Bad Astronomy: A diversity of colours

I must say some of those maximum albedo planets have unusual atmosphere colours. Perhaps the James Webb Space Telescope will find out what they are.

Lets hope they are not fingerprints on the Hubble Mirror.

Adventure Time: Into the Caves

Into the Caves
1- The Cave Entrance is smeared in all manor of foul substances and has about it a very distinctive odour. The Narrow Passage vanishes around a bend twenty feet in concealing its depths.
DM: a failed save vs poison causes the PC to take 1hp damage and vomit violently.



2- The cave is illuminated by yellow glowing fungi clustered against the far wall.
DM: touching the fungi causes the exposed to mutate- their hand on a failed save vs deathray or permanently loose 1d4 points of strength.


3- there is a heavy cluster of yellow  glowing fungi in this cave.
DM: spending a turn in this chamber causes the victim to deform into a Troglodyte.

4- Tis cave is occupied by several Troglodytes.
DM: there are four troglodytes who attack.

Starfleet Shipyards: Thoughts on the Dadaelus Class

Back when they were first creating Star Trek in the 1960s they concieved of the Starship Enterprise, they were going with a Spherical Ship design, but they went with a Saucer Section instead... and Star Trek became Star Trek.
But what if? So here is a slight mod of the Daedalus Class. Now a significant portion of the ship sphere becomes a 'drop colony'. Once the Science/Medical Drop Colony is deployed to investigate some long term situation, or serve as the Deployable Medical Facilities for early Federation colonies, the Back-up Secondary Bridge and lower 'Saucer Section' allows the Daedalus Class to return to Earth for a new Mission Package, and not be out of comission during long term operations.

Daedalus Class Starship Names
NCC-170 Daedalus
NCC-173 Enterprise

Basic Expert: Twenty NPCs in the Tavern

Okay, I'll just roll up a bunch of Non-Player Character Stats...


 Class               Str   Int   Wis   Dex   Con   Cha   Gold     
 Normal Man  10     12       9        9        9        16    100gp   
 Normal Man   7      12      10       9       10        7      90gp
 Elf                    16     13      14       8       10       13    150gp   
 Halfling           11      9       12      10      13       10    150gp
 Cleric               12     13      14      16       7         7     30gp     
 Thief                 7      10      13      13      13       16    80gp
 Magic-user     12     13       6        7       13        9     70gp     
 Dwarf              10     10      13       7       13       11    110gp
 Dwarf              13      8       10       9        17        5     90gp    
 Normal Man   10     14      10      11        4       10     80gp
 Elf                     14     17       7        9         13      11   100gp  
 Halfling           12     11      12      13       12      13    120gp
 Magic-user       5      14      10       7        13      10    70gp    
 Thief                11       9        6       17        8       17    50gp
 Cleric               10       7      14        9       16      10    100gp  
 Normal Man  10       9       12      10        9       10    120gp
 Fighter             7        11     11       6        10       9     80gp    
 Normal Man   5       13      10       9         7       16    50gp
 Normal Man   8        9       12       9         8        9     120gp   
 Fighter            14       7       11      12        5      10     70gp     

So there are twenty sets of Character Stats:

• (6) Normal Men
• (2) Elves
• (2) Dwarves
• (2) Halflings
• (2) Magic-users
• (2) Fighters
• (2) Clerics
• (2) Thieves

Community Leaders

Anyone with a charisma of 16+ are raving egomaniacs destined to rule. There are four of them (two normal men and two thieves) in this list. They are basically Mob Leadership material (6 followers each @ ML 9). So if you are looking for someone to be in charge of the community, to lead the Riot, to call for the tying of the pcs to the nearest stake to set them on fire for being witches, these are your community leaders.

Names of Community Leaders

• Patron Werntz: Actor Gary Werntz starred as the Patron of the little community that decide to burn River Tam alive for being a Witch (knowing he became Patron after he murdered the previous Patron who was recovering from an illness).

 Patron Werntz: Chaotic Thief; Str 7, Int 10, Wis 13, Dex 13, Con 13, Cha 16; gold: 80gp

• Patience Bartlett: Actress Bonnie Bartlett plays Patience, a wealthy land owner on Whitefall who looks to ambush the crew of the Firefly Serenity during a Sale of iillicitly gained food supplements. Though she owns half of Whitefall she is by all appearance the Defacto Tyrant and a Leader of Men.

Patience Bartlett: Neutral Thief; Str 11, Int 9, Wis 6, Dex 17, Con 8, Cha 17; gold: 50gp

Short Fiction: Guard Duty

Dandor tightened his grip on his oiled and polished sword and looked in the direction of the noise raising his burning torch and pointing its bright inferno behind the corner of his eye putting the light behind the edge of the chainmail coif on which his steel helm rested and strained his ears for any further sound.

