Cepheus Subsector: Defenders of the Disciplined...

Good Afternoon, All:

Today, I wanted to introduce you to Cepheus Subsector, the focus of my next Traveller publication, by introducing an antagonist for adventures set in the region. I've often written about the psionic terrorist cells sponsored by the Republic's enemies, the Covenant of Discipline. I think it's about time I gave them a name. Here's the write-up I'm including on one of the more powerful enemies of the setting:

Defenders of the Disciplined: A terrorist organization based out of the Covenant of Discipline, these subversives operate on numerous worlds both inside and beyond the borders of the Dracosian Republic. The Defenders systematically use violence and terror to strike against the Dracosian Republic in retaliation for the Republic's official stance on psionics and the treatment of the Disciplined, in particular. Attacks made by clandestine Defender terrorist cells are usually carried out in such a way as to maximize the severity and length of the psychological impact on the greater population, in addition to causing immediate political and economic damage, particularly against anti-psionic targets. The Defenders of the Disciplined are organized in a conspiratorial cell structure formed of members often recruited locally, with individuals cell members having limited contact with other cells. Each cell fulfills specific roles within the organization: infrastructure, operations, indirect support, etc. This structure allows the Defenders of the Disciplined to minimize their losses upon discovery, and also makes it very difficult for authorities to insure that all elements of a discovered threat have been removed. The Covenant of Discipline does not officially condone the actions of these terrorists, claiming that the practices of the Defenders of the Disciplined does not hold true to the core values of the psionic philosophy known as the Discipline. The media often portrays Defender conspiratorial cells as “Disciplined Terrorist Cells,” blurring the distinction between the government of the Covenant of Discipline and the terrorist organization.

As I mentioned in my previous efforts to develop sandbox-style campaign settings, having a Hall of Infamy, a roster of antagonists, can be very helpful for developing adventures and story arcs. The Defenders of the Disciplined are one of the seven multiworld entites that make up the Hall of Infamy for Flynn's Guide to Azri Drakara: Cepheus Subsector.

Enjoy,
Flynn

Site Moves On Monday, And We Start Monster Creation...

Good Afternoon, All:

I am slowly in the process of porting over the In Like Flynn blog to the new website, and will officially launch the site on Monday, September 30th, 2013. I may not have all the features up by then (namely, a storefront for my PDF products), but if it isn't up on Monday, it will be up shortly thereafter. I'll post here when I'm ready to migrate people over.

Kobold posted a comment to my previous entry, and so I'll address his requests. Starting on Monday, I'll begin a short series on how I go about creating monsters, and even create a few. Although I prefer to keep this blog generally system-less going forward (except for possibly Traveller bits, since I want to start focusing in that area), I will probably offer creature stats in a number of different systems, in case they should prove useful for Referees. Also, it will demonstrate how I might port the same description over into multiple systems. Let's build a few monsters for a fantasy game, a sci-fi game and a horror game. Sound like fun?

With Regards,
Flynn

Reader Poll: Challenges in Campaign Execution...

Good Afternoon:

My apologies for the lack of entries lately. I am still working on the new website, getting the design to look the way I want it to. In the end, I think I'll end up going with a minimalistic design, because anything else I've tried simply looks too busy. When all else fails, going back to the basics is generally considered a good thing.

Once I get the blog moved over to the new site, Fridays will become the day that I discuss the current project I'm working on for Samardan Press. Do you think that Mondays and Wednesdays also need their own theme?

When I think about the kinds of challenges that all Referees, GMs and DMs face when running a campaign, I come up with a short list of different things I could address as the next series for In Like Flynn. Here are some of my thoughts:

• Adventure Creation
• Challenges of Running a Long-Term Campaign
• Encounters or Scenario Creation
• Finding New Players
• Handling Different Player Types
• Locations
• Making Combat Fun and Entertaining
• Map Creation
• Monster Creation
• Organizing Campaign Data
• Role of Organizations
• Running a Focused Campaign (Political, Military, Mercantile, Exploration, etc.)
• Running a Prep Lite Campaign (aka Winging It)
• Setting Creation (Campaign or Mini-Settings)
• Stock NPCs
• Story Arcs
• Unique NPC Creation

What sounds like fun to you? What would you be most interested in reading about? What aspects of running a campaign cause you problems? Please let me know in the Comments section. Remember that your words will help determine the direction of my next series of posts.

With Regards,
Flynn

New Product Release: Patrons By The Dozen...

Good Afternoon, All:

It is my pleasure to announce that I have released my latest Traveller product this weekend:

Flynn's Guide to Azri Drakara: Patrons by the Dozen is an adventure sourcebook for Traveller that contains a dozen Patron Encounters, each one defining an adventure scenario with six possible resolutions. These adventures can be used with the Traveller system, or even other science fiction rules sets. These Patron Encounters are intended for use in the Azri Drakara campaign setting, but can be used in any Traveller campaign with little or no changes.

Flynn's Guide to Azri Drakara: Patrons by the Dozen is the next product of the Flynn's Guide to Azri Drakara series. This series details various aspects of the Azri Drakara sector, an interstellar region designed to offer Referees and players opportunities to engage in all manner of science fiction adventuring.

Pick up your copy at either location: Patrons by the Dozen on RPGNow or Patrons by the Dozen on Lulu.

Watch for future releases of the Flynn's Guide to Azri Drakara series from Samardan Press in the coming months!

Enjoy,
Flynn

New Gaming Products On The Horizon...

Good Afternoon, All:

I realize that I've been quiet recently, but that's because I've been working hard on developing several new gaming products for launch this fall.

Next week, I will release Flynn's Guide to Azri Drakara: Patrons by the Dozen. It contains a dozen Patron Encounters, each one defining an adventure scenario with six possible resolutions. For an example of the contents, please check out Bruce Ayala, Interplanetary Playboy.

By the end of September, I will be moving this blog to a new website. I'll provide more information on that later, as things develop.

In October, I will be releasing Flynn's Guide to Azri Drakara: Cepheus Subsector. This campaign resource and supplement is similar to Flynn's Guide To Azri Drakara: Rodan Subsector, in that it provides a complete game setting which can be used with the Traveller system, or even other science fiction rules sets. This book focuses on a single subsector on the frontier of the Azri Drakara sector. The guide provides astrography maps, world data, library data, rumors and a number of patron encounters to help you begin your next science-fiction campaign on the frontier of the Dracosian Republic.

More Later,
Flynn

Patrons By The Dozen: Bruce Ayala, Interplanetary Playboy...

Good Afternoon, All:

I'm working on a small Traveller product at the moment, which I am tentatively calling Flynn's Guide to Azri Drakara: Patrons By The Dozen. It contains a dozen Patron Encounters, each of them built to my usual standards. (For more details on that, I will direct you to my post entitled Traveller Sandbox: My Thoughts on Patron Encounter Design...). Below is one of the Patron Encounter write-ups for your review. What are your thoughts about it?

Bruce Ayala, Interplanetary Playboy

Required: Investigate, Streetwise; No special equipment required.
Reward: Cr 500 a day, plus expenses; minimum of two weeks.

Players’ Information
Word on the street is that the famous holovid star and interplanetary playboy Bruce Ayala is cruising the local bar scene. That night, Bruce Ayala, along with his entourage of publicists and models, staggers into the same locale as the party and buys a round for every offworlder. Over the course of the evening, he continually hounds the party for details of their exploits, always comparing their adventures to roles he's portrayed. Late into the evening, Ayala corners one of the party members and offers the crew a job, if it can be handled with discretion. He provides contact information, and arranges a meeting to discuss terms, if they are interested.

Referee’s Information
When Bruce Ayala achieved system-wide fame as a holovid star, he admits that it went right to his head, and it cost him the love of a wonderful young woman by the name of Martha McKernan. He's kept tabs on Martha over the years through private investigators and the like, one of whom has reported that she's gone missing a few days ago. Ayala wants to hire the party to discretely investigate Martha's disappearance, locate the young woman and rescue her from whatever situation she might be in. He's concerned that his current media distributor, Penultimate Productions, have pulled something, as he has been secretly planning to sign a new contract with a competitor, System Media Studios. That represents a great loss for Penultimate Productions, and Alaya feels that they are not above coercion to insure the holovid star continues to bring them money. In all of the options presented below, further development is left to the discretion of the Referee.

1. All is as it appears. Bruce Ayala is correct; Penultimate Productions has discovered their star's clandestine plans. Slowly moving away from the verge of bankruptcy, the media distributor owes their recovery to Bruce Ayala's success in the box office. Worried that the star's departure could cost them everything, the executive producers have hired thugs to kidnap Martha McKernan and use her to force him to extend his current contract.
2. Sadly, Bruce Ayala is incorrect. His own agent, Cornelius Brass, has a gambling problem, a huge gambling problem. He's fallen in so much debt to the local crime syndicate that they've started threatening his life and the lives of his family, and the man has become desperate. Brass has arranged for the kidnapping of Martha McKernan, hoping to ransom her to enough to pay off his debt and tuck away a tidy bankroll so he can continue his gambling habit.
3. Bruce Ayala has been less than truthful. He's been stalking the innocent Martha McKernan for years, using his fame and fortune to attempt to force her into marrying him. In an act of desperation, Martha has gone on the run, trying to make her way out of the star system undetected in an effort to find safety from Ayala's overwhelming attentions.
4. System Media Studios has kidnapped Martha McKernan as a form of leverage to use on Bruce Ayala in the event he changes his mind and backs out of the secret negotiations. They believe he is unaware of her disappearance, and only intend to reveal her status as a prisoner should he start entertaining the thought of extending his current contract with Penultimate Productions.
5. Martha McKernan has watched Bruce Ayala's meteoric rise to success with envy and jealousy. She feels scorned by the holovid star, and every image of Bruce Ayala with some starlet has pushed her further into the depths of hatred and loathing. Martha has arranged her own "kidnapping", so that she can demand a costly ransom from Bruce. Any extended contact with Martha will reveal that she is not completely sane, and will likely go to extreme lengths to harm and humiliate Bruce Ayala.
6. Martha McKernan is actually on vacation, hiking deep in a wilderness preserve to get away from civilization for a few weeks. Edmund Sang, a private investigator employed by Bruce Ayala, has reported her missing simply to get more money from Mr. Ayala to "locate" her. When the party shows up and begins investigating, he realizes that he might get caught and so desperately attempts to redirect them, to avoid having his deception discovered. Sang's efforts to create a false trail points to the local crime syndicate, who do not take kindly to the party investigating their illicit activities looking for a girl they've never heard of.

I look forward to your comments.

With Regards,
Flynn

The Future of "In Like Flynn"... For The Moment...

