Free Board Game: Ghost Town Gold Rush

Here is my first attempt at creating a board game.

All you need to do is print it out and find dice and a few playing pieces.

             * LINKS *
Ghost Town Gold Rush Rules

Ghost Town Gold Rush Board



If anyone actually plays this, please let me know what you think.
Thanks!

Tempest Everlasting: Survival on the Strange Seas

+Joey Lindsey has a contest on his METAL vs SKIN blog for a copy of  Doom Cave of the Crystal-Headed Children, an adventure written for the Lamentations of the Flame Princess RPG. Plus another adventure written by Joey himself and other runner-up prizes.

    This map of encounter ideas is my entry

TEMPEST  EVERLASTING

Ancient Legend

    Air. Earth. Fire. Water. Since time beyond mortal understanding the primal elements of the world have struggled for dominance over one another.
    At the forming of the world, Earth called out to a mountain from beyond the sky.
The mountain pierced the Air, boiled the Water, embraced the Earth and awakened the Fire below.
    The balance of the elements is inevitable . The mountain was shattered, leaving a colossal wound in the Earth. Water rushed in to claim the new void. Fire boils and churns from beneath, never allowing the scar to heal. Still to this day Air lashes the area with raging storms and blasts it with bolts of furious fulmination.
    A tempest everlasting.

Current Events
1. The Puzzling Desert - This dry waste was once home to a thriving civilization that was long ago conquered by wizard allies of the elemental plane of Earth. The people were transformed into living husks who don't need to drink water to survive. They are trying to deforest the surrounding landscape and expand the desert.

2. Port Underfoot - This town is a known smugglers den. Anything goes as long as a hefty tribute is paid to Nix and Nox, twin ogre magi. They control an impressive fortress on Mount Overhead to the south. Any who disrespect the ogre magi or their enforcers are thrown into the shark infested reefs nearby.

3. Island of the Astrologer - On the southern shore stands an ancient stone lighthouse. A huge enchanted telescope has been built into the top of the light house. The astrologer wizard who lives here can summon creatures represented in the constellations to do his bidding.

4. Segar Isle - Rose the sea hag and her vulture familiar make their home here. She is served by a small army of degenerate pink tropical  kua-toa. They believe she is an avatar of the Sea Mother, their elemental water goddess. She can also be found terrorizing the seas in her pirate ship, the Black Barnacle.

5. Lost Adakkor - Here lie the ruins of the civilization that suffered the curse of the Puzzling Desert to the north. A few noble families and their retainers remain here in the hopes of finding a way to defeat the elemental earth wizards and reclaim their people and their country.

6. Aerie of Megaira - Megaira the gynosphinx rules these mountains and commands an army of corsairs. She resides at the peak of the mountain in an ancient temple of the air elemental Boreus. She and her pirates ply the seas in search of weaker ships to plunder.

7. Brakoora Isle - Despite its sparse vegetation, this island supports a small human population.Traders who frequent the island tell tales of nocturnal rituals on the beaches and the hunched silhouettes of huge, clawed beasts that crawl from the surf.

8. Aerie of Aella - Aella the gynosphinx makes her home here in the ruins of an ancient college on the slope of this dormant volcano. She spends most of her time studying occult tomes in the library. It is built like a vault, with walls of adamant steel and sealed with sturdy locks and magical wards.

9. Knucklebone Isle - A family of oracles makes this island their home. They are famous for casting the knuckle bones of their ancestors to foretell the future. It is said to harass them is to invite calamity and doom.

10. Aerie of Kimon - The criosphinx Kimon guards a forgotten prison at the top of the mountain. For the right price one can bribe Kimon to abduct one's enemies and lock them in a cell here to rot. He is constantly trying to impress and seduce the sphinx sisters, Aella and Megaira.

11. The Quickmire - This island is covered in brackish swamp and deadly quicksand. There is spring near the north shore of the island whose waters are said to make the drinker invulnerable to the stone gazes of the basilisk and medusa. Giant shark-form lamias hunt the waters around the island.

12. Jub-Nelumbo - Villages in this area produce a variety perfumes from rare tropical flowers. The plants are also sought by alchemists and poisoners for their toxic properties.

13. Muckmarsh - The soggy wilds of Muckmarsh are dominated by insects of every sort. Explorers tell tales of dense swarms of bugs that imitate the shape of men and speak an alien language in buzzing voices.

