On Traps

Traps are simultaneously one of the most fundamental aspects of D&D style gaming, and also one of the most difficult mechanics to implement within the rest of the game. The two ways it seems to work is either by 1) being so much busywork and rolling as to not matter, or 2) so open ended that they essentially invalidate the very idea of the thief or analogous class.

I have been pondering how to properly run traps for a long time, so many adventures include them and they are such a part of the game's style and feel. Even the real world tomb of Qin Shi Huang had crossbow traps primed to shoot at graverobbers. However, I don't want every trap to be an escalating series of difficulty checks of "I roll to check for traps. I roll to disarm the trap." So in which case, how to do traps?

Now, smarter and better writers than me have already written about this, but on the off chance you find my writing more entertaining or clearer to understand or maybe you just aren't reading any other game blogs, here is my take on the whole traps issue, presented as my Rules Of How To Do Traps Gooder:

 

Rule 1: Give Clues

I like to be pretty clear with my players that there are two speeds to travel in a dungeon, the first is carefully and the second is pissbolting. I'm assuming that, when traveling through a dungeon at careful speed they are being cautious and checking the floor, and walls, and looking out for anything dangerous. So "You notice a tripwire running across the path" or "That bit of floor looks suspicious".  

Maybe I just really hate perception checks for this sort of thing, as simply making the roll/calling for a roll causes a lot of double guessing and meta knowledge, and bogs down the game anyway. I guess the passive perception feature (which I would like to say, one of the great design features of introduced in Fourth Edition D&D) sort of squares this circle, however this sort of cuts off part of the game if you don't have a passive skill high enough. Rather than being something to engage with the trap is just an out of nowhere "fuck you for adventuring" thing.

I think the board-game Heroquest (which is awesome by the way) deals with this well. As long as you have an empty room or corridor you can use your turn to check for traps, and all traps will be revealed to you. It's a sacrifice of action, so traps being hidden has some purpose, however other than that there's no barrier to entry as far as interacting with traps goes. The exception to this is when there are monsters present you cannot search for traps, so running around a room with monsters in it is a trade off between the tactical advantage of closing distance and positioning within the room, and the unknown quantity of any given space.

Pissbolting is, of course, another matter. You don't get to search for sneaky threats to your health and existence whilst running headlong through a corridor being chased by a big awful shoggoth or the like. It's sort of that trade off, like with the example of Heroquest above, where you are taking the risk of traps as a trade off to increased speed away from more certain peril. Also it awards mapmaking and/or marking traps you have found and bypassed.

 

The perfect trap for players, if not their characters

Rule 2: Design your traps

So, now your players know there is a trap there in front of them. What do they do now? There is always the possibility that you make disarming the trap a roll, but as I said already I don't really like this as a solution. Either the trap goes off as a fail state (which means you are limited in the range of traps, unless you like lots of "save or die" bullshit), the trap is unsolvable as a fail state (same problems with fail state trigger, with the added downside of effectively walling off parts of your adventure), or leads to dog-piling on the skill check (which is tedious). Trap solving as a unique class ability is also a 

I prefer traps as puzzles to overcome or avoid. In order to do this, you need to know how your traps work. You don't need to go all out and design a complete real world working mechanism, but a basic understanding of the trigger mechanism as well as the trap proper. 

Once you have an understanding of how you want your trap to work, it leads on to:

Rule 3: Let them look

The key to a great RPG is player agency, and the key to agency is the free flow of information in order to facilitate meaningful informed choices. Don't willfully obfuscate anything about the trap design that the characters could see, or reasonably be able to puzzle out.

For example, if the first indication that the players can see is that there is something not right about a certain floor tile, they can assume "generic trap" and take steps to avoid that tile entirely as the trigger mechanism. However, they can also look closer and find whether it is a cantilevered floor that will spin out from under unwary feet, or a pressure plate that will trigger some other spring loaded nastiness.

Both traps can be bypassed by leaping over the flagstone in question, however this involves the risk of failing the leap and so another solution must be found. A gangplank could be placed across the cantilevered floor in a way that would not help in the case of the pressure plate. This leads on to:

Rule 4: Roll to Disarm?

Something I don't like being skill checks in terms of traps. Much like the idea of rolling to see what you notice, it just seems to turn all traps into a series of increasing situations to roll dice somewhat arbitrarily. When there is one "disarm traps" roll, it leads to the bifurcating path of the trap going unsolved, or incentivizing dog-piling onto the check. 

I'd prefer letting the ingenuity of the players determine how best to deal with the problem before them. If there is a tripwire before them, they could of course step over it, leaving it as a hazard for when they return (or possibly for anything following them), or they could attempt to disarm it by cutting the wire. What if, however, the wire is designed to snap and trigger the trap? This leads back to Rule 3 and letting the players determine the difference between the two types of tripwire if they care to look. If they see holes in the wall, will there be spikes or poisonous snakes that come out of there? Will the trap reset itself or is it a "one and done" hazard?

For this style to work you have to both understand the nature of the trap in a broad sense, as well as be open with the flow of information, being unafraid of giving players the leaps of logic their characters would make in the situation. A character should be able to see if a tripwire is designed to pull a trigger, or snap to release a weight, and both would be countered differently.

