Bright Lights: Mapping Lantern Gate

Lantern Gate by Dice Drop

Dropped dice to generate building locations and population. Up next Map in MS Paint...

Lantern Gate at 857 pop. 

A population of eight hundred and fifty seven is a far cry from the generated town population of over four thousand.  We can call this old town and begin populating an exterior layer of population growth as well as pad out the spaces within old town.

Its going to be quite large...

A way into the mines is the sink hole where the wall has collapsed in.

Bright Lights: Creating the Town of Lantern Gate

The Tower Lanterns of Lantern Gate

The Town of Lantern Gate is visible on the horizon by its pair of perpetually oil-lit tower lanterns.

1. Population
Basically roll 1d10 repeatedly generating in this case 4, 5, 9, 8.
Total Population: 4,598

2. The Average Citizen
To generate an average citizen Roll 3d6 for Str, Int, Wis, Dex, Con, Cha, 3d6x10 wealth, and alignment 1d6 (1-3 lawful, 4-5 neutral, 6 chaotic) which get us: Str 15, Int 12, Dex 10, Con 4, Cha 11, 90gp, Chaotic. What does this offer us?

• Physically strong
• Very ill of health
• Financially well off
• Lawless

But why are they sickly? Maybe like that town Paradiso in Episode 2 of Firefly (The Train Job) where they have a Mine beneath the town that is slowly killiong everyone.

The Town: The majority are criminals, rebels, and an assortment of independants not interested in being governed by others. Basically its Freedom Town. Gambling, Prostitution, Gangs... You can explore the town and its mine/dungeon, dig at the end of a tunnel, and pull out a fist full of gems, or gold, battle Undead, slaughter monsters, and clear out a new section of the Mine beneath the Town. But it also has yellow mold in the air so everyone, even the folks who have never set foot in the Dungeon/mine, are afflicted with yellow-lung. So exposure is going to devastate the health of the PCs. The Dungeon beneath Lantern Gate is an ancient Dwarven Mine abandoned by Dwarves. Humans seeing an opportunity- even one frought with such a risk of sickness as yellow lung decided it was worth it.

 

The Mine: there are entry points into the mine across the city. Huts behind Taverns,  down well shafts, and so forth but there is the Mine which is an open shaft in what was once the market place with ladders dropping down fifty feet to a collection of tunnels radiating out from this entry point. The mine goes down deep. There are tunnels hundreds of years old, and filled with all manor of horrors. A few levels down the miners have bricked up a tunnel that leads down deeper.

Yellow-lung: Because a yellow mold permeates the Air of Lantern Gate a constitution check (1d20) is required every year in town or when exploring the Mine. A failed dice check reduces constitution permanently by 1 point. The PCs can visit the town of Lantern Gate and its dungeon for five failed saves before their health is descimated. If your PCs constitution is already low they will be far more vulnerable to yellow lung.

Photo Album: Its kind of like that...

In case you were wondering what I do with all the hand drawn original images, rest assured I have stopped putting them through the shred.

Currently the character portraits (good or bad are collecting in this album which will one day be stored in a top secret government archive a few blocks from the one they keep the ark of the covenant in because of the apparent fire hazard).

Storm Warning: A Solar storm is expected TODAY

I assume the glowy thing next to the HARSH REALITY that was today's Sun is a bowshock of the so-called solar storm pounding Venus or something... I dont know.

Anyway that was fifteen plus hours ago where I am in Australia. Dont shake your head at me and say 'Dude! You been sitting on this for fifteen hours?'

I was busy. Anyway this shit is probably going to affect you now the Sun is up for you guys, so try not to use your electronics and take EMP damage.

Horrible Histories: events for january 1884

DIARY OF EVENTS FOR JANUARY 1884.

IN the following diary the dates given are those on which the items of news were published in the Courier:-

1st

• Very extensive bush fires in the Goulburn and Lake Rowan districts, Victoria.
• Excessive heat and drought reported from Warwick.
• A cricket match between the new Australian Eleven and a combined team began in Melbourne.