14. Charmaw Peaks - This entire mountain range boils with volcanic activity. The tribes here are lead by shamans who channel and transform into fire elementals. They have dire plans for the kingdom of Akandwa to the south.

15. Mount Jak'Irby - Jak'Irby the storm giant resides here in a palace carved around the entire mountain. He does everything in his power to protect travelers around his home. Some believe he has the knowledge, if not the means, to banish the Tempest.

16. Lush Lea - These verdant farmlands are home to settlers from the west. They are very superstitious  and fear the spirits of the surrounding jungle.

17. Gurunga - Tribes here have legends of men who live underground. They are said to steal children and replace them with changelings.

18. Akandwa - A noble kingdom in the heart of the jungle. Their monarch uses his natural prowess and magic items to emulate the abilities of the savage mantygers who stalk the night. The enchanters here make magic items using a strange metal unique to the area.

19. The Brashwash - This rocky land is unable to support anything but a few fishing villages. The lack of any strong central authority makes it the perfect hiding place for all manner of criminals and malcontents.

20. Greymist Bay - This well defended fortress is a foothold of law for those who travel here from the east.

21. The Tempest - Abandon all hope...

Things Yet to Pass
    The tables below will hopefully help in generating some interesting situations by rolling on each. Some of the combinations may be vague or nonsensical, but they are meant only to provide the germ of an idea. The basic result is some detail about an NPC and something they want.
 
    How an adventure actually starts or who instigates it is not defined and is best left to the individual DM. Maybe whomever completes a number of missions is rewarded a great treasure. Or perhaps it could all be part of an epic quest to find a way to dispel the Tempest Everlasting.
 
    As an option, objectives could be presented by consulting the oracles on Knucklebone Island (Area 9). For a small fee or favor the oracles will recite the following ritual:

Five pale knuckles shall we cast,
A crook'd pentagram to frame.
Within this starry pattern lined
Our inner eye shall quickly find:
A Form, a Fault, a Place, a Past,
An Appetite to claim.
 
    Then they will allow the characters to ask two or three questions to determine some detail about the five aspects of their prophecy. In other words, of the five (Form, Fault, Place, Past, Appetite) they will discuss only a few. The rest is a mystery to be solved through wisdom and endeavor.
 
A Form
1. Human
2. Elf
3. Dwarf
4. Hobbit
5. Giant
6. Naga
7. Ogre Magi
8. Aarakocra
9. Genie
10. Rakshasa
11. Lammasu
12. Shedu

A Fault
1. Drunkard
2. Cowardly
3. Death Mark
4. Gluttonous
5. Blind
6. Insane
7. Hoarder
8. Phobia
9. Lame
10. Paranoid
11. Megalomaniac
12. Polymorphed

A Place (Where the NPC may be found)
1. The Puzzling Desert
2. Port Underfoot
3. Island of the Astrologer
4. Segar Isle
5. Lost Adakkor
6. Aerie of Megaira
7. Brakoora Isle
8. Aerie of Aella
9. Knucklebone Isle
10. Aerie of Kimon
11. The Quickmire
12. Jub-Nelumbo
13. Muckmarsh
14. Charmaw Peaks
15. Mount Jak'Irby
16. Lush Lea
17. Gurunga

18. Akandwa
19. The Brashwash
20. Greymist Bay

A Past
1. Fighter
2. Cleric
3. Magic User
4. Thief
5. Sailor
6. Artist
7. Fanatic
8. Escaped prisoner
9. Outcast
10. Local hero
11. Sage
12. Feral

An Appetite (What the NPC wants to do or prevent)
1. Research something
2. Deliver something
3. Steal something
4. Destroy something
5. Rescue a person or monster
6. Capture a person or monster
7. Kill a person or monster
8. Defend a place
9. Spy on a place
10. Attack a place
11. Create something
12. Contact the Gods

2014 Drawing Post #2

Hey! I drew stuff two days in a row!
Got to keep the momentum!
Normally this is a blog about RPGs that I never play.
More of that stuff later.

 

Filling White Space

I told myself I would draw more stuff this year.

Since my scanner isn't working right now, here's some digital stuff that slid out of my brain, down my arm and onto a tablet.

Yeah. I'm still learning to draw with a computer...

Swords & Wizardry Apreciation Day: Five Weird Monsters

Here is my meager contribution to Swords & Wizardry appreciation day.
I hope you all like weird stuff. Enjoy!

