OSR Experiments #33: Savage Dead-Owl

Inspired by Tim Snider, who proofread my DD2 Starter Set (see last post), and published his own neat compendium last September, here's another monster conversion, styled into DD2:

Decaying Dead-Owl

Once the attack on Vaal went awry, it became apparent that none of the parties would come out alive. The weapons used had infected every living being, drenching them in the Jubre disease. This included the hunter owls employed by the Witch Masters, which went down in the first wave. Their masters had thought them dead, but when the long night came, their rotting corpses still moved. Master Nemesis was the first to be assailed by them, their putrid beaks spewing foul venom, and their infected claws scratching his armour and face. Nemesis was blinded only, but his two henchmen died then and there, only to return as flesh eating horrors from their graves two days later.

Decaying Owls are very rare, and will only be found near Doomstone and Jubre-infected areas.

DD2: beak & claw 6, attack class 2, flight 6, night vision 6, undead, zombifying disease
(avoid infection of wounds caused by the owls with 9+ on CON, or 6+ if well cleaned,
or else disease will rot an L wound daily until death ensues or cured by magick or prayer,
victims must roll 6+ on WIL after death to avoid becoming a zombie)

OSR Experiments #32: Jeff's 20 questions for... a not quite Dungeoneering type Campaign setting

Answering 20 questions seems to be an OSR hobby! Well, here's Jeff's famous 20 questions, for my current Nirdday games. Nirdday is a dark fantasy world, with elements from the 15th through 19th centuries. And it's not a regular dungeon world at all! I think my gamers haven't seen a single halfling in over a hundred games, and hardly ever entered an underearth crypt or ... wait that's not true, they do go in underearth settings sometimes. But not extended ones.

1. What is the deal with my cleric's religion? - Most Nirdday priests are Crosstian, which is a kind of Roman Catholic Christian, with celtic influences and more space for female priests (or even a Papess). The more outlandish Elder religions are more remniscent of Ancient Roman religion.
2. Where can we go to buy standard equipment? - in most towns or cities there is ample opportunity.
3. Where can we go to get platemail custom fitted for this monster I just befriended? - if you pay enough, many blacksmiths may try. But the best are from Solingen and Toledo Salamanca.
4. Who is the mightiest wizard in the land? - most of these are dead, or supposed to be dead. Legendary is the AceceRex, architact of the magick walls that imprison Nirdday.
5. Who is the greatest warrior in the land? - legendary are Feara Azriaz and Blade Ringwood. Both pretty ancient player characters, first played in the '80-ies.
6. Who is the richest person in the land? - These are the de Medici and Fugger families - much like in real life 16th century.
7. Where can we go to get some magical healing? - the Grey Friars, priests of St Rafael may help you.
8. Where can we go to get cures for the following conditions: poison, disease, curse, level drain, lycanthropy, polymorph, alignment change, death, undeath? - in most cases you go for help from the Grey Friars if you want to live, or the priests of St Michael if you really want them dead. The Order of Leopold is specialised in slaying vampyres.
9. Is there a magic guild my MU belongs to or that I can join in order to get more spells? - most magick users are either schooled in Dagon (ImperiMor), Samaris (center of the world) or Monmarche (Dominio). Magick users are relatively rare. And yes, learning new disciplines either needs old tomes, finding new masters or going to the academy.
10. Where can I find an alchemist, sage or other expert NPC? - most cities have one or more of these.
11. Where can I hire mercenaries? - In Ferdan you can hire plenty just about everywhere. That's part of Ferdan's problem - too many old soldiers left from the wars of destruction, wanting a job.
12. Is there any place on the map where swords are illegal, magic is outlawed or any other notable hassles from Johnny Law? - for non-nobility, non-guard many cities outlaw swords. Magick is typically frowned upon, but it only becomes illegal if it's witchcraft. And whether it's witchcraft is often decided by nasty people in charge or nasty inquisitors.
13. Which way to the nearest tavern? - across from the church.
14. What monsters are terrorizing the countryside sufficiently that if I kill them I will become famous? - killing old dragons may gain you a real reputation. Killing old elves will also give you a reputation, but it may turn out to be lethal for yourself. Killing orcs is often thought a necessity - until you find out orc women look like pretty human women, and some orcs aren't that warlike after all.
15. Are there any wars brewing I could go fight? - Ferdan is on the brink of a civil war. Skirmishes are on the borders of many provinces. ImperiMor has just been taken over in a coup d' etat - and a rebellion is building, starting to wage war from within.
16. How about gladiatorial arenas complete with hard-won glory and fabulous cash prizes? - Samaris has a well known arena, and so do Brethan and Capital. Ferdan, where most adventures are based has no arenas, but there are regular jousts, duels and tournaments all over the place.
17. Are there any secret societies with sinister agendas I could join and/or fight? - oh... yes. Very much so.
18. What is there to eat around here? - German cuisine (Ferdan), French cuisine (Keo), etc, etc. But also maggots if you prefer.
19. Any legendary lost treasures I could be looking for? - many, especially stuff lost in the pre-Arrival wars.
20. Where is the nearest dragon or other monster with Type H treasure? - beg you pardon? You might want to look for the lost hoards of Vaal. Except that they say its soil is contaminated with doomstone.

