Thursday 20 August 2015

AD&D 2nd Edition Proficiencies List

The release of the AD&D 2e players handbook in PDF the other day has got me thinking about that edition of the game -- the one I've played the most of, after Basic / Expert.

I'm not sure if it'll come to anything, but I'm seriously considering running some 2e games, with a few small house rule tweaks. One such tweak is that I'd eliminate the non-weapon proficiency groups which limited the selection of proficiencies by the character's class. To that end, I wanted to create a master list of all the proficiencies in the PHB.

Here's a rough PDF of it.

Tuesday 18 August 2015

New Elementalist Spell: Skyland

As I've been working on the revised Theorems & Thaumaturgy, I've needed to fill in a few gaps here and there in the spell lists. Some new spells have thus crept their way into the revised book :) Here's one, for the elementalist. (You may notice the extended "stat block" -- all of the spells in the revised edition have these extra details, as appropriate.)

Skyland
Level: 8
Duration: Permanent
Range: 0
Casting Time: 1 hour
Elements: Air, Earth
Schools: Enchantment
The ground beneath the elementalist's feet rumbles, grinds, and, at the end of the hour-long ritual, cracks and rends as a rough hemisphere of earth and stone separates from the surrounding matter and ascends into the sky. The size of the hemisphere depends on the elementalist's experience level: a 40' diameter area at 15th level, increasing in overall breadth by 20' per level above 15th  (a 20th level elementalist may thus levitate a 140' diameter hemisphere). (It may, at the Labyrinth Lord's discretion, be possible to further increase the size of the skyland by augmenting the ritual with sacrifices of precious substances or magical items of great value.)

Once untethered, the rocky hemisphere floats at a height of 150' above the surface of the earth. Casting this spell underground has no effect and, even when aboveground, the presence of any form of building in the affected area prevents the enchantment from taking hold. Buildings may, however, be constructed freely upon the surface of the hemisphere once it is afloat.

An elementalist of 7th level or greater who stands atop a skyland may command it to move through the air. This requires the summoning of an air elemental of 8 or more Hit Dice, which is magically bound into the floating hemisphere for a period of 24 hours. During this time, by concentrating, the summoner may cause the skyland to move in any direction (including vertically) at a rate of 110' per turn (3 miles per day). It requires one full turn of concentration to cause the skyland to stop or to change course. After 24 hours have passed, the bound air elemental escapes and the skyland stops moving.
While moving through the air, the floating hemisphere emits an ominous droning sound which may be heard from half a mile distant.

Tuesday 4 August 2015

New Zine: Wormskin

Greg Gorgonmilk and I have been dreaming for some time of a mythic, monster-haunted forest known as Dolmenwood. We've considered various forms of publication but have now settled on a piecemeal exposition of the locales, inhabitants, magic, and mysteries of the setting in the form of a zine.

It shall be known as Wormskin.

The first issue is in production now and should be ready for an August release. Tentative contents:
  • Grimalkin race-class and monster description.
  • Ditto for moss dwarfs. (Who have been discussed in brief on one previous occasion.)
  • The mysteries of the Yrthstone, one of the many powerful standing stones in the wood.
  • Random tables for fungal foraging.

Here's the gorgeous cover that Greg has created...



Available soon as PDF and print-on-demand, A5 softcover!