Good Afternoon, All:

I've been looking at my direction of product development, and I've decided that I need to choose a direction. Ultimately, I think I'll be better served developing professional products for the Traveller System Reference Document. As you may have noticed, I do tend to have "Gamer ADHD", and this blog covers a wide range of materials. Going forward with the blog, I will generally confine my posts to system-agnostic discussions and general GMing advice. Genres are still wide open, because I feel that there's always room for conversion to your favorite gaming system, whatever the genre happens to be. After all, there are now fantasy versions of Traveller and sci-fi versions of Swords and Wizardry now, which should illustrate my point rather well.

Thanks for your continued readership and support. It is my hope that the material I present continues to prove useful, if for no other reason than as an idea resource.

With Warm Regards,
Jason "Flynn" Kemp

Words of Samardan: An Extensive Lexicon of Linguistic Roots...

Good Afternoon, All:

As mentioned early on, the use of a constructed language is very common in planetary romance novels. For the creation of various elements for the World of Samardan Campaign Setting, I created a basic naming language, using basic language roots and concatenation. It didn't happen all at once, but chunks at a time, as I needed various aspects of the naming language. All in all, I created almost three hundred core roots, which I have listed below in the following table:

Table: Full Name Format

Samardan	English
bak	bat
bal	lance, spear
balem	valley
bam	flower
ban	bird
bar	bigger, greater, more
barik	rain
bek	beak, bill
ben	come
ber	green
blad	blade, sword
blen	highlands
bol	tree
bur	bear (animal)
bur	brown
dafan	shell
dam	blood
dan	earth, ground, land
dant	fang, tooth
darb	path, trail
darm	justice, righteousness
dasan	slave
dek	(number) 10, ten
del	chasm, rift
dev	god
deva	divine, holy
di	smallest, least
digar	hill, hillock
dik	savage, wild
dil	shadow
dim	smoke
din	mineral, stone
doganu	noble (high)
don	thunder
dor	mouse, rat, rodent
drak	serpentine, snake
dren	lumber, wood
dros	estate, manor
dud	worm
duk	firearm, gun
dul	dark
dus	gray, grey
fak	jaw
fam	mouth
far	aberration, alien
fas	competition, contest, game
feb	amphibian
fel	barrens, desert, wasteland
fort	strength (inner), willpower
gad	liver
gak	creek, stream, river, water (flowing)
gan	war
gand	odor, skunk, stink badger
gar	mountain
gas	island
gat	cat, feline
gen	cloud
gon	fire
gong	ooze, slime
gongar	volcano
gor	mount (to ride a creature)
gran	biggest, greatest
grat	township (walled)
gum	curve
gumbad	dome, vault (curved structure)
gup	sponge
gus	orange (color)
had	youth
hada	young
hak	raccoon
ham	homestead, residence
han	pride
har	run
hat	line, stripe, strip
hel	black
hen	offspring, son/daughter
hik	laugh
him	slow
hud	beaver, badger, otter, weasel
hun	color
hur	freedom
hus	hyena
kad	arrow, bolt, projectile
kal	hair, pelt
kam	grasslands, plains, savannah
kamar	moon (general)
kan	canine, dog, wolf
kar	horn
karm	ear
kas	success, victory, win
kasa	axe, hatchet
kat	carnivore
ker	take care of
kesh	odd-toed ungulate (horse, donkey, zebra, tapir, rhino)
kif	cliff, precipice
kina	sharp
kod	dig
kol	mine, quarry
kom	omnivore
koranu	noble (medium)
kosh	beach, shore
kost	bone
krak	lightning
kreg	believe, dogma
krel	wing
kris	crystal
kudisa	blessed, sacred
kun	claw
kus	diplomacy, negotiation
kusan	diplomat, negotiator
lal	night
lan	lazy
lang	tail
lat	(number) 3, three
lath	herbivore
lek	(number) 1,000, thousand
len	parasite
lep	hare, rabbit
lisan	language
liyum	spire, tower
lob	love
log	cure, heal
lon	(number) 1,000,000 million
lus	light, brightness
ma	I (first person, singular)
mad	build, forge, make
madan	builder, creator, smith
mader	forest, woods
mak	place, site
mal	smaller, lesser, less
man	hand
mand	anteater, armadillo, glyptodont, sloth
mang	mongoose
mani	we (first person, plural)
mer	marsh, moor, swamp
mil	salt
min	command, direct, lead
mir	detritivore, scavenger
mit	hammer
mor	dead, death, die
mot	pearl
mud	insight, wisdom
mur	bitterness
nadar	cave, cavern
nak	serve
nakan	servant (personal, non-slave)
nan	(number) 2, two
nar	nose
naran	twin
nat	farm, plantation
nen	(number) 9, nine
neth	feather
nob	new
nol	(number) 0, zero
ork	fork, split
pad	father
pak	marsupial, pouch
pal	half
pan	bread
pand	lake, pond, water (still body)
pansanu	noble (low)
par	chokepoint, gate, pass
pek	muscle, strength
peka	strong
penk	(number) 5, five
pesh	fish
pesun	hoof
pif	skin
pil	yellow
pit	drink
plem	clan, family, tribe
pod	influence, power
pol	field
por	aerie, port
pul	bridge
rag	noble, royal
raganu	emperor, king, sovereign
rahan	survive
rak	arthropod (crab, insect, spider)
ram	temple
ran	person, sentient
rani	people (sentient species)
rapa	fast, quick, rapid, swift
rar	strange
raran	enemy, stranger
rasak	academy, school
rasokamari	moon (dancing twins)
rek	rich, wealth
riv	spin, weave
rug	hedgehog, mole, shrew
ruk	knee
run	red
runkamar	moon (red)
sab	civet
sad	happy
saf	purity
sag	dungeon, jail, prison
sam	fight, skirmish
saman	sky
samar	fighter, mercenary, warrior
san	defend, protect
sanadar	flying ship
sanar	defender, guardian, protector
sar	dinosaur
sark	shark
sat	(number) 7, seven
sel	seal, walrus
sem	(number) 1, one
sen	(title) mystic, scholar, teacher
sest	(number) 6, six
set	dolphin, porpoise, whale
shand	rod, stave
shar	road, street
shen	name
shet	(number) 4, four
shin	knight
shun	reptile
sir	head
smar	bear-dog
so	he, she, it (third person, singular)
sok	height
sol	citadel, fort (civilized)
soni	they, them (third person, plural)
sor	sun
sorat	gold
sud	ape, babboon, gorilla, monkey, primate
suk	market
sul	blue
sum	devotion, honor, loyalty
suma	devout, loyal, patriotic
sumar	fight (honorable), duel
sun	give
suvel	white
suvelkamar	moon (white)
tad	mammal
tal	lake
tam	value
tan	tongue
tanga	stinger
tar	radially symmetrical aquatic (starfish)
tar	star
tath	breast
thor	hamlet, shire
thul	purple
tin	hear
tor	rock
trat	ancient, archaic, obsolete, old
tu	you (second person, singular)
tuni	y'all (second person, plural)
tur	castle, palace
tut	broken
val	village
valk	fort (frontier/border), watch tower
van	bay
var	leaf
ves	beer
vid	poison, venom
vir	bravery, valor
vist	see
vol	flight
vos	(number) 8, eight
yam	ocean, sea
yan	eye
yar	advise, counsel, recommend, suggest
yat	journey, travel
yen	(number) 100, hundred; also, full
yev	bear, carry
yun	storm
yur	even-toed ungulate (antelope, camel, cattle, deer, goat, hippo, pig, sheep)
yurlath	livestock

Please let me know if I've forgotten any of the roots that I may have published earlier. If I need to include additional entries, please feel free to suggest them in the comments of this post. This was one of my favorite aspects of generating this material. If nothing else, it gave a sense of internal consistency to all of my names. I hope you, too, find it useful going forward.

With Regards,
Flynn

Beasts of Samardan: 'Voldamrak' to 'Yurlath'...

Good Afternoon, All:

This is the final entry in the bestiary for the World of Samardan Campaign Setting series. Here are five more creatures for consideration:

Voldamrak

This cat-sized flying insect dwells in swamps, jungles and forests. The voldamrak has a long, needle-like proboscis that it jabs into its victim. Once attached, it continues to drain blood, automatically dealing 1d4 damage per round until it is killed, pulled off or had drained 8 hp total. Voldamraki travel about the countryside in small swarms, and are attracted by the use of mental powers.

Voldamrak: DEF: 12; HD: 1; ATK: bite (1d4); ST: +2; SP: Blood drain (once hits, stays attached and automatically deals 1d4 damage per round); SPD: 3, fly 8; CL: 1; XP: 300.

Volsarkat

The volsarkat is a large winged saurian creature found in great flocks throughout the World of Samardan. The flying beast possesses a wingspan of twenty feet, a weight of 125 pounds, a pronounced cranial crest and a long serrated beak. Volsarkati often swarm over their prey, attacking from above.

Volsarkat: DEF: 16; HD: 5; ATK: bite (2d6); ST: +4; SP: Dive attack (+2 on attack and dmg rolls, -2 DEF until next turn, only from above); SPD: 4, fly 8; CL: 2; XP: 450.

Yanfarran

The yanfarran is an aggressive predatory beast that dwells underground. Large crimson compound eyes dominate the head of the yanfarran, who otherwise resembles a hairy primate with two hairless tentacles sprouting from its shoulders in place of arms. Highly intelligent, the yanfarran is a very cruel and avaricious creature possessing incredible psionic powers.

Yanfarran: DEF: 22; HD: 11; ATK: Two tentacles (1d8); ST: +7; SP: All-around sight (cannot be flanked), powers as a 7th level Mystic, telepathy; SPD: 8, climb 6; CL: 8; XP: 3,600.

Yur

A fairly common semi-domesticated animal, the yur can be found in many regions of the World of Samardan. A stout, cloven-hoofed mammal, the six-legged yur has a thick hide sparsely covered with coarse hair, a disk-like snout, two tusks that curve upward from its lower jaw, and a short, tasseled tail. This clever, sociable animal may be trained to do many tasks, and sometimes is even kept as a pet.

Yur: DEF: 13; HD: 2; ATK: bite (1d4); ST: +3; SP: None; SPD: 6; CL: 0; XP: 150.

Yurlath

The yurlath is a near-universal livestock animal found in wide varieties around the world. The beast masses about 400 pounds, stands four feet tall at the shoulder, and measures about eight feet in length. It has a large barrel-like chest, three pairs of thick, stocky legs, a short muscular tail that resembles a tapered flap, a bony frill-plate to protect its thick neck, and a sharp, thick beak. Typical coloration and frill shape varies between subspecies of the yurlath. The thick integument of the yurlath is covered dorsally by a thick, spiny hair/feather growth ranging in cover from a dark navy blue through maroon and into a deep crimson. The ventral side of the integument is "hairless". Yurlathi lay eggs and then breastfeed the young hatchlings until they can survive on their own.