Cheers Jeff! I didn't expect I could give answers making sense, but it wasn't hard after all.

OSR Experiments #31: Brendan's 20 Questions for a not really D&D game any more

Yes, why not answer Brendan's 20 questions for Dark Dungeon too? It's not really the same sort of game as D&D, it's not a homebrew, but if conversion works, why not answer the questions too. Might be enlightening too!

Here are 20 rules clarifications that are likely to be needed anyways at some point.

1. Ability scores generation method?
50 points are given to starting characters, and typically 20 points are used for abilities, assigned by choice. Two points per ability point, with 0 being average, and 5 being very high and maximum starter level.

2. How are death and dying handled?
Characters receiving Critical wounds may die if they do not get medical attention and fail their CONstitution check. Terminal wounds are final unles you use a Luck point (these are finite).

3.What about raising the dead?
Unusual, but not impossible. Some Saints and Gods do grant this miracle. And there are some magickal-technical ways to reincarnate in a cloned body fo select groups.

4. How are replacement PCs handled?
As new heroes to be written into the story. I'm not sure I get this question.

5. Initiative: individual, group, or something else?
Initiative is individual and essential in combat, as the one who has initiative may be the one to set the rythm of a combat. If you don't have the initiative you may be forced into the defensive, having to parry or evade all the time.

6. Are there critical hits and fumbles? How do they work?
Critical hits on a "natural" roll of 10 on d10, and on an effective 15 or more when adding skill. Fumbles occur on a natural roll of 1 on d10, and a reroll of 4 or less. The lower the reroll, the worse the result. Magick is prone to side-effects and gets a fumble-like result on any natural roll of one.

7. Do I get any benefits for wearing a helmet?
Yes, any head hits will receive the armor bonus of the helmet, probably saving your life.

8. Can I hurt my friends if I fire into melee or do something similarly silly?
A fumble 1-2 is a "hit friend", so yes. Especially if friends are in the line of fire these sort of hits are more likely. And you can PvP and make the GM nuts, yes.

9. Will we need to run from some encounters, or will we be able to kill everything?
Not running from some encounters will probably kill you.

10. Level-draining monsters: yes or no?
Levels are not a true issue in DD2. So level draining is not possible. Some monsters may have draining effects on abilities though, which gives a similar effect.

11. Are there going to be cases where a failed save results in PC death?
Yes. But as long as you have luck points (extra ones awarded for good role play), you may cheat fate and at the very least claim a reroll.

12. How strictly are encumbrance & resources tracked?
To be honest, in practice, hardly. But that may be part of the typical game I see played with DD2, being more scene oriented, and not dungeon-mission typed. Resource and wound tracking is a possibility for some games though.