2nd

• Borslem, the kanaka leader of a riot between blacks and whites on the Mackay racecourse, sentenced to six months' imprisonment; and George Guman, a white man, to two months'.
• Canon Barry, the new Bishop of Sydney, was consecrated in England.
• Great riot between Orangemen and Nationalists at Dromore; three of the former killed by the troops.
• Failure of Messrs. A and H. Brogden, railway contractors, announced; liabilities, £750,000.

3rd

• G Bashford and Co.'s tender for Maytown Railway accepted.
• Peter Halpin, presiding-officer, and Michael Hynes, scrutineer, for Cooper and Hamilton, at Hervey Creek, in the Cook electorate, charged at the police court with roll stuffing.
• Maiquis De Rays sentenced in France to four years' imprisonment and a fine of 3000fr.
• Great railway accident at Toronto, Canada; 20 killed, 30 injured.

4th

• Great complaints scarcity water, Winton. Threatened waterfamine, Toowoomba.
• Fifty-two typhoid patients, Brisbane Hospital.
• Steamer Tomki, bound Sydney to Richmond River, returned port badly damaged by fire, one man killed.

5th

• Ship Berwick released quarantine.
• Khedive voluntarily relinquishes one-tenth of civil list, consequence impoverished state of exchequer.
• Arthur Melbourne (son of Hon. C. S. D. Melbourne) killed yesterday by fall from horse at Yeppoon.

7th

• Baron Mackay's letter to Earl Derby 're: protection New Guinea natives' published.
• Destructive fire Adelaide Academy of Music yesterday.
• Pandora Sugar Company's machinery started.

8th

• Hon. J. R. Dickson re-elected for Enoggera without opposition.
• Telegraph communication greatly interrupted by bush fires Southern and Central districts.
• Inaugural meeting Queensland Royal Society.
• Duke of Westminster, s., from Brisbane, stranded near Isle of Wight.
• Egypt demands British assistance to quell Soudan rebellion.
• Malagasy Government accepted French ultimatum.
• Czar's late accident caused by Nihilist attempt on life.

9th

• Specifications proposed tramways Brisbane published.
• Panama Canal ceded to Lesseps.
• Extensive bush fires interior New South Wales.
• Typhoid Melbourne Hospital increasing.

10th

• Queensland Parliament resumed.
• Nubar Pasha appointed Egyptian Premier.

11.

• Mr. Griffith's Ministerial statement published.
• Moruya, N.S.W., threatened destruction by bush fires.
• N. McDougall, manager Commercial Bank, Ballina, shot himself, partially insane.
• Several deaths from sunstroke different parts New South Wales.
• Fighting Anamites and French renewed.
• Commission appointed to devise means for Egyptian troops to evacuate the Soudan.
• Disastrous explosion of gunpowder at Hanoi.

12.

• T. Archer, Agent-General, receives three months' leave of absence; W. Hemmant to act in his place.
• "General" Booth arrived at Adelaide.
• Rich seam of copper struck at Kadina.
• First steamer of new line between London and Fremantle arrived.
• Auckland municipal loan, £100,000, floated at an average of £102

13th

• Thermometer, Adelaide, 162°F in the sun and 111°F in the shade. 3 dead from sunstroke.

14.

• Premier banqueted at Cleveland on Saturday.
• Export of arms to Pacific Islands prohibited.
• William Dart, Redland Bay, fined £20, neglecting to provide proper medicine and attendance for island girl injured by burns.
• Viceroy of Canton blocking river with torpedoes.
• For New Zealand 4 per cent loan, 1,000,000 tenders, about 5,000,000 received; averaged 8s. above par.
• Steps taken evacuation of the Soudan; civilians ordered to leave Khartoum.

