How To Resolve Anything That Comes Up...

I'm sure you all have your own version of this. Here's mine...

HOW TO RESOLVE ANYTHING THAT COMES UP

AKA, what are those Damn Ability Scores for anyway?

NPCs and monsters can be bargained with, not just slain. They have bills and ex-wives too. Hired guards sometimes flee suddenly when smacked upside the head with a real flail that actually hurts. Go figure. Your enemies may pay your torch-bearer to stick his torch up your ass. When the Hell did Oddwick accidentally sell your spare chest with Blackrazor and The Necronomicon in it? Why is that weird jade monkey statue looking only at you? Did that tavern owner's potboy leave you fidgeting with an itch? Scratch scratch.

When situations like these happen or, more accurately, when they are about to happen, either you roll or the referee rolls (guess whose choice?) 2d6 and adjust the result by one of your PC's ability score modifiers, whichever one seems right for the situation.

This table is meant to quickly resolve any minor issues and avoid messing about with obscure situational rules you never recall and probably have to look up during play. It's not meant to be taken seriously, rather used as inspiration. This is just a game. If you decide that a ruling is noteworthy or valuable to your game play, try to stick with it again in the future to be consistent. No doubt because you're an old hat at it you already do this. Good, we're all on the same page, then? Keep calm and carry on with the slaughter ... er, fun.

GENERAL NEED TO RESOLVE SOMETHING TABLE

Roll 2d6 +/- Ability Score Modifier	Reaction
2 or less	Catastrophically bad. It attacks, hurts, steals, hates, maims, attempts to eat, uses its worst, or otherwise fucks you up. Seriously. No chance of negotiating or fixing. Hope you got a sharp sword.
3-5	Hostile or very bad. You're attacked or otherwise thwarted or hindered or harmed or cleverly made to look like a chump. Too bad for you. If you want to recover, get creative or make some really good rolls. Maybe get the ref a beer.
6-8	Cautious or uncertain. Make another offer cheapskate, negotiate more enthusiastically, ponder the situation some more, have a good dump, etc. Roll again if the referee feels generous. Ref, you had a beer lately?
9-11	Friendly or good. Things go your way, your offer is accepted, or the NPC dude is willing to comply/discuss/help you out. Otherwise, it (or he or she or whatever) thinks you rock on toast and likes your sexy smell and smarts.
12 or more	Enthusiastic or extremely good. Monster or NPC dude goes above and beyond to provide assistance or information you weren't expecting. You glean arcane or (virtually?) divine insight about something, whether real or imagined. Can you translate hieroglyphs into three languages without a Rosetta Stone? Easy peasy!

Wastelands Big Honkin Random Monster Table

The Wastelands is a sandboxy hex-crawl style setting. As such, I needed to create a series of random encounter tables for the numerous geographical regions. I had originally drafted a d20-based table for each major region (Bandlands of Paj, Kreth Verdant, Steaming Jungles of Su'Janga, etc.), but soon realized that a d20 randomizer did not produce enough variation within each region to satisfy my personal Creature Feature Quotient--meaning I needed more monsters!

Artisan dice! https://www.artisandice.com/

So as I often do when pondering dungeon mastery-type things, I consulted the definitive work of Grand Master Gygax, the 1st edition DMG. Therein, as usual, I found my solution: d100-based random tables delineated by predominant terrain type. I have moved away from d100-based tables in recent years, mostly because they require a lot more fiddly maths and sometimes produce too many options for my personal tastes. However, for this purpose, and to satiate my CFQ--I wanted roughly between 20 and 40 possible random creatures for most regions--the good old d100 tables worked perfectly.

Thus, I reorganized my separate regional d20 tables into one big honking d100 table broken out into predominant terrain types (arctic, badlands, forest, desert, and so on) similar to what was done in the DMG. The table can be downloaded here (.pdf) should you good readers wish to use it as-is, or here (.docx) if you'd like to tinker and customize it.

The creatures on the table include a few of the regular suspects from the Monster Manual (it goes without saying that I mean the AD&D version--but I guess I just said, or wrote, it anyway!) But with this campaign setting I wanted to mine the other monster manuals for lesser-known and/or infrequently-used critters. For example, monsters such as the crysmal, kampfult, solifugid and xag-ya from Monster Manual II, and the caterwaul and skulk (and the humanoid aarakocra, grimlocks and quaggoths) from the Fiend Folio will turn up randomly in some areas of the Wastelands.

