1d10 Random Lost Cargoes From The Global Highways Table For Your Your Old School Campaign

The world has echoes of ancient and weird treasures that pass through many hands; there are rather unseemly dealers in esoterica and relics of alien worlds. Often times these items are the target of road pirates and other far more dangerous outlaw freebooters who will stop at nothing to possess these items.

1d10 Random Lost Cargoes From The Global Highways Table

1. Knocked together wooden box with the Arkham college archeological department logo emblazoned across it. Inside are three brass style figures with an outer coating of gold on them. The three figures glow together when brought within 1d4 feet of each other. A succubus guardian is bound to them and will murder anyone who takes possession of them with three full moons. 
2. A crate of 1d8 pieces of Martian tripod technology, these materials are slightly radioactive and worth a small fortune on the black market. About 6000 gold pieces worth of material are here. 
3. A strange lens assemble that is a part of special psychic viewer able to pierce the veil into other worlds and the Outer Darkness 
4. A partially recovered Nazi war machine with the death ray still intact. The piece is being sought by SS men from an alternative Earth who will stop at nothing to require this piece, worth 10000 gold pieces and its a very rare system.
5. The mummified remains of an ancient lich queen who has been hurled from here ancient pyramid on Ceres. 12th level lich and necromancer, now a long, long way from home.
6. A sealed casket containing the remains of five separate brothers and warriors who were the servants of an ancient occultist and are now free unless awakened. These warriors are armed with energy weapons and sheer anger. They will murder anyone who disturbs their ancient slumber.
7. A solid diamond statue of some ancient horror, an evil beyond imaging that will cause fear as per the spell in all who see it. The horror can make beam attacks for 3d6+2 points of damage. 
8. A crate containing mutated killers and their queen, she will try to sting the guy who discovers and opens the crate. The jelly and honey these things produce works as a cure heavy wounds spell. Worth about 40000 credits on the open market because of the jelly's properties. 
9. The claw of a ghoul king who has hidden in the pages of history. This claws is one of last remains of the king and it is capable of granting and twisting any wishes put to it. The thing will murder anyone who comes into possession of this item. 9000 gold pieces as a curio. 
10. A piece of ivory inscribed with  the spell to summon Cthulhu from the watery depths of  his ancient and age old home. The ivory is worth 5000 gold pieces to a branch of the cult of Starry Wisdom.

Commentary on the new Call of Cthulhu Style Adventure Kickstarter From Venger Satanis - The Outer Presence

So there's a new Venger Satanis Kickstarter page up for a new adventure called the Outer Presence, the idea here is a slick investigative adventure in the style of Cannibal Holocaust with a twist of Cannibal  Lost, and  heap of H.P. Lovecraft on top. Now the bend in the road is that this is an investigative style adventure in the spirit of Call of Cthulhu, call me a glutton for punishment but I'm very curious to see how this is going to turn out.
Contribute right over HERE

Another very interesting aspect of this adventure is that its not set in the Twenties or Thirties but the Sevenities. That brings a whole other twisted aspect to the table. Think about it, the Sevenities is a perfect CoC time. Civil unrest, ecomomic angst, the energy crisis, the occult revival all perfectly framed with the Mythos.
Now there are some clues already as to how this adventure might go down. You've got an entire play test entry right over HERE
But the bit that really grabbed my attention is from the play test of  the adventure;
'Onto New Guinea!  Their host was a piece of work.  I really wanted to push the envelope with what players and PCs might expect from the scenario's principle antagonist.  He pushed a lot of buttons and made everyone hate him.  PCs didn't actually vomit... but they wanted to.  Incidentally, the actor Sidney Greenstreet was my inspiration for Doctor Karl Steiner.
Exploring the temple!  Over the last few years, I've been on the jungle cruise at Disney World's Magic Kingdom probably a dozen times.  The part when the boat goes into that dark structure was the basis for my temple.  Could have been more detailed, but I think it was successful on the whole.'

I'm not rushing out just yet but I'm sure this will have the Venger flare to it. Given the fact that I've got at least three or four Satanis books on my shelf and the amount of Call of Cthlhu books that I'm in love with this looks very interesting to me. So in my humble opinion, drop some coin and let's get this pdf out of the gate.

Elves Of Neo England For Your Old School Campaigns

 

The Elven tribes of Neo England trace their roots back to Fairyland and are dimensional travelers who it seems have been with us since the beginning of recorded history. They're a factitious and dangerous set of races at best who trace their own twisted linage back to the Moon and their Selenite ancestors. They have vast magical and solar energy based technologies that they have inherited right down the line.

For Neo England, the Elven races are alien, weird, and very rare rarely seen except at trading posts. They solar and light based technologies to remain hidden in their settlements that border reality. The Cobble Hill Dimensional Warp leads directly to the  parallel world into Fairyland.

The former Houstonic State forest has spread its way through most of Canaan; parts of Cornwall and Huntsville as well as Lower City on the Cornwall border. There are lots of odd species of mutant fungus,and alien invasive species of plants in the area. The largest concentrations of half Elven populations are in this area. Weird lights, disappearances by locals, odd paranormal activity, and fairy lights are all part and parcel of this area of Connecticut.

Stone man mountain, Bradford Mountain,Stone man Mountain, Barrack Mountain, and many others boast gateways to the Fey realms and healthy populations of many of the most common types of  Lunar fungus including Shriekers, Violet, giant mushrooms and many mutant strains of the fungal life forms.

