Magic School Campaigns by System and Setting: Scarlet Heroes

Artwork by Eric Lofgren

Back in May 2013, Kevin Crawford of Sine Nomine Games published a series of free supplements for his Red Tide Campaign Setting known as Black Streams.  One of them, Solo Heroes, proved to be an incredibly popular pick.  It dealt with the mechanical aspects of how to run a game of one DM, one PC in a way which wouldn't break the game or result in one-sided battles.  More than that, the underlying math largely worked, and it was compatible with most existing B/X D&D and retroclone adventures.

One year and one Kickstarter later, Crawford expanded the concept into a full-fledged OSR game of its own, complete with its own setting, bestiary, DMing advice, and even rules for true "solo gaming" where you can play a Scarlet Heroes game with nobody but yourself.

Mechanical Considerations

Scarlet Heroes works very well for a magic school campaign, in that the character creation method is very forgiving for a player willing to go against type.  Unlike other retroclones, ability scores are generated using 4d6 drop the lowest, assign the results to scores of your choice.  Additionally, results where the highest score is below 16 allows the player to bump an ability of their choice to 16.

Race is separate from class, allowing for halfling mages, dwarven clerics, and the like.  Racial abilities are turned into "traits" which are a simplified pseudo-skill system which cover things like "acrobat, friend to secret society, vibrant health" meant to provide open-ended bonuses to rolls where they can be a factor.

What's more, a PC is not locked into their class, and can forestall gaining an additional level in their existing class upon leveling up in lieu of taking a level in a new one!  A 4th-level Magic-User may pick up a 1st level in Fighter to gain increased damage with weapons and hit points, or a Cleric may balance out levels with Magic-User to become adept in both arcane and divine spells.

Unorthodox Races: By seeking an alternate to the race-as-class system and boiling down racial features to pseudo-skill traits, Scarlet Heroes allows for the easy creation of new races and the implementation of existing ones.  Generally speaking, humans gain 3 trait points to spend as they wish, while non-humans gain 1 trait point to spend as they wish plus 1 trait point in a pre-determined skill reflecting the races' innate abilities.  Generally speaking the latter should be their most iconic feature and impossible for other races to take as a trait.

House Rule: Let's say we wanted to turn the Serpent Folk, a classic sword-and-sorcery staple, into a race.  As these ancient reptilians have a renowned ability to take the shape of humanoids, we'll give them 1 trait point in "Magical Visage," reflecting their keen ability to appear like a normal human and hide their true nature.  To balance this ability, we'll make any attempts to disguise themselves as a specific human require a skill check (which the 1 trait point applies as a bonus to).  Other than this, Serpent Folk gain 1 free trait point to spend as they wish.

Student Budget: Clerics are able to access potentially any class spell provided they are at a level capable of casting it, but Magic-Users aren't so lucky.  In order to add new spells to their spellbook, they must copy it from an existing spellbook or scroll or be taught by a teacher.  As even the cheapest method (scroll or spellbook-copying) takes 100 gp worth of ingredients per spell level, the GM for a Scarlet Heroes game should provide some means of spell access if they're going for a more Harry Potter vibe where the heroes aren't amassing great hoards of wealth while doing adventures at school.

House Rule: Beyond the spells a 1st-level Magic-User knows, every level gained in the class allows the PC to select two Magic-User spells of their choice to add into their spellbook, provided that they are at a level they are capable of casting.  Such knowledge represents the PC researching the accumulated lore they came across in their adventures.  As there are 50 Magic-User spells in Scarlet Heroes and this method allows them to gain 23 spells at most by 10th level, this is a reasonable value.

Naturally, Magic-User PCs are more than free to add spells they find as a result of scrolls and spellbooks borrowed/stolen, and favors gained from fellow sorcerers.

Arcane Lore: The creation of magic items and copying spells are expensive endeavors.  If sitting on literal piles of gold feels unseemly, the GM can substitute a portion of treasures in exchange for "Arcane Lore."  This may be in addition to or separate from the Student Budget houserule above.  Generally speaking, Arcane Lore is pseudo-treasure representing the scribbled writings of cultists, esoteric ingredients from unnatural beasts, mind-melded knowledge from otherworldly entities and the like which grant a spellcaster ability to create magic items and learn new spells.  They can range from research notes and insight-producing consumables, the latent power of a specific area (where the ambient energy is used by magical artisans while building/researching there), and strange ingredients.