15th

• Mayor Brisbane authorised apply Treasurer for loan £30,000, wharfage purposes and retirement loan.
• Colonel French gazetted Commandant Volunteer force.
• Thermometer, Adavale, ranging 112° to 120° in the shade.
• Shepherd William Kennedy burned death Nudgee, endeavouring extinguish bush fire.
• 12,000 acres of grass and over eight miles fencing destroyed by bush fires Wagga district.
• Colonel Gordon urges Anglo-Indian and Turkish force be sent to re-conquer Soudan.
• French missionaries China maltreated and imprisoned by order of the authorities.

16th

• Four supposed escapees from New Caledonia arrived Keppel Bay.
• Scotch Rifle Club established.
• Destructive bush fires all parts Victoria.

17th

• Comet visible Brisbane.
• Bills repealing Railway Companies Preliminary Act and Indian Immigration Act passed second readings.
• Two men killed by foul air in well at Toowoomba.
• Rival meetings of Orangemen and Nationalists county Cavan prohibited.
• Duke of Westminster floated and towed into port.

18th

• Elections Act Amendment Bill passed second reading.
• Estimates laid on the table.
• Silver and Co.'s premises, Cornhill, burned down.

19th

• Daughter of Mr. B. Hains drowned at Nudgee, bathing.
• Steamer Lismore wrecked Richmond River Bar. 
• Dr. Moran, Bishop of Ossory, succeeds late Dr. Vaughan.
• Mahdi resumed active operations Soudan.

21th

• Colonel French's first official inspection Torpedo blockade of Canton suspended.
• Large withdrawals of gold from Bank of England for Australia.

22th

• Q. T. C. annual meeting.
• George Forster murdered by blacks near junction Georgetown and Cloncurry roads.
• Typhoid prevalent Newcastle and other places New South Wales.
• Second comet reported Victoria, supposed Darietta's.
• 150,000 unemployed in Paris.
• Colonel Gordon left Cairo for Khartoum.
• Ship 'City of Columbus' lost between Boston and Savannah, 120 drowned.
• M. De Giers, Russian Foreign Minister, visits Vienna.

23th

• Bank of England insist on selling all Queensland stock inscribed by them.
• Boiler of Fitzroy saw-mills, near Rockhampton, exploded; one killed, two injured.

24th

• Treasurer's financial statement published.
• Schooner Pride of Logan wrecked.
• Hood's Point, New Guinea
• Rev. J. H. Fletcher elected president of Wesleyan Conference.
• Destructive hurricane Raratonga.
• New Victorian loan of four millions floated at an average of 3s. above par.

25th

• Steam ferry to Kangaroo Point established.
• Sir A. Musgrave visits Toowoomba.
• Constable shot in railway carriage by prisoner near Sydney.
• Serious bush fires around Newcastle.
• Messrs. Young and Lark, London, failed for £280,000.

26th

• Important alteration proposed in tariff and taxation New South Wales.
• Hon. J. G. Francis, Victoria, died.
• Violent storms Great Britain.

28th

• Beach beat Trickett all-comers sculling match.
• Serious anti-foreign outbreak Hoihow.
• Ilbert Bill finally passed.
• Explosion of fire-damp at Devon, Norfolk; 57 killed.

29th

• Important deputation to Colonial Secretary re: Polynesian Bill.
• Competitive designs for Town Hall, Brisbane, adjudicated upon.
• Collision, with loss of life, British Channel, between ships Simla and City of Lucknow.

30th

• Debate on Financial Statement.
• New law courts, Melbourne, first used.
• 400 Indian coolie servants imported Victoria.
• Bubear beat Elliott, £200 a-side, Thames course.
• Steamer Juno wrecked mouth of Mersey, 25 drowned.

31th

• Scene Legislative Assembly; motion carried to omit speech by Mr. Perkins from Hansard.
• Mr. T. Archer appointed C.M.G.
• Question separation Riverina districts mooted.
• Cetywayo escaped from Ekowe, re-captured.
• Reported plot discovered poison Czar and family, strychnine.

