selectively.
3. Once per night, you can cause moonlight to become bright light within earshot.

Pysoloth (The Chained-Calamity, the Misshapen, the Lament of Laughter)

Pysoloth is the god of Charpysos. He is depicted as a kind of hairless dog, or swollen snake. He was a demon, and it is claimed he is kin to Virs. He was semi-successfully placated and mostly imprisoned below Charpysos, and now acts as a guardian deity of sorts. He is a spiteful god of disaster and deformity, and one of several gods who created goblins independently. Superstition holds that speaking his name will cause a petty misfortune to befall you or (usefully) a nearby goblin. He thinks its hilarious.

Pysoloth is symbolized by dogs, snakes, lightning, birthing huts, and beards

Pysoloth is not widely worshipped, but powerful in his own right. He has 6 MD (4 on his own) and the following spells:

1. Sticks to Snakes
2. Stormcaller
3. Monsterize
4. Violently Depilate
5. Curse
6. Mutate

He may also grant the cantrip:

1. A misfortune befalls a goblin you can see. Works once per goblin.

Kerteras (The Fallen Sun, the Protector, the Weaver of Raiments)

Kerteras was once the god of an empire which stretched over much of the known world. His origin is highly disputed, but he took on the title of the god of the sun. When the capitol was eventually put under seige by the tactical genius Lyr, the flow of offerings was interrupted. Worshipers turned to their own local gods, previously subservient to Kerteras, and even those gods who were loyal had no way of communicating their power to Kerteras. This led to Kerteras losing most of his power, the capitol falling, and the empire collapsing.

The worship of Kerteras was forbidden by the occupying (now ruling) force, but the existence of remnant cults is an open secret. Most ruins of the old empire contain a shrine to Kerteras, and he is now revered as a god of ruins and hidden gold. 

Kerteras is symbolized by Suns, Gold, Robes, Eight-Petaled Flowers, and Eight-Legged Creatures

Kerteras is now a minor god with only 3-4 MD at a given time, though he has a Lot of MD inaccessible in shrines. However, being once-great, he possesses many spells:

1. Cure Wounds
2. Hold person
   
3. Summon Candles
   
4. Speak with the Eight-Fold
5. Entangling Web
6. Detect Gold
7. Force Field
8. Circle of Frost
9. Spiderclimb
10. Summon Vestements
11. Wall of Earth
12. Plague of Sunstroke

Kerteras also established cantrips for his followers, which still work for those who worship him exclusively:

1. Once per day, produce 10' of rope (from your fingers) or a bottle-worth of ink (from your tear-ducts). Both are flecked with gold (and illegal in the once-capitol). The rope rots within a few weeks, and the ink coagulates if unused.
   
2. Speak a one-word command. Any number of people you can see follow it for one round. Works once per person.
3. Create a tiny light as bright as a match on your fingertip.

Stolen by Bats: Correspondent

 

Sunless Seas

No permission from Loch. If he wants to make his own (undoubtedly better), use his.

Correspondent

They say...
You've begun to study the Baroque and Primeval writings of Xanadu. Unwise, if you value your eyebrows.

+1 Mirrors and +1 Sigil per Template
Starting Equipment: Pot of Violant Ink, Faded Morning Suit, Burning Smell, Semiotic Monocle, 3 Blank Lead Plaques.
Skills:1) Academia 2) Archaeology 3) Engineering 4) Law 5) Poetry 6) Astronomy
A - Inflammatory Language, Adamic, +3 Sigils
B - Mixed Media
C - Gramarye, Eyes of Icarus
D - Red Science

Inflammatory Language
You've learned a few symbols of the language they call the Correspondence. As far as you can tell, each symbol is a highly specific, yet incredibly vague ideogram. You know how to write and use 3 such sigils, and you can get a vague idea of the contents of a message written in any common Correspondence sigils.

That is, if you can survive reading the message. Writing Correspondence on anything has the effect of setting it on fire, and reading correspondence written on anything has the effect of setting you on fire. Paper is set alight by 1 unique sigil, Stone by 3, Lead by 6. Reading a message in correspondence deals 1d6 fire damage per unique sigil. This is not based on comprehension, but rather on concentration. Looking at a Correspondence message through your Semiotic Monocle reduces the damage by one sigil.