Nothing.

Still, it was best not to get relaxed. This tunnel led from Old Tower in the village into the Castle Cellars, and the Old Tower had so recently collapsed leaving it abandoned and exposed. It was only a matter of time before some inquisitive peasant from the village decided to try their luck and see what they could steal. Dandor contemplated whether he should break his position and move toward the source of the sound.

Again Dandor turned and looked down the tunnel into the dark. The noise again? Though it was somewhat more clear than before, It sounded like something being stepped on and then released. A footfall? Dandor moved forward down the tunnel toward the source. The tunnel was a hundred feet each way from where he was standing. The source would be all too quickly revealed.

Nothing.

Dandor stared at the spiral staircase that was filled with collapsed stone and timber beams. Nothing could get through that way... still, the sound was real. He had definitely heard it.

Again, this time from the other end of the tunnel. It can't of slipped past. And now it was between him and the Castle cellars. Dandor walked quickly back toward his post. The sound came again and seemed closer. Almost in front of him... Dandor reached the door, and finding the portal into the castle cellars locked, waved his torch around to see if perhaps there was something he could not percieve hiding in the space between his torch and meeting with no opponent, considered his options.
 He was going insane, obviously. Dandor returned to the midpoint.
Du... The sound filled his ears. It was far more distinctive. Far more organic... Du. It sounded so familiar. So... alive.

Du... It was a heart beat... Du. Dandor smiled at his own childish fear, and waited for the heart beat to come again... his heart beat. It didnt.

Dandor collapsed.

Skuarn stared at the corpse of Dandor, holding a torch above his head. The blood had pooled around the body on the stone of the tunnel, having poured from the eyes of poor Dandor.
Skuarn was careful not to touch the body. The Wolvesbane leaf in Dandor's stew had worked too well. Skuarn looked back at the door to the cellar expecting his fellow guard to return at any moment and pulled his unholy symbol from the pocket where it spent its time concealed from his fellow guardsmen.
"<Neutralize Poison>". A momentary aura encompassed the corpse as the neutralize poison eliminated all trace of his poison from the body of Dandor.

"Rondolf" Skuarn looked back toward the door. "Where are you?"
"Here." The tall, gangly boy in armour clutching a sword in one hand and a torch in the other appeared. "I'm here."
"About bloody time lad... now make yourself useful and awaken the Captain." Skuarn pointed his sword at the green young guard. "Tell him Dandor is dead."
"Yes... yes Sir." Rondolf only now realizing there was a corpse turned and fled.

Skuarn listened as the footfalls of the boy retreated through the Cellars and began rifling Dandor's body for his coin pouch. A lone Thyatian platinum Emperor that had been Dandor's 'lucky piece' emerged and Skuarn pocketed the piece. Dandor had spent the rest of his pay.
"Sorry about this Dandor," Skuarn picked up the smouldering torch and got to his feet as the distant alarm sounded and heavy footfalls alerted Skuarn to the approach of other guards. "You were in the way of my promotion."

"What the bloody Hel happened?" Captain Haas, sword in one hand and burning torch in the other appeared at the door. "Well Skuarn?"
"Its Dandor Captain." Skuarn moved further down the tunnel and crouched on the opposite side of the body while reaching back toward the corpse to illuminate the body while appearing weary of what could possibly be further down the dark tunnel. "Looks like he bled out from the eyes."
"Rondolf, Koehler," Captain Haas looked past Skuarn down the dark tunnel that had Skuarn's divided attention. "Both of you to the end of the tunnel to check the Old Tower."

"Yes Sir." The young Rondolf followed the older and more experienced Koehler past Captain Haas, Skuarn and the corpse in the dark pool of its own blood, making their way forward with haste until they were little more than a distant mix of burning torchlight and shadows.

Captain Haas waited for the two guardsmen to return from the far end before speaking.

"Well?" Captain continued to stare at the guardsmen. "Anything?"
"Old Tower is collapsed into the stairwell." Koehler shook his head. "Nothing can get through."
"Right... You three carry the corpse up to the chapel," Captain Haas stood up and with torch raised headed toward the cellars. "The old Priest should be able to question the corpse..."

Art Folio: Eric the Cavalier

He is kind of heroic looking...well he wears chainmail, and has a magic shield like Captain America.

Cthulhu Mythos: The Blasphemous Work of Al Azif

The Necronomicon begins with the Earlier text of Al Azif or Kitab Al-azif.