Arcane Lore is treated as individual treasure values, but can only be "spent" for the purposes of creating magic items and the learning of new spells into one's spellbook, or trading in exchange for such material.  Here are some sample lists:

Random Value:

Arcane Lore	Value
Cheap	1d6 x 20 gp
Costly	1d10 x 50 gp
Precious	2d10 x 100 gp
Priceless	1d6 x 1,000 gp

Types of Arcane Lore:

1d12	Cheap	Costly	Precious	Priceless
1	Cultist’s Scribblings	Inquisitor’s Journal	Memory-storing Crystal	Dragon’s Knowledge
2	Witch’s Herbs	Elemental Salts	Earthshield Plates	Fey’s Dreams
3	Tarot Deck	Alchemist’s Lab Materials	Meteorite Metal	Unicorn Horn
4	Crushed Moonberries	Runic Stones	Sigil-embroidered Cloth	Spirit-Possessed Mask
5	Strand of Prayer Beads	Bardic-enchanted Writings	Magical Hieroglyphs	Quill of the First Library
6	Local Lord’s Library Resources	University Library Resources	Wizard’s Library Resources	First Era Library Resources
7	Curio Shop Trinkets	Augury Bones	Demonflesh-stitched Tome	Raw Souls
8	Weak Ley Line Location	Druidic Grove	Location with Spiritual Resonance	Geomantic Planar Crossroads
9	Household Shrine	Village Shrine	City Shrine	Holiest of Shrines
10	Gnomish Cookbook	Basilisk’s Eyes	Dragon’s Blood	Fur from the Wolf God
11	Bloodstone Crystals	Onyx Skull Gems	Leprechaun Gold	World Tree Flowers
12	Zombie gallbladder	Wight’s teeth	Bottled Nightshade Spirit	Lich’s phylactery

Sufficiently "rich" wizard PCs over time will pepper their lairs and laboratories with the flesh and bones of magical monsters, cauldrons brewing with liquid shadows, shelves lined with crystals mined from the deepest dungeon trenches, and a small library of tomes penned by archmages, legendary bards, and other folk touched by the otherworldly.  As magic doesn't abide by the laws of the mortal realm, you might allow the PC to spend the gp value of treasures for the creation of otherwise-unrelated magic items.  Perhaps the Basilisk's Eyes (normally used for petrification and stone-related rituals) and a set of Wight's Teeth can be used to make a Purifying Oil, as the inherent "curses" of such creatures' essences overwhelm any latent magical debilitations on an applied person or object.

Quest-giving NPCs might grant the heroic adventurer things like access to a legendary forge worth an arbitrary amount of gold pieces for crafting the perfect blade in lieu of raw gold.  Adding such treasures, even if they're cheap things like macabre preserved monster fetuses from a curio shop, can add a hint of eldritch wonder to one's campaign.

Magic Schools of the Isles

The Sunset Isles are home to many civilizations with their own local magic traditions.  Although the Magocracy of Tien Lung is home to the grandest (and most cruel and dangerous) arcane academies, they are by no means the only realm with wizarding schools and temple-shrines.

Altgrimmr: dwarven magic-users bear runic stones as their "spellbooks," the traditional means of storing magic in the old times.  Apparently the long-forgotten dwarven civilization of the old Isles was home to grand underground spires brimming with magical energy.  Although the Underking has yet to find a way to harness their true potential, such spires provide indispensable aid against the many underground horrors poised to invade their country.  The inevitable attraction of dwarven mages caused magic schools to sprout up around these spires, which the local communities welcome because few of their own can hope to control the spires' great magical energy.

Hohnberg Pact: a devoutly religious folk, the Makerites of Eirengard devote significant resources to the upkeep and maintenance of holy shrines, statues of saints, and other divine sites meant to honor their patron.  Even Magic-Users are expected to follow in the religious traditions, supplementing their spell invocation with holy incantations and ritual prayers.  Young men and women who show a gift for magical manifestation, be it arcane or divine, are often brought to live in theurgist chapter-houses.  Here they are raised by monks and scholars under strict moral guidance so that they use their powers for the betterment of society and the Maker's glory.  Naturally, differing religious sects have varying interpretations on the nature of arcane magic, and it's not uncommon for rival schools to develop resentment and open disputes over theological interpretations.