 

Caveat 1: Don't be an asshole

A trap should be a challenge or a trade off, either way there should be a free flow of information. A trap can be a tax on HP for passing though, or a puzzle to be figured, or both, however it is best that the players know what they are signing up for in advance

Also, don't be afraid to make traps easy to solve. They're not the be all and end all of a dungeon, they're supposed to be solved. It's nice to have victories, and lessons learned and implemented can make people feel very clever and accomplished.

Caveat 2: Do be an asshole

Once you have a good grounding of how traps work, that they are puzzles of observation and problem solving, then you can start subverting expectations. This is when you can start pulling out Grimtooth's Traps to start messing with players familiar with traps (it's good to make Kobolds particular terrors for overly arcane and difficult to solve things, playing into the individually weak, collectively strong trope). Trap the trap finders, in fact this is the only situation in which these overly complex things can work. If it's just "roll to find/disarm trap" there's really no difference between a Rube Goldberg machine and a crossbow bolt. It's where the fun and games of this sort of thing is.

 

Pictured: The Author hoisted by his own petard

Duhander: A Game People Can Play

So, this is not a Fantasy Heartbreaker™ however it does share a lot of the same DNA. I don't expect this game to sell, or take the world by storm, or anything like that. 

 During one of the many lockdowns/stay at home orders/whatever you call them, I wanted to play D&D. I had also just moved across the globe after many years away. I put the call out for anyone who wanted to play, and many people who volunteered had never played before. I didn't really want to waste time with trying to get people to learn the entirety of 5E (which people inevitably do) or get scared off by a large rulebook, so I wrote a game that would be pretty easy to grok by anyone who hadn't played RPGs before, but still contain the things people expect from popular culture: twenty sided dice, critical hits, and bards. Also I wanted it to be quick and easy to learn, and not need too much math.

I hope I did that, and here's my first sort of stab at it. (This is just the player-facing stuff, the GM stuff resides in my head for now). 

Credit for Colour Images: Isabella McGregor

WELCOME TO THIS GAME

This game is a lot like Dungeons and Dragons, or really many other roleplaying games. So, if you’ve played one of them before you can probably skim this whole thing and make it up as you go along more or less. In this game you take the character of a rough and tumble adventurer exploring strange places, discovering long forgotten temples, plundering priceless cultural artifacts, and generally being adventurous. There is one player called the GM who will lay out the world and the non-player people (they are likely the one who wrote this).

STATS

These are important numbers telling you how strong, or swift, or smart, or sexy you are. They’re used for a bunch of things. There are four of them. Want more? Go play some other more complicated game!

 

STRENGTH: How strong you are, also your starting health. You can carry as many items with weight as you have strength and still move about. If you carry more, you move slowly and can’t do much. If you have more than twice this number, you can’t lift it at all

 

DEXTERITY: This is how nimble and agile you are. This is the number that something will have to beat to hit you with a sword or something.

 

INTELLIGENCE: This is how smart you are, and how much you notice. This is the number that something sneaky will have to beat to hide from you. It is also your health if something attacks you with mind-powers.

 

CHARM: This is your force of personality, if it is a higher number people are more likely to be positively disposed towards you. It’s also the number to hit you with a magic spell or mind powers.

 

“How do I find these thing out?” I hear you cry. That’s easy! Roll three six sided dice, and there you have one of your numbers. Do this four times, and you have all of your numbers.

 

BONUS

These are a bonus you add to your twenty sided dice roll when attacking or doing something with a skill or the like. Take your stat number and divide it by four (rounding down) and you have your bonus![1]

 

CLASS

This sort of tells you what special powers and things you have in the game. There are five roles.

 

FIGHTER

You are the best at fighting. You can use as many points of armour as you like, and all weapons except the battleaxe. You also get a double dodge bonus when using a shield. You add your level bonus to all your attack rolls. You keep your bonus when fighting with a weapon in each hand. When you hit, you can roll your weapon damage twice and keep the best result. Every time you level up you get to add four (4) points of health.

 

THIEF

You are sneaky and can pick locks. You add your level bonus to your attack rolls when using light or small weapons. You can wear up to your level in points of armour. You keep your bonus when fighting with a weapons in both hands if at least one of them is small. If you attack a creature unawares, or one already fighting someone else, you get extra damage equal to your level. To pick a lock or to sneak you add your Dexterity bonus and your level to a roll of a twenty sided die. Every time you level up you get to add three (3) points of health.

 

BARBARIAN

You are big and strong and tough. You cannot use any kind of armour, it is for weak city folk after all. However, you always reduce physical damage done to you by one. You cannot use any ranged weapon save a throwing spear, as to fight at range is a sign of cowardice. You can use all melee weapons, especially the battleaxe and add your level bonus to all your attack rolls. You keep your level bonus even when fighting with a weapon in each hand. You can spend your health points to change the number of any physical dice roll, and if you move the number up to a 20 it counts as a critical success, and if you spend them on damage you can take the number above the maximum roll. If you are at zero health points, you can continue to act until you drop dead at -10 hit points, whilst acting in this sate you have as many attacks as you have levels each round, can use a two-handed weapon in each hand, and add your Strength bonus to all damage rolls. Every time you level up you get to add five (5) points of health.