I also included the thanoi, or walrus men, from the Dragonlance Adventures book (and DL6 Dragons of Ice). Mostly because I like the idea of warrior walrus men. I never liked much from Dragonlance, but I always thought the thanoi were cool. Coo coo ca choo! Bad puns intended. ;-)

Fortnight of Chaos, Part III: Warriors, Champions & Knights

Today we continue the Fortnight of Chaos with a look at the ranks of chaos warriors, champions and knights. As with the other posts in this series, stats are presented for the Labyrinth Lord game system.

CHAOS WARRIORS, CHAMPIONS & KNIGHTS

Only the strongest and most vicious northmen may become warriors, champions and knights. These fanatical soldiers form the vanguard of the chaos horde, and their thirst for blood and battle is unmatched—except perhaps by demons. The blessings the chaos gods grant to these fearsome mortals command respect and awe from the lesser forces of beastmen and marauders. In extraordinary circumstances, the greatest champions and knights may even ascend to demonhood.

Combat: The fanatical warriors arm themselves with long, cruel swords, viciously barbed light crossbows and plate mail armor. Champions wield dire great weapons and don plate mail armor black as night. In battle, both warriors and champions gain +1 to hit and damage with melee weapons and their barbed crossbow bolts are +1 to damage. There is a 50% chance that any group of warriors will possess shields. The powerful knights sometimes bear ensorcelled plate mail armor and weaponry, and decorate themselves with battle trophies hewn from their dying foes. Knights gain +2 to hit and damage with melee weapons and their crossbows bolts are +1 to damage, in addition to any magical accouterments bestowed upon them (see below). Knights always ride war steeds into battle.

Encounters & Treasure: Warriors encountered singly or in warbands use hoard class (HC) II, III and IV, champions use HC VI, and knights use HC VII. However, champions and knights have a 50% chance to possess magic items. Chaos warbands consist of 6 to 12 (2d4+4) warriors and are commanded by a champion. Champions may also serve as personal guards for sorcerers, demons and other dark dignitaries. Chaos knights command two or more warbands, but are also encountered singly or as guards like champions.

Chaos Warrior: AC 3; HD 2+1; hp 10; MV 60’ (20’); #AT 1 long sword or light crossbow; DAM 1d8+1 or 1d6+1; SV F2; ML 10; AL CE; XP 35.

Champion: AC 3; HD 4+2; hp 20; MV 60’ (20’); #AT 1 two-handed sword or light crossbow; DAM 1d10+1 or 1d6+1; SV F4; ML 10; AL CE; XP 140. Note: 50% chance to possess magic items.

Knight: AC 3; HD 6+3; hp 30; MV 60’ (20’); #AT 1 two-handed sword (lance if mounted) or light crossbow; DAM 1d10+2 (1d6+2, x2 if charge) or 1d6+1; SV F6; ML 11; AL CE; XP 380. Note: 50% chance to possess magic items.

War Steed: AC 5; HD 3+2; hp 16; MV 120' (40'); #AT 2 hooves; DAM 1d6/1d6; SV F3; ML 10; AL N; XP 65.

CHAOS MAGIC ITEMS

The following tables detail magic items commonly possessed by wargor beastmen (see Part II for beastmen details), chaos champions and chaos knights. For brevity, the  generic term "champion" is used hereafter in place of wargor, champion and knight. Roll 1d10 to determine if the champion possesses magic armaments, then roll on the other tables as indicated to generate specific magic items.

Magic armor is always the same type as a champion’s normal armor, with a +1 bonus to AC.

If any of these items are recovered and used by non-evil characters, the dark sorceries imbued within them will cause serious harm, if not death. As a rule of thumb, when any non-evil character touches or attempts to use a chaos magic item, he must succeed at a save vs spells or immediately lose one experience level (or hit die). Characters should not be messing with dark chaos powers! In fact, finding the means to destroy chaos magic items could be an engaging adventure unto itself…

CHAOS MAGIC ITEMS TABLE I

Roll 1d10	Magic Items Possessed
1-5	None
6-7	Weapon, roll on Table II
8-9	Armor or shield, roll on Table III
10	Weapon and armor/shield, roll on Tables II and III