13. What's required when my PC gains a level? Training? Do I get new spells automatically? Can it happen in the middle of an adventure, or do I have to wait for down time?
You can only gain increase or gain skills between sessions. Whether you can within an adventure that spans several sessions is to the discretion of the GM - usually it should fit with what your character has been doing. Training is usually abstract - and as no empasis is laid on treasure, no buying of training is needed within the system. However, sometimes a story is made up why or how some new skill is learned.

14. What do I get experience for?
For good roleplaying, for effective team-playing, for the heroicness of the adventure, for the dangers weathered, for the duration of the session. All added up.

15. How are traps located? Description, dice rolling, or some combination?
Usually a combination. But can be either, depending on the GM.

16. Are retainers encouraged and how does morale work?
Some campaigns are full of supporting NPCs, but these are typically controlled / played by the GM. Morale may be simulated by dice roll with a check in Willpower.

17. How do I identify magic items?
By role playing, or by rolling on your detection, divination or estimate value skill.

18. Can I buy magic items? Oh, come on: how about just potions?
Sometimes. Depends on the campaign, but buying usually only partly or unidentified items at own risk sometimes happens. Then again, Bazaars of the Bizarre have also entered play one time or other.

19. Can I create magic items? When and how?
Yes. A subset of special rules has been used in our shared world to do so, with limited success. These rules included astrological signifiers, materials to use, rolls to make, money to invest and quests to do.

20. What about splitting the party?
Depends on the GM. With me, it happens often, but of course that limits individual play time. However tasks may also be delegated with more ease, then the group comes together again and... typically shares most knowlegde but forgets something essential.


Now I wonder what that tells non-DD2 gamers. Cheers Brendan!

OSR Experiments #30: It's a Product Release! Revel in the new Shadow of the Haunted Keep

Finally! After many hours of hard work here it is at RPGNow, the Shadow of the Haunted Keep is for sale at $1.99. Forty-eight pages of adventure for Dark Dungeon or OSR.

Have you ever wondered what a classic style adventure of 1981 would look like if it were written today? Written for a system that's a bit more story-oriented? That's what I tried to answer in this adventure kit.

An adventure kit I inadvertently started designing over half a year ago, when I tried to convert D&D system adventure into Dark Dungeon 2nd Ed, and vice versa.

Inside you'll find:

- a full fledged three-barreled adventure
- maps, encounter tables, scene tables, monster descriptions, NPCs, magick items
- seven ready to go heroes
- encounters and map for the town Holmeston

Enjoy!


And now to the illustrated starter set of Dark Dungeon 2nd Edition...

A request... proofreader wanted

Dear fellow bloggers. I just finished a DD2 / OSR adventure kit for publication, and I'm looking for a native english speaking proofreader. And possibly playtester, if you like it. In exchange for your effort, you'll get my eternal gratitude, honorable mention and the module for free :-)

The module is a tribute to late Moldvay's classic adventure, but with all new artworks, background, storyline, and even some background and encounters for a local town.

Update: two people just offered their kind services! So the email address has been removed.

OSR Experiments #29: Real Heavy Stuff

I always hated encumbrance rules. They're cumbersome, hard work, and heavier on the players than the characters. But last holiday I noticed there might be a point to these rules.

Hauling one extra backpack with a bundle of books I bought made the difference. My first backpack, with camera and clothes was heavy enough, feeling a bit like a harness on my back. But this second one was a killer. I literally noticed how I slowed down. Maybe my real speed halved, maybe I made two thirds. But I slowed.

I would have another ten hours to kill in Munich before my train left. Then I figured I needed to find a locker. And so I did.

If I would have to carry my two kids, or perhaps my wife, that would really slow me down. To less than half speed. And I would not be able to continue for a longer period. If it was something heavier still, I would only be able to drag it forth slowly, or not at all.

