Specialist Wizards & Retro-Clones...

Good Morning, All:

I've always found it interesting to note that 2nd Edition D&D introduced the specialist wizard concept in order to complement the Illusionist, but the retro-clones have basically abandoned the concept and returned to only supporting the Illusionist as a sub-class of magic-user. I know that this is due, in part, to nostalgia. After all, if a class didn't exist in OD&D or 1st Edition AD&D, then there are many who feel that it does not have a place in a retro-clone. I also know that, given the fact that most gamers using retro-clone systems are reusing Old School modules and adventures without these classes, there's little drive to include them. However, it might be nice to offer some new magic-user sub-classes for the OSR based on the other specialists, simply to provide versatility and flavor for character concepts. In addition to the Illusionist, I think it would be cool to be able to play an Abjurer, a Conjurer, a Diviner, an Enchanter, an Invoker, a Necromancer or a Transmuter.

I imagine that the hardest part to this particular challenge would be to create or convert the spell lists. You don't want to offer too many spells, or the specialists become more versatile than the primary arcane spellcaster, the magic-user. It would probably be best, then, to use the number of magic-user spells or Illusionist spells as a target for developing the spell lists for the other specialists. Looking at the AEC for Labyrinth Lord, I would estimate that a designer should aim for 10-12 spells per level for levels 1-3, 8-10 spells per level for levels 4-6, and 4-6 7th-level spells. In addition, I'd suggest copying the spell slots and such from the Illusionist for use with the other specialist wizard classes. For that matter, the Illusionist also forms the basis for XP progression, saves, attack tables, hitpoints and so forth.

Since I have a lot on my plate at the moment, I won't be tackling this now. However, I thought it best to capture the thought while I had it, so as not to lose it for later. So, what do you think?

With Regards,
Flynn

GM Mentoring: The One Page Plot...

Good Evening, All:

Today saw two great posts on different blogs: Gnome Stew announcing pre-orders for Eureka, which in turn influenced Campaign Mastery's plot stat block format. While Campaign Mastery's approach is a bit over the top for me, but it did inspire some thought on the subject for me.

However you desire to capture the basics of your plots or adventures, the more structured your approach or format, the easier it will be to locate information when you need it. Some people write modules, while others find the One Page Dungeon approach to be perfect for their needs. While I am learning the joys of the One Page Dungeon, I also run adventures that are more 2nd Edition in style, in which the events of the scenario are not location-based, but rather forged by the motivations of the parties involved in their circumstances. Seeing Eureka's approach to capturing the basics of a plot in a concise manner, I'm sure that it's possible to create One Page Plots in a consistent manner. Taking the ideas from Eureka (yes, I was was the first one worldwide to pre-order the book) and the Campaign Mastery plot stat block, here's my thoughts on a simple format that might make for a One Page Plot. What do you think?

One Page Plot Format - First Draft

Plot name: Every plot needs a cool name, and here's where that name goes.

Synopsis: We need to include a one to two sentence synopsis of the plot to capture the overall goal of the plot.

Adversaries: This section provides some basic details on the adversary or adversaries for this adventure, including the name of the adversary, a brief description of them, a primary goal and hopefully a secondary goal.

Other NPCs: This section should provide some very basic details on other NPCs of note in the plot.

Locales: This section contains some details on locales that are important to the plot, such as the site of the final conflict, if it's essential to the plot. This won't be a dungeon, as we'd capture that info on a One Page Dungeon instead of here on a One Page Plot.

Plot Hooks: At least three ways the PCs could get attracted to this plot and then actively engaged with it.

Basic Outline: In this section, you should lay out the basics that provide the original flow of the plot itself. This could be made in a three act structure, or a five room dungeon format. I will likely follow my personal One Shot approach in outlining this section. This section should also include some notes on possible consequences of success and failure, and a sentence on how to tell when the adventure is over, whichever path the players decide to take.

Complications: Notes on plot complications, even if mentioned in the basic outline, should be detailed here, so you can make sure to include them as you go through.

Rewards: This section should detail the rewards that are central to this particular plot. These may be material goods, magical items, lost lore, ancient rituals, the undying love of a beautiful woman, the beautiful love of an undying woman, or what-have-you.

I'm definitely looking forward to your input. Did I forget something? Should I remove something from the above? Will it work for a One Page write-up?

With Regards,
Flynn

Stellar Quest: Three Starship Stat Blocks For Your Review...

Good Afternoon, All:

Below is a brief look at three of the starships that will be included in Stellar Quest. Note that the stat block for each vessel is as close to the monster stat block as I could make it and still feel good about it. I'm still working out bugs in the design process, but I think I've got things far enough along in my head that I can post some rough starship stats and get some reader input.