There have been over the centuries tensions between the Elven colonies and Dwarven holdings on Rattle Snake Mountain, Hay Stack State Park, and the Dwarven strong hold and trading center at Canaan Valley itself. There is a human and Dwarven trading post in the center of town. The Dwarves are regarded with more then a bit of awe and some caution. The largest of the Dwarven strong holds being in Adirondack Mountains. Clashes over dimensional holdings and gateways have been rare at best but have happened.
There are rumors that the Elves of the Canaan region are the souls of British and Dutch settlers from eons ago returned to reclaim their ancient lands.

The Canaan and Norfolk areas are rife with invasive species of giant insects which were brought with the first of the Elven settlers centuries ago. Neo England Ankheg,
giant fire beetles , & many other giant insect species are all too common in this area and some sport mutations that have been specially adapted to the region. Many are responsive to the telepathic and magical arts of the Elves. Certain witch clans in the region also use these monsters as guardians or worse.

Super scientist speculation is that originally these monsters were part of the Selenite biological mining mechanisms and were simply adopted by their descendants. The same DNA records have been matched between species. As always the Elven residents of the area have been quite closed lipped. But the speculation remains among the locals of the area.
The same methods of control for the giants of the moon are used in Canaan and haven't changed for centuries.

Elven rites, communities, and settlements have been carried on for centuries right under the watchful eyes of the human and mutant populations of Neo England. It is doubtful that these alien settlers will ever fully reveal their ancient secrets but adventurers and traders are somewhat common in the area.

1d10 Random Neo England Elven Finds

1. 1d4 psychic crystals that will respond the minds of the user each glowing with alien colours and once per day will act as a charm spell entrancing the owner. Worth 100 gold pieces. 
2. Cursed Elven shot, this material will bring down a curse upon the head of those who own such things. Completely worthless except to those who use such foul things. 
3. A piece of meteor crystal made into a +2 dagger of sharpness, worth 300 gold pieces. 
4. Twisted piece of still living wood that can be used by a sorcerer to store 1d4 spells. 
5. Elven staff of spun golden crystal and wire able to be used to store 1d6 minor telepathic or telekinesis abilities. 600 gold pieces
6. Ring of Teleportation made from spun time and energy, spun from a moment of loss and regret. 700 gold pieces 1d4 charges when found 300 mile range 
7. Dagger of glass and barbed wire spun from junk made into a +1 dagger, 200 gold pieces as it's not of the best quality. It will become useless after 1d4 battles. 
8. A spun cloth of golden fabric that will hold the user's thoughts and project them as artwork. Can be used 1d100 times before needing to be recharged. 
9. Mother's milk potion, heals 1d30 points of damage but the owner must sleep 1d6 days. 
10. A crystal that shows gateways to Fairyland. 1d8 charges before it turns black.
    
    
    All material adapted from The First Men In The Moon By HG Wells Available right Here
    

Review & Commentary On The Free OSR Download NPC Toolkit Tables By Corey Ryan Walden For Your Old School Campaigns

Do you need a fast and reliable way of creating excellent NPC's in a timely and pro DM style? Need it with all of those nagging details filled in for you with the flick of the dice? Well once again we've got Corey Ryan Walden bringing the awesome with a full set of charts that can bring all of those things to life for you in one go and their free.
Grab It Right Over HERE

Everything from appearance, disposition, to professions is right there for download and its done very well.
The material gives an almost instant thumbnail portrait of your NPC for your own nefarious purposes in your own game campaign.

This download has a myriad of uses and can be used right across the board with any old school rpg, from OD&D to advanced editions and any of their retro-clone rpg systems. There's a ton of uses for this material, its free and can be used right across into your games. Corey does an excellent job with his material and this project of his is no exception. Grab this one and start rolling up your own NPC's and get them into the game as you see fit. This is one sweet little download. Grab it and give your campaign a solid old school injection of NPC's action.

1d20 Random Minor Artifacts of Hades Table For Your Old School Campaigns

When the old gods died not everyone went quietly, Hades rages still beyond the barriers of twilight and night itself, the underworld vomits up the occasional artifact from beyond the Outer Darkness. Here then is a 1d20 random minor finds of the underworld that can be found along the wastes and shores of the rivers of death and the shorelines between dimensions.

