Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Clerics of Asclepius (part IV)

Photo: http://www.hermitagemuseum.org/

Cleric Spells (Asclepius)
Clerics of Asclepius have access to any spells that cause healing, rejuvenation, and/or promote good health. Remember too that their Asclepian Mysteries can grant them a +4 bonus to all healing-related Casting Rolls, up to once per day per level (if using that rule, which you should!)

1st Level: Cure Light Wounds, Protection from Evil, Purify Food and Drink, Remove Fear, Resist Cold, Sanctuary, Detect Snares and PitsD, Purify Food and WaterD

2nd Level: Bless, Delay Poison, Find Traps, Resist Fire, Snake Charm, Heat MetalD (for sterilization purposes)

3rd Level: Cure Blindness, Cure Disease, Prayer, Remove Curse

4th Level: Create Food and Water, Cure Serious Wounds, Exorcise, Neutralize Poison, Protection from Evil 10’ Radius

5th Level: Atonement, Cure Critical Wounds, Dispel Evil

6th Level: Heal, Restoration (gained at an earlier level than other clerics)

7th Level: Regenerate, Resurrection (use triggers an automatic Type V Divine Test!)




Asclepeion (healing temple) Encounters
Roll or pick to determine what adventurers encounter in a place of healing.

Roll 1d8
1. 1d6 Special Facilities are also at the Asclepeion (roll 1d8): a Gymnasium, Healing Well, Labyrinth, Library, Sacred Grove, Small Stadium, Theatre, or Tholos (small circular building/ gazebo)

2. Strange event (roll 1d3): random visiting spirit (see Divinities and Cults: Volume II), contagion (Save or catch a disease), or per Referee.

3. 1d10 Non-venomous snakes (75% chance of freaking out those not used to them)

4. 1d20 Patients that are either (roll 1d4): very ill, not ill at all, known to a random party member, or dangerous.

5. 1d4 Assistants or Orderlies that are (roll 1d4): very helpful, know ‘what’s really going on’ (35% chance of actually being right), suspiciously absent, or have some ulterior motive.

6. 1d6 Nurses that are either (roll 1d6): quite attractive, quite unattractive, very helpful, very rude, under duress, or a combination thereof.

7. 1d3 Clerics of Asclepius that are (roll 1d6): distracted, busy (wait time increases to 4d20 minutes), under duress, very skilled, very talkative, or a combination thereof.

8. Re-roll twice.

Sunday, November 27, 2016

Red Noon at Helltowne Now Available on Kindle!

I am pleased to announce the release of my newest novel, Red Noon at Helltowne, on Kindle! 

Fans of dark fantasy, comedy, and adventure, as well as foes of Communism should enjoy this book.

Order your copy now! (Available on Amazon)

On the road to revenge, Oborren and his eccentric allies must face not only the terrifying supernatural threats of Helltowne, but also the insidious philosophy pushed by that accursed land’s red dwarf masters: Equalitarianism. Devils and darkness; red flags and tyranny abound, and it is up to the brave adventurers to stop Commissar General Noel and his machinations to ‘Abolish Humanness’, including his scheme to unleash a mighty weapon of the Ancients upon them all!

But the vile plans of the red dwarves are not contained to Helltowne. Elfriede, the savages of Fjord Vallee, and others must work to free the land of Dinglesfuhr from the bizarre Glowing Spectral Personhood cult. Thanks to such supporters of Underreign, including the former leader of that land, Mekla, goblins were even invited into Dinglesfuhr! Now they have devastated it and subjected its inhabitants to a life of oppression, terror, and death.

Set in the Night Skies Over Valhallow world of the fantasy future, Red Noon at Helltowne is the first book in the new Vale War trilogy. A map and comprehensive glossary are included for those new to this setting, so that they can immediately begin enjoying this amazing work. 

Red Noon at Helltowne: a must-read for fans of dark fantasy, action, humor, as well as saving the world from the lies and calamities of Equalitarianism.


Wednesday, November 23, 2016

Clerics of Asclepius (part III)

Photo: Wikipedia

Asclepeion
It may come time for the cleric to do Asclepius’s work more directly, or even experience some dangerous challenge.

Divine Tests
1-3. Time for incubation. The cleric must sleep at his or her earliest convenience for at least 1d3 hours. During this time, he or she has a 20% chance of being visited by Asclepius in a dream and experiencing the benefit described in the Healing Side-Effects section. 

4-7. Time to heal. The priest of Asclepius experiences a reduction in spells available (50% chance for each one) for the rest of the day. He can immediately regain one though for every time he successfully heals a patient (that actually needs healing). If too many healing spells had become unavailable from this Test though, then it might be difficult.