As an aside, both Size (SZ) and Cargo refer to "units", a generic unit of measurement that encompasses a volume of just over a hundred cubic meters. In mapping terms, each unit represents a section of space approximately six meters by six meters by three meters, or roughly a 20' by 20' square, 10' tall.

The stat block values, in order, are:

Size (SZ): The basic volume of a vessel, expressed in units.
Crew: The number and disposition of crew positions required for the vessel.
Cargo: The amount of volume available to carry cargo, expressed in units.
Armor Class (AC): The base armor class of the ship for space combat. Both Descending AC and Ascending AC are provided.
Hit Dice (HD): The hit dice of the vessel. These reflect Structure Points, which operate like hit points in space combat.
Attacks (Atk): The attacks that the crew can make using the ship's weapon systems.
Special (SP): A list of special elements for the ship.
Movement (MV): The movement values for the ship's warp drives and thrusters. A vessel's warp drive value determines the number of parsecs the ship can move in one week, while a ship's thruster rating determines the relative movement of the ship during space combat.

Exploration Scout
Exploration Scouts are designed to cross great distances and locate enemies quickly without engaging in serious combat.

Exploration Scout: SZ 24; Crew 2 (pilot, astrogator); Cargo 7; AC 4 [15]; HD 6; Atk: one missile (1d10) or one laser (2d8); SP: shields (+2 AC, 100 hp), teleporter pad; MV: thrusters 2, warp 2.

Survey Scout
Survey Scouts typically survey interstellar space within the Confederation and the stars beyond its borders.

Survey Scout: SZ 96; Crew 13 (2 pilots, astrogator, 2 engineers, 2 gunners, 6 scientists); Cargo 25; AC 5 [14]; HD 24; Atk: one dual missile (2d8), one dual laser (3d8); SP: laboratory, shields (+2 AC, 100 hp), sickbay, teleporter pad; MV: thrusters 2, warp 3.

Survey Cruiser
Survey Cruisers are among the largest of the exploration vessels used by the Confederation. While the Stellar Patrol has larger warships, the Survey Cruiser is focused more on exploration than aggression.

Survey Cruiser: SZ 192; Crew 42 (2 pilots, astrogator, 4 engineers, 1 medic, 4 gunners, 10 security, 20 scientists); Cargo 32; AC 5 [14]; HD 48; Atk: two dual missiles (2d8), two dual lasers (3d8); SP: barracks, engineering shop, hangar (smallcraft), laboratory, shields (+2 AC, 100 hp), sickbay, teleporter pad; MV: thrusters 2, warp 4.

So, what do you think?

With Regards,
Flynn

The Madlands Campaign: The Archmagus Marcelus, the Blade-Sorcerer...

Good Evening, All:

I've found that having a famous mage or two available for historical references is always a good thing for a campaign. Last campaign, I used the Archmagus Agerean, who suffered from excessive vanity but was quite the accomplished wizard. This campaign will be set in a separate region, so Agerean won't be available to fill the role he had in the previous game. Therefore, it is time to create another great mage for the Madlands Campaign. Enter the Archmagus Marcelus, also known as the Blade-Sorcerer.

The Archmagus Marcelus

At the height of his career, the Archmagus Marcelus, the Blade-Sorcerer, Bearer of the Starbrand, was an accomplished mage-warrior as skilled in combat as he was in magic. A vengeful magelord, the Blade-Sorcerer preferred direct confrontation, blasting his way through his enemies' minions, only to face them with sword in hand. There are some that say the blood of the God of Wrath flows through his veins, while others claim that Marcelus is simply a devout zealot of the Vengeful Lord.

While a number of magical arms and armor are connected to the legends surrounding the Archmagus Marcelus, including the celestial Starbrand that was his preferred weapon, perhaps the greatest and most powerful relic belonging to the Blade-Sorcerer is the Sacred Sword-Throne. This mystical chair is said to confer unto magelords great power derived from godsblood, if they can survive the challenge of the spiritual guardians that inhabit the throne.

Although the Archmagus Marcelus is not longer among the living upon the Plane Prime, many sages, scholars and magelords seek to recover the secrets of War Magic as practiced by the Blade-Sorcerer. His tomes of magical lore are desired by treasure seekers, and his great war rituals inspire awe and fear upon the battlefield. None know the location of the Tomb of the Blade-Sorcerer, where the body of the great magelord is said to be interred with the Starbrand, but all agree that the Tomb of the Blade-Sorcerer lies somewhere in the Madlands.

Hope This Helps,
Flynn

Stellar Quest: Personal Armor...

