Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Divinities and Cults: Volume I (Labyrinth Lord) 2017 revision


I’ve nearly finished editing Divinities and Cults: Volume I for Labyrinth Lord again this month. Thanks to those of you who have asked questions and let me know about any issues.

I did catch a couple more myself over these last 100-odd hours of work, and also adjusted some formatting, added a little stock art, and changed some sections to make them more balanced and interesting. One main update was making it so that each Divinity now grants bonus benefits for Healing Side-Effects results #8-12, though what those benefits are still depend on that god or goddess’s disposition!

Everything should be ready and re-uploaded to Drivethru by this weekend. I’ll send a message to let any who have already purchased the book know that it has been updated- you can then download the revised copy for free. I think you’ll enjoy it.

Collectors who don’t have their own copy yet should order now, since the original version will be unavailable once the new version is up.

I can also start working on revising Volume I for DCC RPG too if there is enough interest.


Next week, we return to the bonus Divinity article series with a Pictish god! Stay tuned...


Wednesday, August 23, 2017

Priestesses of Potnia/ Minoan Clerics, Part IV


Cleric Spells (Potnia)
Priestesses of Potnia have access to the following spells. Remember, since she is a Bronze Age goddess, roll for Magical Side-Effects for every one cast, not just healing ones. Also, as priestesses, they can cast one extra 1st level per day, if using the optional rules found in Divinities and Cults: Volume II.

1st Level: Command (vs. those wearing chest coverings only), Create Water, Cure Light Wounds, Detect Evil, Detect Magic, Light, Purify Food & Drink, Protection From Evil, Purify Food and Drink, Remove Fear, Resist Cold, Sanctuary (only if at the sea, mountains, caves, or a labyrinth of some sort), Shield*, Detect Snares and PitsD (in Labyrinths only), Pass without TraceD (the same), Charm Person*, Comprehend Languages*

2nd Level: Augury, Bless, Delay Poison, Find Traps (in Labyrinths only), Hold Person, Reveal Charm, Snake Charm, Speak with Animal (aquatic life, bulls, and serpents only), Spiritual Weapon (wielded by a spirit gorgon or minotaur)

3rd Level: Animal Growth (aquatic life, bulls, or serpents only), Continual Light,  Cure Blindness, Cure Disease, Dispel Magic, Glyph of Warding (usable in labyrinths or areas with indoor plumbing), Locate Object (if it is pretty), Prayer, Remove Curse (reversible), Striking (on Labryses only), Water BreathingD, Commune with NatureD, Clairaudience*, Clairvoyance*, Polymorph Self* Suggestion*, Summon Monster III* (Atavars only)

4th Level: Create Food and Water (Tuscan cuisine), Cure Serious Wounds, Divination, Detect Lie, Exorcise, Neutralize Poison, Protection from Evil 10’ Radius, Sticks to Snakes, Tongues, Summon Monster IV* (Medusae or Gorgons [see Volume I] only)

5th Level: Atonement, Commune, Cure Critical Wounds, Dispel Evil, Summon Monster V* (wingless Griffons only)

6th Level: Animate Objects (in Labyrinths only), Conjure Animals (aquatic life, bulls, or serpents), Find the Path (requires a ball of thread), Heal, Part Water, Summon Aerial Servant (as a particular type of spirit- see Volume II), Summon Monster VI* (Minotaurs only)

7th Level: Astral Projection, Earthquake (use with care!), Regenerate, Restoration, Maze*, Statue* Summon Monster VII* (Greater Minotaurs [see Volume I] or Griffons only)


Mycenaean Warriors
Whether in boar’s teeth helm, bronze breastplate, and figure-eight shield, or even positioned on a chariot in the mighty (and very unwieldy) Dendra panoply, these fighting-men live for personal combat. As a result, they can gain a +1 damage bonus per odd level (1st, 3rd, 5th, etc.) when fighting a single opponent.

Mve: 35’ (Dendra: 20’; though much faster on a chariot!); AC 6 (Dendra: 3); HD 1+1; Attk: 1; Dmg: by spear or short sword; SP: +1 dmg per odd level when in single combat; Sve: F1; AL: varies


Minoan Warriors
Though more pacifistic than their Mycenaean counterparts, the Minoans must defend themselves at times too. They eschew armor though, instead dodging and bull-leaping out of the way of attacks. They thus improve their AC by 2 per odd level (1st, 3rd, 5th, etc.) when lightly clad (except if trapped or surprised, in which case their AC is 10), as well as gain a +2 bonus to all Dexterity checks too.