So encumbrance makes sense, even in adventures where dungeon loot is not the first objective.

But I hate adding up numbers all the time! So I figured, maybe, maybe there is an easier way. Because encumbrance is both weight, and bulk, and the way you are able to carry the stuff.

So instead of counting in coins, or pounds, or grammes, or even stones, like Alexandrian or Lamentations, you might count in HEAVY THINGS. You might even classify as SOME STUFF, HEAVY THINGS, VERY HEAVY THINGS, and HARDLY MOVEABLE STUFF.
And instead of always counting, you only start counting once it becomes important. When you're in a chase running away from enemies. Or when you are chasing others yourself.

It might work out like this.

SOME STUFF - are small weapons, a small handbag, a tool, a jacket, etc. Anything that gets your hands full but doesn't really slow you too much. Some stuff you can always take with you, but it may get your hands full if you don't have a bag for them.

HEAVY THINGS - are just that, a full daypack, a winter coat, a bag of groceries, a sack of loot, a big shield, a big sword, a pole arm - you can carry one heavy thing as a normal person without being slowed down too much. Carrying more heavy things will slow you down.

VERY HEAVY THINGS - another hero, a cupboard, a stack of loot. Very heavy things make you move slowly. You're a sitting duck and you can forget about chasing. Unless you're very strong, or perhaps make a strength check.

Hardly moveable stuff? - Stone slabs, coffins, real big furniture, a tree... Forget about moving long distances at all. No chasing. Get an elephant or horse to help you out.

Now I only need to factor in STRength and SIZe... And figure out how many coins is VERY HEAVY.

What do you think? Worth a try?

OSR Experiments #28: Werespider Woman

Impressed by Evan's monsters from In Places Deep, and noticing that my vacation brought down my average number of posts, I thought I'd do a conversion of his Goblin Spider for Dark Dungeon 2nd Ed. Cheers, and watch out for friendly old ladies!


Werespider Woman

"Grandmother Spider brought us here on this world and she watches over us still. We should be thankful. But there are also sisters, wicked sisters she left behind, and some of their spawn also reached our reality. Now they lurk on the borders, in forests deep, on the edge of civilisation. Wolf spiders the size of a small horse, who can change their appearance and shape to that of a sweet old hag. Venomous, deadly, always hungry, in a lair full of rotting corpses. You should watch for them, for they can hide themselves blending in the shadows, or speak with a honey voice and lure you to sleep. They are evil. I repeat, they are evil."
from Travels in the Dark Lands

DD2: spider form: dexterity  3, venomous bite 8 (class 2), chitinous armour 2+1 (3),
when bitten roll 9+ on CON to avoid a Critical wound in the chest caused by the venom

DD2: human form: charm 3, sleep magick 4, invisibility 4 

OSR Experiments #27: More (Almost?) Real Shield Bashing

How does a real fight with shields look? I still wonder - SCA gives an idea. Here's another one. Skallagrim, one of the founders of the Skjaldborg - that's "Shield Wall" in old Norse has a load of videos of what they do with their viking group. They look pretty cool. Even if they are semi-choreographed. More food for thought!

Or like this (no he's not dead):



And what it looks like if you're in it:

OSR Experiments #26: Real Furious Shields

With all the talk about shields lately, I've started to wonder what a real shield fight looks like. If it's more than a stage or film fight. So I started to scour Youtube a bit, and found this one for example. Even if it's a left hander against a right hander it gives some idea.



Notice how the fighters use their shields to fix their opponent, and force them in a corner? With some luck you could push your foe off balance.
What that would have to mean in a game system, I don't know yet. But it sure makes me think once again.

Just saying you'll use your shield AND your weapon in attack seems a bit simple. Though that might do the trick.

Here's another SCA training, buckler vs shield. See how the buckler is at a real disadvantage. Be patient for the flurries or speed ahead.

OSR Experiments #25: Attack of the Anguyverne Mother

As a nod to very creative Brit Satyre from Fame & Fortune, I thought I'd do another conversion.