Adamic
Next to Correspondence, every language is trivial. You can begin to understand any language in about an hour, given reference materials.

Mixed Media
You can depict correspondence in other forms than simple writing. If you have a skill in an artform, you can use that to communicate Correspondence Messages, with the same effect on the medium and audience as regular Correspondence Messages.

Gramarye
You can create Correspondence Messages that communicate something definite, so long as what you communicate is a synthesis of the Sigils used. For instance, if you use the Sigils "To Become Fire Rather Than Be Burned" and "The Conquest of an All-Too-Familiar Rival", you could communicate "My rival has surrendered and we're friends now", or "I'm blowing you up with a Hydrogen Bomb", or many other things. Rarely, this can produce esoteric effects.

Eyes of Icarus
You have developed some ability to withstand Correspondence. You reduce the damage of all Correspondence Messages you read by 2 sigils.

Red Science
You can now reliably produce esoteric, world-bending effects using combinations of Correspondence sigils. When you do this, roll d6s equal to the Sigils that you are using. If any show a 1, a 6, or Doubles, your Red Science fails, and deals damage equal to [sum] to you. You might just want to use the Sorcerer to adjudicate this.

Hypogeum Classes, Revised

I was looking over my Hypogeum Classes recently and, wow, they are bad. There's a whole class for heists. Heists! Completely irrelevant to the game. So I'm making them better.

Percichen on Tumblr, I think

Sword-Artist

Sword-Artists are those who kindle and unleash their Life, transmuting it into Magic. Unlike sorcerers, they don't need to supplement their Magic with potions. However, their chaotic and fiery Magic is pretty much completely useless for spells. Instead, they just punch people clean in half. Sword-Artists are commonly found among Humans and Darklings. Greyfolk are less common, and Folk are rare to say the least. Skeletons cannot become Sword Artists.

Each template of Sword-Artist gives +1 To-Hit

A: Sword Art, Soul of Flame
B: LIKE LIGHTNING
C: War Aspect
D: Life-Drinker

Sword Art
By focusing for one round, you may unleash an attack that always hits and deals an extra d4 damage for each sword artist template you have. If this doesn’t kill them, you’ve misaligned your meridians and can’t use this until you rest.

Soul of Flame
When you attack with a Sword Art, white flames kindle around you. You do not control these fires, but they do not hurt you. Your next turn, if there is anything flammable nearby (besides your own clothes), your fires will start normal fires.

LIKE LIGHTNING
You can choose to sunder your weapon when you use your sword art. When you do, the d4’s become the weapon’s die. For the rest of the fight, your pure killing intent functions as that weapon (though melee if it was ranged).

War Aspect
When you fight with your pure killing intent, it instead functions as any weapon you have held before. Fights don’t end until everyone you can reach in one turn is dead. You must keep fighting until the fight ends.

Life-Drinker
When you kill a being that did not die instantly to your sword art, your meridians are re-aligned, and you count as having an extra sword artist template.

Satoshi Matsuura

Strife's Child

A Strife's Child is an Adventurer, a Dancer, and a Coward. They can feel the rhythm of Battle, and move in time. Anyone can become a Strife's Child.

Each template of Strife's Child gives +1 AC

A: Motif, Abscond
B: Clever Thing
C: Battle Tech
D: Finisher

Motif
While in Combat, you may focus for a round to begin a kind of war-dance, or battle-trance, which increases the tension of all creatures in combat. When you begin a Motif, place a d6 on the table showing a one. This is the Motif Value. Increase it by one each round. All creatures get a bonus to To-Hit and Damage equal to the Motif Value. If a creature attacks with advantage, double this bonus.

You may end this effect at any time on your turn.

(Motifs stack with multiple Strife's Children)

Abscond
You may always flee combat.