 

BARD

You are a magic weaver of tales and Master of Lore. You add your level bonus to your attack rolls when using small, light or medium weapons. You can wear up to your level in points of armour. You have a pool of healing every day equal to your Charm Stat plus your level (you can give any amount of this to anyone as an action, including yourself). Bards know a lot of stories and secrets of the world, and you can be expected to know most living languages. Every time you level up you get to add two (2) points of health, and one (1) magic point. You start knowing how to enchant humans, every time you level up you learn one (1) new level of Bard Magic.

 

WIZARD

You are a weaver of magic and master of the arcane. You add your level bonus to your attack rolls when using small weapons. You can wear up to half your level (rounded down) in points of armour. Wizards are big nerds who know far too much, and you can be expected to know most dead languages and most of the mystical living ones. Wizards can also store spells in scrolls and try to summon demons. Every time you level up you get to add one (1) point of health, and two (2) magic points. You start with a spellbook to write down spells in and knowing control over one (1) element, every time you level up you learn control over one (1) new element.

 

TYPES OF WEAPONS

There are essentially infinite types of weapons, but they really boil down to these ones

 

Small weapons: Slings, knives, broken bottles, etc. Do 1d4 Damage

 

Light weapons: Short swords, bows, axes, clubs, etc. Do 1d6 Damage

 

Medium weapons: Longswords, longbows, pikes, crossbows, etc. Do 1d8 Damage

 

Heavy weapons: Zweihanders, warhammers, etc. Need two hands, do 1d10 Damage

 

Battleaxe: Giant huge weapons, needs two hands and only used by Barbarians. Do 1d12 Damage

 

Pretty much you can have whatever kind of weapon you want, but it just does the damage listed. If it shoots/is thrown, you use your Dexterity bonus. If you go up and hit someone, it uses your Strength bonus.

 

The individual qualities of the weapon depends on what you want and what the GM will let you get away with.

 

FIGHTING WITH TWO WEAPONS

Totally cool right? Being like Arthur Dayne in Game of Thrones, or Anakin Skywalker in Revenge of the Sith, or Leonardo in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! I mean, yeah, but you have to know what you’re doing.

 

When you fight with two weapons you get to make a separate attack with each one. However, unless noted in your class description, you lose your level and stat bonus to both the rolls. You cannot fight with two two-handed weapons, unless you are a Barbarian who is bleeding out.

 

DODGE SCORE

This number is equal to your Dexterity score. This is the number that enemies need get on their roll if they want to hit you

 

SHIELDS

Shields can help you dodge in hand to hand combat, and if things are thrown at you. There are three types of shield.
Small Shield: Like a buckler, adds +1 to dodge

Medium Shield: Like a knight’s shield adds +2 to dodge

Large Shield: Like a pavise or kite shield adds +3 to dodge

Parrying Dagger: Like a main gauche. Adds +1 to dodge in melee and also counts as a second weapon

 

TYPES OF ARMOUR

Like weapons, armour can be whatever you want it to be, but it has one of these properties. Each point of armour takes one point away from your dodge bonus, but also reduces one point from incoming damage. Each point of armour has one weight, partly because it is heavy, and partly it is harder to carry other things the more armour you have on. If you wear more armour than your class allows, you lose all your class abilities whilst doing so (because you can’t move well enough to do your thing)

 

+1 (Padded clothing)

 

+2 (Quilted leather, Ewok pelt)

 

+3 (Boiled leather, that wooden armour from Hook)

 

+4 (Bronze Scales, Studded Leather)

 

+5 (Chainmail hauberk)

 

+6 (hoplite panoply, half plate)

 

+7 (lorica segmentata, Ned Kelly cosplay)

 

+8 (14^th Century Knight’s Armour)

 

+9 (15^th Century Full Plate, Dragon Bone Armour)

 

+10 (16^th Century Knight’s armour, Robocop but without the power supply)

 

SAVES

If you want to dodge out of the way of something, or resist a magic attack, or something similar, you roll a twenty sided die and try to roll UNDER your relevant stat.

Most poisons and diseases require a strength save, most dodging requires a dexterity save, most illusion magic requires an intelligence save, and most attempts at mind control require a charm save. 

Pretty much if you are actively doing something it is an ability test, and if you are passively reacting you are doing a save.

COMBAT

Combat is measured in rounds (a notional unit of time about 6 seconds long). Each round you may do three things. 1) Move, you can move your regular amount of movement (about 10 metres, or 30’ in old money); 2) Take an action, this can be to make an attack, to cast a spell, to aid someone who is dying, to run an extra move’s worth, to interact with an ancient piece of machinery, or whatever you want to do that would conceivably take six seconds to do; 3) A free action, like six seconds worth of talking, anything you could do whilst simultaneously doing an action.

 

Every character acts in a round, how this is determined is by rolling a twenty sided die and adding your Dexterity bonus. Higher is better. After everyone involved has had a turn the next round begins, and continues until all parties agree that combat is over.

 

To attack you roll a twenty sided die and add your melee (if hitting with a sword) or range (if throwing or shooting something) bonus to the roll. If this equals or exceeds the target’s dodge (dexterity stat minus any armour points) then you hit them, and can roll your weapon’s damage.