Brain Coral
Hit Dice: 3
Armor Class: 3 [16]
Attacks: 2 claws (1d3)
Saving Throw: 14
Special: Confusion
Move: 18
Alignment:  Neutrality
Challenge Level/XP: 6 / 400

    Brain coral are small amphibious predators that hunt tropical and subtropical tide pools and beaches.
Swirling patterns on their heads act as a 4th level Confusion spell, although it only effects 1d4 creatures.

Centicorn
Hit Dice: 4
Armor Class: 1[18]
Attacks: 2 hoofs (1d8), Gore (3d4)
Saving Throw: 13
Special: Magic resistance (25%), Volley of horns
Move: 24
Alignment: Chaos
Challenge Level/XP: 5 / 240

    Centicorns are unicorns that have been corrupted by the powers of Chaos.  Their coats turn blood red and their manes turn ebony black.  Dozens of horns cover the head, body and legs.
Three times per day the centicorn can launch a deadly volley of horns from it's body in a cone pattern, with a range of 60' and a 30' base. Targets who fail a save versus dragon breath take 2d10 damage.

Cyborgrilla
Hit Dice: 3+1
Armor Class: 5 [14]
Attacks: Bite (2d4)
Saving Throw: 14
Special: Cyborg parts (see below)
Move: 9
Alignment: Chaos
Challenge Level/XP: 6 / 400

    Cyborgrillas are great apes that have been cruelly transformed into shock troops by some strange techno-magic process.
Each cyborgrilla or group of cyborgrillas is modified with different cybernetic implants. Roll three times on the table below. Reroll duplicates or double effects (optional).
1. Armor plating: AC is improved by 2 points.
2. Laser eye: Beam from eye does 2d4 damage.
3. Grav-attack field: All within 10 feet save versus spell or fall down. Usable 3 times per day.
4. Chain fist: Cyborgrilla's fist may be thrown up to 20 feet doing 1d8 damage. Returns automatically.
5. Spring heel: Jump up to 30 feet for a slam attack. A hit does 2d8 damage.
6. Radar sense: Can see invisible and no chance of surprise.
7. Intruder alarm: Loud siren sound attracts more cyborgrillas or other creatures in the area.
8. Stun grasp: Roll versus paralyze or stunned for 1d6 rounds.
9. Auto repair module: Regenerate 3 points per round, except from acid or fire damage.
10. Self destruct: at zero hit points cyborgrilla explodes doing 3d10 damage in 90 foot diameter.

Giant Bat-rat Crab Spider
Hit Dice: 14
Armor Class: 2 [17]
Attacks: 2 claws (1d8), bite (2d10)
Saving Throw: 3
Special: Unknown
Move: 12
Alignment: Neutrality
Challenge Level/XP: 14 / 2600

Rocket Shark
Hit Dice: 3+1
Armor Class:
Attacks: 1 bite (1d10), 1 nose slash (1d6)
Saving Throw:
Special: Ramming attack
Move: 3 / 48 (flying)
Alignment: Neutrality
Challenge Level/XP: 5 / 240

    The rocket shark is another weird science abomination let loose on the world. It is basically shaped like a hammerhead shark with a bony blade on the front of it's nose and two jets on it's back that allow it to fly at incredible speeds.
It's most fearsome attack is a rocket ram. The rocket shark fly's at a target at top speed attempting to strike head on. If this attack hit's, the target must save versus death or take 3d10 points of damage. If the save versus death is successful, the victim only takes the normal 1d10 bite damage. The rocket shark can attempt this attack every three rounds, as it needs to build up speed.

Some Drarrings

Blentry, for Petty Gods

Skaal, for Petty Gods

A Necromentor

A lock pick spider

A few things I've worked on recently. I'm happy to say I am having fun drawing again.

Brushing out the cobwebs from the old brain and getting back into the habit of drawing everyday is very satisfying.

Marvel FASERIP + Cthulhu D20 = B.P.R.D. RPG

B.P.R.D. RPG

REQUIRED TEXTS

Call of Cthulhu d20 (Wizards of the Coast, 2002)

Marvel Superheroes (TSR, 1984, 1986, and/or 1991)

OPTIONAL MATERIALS

Any Hellboy or B.P.R.D. comic books

Hellboy: The Companion

GURPS: Hellboy

FIRST THING I WOULD DO

Get rid of the three color Universal Table FEAT chart thing.