Yurlath: DEF: 14; HD: 3; ATK: gore (1d8); ST: +3; SP: Trample (2d4, Reflex DC 13 avoids); SPD: 7; CL: 1; XP: 300.

Enjoy,
Flynn

Beasts of Samardan: 'Synthetic Man' to 'Volbur'...

Good Afternoon, All:

In this, the seventh entry in the bestiary for the World of Samardan Campaign Setting series, we expand on the options available for a planetary romance game. (One more entry after this one, and the bestiary should be more or less ready to go.) Here are five more creatures for consideration:

Synthetic Man

In a few ruins of the Ancient Ones, artificially created humanoids continue to provide basic service, performing tasks that long ago lost any sense of purpose or meaning. These synthetic men resemble featureless humanoids, lacking any body hair or well-defined facial features. Although synthetic men have a mouth for feeding, they are unable to speak, lacking vocal cords. Like all constructs, synthetic men are immune to all mental attacks and abilities, poison, disease and physical exhaustion.

Synthetic Man: DEF: 13; HD: 2; ATK: by makeshift weapon (1d6) or slam (1d4); ST: +3; SP: Cannot speak, immune to all mental attacks and abilities, poison, disease and physical exhaustion; SPD: 6; CL: 1; XP: 300.

Tarfarkat

Native to the region surrounding the Crater of the Star Creatures, the tarfarkat have only appeared after the great meteor impact that formed the crater. Although different varieties of tarfarkati exist, the most common type by far resemble a pale yellow crustacean with a set of massive pincers and paralytic tentacles. Extremely intelligent, tarfarkati prefer to use ambush and advanced hunting tactics to bring down prey.

Tarfarkat: DEF: 22; HD: 11; ATK: two claws (1d8), two tentacles (1d4 + paralytic poison); ST: +7; SP: Immune to all mental attacks and abilities and paralysis, paralytic poison (rendered helpless, Fort DC 17 ends); SPD: 6 (burrow 4); CL: 6; XP: 1,800.

Varran

The varran is a mobile humanoid plant, feeding on on sunlight during the day and decomposing flesh at night. Growing up to twelve feet in height, this creature has a single pure white eye, and a pair of tentacular arms that end in razor-sharp claws. Its skin is a palid, corpse-like blue, become darker when feeding on decaying organic matter. Like most creatures that rely on photosynthesis, the varrani suffer a -2 penalty on all attacks and saving throws at night, unless they feed from an alternate nutrient source. For that reason, most varrani lairs smell strongly of the rotting flesh of their victims. A typical tactic is for a group of plant men to lay in wait for prey, then leap from out of nowhere and batter their prey into submission and then devour them once they are unconscious.

Varran: DEF: 15; HD: 4; ATK: two claws (1d6); ST: +4; SP: Photosynthetic sensitivity (-2 on all attacks and savings throws at night, unless alternate nutrient source exists); SPD: 6; CL: 1; XP: 300.

Viddrakkat

One of the more ubiquitous beasts of Samardan, the viddrakkat is a man-sized serpentine creature, with bands of white, black and various earth tones. Their fanged bite is quite poisonous, enough to kill most small prey, including children. The viddrakkat uses its coloration to blend into the shadows of its environment, and are considered particularly stealthy creatures. Most civilized areas consider these creatures to be dangerous pests.

Viddrakkat: DEF: 13; HD: 2; ATK: bite (1d4+poison); ST: +3; SP: Poison (1d4/round, Fort DC 13 ends), stealthy (+5 on Stealth-based checks; treated as having skill mastery (1/rest) with Stealth); SPD: 6; CL: 1; XP: 300.

Volbur

Resembling a winged sahan, the volbur is a large ursinoid creature with great bat-like wings. Typically found in the mountains and hills of Samardan's valley regions, the volbur occasionally makes forages into civilized lands in search of easy prey. It possesses the psychic ability to mentally stun its prey. As a psychic creature, the volbur is sensitive to the mystical talents of others, and has an hatred of other creatures with mystical ability. Sages speculate it is because the volbur may perceive the use of mystical talents as irritating or agitating, much like a powerful itching sensation in the brain. This theory has led to the common phrase "feeling a volbur's itch" to refer to having suspicions of the clandestine use of psychic abilities to influence a situation's outcome.

Volbur: DEF: 17; HD: 6; ATK: bite (1d8), two claws (1d6) or mental stun (Rng 6/12/24); ST: +5; SP: Mental stun (rendered helpless, Will DC 15 ends), rend (2d6 additional damage if two claws hit the same target in the same round); SPD: 6 (fly 8); CL: 4; XP: 900.

Enjoy,
Flynn

Beasts of Samardan: 'Ragshunkat' to 'Sahan'...

Good Afternoon, All:

This is the sixth entry in the bestiary for the World of Samardan Campaign Setting series. Here are five more creatures to add to our growing collection of stat blocks:

Ragshunkat

This six-limbed saurian beast roams the rocky mountains and badlands of Samardan in search of prey. Eight feet tall at the shoulder, the ragshunkat's beautiful frilled neck flares outward when it is preparing to attack. Although its bite is quite vicious, the ragshunkat is known more for the stream of powerful stomach acids that it can squirt at considerable range. A powerful tracker, this beast is relentless in its pursuit of prey. The ragshunkat has been known to track another creature for days when hunting. However, it is repelled by the strong odor of the samhudkom.

Ragshunkat: DEF: 17; HD: 6; ATK: by bite (1d8) or acid stream (3d6, Rng 8/16/32, Reflex DC 15 halves); ST: +5; SP: Immune to acid; SPD: 7; CL: 3; XP: 450.

Rahanan

Resembling a black scaled serpent with a darkly feathered bird's head and wings, the rahanan is commonly encountered in Samardan's barren wastelands, hills and mountains. Roughly the size of a human child, the rahanan prefers to ambush its victims, using its psychic ability to mentally stun its prey before closing in for the kill. Rahanani lay large clutches of eggs in their rocky nests, exposed to the elements; only a few survive to hatch.

Rahanan: DEF: 14; HD: 5; ATK: by bite (1d4) or mental stun (Rng 6/12/24); ST: +4; SP: Mental stun (rendered helpless, Will DC 14 ends); SPD: 5 (fly 10); CL: 2; XP: 450.

Rivrakkat

The rivrakkat is a six-legged insectile monstrosity commonly found throughout Samardan, although they tend to prefer caves and ruins due to the protection from the elements. Like the spiders that they resemble, the rivrakkat spin webs both for their nests and as traps for their prey. The webs of the rivrakkat can be spun into valuable cloth, rope and other textiles. The bite of the rivrakkat is quite virulent; assassins have been known to harvest the poison from the rivrakkat for their professional use. Once removed from a living rivrakkat, the poison's toxicity degrades quickly, becoming useless within a week of harvesting.

Rivrakkat: DEF: 14; HD: 5; ATK: by bite (1d6+poison) or web (entangled, Rng 3/6/12); ST: +4; SP: Poison (1d6/round, Fort DC 14 ends), webs (entangle, Reflex DC 14 escapes); SPD: 6 (climb 5); CL: 2; XP: 450.

Samhudkom

The samhudkom is a burrowing, carnivorous mammal found in Samardan's barren wastelands, hills and mountains. Almost four feet in length, the samhudkom's pelt ranges from dark red to brown to black. This predator has very sharp teeth and claws. Smaller than many of the other predators of Samardan, the samhudkom can exude a strong musky stench that keeps other creatures at bay. All creatures within 30 feet (6 squares) of a samhudkom exuding its stench become nauseated (half movement, no other actions allowed, Fort DC 13 ends).

Samhudkom: DEF: 13; HD: 3; ATK: bite (1d6), two claws (1d4); ST: +3; SP: Stench (half movement, no other actions allowed, Fort DC 13 ends); SPD: 5 (burrow 4); CL: 2; XP: 450.

Sahan

Typically encountered in the arid mountains of Samardan, the sahan is a massive mammalian carnivore over eleven feet in length and weighing at least a thousand pounds. Well protected by its heavy, coarse fur, the sahan's six legs are relatively short, but not enough to prevent it from rending an unfortunate foe. If a Sahani are stubborn, ill-tempered beasts, so much so that it is a common insult on Samardan to describe a gruff individual as a "son of a sahan."

Sahan: DEF: 18; HD: 7; ATK: bite (1d8), two claws (1d6); ST: +5; SP: Rend (2d6 additional damage if two claws hit the same target in the same round); SPD: 6; CL: 4; XP: 900.

Enjoy,
Flynn

Beasts of Samardan: 'Mordudkat' to 'Nethdrakkom'...

Good Afternoon, All:

This is the sixth entry in the bestiary for the World of Samardan Campaign Setting series. Here are five more creatures to add to our growing collection of stat blocks:

Mordudkat

Common to subterranean caverns and underground ruins, the mordudkat is a large, aggressive scavenger greatly feared for its paralyzing bite. This foul beast scours the area about its lair for dead and decaying flesh, but has also been known to attack and kill living creatures when it hasn't eaten in a few days. Resembling an enormous centipede with a circular maw surrounded by tentacle-like cilia, the mordudkat can grow to almost ten feet in length.

Mordudkat: DEF: 15; HD: 3; ATK: bite (1d6 + paralytic poison); ST: +3; SP: Paralytic poison (rendered helpless, Fort DC 13 ends); SPD: 6 (climb 4); CL: 1; XP: 300.

Morsudkom

Morsudkomi have six limbs, four of them being thick sinewy arms and two being stout legs, and are of tremendous size. They have a head like that of a primate, with a shock of thick, stiff-bristled hair that runs from the back of the skull and neck to the upper shoulders. While morsudkomi are found in many different terrains in the world of Samardan, they prefer to dwell in the ruins of ancient cities which provide them with shelter and good hunting grounds.

Morsudkom: DEF: 16; HD: 7; ATK: bite (1d6), four claws (1d4); ST: +5; SP: Rend (2d4 additional damage if two or more claws hit the same target in the same round); SPD: 7 (climb 7); CL: 4; XP: 900.

Moryurloth

A vicious predator found in swamps and marshes, the moryurloth is a man-sized carnivore best described as having the body of a yurlath and a porcine head. The beast's poisonous spray gives it a deadly reputation, as its saliva purportedly kills all but the strongest of creatures on contact. The human tribe known as the Marsh Folk have developed cooking techniques that purify dead flesh of the moryurloth's poison, and have even tried to domesticate this beast for hunting and tracking.