 

CRITICAL HITS

If you roll a Twenty (20) on your roll to hit, this is a Critical Hit! Everyone cheers and makes a big fuss! Plus, after you roll your damage, you get to add the most that your dice could have rolled on top of that (ie small weapons would add 4, light weapons would add 6, medium weapons 8, etc.), and you can choose to do something cool as well, like trip up your opponent, or flip up onto a chandelier, or anything else the GM will let you get away with.

 

GETTING HURT

If you get bitten by a monster, or hit by a trap, or do something else foolhardy and dangerous, you are liable to lose health. You can regain health by having a rest overnight. Every time you rest without being disturbed (by wandering monsters or the like) you regain your Strength Bonus in health.If you rest in comfort (like staying at an inn with nice food and a warm undisturbed place to sleep) you get all your health back.

 

However, if at any point you go down to zero health, you are bleeding out (unless you are a Barbarian). You topple over in a faint. You have three rounds of being unconscious then you are dead. Someone else can use their action to stabilise you and stop you from dying, or to go through your pockets and look for loose change. However even if you get back up again, once you drop you may suffer a permanent injury. You will also die if your health goes to -10.

For more information on Death and Dying see here.

 

LEVELLING UP

What everyone came here to do! You level up by experience points, which you get for exploring (everytime you go somewhere new, be in a dungeon room or a new continent you get experience), finding treasure, overcoming puzzles and problems, and defeating monsters.

 

When you level up you get whatever your class entry says you get (a variable amount of health, and a greater ability to hit things usually), plus a chance to change your stats. Every time you level up, you choose one Stat to try and improve. You then roll a twenty sided die, and if you roll under you stat it permanently improves by 1, but if you roll over your stat it goes up by 2!

 

MAGIC

Magic is always the long boring bit of the rules, so if you’re not going to play a Bard or a Wizard stop reading here and go off and do something productive instead. Or go have fun playing the game! Only the nerds who play Magic people need to read this.

 ...

In this game there are two types of magic: Bard Magic and Wizard Magic. Bards have the power of healing, charm, and knowledge. Wizards shoot fireballs, and other such malarkey.

 

BARD MAGIC

Bard magic is the magic of knowing things. This is often songs, riddles, cunning tricks, or little known secrets. Bards learn how to talk to and Enchant creatures, and to heal people. Bards begin knowing Talking to and Enchanting of humans, and learn other things by stages. They learn one type to talk to at first level. In order to learn to Enchant a type of thing, you must first learn to talk to it.

1 Beasts (Bears, Cats, Dogs, Horses, things that walk around on land)

2 Birds (Eagles, Chickens, Ducks, Bats, Dinosaurs, things that go in the sky or in the water)

3 Bushes (Plants, trees, large banks of seaweed)

4 Bugbears (magical but physical beasts, manticores, chimerae, krakens, giant ants, all sorts of things within the realm of the physically monstrous)

5 Boogums (outsider things: angels, demons, elder gods, spirits, ghosts, undead, etc.)

In order to learn to talk to Bugbears Bards must first master all the arts of Enchanting the first three forms of life. And in order to talk to Boogums, Bards must know how to Enchant Bugbears.

Bards have a pool of healing every day equal to their Charm Stat plus their level. They can heal any sort of creature they can talk to. As an action they can bestow any amount of their healing points on to any creature, including themselves.

Each Bard has as many magic points per day as they have levels, unused magic points disappear when the total is recharged with a night’s rest. Magic points can be used to track a type of creature that the Bard can talk to, or can be turned into a number of Healing Points equal to the Bard's Charm bonus.

A Bard can use magic points to try and Enchant a person or creature (more stubborn, aggresive, or powerful things might require more magical oomph) making the creature is immediately friendly towards them. This isn't mind control and will end if they ask the creature to do something really stupid, but it will be willing to do favours. This enchantment will last for a few minutes if the creature is opposed to the Bard, but can continue indefinitely (ie if you don't take advantage, you just made a new friend by magic/being charming). To enchant a creature in this fashion roll Bard level and Charm modifier, plus a six sided dice for every magic point spent on enchanting them.

Bards can also use Enchantment to add a six sided dice to another creature's roll to attack or attempt a skill (including other players). This simply requires the Bard to declare it and can be done after the roll is made. However, if this is attempted in combat it will also rob the bard of their next action as they spend it concentrating on the enchantment instead. If you are out of magic points you cannot Enchant any more creatures that day.

See here for more on Enchanting.

 

WIZARD MAGIC

Wizard magic is the magic of understanding the forces of the universe. Theirs is a magic found in laboratories, old books, astrological observations and other nerd shit. They master the elements and combine them in strange and unpredictable ways. Every Wizard starts by having mastery over one of the basic elements, and gains mastery over a new element every level. Each Wizard has as twice their level in magic points per day, unused magic points disappear when the total is recharged with a night’s rest.

The Basic Elements are: Earth, Air, Fire, Water

Once the Wizard has learned at least two elements, they can choose to gain mastery over the Advanced Elements. Advanced Elements require two other elements to be known already, however a Wizard does not need to master all the Basic Elements before mastering an Advanced Element, just the component ones.

The Advanced Elements are: Ice (Water, Earth), Metal (Earth, Fire), Sound (Air, Water), Lightning (Fire, Air)

Final Elements only can be mastered when all other elements have been.