Clever Thing
You have a feel for the mechanisms found in the Hypogeum, their connections and their ebb-and-flow. If you have seen a lock or key, you know its match by sight. If you find a mechanism, like a lever, by examining the floors and walls around it closely, you can tell roughly the direction its corresponding mechanism would be in (e.g. if it opens a door, you could tell what direction the door is in). You have advantage on strength checks to push large blocks, stuck doors, rusty levers, precarious statuary, etc.

Battle Tech
You may increase your To-Hit, Damage, or AC by the Motif Value (in addition to the normal Motif bonus). You must decrease another of these values by the same (e.g. if the Motif Value is 3, you could increase your To-Hit by 3 and decrease your Damage by 3)

Finisher
You may end your Motif with an attack or spell, which gains advantage. Your DM may allow you to customize your finisher with elemental damage or a special effect.

Lily Seika Jones, I think

Charm-seeker

Charm-seekers seek after charms, obviously. Charms are natural or artificial objects which store Magic and Spells. A Charm will absorb ambient magic from the atmosphere to recharge its spell. A Charm-seeker will naturally have an affinity for a certain type of charm based on their own inherent magic.

While Charm-seekers can be found in every race, each race has a different approach. Charm-seekers are most common among Darklings, who tend toward scholarly obsession. Folk Charm-seekers are very cautious and wary, while Humans tend to be experimental and flippant with charms. Skeleton and Greyfolk Charm-seekers tend to be very ostentatious.

(Digression: Charms are items that contain a spell and at least 1 MD. Anyone can use them, but if the MD are used up it normally takes like a week for it to recharge. Also, if a scroll has its MD used up it just crumbles. A used up charm can't be used to cast as a Charm-seeker)

A: Relic
B: Affinity
C: Ritual, +1 MD
D: Aspect

Relic
You possess a charm which resonates with your heart, called your Relic. It gives you two spells and +1 MD which recharges over 24 hours (in addition to the MD contained within that takes a week). Your Relic determines the type of Charms you seek (e.g. a Fire Wand means you seek Fire or Wand charms). You can cast spells contained in charms with the MD your Relic gives you (not the one it contains).

If you lose your Relic or you find a Charm which better resonates with your heart, you can spend a week attuning to it. The new charm must be one that could have been used by your old Relic (e.g. you couldn't start with a fire wand then change to a water orb, at least without changing to a fire orb first).

Affinity
You've grown in your connection with your Relic, and you come to understand some of the Forces of this world through it. You can identify when something is aligned with the same Force as your relic. When you encounter a creature aligned with that force, you can reroll the lower die of the reaction roll.

Ritual
You can destroy a charm for even greater power. When you do this, you may add another MD (in addition to any you spent on the spell and the MD contained withing the charm) to the spell the charm contained. You may also attempt to create a different effect related to the Charm's spell.

(You can't do the first effect with a scroll, but you can do the second)

Aspect
You can perform a Ritual (see above) with all your MD that can manifest the unique synthesis of your inner magic and the Forces of the World. You are clothed in a raiment of power and can summon a unique and legendary weapon for [sum] rounds.

Charm-Seeker Mishaps
1. MD only return on 1-2 for 24 hours
2. Take 1d6 damage
3. Random mutation for 1d6 turns, then save. Permanent on Fail.
4. Obsession. For 1d6 hours, you pick up and refuse to let go of anything related to your Relic
5. You accidentally drained your charm. Add 1 to your [dice] total.
6. You accidentally broke your charm. Luckily, it's reparable. You can still try to cast with it, but it might break.

Varguy

Sorcerer

A Sorcerer is anyone who consumes distilled magic, though most people only use it to refer to someone who uses it regularly. While everyone has an inner magic, most people don't have enough to make use of their spells. Drinking distilled magic gives the Sorcerer the power to cast the spells of their inner being. It also gives them uncanny visions and otherworldly insight which can lead to madness.

As they use magic, it begins to take root in their being, and their minds become more and more attuned to capturing magic from the atmosphere.