Good Evening, All:

Today, I started thinking about personal armor for characters in Stellar Quest. In a futuristic game based on those old science fiction television series of our youth, you don't see as much armor as our gaming experiences usually dictates. The thought crossed my mind for a while of using a D20 Modern-style defense bonus by class and level, such as that found in Unearthed Arcana. However, that really doesn't fit the model presented by a rules-light old school retro-clone. With that in mind, I did a little research, and came up with the following concepts:

Padded/Leather Armor
This type of armor is simple enough to manufacture that it should be easily encountered on frontier worlds, even at lower tech levels. It is likely that the standard uniform will provide this kind of protection.

Security Vest
This vest, inspired by the kevlar vests of modern day law enforcement, is essentially a light duty vest with the stopping power of chain mail, and so it becomes the game-mechanic equivalent of chain in this setting.

Body Armor
This lightweight full-body armor provides protection equivalent to medieval plate armor, without the weight and encumbrance of the older armor.

Personal Shield Unit
These small force-field generators create an energy field that provides a bonus to armor, deflecting some physical attacks and dispersing some energy attacks, acting game mechanically much like kite shields do in medieval games, but without having to hold a shield itself. I'll probably base these off of the Shield spell, if not use a dancing shield magic item as my mechanical inspiration here.

What do you think? Any suggestions?

With Regards,
Flynn

The Madlands Campaign: Basics of a Campaign Handout...

Good Evening, All:

This week, I'm going to start laying out and preparing a simple campaign handout for the Madlands Campaign. My goal for this handout is to convey a basic sense of the setting for the players, and provide a little information needed for character creation, all in an easy-to-absorb package. I hope that is will only be 2-3 pages long, one of which will be a regional map for the players (which will not be complete, of course, given the sandbox nature of the campaign.)

I've done a little research, and have come up with the following list of potential topics to cover. None should take up more than a paragraph or two, preferably no more than half a page at most.

• Brief campaign/regional overview (one to two paragraph) to set the mood
• Role of various races
• Local settlement information
• Nearby major landmarks, settlements, ruins, lairs and locales
• Local major NPCs
• Maybe a few story hooks... maybe
• Basic regional map, player's version

What do you think? What would you want to see in a simple campaign handout?

With Regards,
Flynn

Savage Worlds: Stat Blocks for Hirelings...

Good Morning, All:

For those running fantasy games using the Savage Worlds rules system, I offer the following information on basic hirelings for use in your campaigns. These stat blocks are pretty simple and straightforward, built to allow you as GM to handle these characters quickly and easily without having to create a bunch of stats on your own. In addition, these can be offered to players as examples of the basic building blocks used to create such concepts, if your players are the kind that need them.

Hirelings
Basically, a hireling is a person who works for money. Hirelings are always employed for a stated term of service, defined by either duration or the performance of a specific task. Hirelings do not serve an adventurer out of great loyalty, but are hired to perform their tasks.

The following stat blocks refer to the six most common hirelings sought out by adventurers.

Acolyte
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Faith d6, Fighting d6, Healing d6, Knowledge (Religion) d6, Notice d4, Stealth d4
Pace: 6; Parry: 6 (1); Toughness: 6 (1) [8 (3) vs Ranged]
Edges: Arcane Background (Miracles)
Gear: Flail (Str+d6, ignore shield bonuses) or Mace (Str+d6), Leather Armor (+1 Toughness), Small Shield (+1 Parry, +2 Armor vs Ranged)
Powers: 10 Power Points; Healing and either Deflection or Stun

Apprentice Magus
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Fighting d4, Knowledge (Arcana) d8, Notice d4, Spellcasting d6, Stealth d4
Pace: 6; Parry: 4 (5 with Staff); Toughness: 5
Edges: Arcane Background (Magic)
Gear: Dagger (Str+d4, Rng 3/6/12) or Staff (Str+d4, Reach +1, Parry +1, 2 hands)
Powers: 10 Power Points; either Bolt or Confusion, either Armor or Deflection, and either Detect or Speak Language

Laborer/Porter
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d8, Vigor d6
Skills: Fighting d4, Knowledge (Trade) d6, Notice d4, Stealth d4
Pace: 6; Parry: 4; Toughness: 6
Edges: Brawny
Gear: Club (Str+d4) or Dagger (Str+d4, Rng 3/6/12)

Man-At-Arms
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Fighting d8, Knowledge (Battle) d4, Notice d4, Stealth d4
Pace: 6; Parry: 7 (1); Toughness: 6 (1) [8 (3) vs Ranged]
Edges: First Strike or Frenzy or Sweep
Gear: Short sword (Str+d6) or Spear (Str+d6, Reach +1), Leather (+1 Toughness), Small Shield (+1 Parry, +2 Armor vs Ranged)