Moryurloth: DEF: 15; HD: 6; ATK: by bite (1d8) or poisonous spray (poison, Rng 6/12/24); ST: +5; SP: Poison (2d6/round, Fort DC 15 ends); SPD: 6; CL: 3; XP: 600.

Nengarsar

Like the lasirshun, the nengarsar is believed to be the result of an experiment by the Ancient Ones that bred true. The nengarsar is significantly larger than the lasirshun and wingless, but possesses nine heads rather than the lasirshun's three. This huge beast, easily twenty feet high at the shoulder, has an extremely virulent form of poisonous spittle. The nengarsar shares the lasirshun's inordinate fear of fire, and panics at the sight of open flame. When panicked, a nengarsar will attempt to flee, trampling any obstacle in its path (anything in its path suffered 2d6 damage, which can be avoided by a successful Reflex save).

Nengarsar: DEF: 20; HD: 12; ATK: by nine bites (1d8) or poisonous spray (poison, Rng 6/12/24); ST: +8; SP: Poison (2d6/round, Fort DC 18 ends), trample (2d6, Reflex DC 18 avoids); SPD: 5; CL: 9; XP: 4,800.

Nethdrakkom

The nethdrakkom is a large serpentine creature with feathered wings. It grows to almost 12 feet in length, with a wingspan of about 15 feet, and an adult weighs about 1,800 pounds. A highly intelligent creature, the nethdrakkom possesses incredible psychic powers and communicates with other sentient creatures through telepathy. Nethdrakkomi are territorial, and extremely distrusting of humanoid creatures. The eggs of the nethdrakkomi are highly valuable to certain breeders, who train these psychic creatures from hatchlings to become dedicated guardians of vaults and other locations.

Nethdrakkom: DEF: 19; HD: 8; ATK: bite (2d6+poison); ST: +6; SP: Poison (1d6/round, Fort DC 16 ends), powers as a 4th level Mystic, telepathy; SPD: 5 (fly 10); CL: 4; XP: 900.

Enjoy,
Flynn

Beasts of Samardan: 'Kaskmand' to 'Lasirshun'...

Good Afternoon, All:

With our fifth entry in the bestiary for the World of Samardan Campaign Setting, we're over halfway through the collected creatures we've named or otherwise hinted at i our previous write-ups. Here are five more creatures for consideration:

Kaskmand

Commonly encountered in marshy or forested regions in the great valleys of Samardan, the kaskmand is a large saurian beast with thick bony plates that protect the creature's back and a powerfully muscled tail ending in a spiky, bony club. The kaskmand's claws are incredibly sharp, but its tortoise-like shell prevents the beast from using its claws against attackers. Kaskmandi have a foul disposition, and enter into a blood frenzy when wounded (+2 to all attacks and damage).

Kaskmand: DEF: 21; HD: 10; ATK: tail (3d6); ST: +7; SP: Blood frenzy (+2 attack and damage when wounded); SPD: 6; CL: 4; XP: 900.

Kandori

A subterranean rat-like beast the size of a human child, the six-legged kandor is noted for its powerful incisors. Kandori travel in packs, and attack without fear, particularly when defending the pack's lair. Some adventurous souls actively seek out kandor lairs, as the beasts are particularly attracted to shiny objects.

Kandor: DEF: 12; HD: 3; ATK: bite (1d8); ST: +3; SP: None; SPD: 7; CL: 1; XP: 300.

Kandudkom

Preferring cultivated fields and open plains, the kandukom is considered a plague among farmers and lumberjacks because of the damage their tunnels do to the local flora. The kandukom is a large, chitinous creature that burrows through the earth. It often attacks from a distance with its poisonous spittle before closing in to finish off its prey. These predators prefer the taste of humanoids and livestock; they will fight until a creature has fallen unconscious or dead, and then drag the corpse back into their warrens to feast upon.

Kandudkom: DEF: 13; HD: 3; ATK: by poisonous spittle (1d6+poison, Rng 6/12/24) or bite (1d8+poison); ST: +3; SP: Poison (1d6/round, Fort DC 13 ends); SPD: 6 (burrow 5); CL: 2; XP: 450.

Kelshran

The kelshrani are a race of subterranean-dwelling humanoids roughly the same size as a human, with dark crimson skin, a sinuous barbed tail, and a generally demonic appearance. Known for their sadistic nature, most kelshrani clans are slavers. They make frequent forays to the surface world in search of new victims, whom they subjugate into servitude. Unruly slaves are forced into gladiatorial combat, where they fight to the death for the enjoyment of their kelshrani overlords.

Kelshran: DEF: 14; HD: 2; ATK: by poisoned whip (1d4 + poison) or light crossbow (1d6 + poison, Rng 12/24/48); ST: +3; SP: Poison (1d6/round, Fort DC 13 ends); SPD: 6; CL: 1; XP: 300.

Lasirshun

Sages believe that the lasirshun is the result of an experiment by the Ancient Ones that bred true. Given the unusual nature of this large three-headed beast, that doesn't seem far-fetched. This winged reptile attacks its prey first using its poisonous spit to paralyze its prey, before diving in to feast on the helpless victim. Lasirshuni have an inordinate fear of fire, and frequently panic at the sight of flames. If cornered by flame, they fight ferociously with wild abandon, attempting to win their freedom from the fiery source.

Lasirshun: DEF: 18; HD: 9; ATK: by three spittle attacks (paralytic poison, Rng 6/12/24) or three bites (2d6); ST: +6; SP: Paralytic poison (rendered helpless, Fort DC 16 ends); SPD: 6 (fly 8); CL: 5; XP: 1,200.

Hope This Helps,
Flynn

Beasts of Samardan: 'Helgongmir' to 'Kasabankat'...

Good Afternoon, All:

Our fourth entry in the bestiary for the World of Samardan Campaign Setting contains five more creatures worthy of note:

Helgongmir

Often found in ruins, caverns and other underground environments, the helgongmir is an extremely aggressive predatory ooze that prefers to scavenge on dead carrion to hunting live prey. It is capable of moving not just on the floor, but also on the wall and ceiling, and may compress itself through small fissures and under the cracks of doors. The acidic touch of the helgongmir digests through even metal and wood (suffering 3d8 damage per round). If a helgongmir is attacked with slashing or piercing weapons, it splits into more individuals of reduced mass. Every successful attack halves the helgongmir into two smaller oozes, each with halve the original's current hit points. A helgongmir with 10 or less hit points cannot divide any further.

Helgongmir: DEF: 16; HD: 10; ATK: pseudopod (3d8); ST: +7; SP: Split; SPD: 4; CL: 4; XP: 900.

Hudlath

The hudlath is a large, amphibious rodent common to the canal-like rivers of Samardan. Roughly the size of a human child, this six-limbed beast possesses sharp incisors, webbed feet and a broad, flat tail. Hudlathi build small colonies, working together to dam up canals with whatever materials can be found in the area in order to build their underwater nests.

Hudlath: DEF: 14; HD: 4; ATK: bite (1d8); ST: +4; SP: None; SPD: 6; CL: 1; XP: 300.

Hudyurkat

A pack-based predator found in mountains, hills and forested regions, the hudyurkat is an extremely vicious carnivore twice the size of the average human. In addition to its very powerful bite, the hudyurkat possesses the psychic ability to lure its prey helplessly in for the kill. Those who are unable to resist the mental call of the beast make their way as quickly as possible to the calling creature (Will DC 15 negates), only to be shaken from their charmed state by the pain of the first bite of the hudyurkat.

Hudyurkat: DEF: 16; HD: 6; ATK: powerful bite (2d8); ST: +5; SP: Psychic lure (draws victims helplessly to it, 60ft radius, Will DC 15 negates); SPD: 9; CL: 3; XP: 600.

Karkeshlath

Native to the barren wastelands of the world of Samardan, the karkeshlath stands nearly 18 feet high at the shoulder, measures 30 feet from end to end, and weighs 40,000 pounds. Small herds of these armor-plated behemoths roam the barrens, digging up plants and fungi with the single stout horn on their large snouts. When panicked, a karkeshlath will trample any obstacle in its path (anything in its path suffered 2d8 damage, which can be avoided by a successful Reflex save). If cornered, it crushes its tormentors beneath its huge hooves.

Karkeshlath: DEF: 21; HD: 13; ATK: two hooves (2d8); ST: +8; SP: Trample (2d8, Reflex DC 18 avoids); SPD: 6; CL: 5; XP: 1,200.

Kasabankat

Common to the forests and jungles of the valleys of Samardan, these carnivorous flightless birds are very fast runners that hunt aggressively. Standing over nine feet tall, the kasabankat plumage typically blends well with the surrounding foliage, allowing this predator to strike without warning. Its axe-shaped beak appears quite ferocious, and its savage shriek can temporarily stun a weak-willed opponent (target stunned for one round, Will DC 13 negates).

Kasabankat: DEF: 14; HD: 3; ATK: bite (1d8); ST: +3; SP: Savage shriek (stunned for one round, Will DC 13 negates); SPD: 8; CL: 1; XP: 300.

Hope This Helps,
Flynn

Beasts of Samardan: 'Gonrakkom' to 'Hatagat'...

Good Afternoon, All:

Here's the third collection of creatures for the Beastiary section of the World of Samardan Campaign Setting:

Gonrakkom

Common to the ruins and underground regions of Samardan, the gonrakkom is a large insect about two feet across. Gonrakkomi are characterized by hard, horny forewings, often black, dark red or dark blue in color, that cover and protect their membranous flight wings. Specialized glands in the abdomen of these creatures produce a ruddy red glow at night, equivalent in intensity to that of a torch. These luminescent glands continue to glow for 1d6 days after its death.

Gonrakkom: DEF: 11; HD: 1; ATK: bite (1d4); ST: +2; SP: Glowing glands; SPD: 6 (fly 6); CL: 1/2; XP: 150.

Gorban

Considered by some to be the ruler of the highest peaks of Samardan, the gorban is a huge avian creature that stand about 15 feet tall, and possess a wingspan of up to 30 feet wide. Its feathers are typically golden brown, although differing species run the gambit of colors, from black or white to even multi-colored plumage of blues, yellows, reds and greens. The gorban's sharp beak and curved talons are dark yellow. In some areas, these beasts are domesticated to serve as a flying mount.

Gorban: DEF: 16; HD: 6; ATK: bite (1d8) and two claws (2d6); ST: +5; SP: Dive attack (+2 on attack and dmg rolls, -2 DEF until next turn, only from above); SPD: 4 (fly 10); CL: 3; XP: 600.

Gorkesh

Fairly ubiquitous throughout Samardan, these large, six-legged herbivores serve as mounts when domesticated. Their wooly coats are often a dun color, but can range from white to black in various patterns in different regions. The gorkesh possesses a single horn upon its forehead for goring predators, but typically only uses this when cornered or if trained for combat.

