I tend to be a bit all over the place when it comes to TTRPG supplements because, well, I like variety. That, and because even if I find something that seems to resonate with the audience, I don't want to go back to the same well so much that the novelty and fun wears off. It's why my World's Oldest Profession series only has 3 supplements so far, with a 4th on the way.
However, I recently dropped a supplement that was sort of a soft test for a potential series, depending on how people reacted to it. And while the numbers were all right, it wasn't exactly a ringing cheer from the crowd. So I wanted to ask this Monday... do you think I should follow up 100 Items To Find in a Chromatic Dragon's Hoard?
But before I get into the meat of today's post, remember, don't forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter to get all my updates right in your inbox. Also, if you've got a bit of spare cash that you'd like to use to help keep the wheels turning, consider becoming a Patreon patron! Also, be sure you're following all of my followables, check out my LinkTree.
Lastly, for hundreds of extra articles on gaming, weird history, and for more free fiction, check out my Vocal archive, too!
Do We Need More Monster Hoards?
Generally speaking, we know what the purpose of a monster hoard is in a mechanical sense; it's to give your players loot and magic items that they can then use to buy upgrades to take on the next monsters they face. However, if it just turns into writing down numbers and doing calculations, then players can quickly lose the impact of what it means to be in a monster's den, and to really get a grasp of who the creature is... or was.
And that is where this supplement, and others like it, would come in.
Because it's not just about that glitter.
The items in this supplement aren't statted-out weapons, armor, and so on. They are the sorts of things you would find in a place where a monster lives (or lived), and which are indicative of its history, its personality, and which add flavor to the area. Like a sword that's been bent and charred because a red dragon used it as a toothpick, or a red-stained bathtub that's been pressed into service as a wine goblet. And whether these items are used as set dressing after the fight is said and done in an attempt to ground the scene and remind players of what they just accomplished, or they're used before a fight during an exploration of a lair, it comes in handy both ways.
And that is the purpose of these supplements. As long as the monsters in-question exist in your world and setting, you can use these to add atmosphere and gravitas to these scenes.
Which gets to what I'd like to do going forward. Because the obvious sequel would be 100 Items To Find in a Metallic Dragon's Hoard, so that folks have a nice yin and yang of the two major dragon types. But I could expand the series to other iconic monsters like liches, hags, bugbears, goblins, and more! Whichever monsters get added to the list, the idea is to do more than just provide a list of gold values and magic items, and to help players stay in the scene, and in the story, with a couple of curve balls.
So, if that's something you want to see going forward, here's what I need you to do:
- Leave a comment here, or on my social media pages, about which monsters you'd like to see get a list like this going forward.
The more attention a given supplement receives in terms of sales, reviews, reposts, comments, etc., the more likely it is that a creator or publisher will dedicate more time and energy to that project. If we see there's an audience, we're going to do our best to give them what they want... so if this is something you want to see, take a moment and make your voice heard on the subject!
Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!
That's all for this week's Moon Pope Monday. To stay on top of all my content and releases, make sure you subscribe to my newsletter at the bottom of the page!
To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Blue Sky, Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!
The thing reared out of the darkness, fangs bared, and red eyes shining with an infernal light. It held vaguely to the shape of a man, but it stank of untold centuries, and the sight of it made you feel as if a thousand insectile legs were scrabbling at the inside of your brain, trying to escape. It took one step, then another, already thirsty for the hot, wet blood it could smell pounding through the human's veins.
Lisa was half-numb with terror, but her finger still tightened on the trigger. The Mossberg bucked in her hands, roaring as fire erupted from the barrel of her gun. The dragonsbreath round tore into the creature, and it shrieked with outrage, and pain. Lisa racked the weapon on instinct, and squeezed the trigger again. The second round blew off the creature's head, leaving nothing behind but a scorched neck stump, as the kindred who had seen centuries turn from the dark shadows of the world fell away to nothing but a cloud of burning ashes.