Magocracy of Tien Lung: In comparison to Xian, Tien Lung seems at first to be a freer society for mages to carry on their magical research and work without pesky laws and moral codes restricting them.  A Learned (the magic-users of the country) can do what they want to the common folk without much in the way of consequence, and the lore of the otherwise-forbidden Stitched Path is the most common form of sorcery at the Academy of Refulgant Wisdom.  However, this "might makes right" society causes Tien Lung's wizards to be ruthless and paranoid, and it's not uncommon for even academy students to resort to sabotage and murder to preserve their social standing and surpass their fellows.  The school's teachers often force students to pledge loyalty to them, and cloak-and-dagger espionage is often carried out by their apprentices against their rivals.  Studying to learn astrology under the Stargazer's class might preclude an apprentice from attending necromancy lessons if the two teachers despise one another.  Mages who end up multi-talented earn both great respect and even greater suspicion, as the theft of scrolls and spellbooks is almost certainly required to accomplish this feat.

Mandarinate of Xian: The remnants of the Ninefold Celestial Empire are a shadow of their former glory.  Once the province of the nobility, now old and established families cannot afford to be so picky when their heirs produce no magical talent.  The magic schools of the capital are full of heirs to old money as well as the sons and daughters of well-off "commoners" and non-Xian foreigners, whose donations are too generous to refuse or overlook on the manner of xenophobia and elitism.  There is significant wheeling and dealing by the political powers of cities to woo a promising student to work for the local government or the private mage of a noble family upon completion of their graduation.  It's not unknown for even the teachers and faculty to incorporate local errands and favors as part of an apprentice's "training."  The magic schools of Xian are some of the oldest and most well-respected, but the deep incorporation of their residents into the societal power structures affords little respite for mages who wish to remain non-political.

Interesting 3rd Party Finds: Rule Zero: Underlings (Pathfinder)

Artwork by Jason Bulmahn

I love Pathfinder.  I love its versatile options for characters.  I love the plethora of material, both official and third party.  I love the myriad adventures and adventure paths, and all the cool settings.  I love the cool hybrid classes like the alchemist and the magus.  I love the Bestiaries and the Tome of Horrors for the 1,000+ monsters these books present as neat options, both classic and original.

But there are things I don't like about Pathfinder.  Namely how the rules can stack up over time to the point that they can bog down the game.  This is especially prominent in combat, where managing large numbers of monsters can be tough, and even low-CR opponents can get a lot of hit points.  The archetype of a master swordsman cutting down hordes of enemies in mere seconds is very hard to do in Pathfinder, unless you're a spellcaster with an Area of Effect spell.  Stat blocks can be a pain to build, especially when it comes to spellcasters.

Rule Zero: Underlings is an attempted fix to the above problems, by designing a new kind of enemy known as an Underling whose primary purpose is to be quickly-statted mooks who challenge the PCs in groups of 4 or more and yet can be easily defeated while still outputting a reasonable amount of damage.  As one who's been using Rule Zero's content for several months in my Pathfinder games, the Underling option works very well for its intended purpose.

Basically Underlings are streamlined NPCs whose core abilities are factored off of the Group Challenge Rating, which represents 4 Underlings of the same type.  Regardless of whether the Underling's are meant to represent giants, mages, vampires, or the like, Armor Class, skill bonus, attack bonus and damage, saving throws and Wound/Kill Threshold are based off of the Group CR.  Instead of tracking hit points, Underlings are dropped if a single damaging attack exceeds their Kill Threshold, or get wounded twice (like Kill Threshold, only half value of the Kill Threshold); damage below this does not affect the Underling.  This, combined with a static attack and damage dice (the latter which can take the average in lieu of rolling) really speeds up the creation process, it's far quicker to design an Underling stat block than a typical NPC, and their low power levels make fights with a large number of opponents more manageable if they're used as the excess minions.

An Underling's "race" (which can represent humans and dwarves as well as broad and popular monster types such as giants and demons) factors in special abilities, which skills their "Class Skill Bonus" applies to, and which saving throws have the "good" and "bad" progressions along with some other minor things.  Finally, Templates are things which can grant Underlings a special attack or mimic the class features of iconic archetypes such as Sneak Attack.  Generating spellcasting Underlings is a simple affair of choosing a total number of spell levels from the cleric or sorcerer/wizard list equal to half the Group CR, and said spells are cast 1/day as spell-like abilities (or at-will for 0 level spells).