The Final Elements are: Gravity (Earth, Air) Light (Fire, Water)

Each Wizard has as twice their level in magic points per day, unused magic points disappear when the total is recharged with a night’s rest. 

To cast a magic effect with Elemental Mastery, the Wizard rolls a twenty sided dice and adds their Inelligence bonus, their level, and a number of six sided dice equal to the number of magic points put into a spell. The difficulty rises with distance and difficulty.

Example effects by difficulty:

1. Natural, but convenient. A fire grows rapidly 

2. Unlikely, but still within the realms of possibility. An unstable hillside collaspses just when needed, and a bouncing rock sails away conveniently striking your foe.

3. Improbable! A once in a lifetime fluke. A small whirlwind appears from nowhere powerful enough to floor a single target then vanishes.

4. Impossible. A fire starts underwater.

5. Allegorical. An aspect of the element is infused into something else, and you can begin to levitate as the wind, or your skin becomes stone, or any other number of improbable things.

Distance also factors into things, the further away the harder it is

1. Touch: Yourself or right next to you.

2. Near: In the room with you, or as far as you could throw a rock

3. Far: Within the same level of the dungeon, or if outside as far a distance as you could yell and still be understood. Maybe as far as a trebuchet could hurl a stone

4. Wherever You Are: Does what it says on the tin, inside a dungeon can affect anything within the complex. As far as you could see outside. 

 For more on elemental magic see here

SPELLS & SCROLLS

Spells are like a routine for casting, and can be found by adventuring or researching. Spells are more efficient but also more limited and so knowing the spell "fireball" is always going to cost less magical energy than creating the same effect but with mastery over the element. All Wizard spells have a certain level, which corresponds to their cost to cast in magic points. If a Wizard reads a spell in a different book, or on a scroll, it will take 500 money units and one day per level of spell to copy it (ie a third level spell would take three days and cost 1500 money units). A spell beyond your current level can be copied, but not comprehended until the appropriate level has been reached.

Wizard spells are complex and take time to cast. All Magic spells must be prepared and magic points expended at the beginning of the day. Magic points can be allocated across multiple spell levels. For example, a third level wizard has six magic points, and can prepare two third level spells, or prepare three second level spells, or prepare one third level spell, one second level spell and leave one point free for a first level spell, or leave all magic points free for Elemental Mastery.  

Wizard spells don’t live inside them, but instead have to reside in a book. If a Wizard loses their book, or it gets destroyed, or stolen, they will lose all their spells. 

Wizards can also inscribe scrolls. This takes time, but allows you to store magic points and spells between days. To prepare a spell it takes the spell’s level in hours of work and twice the spell’s worth in unallocated magic points. So, to create a scroll of a first level spell it would take an hour’s work and two unallocated magic points, to create a scroll of a second level spell it would take two hours and four unallocated magic points. You must have access to paper, inks, writing implements (which can be expensive), and a safe and secure workshop or library in which to work in order to create a scroll (which is often hard to find). Scrolls inscribed with spells, however, are volatile and interact unexpectedly with one another. The safe number of scrolls one can carry without them beginning to bicker and fight is one more than your level (non-magic types are limited to carrying one magic scroll, as they are untrained in spell wrangling, but Bards count as Wizards for the purposes of scroll-carrying). Any class may cast a spell from a scroll.

 

SUMMONING DEMONS

All Wizards are taught how to summon Demons, since Demons can be pretty smart and powerful and can probably teach you a lot about magic. Bards probably also know how to do this, but aren’t dumb enough to try, since Demons are very dangerous. Summoning opens the rift between the worlds a little bit more and forces an inhabitant From Beyond into our world to do the caster’s bidding. What exactly comes through the tear, and whether or not it will do what the summoner wishes, is wholly unpredictable.

---

[1] Negative modifiers? Sounds like advanced mathematical witchcraft! The lowest a number can be is zero! Go play a different game if you want to fool around with numbers that mankind was not meant to wot of.

Hello To My Loyal Viewers

Hi All,

I mostly wanted to make a quick blog post to say thanks for reading. 

I know (or rather assume) that most of the people who read this blog are people who I know personally in real life (Hello friends!), and a great number of the rest of the views I assume are google bots trawling the web for search results, but based on viewing stats I have the hope that there are a few people reading this blog who aren't friends I have harangued into reading my internet ravings and aren't mindless SEO machines (although, hello to all the bots too).

So, whoever you are reading this, thanks very much for taking the time to do so. If you particularly like anything I write and would like to see more of it please leave a comment as it's nice to hear from people.

Also please enjoy this picture of a happy dinosaur I drew just for you. Yes you, the person reading this right now.

An adorable happy dinosaur playing the well known dinosaur game "Squish the Mammalian Usurpers"

 

Plagueis the False Dragon

Long ago, two adventurers tracked down and killed a fallen star. The wealth they gained from such a grand haul was the stuff of legends, the treasure of Popes and Emperors. The corpse of a star, besides being a source of reagents and ingredients for powerful spells, elixirs, and other arcane purposes, is composed of valuable metals and gems. Its skin is gold and silver, its bones adamant, its ichor liquid platinum... or so the legends go. All stories agree that such wealth would be more than one hundred men could spend in their lifetimes, so what would two men do with such treasure...