1d20 Random Minor Artifacts of Hades Table

1. A broken sword that still has the blood of its last kill, the thing moans and sings to itself missing its master's hand. The hilt has bits of semi precious stones and it acts as a +1 dagger against demons. 
2. A vase that contains the still beating heart of its original owner, the thing fills with blood that will heal 1d20 points of damage but those healed will be filled with an apathy for life. They will try to commit suicide before the new moon. But will return to their right mind with a successful saving throw. 
3. A broken crown filled with grim from a volcano, the thing will grown more heavy throughout the day but will act as a rod of ruler ship by high noon. Once per day the user may banish a minor undead or demon. 
4. This set of robes belongs to the dead but it will allow the owner to pass among undead or damned as if he were one of them. The owner's face and appearance will be as one of the damned when these robes are donned. They will allow one to pass into the underworld for 1d6 days. 
5. A lyre that strums with the sound of love lost, this instrument will play songs of ancient days past and move its listeners to tears but the real ability of this instrument is to enable one to open the ancient doors into the Underworld. 
6. This bone once belonged to one of the heads of Cerberus, and it allows one to banish a demon from their presence once every three days. The bone will also find a source of water easily and is sought by those who drill wells. 
7. This ancient hazel wand will allow one to track the damned and undead within a three mile radius. The wand can hit a target with a hold spell. A demonic guardian seeks this item. 
8. A key that opens one of the cells in Hades and will allow one to cross into one of the secret doorways into the underworld. 
9. A cube of iron wrought from the chains of the gods and titans, this item allows one to create a 'cube of force' around a minor demon of Hades. The thing has ninety nine names of common demons its sides and top. A minor power allows one to track things of Hades across the planes. 
10. This razor sharp knife allows one to cut through the illusions of Hades and Hell with ease. With some advanced magicks this knife could be used to cut between worlds but each time one does there is a 10% chance the knife could break. 
11. This sword can belonged to a famous magus and allows one to sit in on the courts of the dead and hear their secrets. But the owner may be called in on one of their friends. 
12. A bleeding knife has been thrust into an apple, the thing allows one to have perfect fertility with the goddess of the underworld's blessing. The thing is cursed and will make one become pregnant with a child of mockery of themselves. 
13. A shield has been hollowed out as drinking cup of the lost gods, this thing is inscribed with the dread runes and names of the judges of the dead.  The thing gives second sight and access to the hearts of the damned.. 
14. A short sword that has inscribed on its blade the words of the damned, this enables on to pass among them without harm. The blade enables the owner to detect those who have returned from Hades without fail 
15. This ark contains the remains of a once great king on Earth, and it allows one to have access to his soul and wisdom. The thing will allow one to teleport once per week. 
16. A sacrificial knife of volcanic glass that will send the soul of the intended straight to Hades and allows one to commune with the god. 
17. Twenty silver pieces that allow the owner to summon a demon of Hades and pay them from the purse that is ever full. 
18. A globe of pulsing, beating, alien energy that is actually anti time capable of allowing the owner to go back in time 1d30 years and alter the past or future creating alternative worlds of weird circumstance. There is a 10% chance that the real owner of this globe will come for it. 
19. A piece of iron from the Styx that has the power to make the user immune to the weapons of the underworld and the Abyss. 
20. This piece of burnt flesh is demonic in nature and allows one to summon a wayfarer of Hades to take any soul into the Underworld for torment.

Review and Commentary On The Complete Vivimancer From Necrotic Gnome Productions For Your Old School Campaigns

           

There are important books that come out and then there are books for OSR games that you wonder how you ever did without them at the gaming table. Years ago, I downloaded Theorems & Thaumaturgy, which is available as a free download now: it  contains (among many other things) a basic version of the vivimancer class. The Complete Vivimancer  is essentially not only as a follow up book but an expansion of this class that does some awesome things with biosorcery, magic items, spells,etc.  This is because I've been reading and following through The Complete Vivimancer From Necrotic Gnome Productions after tearing into the free monster & adventure book Out of the Vats .
The Complete Vivimancer does exactly what it says on the tin. It brings eighty eight pages of sheer  wizard master goodness of  gene splicing, cross breeding,and the Vivimancer as a  corruptor of nature itself. In the first two pages of the book we get a complete overview of this class and then the book jumps into the deep end of the darkness . For the advanced edition version of this class we get Elves  and half Elves as the preferred racial foundations for the Vivimancer.  This enables them to advance up to 10th and 11the levels respectively. This reenforces the alien aspect of the Elven race and this is part of an under current theme  in the OSR that Elves really are far more alien to the humanity.  A fact that came in loud and clear in games such as LoFP. This supplement takes full advantage of this fact and even through it claims to be for Labyrinth Lord. There are ton of options for adding this book to both OD&D and its retroclone systems all the way through the various Advanced editions.                                                                      

Grab It Right
HERE


   Another added bonus is the amount of time it takes the vivimancer down in the lab to master the craft of  flesh warping, genetic meddling, neural manipulation, and vat growth to become a  master of mind slaves, mutants, symbionts, parasites, and viruses.The guidelines for this book's chapter are very nice and helps to flesh out the laboratory details and adds a certain Lovecraftian something to the class. The book details a ton of spells for levels between one all of the way to nine. And here's where the book really starts to take off for me. The spells have flavor and add a ton of resonance  for me for the backbone of the Vivimancer as a whole. These twisted freaks are putting together the horrors and weirdness that adventurers loath to encounter. Remember those random monster tables that created horrors with the claws of a lobster, the head of a giant monkey, and demons blood that the DMG guide had in it. These are the wizardly guys putting those together. The magic item section proves that in spades. We get an overview of items for these twisted practitioners of the bio sorcery arts over and over again. Here's why you want one of these guys in your party, not only are they going to know the ins and outs of the biology and applications of this stuff they're going to want some of this of stuff as their  own which means favors and big ones at that. The last sections are appendixes on mutations and psionic powers, these are really needed because of the bio science fantasy and fictional nature of this class. There's lots of icky stuff in this book, slime laden weirdness that brings to mind all of the really cool VHS nastiness of the Eighties horror movies, science fiction 'B' films, and lots of other wonderfulness but it also clocks in with  all of the pulpy bits from the science fiction, fantasy,etc. of the 1930's thru 1950's. As far as I'm concerned this is win/win.
     So let's get right down to brass tacks, is this a good book and even a necessary one? Yes not only is this a good book but it has a huge range of possibilities at the gaming table. You really do want a mad scientist type in your party, you want them as vile villains as well. This brings the dual nature of the class as a whole. This book gives you every last tool to pop these guys into the post apocalyptic wasteland, the science fantasy deserts of your choice, as dimensional travelers and invaders, as motivators for adventures, adventurer patrons, twisted healers, & the list goes on and on.
  In my own Warlords of the Outer Worlds setting, I'm using these guys sparingly and lovingly as a twisted faction. Applying what I've learned about them after reading about them over the last week or so, I've come to the conclusion that one can take the frame work and backdrop of the  Vivimancer and apply their own creations to the class without losing the vitality and freshness of these twisted practitioners of the dark arts of bio sorcery and mad biological magicks. So five out of five for one of the more original and flat out weird books and PC classes to come down the pike in a very long while.