Anguyverne Mother & Anguyvernes

't Is a monstrosity, wrote Sir Gwaraine, a monstrosity from the depth of the Lac du Dumbarton. Its wings span twenty feet on each side, more than forty feet in all. Pale and slimy its scales slide along its wings, four score teeth like daggers sharp. A poisonous tail thirty feet long, sting like a thousand bees on a long lance. No knight has defeated the Mother Anguyverne. No knight will, they say, until all her palid spawn are slain as well. For she takes her life's blood and will from them each time she is wounded.

The young wizards apprentice frowned. Then tell me about the spawn, where do they live, what do they eat, where do they breathe? They live in the deep caverns, guarding the treasures of Dumbartons Kings, breathing the silted waters and eating the carrion of the likes of you, young adventurer! Fifteen feet long, slithering like an eel, without wings nor eyes, but with even more teeth than their mother. No knight has survived their bites, even if they are weak. But then, none could breathe water. Only if they would have eaten the gills of the spawn, then they could have for an hour or so. But how to slay them then in the first place? No, 't is of no avail. Sir Gwaraine sunk on his knees and pondered over the still waters of the lake.

Anguyverne Mother

OSR: unique creature, HD 9+9, fly 180', swim 120', bite 3d8, tail sting 2d4 + poison

DD2: STR 10, CON 10, scaley hide (armor 4) bite 9 (weapon class 4), tail sting 8 (weapon class 3)
poison in sting (9+ on CON or die, 12+ or S in chest), fly 7, swim 6, INT 0


Anguyverne

DD2: STR 5, CON 5, scaley hide (armor 2), bite 8 (weapon class 2), sting 7 (weapon class 1), poison sting 6+ or die, 9+ or S in chest, swim 7, excellent senses 5

OSR Experiments #24: Preview of "Shadows of the Haunted Keep"

Happy Independence Day! Unless you're British, of course.

Thought I'd share with you a preview magick item from my upcoming module Shadows of the Haunted Keep. A retro-style adventure kit for Dark Dungeon – with OSR stats too. Enjoy.

 Book of Confusions

Usually a tome of this sort has a name like “Booke of Ultimate Knowledge”, or “The Compleat Enchantre”. The tome intrigues the reader to the utmost, and makes him or her believe that he can do anything. Accomplish any goal, solve any problem. But the how is complex, and the more the reader reads, the more complex it becomes, until in practice the reader wastes all time and accomplishes nothing. The reader will experiment with the knowledge in the book, and talk, write and think endlessly, but all ideas will be misguided gibberish of no use.

A casual reader must roll 6+ on WIL to avoid being sucked in by the book. A reader who takes the time to study the book must roll 9+ on WIL. One who tries to read it from cover to cover must roll 12+.

To break the curse of the book, it must be burned, which the reader will violently resist. Or the affected reader could be blessed on 12+ to be released for a day (after which the book might be burned), or 15+ to be released permanently.

For old schoolers who use a D&D remix: any serious reader must save vs. spells or suffer the effects. A remove curse spell is the way to get rid of the book. Be sure to entice players to read the book by suggesting that it might have very powerful magick and knowledge inside. Such is the power of the book.

Image is a remix of the CC image of a latin dictionary by Dr. M Gossler. This image remix also belongs to our Creative Commons.

OSR Experiments #23: Freaky Fungus Eaters

Recently I saw a freakish photo from an obscure Japanese horror movie. And I couldn't help but think how the creatures depicted could fit in my fantasy world. Freakish mushrooms... With some stats DD and OSR side to side. Enjoy.

Fungus Eater

The name of this species is rather confusing. It suggests that they eat fungi. But in fact, they are fungi. Ten foot high, carniverous, man eating fungi.

