Saturday, February 23, 2019

Now Available: Divinities & Cults, Volume III for DCC RPG

We are pleased to announce the release of Divinities & Cults: Volume III
for DCC RPG!


NOW IT'S TIME TO GO REALLY OLD SCHOOL!


Have you unleashed the mighty power of Divinities and Cults in your game yet?


Divinities and Cults: Volume III covers the gods and goddesses of both the Mesopotamian and Egyptian Pantheons, as well as a number of Evil Cults. Like Volumes I & II, this work provides detailed tenets, special cleric considerations, magical side-effects, numerous divine tests, and custom spell lists for all 19 of them. What is more, optional rules and random tables abound, organized by divinity of course. This excellent book is compatible with Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG™! 


Inside, you'll get:
  • Detailed rules for playing clerics of 7 Mesopotamian and 7 Egyptian gods and goddesses, including Enki, Enlil, Ereshkigal, Ishtar, Marduk, Nanna, Utu, Anubis, Bast, Horus, Isis, Osiris, Ra, and Thoth
  • Full rules for also playing clerics of 5 Evil Cults, including Apep, Dagon, Nergal, Set, and Tiamat
  • 20 pieces of unique artwork by Luigi Castellani
  • 7 random encounter tables, including afterlife, apsu, desert, inn, pyramid, tomb, and ziggurat
  • 20 new monsters
  • Other optional rules & sidebar sections
  • And much more!



And the Labyrinth Lord version has been updated too!



Wednesday, February 20, 2019

Clerics of Columbia, Part III

Columbia’s clerics determine what spells they can cast by which of her sacred places they visit each day. All the cleric need do is spend at least a minute at one or more there in order to be able to cast the associated spells for the next 24 hours. Otherwise, she may use her magic to heal hit point damage no matter what places she’s visited and her normal limits of spell use still apply.

For example, if a cleric of Columbia spent some time under the open sky, saw the dawn, and spotted some mountains, then she could use the spells from Spacious Skies, Early Light, and Purple Mountains for 24 hours. Later, if she was surrounded by allies and confectionary, then she could access the ones from Crowned with Brotherhood and Sweet Land too until another 24 hours passed.

Since Columbia is only a semi-divine spirit of place though, her clerics do have a 25% chance of failure each time they try to cast spells of 4th level or higher in addition to any other requirements they might have to make those spells work.


LABYRINTH LORD

(Anywhere)
1st level: Cure Light Wounds
4th level^: Cure Serious Wounds
5th level^: Cure Critical Wounds

Spacious Skies
1st level: Feather Fall*
2nd level: Gust of Wind*
3rd level: Flame Strike (appears as a cloudburst)
4th level^: Fly*

Amber Grain
1st level: Charm Person *
2nd level: EntangleD
3rd level: Commune with NatureD
4th level^: Plant GrowthD

Purple Mountains
1st level: Enlarge*
2nd level: Strength*
3rd level: Hold Person
4th level^: Stone ShapeD

Fruited Plain
1st level: Purify Food and Drink
2nd level: Cure Disease
3rd level: Create Food and Water
4th level^: Speak with Plants

Crowned with Brotherhood
1st level: Detect Evil
2nd level: Protection from Evil
3rd level: Protection from Evil 10’ radius
4th level^: Enchant Arms*

Shining Sea
1st level: Dancing Lights*
2nd level: Mirror Image*
3rd level: Water Breathing*
4th level^: Lower Water
Early Light
1st level: Augury
2nd level: Continual Light
3rd level: Locate Object
4th level^: Clairvoyance*

Last Gleaming
1st level: Darkness Globe*
2nd level: Sleep*
3rd level: Speak with Dead
4th level^: Remove Curse (reverse)

Red Glare
1st level: Resist Cold
2nd level: Scare*
3rd level: Pyrotechnics*
4th level^: Explosive Runes*

Home of the Brave
1st level: Remove Fear
2nd level: Spiritual Weapon
3rd level: Protection from Normal Missiles
4th level^: Remove Curse

Sweet Land
1st level: Sanctuary
2nd level: Shield*
3rd level: Restoration
4th level^: Hallucinatory Terrain

Freedom Ring
1st level: Unseen Servant*
2nd level: Holy Chant
3rd level: ESP*
4th level^: Haste*

^25% (additional) chance of spell failure



DCC RPG

Spacious Skies
1st level: Feather Fall*
2nd level: Gust of Wind*
3rd level: Bolt from the Blue
4th level^: Fly*

Amber Grain
1st level: Charm Person *
2nd level: Ropework* (using plants instead)
3rd level: Consult Spirit*
4th level^: Enlarge* (on plants only)

Purple Mountains
1st level: Enlarge*
2nd level: Strength*
3rd level: Paralysis
4th level^: Transmute Earth*

Fruited Plain
1st level: Food of the Gods
2nd level: Neutralize Poison or Disease
3rd level: Exorcise
4th level^: Sanctify

Crowned with Brotherhood
1st level: Detect Evil
2nd level: Protection from Evil
3rd level: Sword Magic*
4th level^: Lokerimon’s Orderly Assistance*

Shining Sea
1st level: Color Spray*
2nd level: Mirror Image*
3rd level: Water Breathing*
4th level^: Control Water (as Control Ice*, but does only 1/2 damage)

Early Light
1st level: Second Sight
2nd level: Lotus Stare
3rd level: Locate Object*
4th level^: Wizard Sense* (visual only)

Last Gleaming
1st level: Darkness
2nd level: Sleep*
3rd level: Curse
4th level^: Speak with the Dead