• Al Azif by Al Hazred (the Mad Arab)

'Al Azif' or 'Kitab al-Azif'  is considered the arabic title of the Necronomicon refering to the noise of insects as the spoken words of demons in the night. While the form 'Al Azif' doesn't translate as Arabic there are alternate possibilities that are phonetically Similar:

1. Altajdif: The Blasphemy
2. Alnazif: The Bleeding

The full form title of 'Kitab al-azif' doesnt translate correctly either though a slight variation in phonetics does. Kitab Aljahl translates as 'The Book of Ignorance'. Our more likely options are:

1. Kitab Altajdif: Book of Blasphemy
2. Kitab Alnazif: Book of Bleeding

It seems most likely that Al'azif is a bastardization of Alnazif, though it may yet prove to be a sub-language that has developed in isolation of main Arabic, perhaps due to environmental factors. Considering 'the noise of insects at night' seems more associated with a language that has developed in bush country like Africa, than in the dry desert.

'The Book of Bleeding', or 'The Bleeding Book' is not the same as 'The Book of Blood', or 'Kitab Aldam', so we must ask: Does the Book physically Bleed? Or does this imply that it is originally a medical text?

Resembling Closure: The End of Dungeons & Dragons

I'll take it... even if it's just a car ad. After all, Dungeons & Dragons was an ad for Player's Handbook (Thief, Magic-user, Ranger) and the follow-up Unearthed Arcana ( Cavalier, Acrobat, Barbarian).

Basic Expert: The Ancient Races of Cthulhu Mythos

The Ancient Races

Unlike the Servitors of the Old Gods these races pursue their own destiny having become interstellar capable.

The Great Race
AC            5
HD           6* (30hp)
MV           36' (12')
AT            2 Claws
DA           1d8/1d8
SA            Fighter L6
NA           1 (2-12)
ML           11
TT            Special
AL            Lawful or Neutral

These creatures populated the earth a billion or more years ago and their cities still exist buried in the great Australian desert. They are ten foot high cones, ten feet wide at the base with four ten foot tentacles at the top. Two tentacles end in lobster-like claws, one in trumpet-like ears and one in a yellow globe two feet in diameter with three eyes along its circumference and a set of manipulating tentacles dependent from it. The creatures move rapidly by expanding and contracting the muscular base of the cone.
These creatures are highly intelligent, telepathic, and scientifically advanced. They have many technological devices such as air ships and energy beams (1d6-20d6 depending on size and power). They can project their minds backward and forward in time and across interstellar space. They then seize control of the mind of any intelligent creature, displacing the other mind into the body of the member of the Great Race. Such captive minds are well treated, encouraged to teach the Great Race about their own time and eventually sent back to their original bodies with memory of the experience erased.

The Mi-Go, the Fungi from Yuggoth, the Abominable Snow Men
AC         3
HD         8***** (35hp)
MV         45' (15')
     Fly    90' (30')
AT          2 Claws or weapon
DA          1d4/1d4/ as weapon
SA          Fighter L8
NA         1 (2-8)
ML         10
TT          Special
AL          Chaotic

Eight foot high, many legged, red, crab like creatures with two great bat-like wings, the Mi-Go are found in mountain wilderness, the Himalayas and Vermont. Their main base of operations in this solar system is on Yuggoth (the planet Pluto). Immune to cold and vacuum, and have infravision (90').  They can fly in interstellar space and teleport across interstellar distances. They can not speak but they possess certain machines that produce a buzzing imitation of human speech. They mine minerals or other items from the earth and will try to make alliances with human races. They sometimes kidnap humans and carry off their living brains in metal cylinders for study. Small hand-like claws allow manipulation of tools and technological weapons of the Mi-Go.

The Old Ones
AC        5
HD       8 (50hp)
MV       36' (12')
     Fly   Special
AT        1-4 Tentacles
DA        1d6/1d6/1d6/1d6
NA        0 (2-12)
SA         Fighter L8
ML        10
TT         Special
AL         Lawful

These bizarre looking creatures are an interstellar race who once settled at the South Pole, where their deserted cities still lie beneath the polar ice. They are barrel-shaped, six to eight feet long with wings and tentacled arms growing from the circumference of the barrel and five star-fish like tentacles growing from each end of the barrel.
The upper set of tentacles end in eyes and mouths, the lower set are muscular legs with triangular feet or fins. The Old Ones are intelligent and scientifically advanced and once had a highly technological civilization. They were exterminated by a form of artificial life which they had created themselves: the Shaggoths. The Old Ones are basically hostile to other intelligent races.