One of the best features is that there are Underling races for otherwise high hp, high CR monsters such as the Fire Giant or Mummy.  As the Underling Group CR is a recommended guideline rather than a restriction, there's nothing preventing you from making CR 12 kobolds or CR 1 Ogres.  With this, even a Fighter of middling ability can cleave through several towering brutes in a single round, something which doesn't really happen in core Pathfinder unless you're building a min-maxed Barbarian ubercharger or something to that effect.

Concluding Thoughts

Although it's a short 10 pages, Rule Zero: Underlings is more than worth its $3 price tag, and it's one of my favorite DMing tools for the game.  The toolbox of races and templates are versatile enough to mimic all kinds of fiendish minions and monsters, and even evil assassin-thief archetypes meant to challenge mid-level adventurers can be built in 1-2 minutes with these rules!

Rule Zero Underlings can be purchased on Drive-Thru RPG, RPGNow, Paizo, or D20Pathfinder SRD.  It also has a free supplement, Rule Zero Underlings Bonus.

I now have an ask.fm

Here's the link. The "E" is for Enterprises.

For those not in the know, Ask.fm is basically a social media site which allows you to ask questions (anonymous or by username).  It's a pretty interesting website, in no small part due to various folks in geek culture having their own profile, such as Let's Play's slowbeef or Pathfinder's F. Wesley Schneider.

I used to have an old account, ask.fm/quasarknight, but I deactivated it several months ago.  I changed my mind, but to my dismay I could not find an account retrieval option.  So I decided to make a new one.

So if you like my posts, are a fan of my work, or just feel like asking stuff, come and check it out.

Drawing Inspiration for RPGs: the Byzantine Empire

Artistic rendition of Constantinople in Antiquity

A recent pet peeve of mine is that a lot of fantasy settings which focus on a recreation of medieval Europe tend to begin and end at the British Isles.  They ignore the myriad other cultures and lands beyond surface examinations and folkloric monsters to introduce as adversaries.  Fortunately there's been a gradual branching out to other lands, as can be seen in the popularity of Skyrim and the show Vikings on the History Channel in regards to Scandinavian cultures.  Even then, there's a lot of European regions which need some more love.  In this post, I'm going to tell you why the Byzantine Empire's an awesome place to draw inspiration from for D&D games.

Since August of 2014 I've been running a game set in a fantasy counterpart Byzantine-style city, and the long-running game influenced me to do further research on the real thing.  What got my interest in the first place was  Parsantium: City at the Crossroads.  It is an excellent system-neutral setting sourcebook also based upon a fantasy counterpart Constantinople.  Don't let that Pathfinder logo fool you; over 90% of the contents can be used easily enough for other retro-clones and Editions.

This is not meant to be a guide on how to play D&D in the "real world Middle Ages."  Rather, it examines various interesting cultural and historical details of the Byzantine Empire, and how they can be transferred into a wholly original and fictional world.  For an example, think of how Al-Qadim drew inspiration from real-world Arabic culture and folktales to create a setting inspired by both.

Constantinople, the Crossroads of the World

The Mediterranean region has long served as a fertile basin for many world powers.  Greece, Egypt, Rome, the Islamic Caliphate, and the Ottomans among other civilizations touched its waters.  The city of Constantinople has been the capital of the Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman Empires for its key strategic location between the trades routes between the Aegean and Black Sea.

Whereas Western Europe was devastated during the fall of the Roman Empire, in the east the infrastructure was maintained for centuries.  The Byzantines (and the rest of the world) still referred to themselves as the East Roman Empire, in part because they managed to not only survive but thrive for a thousand years until the Ottomans sacked the capital and absorbed its lands into their own empire.  The preservation of Greek and Latin tomes allowed the Byzantines to preserve knowledge which was lost in the rest of Europe, and being in close proximity to Africa and Asia meant that the populace had a wide exposure to many kinds of cultures and the trade goods they had.

Foreign travelers from the Dark Ages to the early Renaissance marveled at the beautiful architecture in Constantinople, such as the Hagia Sophia and the Valens Aqueduct (which remained in working order up until 1403).

Implementing this in a game: A Constantinople counterpart serves many purposes.  Its status as an international trading hub makes it known across many continents.  For this reason it provides an easy explanation for incorporating different fantasy counterpart cultures and PC concepts with minimal fuss.  In addition to the Greek-speaking native population, the Byzantines interacted with Armenian, Slavic, Germanic, Scandinavian and Turkish people at various points in history, so it was no stranger to foreigners from lands hundreds of miles away (even if they weren't always assimilated into the general population).

