Wednesday, November 25, 2020

Noitas of Louhi, Part V

 

Louhi Encounters
Within the dark lands of Pohjola, many dangers lurk. Though such incidents are covered in Lemminkainen's and other Finnish divinities' encounters, the following three tables can be used to generate a great variety of such fell folk & beast. Thus, beware of hideous, arrogant, maniacal Pohjolan hounds that are immune to injury (but must stop to eat any food provided) and taunting old women who are flaming, poisonous, good at dueling, and very large!

 
Nature/ Personality (d12) - roll 1d4 times
1. Taunting
2. Inhospitable
3. Noisy
4. Aggressive
5. Blood-licking
6. Hideous
7. Vicious
8. Maniacal
9. Arrogant
10. Cruel
11. Scheming
12. Particularly hostile to Finns (or the like)
 
Type (d12) - roll once
1. Maiden
2. Babe
3. Old Woman
4. Swordsman
5. Host (male or female)
6. Hound
7. Wolf
8. Bear
9. Reptile (lizard or serpent)
10. Elk
11. Fearsome Bird
12. Horse
 
Abilities (d10) - roll 1d4 times
1. Charming: those who see them must save vs. death or be able to resist them
2. Prevents rest: those within their presence must save vs. spell or be unable to sleep or otherwise recover
3. Good at dueling: +3 to hit and AC is 3 better when in melee
4. Immune to injury, but must stop to eat any food provided
5. Poisonous: those bitten must save vs. poison or fall unconscious for 3d6 rounds
6. Very large: +4 HD (25% chance of having 100 eyes too)
7. Flaming: those who come within 3' take 2d6 fire damage per round
8. Uncatchable: those attempting to hold them must save vs. death or be unable to
9. Scary-faced: those who first see them must save vs. death or suffer a -2 to all rolls for the next 3d6 rounds
10. Noita abilities: level 1d8, 85% chance of also being a follower of Louhi
 
 
DCC Conversion Notes
Save vs. death= make a Will save DC 10
Save vs, spell= make a Will save DC 15
Save vs. poison= make a Fortitude save DC 15
 
 
Next week: we begin a new series, Men and Monsters for Divinities and Cults, beginning with the minotaur!
 
 
 

Wednesday, November 18, 2020

Noitas of Louhi, Part IV

 Spells (Louhi)
Cold, dark northerly magic abounds, cast on foes with the teeth of Pohjola's hounds.

1st Level: Command, Create Water (cold), Cure Light Wounds (reversible), Detect Finns (as Detect Evil, but detects Finns and other western human types), Detect Magic, Light (reversed, hiding the sun and moon...), Remove Fear (reversed), Resist Cold, Dancing Lights*, Shield*, Shocking Grasp*, Sleep*, Unseen Servant*, Ventriloquism*

2nd Level: Augury, Bless, Hold Person, Know Alignment, Reveal Charm, Dog Charm (as Snake Chamr, but works on canines), Speak with Animal (canines and bears), Spiritual Weapon, Obscuring Mist (D), Amnesia*, Arcane Lock*, Darkness Globe*, False Gold*, False Trap*, Fell Missile (as Magic Missile*, but missiles are invisible), Knock*, Levitate*, Magic Mouth*, Ray of Enfeeblement*, Scare*, Stinking Cloud*

3rd Level: Animal Growth (canines and bears), Cure Blindness (reverse), Cure Disease (reverse), Dispel Magic, Feign Death, Locate Object (especially one stolen from her!), Remove Curse (reverse), Striking, Clairaudience*, Clairvoyance*, Infravision*, Protection from Normal Missiles*

4th Level: Cure Serious Wounds (reversible), Detect Lie, Divination, Lower Water (by freezing it), Hallucinatory Terrain (D), Temperature Control (D- colder only), Arcane Eye*, Charm Monster*, Confusion*, Enchant Arms*, Fear*, Glover of Invulnerability (lesser), Ice Storm*, Polymorph Self* (any winged monster form), Wall of Fire*, Wall of Ice*

5th Level: Cure Critical Wounds (reversible), Flame Strike (appears as cold darkness), Quest, Control Winds (D), Cloudkill*, Cone of Cold* (dark), Faithful Hound*, Feeblemind*, Hold Monster*

6th Level: Conjure Animals (canines or bears), Part Water (by freezing it), Control Weather (D- to make it worse), Arcane Window*, Freezing Sphere*, Globe of Invulnerability*, Guards and Wards* (doglike), Repulsion*

7th Level: Gate (to a demonic realm), Unholy Word (affecting Finns),Wind Walk, Arrow of Death (as Finger of Death, D, but requires an arrow hit), Control Weather (Greater, D- to make it worse), Summon Demon*

 
Next week: Noitas of Louhi, Part V! 
 
 

 

Wednesday, November 11, 2020

Noitas of Louhi, Part III

Pohjola demands dark deeds to harm those that they claim to have harmed them.