"No weapon forged by mortal hand, huh?" she said, her voice shaky as she racked a fresh round into her weapon, and slipped a few fresh shells into her gun.
Wait... they're packing what!? No, get me the hell out of here.
As always, don't forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter to get all my updates right in your inbox. Also, if you've got a bit of spare cash that you'd like to use to help keep the wheels turning, consider becoming a Patreon patron! Also, be sure you're following all of my followables, check out my LinkTree.
Lastly, for hundreds of extra articles on gaming, weird history, and for more free fiction, check out my Vocal archive, too!
High Caliber Strategy (Guns Are Lethal in This Game)
If you've played any of the games set in the World or Chronicles of Darkness, then you already know the sheer variety of nonsense these games have when it comes to the supernatural. From rampaging werewolves, to centuries-old bloodsuckers, to death-defying sin eaters, and iron-allergic creatures from another dimension, there's magic and monsters aplenty lurking in the dark corners of these modern games. However, we often get so caught up in the power plays between reality-bending mages and primordial creatures of darkness that we tend to forget the sheer, killing power of a modern firearm.
And I'm not just talking about vehicle-mounted military ordnance, here... regular, everyday guns can spell game over for even potent supernatural creatures who roll the dice and come out on the wrong end of a bet.
I talked about this a whileback on Discussions of Darkness on the Azukail Games YouTube channel, but I feel like this really bears repeating here. In all versions of these games, firearms deal lethal damage as a rule. For those not familiar, there's bashing damage caused by punches and blunt force trauma that heals relatively quickly, lethal damage caused by guns, blades, and so on that is far more difficult to heal, and aggravated damage which is like using silver on a werewolf... aggravated damage usually makes a character dead in very short order. In the Chronicles of Darkness when you make an attack with a firearm you roll your Dexterity + Firearms dice pool, and add your successes to the weapon's damage rating to determine damage dealt. So if you're firing a rifle (4 extra damage) or a shotgun (3 extra damage), and you end up with a decent number of successes (say 3-4 of them) that's enough to drop someone into unconscious and bleeding out... and that level of damage can also cripple or kill a supernatural creature if they don't have proper protections against what's being fired at them.
The other thing that makes firearms so deadly is that they ignore a character's Defense (as long as the firearm isn't being used in melee distance). If you're being attacked in melee, or someone is throwing something at you, you have the ability to apply your Defense against that action, representing your ability to duck, bob, weave, etc. out of the way to slip punches, dodge blades, and so on. Firearms don't care about your Defense... the only thing that can save you from being shot is armor, cover, and some pretty powerful supernatural abilities.
I say this not because I want folks to think that firearms are a completely overpowered aspect of this game... but instead to realize that guns are a massive equalizer in a modern fantasy/horror game. And if your game is set in America, the land of Smith and Wesson, this is going to be something people run into quite a lot when they end up playing hardball.
A Literal Arms Race
Now, all of this is not to say that guns are an automatic win. For one thing, armor and shields rated for ballistic encounters (the sort of stuff you see a SWAT team roll up in) can allow characters to wade through a battlefield without substantial harm if they have a bit of luck. Secondly, you still have to be able to actually hit a target, and when it comes to distance, lighting, cover, dodging, etc., firefights can quickly become choking, nasty affairs... especially because so many of these games take place in cities and not in open, empty fields on bright days with clear sight lines.
Just as importantly, though, one of the major aspects of the World and Chronicles of Darkness is secrecy. While it is perfectly possible to roar up to an encounter dressed for a Texan wedding and ready to leave a few thousand shell casings in your wake, that sort of thing tends to get noticed in a big damn hurry... and that's exactly the opposite of what you want. Especially when you consider that the authorities have more guns, bigger guns, and there's a lot more of them than there are of you, the application of firearms tends to become far more strategic when you're trying to solve plot. Sure, you might keep a sidearm on you for personal protection, or wear a ballistic weave vest under your coat, but you aren't gearing up all the way just to go about your daily life.