It can also provide a dual sense of grandness and history, while being the remnants of a fallen empire in your home setting.  The higher level of lore and technology while being surrounded by a less developed world reinforces this while at the same time allowing for a city of splendor in a more gritty "Dark Ages" game.

Viking Bodyguards

The old Roman Emperors had an elite cadre of troops known as the Praetorian Guard, and the Byzantines were no different.  Whereas the Praetorians had a nasty track record of killing their own Emperors for political favors, the Byzantines drew upon mercenaries from Germanic and Scandinavian tribes who overall were more dependable and loyal.  This was done for several reasons; one, such people were far enough removed from the Byzantine area of influence that they were least likely to harbor resentment against the government and had less incentive to care about local affairs.  Secondly, many northern European clans had cultural practices of loyalty oaths which extended service until one's death.  Thirdly, many of them had experience in warfare, so when necessary they could head armies in defense of imperial strategic holds.  Chroniclers wrote fearfully of how the Varangians, when deployed in times of greatest need, "were frightening both in appearance and in equipment, they attacked with reckless rage and neither cared about losing blood nor their wounds."  This might be a possible reference to the berserker fighting style practiced among some Scandinavian warriors.

On a related note, mercenaries formed a great part of the Empire's army.  As they were the wealthiest nation in Europe from the Dark Ages to much of the Middle Ages, they did not have to worry much about other nations bribing their soldiers to fight for the other side.

Implementing this in a game: The not-Byzantine Emperor is going to draw the cream of the crop to guard his side, so having foreign warriors is not going to be that strange except for highly xenophobic regimes.  It provides a good excuse for PCs hailing from distant lands, as current or former members of the Empire's martial wing.  A mercenary-focused military means that there's plenty of incentive for traveling adventurers to accept quests on behalf of the government.

The Bureau of Barbarians

The Byzantine's definition of barbarian was not limited to the designation of a technologically primitive warrior given to bouts of rage, although such folk would certainly fall under this label in their view.  It was a much more broad generalization regarding any foreign civilization.  The term barbarian was due to xenophobic Byzantines joking that the languages of outsiders sounded like nonsense "barbarbarbar" to their ears.  As an international trade hub often tasked with serving as a shield against Muslim conquests from reaching mainland Europe, the Byzantines could not afford to ignore events beyond their borders.

The Bureau of Barbarians was a government office which served many purposes: the interpretation and translation of foreign languages in written and spoken form; foreign spying and intelligence in European, northern African, and Middle Eastern nations; diplomatic envoys and organizing visits from foreign ambassadors; and the signing of treaties among other things.

The arranged ceremonies for foreign dignitaries spared no expense in elaborate rituals to show off the Empire's might and wealth, communicating that this was a great country and leaving lasting impressions on visitors.  The Bureau relied upon merchants, priests, and other folk who traveled often to serve as diplomats, in part due to the social and economic clout they wielded as well as their increased exposure and knowledge of foreign cultures.  Naturally, they sent back reports of all their findings to the government, which the Empire used to keep abreast of situations which might affect them.

For these reasons it's believed that the Bureau of Barbarians was the earliest known example of a governmental intelligence service.

Implementing this in a game: Aside from being an awesome name, it makes perfect sense for an empire's foreign intelligence service to serve as a multi-purpose storehouse of outside customs.  Bureau agents can be anywhere, serving in a variety of capacities: they're merchant clans who buy dwarf-forged weapons to sell in human lands, the office-workers who sell deeds of land to foreign PCs in imperial country, and the assassin who steals the Green Blade of the Mistwood elves to plant on the body of Argrax the orcish warlord.

Greek Fire and alchemical warfare

One of the Byzantine Empire's greatest-kept secrets was the recipe behind the substance known as Greek Fire.  Believed by modern chemists to be a kind of petroleum, it was responsible for key naval victories for its ability to burn on top of water.  Byzantine naval craft would use pressurized nozzles to spray the liquid onto enemy troops and ships, and made a distinct impression on invading Crusader and Arab armies.  Even when enemy forces managed to capture these primitive flamethrowers, they were unable to reverse-engineer the substance and produce it themselves.

Implementing this in a game: Apart from its similarities to alchemist's fire, this provides for a great background for alchemist characters.  In a world full of magical materials and monsters whose corpses can be harvested, the alchemists of a Byzantine counterpart culture might produce a host of other marvels beyond primitive napalm.  Fire-proof remorhaz hides tanned into leather armor, cockatrice glands which act as a petrifying agent, and displacer beast hearts distilled into potions which allow the wearer's form to fluctuate are but a few possibilities.