Mini Maps: When you suddenly need a Miniatures Map

Fork in the Road

 Its as simple as searching google maps, taking a screenshot of the desired terrain and applying a grid.

Bridge across the swamp

Great NPCs: The tale of an honorary Dwarf

Thats a Good one...

Thieves Guild: Bandits, Brigands, and Pirates

The Thieves Guild Dictionary
Brigand: a member of a gang that ambushes and robs people in forests and mountains.
Bandit: a robber or outlaw belonging to a gang and typically operating in an isolated or lawless area.
Robber: a person who commits robbery.
Outlaw: a person who has broken the law, especially one who remains at large or is a fugitive.
Ruffian: a violent person, especially one involved in crime.
Desperado: a desperate or reckless person, especially a criminal.
Marauder: a person who marauds; a raider.
Raider: a person who attacks an enemy in their territory; a marauder.
Highwayman: a man, typically on horseback, who held up travellers at gunpoint in order to rob them.
Criminal: a person who has committed a crime.
Thug: a violent person, especially a criminal.
Gangster: a member of a gang of violent criminals.
Pirate: a person who attacks and robs ships at sea.
Freebooter: a pirate or lawless adventurer.
Holdupper: a person who commits a robbery using threats or violence.
Cateran: a warrior or raider from the Scottish Highlands.
Mosstrooper: a person who lived by plundering property in the Scottish Borders.

A few of these designate specific geographical regions. Brigands raided in areas in Mountains and Forests, Pirates targeted ships, Raiders worked a fixed territory.

Cateran were highlanders, while Mosstroopers targeted borderlands in Scotland suggesting they were perhaps English.


Brigand originates in the Italian Brigare (Barku-garku). We know Barku is a kind of boat and Garku? Barkug on the other hand is a family name with germanic origins. If we are looking at Barkug arku, then warriors of the germanic Barkug clan are the origin of Brigands. Bark+ug+arku? Ug is from middle english ugge in turn from old norse uggr relating words meaning fear, dread and the old norse oggn meaning terror, threat, dispute. Suggesting a Bark of terror (boats to be feared).
The idea a single Family could have gotten wealthy off Brigandry through history is fascinating and worth further investigation.

North Road: Ambushed at Creswell Caves

 Creswell translates into something older and more dangerous than the watercres that grows in the sump.

Creswell (which comes from the older Carkus-well which in turn comes from carkus scratched all) is a notorious body dump and ambush overlooked by high cliffs and caves on the north and south sides of the Sump. A regular point of Ambush by bandits of anyone traveling the road.

Warriors Cave on the North side

The Caves are of ancient use. Marked with holy symbols to protect against evil, astronomical observations charting stars, and primitive cave paintings.

• The Sump (A) is a reasonably Fresh source of water though anyone searching its depths will find bones, old weapons, stray coins (on a 1-2 in 6) each turn.
• Warrior's Cave (B) is a large cavity capable of sheltering 10 men and horses. 
• The Hydra's Cave (C).
• The Centaur's Cave (D).
• The Bear Cave (E) on the southern side is the most significant cave leading deep beneath the earth.
• Dead ends (F) lead away from the Sump.

Down Under: A hot Day in hell... I mean Adelaide

They like to say Death Valley experienced the hottest day on Record but on the 13th of January 1884 (A Sunday) the city of Adelaide in South Australia was subjected to a terrible heat which was to cause the deaths of three people from heat stroke. The temperature out in the Sun reached 162 degrees Fahrenheit (just over 72 degrees celsius) 111 degrees Fahrenheit in the shade. Meteorlogical bureau practice involves telegraphing duplicate records to the Meteorological bureau of New Zealand on a daily basis. That makes it the hottest day on record... anywhere.