1d10 Random Neo England Peddlers Encounter Table For Your Old School Campaigns

              
 

    Peddler folk have been moving through Neo England as long as memory serves, there are those that believe that they are a race of dimensional travelers unto themselves. The slack jawed, droopy eyed creatures always seem to show up when needed in the least likely place and always give enigmatic answers about their travels as adventurers buy their wares. They have become a common sight on the roads and trails throughout the Neo England states. If attacked they instantly teleport away, not to be seen again. It is almost always seen as a taboo or rule to never to attack the Peddler folk. Bad luck seems to follow on the heels of such an attack. In fact in some isolated parts of what was Maine and the Neo England mountains Peddler folk are the only ones who supply such places with goods and wares. 
   They're movement's seem stiff and ungainly as if they are moving in a strong wind. The Peddler folk always seem to have just the right trinket or nicknack needed for a particular application or mission. They are there to help adventurers and make a quick gold piece. Yet there is something oddly sinister about these creatures, adventurers have reported finding them on the road seemingly following parties at a distance always at quiet walking pace. Their abilities are based on the weird dross of Neo England magickal energies and movements of dreams during the seasons.
Many speculate that the Peddler folk are of  tiefling  blood but of what patronage and demonic line is not known. Peddler folk often go by names such as Mr.Brown, or nick names such as Lean Joe. Or other colorful nick names or monickers.

1d10 Random Neo England Peddlers Encounter Table

1. Mr. Jim a Peddler folk  with a number of trinkets, and steel tools to sell. He can magically sharpen any blade for 10 gold pieces and has a good steel blade with him. For 1000 gold pieces he can conjure up a +1 knife from the dreams of the customer. He smells vaguely of sweets and loss the scent clings to him as a second coat. 
2. Mr. Sessions a peddler folk with greet blue cat's eyes and a quick smile, he sells bits and bobs of wood stoves but also a fair amount of poison for rats, mutant animals, and others. He can also for a gold piece and a song or two conjure rope of the finest hemp from within the folds of his coat. 
3. Billy Babcock the glass boy, this peddler folk sells all kinds of bottles and their contents. He has formulas, potions, etc. as well that seemingly come from no where. For a 30 gold pieces he can pull a potion of temporary magical effects from within his cloak.  The stuff will mimic many of the common potions within the rule book of your choice but only last 1d6 hours. 
4. Jason Wilmarth  this peddler folk is able to identify any technological relic or  magical item by taste of his long forked weird tongue. For 100 gold pieces he'll use his abilities to identify your treasure or relic. He also has a side business magically painting houses over night. He is a competent roofer as well.
5. Steel Blue The Saw Man, this peddler folk is not a ghost story character but a peddler of all thing saw and blade related. He sells mystic saws of the +1 variety and for a haggling price can create any sized saw as needed. He loves to tell stories, collect gossip, and has been known to travel with adventurers to collect their stories. His eyes are the deepest blue ever seen and seem to go on forever. 
6. Doctor Hillman The Healer - This peddler folk is a parody of a New England doctor and seems always in a hurry but for the price of 100 gold pieces he'll knit and heal your body back together with a wide variety of weird looking limbs that seem to unfold themselves from under his opera style cloak. He also sells reduced medical equipment that comes from within his accursed medical bag. Those who have tried to steal from him have been found as part of some of  the trees on Red Mountain. Still living but a part of the trees. 
7. Mr. Mallone The Two Faced Dealer - This peddler folk is a master mechanic or at least one of his faces is, the other is a trader in all things relic and artifact related. He loves technology and the more alien the better he likes it. He will wheel and deal on any artifact vehicle or engine, seemingly appearing out of nowhere and ready to buy a piece. But the haggling is the art with this being and though he'll pay top dollar, he'll spend hours haggling on the price. He may curse some fool who doesn't engage in the art with him. He has the ability to get any piece of tech working for the price of a day's memory, the buyer chooses the memory but their lives are forever altered for it. 
8. Dixon The Fiddle Maker - This peddler folk makes, repairs, and strings all kinds of musical instruments. His face resembles a musical note and has the weird characteristics of his kind. He collects gold and songs from his customers. He haggles, breathes, and trades music by the score. He can compose musical spells for folks but the price is very high indeed. His route takes him across Neo England where his services are in high demand.
9. Billy Jack Mchord  The Mystic Man - This peddler folk is a seeming parody of a wizard, his features are almost cartoon like and his clothing fits like a bad set of laundry. But those who underestimate this figure do so at their peril. Billy Jack is a rare type of Peddler folk able to feel the pull of the dimensions, and draw on these energies. He can cast any white or grey magical spell up to the fifth level. And he is able commune with the spirits of a given area. Farmers, ordinary folk have him in high demand and he often repairs the local time and space continuum after events have blown through town. His pockets are lined with gold, favors, etc.  His bent is that he must hustle or con one person in a given village but many villages are aware of this and play along all the better to use the mystic man.
10. Ted Gristle The Finder Of Lost Children - He is the friend of all children his long nose and clever eyes hide the keen intelligence that is buried under a mountain of trade goods he sells. Should someone ask him for a favor with a child, he is mystically bound to see through what has befallen a child. Ted can find any child alive or dead with fifty miles of his location psychically and will know the circumstances surrounding them. Payment comes in the form of the grief and sorrow of the parents for this being's deeds. But as a peddler he has very few equals, his wheeling & dealing are exacting and merciless.
     

