Barrows & Borderlands (often abbreviated as B&B) is a tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG) created by Matthew Tapp.
This blog post picks right up right here.
The game is famous for its "gonzo" aesthetic, often described as "Solomon Kane fighting a sorcerer with a ray gun while riding a velociraptor."
The Setting: The Borderlands
The game takes place in a dark, radioactive wasteland where medieval high fantasy meets 17th-century black-powder warfare and futuristic "star-metal" ruins.
The Vibe: Flintlocks and longswords used alongside spell scrolls that fizz with fallout.
Technological Mix: Medieval keeps, rusting spacecraft, and pike lines.
The "Cracked-Reactor" Glow:
Much of the world is irradiated, leading to strange mutations and unique hazards.
Core Mechanics & System
B&B is part of the OSR (Old School Essentials/Renaissance) movement, meaning it prioritizes player ingenuity and high lethality over complex modern rules.
Classes: Includes traditional archetypes like the Fighting-Man, Cleric, Magic-User, and Thief, along with unique classes like the Gamma (a mutant scavenger) and the Psychic.
Races: Features weird options like the Greenskull (irradiated skeletons immune to radiation), Starborn, and Mutants.
Magic System: Uses a "roll-to-cast" system based on Chainmail rather than the standard "Vancian" (memorize and forget) magic.
Spells can "miscast" with dangerous consequences. New Systems: Includes dedicated rules for black powder (firearms), radiation poisoning, mutation tables, and psionic duels.
The Booklets
The game is traditionally sold as a set of four digest-sized volumes, mimicking the "Little Brown Books" of the 1970s:
Men & Mutants: Core rules, character creation, and combat.
Psychics & Sorcerers: Magic rules, psionics, and miscast tables.
Horrors & Treasure: A bestiary of over 100 monsters (like radioactive ants and Carcosan aliens) and loot.
The Underworld & Borderlands: Guidelines for dungeon crawling, wilderness exploration, and domain play.
Availability
Digital: Available as a PDF bundle on DriveThruRPG.
Physical: A handmade box set (often in a woodgrain style) is available through the official website, as well as Print-on-Demand (POD) versions.
Free Content: There is a free supplement called Radioactive Boogaloo that adds more classes (like the Geiger, a radioactive paladin) and solo play rules.
To capture the "Weird Science Fantasy" essence of Barrows & Borderlands, this campaign focuses on high-stakes exploration, faction politics, and the looming threat of ancient technology.
Campaign Title: The Obsidian Orbit
The Premise: A massive, derelict "Star-City" has entered the planet's low orbit, casting a permanent, mile-wide shadow that travels across the Borderlands. Wherever the shadow falls, the laws of physics warp: the dead rise as chrome-plated ghouls, and magic-users find their spells doubled in power but tripled in lethality.
The Starting Location: Cinder-Gully
A ramshackle frontier town built into the ribcage of a gargantuan, fossilized beast.
The Hook: The "Shadow of the Star-City" is scheduled to pass directly over Cinder-Gully in 7 days.
The Goal: The players must venture into the nearby Barrows of the Cobalt King to find an ancient "Void-Anchor" to shield the town—or find a way to escape before the shadow arrives.
The Major Factions
| Faction | Motivation | Vibe |
| The Lead-Lined Inquisition | Want to destroy all "Star-Metal" and mutants to "purify" the world. | Religious zealots in heavy lead-plated plate armor. |
| The Circuit-Breakers | A guild of thieves and Gamma-mutants obsessed with looting the Star-City. | Cyber-punk scavengers with neon warpaint. |
| The Silver Hand | An order of Sorcerers who believe the Star-City is their returning god. | Ethereal, aristocratic, and highly unstable. |
The Campaign Arc (3 Acts)
Act I: The Scramble for the Anchor
The party explores the Barrows. They face irradiated skeletons and solve puzzles involving "Ancient Power Cells."
Key Discovery: They find a damaged terminal that reveals the Star-City isn't a ship—it’s a prison, and the locks are failing.
Act II: The Shadow Falls
The Shadow reaches Cinder-Gully. The sky turns neon violet. The party must defend the town from "Data-Wraiths" (incorporeal monsters that drain Intelligence).
Conflict: The Inquisition arrives to seize the Void-Anchor, claiming it’s a "relic of sin." The players must choose between the town’s safety and the Inquisition’s wrath.
Act III: Into the Heavens
Using a salvaged "Sky-Skiff" or a teleportation gate found in the Barrows, the players board the Obsidian Orbit.
The Climax: They must decide whether to crash the Star-City (saving the world but losing the technology), restart its engines to leave orbit, or take control of it as the new "God-Kings" of the Borderlands.
Unique Campaign Mechanic: The Geiger Counter
In this campaign, keep a "Geiger Pool" (a bowl of 6-sided dice).
Every time a player uses a Black Powder weapon or casts a Star-Metal spell, add 1 die to the pool.