CHAOS MAGIC ITEMS TABLE II: WEAPONS

Roll 1d8	Magic Weapon
1	Berserker Weapon: The champion gains an extra attack with this melee weapon each round.
2	Blood Weapon: Upon a successful hit, the victim of this weapon must make a save vs death. Failure indicates the attacking champion gains 1d4 temporary hit points. These hit points are lost first when the champion is damaged or disappear after 1 turn (whichever comes first).
3	Hellfire Weapon: Upon a successful hit, this flaming weapon deals an extra 2d4 damage. If the victim makes a successful save vs spells, he reduces this extra damage by half.
4	Poison Weapon: Upon a successful hit, this poisoned weapon deals an extra 2d4 damage. If the victim makes a successful save vs poison, he reduces this extra damage by half.
5	Rending Weapon: All wounds inflicted by this weapon bleed for 1 extra damage point per round until a cure spell is cast upon the victim.
6	Soul Cleaver Weapon: Upon a successful hit, the victim of this weapon must make a successful save vs death or suffer double damage. Normal damage is still inflicted on a successful save.
7	Summoning Weapon: Instead of making a normal melee attack, the champion may dramatically brandish this weapon to immediately summon 2d4 demonic 1 HD monsters to fight for him (similar to the spell summon monster I). The monsters are mutated, chaotic versions of normal monsters, but use their standard game stats for combat. The monsters disappear after 2d6 rounds or when slain.
8	Terror Weapon: Instead of making a normal melee attack, the champion may dramatically brandish this weapon to cause fear (similar to the spell) in all enemies within 20 feet of him. Foes within range must make a successful save vs spells or flee in panic for 1d6 rounds. Those who succeed at the saving throw are immune to the weapon’s fear effect for the rest of the day.

CHAOS MAGIC ITEMS TABLE III: ARMOR & SHIELDS

Roll 1d8	Magic Armor
1	Acid Armor: There is a 50% chance that any nonmagical weapon striking the champion in this armor is immediately destroyed by its acidic secretions. Magical weapons have a 10% chance of being destroyed or, at the referee’s discretion, are entitled to a saving throw to resist the acid.
2	Armor of Damnation: A successful attack against the champion must be re-rolled. The re-roll stands whether a hit or miss.
3	Armor of Tortured Souls: This armor provides the champion a +1 AC bonus against all normal (non-magical) attacks.
4	Bane Shield: Standard shield AC bonus, plus when the champion is successfully attacked, this shield allows him to make a retaliatory shield strike attack against that specific foe for 1d6 damage (adjusted normally by Strength) on his next turn in the combat round. If the champion disengages from melee combat with the foe, he cannot make the free attack. Only one shield strike attack can be gained in a round regardless of how many attacks successfully hit the champion.
5	Chaos Runeshield: Standard shield AC bonus, plus on a successful hit against the champion with a magic weapon that weapon is negated of all magic properties for 1d6 rounds.
6	Spelleater Shield: Standard shield AC bonus, plus this shield grants the champion a re-roll on any failed saving throw vs spells. The re-roll stands whether successful or not.
7	Trollhide Armor: This armor allows the champion to regenerate 1d3 hit points each round. Damage from fire or acid cannot be regenerated.
8	Wraithform Armor: This armor makes the champion appear incorporeal similar to a wraith. While wearing this armor, the champion is unharmed by nonmagical weapons and silver weapons deal only half-damage to him.

Fortnight of Chaos, Part II: Beastmen

Today we continue the Fortnight of Chaos with a look at the savage and unruly beastmen. The stats below are for the Labyrinth Lord game system.

CHAOS BEASTMEN

Beastmen are mutated humanoids with hideous bestial traits. The warping nature of chaos means they may appear in almost any form, but most commonly they possess animal-like heads with twisted horns, goat-like legs and torsos varying from grotesquely bloated to fiercely muscled. Beastmen lurk in the dark forests of frontier lands, raiding civilized outposts for food or the sheer pleasure of violence. They are the most volatile of chaos troops, as prone to fighting amongst their own warbands and tribes as they are attacking settlements with other chaos minions.

There are four general types of beastmen: ungors, gors, bestigors and wargors. Ungors are the frailest beastmen and wargors the deadliest. One visual clue to the toughness of beastmen are the lengths of their horns—ungors possess little more than stumps, whereas gors, bestigors and wargors have successively longer and crueler horns.