Gorkesh: DEF: 14; HD: 5; ATK: gore (1d8) and two hooves (1d6); ST: +4; SP: Powerful charge (if charging, gore does 2d8); SPD: 9; CL: 3; XP: 600.

Grandanrak

Grandanraki are massive creatures dwelling deep beneath the earth. The grandanrak is powerfully built, resembling a massive humanoid creature covered in chitinous plates. A massive pair of mandibles and rows of triangular teeth dominate the low, rounded head. This foul beast uses its iron-like claws to burrow through solid stone, and it possesses the psychic ability to mentally stun and confuse other creatures. Up to three times a day, a grandanrak can deliver a massive blast of mental energy at any one target within 60 feet (12 squares), causing it to become stunned and unable to act for 1d6+1 rounds (Will DC 17 negates).

Grandanrak: DEF: 20; HD: 10; ATK: Bite (1d8) and two claws (2d6); ST: +7; SP: Burrow through solid stone, mental blast (stuns for 1d6+1 rounds, Will DC 17 negates); SPD: 5 (burrow 5); CL: 5; XP: 1,200.

Hatagat

Hatagati are usually the top animal predators in their forested or mountainous territories, and have been known to seek out and kill any competitors to maintain their claim on their territory. These large, six-legged felinoid pouncers prefer terrain with plenty of cover as their hunting grounds. Its defining feature is a pair of huge incisors that hang down like fearsome knives from the upper jaw, protruding menacingly even when the creature's mouth is shut. The coat of the hatagat typically appears a tawny yellow, but can range to reddish-brown and black, for most of the body. However, the ventral areas are white. The beast is typically marked with large, black, irregular spots for camouflage. Hatagati prefer to feast on herbivores, particularly large mounts, and often attack the largest creatures present first, as they are viewed as potential threats and better food sources.

Hatagat: DEF: 20; HD: 11; ATK: bite (2d6) and two claws (1d8); ST: +7; SP: Ambusher (+2 attack, double damage, against a surprised victim); SPD: 7; CL: 5; XP: 1,200.

Enjoy,
Flynn

Beasts of Samardan: 'Dansarkkat' to 'Grankan'...

Good Afternoon, All:

My apologies for the delay, but I'm here to resume the creation of a bestiary for the World of Samardan Campaign Setting. What follows are the next five creatures that should be detailed:

Dansarkkat

The dansarkkat is a huge heavily-scaled carnivorous creature that burrows through the earth and attacks unsuspecting victims from below. Often, the only warning that surface dwellers might get is the sound of distant thunder, growing louder just as the earth vibrates beneath their feet and the maw of the dansarkkat bursts forth to devour its victim.

Dansarkkat: DEF: 18; HD: 9; ATK: bite (2d8), two claws (2d6); ST: +6; SP: attack from below (almost always surprises its first target); SPD: 7 (burrow 5); CL: 5; XP: 900.

Dilkankat

The dilkankat is a highly intelligent six-limbed dog-like creature with an extraordinary talent for ambushing its prey. Some scholars believe that the dilkankati possess enough intelligence to communicate via language. The general success of these creatures definitely points to such. As dilkankati do not possess the ability to manipulate their environment, less conservative sages even promote the theory that these were originally created by the Ancient Ones, who gave larger brains to their canid companions.

Dilkankat: DEF: 15; HD: 4; ATK: bite (1d6); ST: +4; SP: Stealthy (+5 on Stealth-based checks; treated as having skill mastery (1/rest) with Stealth); SPD: 7; CL: 2; XP: 450.

Dudathulkat

Most commonly encountered in the wastelands, dudathulkati prefer arid climates. The dudathulkat is a gargantuan vermicular creature that can swallow man-sized creatures whole and is perpetually hungry. The creature has a poisonous stinger in its tail. In battle, a dudathulkat forms into a coil 20 feet in diameter, biting and stinging anything within reach. If the dudathulkat hits with a natural attack roll of 20, man-sized or smaller prey will be swallowed whole. Being swallowed whole inflicts 4d6 points of acid damage per round, and the swallowed victim cannot breathe (beware of suffocation). The victim can, however, attack the dudathulkat from within, using a dagger-sized weapon against DEF 17. If the victim can inflict 14 points of damage or more from within the beast, they can cut themselves free, and the dudathulkat cannot swallow another creature whole until the damage is healed.

Dudathulkat: DEF: 24; HD: 16; ATK: by bite (2d8) or sting (2d6 + poison); ST: +10; SP: Poison (2d6/round, Fort DC 20 ends), swallow whole (4d6 acid damage, DEF 17, 14 hp); SPD: 6; CL: 8; XP: 3,600.

Dulran

The dulrani are subterranean humanoids gifted with the ability to see in the dark using sonar. As their ability to "see" in the dark is based on sound, dulrani are particuarly sensitive to loud noises (-2 on all attacks and ability checks due to disorientation, until the beginning of their next round).

Dulran: DEF: 14; HD: 2; ATK: by bite (1d4) or club (1d6); ST: +3; SP: Blindsight (see in total darkness), disoriented by loud noise (-2 on all attacks and ability checks until the beginning of their next round); SPD: 6; CL: 1; XP: 300.

Grankan

The dreaded grankan is a large canine pack hunter that roams the untamed wilderness of Samardan. Grankani are noted for their particularly bloodthirsty and sadistic nature. Their size, cunning, and poisonous bite allow them to hunt and kill creatures much larger than themselves. A pack usually circles an opponent, each grankan attacking in turn to exhaust their prey. If they're in a hurry, grankani try to pin their foes.

Grankan: DEF: 15; HD: 6; ATK: bite (1d8+poison); ST: +5; SP: Pack tactics (gain +1 on attack rolls if target is adjacent to more than one grankani), poison (1d6/round, Fort DC 15 ends); SPD: 8; CL: 3; XP: 600.

Enjoy,
Flynn

Beasts of Samardan: 'Astral Entity' to 'Danrakkom'...

Good Afternoon, All:

After detailing lairs, a quick glance at the list of steps to build out the World of Samardan Campaign Setting lets me know that I now need to create my bestiary. In this section, I'll provide the details for the creatures I have introduced earlier in this process. My original hopes were that I would create around fifty monsters for this section, so I have a lot of variety in my arsenal as a Referee. I may not create that many, but I'll see what I can do. My first selection starts here:

Astral Entity

Under moments of extreme stress, the psychic essence of a particularly strong mystic can become detached from the mystic's body. Under certain circumstances, the psychic essence is unable to reattach to its body, and so wanders aimlessly as an astral entity. Among the more superstitious, such entities are called ghosts or apparitions. The appearance of the astral entity often resembles the mystic's physical body, but there are occasions where the form is altered by the mystic's perception of themselves. Astral entities cannot interact with the physical world and thus are generally only affected by energy and psychic attacks. These entities possess a weak psychic blast, and generally possess the abilities of a 3rd level Mystic, although more powerful astral entities have more hit dice, gaining a level of Mystic ability with each additional hit die.

Astral Entity: DEF: 14; HD: 5; ATK: psychic blast (1d4+2); ST: +4; SP: Astral form (no physical interaction, only affected by energy and psychic attacks), powers as 3rd level Mystic; SPD: 6 (fly); CL: 4; XP: 900.

Automaton

Durable constructs of various sizes and configurations, automatons were primarily used by the Ancient Ones for security, defense and combat. Due to their mechanical nature, automatons are immune to all mental attacks and abilities, poison, disease and physical exhaustion.

Security Automaton: DEF: 14; HD: 3; ATK: by slam (1d6) or crystal pistol (1d8); ST: +3; SP: Immune to all mental attacks and abilities, poison, disease and physical exhaustion; SPD: 7; CL: 2; XP: 450.
Defense Automaton: DEF: 18; HD: 7; ATK: by slam (1d6) or heavy crystal rifle (3d6); ST: +5; SP: Immune to all mental attacks and abilities, poison, disease and physical exhaustion; SPD: 5; CL: 3; XP: 600.
Combat Automaton: DEF: 20; HD: 11; ATK: by slam (1d8) or crystal rifle (2d8); ST: +7; SP: Immune to all mental attacks and abilities, poison, disease and physical exhaustion; SPD: 9; CL: 5; XP: 1,200.

Bandrak

The bandrak is a small winged serpentine creature common to the jungles and dense forests of Samardan's lowland regions. These winged creatures average about three feet in length, with a wingspan of up to five feet. These creatures often attack first from a distance using their acidic spittle (1d8, Rng 6/12/24), before closing in to bite their prey. Flocks of winged serpents will often work together against larger prey. Bandraki are particularly attracted to shiny, sparkling objects, collecting such items for their nests.

Bandrak: DEF: 13; HD: 3; ATK: by acidic spittle (1d8, Rng 6/12/24) or bite (1d4); ST: +3; SP: Immune to acid; SPD: 8 (fly); CL: 1; XP: 300.

Bershun

Native to swamps, ponds and other watery regions, the bershun is a dying species on Samardan. A huge reptilian creature easily thirty-five feet long or longer, the bershun has a broad head with a tapering snout and massive jaws capable of devouring a human in one bite. This six-legged beast is protected by a thick outer covering of bony plates. Primarily a nocturnal animal, the bershun is a carnivorous predator that attacks creatures that enter their watery home. When food is scarce, the bershun has been known to travel up to six miles from their lairs in search of large game to devour. If the bershun hits with a natural attack roll of 20, man-sized or smaller prey will be swallowed whole. Being swallowed whole inflicts 3d6 points of acid damage per round, and the swallowed victim cannot breathe (beware of suffocation). The victim can, however, attack the bershun from within, using a dagger-sized weapon against DEF 15. If the victim can inflict 11 points of damage or more from within the beast, they can cut themselves free, and the bershun cannot swallow another creature whole until the damage is healed.

Bershun: DEF: 20; HD: 12; ATK: by bite (3d6) or tail slap (3d8); ST: +8; SP: Swallow whole (3d6 acid damage, DEF 15, 11 hp); SPD: 5, 6 (swim); CL: 5; XP: 1,200.

Danrakkom

Segmented black, red, brown, or yellow social insects the size of a small dog, danrakkomi possess large heads with two sets of mandibles: inner jaws for chewing and outer jaws for carrying and digging. These creatures live in highly organized colonies containing wingless female workers, a winged queen, and, during breeding seasons, winged males. Some species of danrakkomi have been noted by scholars for engaging in warfare, making slaves of other races, and the cultivation of food sources.