A Dragon in his Cave

In the hills far to the north of Beörnburg there is a hole running into the side of a rocky hillock. It is a cramped cave, large enough only for an adult human to crawl through. It is dark, and dry, and stable. As you descend deeper the cave system branches out into myriad paths, a warren of tunnels through the rock. Sometimes it passes through great caverns, sometimes the tunnels remain cramped and awkward for miles, in all cases the further along leads ever and inexorably downwards. The inhabitants and builders of this mysterious complex are found scurrying along the passageways and ratruns that suit them well, the small and scaly denizens of this underworld, the Kobolds, are constantly improving and expanding, trapping and defending their cramped halls, all driven by some unknowable will, some dark and hidden intelligence. It becomes clear that this is not so much a simple cave complex, nor even a great mine, but an underground metropolis. 

At the centre of all of this, you will find a dragon sitting on his hoard...

The cave system which Doctor Plagueis inhabits is always being delved deeper and more complex by the tribe of Kobolds that seem strangely devoted to him. Kobolds are great team workers, and dedicated tinkerers, but they lack direction and drive. Plagueis found them lost and alone, Plagueis has given them purpose, for Plagueis has a plan.

Having learned from his new subjects the lore of the ancient Dragons, and how it was once the reptilian people who once ruled the earth before the stars changed and before the coming of mammals, Plagueis became a complete convert to the Kobold's way of thinking. He knew that with a concentrated plan, a rational mind, and a great deal of effort, the great dream to wake the Dragons could be accomplished much more quickly.

To this end, the warren of tunnels is even more of a mine that most Kobold encampments. They have sunk great shafts into the earth to survey the strata for evidence of sunken Naga cities, crashed and buried star corpses, and most important of all: evidence as to the true resting place of the great Dragons.

This tunnel has... (d6)

1. Only one entrance (Dead End)
2. One way in, one way out
3. One way in, two cramped passages out
4. Has one way in, and several exits on different levels which must be climbed up/down to
5. Is a star junction of seven paths 
6. One way in, four hidden paths out 

It is... (2d6)

2	A deep shaft descending an almost infinite way downwards. A slim lip runs around the edge of the bottomless pit
3	An active dig site excavating something important: [1d6] 1) A seam of precious ore, 2) An ancient human tomb or settlement filled with ancient treasures, 3) A forgotten Dwarf Fortress probably suffused with ancient evil and precious devices, 4) An ancient Naga settlement replete with magic items, 5) A scattering of Fey crystals, 6) A buried Star. This room is filled with 3d20 Kobolds at work excavating
4	A spoil heap, mostly detritus from mining, but some investigation will reveal a small amount of gems and precious metals (1d6 gp)
5	A trap room halfway under construction, the trap(s) for this room are not yet functioning but there are 4d12 Kobolds working here.
6	A large (4d6) squad of Kobold mining engineers, they are currently: [1d6] 1) In the midst of constructing new tunnels, not prepared for a fight. They will down tools and fall back if adventurers are spotted. 2) On break, snacking and playing at dice. They will assume that anyone in the caves is supposed to be here and invite them to play. 3) Transporting spoil, treasure, or mining equipment from one section of the mines to another. If approached they will be suspicious but not aggressive, will form an orderly fighting retreat if challenged. 4) Engrossed in work tunneling out a new hallway downwards, distracted and focused on their task they would be easy enough to sneak past, will stand and fight if they are confronted. 5) Hiding something, they will initially defend their unearthed prize but will attempt to flee with it if the characters put up a fight. 6) In the midst of a combat drill to defend the caves against intruders. Armed with spears and crossbows they are at the highest point of readiness for combat.
7	Empty hall connecting two adjoining spaces
8	A Kobold dining hall. Large fire pit, surrounded with small personal Kobold nest alcoves. There are d20-5 Kobolds in here eating, relaxing, or sleeping.
9	A trap room, roll an additional time on the trap table below
10	A nesting hall full of egg boxes and tiny baby Kobolds. Also, 1d8 adult Kobolds tending to them. The primary goal for the adults will be to protect the babies by any means.
11	A contingent (3d6) of Kobold honor guards in rudimentary armour, and drilled to the highest calibre; armed with heavy crossbows, pavise shields, and vicious stabbing swords of a unique and novel design.
12	The lair of Plagueis the False Dragon

The traps here are... (d8)

1. Jangling line of bells strung across the hall, isn't a trap but will alert all Kobolds nearby
2. A flurry of 2d10 darts shot from the wall triggered by a pressure plate under an uneven flagstone.
3. Concealed pit with spikes
4. Cage with an Achromite in it, falls from the roof and traps the target in cage with creature. Triggered by a concealed Kobold watching the tunnel 
5. Rockfall (save to dodge or 2d8 damage) triggered by a tripwire across the room 
6. Spring loaded blade (1d8) triggered by a pressure plate 
7. Murder holes with 2d12 Crossbow armed Kobolds in wait
8. Roll twice and combine

Plagueis the False Dragon

Strictly speaking, Plagueis is not a Dragon, although he does often sit upon a great pile of gold and gems whilst issuing directives and holding forth to his people, that's more for show (certain behaviors are expected of him by his people). He prefers to spend his time in his laboratory continuing his experiments, or supervising the excavation and construction projects throughout his domain.