This is a lot like how it's frowned upon to stomp around town in a fantasy RPG dressed in full plate and carrying bared steel. People in the modern world tend to get extremely nervous when someone in a full suit of tactical gear shows up to a grocery store with a shotgun over one shoulder, and a brace of flash bangs on their hip.
Move fast. Break stuff. Disappear.
However, it cannot be overstated that this is not a technology V. supernatural dichotomy. Because firearms being this widely available mean they're going to be in the hands of supernatural creatures and their servants, too. Whether it's gang enforcers who've been juiced up on a kindred's vitae, mortals sworn to fight and die in the service of a changeling, or a mage who has turned a gun into one of their ritual implements, the interactions of modern day weaponry with the supernatural can put you on a fast track to seriously bonkers (and deadly) encounters.
With that said, I feel it's important to understand that when the guns come out, that's when things get really serious in this game. Don't breeze into a room full of heavily-armed bruisers thinking you can take them because you're one of the game's main characters... all it takes is a little overconfidence and a few good rolls on the ST's part for your character to die of lead poisoning on the first round of combat, regardless of how long you've been banking your experience points.
Good planning and preparation is worth a lot... but there's a reason the monsters melt into the shadows when humans start tooling up and lighting their torches!
Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!
That's all for this week's Crunch post! To stay on top of all my content and releases, make sure you subscribe to my newsletter at the bottom of the page!
To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Blue Sky, Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!
The ability to summon allies to your side via magic and spell-like abilities is a staple of TTRPGs, and there are entire classes and character builds geared toward making the most out of these spells and abilities. However, too often we end up just treating these monsters, spirits, and even summoned animals as nothing more than collections of stats and numbers, rather than as what they are; characters. Even though they may only show up for a brief period of time, and they typically show up just to do a specific job, we often overlook the story potential these creatures can provide us with.
All you need do is open the door, and ask them to come to your side.
As always, don't forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter to get all my updates right in your inbox. Also, if you've got a bit of spare cash that you'd like to use to help keep the wheels turning, consider becoming a Patreon patron! Also, be sure you're following all of my followables, check out my LinkTree.
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When You Have Friends in Low (And High) Places
While there are a lot of games out there that use summoned creatures and spirits, I will be using the framework of Pathfinder, as well as Dungeons and Dragons for discussing this idea. Since it's a largely roleplay-centered idea, you can apply this idea to any other game where the creature or spirit you summon and control is an actual entity, rather than a simple collection of energy that has no will or thoughts of its own that merely mimics a creature.
Okay? Okay.
Who's messin' with you, fam? Point me at 'em!
The idea of summoning a creature to your side to aid you in whatever struggle you're currently dealing with is not a particularly new one, as far as magic in the genre goes. From the ancient wizards battled by barbarian heroes like Conan, to Gandalf calling on Shadowfax to whisk him and Pippin away, to the warrior mages of Magic: The Gathering, calling on powerful monsters and deadly beasts to fight your battles for you, or to provide you aid at a critical moment, is nothing new in the genre. But while it can be a pain to keep track of multiple miniatures on the map, as well as the hit points, special abilities, attacks, etc. used by your newly-summoned allies, you can squeeze a little more RP value out of them if you're willing to.
For that, you need to make them full NPCs, and give a few hints of the story you have with them, and how they play into your character's history. As an example, consider some of the following scenarios:
- The sorceress with a secret tie to an archdevil reluctantly calls upon infernal creatures to aid her in battle. The lesser creatures refer to her with the term mistress as a sign of respect, but more powerful devils might use a title unfamilar to the rest of the party, or simply offer a cryptic message like, "Your godmother sends you her regards," before vanishing at the end of the battle. While the sorceress may not interact with the devils much, she calls on them by name, showcasing her mastery of the devil's tongue, and suggesting that something more than mere arcane study is to blame for her skill at calling on these allies.