Sage
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d6, Strength d4, Vigor d4
Skills: Investigate d6, Knowledge (Specialty #1) d8+2, Knowledge (Specialty #2) d8+2, Notice d4
Pace: 6; Parry: 2; Toughness: 4
Edges: Scholar
Gear: Club (Str+d4) or Dagger (Str+d4, Rng 3/6/12)

Vagabond
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Climbing d6+2, Fighting d6, Lockpicking d6+2, Notice d6, Stealth d8 (+2 in urban environment)
Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 6 (1)
Edges: Thief
Gear: Dagger (Str+d4, Rng 3/6/12) or Short sword (Str+d6), Leather Armor (+1 Toughness)

Hope This Helps,
Flynn

Yet Another Retro-Clone Variant: Hunters of the Night...

Good Evening, All:

I have yet another retro-clone variant or retro-supplement idea that I'm going to offer up for those that might want to pursue it. I think it would be interesting to take the D20 Modern concept and shift it backward toward a simpler retro-clone simulacrum. The core conceit of the setting should be a modern fantasy or dark horror setting, like normals that are trying to defend the unknowing public from the creatures of the night, kind of a Special Unit Two vibe mixed with Buffy the Vampire Slayer, or maybe a World of Darkness Hunter setting. I would suggest this concept could be called Hunters of the Night.

I'd either suggest a three class setup, much like True 20 (warrior, expert and adept), or the classic D20 Modern approach (six classes based on the six attributes). The hard part is to come up with a way of presenting the core classes with limited abilities that fit the standard retro-clone approach, while still being interesting enough to play over a campaign.

Like 3d6 Fantasy, I release this particular idea to the world, for whoever wants to use it. If someone does decide to pick this up and run with it, I just hope that they let me know so I can watch it develop. Right now, I've got my hands full with everything else on my plate.

Enjoy,
Flynn

Fantasy Concepts: The Return of Vancian Magic...

Good Evening, All:

Even though Fantasy Concepts has been out for over two and a half years, I still sell a few copies each month. I also get the occasional request for a more Vancian approach to magic in that Fantasy Saga-esque system. For those who are interested, please consider the following suggestion.

The two talents that grant the ability to cast spells to characters are the Scholar's Arcane Mastery talent and the Mystic's Divine Mastery talent. Instead of the rules provided there, replace them with the write-ups below.

Arcane Mastery
Through this talent, a scholar casts arcane spells which are drawn primarily from the sorcerer/wizard spell list. He can cast any spell he knows without preparing it ahead of time, assuming he has not yet used up his spell slots per day for that spell level. He does not have to decide ahead of time which spells he’ll cast.

To learn or cast a spell, a scholar must have a Intelligence score equal to at least 10 + the spell level.

Like other spellcasters, a scholar can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His base daily spell allotment is given on Table: Arcane Spell Slots. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Intelligence score.

A scholar’s selection of spells is extremely limited. A scholar begins play knowing four 0-level spells and two 1st-level spells of your choice. Each time you take the Arcane Mastery talent, he gains one or more new spells, as indicated on Table: Arcane Spells Known. (Unlike spells per day, the number of spells a scholar knows is not affected by his Intelligence score; the numbers on Table: Arcane Spells Known are fixed.) These new spells can be common spells chosen from the sorcerer/wizard spell list, or they can be unusual spells that the scholar has gained some understanding of by study. The scholar can’t use this method of spell acquisition to learn spells at a faster rate, however.

Upon reaching 4th character level, and at every even-numbered character level after that (6th, 8th, and so on), a scholar can choose to learn a new spell in place of one he already knows. In effect, the scholar "loses" the old spell in exchange for the new one. The new spell’s level must be the same as that of the spell being exchanged, and it must be at least one level lower than the highest-level arcane spell the scholar can cast. A scholar may swap only a single spell at any given level, and must choose whether or not to swap the spell at the same time that he gains new spells known for the level.

This talent can be taken up to ten times. A scholar's level of ability in Arcane Mastery is based on the number of times the character has selected this talent. For example, a scholar that has taken the Arcane Mastery talent three times is said to have 3rd level mastery.