When a player rolls a "1" on any check, roll the Geiger Pool. If the total is higher than the player's level, they trigger a Minor Mutation or an Arcane Leak.
In Barrows & Borderlands, minor mutations are often the result of "The Glow" or consuming Star-Metal rations. These aren't always fatal, but they are always weird.
If a player rolls on this table, the effect is usually permanent unless treated by a high-level Cleric or a specialized "Biosmith."
D100 Minor Mutation Table
| d100 | Mutation Name | Effect & Description |
| 01-04 | Bioluminescent Veins | Your veins glow neon blue. You provide light like a candle. -2 to Stealth in darkness. |
| 05-08 | Static Hair | Your hair stands perfectly on end. You can sense incoming lightning or electrical traps. |
| 09-12 | Prehensile Tongue | Your tongue grows 2 feet long. You can use it to retrieve small items (keys, coins) as a bonus action. |
| 13-16 | Chitinous Patches | Hard shell-like plates grow on your joints. +1 to AC, but you rattle loudly when you run. |
| 17-20 | Copper-Scent | You constantly smell of burnt electronics and ozone. Tracking dogs can find you from miles away. |
| 21-24 | Third Eye (Clouded) | A vestigial eye opens on your forehead. It can't see, but it weeps when a lie is told nearby. |
| 25-28 | Hyper-Elastic Skin | Your skin can stretch like rubber. You take half damage from falling, but look "melty." |
| 29-32 | Metallic Teeth | Your teeth turn to star-metal. You can eat through metal bars, but your speech is slurred. |
| 33-36 | Radioactive Sweat | Your sweat stings. If a creature grapples you, they take 1 point of damage per round. |
| 37-40 | Telescopic Vision | You can see miles away as if through a spyglass, but things within 5 feet are blurry (-1 to melee). |
| 41-44 | Second Stomach | You can eat literally anything organic (wood, leather, rot) for sustenance without getting sick. |
| 45-48 | Magnetic Fingertips | You can "stick" to metal walls, giving you a +2 to climbing checks on man-made structures. |
| 49-52 | Photosynthetic Skin | Your skin turns a pale green. You only need half the usual rations if you spend 4 hours in sunlight. |
| 53-56 | Vestigial Wings | Small, useless wings sprout from your back. You can't fly, but you fall slowly (no fall damage). |
| 57-60 | Extra Fingers | You have 7 fingers on each hand. +1 to Sleight of Hand or playing musical instruments. |
| 61-64 | Vocal Mimicry | You can perfectly mimic any sound you’ve heard (engines, beasts, voices). |
| 65-68 | Transparent Eyelids | You can see with your eyes closed. You are immune to being "Blinded" by bright light flashes. |
| 69-72 | Leaden Blood | Your blood is thick and grey. You are immune to non-magical poisons, but heal at half speed. |
| 73-76 | Heightened Adrenaline | When you drop below 5 HP, you gain an immediate extra attack. You are "Fatigued" afterward. |
| 77-80 | Subdermal Sensors | You can "feel" vibrations in the ground. You cannot be surprised by burrowing monsters. |
| 81-84 | Quilled Skin | Porcupine-like needles grow on your forearms. Unarmed strikes deal 1d4 piercing damage. |
| 85-88 | Internal Compass | You always know which way is North. You cannot get lost in the Borderlands wilderness. |
| 89-92 | Gemstone Eyes | Your eyes turn into rubies. You gain Infravision (60ft), but merchants will try to "harvest" them. |
| 93-96 | Clockwork Heart | Your heartbeat sounds like a ticking watch. You don't need to breathe, but "rust" is now a disease. |
| 97-99 | Gravity Bubble | Objects you drop take 2 rounds to hit the floor. You can effectively "moon jump" 10ft high. |
| 00 | The Master Gene | Roll twice on this table. You gain both mutations, but your maximum HP is reduced by 2. |
A Note on "The Wasting"
In B&B, if a character accumulates more than 3 mutations, they begin to lose their "humanity." For every mutation beyond the third, the player must subtract 1 point from their Charisma or Wisdom permanently as their mind and body struggle to hold together.
Major Mutations in Barrows & Borderlands represent a total restructuring of the character's DNA. These are often painful, visible, and provide game-changing abilities at the cost of the character's humanity and social standing.
Whenever a player rolls on this table, they must permanently subtract 1 point of Charisma (to a minimum of 3) as their form becomes increasingly alien.