Drinking distilled magic can be done by anyone, giving them the first template of Sorcerer. It also deals 1d6 damage to charisma or wisdom. It lasts 24 hours, or until you lose your MD, and all sorcerer templates are lost when it wears off. Gaining or losing sorcerer templates does not mean gaining or losing levels. A first level sorcerer who runs out of Magic loses his sorcerer templates, but is still first level.

Each sorcerer template gives +1 Maximum MD

A: Spells, Distill Magic, Odd Insight
B: The Twelve Branched Wand
C: Palimpsest
D: Wizard

Spells
You know two spells. One is Sorcerous Blast. The other is determined randomly or chosen by you or your DM. You know how to make a Charm so that you can cast these. You also know how to make an impromptu Charm called a Shamble. This takes a minute and some trash. It lasts an hour, or one use, and can't be used by others.

Distill Magic
You know how to get magic out of things. With a way to boil liquids and condense gases, you can produce a dose of Distilled Magic. This takes a magical ingredient, 3 rations, or a large amount of weeds and herbs. You can also distill magic and spells out of charms in a much riskier process.

Odd Insight
When you read a book, examine a mural, or question someone, you can take 1d4 charisma or wisdom damage to ask an additional question about it. This represents the arcane workings of your mind making a deductive/mystic leap, rather than literally reading another fact or asking another question.

The Twelve Branched Wand
You learn two more spells, and Distilled Magic doesn't wear off until you lose all your MD.

Palimpsest
You regain 1 MD per Long Rest, and can edit your spells by rolling your MD. You can make 1 change for each 6. Negotiate with the DM.

Wizardry
You can make an impromptu, one-use edit to a spell if [highest] is 6.

Sorcerer Mishaps
1. MD only return on a 1-2 for 24 hours
2. Take 1d6 Damage
3. Random mutation for 1d6 turns, then save. Permanent on Fail.
4. Blind 1d6 rounds
5. You smell like magic. Magic eating creatures will be drawn towards you until you bathe
6. All your magic comes out of you in an arcane sneeze, everyone saves vs. being dazzled

 

For Sorcerers and Charm-Seekers, when you first roll a doom, select Obsession, Rejection, or Transformation. You follow that doom track for each subsequent doom.

Obsession
1. You become obsessed with your source of power. You must immediately seclude yourself for 1d6 days to pursue your power (contemplating your relic's force or brewing way too much magic). If you do not, you take 1d6 permanent Wis or Cha damage.
2. Every day you don't pursue your power, you take 1d6 permanent Wis or Cha damage
3. You abandon all other goals and seek to become the WISEST WIZARD. Make a new PC.

Rejection
1. Your magic leaves you for 1d6 days.
2. Your magic leaves you for 1d6 days, and you cast your most harmful spell targeting yourself with max MD (does not trigger mishaps or dooms).
3. All the magic leaves your body permanently. Save or Die.

Transformation
1. Gain a beneficial mutation. Gain +1 MD.
2. Gain a malignant mutation. Gain +1 MD.
3. Become a Monster. Make a new PC.

They say Doom can be avoided by slaying the Dragon

Take Not Thy Thunder From Us (GloG: Priest)

 The gods do not hoard their power to themselves. As we give to them, they give to us. Thus, we have the priests. It's a good thing too. Those gods are a fickle and inhuman bunch, but the priest will always help the people.

A Cleric to go with the last post's gods

Class: Shrine Priest

Starting Equipment: Ceremonial Robe, Ceremonial Mask

Starting Skill: 1) Ritual 2) Law 3) History 4) Farming 5) Nature 6) pick any

A: Offerings, Divine Magic, +1 MD, +2 spells (1-6)
B: Blessing, +1 MD, +2 Spell (1-8)
C: Shrine, +1 MD, +2 Spell (1-10)
D: Pantheon, +1 MD, +2 Spell (1-12)

Offerings
You know the rite by which magical power can be given to a monster to turn it into a god. Generally this requires a food offering and the worship of at least 10 people (excluding you).