Danrakkom, Worker: DEF: 13; HD: 2; ATK: bite (1d6+poison); ST: +3; SP: Poison (1d6/round, Fort DC 13 ends); SPD: 8; CL: 1; XP: 300.
Danrakkom, Male: DEF: 14; HD: 3; ATK: bite (1d8); ST: +3; SP: None; SPD: 8, 6 (fly); CL: 1; XP: 300.
Danrakkom, Queen: DEF: 20; HD: 10; ATK: bite (2d6+poison); ST: +7; SP: Poison (2d6/round, Fort DC 17 ends); SPD: 4, 6 (fly); CL: 5; XP: 1,200.

Enjoy,
Flynn

World of Samardan: Five More Lairs...

Good Afternoon, All:

I imagine that five lairs won't be enough for the World of Samardan Campaign Setting, so I'm going to create five more to post. Please feel free to let me know your thoughts on them in the comments section.

(Hex) Burahiko's Keep

Pansanu Yatan Burahiko, an aspiring warlord, is forging a new settlement in the wilds under his rulership. Although the Pansanu has grand plans for the region, he has only managed to construct a small keep thus far. His original support has long since abandoned him, and so Pansanu Burahiko has taken to raiding nearby settlements in order to further his aspirations.

(Hex) The Forgotten Army of Dankahena the Exile

When Raganu Pekadevi Rekatur, the Lord-Emperor of Torkobalem, ascended the throne, he sent into exile anyone who might contest his right to rule, including his younger sister, Doganuba Dankahena Rekatur. Now, Dankahena the Exile has gathered an army of disenchanted loyalists under her banner, as she prepares to take action against her brother and claim the throne. Gossips say she has recently taken a new warlord as her right-hand man. Little is known of this mysterious man, save for his superior tactical knowledge as evidenced by her recent military successes against outlying forces of Torkobalem.

(Hex) Obsidian Halls of the Kelsh-Raganu

An abandoned complex, decorated throughout with obsidian tiles, has become known as the Obsidian Halls of the Kelsh-Raganu ("Demon Emperor"). According to legend, the king of all demons lies buried in the depths of the complex, and the nearby volcano shall remain dormant so long as the Kelsh-Raganu remains undisturbed. A band of mercenary kelshrani use the complex as their base of operations on the surface, taking advantage of their appearance and the legend of the Obsidian Halls to subdue nearby settlements through fear and intimidation.

(Hex) Sanctum of Sen Lusasanan

By all accounts, Sen Lusasanan is an insane mystic consumed with understanding the nature of life and biological enhancements. Toward that end, he has claimed an abandoned stronghold in the wilderness as his own, where he performs terrible experiments on captured victims. His army of patchwork monsters often roam the surrounding regions in search of new victims and esoteric supplies to further their master's hideous work.

(Hex) Warrens of the Marsh Folk

The human tribe known simply as the Marsh Folk dwell within these unusual warrens, cut off from the rest of civilization. Like many remote cultures, the Marsh Folk entertain some customs that others would consider taboo, particularly cannibalism. Indeed, the Marsh Folk have developed a number of delicacies based the flesh of husrani, rakrani and particularly sarrani people. As these races are understandably rare in the area, having been hunted out, the Marsh Folk hunting parties occasionally make excursions into more settled areas, looking for new "stock" for their kitchens.

Standard Disclaimer: As I have not yet decided where to set these particular lairs on the map as yet, I've left a placeholder to remind me to come back to this in the future. Later on, I'll replace (Hex) with the actual hex location, when I put all of this together into a single document.

Enjoy,
Flynn

World of Samardan: Five Lairs...

Good Afternoon, All:

In reviewing my list of activities in order to build the World of Samardan campaign setting, I realize that I've totally skipped the step in which I create some lairs to sprinkle about the countryside. With that in mind, I think I'll offer some examples over the next few posts, to help with beefing the setting up with lots of adventure ideas and opportunities. If some of the examples I use seem somewhat familiar, you should know that I am basing some of these lairs on stories from the Planetary Romance genre.

(Hex) Airship Wreckage

A large pride of hatagati have claimed the wreckage of a shattered airship as their lair. The cargo hold contains several crates of rotted medicinal herbs and the skeleton of the unfortunate pilot. A crystal pistol and a spare power crystal still hang from the pilot's harness.

(Hex) Crater of the Star Creatures

Several seasons back, a star fell from the sky, leaving a great crater behind upon impact. Since then, strange mutant creatures began hunting in this region, apparently lairing in or near the crater itself. These bizarre tarfarkati ("star"+"alien/aberration" + "carnivore") frequently threaten nearby settlements, and these villages are often too small to adequately defend themselves from the bestial hordes.

(Hex) Fungal Forest

A small copse of giant mushrooms fill a small depression in the wastelands, protected somewhat from the winds above. An isolated band of Varrani ("leaf+men") warriors have claimed this site as their own, and will fiercely defend it from all intruders. When water becomes scarce, the Varrani warriors will raid nearby settlements for the precious liquid.

(Hex) Shrine of the Sun

This ruined building standing alone on a hillock is honored by local Husrani tribes as a shrine devoted to the sun. Offerings of food and other consumables are left here by the tribes. A human hermit hides within a secret chamber inside the ruins, stealing the offerings at night and leaving behind cryptic pictographs as omens. A growing cult of sun-worshipping warrior-priests has started to interpret the omens left behind, and their spiritual leader, Sen Devakusan, advocates a holy war against non-believers.

(Hex) Tamasol, Independent Citadel

Pansanu Luso Fortahen once held the citadel of Tamasol as an outpost of distant Torkobalem. After his son died as a soldier in Torkobalem's armies, Pansanu Luso Fortahen announced that he could no longer support the tyranny of Raganu Pekadevi Rekatur, and declared the citadel independent of Torkobalem's rule. The Pansanu of Tamasol continues to fortify his position in preparation for Raganu Pekadevi Rekatur's eventual response to the citadel's secession from the Empire.

Standard Disclaimer: As I have not yet decided where to set these particular lairs on the map as yet, I've left a placeholder to remind me to come back to this in the future. Later on, I'll replace (Hex) with the actual hex location, when I put all of this together into a single document.

Enjoy,
Flynn

Enemies of Samardan: The Disciples of Somasumar...

Good Afternoon, All:

Our fourth and final minor regional enemy for the World of Samardan campaign setting was originally conceived as the classic power-mad warlord bent on conquest. Very quickly on, I realized that I already had a number of those in the setting, and while that type of antagonist is a classic trope of the genre, I didn't want it to get old.

Then I thought about the various Warrior backgrounds in Sword and Planet: An Old School Roleplaying Game of Planetary Romance, and recalled that among them could be found the Martial Artist. Suddenly, I started picturing a more Sword and Planet version of the dreaded Sith, the enemy of the Jedi Knights, and things started to fall into place for me. After all, Dray Prescot was a member of a martial order called the Krozairs, and one of his companions, Turko the Shield, was a Khamorro, an expert in unarmed combat. Obviously, martial arts is part of the mystique of some Planetary Romance series. What would be better than having an order of evil monks as a regional villain? The idea works for me, so I now present the Disciples of Somasumar.

The Disciples of Somasumar

History: Originally a martial order, the Disciples of Somasumar became a quasi-religious cult after adopting spiritual teachings thought to belong to the Ancient Ones. Based on incomplete documents recovered from ruins in the wastelands of the Torafeldan, the Disciples of Somasumar practice a disciplined form of unarmed combat. When the Disciples elect to use actual weaponry, they prefer to fight using malkuni (claw-like weapons similar to the Indian bagh nakh) or barkuni (larger claw-like weapons similar to malkuni, with longer blades). The barkuni are traditionally reserved for acknowledged Masters of the order.

Personality: Sena Logana Mudaganan, the current Grandmaster of the Disciples of Somasumar, leads the order in the pursuit of the Grand Plan, which is to unite all of the lower valley under the rule of the Disciples. At her disposal are Disciples specialized in gathering information, assassination, military tactics and the finer points of estate and resource management. While her predecessors have been cautious and meticulous in their clandestine progress toward the Grand Plan, Sena Logana Mudaganan prefers a more aggressive approach, and has become more open in recent years. Intent on seeing the Grand Plan come into being during her lifetime, the Grandmaster has escalated to more militant tactics. She is a driven and fanatical woman, with the power of a well-established and devout following operating at her behest.

Stat Blocks: The following stat blocks for representative members of the Disciples of Somasumar are based on Sword and Planet: An Old School Roleplaying Game of Planetary Romance. Please feel free to convert these stats to the system of your choice, if you wish to use them elsewhere.

• Somasumaran Initiate: DEF: 14; HD: 1; ATK: by malkuni (1d6) or unarmed combat (1d6); ST: +2; SP: Unarmed combat; SPD: 6; CL: 1/2; XP: 150.
• Somasumaran Disciple: DEF: 15; HD: 2; ATK: by malkuni (1d6) or unarmed combat (1d6); ST: +3; SP: Unarmed combat, weapon mastery (+1 atk with Claw Weapons); SPD: 6; CL: 1; XP: 300.
• Somasumaran Master: DEF: 16; HD: 5; ATK: by barkuni (1d8) or unarmed combat (1d6); ST: +4; SP: Unarmed combat, weapon mastery (+1 atk with Claw Weapons); SPD: 6; CL: 2; XP: 450.

Enjoy,
Flynn

Enemies of Samardan: The Swarms of the Rak-Pansanu...

Good Afternoon, All:

Our third minor regional enemy for the World of Samardan campaign setting is actually inspired by a Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated episode entitled "When the Cicada Calls", of all things. (I admit it; as a GM, I am not above the "resourceful acquisition" of plot ideas from the shows that my kids watch.) As I watched this particular episode unfold, I thought of someone using ancient technology to tap into the hive mind of a swarm and make the insects to wreak havoc on the world on his behalf. In Samardan, the translation of "insect lord" is Rak-Pansanu, and thus I had the name of my next regional villain. I thought this would create a different scenario than most, something that an enterprising Referee could use to really capture the Planetary Romance adventuring style. With that in mind, I now present the Swarms of the Rak-Pansanu.

The Swarms of the Rak-Pansanu

History: The Rakran mystic, Sen Safakusan, has always been the pariah of his family. From an early age, Sen Safakusan had explored the power of his mind instead of learning to utilize ancient technology as his father and brothers had. Because Sen Safakusan hindered his family's status among the rest of the clan, they would often force him to serve as the clan's representative on small clan-sponsored expeditions to explore ancient ruins. Out of sight, out of mind. While on one of these expeditions, Sen Safakusan stumbled upon a partially-functional artifact that gave him the unusual ability to mentally communicate with and command insects. Having realized the power of his find, Sen Safakusan fled the expedition, and began using his newfound abilities to further his vengeful and hedonistic desires.