The Manango or "Fungus Eaters" have been reported at least twice by both Nipponese and Sung expeditions in the Southern ocean, infecting lost isles in the Emerald Archipello. A survivor of the disastrous Kobyashi shipwreck was the first. He was so stark raving mad that he wasn't taken seriously by the authorities. But a later expedition to recover the Kobyashi gold proved his report true. Only three of the eightyseven sailors and warriors came back to tell the tale. The gold was never found.

Manango are between four and twelve feet tall, and can hide as if they are mossy and fungus heaps of stones. They seem to lie dormant in groups for an unlimited time, until prey wanders into their vicinity. They seem to communicate with shrieks, but can also emit waves of "thought madness", so they might organize telepathically. Corpses left by the Manango eventually seem to grow into new Manango.

Dark Dungeon Stats:

STR 5
Armour Class 2 (tough leather)
claw 6 (weapon class 2)
telepathic communication 3
telepathic assault (cause madness) 3

OSR Stats:

HD 3 + 3
AC 6
claws 1d6
surprise 4 in 6
psionic assault 1/day
feeblemind 1/day

OSR Experiments #22: Not all Weapons are Equal

Ok, I'm still watching the videos, but here's a few thoughts I'd like to share. TrentB alerted me to the ARMA medieval fencing masters, who study the real thing. Not the stats, the number crunching, the Great Shield debates, or the abstract hit point related simulation systems called chainmail or D&D. They do the real swordfighting, live.

And on this swordfighting lesson video the teacher (I'm not sure if it's John Clements, but could be) explains the difference between a longsword vs a side sword. The latter, he explains, is rather effective on the battlefield, but the former is much more effective in the street - vs. a single opponent.

That's because the reach of a longsword is greater, even if just a bit. And one hand is kept free, to parry with for example. So, the longsword is excellent to carry around "on the street", because you can quickly take down an opponent with the longer reach. But in the battlefield a side sword (broadsword?) is more useful, because you can create a swooshing barrier to keep enemies from all sides away from you.

I'm not too sure if the difference between a battlefield situation and a one to one situation is at all reflected in D&D (or other) game rules. I know of no example. But I figure it should be, or at least it would add to my enjoyment and feel for the game if that were the case.

OSR Experiments #21: Just another thought on Shields

Why are shields underused in dark Dungeon? I was a bit nagged by the idea that my "better" system would provide such an unrealistic result. But then a thought struck me.

Dark Dungeon heroes are equipped to fight, but they don't go out to fight unless they really have to. It's not like they enter dungeons every second scene, or go into a battle. If they would, then wearing a shield would make much more sense. Especially if they would work in formation, and go in to clobber up orks with their shield wall, riot control style. Or if they went into a duel, viking style, with a few shields for spare if one got axed up.

But that's not usually the case. Heroes in DD2 are more often carousing, traveling, patrolling, visiting local nobility, solving mysteries...

And if they fight, it's because they were surprised, coming to the rescue, or are sniping from a distance anyway. And the ones that do jump into the fray prefer twohanded weapons, or another weapon in the second hand. Many of them are nobility too, who would scoff at using a big shield.

So, maybe it's not all that crazy. But I'll soon surprise them with a goblin shield wall anyway. 

Image gratefully borrowed from Wikipedia Commons.

OSR Experiments #20: Winged Syren

As a nod to Ancient Vaults I thought I'd do another conversion and messup to Dark Dungeon rules and mythology. Here 't is.

Winged Syren

The winged syrens or "Seethers", named after the wyzard who first encountered them near the hellish depths of the Etna volcano, are extremely beautiful women-like, bat-winged demonoids. Master Seeth's expedition never returned, but his writings did survive. According to him, the winged syrens are protectresses of Coatlicue, the goddess with the "skirt of snakes".  Coatlicue was the one that gave birth to mankind, and saved those who travelled between the stars and gave them new life. But most depict her as an insatiable monster that consumes everything that lives, with two snake heads and foul wings.