 

1d10 Random Relics of the Cult Of Medusa Table For Your Old School Campaigns

 
     It is only after Medusa was slain that her head became a ritual artifact and a thing of legend as well as myth.It has spawned many echoes across time and space, the blood of this legend has spawned numerous monsters. There are myriad pretenders and imitator artifacts of Medusa's head ,more often then not these objects of horror and weirdness. Often these items  are by products of the divinity that continues to bleed from legend that has come down through history. Medusa was the only mortal sister of a trio of divine goddesses that the hero Perseus slayed so many centuries ago. There are those that claim that Medusa's sisters continue to search for their sister's head down through the centuries. Here then is random chart of the lesser random relics of the cult of Medusa.

1d10 Random Relics of the Cult Of Medusa Table

1. The mask of Medusa, this ritual mask is made from  the semi living flesh of the goddess and a single bite from the animated snakes on the mask will heal 1d10 points of damage or restore the 'vitality' of a man or woman who receives the rite of the temple. 
2. A severed head of a raven haired woman whose serpent hair will animate but the thing will shoot out barbed darts that do 2d6 points of damage. The target must save vs. poison or pass out from the pain of having poison running through their veins. 
3. This head is telepathic and is actually a warlord of the wastes specializing in dealing with underworld scum of the worst sort. This head is semi living and is in charge of a gang of outlaws & cut throats. Sending representatives throughout the campaign.
4. The church of Starry Wisdom is seeking out this particular head because it allows the owner to open dimensional gates and passages through time and space. The  blood of this head is a  hideous poison able to melt metal into slag. It will do 3d6 points of damage to anything it touches. 
5. A strange blue green substance has 3d6 heads of snakes growing out of it. The mask lays nearby and it is truly dangerous but allows the owner to step into the astral for limited periods. 
6. A mask made from jig sawed bits of monster flesh allows the owner to transform into a random type of creature for 1d4 rounds. The mask's hair will attack any target of the owner's choice. 
7. A strange combination of super science relic and the flesh of a monster make this artifact. The thing allows the owner to communicate telepathically with machines around him within a 40 yard range. The mask allows the owner to release a psionic pulse for 2d6 points mental damage. 
8. This mask is still warm to the touch and is sacred to a snake cult of the most extreme type. They use the mask to poison themselves hoping to court favor with the great god Yig. The owner is able to put a curse of serpents upon a target. 
9. This isn't the severed head of the ancient goddess, instead this 'head' is actually the resting place for an ancient  A.I. which will attempt to possess the adventurer who disturbs  it.
10. This head and bit of body tissue will spawn 1d8 miniature monsters within 1d4 rounds of being handled. The head will sing a song of summoning and gate in 2d4 hidden cult warriors.

 

 

1d10 North West Litchfield Hills Random Encounter Table For Your Old School Campaign

There are things in the hills of Northwest Connecticut that can kill an adventurer and they move along ancient trails and sometimes jump from their dimensional zones into the lives of those poor fools who venture too close to Torrington.

1d10 North West Litchfield Hills Random Encounter Table

1. 1d8 Downy Northern Terror bird flock moving along to tear apart any juicy humanoid prey they find. 
2. 1d4 family of Giant Northwestern Ct trolls looking to trade and possibly a spare meal. 
3. A group of 1d8  Elven raiders on horse back looking for slaves and prey 
4. Mutated giant  turkey flock out walking the chicks 1d6 
5. Hill giant warrior looking for a quick meal, he's been near some runoff and sports 1d4 mutations.
6. A bunch of very scared mercenary adventurers with 1d4 minor wounds, they've been on the run from something very nasty and dangerous. 
7. A warlord from Litchfield on a mecha float with an entourage of 1d6 minor warriors of 2nd level, collecting taxes and looking to start something. 
8. A troupe of 1d4 mutant bards looking to score a gig on the Green of Litchfield, they don't realize that a pack of 1d4 pig faced orcs is looking to start trouble with them.
9. 1d6 Church of Starry Wisdom cult members down from Arkham Mass  looking for converts and sacrifices. Led by a 6th level wizard and three minor necromancers of 3rd level. 
10. 1d4 cavemen sporting mutations, hide shields,stone spears, and looking for trouble. On the backs of primitive horses and partially drunk out of their skulls.

Note that Litchfield and its green are one of the most civilized areas in this region of Connecticut in Neo England. Adventurers should be rather a bit weary of the high taxes that are placed on freebooters and adventurers.

The Alternative Torrington Connecitcut An Underworld Megadungeon Adventure Location

After repeated alien invasions, micro nuclear wars, floods, and repeated attacks by nameless monsters the Neo England city of Torrington,Connecticut began the task of constructing an incredibly complex geo front engineering project. This  project began in the twenties and continued well into the next hundred years.
Despite several set backs, Geo New England corporation completed the job in the twenty fifth century for the over three million town residents. The giant air scrubber, wind turbines were put in place after the space had been blasted out with several clean nuclear war heads.

Following the plans of New York city, the smallest 'big town' in Neo England put its second city into full operation in the twenty sixth century. The micro nuclear cell plants powered the city, industries, and holographic projectors for the simulated night and everything was a go. But when dimensional barriers thinned and the things came through and the locks were sealed, agents had been in place and the doors did not open again. 
Torrington along with its empty streets, super science secrets, and ancient relics beckoned to the outside world but the city above was a ghost town. A haven for mutants and monsters alike and few adventurers dared to go there. The tunnels below were mostly forgotten they became a world unto themselves.


The city and its empty streets have become the stuff of legend and myth. The Eldorado of the North West corner of Connecticut and its legacy seems to grow as time goes on. Yet despite the turbines continuing to work and the occasional relic or artifact showing up. Torrington's other city is a mystery spoken of in hushed tones around the campfires of  the world of  2889. Who knows what evil might be brewing under the rocky ledge work of Torrinton.Waiting and brooding silently for some fool to stumble upon her secrets.