Shaggoth
AC         4
HD        8* (70hp)
MV       54' (18')
AT        1-10 Tentacles, bite, or weapon
DA       2d6 per tentacle/3d6/as weapon
NA       1 (1)
SA        Fighter L8
ML       11
TT        Special
AL        Neutral
      
Huge, 15 feet across, transparent, intelligent amoeba, the Shaggoths are a form of artificial life created to serve the Old Ones. Originally telepathic, they lost this ability, rebelled and killed their masters (They may be in possession of Technology of their former masters). The inside of the amoeba appears like a series of bubbles or other included matter. Similar to the Doppleganger race they have the ability to on their surface grow organs as needed, eyes, mouths, legs, sword-like weapons though it is possible these are capable of being seperate. They guard the buried and drowned cities of the Old Ones near the South Pole.

Something Rare: The Festival

Horrorbabble do a nice selection of YouTube horror novels in audio format. It means you can listen to all of H.P. Lovecraft's books, along with horror written by other Authors.

Linguistic Archaeology: the cthulhu mythos

The elder beings of the Cthulhu mythos are dark and foul in number...

• Azathoth
• Cthulhu
• Hastur
• Nyarlathotep
• Shub-Niggurath
• Yig
• Cthuga
• Ithaqua
• Yog Sothoth
• Nodens
• Dagon

Vowels

A      %         E         %          I         %          O          %          U         %

7/11  63%    2/11   18%      3/11    27%     5/11     45%     4/11     36%

Consonants

B      %         C         %         D         %          F          %          G         %

1/11 9%       2/11    18%     2/11    18%     0/11     0%        5/11   45%

H      %         J         %          K         %          L          %          M         %

8/11  72%    0/11     0%      0/11     0%      2/11      18%     0/11      0%

N      %         P         %          Q         %          R          %          S         %

3/11 27%     1/11   9%         1/11     9%      3/11    27%     4/11     36%

T      %         V         %          W         %          X          %          Y         %

8/11 72%     0/11    0%        0/11     0%        0/11      0%      3/11    27%

Z        % 

1/11   9%

Popularity of Use

72% (T, h):

63% (A, t, h):

45% (O, g, a, t, h): Thoth, Gotha

36% (S, u, o, g, a, t, h): Os

27% (N, i, r, y, s, u, o, g, a, t, h): Ra, Yig, Yog Sothoth, Hastur, 

18% (E, c, d, l, n, i, r, y, s, u, o, g, a, t, h): Athena, Dagon, Nodens, Cthuga, Cthulhu, 

9% (B, p, q, z, e, c, d, l, n, i, r, y, s, u, o, g, a, t, h): Ithaqua, Shub-Niggurath, Nyarlathotep, Azathoth

0% (F, j, k, m, v, w, x)

So what can we discern from the naming conventions? The source documents are ancient egyptian in origin- Thoth being the most known entity to the people who are the source of the alphabet. And its equally valued companion word Gotha is an Ethiopian settlement. We now know that H.P. Lovecraft was in posession of an egyptian document associated with Thoth from Gotha settlement in Ethiopia... at last we have found the source of the Necronomicon. An archeological dig near Gotha, Ethiopia.

The Archive of Thoth...

Basic Expert: The Inheritance

All you know is the house sat well beyond the village. The title deed to its briar choked estate in your hands, the villagers ignore you, hurrying about their business.



Sleeping in the grounds: At night you dream of a terrible gnawing thing, chewing on bones. A charisma check is required each night. If the pc fails, he or she wakes to find themselves blood soaked.

Digging in the ashes of the house: you find an iron key and a cellar door.

The Cellar
Beneath the cellar door locked with a rune engraved lock is a hole descending into the dark, the stairs having long ago collapsed into the cellars, and now an iron rung ladder the only access. A dexterity check is required or the pc falls to the floor (taking 1d6, and the ladder breaking). Once the lock is unlocked, it will not lock again.
The cellar appears hewn from stone, the ten feet wide twenty feet long chamber defined by three arches, one beneath the ladder's end bricked up.

Sleeping in the cellar: the pc experiences a dream of green glowing light from between the stone brickwork of the cellar wall.

Breaking through the brickwork: each brick takes 50hp to dislodge (AC9). Four bricks minimum are required to create a hole through which a human may pass.


Loss of Sanity: when certain events occur the character must undertake a charisma check. If they fail a charisma check, they loose one point of charisma.

• Spent a night sleeping on the property.
• Find the iron key.
• Find the trapdoor.
• Open the trapdoor lock.
• Spent a night Sleeping in the cellar.
• Each brick loosed from the cellar wall.
• Touched the engraved metal door.
• Read the gold scroll on the altar.
• Open the engraved metal door.

If at any time the PC charisma reaches less than three they become a normal ghoul. If this occurs before the opening of the engraved metal door the Ghoul attacks the local villagers as an NPC.