Mve: 40’; AC 7; HD 1+1; Attk: 1; Dmg: by spear or short sword; SP: improve AC and Dexterity checks by 2 per odd level when lightly clad; Sve: F1; AL: varies


Minoan Encounters
See also Etruscan Palace Encounters (listed on this blog under Uni) for Minoan locales, since they are similar, but don’t forget to add minotaurs, atavars, gorgons, and griffons to convert them into Minoan Labyrinths!


Next week: The revised version of Divinities and Cults: Volume I (Labyrinth Lord) should be available.

If you’ve spotted any typos in it (I’ve fixed a bunch over the last few weeks), now would be a good time to let me know!

Wednesday, August 16, 2017

Priestess of Potnia/ Minoan Clerics, Part III

Labyrinth of Minos

Potnia would test her faithful in Minoan ways....

Divine Tests
1-3. The priestess finds herself drawn into a mental Labyrinth of sorts, taking 1d6 turns to emerge and thereby understand the will of Potnia better. Perhaps Ariadne will help to lead her out?

4-9. The Minoan experiences a reduction in spells available (50% chance for each one) for the rest of the day. Roll 1d6 for each spell lost to determine what she need do in order to regain it before that time:
[1] Spend at least 1d6 turns enjoying the sea, mountains, caves, or a labyrinth
[2] Have a public meeting for 1d3 hours with at least 3 other women present, no chest coverings allowed (see picture above; 50% chance of triggering the unenlightened if not in Minoan lands)
[3] Touch a bull, snake, or related creature- it then has a base 50% chance of attacking her
[4] Sacrifice pretty objects and pour libations worth at least 3d20 gold pieces,
[5] Relax for 1d3 hours at a posh and comfortable place, preferably a palace, bereft of any walls or defensive works, but certainly having indoor plumbing
[6] Make a living sacrifice! (base 10% chance of also having to ingest it: does anyone have a slave around?)

10-12. As ‘the Lady’, Potnia was the main goddess over the pantheon, so consider this Test to be for one of the following Divinities instead. Their Linear B, Bronze Age names are listed along with their Greek, Iron Age equivalents, though the Referee should feel free to adjust any results to make them more ‘Minoan’ (matriarchal, artistic, and/or mostly pacifistic). Roll 1d10.
[1] Apaitijo (Hephaestus- see Vulcan in Volume II)
[2] Are (Ares- see Mars in Volume II)
[3] Atana (Athena- see Volume I)
[4] Atemito (Artemis- see Volume I)
[5] Diwo (Zeus- see Volume I)
[6] Diwonuso (Dionysus- see Volume I)
[7] Era (Hera- see Volume I)
[8] Ereutija (Eileithyia/Demeter- see Danu in Volume II)
[9] Paiawon (Apollo- see Volume I)
[10] Posedawone (Poseidon- see Volume I)

13-16. The power of the Great Goddess becomes immediately felt, causing all within a 120’ area of the priestess when this Labyrinth of Minos occurs to save or begin parading around and dancing unclad for the next 1d3 hours. What is more, other beings will arrive. And though they might be unclad, they are as likely to attack the participants as parade and dance (a 50% chance each). Note that if the priestess tries to counteract this Test in any way, she will lose access to all of her powers for the next 48 hours. Roll 1d4.
[1] 1d2 Griffins (50% chance of being wingless)
[2] 1d3 Medusae (see Volume I)
[3] 1d4 Minoan Daemons/Genii (lion/hippo beings- treat as Atavars click for link)
[4] 1d3 Minotaurs (see Volume I)

17+ Catastrophe! Alas, great (mostly) peaceful Minos might not last! In prediction of this, the priestess experiences one of a number of nasty fates.
[1] The priestess becomes lost in a Labyrinth for 24 hours. At the end of each day, she must make an Intelligence check in order to find a way out. If not, she must search for another 24 hours. Daedalus couldn’t escape his own, can she?
[2] 2d4 Mycenaean Warriors invade (see Part IV for stats), seeking to rule the priestess until defeated
[3] Like Pasiphae, the priestess becomes pregnant with a Minotaur. The child will be born in 1d12 months and might not be satisfied with simple milk (a base 75% chance)
[4] Like Thera, a volcano erupts within 1d20 rounds, destroying everything within a 1 mile radius of where this Test occurs.

What is more, for every Labyrinth of Minos result over 17, all results are doubled!


Next week: Priestesses of Potnia concludes with Part IV!