Divine Magic
You can cast spells as given to you by the gods. Work with your DM to create a list of 12 spells. These spells are given by your patron gods and should be split up amongst them. For instance, a priest who worships Virs, the Serpent of Usan, and Ulorin, the goddess of wisdom, would have a spell list like the following:

1. Lock (Ulorin)
2. Knock (Ulorin)
3. Package Neatly (Ulorin)
4. Control Rain (Virs)
5. Extract Venom (Virs)
6. Stoneskin (Virs)
7. Compartmentalize Mixture (Ulorin)
8. Cure Wounds (Virs)
9. Saw and Plane Tree (Ulorin)
10. Scorching Ray (Virs)
11. Serpents of the Earth (Virs)
12. Land Gate (Ulorin)

Your patron gods are located in specific places. When you go to those places, you get your Miracle Dice. Keep track of which MD you get from which god. MD can only be spent to cast spells from the god who gave it. Each level, you get +1 Maximum MD and +2 spells. To level up, in addition to other requirements, you must go before one or multiple of your gods. You may only receive spells from gods present when you level up, but you can negotiate for which spells you get.

(At the DM's choice, you might get Sacraments (cantrips) from your gods, or have specific blessings and bans imposed by your gods. The DM may also change these features and your spells at will, as the gods change their fickle whims)

Blessing
By sharing a meal with someone, you can bless them, giving them 1 MD and the ability to cast one of your spells.

Shrine
You can construct a shrine to one of your gods which can store MD. It takes about a day to construct a 1 MD Shrine, which is little more than an idol under a roof. It does not fill automatically: you or another priest must confer the power of your god from his presence to this shrine. Excessive requests for power will probably draw ire.

(This allows you to build a shrine. You can always draw power from a shrine, even before you get this template, as can anyone who worships and presents offerings to its god. Most people don't call on divine power without reason, but you can't always count on your Shrine "keeping its charge")

Pantheon
You can use the MD of one god to power another's spell. MD used in this way have their depletion range increased by 1.

Stigmata

A Priest's spells are less dangerous than a Wizard's spells. After all, they were made by creatures who actually are magic, rather than some insane mortal grasping at power. However, they are designed for creatures of power, rather than for humans, and the spells are imbued with their nature. When MD roll doubles, the priest receives an inhuman mark of that nature (for instance, slit eyes or scaly skin for Virs). When triples are rolled, a more drastic mutation takes place. The priest takes [sum] damage (save for half) and receives a notable change with significant drawbacks and benefits (e.g., a snake tail instead of legs, loss of all teeth with the ability to swallow things whole, eyes that no longer see light but instead see laws). When the priest acquires too many stigmata, they stop being playable and instead become an avatar or aspect of the god or gods they worship.

Mechanical Notes on the Shrine Priest

Build your own wizard school! With the downside that you'll have to head back to home-base pretty often, or else travel around to several different home-bases to get the MD for the spells you actually want. Will probably make for a more domain based game. You could probably allow some "supplicate the local god and they give you temporary spells" for a more hexcrawl based one. I think that allowing divine cantrips would be good for either someone with a lot of different gods (so that they aren't crushed by being unable to use 80% of their spells) or someone with only one god (so that they aren't crushed by having to use their MD quickly and heading back to town).

The Priest's MD are probably interchangeable with Orison Dice, if you have those. So a commoner praying at a shrine could probably use it like that. While gods might get mad at the overuse of their power on shrines, if you do it right you could get more worshipers for your gods, which means more power for the gods, which means more power for YOU. So don't get mad when people take your MD. It's an Investment.

I wrote this mostly thinking of independent gods. If you have a shrine priest that wants a god and that god's minor gods, you're gonna have to figure that out.

They Shall Be My People (Glog: the Practicalities of the Divine)

 

Everyone is a little bit magic, obviously. The gods made the everything with magic, and humans are included in that. Even if that weren't the case, the gods mess around with mortals enough that it gets into our blood. Them or dragons or fairies or whoever else. Everybody has at least half an MD in them somewhere. The issue is, most of the time they don't know what to do with it.

So, when people start getting together into villages and cities, building civilization and whatnot, one finds that there are tons of people running around with extra magic that they can't use, or at least can't use safely. What's more, there's a bunch of dangerous monsters that want to kill everyone. What's a village to do?