Table: Arcane Spell Slots

Level of Mastery	0	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th
1st	5	3	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2nd	6	5	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
3rd	6	6	4	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
4th	6	6	6	4	—	—	—	—	—	—
5th	6	6	6	6	4	—	—	—	—	—
6th	6	6	6	6	6	4	—	—	—	—
7th	6	6	6	6	6	6	4	—	—	—
8th	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	4	—	—
9th	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	4	—
10th	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	4

Table: Arcane Spells Known

Level of Mastery	0	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th
1st	4	2	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2nd	5	3	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
3rd	6	4	2	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
4th	7	5	3	2	—	—	—	—	—	—
5th	8	5	4	3	2	—	—	—	—	—
6th	9	5	5	4	3	2	—	—	—	—
7th	9	5	5	4	4	3	2	—	—	—
8th	9	5	5	4	4	4	3	2	—	—
9th	9	5	5	4	4	4	3	3	2	—
10th	9	5	5	4	4	4	3	3	3	2

Divine Mastery
Through this talent, a mystic casts divine spells which are drawn primarily from either the cleric or druid spell list (chosen when Divine Mastery is first taken by the mystic). He can cast any spell he knows without preparing it ahead of time, assuming he has not yet used up his spell slots per day for that spell level. He does not have to decide ahead of time which spells he’ll cast.

To learn or cast a spell, a mystic must have a Wisdom score equal to at least 10 + the spell level.

Like other spellcasters, a mystic can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His base daily spell allotment is given on Table: Divine Spell Slots. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Wisdom score.

A mystic’s selection of spells is extremely limited. A mystic begins play knowing four 0-level spells and two 1st-level spells of your choice. Each time you take the Divine Mastery talent, he gains one or more new spells, as indicated on Table: Divine Spells Known. (Unlike spells per day, the number of spells a mystic knows is not affected by his Wisdom score; the numbers on Table: Divine Spells Known are fixed.) These new spells can be common spells chosen from either the cleric or druid spell list, or they can be unusual spells that the mystic has gained some understanding of by study. The mystic can’t use this method of spell acquisition to learn spells at a faster rate, however.

Upon reaching 4th character level, and at every even-numbered character level after that (6th, 8th, and so on), a mystic can choose to learn a new spell in place of one he already knows. In effect, the mystic "loses" the old spell in exchange for the new one. The new spell’s level must be the same as that of the spell being exchanged, and it must be at least one level lower than the highest-level divine spell the mystic can cast. A mystic may swap only a single spell at any given level, and must choose whether or not to swap the spell at the same time that he gains new spells known for the level.

This talent can be taken up to ten times. A mystic's level of ability in Divine Mastery is based on the number of times the character has selected this talent. For example, a mystic that has taken the Divine Mastery talent three times is said to have 3rd level mastery.

Table: Divine Spell Slots

Level of Mastery	0	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th
1st	5	3	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2nd	6	5	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
3rd	6	6	4	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
4th	6	6	6	4	—	—	—	—	—	—
5th	6	6	6	6	4	—	—	—	—	—
6th	6	6	6	6	6	4	—	—	—	—
7th	6	6	6	6	6	6	4	—	—	—
8th	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	4	—	—
9th	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	4	—
10th	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	4

Table: Divine Spells Known

Level of Mastery	0	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th
1st	4	2	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2nd	5	3	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
3rd	6	4	2	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
4th	7	5	3	2	—	—	—	—	—	—
5th	8	5	4	3	2	—	—	—	—	—
6th	9	5	5	4	3	2	—	—	—	—
7th	9	5	5	4	4	3	2	—	—	—
8th	9	5	5	4	4	4	3	2	—	—
9th	9	5	5	4	4	4	3	3	2	—
10th	9	5	5	4	4	4	3	3	3	2

Hope This Helps,
Flynn

Convention Advice: Avoid Sleep Deprivation...

Good Afternoon, All:

As a father to a newborn, I've been dealing with sleep deprivation a lot for the last ten days, and I understand that it will get worse before it gets better. However, I recently remembered some advice that Piratecat posted over on ENWorld for Gen Con about seven years back, and figured it would be good to review. Not only does it help me as a new father, but it should be helpful to any gamers attending conventions or other marathon gaming opportunities. Also, it can have Real World application as well, such as how I'm using it right now.

And now, without any further adieu, here's Piratecat's advice on sleep:

So, considering that my "real" job is as a sleep and alertness expert (I design shift schedules for round-the-clock companies), I thought it was worth mentioning a few things before folks head off to GenCon. With luck, maybe I can save someone from having an accident.

For people driving and gaming on short sleep:

1. Most people need 8 hours of sleep to be well-rested. When you're getting less than that (as most people do), you're far more likely to suffer from something called "microsleeps." The less sleep you've had, the more likely it is that you'll experience these.

2. Microsleeps are periods when a wave of sleep washes over you, for anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes. Often times, you may not even realize that you've been technically asleep; these can happen while your eyes are open. Don't remember the last five minutes of your drive, or your attention is wandering to things that aren't the road? You're suffering from microsleeps.