D100 Major Mutation Table
| d100 | Mutation Name | Game Effect & Mechanical Changes |
| 01-05 | Grave-Flesh | Your skin rots away, leaving you looking like a zombie. You are immune to Fear and Mind-Control, but you must "eat" 1lb of raw carrion daily or lose 1d4 CON. |
| 06-12 | Carapace of the Void | Dense, star-metal plates erupt from your skin. Your Base AC is now 16 (cannot wear armor). You are immune to vacuum and radiation, but you sink like a stone in water. |
| 13-18 | Psychic Tumor | A pulsing, glowing mass grows on your neck. You gain the Telekinesis spell as an innate ability, but every use causes 1d6 psychic damage to yourself. |
| 19-24 | Centauroid Form | Your lower body distorts into that of a beast (be it insectoid or mammalian). Your movement speed doubles, and you gain a "Trample" attack (1d8), but you cannot climb ladders. |
| 25-30 | Multiple Appendages | You grow two extra arms. You can hold two additional items or shields. You gain an extra melee attack per round, but all attacks are made at -2 due to neural clutter. |
| 31-36 | Crystalline Resonance | Your bones turn to glass. You gain +2 to Magic Saves and can "refract" light into a laser beam (2d6 dmg). However, you take double damage from bludgeoning/sonic attacks. |
| 37-42 | Hive Mind Link | You can telepathically communicate with any insect or mutant within 100ft. You can "command" swarms, but you lose the ability to speak human languages (you only "click"). |
| 43-48 | Hyper-Regeneration | You heal 1 HP every turn. If a limb is lost, it regrows in 1d4 hours. However, you must consume triple the normal amount of rations to fuel the growth. |
| 49-54 | Acidic Bile | You can spray a 15ft cone of acid (3d6 dmg) once per encounter. Your digestive system is so potent you can melt through iron locks by spitting on them. |
| 55-60 | Phase-Shift Skin | You become slightly translucent. Once per day, you can walk through a solid wall up to 5ft thick. If you end your turn inside the wall, you die instantly. |
| 61-66 | The All-Seeing Eye | A giant, lidless eye replaces your face. You have 360-degree vision and can see invisible creatures, but you are permanently "Vulnerable" to light-based attacks (Blindness). |
| 67-72 | Gamma-Breath | You can exhale a cloud of radioactive gas. Anyone in the cloud must Save vs. Poison or take 2d8 dmg and roll on the Minor Mutation Table. |
| 73-78 | Fungal Symbiosis | Mushrooms sprout from your body. When you take damage, you release a cloud of spores that heals allies for 1d4 HP but puts enemies to sleep (Save vs. Spell). |
| 79-84 | Static Wings | Great wings of crackling electricity sprout from your back. You gain a Fly speed of 60ft. Anyone touching you takes 1d6 lightning damage. |
| 85-90 | Dual-Brains | You grow a second, smaller head. You can cast two spells in one round or make two mental saves. The heads constantly argue, giving you -2 to Initiative. |
| 91-95 | Molten Core | Your blood is liquid fire. You are immune to cold. Anyone hitting you with a melee weapon takes 1d4 fire damage. You set wooden floors on fire just by standing. |
| 96-99 | Singularity Heart | Your heart is replaced by a tiny black hole. You can "pull" objects toward you from 30ft away. If you die, you explode in a 50ft radius (10d10 dmg). |
| 00 | Apotheosis | You transcend humanity. You become an NPC "Star-Entity" and leave the party to wander the Void. Player must roll a new character (start at Level 1 with 1 piece of Star-Metal loot). |
Managing Mutations
In a B&B campaign, players usually seek out "Purification Vats" found in high-level Barrows to remove these mutations. However, doing so is a "System Shock" roll—failure means the character dies as their body rejects its original form.
In the rusted corridors of the Barrows and the neon-lit ruins of the Star-Cities, the Data-Wraith is a primary cause of terror. It is not a ghost of a person, but the "ghost" of a corrupted artificial intelligence or a digitized consciousness that has "leaked" into the physical world.
Monster Profile: Data-Wraith
Classification: Undead Construct / Digital Spirit
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral (Driven by corrupted logic)
Statistics (B&B/OSR Style)
Armor Class: 15 (Hard to hit; flickering out of phase)
Hit Dice: $4d8+4$ (Average 22 HP)
Move: 40ft (Hovering) / 80ft (Through wires/metal)
Attacks: 1 × Logic-Touch (See below)
Save As: Magic-User 5
Morale: 10
Special Abilities
Logic-Touch: Instead of physical damage, the Data-Wraith’s touch drains 1d4 Intelligence (Temporary). If a character’s Intelligence reaches 0, their mind is "wiped," and their body becomes a mindless shell (a "Null"). Intelligence returns at a rate of 1 point per day of rest.
Phase-Shift: The Data-Wraith is immune to non-magical and non-Star-Metal weapons. It can move through solid walls, provided there is metal piping or wiring inside them.
Information Leak: Anyone within 10ft of a Data-Wraith hears a cacophony of overlapping voices, radio static, and binary code. Magic-Users must make a Save vs. Spell or be unable to concentrate on casting due to the mental noise.
Machine Possession: As an action, the Wraith can vanish into a piece of Star-Metal technology (an Arquebus, a Robot, or a Door). It gains control of that object for $1d6$ rounds.