The Emperor must be a physical paragon

In spite of several noble families holding power, the Emperor's authority was near-absolute.  Considered by many to be the closest to God, the head of the Empire was a representation of heavenly authority itself.  A peculiar tradition arose out of this: an Emperor who became crippled or mutilated was weak and imperfect, no longer a proper reflection of greatness.  In spite of the vast powers they wielded, rivals and enemy factions within the government made a habit of cutting off the body parts of Emperors as a way of removing them from power.  This was also performed on the sons of Emperors who fell out of favor or seen as a weak link, forever barring them from the highest station in the land.

Implementing this in a game: In spite of its illusions of order and absolute authority, the courts of fantasy counterpart Byzantium are a chaotic affair where outright violence and maiming is just as deadly as the tools of gossip and rhetoric.  With access to magical rituals and artifacts, it might be trivial for the Emperor to stand head and shoulders above the throngs of subsistence farmers dotting the countryside, and he or she may also have levels in cleric if royalty is divinely ordained.

For adventure potential, a noble and just former Emperor, crippled and disgraced, may petition the PCs to find a legendary artifact of healing and renewal.  He must become his former self if he is to take back the throne; otherwise the new Emperor responsible for the coup will plunge the realm into an age of darkness!

Byzantine Cuisine

Byzantine history saw a merging of Greek and Roman dishes with the importing of foreign trade items, resulting in a delicious mishmash of European and Middle Eastern flavors.  Open-air restaurants in Constantinople known as tavernas sold meals and street food to middle and lower class citizens, while the dining halls of the nobility were full of spices, fruits, and sweetmeats.  Byzantine omelets and salads were renown, while garum (fish sauce) and olive oil were popular choices of condiments among upper and lower social classes. 

Implementing this in a game: "What do they eat?" is a very popular question in fictional world-building, and a great way of adding layers of immersion in one's fantasy games.  Feel free to draw upon modern Mediterranean meals as well.  Merchants and laborers in a hurry might buy shish kebabs to eat on the go, while Turkish-style coffee houses provide a common social gathering spot.  Flatbreads might be used to dip into sauces, and even a meager farming family might have flavorful salads for dinner!

Special Thanks

Raineh Daze and Syrasi, for answering all my questions about the Byzantine Empire and helping in the world-building process of my Arcana High campaign.

Richard Green, for writing Parsantium and kickstarting my interest in a fantasy counterpart Constantinople.

Ask Historians,  for being a fun and high-quality subreddit.

Wikipedia, for being my go-to source for brief overviews of Byzantine culture and the many dishes of Greek and Turkish cuisine!

Interesting 3rd Party Finds: the Water Chinchilla (Pathfinder)

So over on Drive-Thru RPG I spotted a 55-page setting book for the low price of one dollar, and figured that was more than enough content to justify the purchase.  While I expected a generic desert-themed world, instead I got a book full of rather novel ideas.  So this new 3rd-party find isn't going to focus on one mechanic or idea, but several.

Basically, Eiklatha is an arid desert region which was once ruled by the Thruli Empire who ruled both the surface and subterranean worlds.  The human Nephrites (with elements loosely modeled off of Japanese society) hold several cities renowned for their lore.  The other races are entirely new creations, such as the symbiotic Avialae who are nomadic bird-people with sapient plants sharing their body; or the theocratic frog-like Reskal, who live in stilt-cities on oases and wear shoes made of blessed reed to avoid touching the sand (which they view as the evil creation of the demon kings).

Basically the strong points of adventure ideas involve old Thruli ruins and the secrets and hostilities of competing civilizations.  A good 32 pages are devoted to mechanical information (races, equipment, new archetypes and monsters, etc), while the remaining 23 detail aspects of prominent settlements, history, and culture.

There are several things I can cover in this book, such as the races and racial feats, but for now I want to show the cutest thing ever in a Pathfinder product:

Water Chinchilla CR 1/3

XP 135

N Tiny animal

Init +2

Defense

AC 14, touch 14, flat-footed 10 (+2 Dex, +2 size)

hp 6 (1d8+2)

Fort +4, Ref -1, Will +0

Offense

Speed 30ft., swim 30ft.