3. At these times, your reaction time absolutely sucks. If you're on a flat straight empty road, you'll hopefully be okay. If the guy in front of you hits his brakes, though, you'll never be able to react in time. It's incredibly dangerous.

4. When you feel this starting to happen, pull the car over off the road and take a ten minute nap. Cold air, a blasting radio - these provide only momentary (and miniscule) boosts to your alertness. A short "power nap" is the only thing that will raise your alertness in the short term. Ten or fifteen minutes of shuteye will help you stay awake for the next 1-2 hours. Even caffeine isn't a great solution, although it can help in the short run. If you're falling asleep during a game, a 5 minute break with your eyes closed can help, as well.

5. Remember, sleepiness comes in waves; you may be fine, then 20 minutes later you're ready to keel over. Sleep-related accidents are much more likely to occur with folks who have been up all night, then who drive farther than 20 minutes. The presence of daylight helps a great deal with your alertness, which is why the vast majority of fatigue-related accidents happen between 1am to 6 am, especially right around dawn.

6. Regarding reaction time and the ability to reason logically - studies have shown that after 20 hours without sleep (assuming a morning wake-up time), your performance is equivalent to someone with a .08 blood alcohol level. After 24 hours with no sleep, performance and mental acuity is equivalent to .10 - legally drunk. See, there's a reason you make stupid decisions when tired! And you don't want to know about how you do when you're tired AND drunk. If you're sleep-deprived, keep this in mind when thinking about what you're doing, especially if you have to drive.

7. Short naps (10-15 minutes, 20 minutes max) are great for short-term alertness boosts. Long naps (2-3 hours) are even better; they give you restorative sleep and can keep you going another 6-10 hours. Stay away from 1-hour naps. Due to the way your sleep patterns run, a 1-hour nap will often leave you feeling groggy and tired, when a shorter or longer nap will not. Neat, huh?

8. The amount of alertness you gain after 5 hours of sleep is significantly higher than the amount you gain after 4 hours. If you have a choice, you'll be a lot happier with that extra hour.

9. More than 3 cups of coffee (or doses of caffeine) doesn't make you any more alert; it just makes you more anxious, irritable and prone to stress. Keep your coffee intake spaced out, don't overdue it, and remember that caffeine stays really active in your body for roughly four hours after drinking it. If you try to sleep when caffeinated, your sleep quality will stink; for that reason, try to time your caffeine intake so that you stop drinking caffeine 3-4 hours before your anticipated bedtime.

There a ton more information that may help, but this is a decent fast primer. Be aware of your drowsiness when driving, and watch out for that mental sluggishness - recognizing it in time may be the best thing you do this weekend.

Hope this is useful!

Hope This Helps,
Flynn

Free RPG Day: Missing It Yet Again...

Good Evening, All:

Next Saturday, June 19th, 2010, is Free RPG Day, a movement by RPG publishers to encourage more roleplaying by giving away free "Quick Start" versions of their rules and/or adventure modules. I really enjoyed the first one, and indeed, I picked up an adventure that proved to be my son's first roleplaying adventure. I didn't get in on last year's, and sadly, I will miss this year's as well, this time due to a newborn in the house. If anyone in the Central Texas area is planning on attending any of those activities and wishes to share some of the bounty they gathered, I would definitely be interested.

Also, does anyone know if any of these modules or experiences will be hosted in an online game of some sort? I may be able to play from home via an electronic tabletop, assuming that all is going well. (I could even call it an early Father's Day present.)

Checking out the Free RPG Day website, I found that participating game stores will have the following in their box for distribution:

* Alderac Entertainment Group
Silver (5 per box), L5R 4th Edition RPG Quickstart & Adventure
* Amarillo Design Bureau
Store Sample (1 per box), Prime Directive Quickstart
* Blue Panther
Store Sample (1 per box), Unique Color Knockdown Dice Tower
* Chessex Manufacturing
Bronze (4 per box), Commemorative Dice
* Columbia Games
Store Sample (1 per box), Harn Quickstart & Adventure
* Exile Game Studios
Bronze (3 per box), Hollow Earth Expedition Quickstart & Adv.
* Fantasy Flight Games
Gold (10 per box), Warhammer 40K Roleplay: Deathwatch Adventure
* Goodman Games
Silver (5 per box), Age of Cthulhu Adventure: Abominations of the Amazon Adventure
* Guild of Blades Publishing
Store Sample (1 per box), Heroes Forever Quickstart & Adventure
* Paizo Publishing
Gold (10 per box), Pathfinder Module: Master of the Fallen Fortress
* Q-Workshop
Gold (10 per box), unique dice
* Skirmisher Publishing
Bronze (3 per box), d-∞, Volume 0
* Troll Lord Games
Silver (5 per box), Castles & Crusades Quickstart and Adventure
* White Wolf Publishing
Gold (10 per box), New Exalted 2nd Edition Quickstart & Adventure entitled "Under the Rose"
* Wizards of the Coast
Platinum (15 per box), Dark Sun 4th Edition D&D Adventure

Looks like there's a lot of neat stuff to choose from. I look forward to hearing tales of everyone's adventures and the impact of Free RPG Day on your gaming this summer.