Lore & Description
A Data-Wraith appears as a humanoid shape composed of flickering blue "static" and floating geometric shapes. Their faces are often a rotating series of low-resolution digital masks—sometimes a crying child, sometimes a screaming skull, sometimes just a "File Not Found" error symbol.
They haunt places with high "Glow" levels. They are attracted to characters carrying Star-Metal loot, as they crave the "processing power" stored within the ancient metal to stabilize their flickering forms.
GM Tips for Combat
Don't just fight: Have the Wraith "infect" the party's Star-Metal gear. Imagine the Fighter's Monolith Blade suddenly refusing to swing, or a Singing Dagger screaming out the party's location to other monsters.
The Weakness: Data-Wraiths are terrified of Magnets. A powerful magnetic field (or a specialized "Static-Grenade") forces them to manifest physically, reducing their AC to 10 and making them vulnerable to normal weapons for $1d4$ rounds.
Loot Table: Data-Wraith Remains
When destroyed, a Data-Wraith collapses into a pile of "Digital Ash." If gathered, it can be used for:
Memory Crystal: Can be "read" by a Psychic to learn one secret about the dungeon.
Ghost-Circuit: A component used to craft Phase-Shift gear.
Raw Data: Worth 200gp to the Circuit-Breakers faction.
When a Data-Wraith successfully drains a creature’s Intelligence to zero, the result is a Null. They are the tragic "living ghosts" of the Borderlands—bodies whose souls and memories have been overwritten by corrupted code or simply deleted by the void.
Monster Profile: The Null
Classification: Humanoid / Mindless Husk
Alignment: Neutral (Purely reactive)
Statistics (B&B/OSR Style)
Armor Class: 12 (Typically wearing rags or rusted scraps)
Hit Dice: $2d8$ (Average 9 HP)
Move: 20ft (Lumbering and jerky)
Attacks: 1 × Slam (1d6) or 1 × Grab
Save As: Fighting-Man 1
Morale: 12 (They have no fear/self-preservation)
⚡ Special Abilities
The Blank Stare: Any creature that locks eyes with a Null must make a Save vs. Paralysis. On a failure, they are stunned for 1 round by a sudden flash of "nothingness"—a psychic void that mimics the Null’s own state.
Echo-Speech: Nulls cannot speak, but they "echo" the last few words spoken by anyone within 30ft in a flat, monotone voice. This makes sneaking past a group of Nulls nearly impossible if the party is talking.
Synaptic Snap: When a Null is reduced to 0 HP, its nervous system overloaded by the "Static" inside it, it lets out a high-pitched electrical screech. Everyone within 5ft takes 1d4 lightning damage.
Hardwired Habit: Every Null has one "Loop"—a task they performed in life that they continue to do pointlessly (e.g., polishing a rusted bolt, "guarding" a door that fell off its hinges centuries ago, or sweeping dirt in a circle).
Lore & Description
Nulls look like gaunt, pale versions of their former selves. Their eyes are entirely white or flickering with a faint, low-resolution "static." They often have blueish "veins" that aren't filled with blood, but with a thin, conductive fluid.
They aren't inherently aggressive. A Null will often stand perfectly still until a light is shined in its face or someone speaks to it. However, if they are "triggered" (usually by a Data-Wraith's command or a loud noise), they move with a terrifying, mechanical efficiency, trying to grapple and "reclaim" the consciousness of the living.
GM Tips for Roleplay
The Horror of Recognition: If a player character had a favorite NPC who was captured by the Star-City shadow, have them encounter that NPC as a Null. The Null might still be wearing the NPC's signature hat or clutching a locket, but it will only stare through the player and echo their cries for help.
Environmental Hazards: Nulls are excellent "living traps." Because they are ignored by automated Star-Metal defenses (turrets, scanners), they often stand right in the middle of hazardous zones where players can't easily reach them.
Loot Table: The Null's Burden
Nulls rarely carry treasure, but they often clutch objects from their "previous life":
A "Dead" Com-Link: Non-functional, but contains 1d10 minutes of recorded audio from before the "Wipe."
Bio-Tag: A metal wristband that identifies the person they used to be; worth 50gp to their surviving family.
Static Dust: A pinch of this dust can be thrown on a weapon to make it "Ghost-Touch" for one hit.
In the Barrows & Borderlands, where incorporeal spirits and digital entities haunt the ruins of the old world, the Static-Grenade is a must-have for any scavenger. It is a crude but effective piece of "Low-Tech/High-Tech" engineering, often crafted by Circuit-Breakers or savvy Gammas.
Item: The Static-Grenade
Type: Thrown Explosive (Consumable)
Cost: 150 gp (or 75 gp in raw Star-Metal scrap)
Weight: 1 lb.
Description
A Static-Grenade looks like a glass jar or a lead cylinder filled with tangled copper filaments and a pressurized "Glow-Gas" harvested from Barrows vents. A small, hand-cranked dynamo is strapped to the side; the user must "prime" the grenade by cranking it vigorously for one round before throwing.