Wednesday, August 9, 2017

Clerics of Potnia, Part II

*Magical* Side-Effects
Since Potnia is a Bronze Age goddess- a time when the role of priest(ess) and magician was even more blurred than with Iron Age divinities- Magical Side-Effects occur every time her priestesses cast a spell, not just with healing magic. Roll 1d12.

1. A Sacrifice! The Great Goddess gives and takes away. Depending on the level of the spell, either goods worth 1d20 gold pieces (1st-2nd level), an animal (3rd-4th level), a slave, criminal, or even a normal person (5th-6th level) must be given to Potnia (killed) for the spell to work, with the highest level ones (7th level spells) requiring the person be also given to the priestess’s belly. Woe unto those that she might have over for dinner in that case!

2-3. Worship of the Land. Many natural places show the many sides of Potnia. The spell requires that the priestess be at or at least be in view of the sea, mountains, caves, or a labyrinth. Using only representations of such places (frescoes, carvings, symbols, etc.) reduces all the spell’s effects by 25%.

4-5. Civilized Magic. No shirt? Great service! Or at least, bare one’s breasts! Any recipients of a beneficial spell with this side-effect must be dressed (or undressed) as such. On the other hand, those who would receive a harmful spell must be wearing such barbaric garb (i.e. shirts or other chest coverings), much as with the priestess’s Turn ability. Otherwise, all the spell’s effects are reduced by 25%.

6-8. Snake and Bull. The magic now requires animals sacred to the Great Goddess: whether snakes or bulls. Symbolic forms will do, including a labrys, though having the actual animal present or even creatures that are at least part snake or bull (e.g. gorgons or minotaurs), grants a 50% bonus.

9-12. Potency of Potnia: The recipient is either blessed or cursed by the spell, depending on whether it was a helpful or harmful one, automatically receiving its full effects (a save still negates, if applicable). What is more, those so affected and who would honor Potnia’s tenets gain a +1 to all rolls for the next 1d6 rounds, while those who would be so abominable as to cover their chest would receive the opposite!

Next week: Priestesses of Potnia, Part III!

Tuesday, August 8, 2017

Wyrd Ways of Walstock is Now Available!

Can you save Walstock from itself?


‘Wyrd’ things are afoot. This town might seem like your ordinary, post-apocalyptic-now-turned-fantasy locale, but it is not! Fell Cults have begun to take over and it is up to the brave adventurers to stop one in particular: the Cult of the Shield Ghul.

But the ‘Wyrdness’ doesn’t end there. Though this adventure can be used to facilitate your typical wander-around-and-kill-everyone-to-take-their-stuff-type scenario, it also includes a sinister (and frankly genius) plot, feuding factions, plenty of hyphens, not to mention bizarre NPC’s and situations to either interact with or stab to death.

Prepare yourself for an unusual and memorable gaming experience. It could be just what the Barber-Dentist ordered!

Inside you will find:  
  • Background on Walstock and its many feuding factions
  • A detailed plot and suggested Fated Events
  • Random Character Background, Encounter, and NPC generation tables
  • Town maps by John R.L. McNabb
  • 44 Keyed Locations
  • Unique pieces of art by Jim Yoder, Jeff Call, Andrew Walter, and John Blaszczyk, along with Luigi Castellani's amazing cover art
  • And full details on the Cult of the Shield Ghul (Tenets, Healing Side-Effects, Tests, and more)!
Get it here!


Wednesday, August 2, 2017

Clerics of Potnia, Part I

Potnia

Neutral Minoan Great Goddess of Snakes and Civilization














Tenets of Potnia
* Always bear your breasts bare, encouraging feminine affluence and potency
* Promote trade, the arts, beauty, and civilization
* Be generally peaceful, but honor labryses (double-headed axes), snakes, and bulls...
* Perform horrific sacrifices from time to time too!


Priestesses of Potnia
Special: Being usually peaceful and matriarchal, there are no Minoan clerics per se, but only Minoan priestesses, most of which follow Potnia. See Divinities & Cults: Volume II for additional details on Minoan Religion.
Allowed Weapons: None, though they may appear armed, bearing labryses, snakes, or simply their breasts.
Allowed Armor: None (see Weapons, above)
Holy Symbols: Labrys, Bull, Snake
Can Turn: Any who wear shirts (or at least shirts that don't reveal one's chest!)
Minoan Mysteries: Priestess of Potnia always gain a +1 bonus to their casting rolls whenever their bare breasts are bared.


Next week: Priestesses of Potnia, Part II!