8-9. Have you come to some sort of Katharsis? It appears the cleric needs to, so he or she must purification themselves with hot baths, purgation, or even a visit to a gymnasium. Until he or she does so, all of the cleric’s spells will be unavailable.

10-11. The Healing God now calls the priest to work at the nearest Asclepeion or other place of healing. He or she must do so for the next 24 hours, leaving all other responsibilities behind for that time.

12-13. Chiron raised and instructed Asclepius and so now too must the priest. He or she must seek out a centaur or other great healer and spend at least 1d6 days with them. Until the priest does so, he or she will suffer a -3 to all rolls.

14-15. A snake arrives to remind the Asclepian cleric of the value of healing. It bites him for 1d20 (nonpoisonous) damage and then departs. If the cleric survives, then he or she gains a Rod of Asclepius, which grants them a +1 bonus to their healing rolls, which is constant as long as the cleric holds it (unlike the once per day per level bonus of Asclepian Mysteries). Future instances of this Test cause the surviving cleric’s Rod to gain an additional +1 bonus.

16-17. Cut open. Reenacting Apollo’s Caesarian section of Asclepius’s unfaithful mother, the Sun God rips the cleric from wherever he or she is to live with the nearest centaur teacher for the next 1d4 weeks. Depending on how far away that is, it may take the cleric some time to return.

18+ Zeus has had enough of the cleric’s meddling with the natural order. Whether he or she actually performed a resurrection or not, the Sky God will send a 5d6 damage thunderbolt to immediately smite the transgressor. For every Asclepeion result over 18, increase the damage by an additional 2d6 (so 7d6 damage at 19, 9d6 damage at 20, etc.)

Wednesday, November 16, 2016

Clerics of Asclepius (part II)

Healing Side-Effects
The healing of Asclepius is great, though not without its requirements at times. In all cases, there is also a 20% chance that Asclepius will later visit the patient in a dream when he or she next sleeps, granting the recipient a +1d3 bonus to any one roll related to healing or avoiding harm for the following day.

1. Telesphorus: Healing must be brought to completion. The spell takes 1d6 x10 minutes to cast; 1/2 that time if the cleric is a dwarf or often wears a hood.

2. Aceso: It takes a 1d6 x 10 minute process for the effects of the healing spell to kick in, but only 1d6 minutes if a snake is present.

3. Podalirius: Is the patient a hero or an animal? Is there a stream nearby? If so, then the healing works normally. If not, then the cleric must operate, causing 1d4 damage to the patient.

4. Iaso: In order to recuperate, the patient needs rest. At the earliest opportunity, he or she must rest for at least 1d3 hours in order to receive the healing. The chance of a visit by Asclepius is 40% in this case, rather than just 20%.

5. Machaon: All that is needed are medicinal herbs for the healing to work. If not on hand, then it will take the cleric 1d6 x 10 minutes to find them.

6. Aglaea: Such a healthy glow! The recipient is healed and gains a +1d3 bonus to all Charisma-based rolls for the next 1d6 hours.

7. Hygieia: Cleanliness is next to this goddess. If the patient is clean (per Referee) then he or she is healed and gains a +1d6 bonus to resist disease for the next day.  If not, then the patient only receives 1/2 the healing effect and no bonus vs. disease.

8. Epione: Soothed of all pain, the recipient automatically gains the full healing effect of the spell. What is more, the next time he or she is healed by any cleric, they may pick which Side-Effect they wish to experience, if any.

9-12. Blessing of Panacea: Not only is the patient healed by the spell, but is in fact healed of all injury and malady.

Look for more about clerics of Asclepius in upcoming blog posts!

Part I

Wednesday, November 9, 2016

Clerics of Asclepius (part I)

Asclepius
Lawful God of Healing

Tenets of Asclepius
* Heal others whenever you can
* Maintain Asclepieia (healing temples)
* Respect snakes, especially the non-poisonous kind
* Never bring back the dead without divine permission!

Clerics of Asclepius
Special: Clerics of Asclepius are also referred to as priests and priestesses. They are talented healers, but usually avoid participating directly in battles themselves.
Allowed Weapons: Rod, staff, or club
Allowed Armor: None!
Holy Symbol: Rod Entwined with a Snake
Can Turn: Those who have cheated death: undead and resurrectees
Asclepian Mysteries: Clerics of Asclepius can gain a +4 bonus to all healing-related rolls, up to once per day per level, including to their d20 Casting Roll (if using that rule)

Look for more about clerics of Asclepius in upcoming blog posts!

Photo: Wikipedia 

Wednesday, November 2, 2016

Red Noon at Helltowne

I've finished editing my third novel, Red Noon at Helltowne. It is dark fantasy with humor, action, and political commentary.

My design person is nearly done with the cover, then I'll be handing the text off to her for the Kindle and Createspace conversions. Stay tuned!