Plagueis was fascinated by the small, eager, dragonfolk he encountered on his adventure to confront the fallen star. He resolved to stay with them, learn more about them, and help them in thanks for helping him. To this end he started with the only technique he knew, that of the bizarre alchemy of the Plague Doctor. Utilising the strange mystic qualities of the ichor of the star Plagueis was able to develop some truly wondrous concoctions. 

He began his experiments in attempting to increase the physical qualities of the Kobolds, making them taller, bigger, faster, more dangerous to those larger things that may attempt to harm them (read: everything). He also knew that his disguise (in the form of his beaked Doctor mask) would not last indefinitely, no matter how assiduously he continued to wear it, and that no true Kobold would ever fully trust a mammal.

Plagueis knows that his experiments on himself have rendered his form more reptilian, more acceptable as a leader and colleague of his beloved surrogate children. What he does not know, and what the Kobolds do, is that his transformation is not all of his own doing. Contrary to what the good Doctor assumed, the Kobolds always knew that he was a mammal clad in a crude Dragon-like disguise, but they saw the Dragon withing... and they believed.

With the belief of his people, Plagueis is slowly becoming a Dragon. Plagueis has been able to rationalise the scales he has grown, and the more lizardlike form (this was after all the purpose of his experiments), however he is slightly more unsettled by the Dragon-dreams that haunt his sleep more and more often. He dreams of soaring high above the land, of bringing destruction with fire and claw to the vast stone burrows of the usurping mammals, he dreams of jungles hot and wet where giant reptilian creatures rule, and he is worried that these seem less and less like dreams and more and more like memories every day. Dragons are strange creatures, not entirely of this world but not entirely apart from it. It might be less accurate to say that he is becoming a Dragon, as a vessel for Dragonness in the world. He is trying to control his dreams, and his physical transformation, with purgatives, soporifics, and calmatives; however there rests deep inside him the beating heart of a Dragon, waiting to come out.

There is also the matter of the Carnival Prince, and his rabid desire to gain the treasure which the False Dragon has in his keeping. Plagueis knows little of Priam's desire to find him, or the lust the Wildman has to possess the star heart half that Plagueis holds. Truth be told, he has reached the end of what the heart can teach him and would cheerfully give it up if asked nicely, especially to the keeping of one he yet absentmindedly considers a friend. He would even welcome in any messengers from his old adventuring companion, the fact is that no-one ever tries just visiting but always come as assassins and sneak thieves (and so invariably fall afoul of Kobold ambushes, as the cunning dragonfolk know their tunnels better than any outsider could possibly hope to learn). Plagueis did not in fact spend any of the fabulous wealth acquired, and it sits in a great pile, being yet added to by the treasures unearthed by plumbing the depths. If intruders are troublesome, but ultimately just want riches, he may give over huge amounts just to make people go away.

Plagueis' Plans

Plagueis is a man of science, reason, and compassion. An endless tinkerer with the world he was fascinated to learn of the secret history, of the moving of the planet, of the setting of the stars, and of the slumber of the Dragons. He also believes that it is right and just to wake the Dragons, and hand back control of Earth to them from the usurping mammals. It's only fair, they were here first.

Unlike the Kobolds that have worked before him, Plagueis does not believe that this can only be achieved by advancing the development of the Dragon Dreams, hoping for one to gain true sentience and awareness of its sleeping form, and to rouse itself. For one, it would take too long and Plagueis realizes that even with all his alchemical tinkering there is no way his lifespan would stretch to that. For another, heroes are always coming along and slaying Dragons (he was once such a hero after all), and the larger a Dragon gets the more likely heroes are going to come along to kill it. For a third, he knows that the simplest and most direct solution is often also that which is the most easily managed. The great beasts that dwarf mountains and slumber yet near the core of the world, the simplest way is to go fetch them. Since the Dragons will not rouse themselves, Plagueis is going to go and wake them. If the old ways will not work, if they will not come to the surface themselves, Plagueis will use the new ways and dig them out bit by bit.

Kobolds

The Kobolds of Plagueis' domains have become far more than their cousin Kobolds of other colonies. Many of them have been the recipients of Plagueis' potions, or as they call them "The Dragon's Gifts." Kobolds, of course, are well used to the idea that the presence of Dragons granting power to their chosen champions. Kobold Dragon Priests often develop miraculous powers when blessed by their Dragon, it simply makes sense that their Dragon could do so too.

What Plagueis is unaware of, is that the Kobolds under his care are very well aware that he is (or at least once was) human, but they believe that the miracles he has blessed them with are a sign that he is really a Dragon. All the signs, the Kobolds would say, are there. To be born Draconic, or to overcome your mammalian nature through great effort?

Approximately one in five Kobolds has benefited from a course of Plagueis' good natured but somewhat erratic experimental augmentation.