More Later,
Flynn

A Review of MyD20 Lite Player's Guide...

Good Morning, All:

I had to share the first review I've gotten on Dragonsfoot for MyD20 Lite Player's Guide:
http://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=43372

Thank you, James, for your kind words.

With Regards,
Flynn

Swords & Wizardry Monsters: Four Elemental Undead...

Good Morning:

Over the last few days, I began to consider the possibilities of using other forms of undead in my next campaign. I kept trying to come up with ways to make them distinctive from the usual forms of undead encountered in most campaigns. Eventually, I stumbled upon the concept of elementally based undead. I looked at the four classic Greek elements, being air, fire, water and earth, and came up with a new undead with a theme based on each element. The following are my four basic creations. What do you think? Would you use them in your campaign?

Bloatghoul
Having the appearance of a decomposing sailor with distended belly, leaking murky brine from various wounds, the bloatghoul is an undead revenant infused with the element of water. When the bloatghoul's claws inflict damage on a foe, the target must succeed in a saving throw or fall unconscious and begin to drown as water begins to fill its lungs. A drowning victim will die in three rounds unless someone comes to their aid. Like most undead, bloatghouls do not heal naturally, recovering hitpoints only when they devour the flesh of the recently slain (at a rate of 2d6 hitpoints healed per corpse devoured), and are immune to death effects or effects that require a living body, such as disease or poison.
Bloatghoul: AC 6 [13]; HD 3; Atk: bite (1d8), two claws (1d6); ST: 14; SP: drowning strike, unliving traits; MV: 12; CL 5; XP 240.

Cindercorpse
Having the appearance of a charred corpse, burned and cracked from exposure to flame, the cindercorpse is an undead revenant infused with the element of fire. The heat of the flames still flows beneath its crispy exterior, causing 1d4 fire damage to anyone standing adjacent to the cindercorpse. When destroyed, the cindercorpse explodes in a ball of flame ten feet in radius that inflicts 3d6 damage on anyone who fails a saving throw. In addition, cindercorpses are immune to fire. Like most undead, cindercorpses do not heal naturally, recovering hitpoints only when they devour the flesh of the recently slain (at a rate of 2d6 hitpoints healed per corpse devoured), and are immune to death effects or effects that require a living body, such as disease or poison.
Cindercorpse: AC 5 [14]; HD 3; Atk: bite (1d8), two claws (1d6); ST: 14; SP: burn (1d4), death burst (save or suffer 3d6 fire damage), immune (fire), unliving traits; MV: 12; CL 6; XP 400.

Stonewight
Having the appearance of an albino corpse with dark blue claws, its frozen features reminiscent of stone, the stonewight is an undead revenant infused with the element of earth. When an stonewight's claws strike a foe, the target must make a successful saving throw or be transformed into stone. In addition, stonewights are immune to pertification. Like most undead, stonewights do not heal naturally, recovering hitpoints only when they devour the flesh of the recently slain (at a rate of 2d6 hitpoints healed per corpse devoured), and are immune to death effects or effects that require a living body, such as disease or poison.
Stonewight: AC 4 [15]; HD 4; Atk: bite (1d8), two claws (1d6); ST: 13; SP: immune (petrification), petrifying strike, unliving traits; MV: 12; CL 6; XP 400.

Stormwraiths
Having the appearance of dark humanoid form crackling with waves of blue electrical energy, the stormwraith is an undead revenant infused with the element of air. The stormwraith can create a 5d6 lightning bolt that is five feet wide and sixty feet long, once per 1d4 rounds. In addition, stormwraiths are immune to electricity. Like most undead, stormwraiths do not heal naturally, recovering hitpoints only when they devour the flesh of the recently slain (at a rate of 2d6 hitpoints healed per corpse devoured), and are immune to death effects or effects that require a living body, such as disease or poison.
Stormwraith: AC 6 [13]; HD 4; Atk: bite (1d8), two claws (1d6); ST: 14; SP: lighting bolt, immune (electricity), unliving traits; MV: 12; CL 7; XP 600.

Enjoy,
Flynn

Constructed Languages...