Personality: Before Sen Safakusan found the ancient helmet that gives him control over insects, the Rakran mystic had been spiteful and vindictive. These personality traits have only become more pronounced after taking on the mantle of Rak-Pansanu. As the lord of insects, the Rak-Pansanu has sent his swarms to attack every site where he was once bullied or ostracized, accumulating quite a treasury in the process. While the Rak-Pansanu has discovered a taste for expensive wines and rich foods, his first priority remains the humiliation of his family and clan.

Stat Blocks: The following stat blocks for representative members of the Rak-Pansanu's insectile servitors are based on Sword and Planet: An Old School Roleplaying Game of Planetary Romance, which I wrote last year. Please feel free to convert these stats to the system of your choice, if you wish to use them elsewhere.

• Cat-sized Insect: DEF: 12; HD: 1; ATK: sting (1d4+poison); ST: +2; SP: Poisonous sting (1d4/round, Fort DC 12 ends); SPD: 5 (fly 8); CL: 1/2; XP: 150.
• Wolf-sized Insect: DEF: 13; HD: 2; ATK: bite (1d6+poison); ST: +3; SP: Poison (1d6/round, Fort DC 13 ends); SPD: 6; CL: 1; XP: 300.
• Man-sized Insect: DEF: 14; HD: 4; ATK: bite (1d8+poison); ST: +4; SP: Poison (1d8/round, Fort DC 14 ends); SPD: 7; CL: 2; XP: 450.

Enjoy,
Flynn

Enemies of Samardan: The Huntsmen of Sumakan...

Good Afternoon, All:

Our second minor regional enemy for the World of Samardan campaign setting is inspired by a number of stories both in and out of the genre. I wanted a group of men who hunted other men for sport and pleasure. With the presence of airships, such a group could easily be a regional menace, raiding small outlying settlements for prisoners while avoiding the stronger military forces of the cities and city-states. These murderous slavers call themselves the Huntsmen of Sumakan.

The Huntsmen of Sumakan

Description: Based out of an abandoned fortress overlooking a small box canyon, the Huntsmen of Sumakan raid settlements far and wide using their stolen airships. These bloodthirsty hunters will raid settlements solely for the purpose of taking prisoners. Those captives that show any initiative in trying to escape are used as the quarry for their monthly hunts, while the rest are sold into slavery. Those who survive the games are giving a choice between freedom and membership. Either way, they are branded with the mark of the Huntsmen, which could make it difficult in communities that have been struck by these raiders.

Personality: The name of this band, Sumakan, translates roughly conceptually as "honorable wolf," and they embody this mentality. Loyal and devoted to their pack, the Huntsmen are fierce warriors that strike quickly to cripple their foes. Unproven prisoners are considered prey, and are held as being less worthy of respect than the Huntsmen's pet dilkankati (highly intelligent six-legged wolf-like beast with an extraordinary talent for ambushing its prey). These men are fierce and wild, but surprisingly honorable to those who have proven to be predators rather than prey.

Stat Blocks: The following stat blocks for each representative member of Sumakan forces are based on the Sword and Planet: An Old School Roleplaying Game of Planetary Romance, which I wrote last year. Please feel free to convert these stats to the system of your choice, if you wish to use them elsewhere.

• Sumakan Raider: DEF: 14; HD: 1; ATK: by short sword (1d6) or crystal pistol (1d8); ST: +2; SP: Terrain mastery; SPD: 6; CL: 1/2; XP: 150.
• Sumakan Huntsman: DEF: 15; HD: 2; ATK: by short sword (1d6) or heavy crystal pistol (2d6); ST: +3; SP: Terrain mastery, skill mastery (1/rest); SPD: 6; CL: 1; XP: 300.
• Dilkankat: DEF: 15; HD: 4; ATK: bite (1d6); ST: +4; SP: Ambush (+5 on Stealth), sneak attack; SPD: 7; CL: 2; XP: 450.

Enjoy,
Flynn

Enemies of Samardan: Sky-Pirates of the Northern Peaks...

Good Afternoon, All:

In this post we start our revelation of the four Minor Enemies that will cause problems for the population of the World of Samardan campaign setting. For the first of our four entries at this level, I chose the one that sounded the most fun to me when I made mention of them previously. Straight out of the entry on Kolgrat, City of Marble, comes the dreaded Sky-Pirates of the Northern Peaks...

Sky-Pirates of the Northern Peaks

History: The dreaded Sky-Pirates of the Northern Peaks are considered a nuisance among most of the cities of the Granbalem, mostly because the Sky-Pirates know better than to attack the larger forces there. Among the smaller settlements of Samardan, however, the Sky-Pirates exert considerably more influence. Several times a year, the Sky-Pirates will visit such a settlement and demand tribute. Those who pay the exorbitant price are left alone, while those that do not are attacked from above with burning oil and makeshift bombs, to serve as a lesson to all who would dare oppose them. The current leader of the Sky-Pirates, the Pansanuba Bama Kudisjanan, has a penchant for collecting beautiful works of art. In recent years, she has taken to harassing Kolgrat, the City of Marble, in search of beautiful statues to add to her growing collection. The Crime Lords of Kolgrat are none too happy with her, and have offered a sizable bounty for her head, with or without her body attached.

Personality: The Pansanuba Bama Kudisjanan is, by all accounts, burdened with overconfidence. A talented flyer with a daredevil mentality, she tends to be rather showy in her conquests and actions. Subtle, she is not. Some rumor that this self-made Lady of the Skies is actually the daughter of one of the Crime Lords of Kolgrat, perhaps even Yaranu Moro himself, but proof has never been offered, nor does the Pansanuba claim such a heritage.

Stat Blocks: The following stat blocks for each representative member of the forces of the Sky-Pirates are based on the Sword and Planet: An Old School Roleplaying Game of Planetary Romance. Please feel free to convert these stats to the system of your choice, if you wish to use them elsewhere.

• Sky Pirate: DEF: 14; HD: 1; ATK: by short sword (1d6) or crystal pistol (1d8); ST: +2; SP: Shipborn; SPD: 6; CL: 1/2; XP: 150.
• Sky Raider: DEF: 15; HD: 2; ATK: by short sword (1d6) or heavy crystal pistol (2d6); ST: +3; SP: Shipborn, weapon mastery (+1 atk with Personal Firearms); SPD: 6; CL: 1; XP: 300.
• Sky Commander: DEF: 16; HD: 5; ATK: by long sword (1d8) or crystal rifle (2d8); ST: +4; SP: Shipborn, weapon mastery (+1 atk with Personal Firearms); SPD: 6; CL: 2; XP: 450.

Enjoy,
Flynn

Enemies of Samardan: The Crime Lords of Kolgrat...

Good Afternoon, All:

In this post we are going to discuss our second Major Enemy for the World of Samardan campaign setting. From the information presented in the location pieces, there were few obvious options for this slot, so I started to consider less obvious options. I wanted an organization, because those don't die as quickly with the death of one person, and I wanted this group to be a lingering threat that requires the attention and concerted efforts of our protagonists to deal with. In the end, I decided that other Major Enemy will be Yaranu Moro, Master of Assassins and the Crime Lords of Kolgrat whom he represents. The reason I chose this route primarily is because I already had a mystic-based enemy and a warrior-based enemy. Therefore, I needed an expert-based enemy to for conceptual symmetry. After making the selection, Yaranu Moro and his fellow Crime Lords almost seemed to take on a life of their own in my imagination...

The Crime Lords of Kolgrat

History: The Crime Lords of Kolgrat have always been a tumultuous group, until they were forged into a secret alliance under the iron fist of Yaranu Moro, Master of Assassins. Rising up the in the ranks of Kolgrat's famous assassin's guild, Yaranu Moro achieved the rank of guildmaster through right of assassination and then began a ruthless campaign to force the other Crime Lords under his thumb. With his success, Yaranu Moro now appears publicly as the Master Assassin for the court of Kolgrat and the representative of the Crime Lords of the city in the Raganu's courtly affairs.

Personality: Some might believe that Yaranu Moro is paranoid, but it isn't paranoia if everyone really is out to get you, and that's the reality of his position. The only way to achieve masterhood in Kolgrat's assassin's guild is by right of assassination, and that's in addition to those Crime Lords he has had to manipulate and coerce into supporting his leadership. Yaranu Moro is known for his cruelty, which rumors depict as being even greater than that of the kelshrani. He has a particular love of poisons, and has been known to purchase slaves simply to serve as test subjects for his latest toxin.

Stat Blocks: The following stat blocks for each representative member of the forces of the Crime Lords are based on the Sword and Planet: An Old School Roleplaying Game of Planetary Romance. Please feel free to convert these stats to the system of your choice, if you wish to use them elsewhere.

• Thug: DEF: 13; HD: 1; ATK: by short sword (1d6) or short bow (1d6, Rng 12/24/48); ST: +2; SP: Sneak attack; SPD: 6; CL: 1/2; XP: 150.
• Thug Overseer: DEF: 14; HD: 2; ATK: by poisoned short sword (1d6 + poison) or short bow (1d6 + poison, Rng 12/24/48); ST: +3; SP: Poison (1d6/round, Fort DC 13 ends), sneak attack, skill mastery (1/rest); SPD: 6; CL: 1; XP: 300.
• Assassin of the Outer Circle: DEF: 15; HD: 4; ATK: by poisoned long sword (1d8 + poison) or long bow (1d8 + poison, Rng 12/24/48); ST: +4; SP: Poison (1d8/round, Fort DC 14 ends), sneak attack, skill mastery (1/rest); SPD: 6; CL: 2; XP: 450.
• Assassin of the Inner Circle: DEF: 16; HD: 6; ATK: by poisoned long sword (1d8 + poison) or long bow (1d8 + poison, Rng 12/24/48); ST: +5; SP: Poison (2d6/round, Fort DC 15 ends), sneak attack, skill mastery (2/rest); SPD: 6; CL: 3; XP: 600.

Enjoy,
Flynn

Enemies of Samardan: Raganu Pekadevi Rekatur, the Lord-Emperor of Torkobalem...

Good Afternoon, All:

Now that the Supreme Enemy of the World of Samardan campaign setting has been established, it is time to determine the two Major Enemies that will plague our protagonists once we start using the setting. The first and most obvious Major Enemy should be Torkobalem, City-State of Crystals, and more specifically, Raganu Pekadevi Rekatur, the Lord-Emperor of Torkobalem.

Raganu Pekadevi Rekatur, the Lord-Emperor of Torkobalem

History: Raganu Pekadevi Rekatur ascended the throne of the City of Crystals after his father's fatal hunting accident, although some whisper that the old Raganu's death was no accident. Shortly after Raganu Pekadevi Rekatur began his reign, Torkobalem launched both land and aerial assaults on several cities, who have been weakened considerably by Torkobalem's stranglehold on power crystals. The Raganu has made no effort to conceal his desire to conquer the cities of the Granbalem and forge a new empire under his iron rule.