Melee bite -2 (1d3-4)

Statistics

Str 3, Dex 8, Con 14, Int 2, Wis 10, Cha 14

Base Atk +1; CMB +1; CMD 7

Languages None

Ecology

Environment River

Organization solitary, cage (3-7), barrel (8-20)

Treasure none

Special Abilities

Purify Water (Su) A water chinchilla placed in any liquid will absorb up to two gallons of the liquid into their body. Once at least one gallon is absorbed in this way the water chinchilla will loose it's land speed but gain +2 natural armor due to swelling. If squeezed, any liquid inside the water chinchilla will be wringed-out, this does not harm the water chinchilla. Liquid that has passed in and out of a water chinchilla in this manner is treated as if it has had the Purify Food and Drink spell cast on it with a caster level equal to the water chinchilla's hit dice. A water chinchilla may only purify 2 gallons of liquid per day in this manner.  A water chinchilla that absorbs a liquid is subject to the same negative effects that would be inflicted upon it if it drank that liquid, though it gains a +2 bonus to Fortitude saves against the effects of those liquids.

Water chinchillas are small, almost spherical creatures with gray fur. They have large rabbit like ears. When a water chinchilla touches water they absorb it and swell up like a balloon allowing them to swim around easily.

This cute, adorable animal is a highly prized creature for its ability to turn brackish water into clean drinking source.  They are commonly sold along the banks of river villages and in adventurer's shops, on their own or in water-filled barrels of 10.

And yes, they can be obtained as familiars.

Even the most jaded of gamers will grow to love these fuzzy little rodents if not for their adorableness, but for their vital function in an arid desert-based campaign.  Just picture it; chefs at restaurants holding the bloated furry creatures over plates, squeezing out soups and drinks for thirsty patrons!  A sudden rainstorm causes the sorcerer's familiar to balloon up in reaction.  This is the perfect way to inject some lightheartedness into a harsh desert setting, and I might just borrow this creature for my home games.

What is a Paladin to you?

Artist Unknown

"Justice and retribution are but trifling things.

There are victories of greater worth.

Someday you will know them."

The paladin is many things to many people.  To some it's a holy warrior, whose main mission is to strike down evil.  Others are paragons of law, caring just as much about tradition and authority as serving the greater good.  Unfortunately many Dungeon Masters take a narrow restriction on the paladin, insisting on placing them in situations where they're bound to fail or applying Judeo-Christian ethos of sin on an already-restrictive code of conduct.  All too often we have DMs willing to strip a paladin of their powers for small reasons which wouldn't land other Lawful Good players in hot water, as demonstrated in this RPGnet thread.  A lot of times this stems from DM and player not being on the same page, having different ideas of what a paladin is supposed to be in the game.

After reading an interesting post over on Bat in the Attic of what a paladin means to him, I figured that it would be a fun idea to get some discussion rolling about not just your imagining of the Paladin, but what existing pieces of media best encapsulate the archetype.  In my view, the protagonist of Final Fantasy IV is one of the best examples of a fantasy Paladin.  Below I'll detail why.

Spoiler Warning: Although this game was made back in the early 90s, to truly get a sense of appreciation for Cecil's trials, I'd suggest playing it yourself or watching a good Let's Play (HCBailly's starting a run on this game right now on YouTube).  I'm also still in the process of playing the game, so it's possible I didn't cover some future character development.  If you have FFIV on your gaming radar, return to this blog post when you've reached that point.

Final Fantasy IV: Cecil's Redemption

Cecil Harvey was a loyal soldier of the kingdom of Baron.  Trained in the ways of the Dark Knight, he draws upon fell powers to strengthen his battle prowess.  In spite of this, Cecil is not a wicked soul at heart.  The game starts out with him leading the Red Wings airship legion to attack and steal magical Crystals from the holy shrines of other nations, ordered to by his King to ensure the safety and security of Baron and its people.  Although he loyally carries out his orders, a seed of doubt spreads in his mind when the people of Mysidia beg him not to take away their Water Crystal and put up hardly any resistance.  Combined with the King's recent strange behavior, Cecil raises his doubts to his lord, which results in his demotion and being sent on a mission to Mist, a remote village of mystical summoners.

His King betrayed him, for the ring he was entrusted with to deliver conjured an army of living monsters of fire.  They slaughtered the people of Mist nearly to the last person, whose magical powers were long seen as a threat to Baron's King.  Horrified at his unwitting accessory to ethnic cleansing, Cecil saves a village girl named Rydia and sets off to the nearby kingdom to spread word of Baron's atrocities and hopefully rally enough support against the crown he once served.