The seether priestesses fly high above the smoldering lava, and breathe the sulphurous fumes as if they are one with them. They are about human sized, with wings extending fifteen feet from tip to tip. Whether they can interbreed with mankind is unknown. In all probability they will just attack from above, and render their hapless prey before they can resist. Master Seeth descibes how one of his guides was picked up and held in a crushing and kissing embrace while he was lifted high, and then dropped down in the pits of Hell.


STR 5, DEX 6, APP 5, magickal seduce 5, flight 5, hug and lift / bite 8 (weapon class 1),
breathe befuddling fumes 5 (short range only, single target, target must evade or resist on WIL or CON to avoid being charmed in a state of bliss, which makes it impossible to attack or resist. this effect only wears off after a few hours or immediately once the victim is painfully wounded)

UPDATE Chgowiz didn't do the Ancient Vaults site - but Bat. Thanx to you :-)

OSR Experiments #19: Shields Should Matter in DD Too

Recently there was some discussion about shields in D&D. They don't really pack the punch in the game as they do in real life. And that's a shame. So, the most cheered solution was a reshuffled Armor Class table (thanks J.D. & Stuart). One where shields are more useful. A solution which rather resembles using the existing “weapons vs. armor” modifier list in AD&D, as Nagora noted. You know, the table which nobody ever uses or looks at because “it's too complicated”? Gygax has the last laugh again, I guess.

But, apart from me being less happy with forementioned shuffle solution than most – I don't play D&D – it's not the only game where shields suffer. My game in practice also lacks shield use. One commenter rightly noted that he'd seen more shields in D&D than in DD2 – albeit it many magickal shields. So, I figured it time to rethink, or at least restate the shield rules in my game too.

Shields in Dark Dungeon

Blocking with Shields

Those using a shield may use it to block or deflect blows from from weapons, making a succesful roll on their shield skill. Bucklers gain a +1, small shields a +2, large shields a +3 on blocking attacks. The shield is trained as a second hand weapon, which means that you may block a blow with the one hand, and attack with the other hand in the same round without penalty.

Attacking with Shields

Shields may also be used to attack, if they are not used for defense in the same round. Spiked shields are weapon class 1, other shields class 0. You may add your shield skill to your shield attack as with normal weapons, but not the special shield bonus.

Drawbacks of Shields

Large shields are bulky, and impair movement and dexterity checks. Large shields can only be used in conjunction with a short sword or similar shorter weapon. Medium (or small shields) with nothing larger than a longsword. Bucklers may be strapped to the arm, and be used with a hand-and-a-half weapon. Twohanded weapons cannot be wielded with shields. Lances, javelins and spears can be used with any shield.

Breaking Shields

Shields may be purposely destroyed with a succesful special attack (12+) of a heavier weapon (a heavier weapon class). Wooden and wicker shields are armor class 1, reinforced shields armor class 2, steel bucklers and hoplite shields 3. So wooden shields can be hacked with an axe of class 2, reinforced shields with a bastard sword of class 3, and so on. Fumbling on your shield roll will also break it.

Shields as Missile Cover

Shields may be used as cover against missiles, especially if used in a shield wall. I haven't quite figured how to simulate this effect best, but you might give a -3 on missile attacks vs a shield wall, and -6 against a testudo formation (“tortoise” with shields both in front, side and above the formation).

Testudo Formation photo by Neil Carey, from Wiki Commons

OSR Experiments #18: "Shields Should Matter" hack

Paladin in Citadel just posted a very true observation. Shields only give a 1 point bonus on your armor class in D&D. That's a 5% difference. But a real shield is much more effective than that. If you ever watched or joined an SCA rally, or tried your hand at swordfighting, you'll know what I mean.

For me it was a main reason to switch game systems to "something more realistic", like RuneQuest (this was in 1983 or something). The other reason was wanting to use spell points instead of memorizing spells.

A shield is very effective to hide behind when being shot at, and it's almost as effective when being hacked at. When many shields are combined into a "shield wall", with each soldier next to the other overlapping shields, it's much like a tank coming at you. Shields are much more than a +1 on AC.