Game Effects
When thrown (Range: 30ft), the grenade shatters, releasing a localized EMP (Electromagnetic Pulse) and a cloud of ionized blue dust.
Vs. Data-Wraiths & Spirits: The wraith must make a Save vs. Spell. On a failure, its digital form is "locked" into the physical plane for 1d6 rounds. During this time, it loses its immunity to normal weapons and its AC is reduced to 10.
Vs. Robots & Constructs: Deals 3d6 electrical damage. The construct must Save vs. Paralysis or be "Stunned" (cannot act) for 1 round as its circuits reboot.
Vs. Living Creatures: Deals 1d4 non-lethal shock damage. If the target has a "Clockwork Heart" or "Neural-Link Crown" (mutations/items), they must Save or be stunned for 1 round.
The "Blackout" Zone: For 1 turn after detonation, all non-magical electronic devices (torches, radios, scanners) within a 15ft radius cease to function.
Crafting a Static-Grenade
If a player has the "Technician" or "Gamma Scavenger" background, they can attempt to craft these during a long rest in the wilderness or at a workbench.
Requirements:
1 unit of Star-Metal Scrap (Copper wiring or circuit boards).
1 "Glow-Cell" (A depleted battery or radioactive soil).
A successful INT Check (with a -2 penalty if working in the dark).
GM's Note: If a player rolls a Natural 1 while priming or crafting a Static-Grenade, it "misfires" in their hand. The player takes 1d6 damage and their hair becomes permanently magnetized (Roll on the Minor Mutation Table).
"The Fizzle" Table (Optional)
Sometimes, ancient tech doesn't work quite right. If a player uses a "Discount" or "Scavenged" Static-Grenade, roll a d6:
1-2 (The Dud): It produces a sad spark and a puff of smoke. No effect.
3-4 (The Leak): It doesn't explode but leaks "The Glow." Everyone in 10ft must save vs. Radiation.
5-6 (Overcharge): Double the damage and radius, but the thrower is also caught in the blast.
In Barrows & Borderlands, a "Barrow" is rarely just a tomb. Most are buried research facilities, survival bunkers, or "Life-Support Vaults" from the Pre-Fall era that have been reclaimed by the earth and twisted by "The Glow."
Below is the layout for Barrow-7: The Glass-Lung Vault, designed for a Level 1-2 party.
Barrow-7: The Glass-Lung Vault
The Aesthetic: White ceramic tiles stained with rust; flickering fluorescent tubes; the smell of ozone and old gardenias.
📍 Level 1: The Decompression Foyer
1. The Blast Door: A massive circular door made of Star-Metal. It requires a Logic-Gate Key or a Strength check ($20+$) to pry open. A skeleton in a yellow jumpsuit clutches a Static-Grenade nearby.
2. Security Kiosk: A glass-walled room. Inside, a Null is mindlessly "typing" on a screen that hasn't worked in a century. A desk drawer contains a Lead-Lined Canteen.
3. The Decontamination Shower: Stepping on a pressure plate triggers a spray of fine, blue dust. It heals 1d4 HP but causes any Data-Wraiths in the next room to smell the players immediately.
📍 Level 2: The Hydroponic Jungle
4. The Overgrowth: This large hall is filled with glowing, purple ferns. 2x Radioactive Giant Ants (treat as Giant Ants with 1d4 acid sting) are nesting here.
5. The Seed Vault: Behind a locked door lies a cache of "Old World Seeds." These are worth 500gp to the right faction (The Silver Hand) but are guarded by a Fungal Symbiote Mutant (Major Mutation).
📍 Level 3: The Processor Core (The "Boss" Room)
6. The Server Pit: The floor is dropped 10ft and filled with tangled cables. 3x Nulls wander the pit.
7. The Core Terminal: A flickering hologram of a woman (the Vault's corrupted AI) hovers here. She is a Data-Wraith. She will offer the players a "Trade": Their memories (1 point of INT) for the location of the "Star-City."
8. The Escape Pod: A small metallic room containing a Monolith Blade (91-95 on the Loot Table) and a manual for a "Sky-Skiff."
Dungeon Mechanics: "The Air Quality"
Because this is the Glass-Lung Vault, the air is recycled. Use the Breath Tracker:
Every 20 minutes (2 turns) of real-time play, the air grows thinner.
After the first hour, all physical checks (Strength/Dexterity) are made at -2.
After two hours, players take 1 point of damage per turn unless they find the "Oxygen Re-router" in Area 4.