There are the usual rumors of slack jawed Morlocks, occasional talk of half Orcs, even rumors of Drow, but the biggest contenders as the new owners of the city and its underground maze of city streets are the Derro and their lords.

The mostly empty and silent city occasionally boasts a war party of outlaws, Orc warriors, and occasionally some damn fool adventurer or party that disappears within hours of exploring the town's streets. There are rumors of course but who knows if any of these are true.


1d1o Random Rumor Table For Torrington Ct 

1.  There are hordes of mutants and scum under the city who eat any who venture into the streets of the city. They lay in wait for any fool to stumble into blind alleyways and lonely streets. 
2. Something ancient and festering lays at the heart of the city. It bides its time and it is psionic and dangerous, the citizens of Torrington are merely the playthings of this ancient horror. 
3. There are weird things that roam the night that drag anyone they meet into Hell itself. The city is a haven for depravity beyond imagining. 
4. See those spinning turbines my grandfather told me of them finding corpses strapped to em. Just like the Dudley Town murders. 
5. Those Orc warriors are trying to get at their ancestors who were locked in the lower city the bones call to em.  No good pig faces every stinking one of em.
6. I'm telling you its something in the water and the inbreeding of the place. There's something there that draws mutants to it like lambs to the slaughter. 
7. It was the super science of the corporations that did it, they trod in places no man should. And they paid for it. 
8. The whole operation was shut down cus of the ground water was polluted right from the get go. 
9. Its super science weapons, they got a ton of that stuff down below and it all got away from them and so they sealed it up. There is a fortune down there but no one can get to it. 
10. I'm telling you it was that damn Starry Wisdom cult again that came down from Arkham Mass. Those bastard's sealed everything up until the stars are right. They're all dead down there and twitching up a storm every last one of em. 

There are rumors of a dungeon below the underground city and even more legendary treasures within it. Those rumors are deeply told by the renegade ghoul tribes of the North West Hills.

All artwork comes from this site

This entry is obviously a parody of my old home town where I grew up. There's no malice or underground city under Torrington,Ct. despite wanting there to be one as a kid.

1d10 Random Time Haunted Ruins Table For Your Old School Campaigns

The process of delving into the black abyss is to me the keenest form of fascination.

H. P. Lovecraft

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/h/h_p_lovecraft.html#lTGxWhADL7qLIgtR.99

There are ruins that travel between dimensions and planes, sliding between in  places, time, &  space. Those who encounter such places are sure they are haunted and the lives of many adventurers have been changed over a visit to one of these places.

                                               1d10 Random Time Haunted Ruins Table

1. A set of monoliths with the signs and symbols of the Great Old Ones carved in the top of them. There are ghoul worshipers who come at night to dance and have rites under the uncaring stars of the damned. There will be 1d6 random monsters or spawn of the Old Ones around these monoliths. There will 1d6 random minor relics around the place scattered. 
2. This is a supermarket mostly in ruins but there are two tribes of mutants living around the place; staying for more then 1d4 round will cause the PC's to have to make a mutation check. There are several cars in the parking lot of unknown make and model. There will be 1d4 super science relics in these. 
3. A set of alien statues whose rock and stone is actually living flesh, these lifeforms will act as giant mimics and adhere to anyone foolish enough to approach the 1d4 'stone' chests scattered around. These chests are actually mimics who worship the larger mother statues. There are 1d8 corpses scattered around the place of past adventurers who have stumbled upon these things. There are treasure type D scattered about.
4. A whirling mass of elemental air marks the passage of dimensional energy to the elemental plane of air, several genies will tear apart anyone trying to enter this place. There is a chest of gold suspended in the air on a cushion of solidified pseudo matter. The tinkling of bells marks the location of this point. 
5. Ruins of a home once stood on this spot and now it marked by the burned out shell of a place. A smaller then human set of stairs leads into a pit in the ground. There are 1d100 bodies or bones that might be corpses piled high in one corner. The thing will turn into a composite monster of incredible destructive capacity. It will not leave the house's ruins though.
6.  A former military bunker marks this point and a strange glow fills the air, this is actually the creation of fungus and not radiation. There are 1d8 rare relics of a post apocalyptic nature. The place is marked out by the constant drone of a small mechanism. The thing is actually a motor that powers the last survivor of this place. His brain is a psionic construct able to appear in 1d4 rounds, he will not attack but will ask questions of the PC's but he is actually stealing 1d10 years from his victims. 
7. A garden shed that is actually an entrance to one of the planes of the Abyss, there will be 1d4 minor demons milling around the building. There are +3 garden and farming implements scattered about and a +3 ax of sharpness in a stump. Around back is a rotting pile of heads of various humanoid types piled high.
8. A train station has two groups of old West outlaws who fight over the place with guns blazing and horses but they have no idea why. Anyone staying in the place for more then 1d6 rounds will become trapped in the time loop that goes on continuously repeating itself for eternity. There are several major treasures within crates on the landing of the place. 
9. A strange pulp style alien space craft has just landed, actually the thing has been on auto pilot, the crew are now alien zombies hungry for flesh. Aboard a shaggoth in suspension is held in place by a force cage. 1d6 crates scattered in the back of the ship will have some random treasure within. The whole place is infected with a zombie plague as well. Save vs disease must be made upon leaving this hazard. 
10. A strange haunted miniature castle of stone and brick is the playground of the gods of the Earth's dreams and there are 1d8 fey servants and attendants. Those who stay will be drafted into a warped version of a mid Summer Night's Dream. All of this will dissolve when the dream of the god awakens stranding the party in the Astral.