Divine Tests
1-9.
Show those uppity lighter-types a thing or two! The noita must bring about some woe upon a Finn, preferably a Finnish man, though if such are unavailable, other types of western humans will do. Until then, Louhi will bar the noita from using some of her spells (50% chance for each one), possibly including her turn ability. Roll 1d10 for each one lost to see what must be done to reclaim it.
[1] Cajole the next one she meets, demonstrating the hospitality of Pohjola.
[2] Find and harass one at their home or place of work, refusing them rest .
[3] Arrange a beating, though the noita will need some minions to make sure the victim is outnumbered so that it's especially demeaning.
[4] Offer one something of beauty in return for performing some task, and then refuse them it even when accomplished.
[5] Give them one of the 9 diseases- any of the noita's magical side-effects would do nicely.
[6] Take one's possessions, excusing the theft with the claim that they were probably already stolen anyway.
[7] Get 2d4 minions to defile and despoil an undefended place or symbol held sacred by them, all in the name of 'justice'.
[8] Subvert one of their votes or officials, so as to turn things in favor of Pohjola. If unclear, an emissary of Tuoni (Louhi's father and the Finnish equivalent of Nergal- the latter detailed in Volume III) will arrive to help show the noita what to do.
[9]
Put their name on a list, allowing other Pohjolans to know where to best attack them.
[10] Have a dangerous beast, preferably a hound or a bear, greet one as a guest for dinner.

10-16. How better to serve the Hostess of Pohjola than to become more like her? The noita becomes uglier; blacker in heart, soul, and visage, making her unable to help another (even a Pohjolan ally) 25% of the time, increasing by 25% more for each additional instance that she experiences this test. Unfortunately, she also gains another unnatural ability too (roll 1d4):
[1] +2 to all saves, [2] +1 to all rolls for one random spell she knows, [3] may cause fear (as the spell) once per day, though the save is 4 easier than usual, [4] can sense the presence of Finns (or the like) within 60'- all the better to harm them

17+ Louhi grabs the sun and moon (or performs some similar apocalyptic act), causing great calamity in a 1-mile radius. All within that area must save vs. death or experience a random misfortune of her side-effects. The noita is affected differently though: she must save to resist losing her most treasured item, as Louhi lost the Sampo. And for every divine test result over 17, the affected area increases by an additional mile. The noita would naturally wish this to occur in Finnish lands, though the presence of any devout followers of Vainamoinen would make the save 4 easier for all who would resist such disease and 4 harder for her to resist losing her item.



DCC RPG Conversion Notes
Turn ability= Turn Unholy ability
Save vs. death= make a Will save DC 10 





Next week: noitas of Louhi, Part IV!

 


 

Wednesday, November 4, 2020

Noitas of Louhi, Part II

Magical Side-Effects
The cold, dark north births great calamity. So too does the magic of Louhi, for not only may her noitas need meet some requirement, but those so targeted by her spells will often experience additional misfortune. Such side-effects can be resisted (by saving vs. death), but then any beneficial aspects of the spell will also be halved. In any case, roll a d12 and a d10 to determine what occurs. 

REQUIREMENT (d12)
1-2. Blind Daughter of Tuoni: The noita loses her ability to see for the next 3d4 rounds.

3-4. Cold-Cast: The spell must be cast in an area of 40 degrees or lower. If not, then it will occur once such an area is reached.

5-6. Dark Ways: Fitting for one who's black in heart and soul and visage, all within 120' becomes dark for the next 2d6 rounds, making it hard for all without special ability to see. 

7-8. Usual Magic: The magic casts normally, though the spell's target may still suffer misfortune, maintaining most of its nastiness.

9-10.  Impregnation of the East Wind: If the noita anoints her sacred members in order to actually give birth to the spell (a process taking an extra 3d6 rounds), then her labors may be lightened and its effect, range, or duration can be doubled. 

11-12. Pohjolan Magic: The magic works for twice its normal effect, range, or duration, as well as it not being expended that day. What is more, the noita will be able to sense the presence of any Finns (or others that don't belong in the cold, dark north) who are within 60' for the next 3d6 rounds.


MISFORTUNE
The target must save vs. death or suffer (roll 1d10):
1.
Colic: Collapse in pain, crying over some obstruction for the next 2d3 rds.
2. P
leurisy: Must make a INT or CON check to be able to breathe enough to even move each round, lasting for the next 2d6 rounds.
3. Fever: Suffer very unpleasant heat, causing a set -1d6 to all rolls for the next 1d6 turns.

4. Ulcer
: Undergo intermittent, sharp pains and a variable -1d6 to all rolls for the next 1d6 turns, rerolled every turn.
5. Plague
: Reroll on this table and the result becomes communicable. Those who come in contact with the target while experiencing the rerolled effect must save vs. death or also begin experiencing the effect too!
6. Consumption
: As Pleurisy, but is contagious (as Plague).
7. Gout
: Be wracked by intense pain for the next 2d6 rounds, must make a STR or WIS check to move each round.
8. Sterility
: Cannot mate for 1d6 days!
9. Cancer
: Lose 1d6-1 from each ability score each day for the next 3d12 days. Death occurs if any score is reduced to less than 3 during that time (unless this effect is removed before then- as a curse).

10. Strife & Envy: Begin hating Finns, males, and pretty much anything else that's not Pohjolan for the next 1d6 turns. Must save vs. death to resist acting on those feelings if the situation warrants.


DCC RPG Conversion notes
Save vs. Death = make a Will save DC 10
Spell not being expended that day = gains a +2 bonus to its spell check


Next week: Noitas of Louhi, Part III!