Good Evening:

As I try to adapt to Life After Birthing, aka Life With A Newborn, I find myself thinking about the use of language in my roleplaying games. While I tend to use regional languages for my games, I find myself enamored by the constructed languages used in various sword & planet novels, such as the Barsoomian tongue in Edgar Rice Burroughs' John Carter of Mars series. When I ran my own planetary romance campaign, I created my own language for the world of Samardan. That was how I found out about constructed languages or conlangs.

Conceptually, it doesn't take much to create a fully functional conlang. For an example of what it takes to properly communicate, check out the concept of Basic English. There are some great websites to help those looking to explore this interesting avenue of world building, including the Language Creation Society, How To Create A Language and my personal favorite, The Language Construction Kit.

Don't expect to get everyone speaking a new language you've created. However, conlangs do offer you the chance to create a unique flavor. Even simply naming old monsters using your new naming system, or implementing new titles of nobility and naming conventions, can make your world stand out, even if there is no difference in your campaign or setting in terms of rules or other elements. For example, Middle Earth and Dragonlance both have their own versions of the Elven language, and fans of either setting will claim that their elven conlang variants are "real Elven." Characters are named using these conlangs, and the flavor of each language creates a distinctive flavor that says "this is an elven name" in both settings. If you enjoy highly detailed world building, you can achieve the same thing in your own campaigns through the use of your own conlang.

If nothing else, reading a little bit on the subject may help you develop the cultures of your own setting just a little.

Hope This Helps,
Flynn

Baby Zoe Is Born...

Good Evening:

It is with great pleasure that I announce the birth of my new daughter, Zoe Elizabeth Kemp. Zoe was born yesterday, June 3rd, via Cesarean Section at 1:52pm. Baby Zoe is 18 inches long and weighed in at 6 lbs, 15 oz. Wife and daughter are doing fine, son is excited, and father is proud and exhausted.

With Regards,
Jason "Flynn" Kemp

Posting Delay Ahead: We Are Inducing Tonight...

Good Afternoon, All:

Today's post is simply a quick update to let everyone know that I'm likely to be out of touch for a little bit. We are inducing my wife into labor starting this evening, so by this time tomorrow, I should be the father of a brand new baby girl. Yay! With that little bundle of joy absorbing my focus for a time, be aware that this means other elements of my life, including blogging and writing, are likely to be put on hold, or at least become sporadic at best. Please know that I will return to a more regular posting schedule as circumstances allow.

With Regards,
Flynn

Stellar Quest: Three Alien Beasts...

Good Evening:

Not every encounter in Stellar Quest should be with sentient beings from other worlds. Sometimes, you have to face the local wildlife when it stands between you and your goals. So grab your phaser and your tricorder, because here are some of the beasts you might encounter as you explore the universe.

Anolax
Roughly the size of a large Terran canine, the anolax is a foul and fetid hunting beast that has been seeded on numerous frontier worlds during an ancient interstellar war. Although its claws are quite devastating, it is the horrid stench of the anolax that makes the beast so devastating. Anyone who approaches within ten feet of an anolax must make a saving throw or suffer a -2 penalty on all attack rolls, weapon damage and saving throws due to nausea for the next 2d6 rounds.

Anolax: AC 6 [13]; HD 3; Atk: two claws (1d6); ST: 14; SP: stench (save or -2 on all attacks, damage and saves); MV: 15; CL 4; XP 120.

Baban
The hairless baban is a bear-sized rodent-like creature, its over-sized jaw filled with three rows of sharp teeth. The baban has a voracious appetite, but given its slow pace, it depends on its ability to spit acid at a single target within 30 feet. Any target that fails its saving throw suffers 2d6 points of damage from acid. The baban is immune to acid.

Baban: AC 6 [13]; HD 5; Atk: bite (1d8); ST: 12; SP: acid spit (save or take 2d6 damage, rng 30 ft.), immunity (acid); MV: 12; CL 7; XP 600.

Oliphaurus
An unusual creature, the oliphaurus is a large herbivore with a psionic defense mechanism. When the oliphaurus becomes frightened or endangered, it radiates a psychic field of fear. Anyone within thirty feet of the oliphaurus must succeed with a saving throw or flee from the beast for 2d6 rounds at breakneck speed. In addition, the oliphaurus will trample any creature of man-size or smaller that gets in its path, inflicting 3d6 points of damage, save for half damage.

Oliphaurus: AC 4 [15]; HD 8; Atk: two hooves (1d6); ST: 8; SP: fear aura (30 feet, save or flee for 2d6 rounds), trample (3d6 damage, save for half damage); MV: 15; CL 10; XP 1,400.

Enjoy,
Flynn