1d20 Random Unexpected Finds From A Car Wreck Table For Your Old School Campaign

 
 

No matter the universe or alternative world, automobiles have a special appeal for adventurers, they draw them like flies. The freebooter or adventurer will spend hours rummaging through or going over every square inch of a car interior or exterior. Here then is a list of 1d20 random random unexpected finds from a car wreck to torture your adventuring party with

1d20 Random Unexpected Finds From A Car Wreck Table

1. 1d8 plague zombies in the trunk, armed with a wide variety of clubs and very hungry. They seem to keep coming. 
2. An alien hyperspace generator that glows with an eerie light beyond the normal spectrum.After 1d4 round it has the same effects as a charm person spell then the PC must  save vs death or be incinerated by it.
3. A strange analog computer running without a power source the thing is chugging away and strange lights play across its surface.A gold bar sits in the middle of the mechanism and anyone grasping it will take 3d6 points of damage. The alien god's spirit possessing the bar will not be happy about being disturbed. 
4. The mummified remains of Elvis dressed in Las Vegas splendor greets your eyes, this version of the King is actually a fifteenth level lich and chaotic evil to boot! 
5. Three strange alien humanoids are being held within a stasis pod, they will awaken and wander off after blasting anyone who get's in their way with magic missile spells. All of these guys are fifth level wizards on an unknown mission. 
6. A black pearl handled 1911 automatic pistol is in the glove compartment with a humanoid hand still attached to the thing. The pistol has a full clip and will damage supernatural monsters. Under the seat is a book with 1d6 2nd level black magick spells. 
7. A trunk in the back seat of this car contains the remains of a vampire from another world who is seeking his lost love across the dimensional expanse. 
8. There is a ray gun in the glove compartment and a space suit in the back seat. 
9. There's a dimensional gate that will try to suck anyone into it in the glove box, make a Dex check now! 
10. The car looks completely safe and there are several safety deposit boxes in the back seat but this thing is hot and radioactive. Make a radiation check as soon as the back door is opened. 
11. There are four alien skeletons in the seats and they'll spring to life as soon as the front door is opened! Armed with short swords and stop sign shields. 
12. A set of spell pamphlets under the seats containing 1d4 6th level black magick spells under the title in common 'How To Ruin Our Children'
13. A mummified corpse of a scientist with the words 'Time Traveling' written in common on a sheet of cardboard hung around the thing's neck, hands are on the steering wheel. There is an analog pulp style communicator in his pocket and a wand of fire balls in his other pocket 1d4 random charges. He will spring to life and curse anyone who disturbs him and then return to the car. 
14. The back seat of this car is covered in children's toys and these things are cursed they will spring to life and harry the hell out of the party. Swearing, insulting, these little bastards can magically curse PC's with minor workings. 
15. A weird grid like structure sits in the trunk and the thing will try to absorb anything that it can. PC's must save vs device or become a part of the workings of the alien thing taking 1d8 points of damage per round. The trunk will shut and the engine of the car will start as the thing drives off into the wasteland. 
16. This car is sentient and evil, the thing can't move and its A.I. essence has been trapped but it will make all kinds of promises if magically released from its steel and iron prison. Counts as a mid range demon of the worst strip, and it will try to murder anyone searching the car for 1d4 rounds. There is a magic sword in the trunk. 
17. The corpse of an android George Washington has been secreted in the trunk, this droid holds the key to a cache of super science relic or so it claims but its actually a twisted piece of A.I. hardware murdering adventurers where it can.Armed with sword, black powder pistol, and a very bad attitude. A few minor super science relics to lull adventurers into a false belief of its con.
18. A demon of  order has been placed inside a dagger in the glove compartment. The thing will try to convert anyone who gets a hold of it. Worth more for the scrap value. +2 dagger of slaying 
19. A small drum of mutagen compound is leaking in the trunk of this car and anyone approaching within 20 feet must make a mutation check and gain some mutations. 
20. There is golden statue of a Great Old One within the back seat of this car and all space time is bend as well as warped around the thing. Wizard's casting magic will have all of their spells ripped out of them. It will also try to swallow the souls of anyone who get's within 30 feet if it can. There are 1d6 minor demons who serve this thing and will attack anyone they can to free their minor dark master.

Voltorian Race For Your Old School Campaigns

The Voltorians are one of the more common Tiefling  races of  Neo England in the Twenty Eighth century. They are a result of a pact made between a martial devil of some standing and a lost tribe of humans during the last days of Atlantis. Voltorians sport weird eye colors, delicate features, slightly scaled skin  and a high understanding of the arts of super science & sorcery. According to ancient scrolls,"Voltor is the massive subterranean kingdom ruled by the Green Sorceress and home of her Green Empire. The kingdom is fortified with steel walls, lined with gun turrets and observation towers. The people of Volta have a highly militaristic society, possess advanced military technology and obey the whims of the Green Sorceress as if she were their goddess. The population of the kingdom definitely ranges into the thousands, and the Green Sorceress is prepping her armies to conquer the surface world. The only thing that stops them from reaching the surface of Earth is Voltor's ancient enemy, Deltos" 

Voltorians have the following Tiefling characteristics: 

• Voltorians can't be of the Lawful alignment 
• Voltorian females gain +2 to Charisma, +1 to Wisdom but a -1 to Dexterity. The males gain +2 to Strength, +1 To Wisdom, -1 on Charisma & a +1 on Dexterity