The Altar Chamber: beyond the brickwork is the rest of the cellar. Dominating this part of the cellar is a stone altar and a scroll of gold engraved in an undecipherable blasphemous language. If the PC sleeps for three nights in the altar chamber where they dream of the words of the scroll and fails a charisma check each time without becoming a ghoul (charisma less than 3) the pc can learn an extra language (blasphemous tongue) in place of alignment tongue.

There is also an engraved metal door in the wall with no key hole. The engravings are alien and examining them requires a charisma check. The door is impregnable without reading the scroll that causes it to open.

Reading the scroll: If the pc has learned the blasphemous tongue he or she may correctly decipher the golden scroll. Doing so causes the engraved door to 'unweave'. Beyond the engraved door a stair hewn from the stone descends into the dark.

The Stairs beyond the Engraved Door: A final charisma check is required opening the engraved door. If the PC still has charisma of three or greater, Descending the stairs he/she find a cave with a stone throne. 

Sitting on the Throne of stone: sitting on the throne devours any remaining sense of self reducing the PC's charisma to 3 while increasing all other abilities to 18. Alignment of the PC is now Chaotic (Insane). They become a BBEG. 

Wait... Where are the Experience Points? There are experience points here.

• If the PC destroys the key before opening the lock on the cellar door, and sets fire to the title deed before walking away they get two thousand experience points. The PC gets increased charisma points to 18 the instant they destroy the key without opening the lock. Destroying it after-they get nothing.
• If they learn blasphemous tongue, and then destroy the gold scroll and depart they get one thousand experience points and thanks to the ability to read the blasphemous tongue the ability to read cleric and magicuser scrolls as though they were a spell caster (irrelevant of their existing class). Reading the runes on the lock, gets the speaker of the blasphemous tongue a secret rune they can use to protect any lock against being opened by any evil as though they had cast wizard lock at 40th level.

MwaHahahaha...

Something Rare: Cliffside

Cliffside is a gothic horror western setting focused on a small western town surrounded by monsters. Ideal for a D&D-Western setting. Where Death itself is town sheriff.

Marvel Cinematic Universe: The Rise of the Mandarin

Trevor's Slatery's superpower is the fanatical belief of the Ten Rings terrorists that he is the Mandarin. Nothing is more scary than a million guys looking to kill in your name (as long as you are the Mandarin). If you are not the Mandarin, you would be killed. So its in Trevor's interests to do the Mandarin Voice, and wear the Mandarin clothes, and fill the role expected by the Terrorists of the Ten Rings. And there will probably be hot girls and cool drugs. So Will we see the return of Mandarin? Or is Trevor Slatery Fucked?

Creature Catalogue: Skull Etcher

Skull Etcher
AC 2
HD 2***
MV 15' (5')
     FLY 90' (30')
AT 1 Claw and 1 Bite, or 1 Special
DA 1d4/1d6/charm person
NA 1(1)
SA Magicuser L2
ML 11
TT nil
AL Neutral

The skull etcher seems similar to a beholder, yet is a writhing mass of tentacles, one of which is a claw with which it grapples its prey's head for 1d4 per round while it bites the skull neck for 1d6 injecting an egg. Its primary eye can charm its prey as charm person while each of its nine eye stalks allow it to see in all directions watching for danger eliminating the possibility of surprise. It can also employ infravision 90'. The egg hatches after 24 hours killing the host if they somehow managed to kill the skull etcher.

Basic Expert: Character Generation

Character Generation can be defined as a simple seven step process defined in the BX Rulebooks thusly:

1. Roll for ability scores.
2. Choose a class; note special abilities and spells.
3. Adjust scores as desired; note bonuses for high scores.
4. Roll hit points.
5. Roll for money; equip the character.
6. Find Armor Class, attack, and saving throw numbers.
7. Name the character

Roll for Primary Ability Scores

 

Strength

While strength can be considered a measure of your character's physical power it is in BX Dungeons & Dragons a bonus added to or penalty subtracted from the melee hit roll and melee damage inflicted in combat and a bonus added to an Open Doors dice check.

Strength 15

Strength 15 gets a +1 bonus to melee hit, melee damage, and open doors checks.

Intelligence
Intelligence is a measure of the ability to communicate. Below 9 and your character struggles increasingly to read and write and even speak.

Intelligence 10

In this case our character gets the ability to read and write in the common and alignment tongues.

Wisdom
Wisdom is about judgement and gulability. It contributes a Save vs. Magic bonus/penalty.

Wisdom 13

So we get a +1 bonus to our saves vs magic roll.