They make a god. They pool all their magic together, and they give it somehow to a magical creature that they found or made. Now their magic is in the hands of something that knows how to use it. Even better, they never have to risk doom using it themselves. Even betterer, they might've gotten one of those dangerous monsters that want to kill everyone on their side. Efficient!

It's risky of course. If you make a god, he might turn on you. A magic-rich creature like that might also lure in worse monsters. But there are safeguards. The humans could refuse to tribute their magic. Even a really bloodthirsty monster might not want to eat his power base (See: Demon Cults). Sometimes the ritual for offering magic also includes an effect making the monster more intelligent and humane, at least towards his villagers.

The god would probably use the magic he's given in a way that fits with his own nature. A dryad probably would be more inclined to miracles of fertility than hitting foes with a fireball, for instance. The god could probably give some magic back to the people in a more directed form as priestly spells. He could also probably deputize other minor gods, giving them magic just as he was given magic.

(Replace magic with food and money, monsters with bandits, and priests with lords, and gods with kings and you have a pretty good description of how palace economies are made)

(Of course, you could also use a wizard instead of a monster. Results vary.)

(One can make a fun analogy of monster-god:wizard-god::regular-king:philosopher-king. Insert that Lewis quote about Robber Barons and Omnipotent Moral Busybodies.)

(See my Previous Post for more cult ideas)

Angelarium

Example: Virs, The Serpent of Usan

Usan was a small village in an area plagued by demons. They were reasonable in number, but desperate for protection. Luckily, like many other villages, they knew a rite to infuse food with worship. Eating this food would bind a creature to the village and give them the power to serve as gods. Unluckily, all of the magical creatures around were to smart and hateful to accept. However, there was one hope.

An ancient, magical snake of subsapient intelligence and sluggish disposition laired in a cave to the north of the village. It was known to eat humans occasionally, but it was better than the demons who ate humans often. The villagers of Usan brought a whole cow to the mouth of the cave, and ritually slaughtered it, each partaking a small amount and leaving the rest for their (hopefully) soon-to-be god.

It worked. The serpent ate the cow whole and was suffused with the worship and magic of the village. With this power came intelligence, and something rather like gratefulness. Virs, as he was now called, emerged from his cave for the protection of Usan. His sluggishness remained, but he was enough of a deterrent that even without much activity his status as a guardian was secure.

One unintended fact was that, because Virs was basically just an animal with no distinctive powers before, as a god he was able to be rather generalist, granting blessings in war, rain, and fertility with equal power. Being a lazy and moody god, he passed a great deal of power onto priests to carry out miracles for him.

Virs, the Serpent God has stats as a Basilisk with 6 MD, or 10 MD when not supporting priests. He can shapechange into a human. He knows the spells Control Rain, Mighty Thews, Serpents of the Earth, Scorching Ray, Stoneskin, Extract Venom, Cure Wounds, and Monsterize. His priests each know 1-3 of these spells and have 1-2 MD. 

This has been my advertisement for having villages worship dragons and ghosts

God-kings Rule the World: a Short Response to Cosmic

Cosmic Orrery made a post yesterday about Wizards. 3d6 Polar Bears responded to them. I have a few thoughts on both. Unfortunately, blogger is a glitchy mess and I'm not on the Purple Server, so my comments will have to be extended into Content. Not very long content though.

Cosmic's post elaborates on the theme of Wizards and their Domains, and how well a cyclical model of tiny witch-kings creates to the standard dungeons and dragons milleu. It's perhaps not a totally original idea, but I have never valued originality terribly highly. I prefer things to be well-crafted and thought out, so I welcome a post which makes clear the uses of a setting assumption. My thesis is, I think, similarly obvious, but similarly useful: The Wizards that Cosmic describes don't need to be Wizards.