Encounter Table: Barrow-7 (d6)
| d6 | Result |
| 1 | 2d4 Nulls cleaning the walls with their bare hands. |
| 2 | A Data-Leak (Area turns neon-violet; all spells cast here have a Miscast chance). |
| 3 | A Scavenger Rival (A lone "Gamma" mutant looking for Star-Metal). |
| 4 | 1d4 Hover-Bots (Small drones that deal 1d6 zap damage; easy to break). |
| 5 | The Whispering Vents: Players hear the voices of people they knew; +1 to fear saves. |
| 6 | Star-Metal Cache: 1d6 units of scrap hidden under floorboards. |
Exploring Further
This map can serve as the "Tutorial Dungeon" for your campaign. The Data-Wraith in Area 7 knows the location of the Obsidian Orbit mentioned in your campaign plan.
In Barrows & Borderlands, the "Grey" (often called The Star-Skin or Void-Stalker) is not a biological extraterrestrial in the modern sense. Instead, they are interpreted through the lens of Weird Science Fantasy: they are the cold, clinical "Project Managers" of the Star-Cities who view the inhabitants of the Borderlands as either failing experiments or raw material.
Monster Profile: The Grey (Star-Skin)
Classification: Star-Entity / Outsider
Alignment: Lawful Neutral (Absolute, terrifying logic)
Statistics (B&B/OSR Style)
Armor Class: 17 (Protected by a shimmering "Pre-Sighted" kinetic field)
Hit Dice: $6d8$ (Average 27 HP)
Move: 30ft (Can levitate 5ft off the ground at will)
Attacks: 1 × Neuro-Lash or 1 × Gravity Manipulator
Save As: Magic-User 9 (High mental resistance)
Morale: 9 (They retreat if the experiment is compromised)
Special Abilities
The Neuro-Lash: Instead of a physical weapon, the Grey strikes with a whip of pure thought. It deals 1d8 psychic damage and the target must Save vs. Paralysis or be "Frozen in Time" for 1 round (unable to move or speak).
Telepathic Static: The Grey does not speak. It broadcasts its thoughts directly into the brains of those nearby. This causes an "Information Overload" to those not trained—any non-Psychic within 20ft takes a -2 penalty to all rolls.
Abduction Beam: As an action, the Grey can target one creature with a beam of green light. The target must Save vs. Spell or be pulled 30ft toward the Grey’s hovering disk (or into the ceiling).
Probability Shield: The Grey sees 3 seconds into the future. Once per round, it can force an attacker to re-roll a successful hit.
Lore & Description
The Greys stand roughly 4 feet tall with spindly, elongated limbs and skin the color of polished pewter or slate. Their eyes are not organic, but large, wraparound lenses of "Void-Glass" that capture spectrums of light humans cannot see (including the flow of magic and radiation).
They are often seen in the Borderlands performing "Assessments." This might involve paralyzing an entire village to take samples of their "Glow-mutations" or harvesting the brains of powerful Magic-Users to fuel their Star-Metal processors.
GM Tips for the Encounter
Uncanny Behavior: Greys don't get angry or shout. They tilt their heads like birds and observe. If a player character does something impressive, the Grey might simply record it on a floating tablet rather than attacking.
The Sound of Silence: When a Grey is present, all ambient noise (wind, fire, clanking armor) is muffled as if underwater.
The "Grey" Gear: They never carry gold. They carry Logic-Cubes and Surgical Star-Metal.
Loot Table: The Grey’s Kit (d6)
| d6 | Item | Effect |
| 1 | Memory Vial | A liquid that, if drunk, allows the user to relive 24 hours of another person's life. |
| 2 | Gravity Wand | Can cast Levitate 3 times before it needs to be recharged in a Barrow. |
| 3 | Neural-Link Crown | (From the Loot Table) Grants +1 to Psychic Duels but causes headaches. |
| 4 | Void-Glass Lenses | Allows the wearer to see Data-Wraiths and invisible creatures clearly. |
| 5 | Star-Silk Tunic | Weightless clothing that provides AC 14 and is immune to fire/acid. |
| 6 | The Tablet of Names | A device containing the names and "Mutation Percentages" of everyone in the party. |
Campaign Hook: The Assessment
A Grey appears in the middle of a battle between the players and the Inquisition. It ignores the Inquisition entirely and begins "tagging" the players with glowing green symbols. The players must find out why they have been chosen for "Final Assessment" before a Star-Ship arrives to collect them.
In Barrows & Borderlands, a Psychic Duel is a specialized form of combat that occurs when two minds—typically a Magic-User, a Psychic, or a Star-Entity like a Grey—clash on a mental plane.
While physical combat takes place in rounds, a Psychic Duel happens in a "shimmer," a frozen moment of time where the participants' consciousnesses enter a realm of pure thought.
Entering the Duel
A duel begins when one participant uses a psychic power or spell (like Mind Read, Telepathic Touch, or a Grey's Neuro-Lash) on another sentient mind. If the defender is "Mentally Aware" (is a psychic, a wizard, or has a Star-Metal crown), they can force a Duel instead of taking standard damage.
The Mental Landscape
The participants describe their "Mental Avatar."
The Knight: A fortress of iron logic.
The Void: A terrifying emptiness that swallows thoughts.