Dexterity
Dexterity is the ability to dodge damage, and achieve feats of accuracy. In this case it contributes a bonus/penalty to Armor class, and a hit roll bonus to missile weapons.

Dexterity 13

So we get a +1 to missile fire hitrolls, and an armour class bonus of -1.

Constitution
A measure of health and endurance it contributes a Penalty/Bonus to hitpoints improving or decreasing the amount of damage it takes to kill the character.

Constitution 8

This constitution is low enough to apply a -1hp penalty.

Charisma
Charisma is about your character's ability to lead others, and your character's ability to inspire friendship or hostility at face value.

Charisma 9

No reaction bonuses but the character can have up to four retainers with a Retainer Morale of seven.








Choose a class
With an above average strength, wisdom, and dexterity there are numerous character options because these are good prime requisite scores for fighters, clerics, or thieves. Likewise I could pick Magicuser or elf though the Intelligence is only 'average'... but we can adjust this score in the next step.

So lets go with Fighter.


Adjust scores as desired
To adjust primary abilities of the Fighter upward by one point (Strength) it is necessary to decrease another ability down by two points. So because we cannot lower a score below 9 and the decrease is always by two points (though we could harvest one point each from two scores), Strength increases one point by decreasing wisdom two points. We lower wisdom from 13 to 11 to 9. So we increase Strength up from 15 to 16 to 17.

The Adjusted Abilities of our Fighter are:

Strength 17

Intelligence 10

Wisdom 9

Dexterity 13

Constitution 8

Charisma 9

Experience Points
Experience begins at zero. And for the fighter the next experience level is 2000xp.

Roll Hitpoints
For a fighter hitpoints are rolled on the eight sided dice. So rolling 1d8...

4hp

This is reduced by 1hp thanks to a constitution penalty.












Select Alignment
Alignments up for grabs are Lawful, Neutral, or Chaotic. I select Neutral for this Character.

Neutral

Roll for Money and select equipment
To generate starting gold you are obliged to roll 3d6 and multiply the result by ten to generate your starting cash for your character.

6 × 10gp = 60gp

With cash in hand you are able to go buy equipment that your character will find vital.

Starting Equipment:

• Silver Dagger (30gp)
• Hand Axe (4gp)
• Backpack (5gp)
• Standard Rations (5gp)
• Tinder Box (3gp)
• Waterskin (1gp)
• (6) Torches (1gp)
• (2) 50' Ropes (2gp)
• Small hammer (2gp)
• (6) Iron Spikes (1gp)

Remaining coin (6gp)

Armour Class, Hit Rolls, and Saving Throws

The character doesnt wear Armour, but gets a -1AC bonus from Dexterity so AC9 reduces to AC8.

AC 8

At first level to hit AC9 you must roll 10 or greater on a 1d20.

Hit Roll Chart:

Target AC             9     8     7     6      5      4       3       2      1      0    -1  

Roll Required     10   11   12   13   14    15     16     17    18   19    20

Saving Throws:
Deathray/        Magic          Paralysis                  Dragon         Rods,
Poison              Wand          Turn to Stone         Breath           Staffs,
                                                                                                        Or Spells
       12                  13                    14                             15                16


Name Character
Usually we have a setting that affords a particular naming convention. This character's name will be Black Beth.

Black Beth: Neutral Fighter; Level 1; 3hp; AC8; THAC0 19; Save: DR/P 12, MW 13, P/TtS 14, DB 15, R/S/S 16; Str 17 (+2 to hit Melee/+2 damage melee, +2 open doors bonus), Int 10, Wis 9, Dex 13 (-1AC bonus, +1 to hit with thrown/missile), Con 8 (-1hp penalty), Cha 9 (4 Retainers max./Retainer Morale 7); Equipment: Silver Dagger (1d4),
Hand Axe (1d6), Backpack, (1 week) Standard Rations, Tinder Box, Waterskin (full), (6) Torches, (2) 50' Ropes, Small hammer, (6) Iron Spikes, 6gp;

Background: youngly widowed, her drunkard husband murdered celebrating his marriage in the village tavern rather than at home with his wife, Beth has sold her farm for a pittance and joined up with a band of adventurers;

Description: Beth has the appearance of a sickly pale young woman whose heavy black clothing conceals her true physical strength.

Basic Expert: Dargo the Scribe

Dargo: 3rd level Cleric; Neutral (Good Tendancies); 9hp; AC7; Str 9, Int 9, Wis 13, Dex 9, Con 11, Cha 15; Turn Undead: Ske T, Zom T, Gho 7, Wig 9, Wra 11; Spells: Detect Magic, Cure Light Wounds;
Equipment: Heavy Cloak, normal clothes, boots, Leather Armour, Backpack, iron rations, Staff (1d6), holy Symbol, Tinderbox, (6) torches;
Background: A Priest from the small Monastary at Duke's Road Keep, Dargo has set out in search of books to add to the library of the Monastary.