I mean that they need not be scholarly, old magicians, or even skeletal liches. Rather, one can include quite a variety. Ambitious prophets of gods, dark or light. Sword-Saints with magical blades that can cut down 20 men. Some other third thing. All these are likely to seek out magic and wealth, carve out their domain, and fall like lightning. You could probably call them Wizards if you like. But it seems like the powerful tend to blur into each other. If your sword-saint can summon spirit-lightning, he's not so much different from a sword-using wizard. Kill Six Billion Demons has a lot of examples.

Can you spot the Wizard?

 So maybe it would be better to think of them in more general terms. They are simply the Powerful, the god-kings. Some have a scholarly bent, some make secret deals with awful powers, some use swords, some sneak unseen, all are terribly good at killing. All of them are gonna build weird dungeons, make weird creatures, leave weird artifacts, send you on weird quests, and make satisfying noises when you shank them. History is littered with their bodies.

Martial (and other) Arts: Inner Planets

Locheil on the GLOG discord had a good idea:

So I've decided to write it. Since it's in the GLOG discord, I'll obviously write it as GLOG classes. But I think it would probably work best as half-classes, 2 templates with a delta requirement.

(the deltas preclude magically guaranteed outcomes, so an actual prophetic dream doesn't count for the Lunar Arts, and a magic rock that makes people view it as valuable doesn't count for the Mercuric Arts)

Lunar Arts

Δ: Have a dream of yours literally come true, by chance or by effort (ask your DM for random dreams)

A: Select an art form. Works you make in that medium can either provoke an emotion of your choice, or make those who view them for more than d6 rounds save or fall asleep and have dreams of your choice. Artworks must be prepared as a downtime action (whether painting a picture, writing a song, etc.)

B: Gain an MD and an Illusionist spell. You regain this MD by meditating on the moon, and cannot regain it on nights of a new moon.

The Lunar Arts are practiced in urban monasteries by artist monks who sleep based on the moon, rather than the sun, and who record their dreams.

Mercurial Arts

Δ: Trade or sell something for 10 times its worth

A: Once per day, you can convey an impression telepathically to someone you've met before, regardless of distance. If it wouldn't work, its not expended. You can also run a marathon at your normal running speed. You'll be exhausted at the end, and if you are carrying significant weight you can only run half as far.

B: You can squeeze through any space that can fit your skull, and learn an (expensive, illegal, toxic) recipe for a potion which will cause 1 lie you say to be fully believed by anyone who hears it.

The Mercurial Arts are practiced by itinerant monks, who have no qualms about profiting off their expertise, and are generally mistrusted.

Venerian Arts

Δ: Have 3 people in love with you at once, or perform a really significant sacrifice for the person you love most (DM will tell you if this has happened, don't do something little and then pester the DM)

A: You learn a rite by which you can bless a field, orchard, or vineyard to provide triple its normal produce. Its kinda gross though. Requires one other person.

B: Your knowledge of anatomy qualifies you to be a surgeon. Increase your damage with unarmed attacks and knives by 2 steps (1 → d4, d4 → d8). You can bless an additional field etc.

The Venerian Arts are learned by temple prostitutes and certain farmers. They ritually drink vinegar, and meditate with incense and the music of stringed instruments. Obviously they are highly sought after.

Solar Arts

Δ: Ingest a pound of gold over a period of seven days, and meditate for the whole seventh day

A: For feats of strength (but not attacks) you count as Strength 20. Reduce this effective strength by any amount to produce a blast of blue chi dealing twice that much damage, which cannot miss. You have to wait a round before using this again. Reducing it by more than 10 takes a round to charge. Recovering this strength takes a day of meditation (sunup to sundown).

B: Reduce your effective strength by any amount to fly for 10 minutes per point at your regular running speed.

The Solar Arts are practiced in isolated monasteries, which are attended and patronized by noble second sons. While the monasteries are actually pretty spiritual, the threat of 20+ flying laser warriors who can punch through an oak portcullis means that temporal powers don't tend to cross them.

Martial Arts

Δ: Fight 10 men to the death.

A: You cannot fumble with any weapon.

B: Any group you lead counts as half the size for logistical purposes, and twice the size for positioning purposes (i.e. flanking and sieges etc.)

You don't need me to tell you who practices martial arts.