• Infra-vision up to 60' as per Dwarves's ability, this is compensated for with special contact lens or goggles worn to block against the harmful rays of the Sun. 
• Voltorians  in broad day light or in sun light they suffer a –1 penalty to all attack and damage rolls, skill checks and saving throws. In addition, their spell casting level (if any) is at –1 (e.g. a 5th level dark elf mage would cast a 4d6 Fireball, rather than a normal 5d6 one).
• Voltorians gain the charm person ability once per day
• Voltorians suffer the effects of Fiend Blood - All magic items, sacred places, and such that effect devils or demons will effect them. They can not be banished. 
• Voltorians instinctively recognize Voltorian items of super science and sorcery of the Voltorian or Green Empire 
• Voltorians may have a 10% chance of gaining some minor super science item. See appropriate matrix. 
• Voltorians are ancient enemies of the Drow with animosity going back eons and gain a +1 on recognizing the works, patterns, languages etc of the Drow. But they are also at -2 on all charisma based rolls when dealing with Drow, this is very rare as the Drow are considered legendary and nearly mythical by modern Voltorians.
• Because of their familiarity with both super science and sorcery Voltorians gain a some technology based skills. These are part of a character package built by the DM and player. 
• Because they are so long lived the Voltorians take longer to gain levels, so they progress as if they were one level of experience of higher.
  
  
   The Green Empire has claimed the ruined kingdom of Thomaston Connecticut and has moved in death rays, and several large wizard machines from the lower depths of the Earth from the kingdom of Voltor. The Voltamen have had several clashes with them and Voltorian adventurers and freebooters have become increasingly common in several of the surrounding villages in the Neo England area.
  
  The Green empire has had trade going on for centuries with the Atlantandria realms and has extensive knowledge of the zones and overlaps of Accursed Atlantis.  Adventurers and freebooters from the Green Empire  have also been recruited for man's continuing efforts out in the Outer Worlds. There have been arm sales between the colonies of the Outer Worlds and Green Empire.
  
  
  
  
  
  The Green Empire's claim of Thomaston is a bone of contention with the Voltamen and clashes between the two have claimed the lives of several hundred humans, mutants, and alien species living in the area. Only time will tell with the assumaltion of the Voltorians in the area and what part the Green Empire will play.

Review & Commentary On PC2 - The OSR Exorcist From Jeremy Reaban For Your Old School Campaigns

There are few classes that can put the fear of the gods into vile villains like the exorcist, this class has so much potential for solid gaming goodness and so much abuse as well.
Grab It Right Over Here

Straight out the gate this class is more Hollywood then witch's hammer so let's make that clear and this class has all of the facilities to allow it you the DM or player to use this one with anything from OD&D to straight through to AD&D 1st edition or any of the retro clone gaming rpg systems.
 So what is the exorcist and how is it put together? Well believe it or not this class isn't a variation of the cleric. Instead we get a fulfilled developed fighter variant.
According to the pdf's introduction;'The Exorcist is a warrior dedicated to combating
supernatural evil. As such, the Exorcist has an immunity to baleful magic which increases as he gains in level.

In advanced and original systems, the Exorcist is a sub-class of the fighter."
Looking into exorcists in fiction we don't find a lot of parallel's really. Well, not good ones that really capture the essence of these fighters of evil.

There are very few fictional paragons who capture the essence of the exorcist but one does spring to mind. Gabriel The Devil Hunter was a supernatural hunter of evil whose exploits while modern conceits. He's appeared as an adversary to many of the 70's Marvel monsters and as a rather obscure main character in several adventures. Marvel's writer's finally rendered him insane and left him in the care of the Gargoyle. This was sort of a waste of a character but with the recons,revamps, and resorts who knows if we'll see him in the future battling the forces of evil. But what stands out at least to me is the parallels between what happened to this character and adventurers in games such as Lamentations of the Flame Princess.  And in fact this is a perfect addition to the Lamentations line up of PC classes.

Basically this is a perfect class for either Lamentations of the Flame Princess set during the height of a fictional witch infestation in a pseudo historical Europe or other setting infected with the demonic or supernatural. The PC class reads like a variation of the fighter from LoFP whose seen far too much action and perhaps has had a brush with the demonic at the cost of a bit of their sanity only to have it replaced with faith to help pull them through. This sets up the class for all kinds of bits and pieces of the burned out veteran of wars whose turned to hunting and battling the supernatural on their own terms. Using this sort of set up allows the DM to use this class for all kinds of NPC's. This means that with a little imagination the DM could use the class for a Wild West setting as the victim of the Civil War, the War of the Roses, etc. Now please bare with me but I don't see this class as something that would stand up the horrors of something like 40K or Warhammer. Instead what we get is a PC class that dove tails right into a party of fighters, paladins, clerics and blends into the background to provide leadership, support, and to help beat back the forces of Hell itself. But this class can easily lend itself into other fictional settings and circumstances.
This class could easily be added into Astonishing Swordsmen and Sorcerers of Hyperborea as a very welcome addition to an adventuring party. Seriously with the zeal and pulp  nastiness of the setting these guys would fit right into the wood work of Hyperborea. The OSR exorcist and the witch hunter PC class make excellent additions to that game as well.
I'm also reminded of certain episodes of Lost In Space when rereading this entry this morning. There always seemed to be a burned out veteran of some interstellar war. A crusading adventurer who would save the petty humans once again. This kinda brought home the fact that the OSR exorcist might make an excellent investigator of those supernatural or xenomorphic threats in the Outer Reaches of space.

All in all I think that the OSR exorcist is a really interesting and surprisingly useful niche PC class that can easily be added right into the backdrop of any OSR adventure with little issue. Reaban does a fine job with the material giving exactly what's needed to bring this class to life for your games.