Basic Expert: The Caves beyond town

The caves beyond town are several hours walking distance. They occupy a layer in the rock strata and are the entrances to a considerable cave network occupied by all manor of beasts including a Dragon.

The Red Dragon doesnt actually live in the caves, rather he resides in the somewhat murky Lake on the hillside. Having enchanted the treasure trove at the bottom of the lake into a throne of waterbreathing, Tharakar slumbers on the bottom of the lake unnoticed.



Tharakar: AC -1; HD 10**; MV 90' (30')/Fly 240' (80'); AT 2 claws/1 Bite/Breath weapon; 1-8/1-8/4-32/as hp; NA 1 (1); SA Fighter: L10; TT H; AL Chaotic.
Notes: Tharakar will use Breath Weapon to boil the water causing a mist to settle over the lake and roll down into the gully blanketing the area.

BX Dragons
Red and Gold Dragons are different to Dragons from the BECMI/Rules Cyclopedia. They only have access to magicuser spells of 1st - 3rd level. Thus Tharakar has daily access to:

        Spell levels         

 1st        2nd        3rd  

   3            3             3   

First Level Magic-user and Elf Spells
1. Charm Person
2. Detect Magic
3. Floating Disc
4. Hold Portal
5. Light*
6. Magic Missile
7. Protection from Evil
8. Read Languages
9. Read Magic
10. Shield
11. Sleep
12. Ventriloquism

Second Level Magic-user and Elf Spells
1. Continual Light *
2. Detect Evil
3. Detect Invisible
4. ESP
5. Invisibility
6. Knock
7. Levitate
8. Locate Object
9. Mirror Image
10. Phantasmal Force
11. Web
12. Wizard Lock

Third Level Magic-user and Elf Spells
1. Clairvoyance
2. Dispel Magic
3. Fire Ball
4. Fly
5. Haste
6. Hold Person
7. Infravision
8. Invisibility 10'radius
9. Lightning Bolt
10. Protection/Evil 10' radius
11. Protection/Normal Missiles
12. Water Breathing


Tharakar's Treasure

The Platinum Font: this is 20,000cn Platinum bowl sitting on the bottom of the lake. It has been enchanted with Clairvoyance, ESP, detect invisible, detect evil, read languages allowing Tharakar to discern any location as though the water-filled font were a crystal ball, detect thoughts with ESP, read documents, detect invisible and evil creatures.

The Throne of Tharakar: this 50,000cn solid gold throne shaped more like a pile of gold is enchanted with water breathing and invisiblity allowing Tharakar to reside below the water as long as he is resting on the gold mound while living unnoticed.

The Silver Font: this silver 100,000cn bowl is enchanted to detect magic of any item placed in it.

These magic items are pretty much impossible to remove from the 80' deep lake bottom due to their weight.

Something Rare: The Lions Blaze

This odd little Cartoon short by the Creator of Final Space appears to be a Parody of the Classic Dungeons & Dragons Animated series. Trapped in a game, they find themselves in an adventure that drags out for years.

Game of Thrones: Melisandre's Chain

Collar of Vigourous Servitude
This Valyrian Steel collar surmounted by a large ruby eye is an artefact of considerable power.
Minor Artefact of Energy
Power (100pp)
Wish (specific): reduce the wearer's age fifty years from ancient to mature for as long as the collar is worn prolonging the wearer's life, even against exposure to poisons.

Handicaps and Penalties

• The collar must recharge regularly or become powerless. To do this the living of royal blood must be sacrificed in fire.
• The jewel will go clear and disolve if desecrated by exposure to water and the artefact become ineffective. Consequently it will be nothing more than a collar of valyrian steel as other such collars have done in the past and the wearer instantly assume their true age.

Basic Expert: Giants in the Playground

Apart from the basic Hill, Stone, Cloud, Frost, Fire, and Storm Giants B/X comes with numerous Animals that are Giant Variants.

 Specifically Giant                  
 Giant Bat                                 
 Giant Fire Beetle                   
 Giant Oil Beetle                     
 Giant Tiger Beetle
 Giant Centipede                    
 Giant Ferret
 Giant Gecko Lizard               
 Giant Draco Lizard               
 Giant Horned Chameleon    
 Giant Tuatara Lizard
 Giant Rat                                  
 Giant Shrew
 Giant Rattlesnake                    
 Giant Crab Spider                    
 Giant Black Widow Spider    
 Giant Tarantella Spider
 Giant Crab                                
 Giant Crocodile
 Giant Piranha                          
 Giant Rockfish                         
 Giant Catfish                            
 Giant Sturgeon
 Giant Hawk                               
 Giant Leech
 Giant Octopus                            
 Giant Roc                                    
 Giant Scorpion                          
 Giant Squid
 Giant Toad                                 
 Giant Weasel                             

It means all these giant creatures (along with the unspecified giants that are definitely giants) can be given a normal form.