This is optional. Some people may like it. Me, not so much.

If you do decide to use the original table, just keep in mind that each -/+1 in the d20 system is approximately -/+1 column shift in Marvel Superheroes.
And anything that changes a rank or shifts a column by one will add or subtract 5% in this conversion.

So here is how to replace it and convert from the original rank scores to a percentage score.

Use the rules from Marvel Superheroes to play the game unless otherwise noted.
All will be explained.

Original Rank = New % Score
Feeble (2)       40
Poor (4)         45
Typical (6)      50
Good (10)        55
Excellent (20)   60
Remarkable (30)  65
Incredible (40)  70
Amazing (50)     75
Monstrous (75)   80
Unearthly (100)  85
Shift X (150)    90
Shift Y (200)    95
Shift Z (500)    97

CHARACTER CREATION
1. Roll or Pick an Origin.
01-10 Altered Human. (Abe Sapien, Johann Kraus)
11-20 Mutant. (Elizabeth Sherman)
21-80 High Tech. (Lobster Johnson(While alive), "Normal")
81-90 Robot. (Roger the Homunculous)
91-00 Alien. (Hellboy)

"Normal" people and agents will be High Tech origins with access to unusual equipment or weapons and expert training.
Any of the origins can be based on magic, genetics, or technology.

2. Generating Primary Abilities
After rolling abilities, convert the Rank into the percentage score listed on the table above.
This is the roll needed to get a Green result in the Marvel Superheroes game.
That percentage score minus 30 is the roll you need for a Yellow result.
The "tens" digit of the percentage score is the roll you need for a Red result.

All three of these numbers can be written on the character sheet like this, "Green#/Yellow#/Red#".

For example, I rolled an Excellent(20) rank for Fighting.
This is converted to a score of 60%.
I can write it down like this, "Fighting:60/30/6"
Or, I roll Monstrous(75) Agility. I write it like this on my sheet, "Agility:80/50/8"

3. Generating Secondary Abilities
Health and Karma are based on adding up the second, or "Yellow", scores of the Primary Abilities.
Example: Adding up the Health score.
Fighting:50/20/5
Agility:65/35/6
Strength:50/20/5
Endurance:75/45/7
Health = 20+35+20+45 = 120

Rules for Resources will vary depending on which edition you are playing. Generate the score as normal, then convert it to a percentage score on the table above.
Remember, a change of one rank equals five percent, up or down.

Popularity also varies with edition. Determine the rank and convert it.

4. Generating Special Abilities
In Marvel Superheroes, roll for the number of powers, talents and contacts.

Powers should probably be picked by the player. Weird abilities in the comics are usually based around a theme. Rolling powers randomly can make it difficult to describe a logical origin, but not impossible.

Instead of talents, characters get feats from the d20 system. Not all rules from the d20 game will translate to Marvel Superheroes. The basic intent and spirit of the feat can be used to give the characters some bonus in these situations as adjudicated by the GM.

As stated earlier, the High Tech origin represents "normal" humans. Their powers are in the form of either high tech gadgets or magic items. They may also exchange any number of their powers for two feats or skills apiece, to represent superior training.

Rules for contacts are unchanged.

5. Skills
Skills can either be chosen based on occupation, as per Call of Cthulhu d20, or a more free form approach can be taken.
Characters normally start with twelve skills.
Below is a list of suggested skills. Those marked with a "*" require specialization to define what they focus on.

Animal Empathy
Appraise
Balance
Bluff
Climb
Computer Use
Concentration
Craft*
Demolitions
Diplomacy
Disguise
Drive
Escape Artist
Forgery
Gather Information
Handle Animal
Heal
Hide
Innuendo
Intuit Direction
Intimidate
Jump
Knowledge*
Listen
Move Silently
Mythos
Open Lock
Operate Heavy Machinery
Performance*
Pilot
Psychic Focus
Psychoanalysis
Read Lips
Repair
Research
Ride
Search
Sense Motive
Sleight of Hand
Spellcraft
Spot
Swim
Tumble
Use Rope
Wilderness Lore

Everything Else is Cake
Using the FEAT and combat rules from Marvel Superheroes, remember that the ability's first number is the Green roll. The second number is the Yellow roll. The third number is the Red roll.

To measure the damage, effectiveness or power level of something, use the Yellow number.

Any questions? Send 'em my way.

Now lock and load and go get 'em, cupcake!