For the DM
A terrible and oppressive heat settles over the Town at the height of Summer. Anyone venturing outdoors may do so for no more than one turn per point of constitution before collapsing. Subtract one hit point per round in the Sun beyond collapse. If they reach zero hit points they die of heat stroke. If they are rescued before they die their constitution is reduced to minimum until they recover all their hit points.

Doing Time: The Donjon of Blackrye

 The recently constructed Donjon of Blackrye is a tower of black stone overlooking the river. It is a small prison for important prisoners. It might be approached by a narrow bridge or a river entrance. It has two prison cells that look out over the river. The rest is occupied by twenty soldiers at all times.

Current prisoners right now are the PCs. Framed for a crime they were foolish enough to be lured into committing, they are there to test the escape-proofness of the tower.

Of course the Donjon has a network map detailing locations you can and cant see.

Mystaran Campaign: Two very different villains

Malvolio: fighter L1; chaotic; 8hp; AC8; Str 10 (11), Int 11 (9), Wis 10, Dex 13, Con 10, Cha 5; clothes, belt, boots, belt pouch (50gp).
Background: the Son of disposessed landless farmers and living in the streets of Specularum, Mal is pretty sure foreign folks are to blame for everything and is happy to assault anyone foreign-looking.

Vasily Torenescu: zero-level human/merchant L12; neutral; 2hp; AC9; Str 12, Int 11, Wis 14, Dex 10, Con 12, Cha 15; fine clothes, belt, shoes, belt pouch (50pp), letter of credit (50,000gp).
Background: Vasily spent his years in Darokin becoming a Merchant of considerable wealth. His merchant house Toren & Co. Employs chaotic clerics to animate a skeleton labour force to excavate rock at his quarries south of Selenica near Reedle. He Hires PCs and NPCs to carry out his desires. If he wants someone picked up and bought to him, he has no problem employing PCs or NPCs to do it.

Creature Catalogue: Ice Wyrm

Ice Wyrm: HD 20*; AC 3; MV 90' (30'); AT crush or cold blast
DA: Crush 4d6, cold blast 20d; SA Fighter L20; NA 1 (0); ML 12; INT 1; TT nil; XP

The Ice Wyrm is likely encountered as a row of silver trees growing out of the snow or ice. These are in fact the creature's gills with which it breaths air while it burrows for warmth in permafrost below the surface. It will sense vibrations and ambush its opponents. Blind, It will race toward its opponent crushing its food, and if it senses a large population it discharges cold energy up to 100 ft causing a blast of cold inflicting 20d6,

Ice Worm gills protrude from the snow while it slumbers in thr permafrost.

Going Solo: Where the River forks

In the past few years there have been a series of murders in Riverfork. Sixty Women slain by an unknown predator who dumps their broken corpses outside the community...perhaps you can avoid being Sixty one.

The Villain

Mikhail: 2nd level Thief; Lawful (evil); AC8; 6hp; Str 10, Int 12, Wis 9, Dex 13, Con 9, Cha 5;  

Equipment: hand axe(1d6), plain clothes, boots, hammer (1d6), belt, belt pouch, 40gp

Description: A member of the kings-guard, Mikhail is stationed in the town of Riverfork Keep. He has murdered sixty women between the ages of 16 and 45 for being on the streets engaged in some minor offence that he has determined mandate death and a fellow guardsman who discovered his secret. He dumps their bodies outside the community. When on duty he is armed with leather, light crossbow, and a sword.

The Player Character

Wren: Cleric; level 1; Lawful; 5hp; AC8; Str 9, Int 9, Wis 13, Dex 15, Con 13, Cha 12; Equipment: holy symbol, plain clothes, shoes, staff(1d6), sack (400cnc), waterskin (full), iron rations (1 week). Gold: 40gp
Background: Wren has chosen the life of a Pilgrim rather than an enforcer of the faith militant.

Turn Undead
DC       Skeleton    Zombie    Ghoul     Wight
1d20          7                 9              11             -

Unfortunately Wren has become the next target of the monster of Riverfork...