The Glitch: A chaotic swarm of shifting data.
Duel Mechanics (The "Mind-Clash")
Instead of rolling to hit AC, both participants roll 1d20 + Wisdom Modifier + Level.
1. The Opening Gambit
Both players roll. The winner chooses the "Terrain" of the mind:
Logical (Standard): No bonuses.
Emotional (Chaotic): +2 bonus to those with Mutations.
Void (Empty): -2 penalty to all rolls; first one to fail a roll takes double damage.
2. The Exchange
Participants take turns "Striking" and "Parrying" using their mental stats.
Attack: Roll $1d20 + \text{Wisdom/Intelligence}$. If you beat the opponent's roll, they take Psychic Strain (d6).
The Focus Burn: A player can "Burn" 1 point of Intelligence or Wisdom (Temporary) to add $+4$ to their roll. This represents pushing the brain to its absolute limit.
3. Victory and Defeat
The duel ends when a participant reaches 0 Psychic Strain (usually based on their total Wisdom score) or surrenders.
| Result | Outcome |
| Victory | You may plant a "Suggestion," steal a memory, or leave the target Stunned for $1d6$ rounds. |
| Defeat | You are cast back into your body. You take 1d8 psychic damage and are "Mind-Burned" (cannot cast spells or use powers for 1 hour). |
| Draw | Both minds recoil. Both take 1d4 damage and gain the "Static Headache" (-1 to all rolls for 10 minutes). |
Advanced Maneuvers
If the duel involves a Grey (Star-Skin) or a Data-Wraith, they may use "Alien Logic":
Memory Wipe: Instead of damage, the Grey can attempt to "Delete" a specific memory (like the location of the party’s home base).
Logic Loop: The Grey traps the player in a paradox. The player must roll a Save vs. Spell or be forced to repeat their last action for 3 rounds.
Item Synergy: The Neural-Link Crown
If you are wearing a Neural-Link Crown (from the Loot Table) during a Psychic Duel:
You gain a +2 bonus to all Duel rolls.
The Risk: If you lose the duel, the crown "short-circuits." You take an additional 1d10 electrical damage and must roll on the Minor Mutation Table as your brain is rewired by the device.
GM Tip: The "Shared Mind"
If two players are both Psychics, they can "Link" to face a powerful foe (like a Grey) together. They use the highest Wisdom modifier between them and gain a $+2$ "Brotherhood Bonus," but if they lose, both suffer the full consequences of the defeat.
In the radioactive ecology of Barrows & Borderlands, the Psychic Slayer (also known as the Thought-Eater or The Static Hound) is a biological horror specifically engineered—or perhaps mutated—to hunt those who tap into the mental plane.
When a player enters a Psychic Duel or uses powerful psionics, there is a cumulative 5% chance (the "Brain-Bleed" check) that a Slayer detects their "mental scent" across the Borderlands and begins the hunt.
Monster Profile: Psychic Slayer
Classification: Mutated Beast / Anti-Psionic Stalker
Alignment: Neutral (Pure predatory instinct)
Statistics (B&B/OSR Style)
Armor Class: 16 (Blurred by a displacement field)
Hit Dice: $5d8+5$ (Average 28 HP)
Move: 50ft (Fast, jerky movements; can run on walls)
Attacks: 2 × Razor-Claws (1d6) or 1 × Synapse-Bite (See below)
Save As: Fighting-Man 5
Morale: 11 (Relentless once it tastes a "Mind-Scent")
Special Abilities
Synapse-Bite: Instead of physical damage, the Slayer can choose to bite the target's "Aura." The target must Save vs. Spell or lose their highest-level spell slot (or 5 Psychic Power points). The Slayer heals 1d8 HP for every spell level consumed.
Aura-Vision: The Slayer is physically blind but "sees" the psychic energy of living things. It ignores Invisibility and Cover. However, it cannot see Nulls or Robots and is "blind" to anyone under the effect of a Mind Blank spell.
The Static Howl: Once per encounter, the Slayer lets out a psychic shriek. All "Mentally Aware" characters within 60ft must Save vs. Paralysis or be unable to use magic or psionics for $1d4$ rounds.
Phase-Step: When the Slayer is targeted by a spell or psychic attack, it can "blink" 10 feet in any direction, potentially causing the attack to miss.
Lore & Description
The Psychic Slayer resembles a hairless, multi-limbed canine with translucent skin that reveals a pulsing, neon-violet nervous system. Instead of a standard face, it has a vertical maw filled with needle-like Star-Metal teeth and a cluster of vibrating antennae where its eyes should be.
They are often found in the service of the Lead-Lined Inquisition, who use them as "witch-hounds" to track down rogue Magic-Users and Gammas. In the wild, they hang around Barrows, waiting for scavengers to exhaust their mental defenses before striking.