Combat: Ungors and gors typically wield javelins or spears and their hides protect them as leather armor, and there is a 50% chance any group will possess shields. Being an unruly lot, there is also a 50% chance ungors and gors will simply charge the closest possible enemies at the start of any combat, regardless of orders. Bestigors commonly wield axes, picks or flails, and their thick hide protects them as studded leather armor. Their great strength gains bestigors +1 to hit and damage with melee weapons. Wargors wear chain mail armor and favor heavy melee weapons. Their savageness and strength gain them +2 to hit and damage with melee weapons.

Encounters & Treasure: When beastmen are encountered singly or in warbands, ungors and gors use individual hoard class (HC) I, bestigors use HC II and wargors use HC II, III and IV. However, wargors have a 50% chance to possess magic items. A warband consists of 10 to 20 ungors and gors (8 + 2d6, there will be twice as many ungors as gors) and one bestigor commander. Wargors are encountered singly and in command of two or more warbands.

Ungor: AC 8; HD 1; hp 5; MV 150’ (50’); #AT 1 javelin or spear; DAM 1d6; SA unruly; SV F1; ML 7; AL CE; XP 10. Unruly: 50% chance to charge closest foes at start of combat.

Gor: AC 8; HD 2; hp 9; MV 150’ (50’); #AT 1 javelin or spear; DAM 1d6; SA unruly; SV F2; ML 7; AL CE; XP 20. Unruly: 50% chance to charge closest foes at start of combat.

Bestigor: AC 7; HD 3; hp 14; MV 150’ (50’); #AT 1 axe (or flail or pick) or short bow; DAM 1d6+1 or 1d6; SV F3; ML 8; AL CE; XP 50.

Wargor: AC 5; HD 5; hp 23; MV 120’ (40’); #AT 1 battle axe (or heavy flail or heavy pick) or short bow; DAM 1d8+2 or 1d6; SV F5; ML 9; AL CE; XP 200. Note: 50% chance to possess magic items.

Fortnight of Chaos, Part I: Marauders & Chieftains

I declare the next two weeks to be the Fortnight of Chaos here on the Borderlands blog!

Long-time readers may recall that I'm a big fan of Warhammer Fantasy Battles and the original edition of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay. So, in honor of all things chaotic, I've dusted off the old archives, and over a fortnight I'll post updated and revised Labyrinth Lord conversions from the Hordes of Chaos (2002) and Beasts of Chaos (2003) Warhammer army books, as well as the Realm of Chaos: Slaves to Darkness book (1988).

First off, some mood music. Check out Hordes of Chaos by Kreator. If you don't like old-school thrashy heavy metal, please ignore. :-)

Today we have Chaos Marauders and Chieftains.

CHAOS MARAUDERS & CHIEFTAINS
These marauding northmen pillage civilized lands with reckless abandon. They are the first wave of the chaos horde, rampaging ahead of powerful chaos warriors and champions. Mounted marauders sometimes scout in advance of the horde, espying resistance strength and wealth potential of southern settlements.

Combat: Chaos marauders wear scant hides (consider as leather armor) and wield wicked maces or axes. Strong warriors, they gain +1 to hit and damage with melee weapons. Chieftains also gain +1 to hit and damage with melee weapons, but prefer wielding two-handed battle axes or heavy flails. Chieftains wear thicker scraps of hide providing equivalent protection to studded leather armor.

Encounters & Treasure: When encountered singly or in warbands, marauders use individual hoard class (HC) II and chieftains use HC IV. A warband consists of 8 to 18 marauders (6 + 2d6) and one chieftain. There is a 50% chance that the chieftain rides a wild horse and a 25% chance that a warband has 1 to 6 (1d6) of its marauders mounted on wild horses.

Chaos Marauder: AC 8; HD 1+1; hp 6; MV 120’ (40’); #AT 1 axe (or mace) or short bow; DAM 1d6+1 or 1d6; SV F1; ML 9; AL CE; XP 15.

Marauder Chieftain: AC 7; HD 2+1; hp 10; MV 120’ (40’); #AT 1 battle axe (or heavy flail) or short bow; DAM 1d8+1 or 1d6; SV F2; ML 9; AL CE; XP 35.

Wild Horse: AC 7; HD 2; hp 9; MV 240' (80'); #AT 2 hooves; DAM 1d4/1d4; SV F1; ML 8; AL N; XP 20. Note: These wild northern horses are not as battle-trained as war horses (no charge attack possible), but they do not panic in combat as easily as typical riding horses (morale of 8).


Edit: Products for the Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay game are now published by Fantasy Flight Games. Here is a link for all the Warhammery goodness available for the newest edition of the grim and perilous roleplaying game.