 Un-Specified Giant Insects   
 Driver Ant                               
 Killer Bee                                 

                                          Giant Template   
 Size × Magnifier            Small × 10              
 Armour Class                As Normal              
 Hit Dice                          ×16hp                      
 Move                               ×3 1/3'                     
      Fly                              ×1 1/2'                     
 Attack                             As Normal             
 Damage                          +1d4hp                  
 Number Appearing     1/10                        
 Save As                           +2 Levels              
 Morale                            +2                           
 Treasure Type              As Normal            



 Elephant                                                                                               
                                 Normal                                 Giant                       
 Size                              7' tall                                70' tall                          
 Armour Class             5                                       5                               
 Hit Dice                       9                                       144                           
 Move                       120' (40')                              400' (133')              
 Attacks                    ---------- 2 tusks or trample -----------                 
 Damage                 2-8/2-8 or 4-32                     3-12/3-12 or 3-36  
 No. Appearing      0 (1-20)                                 0 (1-2)                     
 Save As                  Fighter: L5                           Fighter: L7            
 Morale                         8                                      10                             
 Treasure Type    tusks: 100gp-600gp each    1000gp-6000gp     

 Alignment             Neutral                                Neutral                   

So any adventurer looking for some epic ivory tusk to carve into a giant Horn to summon the armies of the dead look no further than the epic creatures that serve as beasts of burden for the mobile war-fortresses of the Orc Lord Arkoth and his clan. No... no need to go exploring to find them. They emerged from the warp storm that has wracked the uplands during the night and have closed on the nearest walled city.

Non Player Characters: The Rickest Rick

Rick Sanchez: 18th level Wizard; neutral; 35hp; AC7; Str 8, Int 18, Wis 9, Dex 16, Con 15, Cha 9; Equipment: lab coat, plain clothes, shoes, Portal Gun (Specialized Wish spell - limited charges);
Background: He has been gone so long from his home universe travelling between realities and within them it no longer even matters. Rick is a somewhat selfish bastard who takes no responsibility for his mistakes. He cant be bothered casting spells prefering to enchant magic items as needed. There are now so many alternate versions of himself they banded together to create a citadel in a universe devoid of any survivors of his near god-like presence. He will occasionally travel with a Morty (his grandson from an alternate universe where his wife and daughter were not killed).

Basic Expert: Giant Template and the Normal Fire Beetle

                                          Giant Template   
 Size × Magnifier            Small × 10              
 Armour Class                As Normal              
 Hit Dice                          ×16hp                      
 Move                               ×3 1/3'                     
      Fly                              ×1 1/2'                     
 Attack                             As Normal             
 Damage                          +1d4hp                  
 Number Appearing     1/10                        
 Save As                           +2 Levels              
 Morale                            +2                           
 Treasure Type              As Normal            

Reverse engineering from the Giant fire beetle we get a swarm of small fire beetles 2 1/2 inches in length that can inflict substantial swarm damage along the lines of 10-80, or 20-120 in nest in an attack round.

            Fire Beetle, Normal        
 Size                      3 inches      
 Armour Class      4                        
 Hit Dice                1hp                    
 Move                    36' (12')             
 Attack                   1 Bite                
 Damage                 1hp                  
 No. Appearing    10-80 (20-120) 
 Save As                 Normal Man   
 Morale                   5                       
 Treasure Type     Nil                    

Art Folio: Some guy with a bad reputation...

Dungeon Mastery: Captain of the Guard

Captain Aarnsun: Lawful (Neutral) Fighter; 25hp; 4th level; Str 12, Int 11, Wis 13, Dex 12, Con 12, Cha 9; Equipment: Plate mail, bastard sword, clothes, boots, gauntlets, belt, belt pouch; Background: Though Aarnsun lost an arm in the line of duty, he none the less continues to uphold the law. He has hardened his perspective on the law growing increasingly unsympathetic toward those breaking the law, though they might have a good excuse.
His dream of becoming a Paladin has been set aside infavour of Law.

Wookiee Down: we lost Chewbacca...

Peter Mayhew has died... Chewbacca didnt get his medal from Princess Leia.

Choir Music: That little clerical order up the road...

ST. Nobians would be most upset.