So, unless you also want to switch systems (to my Dark Dungeon 2nd ed for example, hint hint), you might want to try this D&D hack instead.

Shields need one free hand to use, and give a +1 on your armor class. But...

You can also use them to go "on the defensive". Then you really hide behind your shield, and forfeit some of your chances to attack. The effects are then according to this table.

buckler:            too small for this tactic, just a +1 on AC
normal shield:  +3 on defense, -3 on own attack in same round
large shield:     +5 on defense, -5 on own attack in same round

Note that the defensive tactic is especially handy when used against missile fire (where you don't couterattack anyway), and for higher level characters with better attack skill.

The extra defense value of the shield is in a single direction only, or two hexsides if you use hexes.
Shields can be hacked to pieces if hit by heavier weapons (when the hit would normally be enough to hit AC 9). A normal shield should have about 5 hits, a large one 7, reinforced shields one or two points better.

I'd use a shield if I'd play a fighter with these extra rules. See what your players do. See what the sentient monsters and NPCs do... like an orc with a shield. What a way to introduce that rule, with a horde of orcs with large shields :-)

OSR Experiments #17: The Hog Men

Following up the Panzer Bear experiment last issue, I encountered Pig Men on Digital Orc. So, why not do a similar trick and give it another "The World Beyond" spin?

The Hog Men


TWB stats:

Clobbering with Fists 5     (weapon class 4, fist + 3 STR)
Armour Class: 4 (fat leathery skin+3 CON)
STR 3, DEX 3, CON 3, INT -2, APP -4


Numbers: 1 to 6

"Hogs and men are genetically closer than apes and men" the wizardress Circe said. And she demonstrated how close they were by transforming Ulysses' men into hogs. Or more specifically into hog men. Aggressive, boisterous, rude, fat and dead ugly creatures. Their minds were completely gone, and all they enjoyed was filth, violence and horror.

Some say Ullyses talked Circe in returning his men back to normal. Others say he saw little difference from what his men were before, and he still sails the seven seas in his ghostly ships, and his murderous crew of... the hog men.

Thanx to Dylan for the first creepy idea.

OSR Experiments #16: Panzer Bear

John Becker from B/X Blackrazor posted a pretty inspiring bear monster yesterday - in D&D B/X compatible stats. Okay, it's from Pullman's His Dark Materials, so it's not a new idea, but it's cool. And first thing I thought was - what would DD stats be like? And what would my twist be?

With my conversion table it's actually not that difficult anymore:

PANZER BEAR

Armor class: 4 (Plate Armor 3+1 for siz &con)

Claw 8 (weapon class 2)

Bite 8 (weapon class 3)

STR 8, CON 7

Numbers: 1 or 2

On Nirdday and its mirror world Yaddrin, the Panzer Bears are only known as weaponized polar bears, used by the Northern Elves in punishment expeditions. They are in all probability of extra-terrestrial or even extra-planar origin. Their most notable difference with normal polar bears is their high intelligence, and speech. Their armor was forged by the elves who bound them, and the armor also serves as a kind of soul prison - forcing the bears to attack ferociously if the elves give the attack commands. Sometimes the panzer bears are used as sentries to protect polar bases or gates to other worlds, and then given magickal standing orders. A panzer bear that is freed from its helmet may either turn out thankful, or go stark raving mad and attack.

With thanks to JB and Phillip Pulmann for the basic crazy idea.

OSR Experiments #15: Shadow of the Haunted Keep

I was so inspired by re-imagining the Haunted Keep adventure, that I decided I could actually build a new module out of it. I mean, a real adventure for the Dark Dungeon rules. And make it much more of a story, instead of only a dungeon. A kind of ode to the old, and embracing the new at the same time.
Heck, maybe I'll add S&W stats too.

I just did the first cover art. What do you think, if this were to become a whole adventure kit, with maps and all, anyone out there interested enough to pay between $1 and $3 for a PDF?