This Kobold has... [1d20]

1. Iron scales (Counts as plate)
2. Fire breath can shoot out a jet of fire for 1d8 damage and setting all affected things alight (recharge on 1 in 6)
3. Large leathery wings that grant it the power of flight 
4. Super-Koboldic Strength (+5 strength bonus) 
5. Acid for blood, if a character cuts or stabs this Kobold that character must save or take 1d6 acid damage (bludgeoning weapons still fine) 
6. Lightning Fast Reflexes, always acts at the top of initiative order and acts twice in its turn
   
7. Spines, covered in large porcupine-like quills. Any attempt to grapple this Kobold will automatically deal1d8 damage to the assailant whether the attempt is successful or not.
   
8. Turtle Shell, the Kobold has a great shell into which it can withdraw which nothing short of dynamite can damage (can still be hurt if its limbs are sticking out)
   
9. Razor Edged Claws that deal 1d6 damage and ignore all armour bonus
   
10. Chameleonic scales, allows the Kobold to camoflage itself seamlessly against any surface when remaining still.
    
11. Powerful Digging Claws, count as 1d6 weapons and can burrow at speed through earth, and a slow speed through rock
    
12. Psionic Powers, gains a single spell-like ability (roll randomly on spell list for appropriate) 1d6/day
    
13. Poison spoors, can jet out a cloud of fungal spores that cause nearby creatures to save or fall asleep for ten minutes (more than enough time to tie them securely, or shove them down a bottomless pit)
    
14. Boiling Hot Blood that shoots from their eyes! Attacks for 1d8 damage (recharge 1 in 6)
    
15. Rocket spikes that shoot from its hands. Hits at +3 for 1d4 damage
    
16. Bite attack that can sever an extremity on a critical hit
    
17. Very loud roar. This Kobold can roar as loud as a Tyrannosaurus (assuming Jurassic Park rules), and can use this ability to cause pain and disorientation or to warn Kobolds far and wide of dangerous intruders.
    
18. Ultra adorable Eyes can cast Charm Person 1/day
19. Squid-like Ink Projectors, an ink pouch can help you escape your enemies. Does exactly what it says on the tin, can shoot ink with astounding accuracy
    
20. Roll twice and combine 

Doctor Plagueis the False Dragon
HD: 5
AC: As chain (Plagueis is covered in quite a tough lizard hide)
Attacks: 2 Special Actions (see below)

Special Abilities:

Night Vision Goggles: Plagueis was given a set of these marvelous pieces of equipment when he first met the Kobolds. They are magical items of the vanished Naga civilization. With them he can see in total darkness, however they can be taken from him or possibly shattered.

Potion Brewing: Plagueis has all the mastery of brewing up weird alchemical substances that can even occasionally do what he wants them to. He has a fully equipped laboratory just off from his treasure chamber/throne room where he can brew up many batches of potions, or investigate or create many other wonders of the craft.

Special Actions:

Pointy Doctor Stick: Deals 1d6 non-lethal damage

Drink Potion: Plagueis carries with him five potions from the Plague Doctor class, the effects of which are randomly determined at point of consumption. He can alter the result on the table up or down by two.

Gimmick Bombs: Plagueis carries on his person a number of iron globes with release catches, he is too absent minded to know what he has been carrying with him at any given point, as these are randomly determined when activated: [1d8] 1) Smoke bomb, creates a large and obscuring cloud of smoke that hangs in the air for a minute before dispersing. 2) Poison gas, all who inhale a lungful (saving Plagueis who seems immune) take 1d4 points of poison damage. 3) A mixture of garlic cloves and holy water, probably deadly to Vampires, merely pungent for everyone else. 4) Sticky bomb, a great glob of glue explodes outwards affixing all in its blast radius to the floor (takes a full turn of concerted effort to get free). 5) Clockwork Servitor, unfolds in a clicking whirring snap of gears and mechanisms becoming a 1 HD Creature armour as chain and with flight, buzzes around shooting nails for 1d4 damage at enemy combatants. 6) Flashbang, blinds and deafens everyone within the same room for three rounds (Plagueis is merely deafened thanks to his goggles). 7) Sleep Gas, all in immediate area save or suffer the effects of the Sleep spell. 8) GRENADE! Acts as fireball spell.

Call Kobolds: As long as Plagueis is anywhere within his cave system, the Kobolds will be at his beck and call. At any point he can call for help and 2d10 Kobolds will be with him within three rounds

Dracopotheosis: Unbeknownst to him, Plagueis is gradually becoming a Dragon, and stress or desperation may give just the boost to get there. If Plagueis is brought to zero hitpoints, (or if he gets driven to some great level of stress outside of combat) there is a one in six chance that he will suddenly transform into a 5HD Dragon.

Dr Viz by Vocitare

Plagueis Adventure Hooks

• There's tell of a Dragon that lives upon a mountain of gold up in the hills North of Beörnburg, but no-one has seen it flying about. Perhaps it is dead or asleep, and its horde there for the taking
• Rumours say that the Dragon Plagueis is just a myth, a story that a rich old kook tells to keep people away from his vast fortune. Maybe it's time to pay this old timer a visit
• The Carnival Prince of Zirkusburg has laid a great bounty for the return of his dear companion Plagueis... dead or alive
• The surrounding villages and hillforts are plagued by Kobold raids, carrying off food, livestock, and mining equipment for some reason. (The colony is growing very large and they must forage further and further afield).
• It's said that deep in the hills, guarded by a Dragon, is the heart of a star. Something that valuable would be worth any risk...