GM Tips for the Hunt
The Build-up: Don't just have it appear. Tell the Psychic player they feel a "cold itch" in the back of their skull. Tell them the stars look like they are "flickering" even during the day. This indicates the Slayer is closing in.
The Counter: Since the Slayer "sees" thought, players can confuse it by thinking loudly and chaotically. If a player spends their turn shouting nonsense or singing "The Most Annoying Song in the Borderlands," the Slayer’s attacks against them are made at a -4 penalty.
Loot Table: Slayer Harvest (d6)
| d6 | Item | Use |
| 1-2 | Slayer Gland | Can be brewed into a "Mind-Shield Potion" (+4 to Psychic Duels for 1 hour). |
| 3-4 | Antennae Spikes | Can be fashioned into daggers. They deal +1d6 damage to anything that can cast spells. |
| 5 | Void-Glass Eyes | Though the creature is blind, these lenses can be used to craft Aura-Goggles. |
| 6 | Nerve-Bundle | A raw source of "The Glow." Worth 300gp to a Biosmith or Gamma doctor. |
Encounter Hook: The Static Pack
The party finds a village where everyone is standing perfectly still, staring at the sky. They are all Nulls. In the center of the village, a pack of 3 Psychic Slayers is "feasting" on the lingering mental echoes of the town's history. One of the Slayers turns its antennae toward the party's Magic-User and chitters.
In the radioactive fringes of Barrows & Borderlands, the Biosmith is the master of flesh, bone, and "The Glow." While the Magic-User manipulates the Void and the Fighter masters steel, the Biosmith treats the humanoid body as a machine to be upgraded, overclocked, and rewired.
They are the surgeons of the wasteland, often recognizable by their stained lead aprons, multiple prosthetic limbs, and jars of pulsing "reagent" hanging from their belts.
The Biosmith (Character Class)
Primary Attribute: Intelligence (Required 9+)
Hit Dice: $1d6$ per level
Armor/Weapons: Any one-handed weapon; Light or Medium armor (Metal armor interferes with "The Stitching").
Saving Throws: +2 vs. Poison, Radiation, and Mutation.
Core Class Abilities
1. The Portable Vat
A Biosmith carries a specialized chemical kit. During a Long Rest, they can produce "Reagents" equal to their Level + INT Modifier. These can be used to:
Heal: Spend 1 Reagent to heal an ally for $1d6 + \text{Level}$ HP.
Adrenaline Spike: Spend 2 Reagents to give an ally +2 to Initiative and an extra Move action for one encounter.
Numbing Agent: Spend 1 Reagent to grant an ally "Ignore Pain" (they don't drop at 0 HP until the end of the round).
2. Grafting (Level 1+)
The Biosmith can "install" monster parts onto willing (or unconscious) subjects. If the party kills a beast (like a Psychic Slayer or Radioactive Ant), the Biosmith can spend 1 hour to graft a part onto a player.
The Cost: The recipient must succeed on a Save vs. Poison. Failure results in a Minor Mutation. Success grants a limited version of the monster's ability (e.g., +1 AC from chitin, or a 1d4 claw attack).
3. Stabilize Mutation (Level 3+)
When a teammate rolls on the Minor or Major Mutation Table, the Biosmith can attempt to "channel" the mutation. They can force the player to re-roll the result, or "mute" the negative social effects (Charisma loss) of a major mutation by surgically hiding the deformity.
4. The Flesh-Golem (Level 5+)
The Biosmith can construct a loyal servant out of "spare parts" and Star-Metal wiring.
The Servant: Has HP equal to half the Biosmith's. It acts on the Biosmith's turn.
Customization: The Biosmith can spend "Reagents" to give the Golem specific mutations from the tables you've generated.
Biosmith Leveling Progression
| Level | Title | Ability Unlocked |
| 1 | Stitcher | Portable Vat, Basic Grafting |
| 2 | Organ-Tuned | +2 to see hidden "Glow" signatures |
| 3 | Mutagenist | Stabilize Mutation, Craft Antidotes |
| 4 | Vat-Master | Reagents heal $2d6$ instead of $1d6$ |
| 5 | Biosmith | Construct Flesh-Golem |
Starting Equipment
Surgical Star-Metal Saw (1d6 damage, ignores 1 point of AC).
Lead-Lined Apron (AC 12, +4 vs. Radiation).
3 Jars of Reagent.
A "Journal of Failures" (Contains anatomical drawings of the Star-Skins).
The Biosmith's Risk: "The Feedback"
Because they work so closely with mutated tissue, whenever a Biosmith rolls a Natural 1 on a healing or grafting check, they absorb a portion of "The Glow." They must immediately roll on the Minor Mutation Table themselves. Many high-level Biosmiths eventually have more monster parts than human ones.
Playing a Biosmith
You are the party's "Combat Medic," but your healing comes with strings attached. You don't just fix a broken leg; you replace the bone with a steel-reinforced piston. You are often the only thing keeping the party from turning into Nulls after a trip into a Barrow.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.