Red Glare
1st level: Resist cold (but not heat)
2nd level: Scare*
3rd level: Runic Alphabet , Fey*
4th level^: Runic Alphabet , Fey* (+4 to all effects)

Home of the Brave
1st level: Blessing*
2nd level: Spiritual Weapon
3rd level: Eternal Champion*
4th level^: Remove Curse

Sweet Land
1st level: Holy Sanctuary
2nd level: Magic Shield*
3rd level: Restore Vitality
4th level^: Phantasm (showing a place)

Freedom Ring
1st level: Liberty Bond, as Bottomfeeder Bond*, but works with those who enjoy freedom instead
2nd level: Holy Chant
3rd level: ESP*
4th level^: Haste*

^25% (additional) chance of spell failure


Avatar of Columbia
Align: L
MV: 40’
AC: 6
HD: 9
Atk: 1 torch-shaped mace or sword
Dmg: 5d6
SP: Columbia cleric spells/abilities (caster level 12), immune to any harmful place-based effects, +3 to all rolls when in any area sacred to her / -3 when in those that are opposed
Magic Resistance: 15%
SV: F12
Mor: 11

Paragons of liberty, Avatars of Columbia fervently support freedom and enjoyment of the land’s bounty. They are thus generally encountered where their sacredness lies (under Spacious Skies, amidst Amber Grain, etc.) while avoiding places that are opposed to such things (enclosed spaces, dismal places, etc.), gaining either a +3 or -3 modifier to their rolls, as a result. There are those who don’t appreciate the effects of Columbia’s philosophy when taken to an extreme though, putting her avatars at odds with certain divinities and ancestral, nature, or totemic spirits, while others might even be in favor of it.

DCC RPG stats:
Init: +4; Atk torch-shaped mace or sword +12 (5d6+3); AC 13; HD 9d8; MV 30’; Act 2d20; SP Columbia cleric spells/abilities (caster level 12), immune to any harmful place-based effects, +3 to all rolls when in any area sacred to her / -3 when in those that are opposed; SV Fort +12, Ref +12, Will +12; AL L



Columbia Encounters
1d14
1. The land opens up to reveal one of the types of places sacred to Columbia- see Part I for the list. Those who follow her (or at least aren’t against liberty- a base 66% chance) will gain the listed benefit upon arriving for its duration, even if they don’t cast a spell that matches.
2. Masked cultists are attempting to tear down and deface a statue of a famous cleric of Columbia: one named Cristoforo. Will the party stop them or see him as some sort of tyrant too?
3. The party comes upon a dry levy. There’s a 50% chance of 1d4 people drinking rye and whiskey there, otherwise all music dies (including any minstrels present).
4. A priestess of Sif is debating a cleric of Columbia in a cornfield. Both agree that the land should be held sacred, but argue vehemently over whether it’s proper to be unclad while doing so. Sif would insist ‘yes’, while Columbia would insist ‘no’!
5. 2d4 vagabonds leap out, speaking an unintelligible tongue. They enjoy sniffing this strange, white powder and are embroiled in some perpetual civil war- all in the name of Columbia.
6. A paladin of Columbia is baking a pie. 1d3 followers of Johnny Applewheeze arrive and want it to be apple (and especially hyperallergenic), while 1d3 followers of Paul Bunyan want it to be oversized and filled with maple syrup instead. A battle is sure to ensue.... or a food fight at least.
7. The party uncovers an enchanted sword, sacred to Columbia. It may be terrible, swift, and cause lightning damage, but it also can detect approaching lords (whether mortals or avatars) at a range of 1 mile, especially if they are marching and/or are wrathful, as well.
8. 4d20 goblins are spotted invading a land held sacred to Columbia. Will the party wish to introduce them to liberty or simply ‘liberate’ their heads from their shoulders?
9. Flying a kite is a famed, bespectacled inventor. Despite his upstanding demeanor, he actually engages in drunken orgies at some sort of ‘Fiery Hell Club’ at night, only to assert to be a devout follower of Columbia by day- early to bed and early to rise indeed!
10. A strange cult of Columbia has arisen, claiming ‘illumination’. It turns out to actually be run by 
[1] extraterrestrial beings from the stars, [2] followers of the arch devil Lucifer, [3]  disciples of starting a ‘New Order of the World’ by forcing ‘Liberty’ on theirs and other lands, whether the people actually want it or not, [4] minions of Colonel Siegfried and his highly secretive chicken recipe. In any case, those who are actually faithful followers of Columbia will likely take a dim view of such heresy.
11. The locals here are obsessed with a strange game called ‘sportsball’. Most only watch it though, willing to pay exorbitant tithes to the game players, becoming incredibly ecstatic if their team makes a ‘home-down-score!’
12. In the distance lies a city with marble domes, obelisks, seated statues, and white houses. It is said to be a district sacred to Columbia, having much occult symbolism, a pyramid with an all-seeing eye at its top, and folk who are very heavily in debt but act like they’re not.
13. An enormous, copper statue of Columbia, bearing a star-crown, torch, and book, towers above. It has a 10% chance of animating each day (as an iron golem) to crush any serious forces of tyranny.
14. A crotchety old man in red-striped pants is spotted ogling a priestess of Columbia’s backside. There’s a 10% chance of them both being avatars, a 100% chance of his name being Sam, and a 0% chance of her liking it.


Next week: as I begin the revision of Volume II, we begin our series on divinity encounters for it with Brigid, Celtic Triple Goddess of Fire, Water, Poetry, & Craft!