Personality: Raganu Pekadevi Rekatur is known to be a vengeful man, and he has been known to hire assassins and bounty hunters to go after those who have wronged him. The Raganu is also a cruel man who believes in torturing his victims before he kills them, and many of his personal guards and appointed military leaders are cut from the same cloth. Above all else, however, Raganu Pekadevi Rekatur desires to conquer his many enemies and to control as much of the world as he is capable of. He has even proven willing to sacrifice vengeance and torture if doing so would benefit his desire for conquest. Woe be unto any who would take advantage of this fact by lying to him, for the Reganu's vengeance becomes all-consuming against those who betray him.

Stat Blocks: The following stat blocks for each representative member of Torkobalem's forces are based on the Sword and Planet: An Old School Roleplaying Game of Planetary Romance, which I wrote last year. Please feel free to convert these stats to the system of your choice, if you wish to use them elsewhere.

• Torkobalem Soldier: DEF: 14; HD: 1; ATK: by short sword (1d6) or crystal pistol (1d8); ST: +2; SP: First strike; SPD: 6; CL: 1/2; XP: 150.
• Torkobalem Veteran: DEF: 15; HD: 2; ATK: by short sword (1d6) or heavy crystal pistol (2d6); ST: +3; SP: First strike, weapon mastery (+1 atk with Personal Firearms); SPD: 6; CL: 1; XP: 300.
• Torkobalem Leader: DEF: 16; HD: 5; ATK: by long sword (1d8) or crystal rifle (2d8); ST: +4; SP: Inspire courage, weapon mastery (+1 atk with Personal Firearms); SPD: 6; CL: 2; XP: 450.
• Torkobalem Commander: DEF: 17; HD: 8; ATK: by great sword (2d6) or heavy crystal rifle (3d6+2); ST: +6; SP: Inspire courage, weapon mastery (+1 atk/+2 dmg with Personal Firearms); SPD: 6; CL: 3; XP: 600.

Enjoy,
Flynn

Enemies of Samardan: Farleni, The Mind Masters...

Good Afternoon, All:

Today, we begin our explorations of the Hall of Infamy for the World of Samardan. For those who may not be familiar with the concept, a Hall of Infamy is a list of regional antagonists whose role is to generate conflict for our heroes to resolve. The basic structure for a Hall of Infamy is simple:

• One Supreme Over-Arching Enemy: Defeating this antagonist should require only the toughest, meanest, most experienced adventurers available. The Supreme Enemy is typically located in a ruin.
• Two Major Enemies: Defeating these antagonists is not a job for novices, and should require well-established, well-prepared veteran adventurers. Major Enemies are frequently associated with cities, lairs or ruins.
• Four Minor Enemies: Defeating these antagonists should be very difficult for novices, yet defeat can be accomplished at the hands of seasoned adventurers who are starting to build a reputation for themselves. Minor Enemies are often found in lairs.

We've already identified our Supreme Enemy for this campaign: The Farleni (or the Mind Masters of Orkelium, the Forked Tower).

Farleni, the Mind Masters

History: The Farleni are a race of alien psionic parasites that once inhabited a distant world, before unintentionally being brought to Samardan by the Ancient Ones. Upon their arrival, the Farleni spread quickly, seeking a way to contact their homeworld. After an intense battle, the Farleni were finally contained and cryogenically frozen for research purposes in the scientific research facility now known as Orkelium, the Forked Tower.

Life Cycle: Farleni are a race of parasites that go through numerous phases: Larva, Pupa and Adult. Much like insects, adult Farleni are physiologically differentiated by their role in their hive-like society: workers, soldiers, drones and queens. Larva can only grow within the body of another creature. When the larva matures into the pupa stage, it migrates outside the body of its host, but continues to ride its host as it grows and matures. When the host creature dies, the pupa will either seek out a new host or begin the transformation into an adult Farleni, with highly developed psychic powers. Workers are the most prominent, being sterile servitors that serve the main body of the Farleni "hive-mind". Also sterile, the much larger soldiers use their psychic powers to control local vermin and small creatures in order to protect the "hive-mind". Fertile male drone Farleni serve as the immediate guardians of the queen with their stunning mental blasts, while the queen leads the "hive-mind" and lays the eggs that will eventually hatch to become larva and start the cycle of life once again.

Stat Blocks: The following stat blocks for each form are based on the Sword & Planet: An Old School Roleplaying Game of Planetary Romance, which I wrote last year. Please feel free to convert these stats to the system of your choice, if you wish to use them elsewhere.

• Farlen, Larva: DEF: 10; HD: 1/2; ATK: 1 bite (1d2); ST: +2; SP: Farleni traits, control host; SPD: 4; CL: 1; XP: 300.
• Farlen, Pupa: DEF: 11; HD: 2; ATK: 2 tentacles (1d4); ST: +3; SP: Farleni traits, ride host; SPD: 5 (swim 6); CL: 2; XP: 450.
• Farlen, Worker: DEF: 13; HD: 4; ATK: 4 tentacles (1d6); ST: +4; SP: Farleni traits, mystic powers (daze, fear); SPD: 5 (swim 6); CL: 4; XP: 900.
• Farlen, Soldier: DEF: 15; HD: 6; ATK: 4 tentacles (1d8); ST: +5; SP: Farleni traits, mass dominate (all creatures within 30 ft, max 24 HD worth, Will negates), mystic powers (daze, fear); SPD: 6 (swim 9); CL: 5; XP: 1,200.
• Farlen, Drone: DEF: 17; HD: 8; ATK: 4 tentacles (1d8); ST: +6; SP: Farleni traits, mind blast (all within 30ft cone are stunned and unable to act for 2d4 rounds, Will negates), mystic powers (dominate person, fear, phantasmal killer, telepathic bond); SPD: 6 (swim 9); CL: 6; XP: 1,800.
• Farlen, Queen: DEF: 18; HD: 9; ATK: 4 tentacles (1d6 + mindfire poison); ST: +6; SP: Farleni traits, mindfire poison (1d6 plus -1 penalty on Will saves, Fort negates), mystic powers (daze, dominate person, fear, phantasmal killer, scrying, telepathic bond); SPD: 5 (swim 9); CL: 8; XP: 3,600.

Special Abilities

Farleni Traits: All Farleni have the following abilities: take half damage from acid and cold, take double damage from electricity, telepathy (100 ft range), detect thoughts (20 ft range), sense hive-mind (1 mile range).

Control Host: Larval Farleni will burrow into the flesh of an unconscious or helpless victim and, 1d4+1 rounds later, attach itself to the brain stem of its host. There, it will attempt to control the actions of the host (Will save to resist). Removing a burrowing Farlen larva requires a Very Difficult (DC 25) Healing skill check to successfully remove the larva without killing the patient. Once it has attached to the brain stem, the difficulty increases to Nigh Impossible (DC 30).

Farleni Traits: All Farleni have the following abilities: take half damage from acid and cold, take double damage from electricity, telepathy (100 ft range), detect thoughts (20 ft range), sense hive-mind (1 mile range). The larva cannot be hurt directly while its host is alive; only when the host is dead will the larva release the host's brain and attempt to find another host.

Ride Host: Pupal Farleni will grapple and ride a victim and extend tendrils that, 1d4+1 rounds later, attach themselves to the brain stem of its host. Once attached, it will attempt to control the actions of the host (Will save to resist). Removing an attached Farlen pupa requires a Difficult (DC 20) Healing skill check to successfully remove the tendrils without killing the patient. Once it has attached to the brain stem, the difficulty increases to Very Difficult (DC 25). The host suffers half of all damage dealt to the riding pupa.

The rest of the powers should be self-explanatory.

Enjoy,
Flynn

World of Samardan: Rekmader, the Forest of Plenty...

Welcome, All:

First, I would like to take a moment and celebrate a milestone for me. This is the 600th Post for In Like Flynn, something I honestly wasn't sure I'd ever see when I started all of this. Thankfully, I've stuck with it, and I was very proud to see 600 posts come up when I logged in to post my blog entry for today. Woohoo!

Second, this is the last location post for the World of Samardan campaign setting. After this post, we are diving straight in with the Hall of Infamy, developing a list of the top seven bad guys for the setting so we have antagonists to pit against our protagonists.

(hex) Rekmader, the Forest of Plenty

Ambiance: This small forested area is teaming with life, particularly herds of wild yurlathi. Surprisingly, these woods appear to be free of major predators, save for the occasional pile of skulls arranged along game trails. Their orderly arrangement suggests an intelligent presence, even if no other sign is immediately visible.

History: Rekmader has always been known for its good hunting. The ownership of the land is continually contested as new warlords strive to take the land from its previous owner. Recently, a tribe of primitive morsudkomi has taken residence in the woods, chasing the previous tenants from their watchtower.

Encounters: Herds of wild yurlathi inhabit this region, along with a number of smaller herbivores. A tribe of the four-armed morsudkomi also inhabit these woods, keeping the area clear of major predators. Common encounters and hazards include falling trees, crude man-traps, kandori nests, and the webs of a roving rivrakkat.

Treasure: Yurlathi are the most common form of livestock on Samardan, and herds of wild yurlathi sell well in the market as breeding stock. .

Adventure Hooks: Adventure hooks for this site could include the following:

• Among certain tribes of Husrani, morsudkomi cubs are considered pets. Tamar Geshkan, the wandering merchant, has standing offers for living morsudkomi cubs, in order to maintain strong trading relations with such tribes.
• Kado Sumanatan, a yurlathi rancher, seeks new breeding stock, but does not want to buy local males because he feels they are inferior to his herds. He is soliciting outlanders with animal skills to find and drive a herd of wild yurlathi from Rekmader to his ranch lands.
• Pansanu Drako Dankana, a Husrani mercenary captain, seeks additional mercenaries to join him in a strike on the morsudkomi, so that he can retake the forest they took from him.
• This season's fashionable delicacy among the nobility of Torkobalem is seared kandor with wild chili paste. The famous chef Sadabama Hikokan prefers to serve wild kandori, preferably from the Rekmader, as the meat is purpostedly tastier. Enterprising hunters are looking for men-at-arms to protect them as they hunt down and capture nests of kandori in response to Sadabama's increasing culinary needs.
• Yaranu Moro, Master of Assassins for the court of Kolgrat, will pay handsomely for fresh rivrakkat poison.

Standard Disclaimer: As I have not yet decided where to set this particular location on the map as yet, I've left a placeholder to remind me to come back to this in the future. Later on, I'll replace (Hex) with the actual hex location, when I put all of this together into a single document.

Enjoy,
Flynn