Cecil is genuinely repentant and acts altruistically, but he is still a Dark Knight.  Eventually he arrives alone at Mysidia, the land he once invaded at Baron's behest.  The locals stare venomously at him, but the village's elder believes his words and change of heart and tells him of a trial at Mt. Ordeals.  Those who pass the test can become a paladin, a holy warrior sworn to the cause of good.

The above scene is very powerful.  To become a paladin is a true test; you do not simply begin play as one, but it comes along as the result of the story.  The battle with his evil self is unorthodox because to truly pass the test, Cecil must not strike his alter ego.  It's a way of telling one who did wrong to face what they did to transform into a better person, not condemn and deny it like a foreign entity to destroy.

Cecil is a paladin, but he did not start out as an icon of righteousness.  Even after his class change he still must atone for his past by stopping Golbez from wreaking havoc on the world.  It's all too easy to imagine a paladin as less of a person and more of an archetype.  Before the slaughter at Mist, Cecil was not so much a willing accomplice to evil so much as a good man who did nothing and let his trust in his lord stay his hand for too long.  By resolving to courageously do what's right in spite of one's own fears and doubts, that's what turned him into a hero, long before he took up the title of paladin.

Cecil is my ideal paladin.  He's not an archon of Law forced to respect those in power, nor a crusader motivated to convert others under the banner of one religion.  All that matters is to do good in the world and stop the spread of tyranny and misery.  That's what a paladin should be to me.  All the other aspects of the Code in Editions, such as never lying, upholding Law as well as Good, is unnecessary window dressing to a class which can easily stand on its own feat as a warrior of virtue.

After all, justice is not the only right in this world.

Interesting 3rd Party Finds: Non-magical Potions (OSR, Swords & Wizardry)

Potions picture from Wizards of the Coast

In most games, potions are crafted by spellcasters and thus have the tinge of magic running through them.  They often replicate the effects of spells and detect magic often reveals them as such.

In a rather popular OSR retroclone, Swords & Wizardry Core Rules, I noticed an interesting exception on pages 122-123:

Strange alchemical brews, in dusty, stoppered bottles, are to be found in many of the forgotten or forbidden places of the world. Time has often worn away any markings once left to identify the contents of these mysterious mixtures, if the alchemist ever chose to label them in the first place. The consequences of drinking the products of alchemy can be varied: some of these can produce wondrously useful effects, but others might be deadly poisons!

In general, since potions are the product of alchemy rather than magic, they will neither be apparent to Detect Magic spells, nor easily identified without tasting and experimentation. If the Referee decides that alchemy instead manipulates magic, as opposed to fantastical but otherwise natural chemistry, then Detect Magic and Dispel Magic would work upon potions.

Potions are usable by all character classes. Unless otherwise noted, potion effects have a duration of 1d6+6 full turns.

 I went through some other retro-clones (Adventure Conqueror King System, Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea, Dungeon Crawl Classics, Labyrinth Lord, Lamentations of the Flame Princess, Scarlet Heroes, and Spears of the Dawn to name a few) and noticed that while some of them allow non-spellcasting alchemists to independently create potions or with the assistance of a spellcaster, Swords & Wizardry is unique in its default description of potions being non-magical.

In Labyrinth Lord Revised Edition (page 122), potions are a joint effort between alchemists and spellcasters.  In Spears of the Dawn (page 143), magic items are capable of being crafted by noncasters provided they meet skill prerequisites but are still imbued with the essence of ashe or spirits.  In Adventurer Conqueror King System (page), alchemists can independently create potions, but the time and cost is doubled and they're pretty much stuck at the lowest level of power (equivalent to a 5th-level Magic-User).

Intrigued, I grabbed my copy of the Original D&D boxed set and looked through Books I and II (Men & Magic, Monsters & Treasure).  I noticed that only magic-users could create potions, and there was no description stating exactly to what extent they were truly "magical."  Are they the result of alchemy and natural law, otherworldly knowledge, or both?

All in all, I found this to be an interesting find.  Potions are a rather unique affair in D&D Editions and retroclones, straddling the line being magic and weird science.  I'm rather curious now as to the design process behind S&W potions.  Perhaps Matt Finch was drawing upon more obscure material at the time, or decided to be different in regards to magic items.