- The gnome druid Bingala only calls on animals he's personally met and befriended with his spells to summon nature's allies. At first this might lead to some moments of affection as he's nuzzled by a wolf pack that defended him, or he sends a bear off with a scratch behind the ear, and a whisper to watch over his mother before he disappears. But as the animals get stranger and stranger, the druid has more and more tales to tell about his travels, and how he encountered such truly bizarre allies... as well as what he did to earn their friendship so that they would come to his side when called by the power of the green.
- An aasimar summoner who was born on the celestial plane, and only came to the material plane on the business of the higher realm. When they call on celestial creatures, they do so because these are the beings from their home plane, and the kinds of monsters they're most familiar with. Even if that means colossal, feathered T-Rexes with glowing eyes golden claws, or boars with silver ridges who speak in a tongue like a perfect bell. Seeing the bizarre creatures they call to their side, and how the summoner interacts with them, can drive home just how alien they are, and how bizarre the plane they grew up on is compared to the one whose soil they now tread.
Your Mileage May Vary
To get out in front of some of the comments I've seen with advice columns like this before, this isn't a strategy everyone is going to want to try. Some players and Game Masters may already be juggling too many balls to start assigning story significance, personal narratives, and more to summoned creatures who are only going to be on the board for a single fight, or a handful of rounds. However, I've found that this is a unique method of injecting a little extra character and story into using summoned creatures as a main method of overcoming challenges, so I wanted to share it for folks who wanted to add some more personality to what can quickly become a very scattered and impersonal method of magic use.
Also, I've linked some of the articles I've written about the most common classes in Pathfinder who are known for using summoned creatures. Please consider giving those a look as well, as I'd love to get back to this series and really finish it out!
That's all for this week's Fluff post. To stay on top of all my content and releases, make sure you subscribe to my newsletter at the bottom of the page!
To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!
There's an old truth when it comes to horror movies; the less you see of the monster, the scarier it is. From the giant shark in Jaws, to the alien trophy hunter in Predator, to the xenomorph in Alien, every time we're left alone with our own imaginations we end up making something far worse than whatever the director and the special effects team could put up on the screen in front of us.
Part of this is that our brains seek out danger, and when lighting, tone, tense music, etc. tells us there's a danger, and we can't see it, it makes us anxious as we try to spot the threat before it sneaks up on us. However, familiarity breeds contempt. When you see a monster for the first time it can be horrifying, repulsive, and chilling. When you see it for the hundredth time it can be familiar, and even comforting in a strange way.
That's why if you're running a World of Darkness game, you should strive to save your game-specific big bads. Build them up. Make your players really sweat about them. Because if they're constantly showing up, pretty soon whatever edge they had is going to get pretty dull.
Consider using smaller, in-between threats to fill in the cracks instead.
Before we get into the nitty gritty this week, don't forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter to get all my updates right in your inbox. Also, if you've got a bit of spare cash that you'd like to use to help keep the wheels turning, consider becoming a Patreon patron!
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True Fae, BSDs, and Antediluvians, Oh My!
Every sphere of the World of Darkness (and the Chronicles of Darkness, as well) has different iterations on the same theme. There's which family you belong to (clan, tribe, seeming, etc.), which political organization you're affiliated with (court, order, covenant, etc.), which special pocket realm only your kind can access (the Umbra, the Hedge, and so on), and what special resource you harvest to power your magic (gnosis, blood, glamour, and so forth). However, there is one other category that often gets overlooked, and it's which special monster is your creature type's personal big bad?
If you're playing Werewolf: The Apocalypse then the one that's front-and-center are the Black Spiral Dancers, as they're a dark reflection, showing all the savage and corrupt things the garou could become. In Changeling: The Lost the True Fae are the Keepers who stole them, and the little gods who torment them, looming as large as a child's bogeyman. Vampires have to cope with the ancients of their kind whose power makes even the strongest of young bloods feel weak and frail, and mages in Mage: The Ascension have to cope with the Technocracy, who uses their immense power to take away freedom from others, sacrificing it for safety and security... or so they tell themselves.
Oh... oh we are in deep.
A problem I've seen a lot of Storytellers run into is that they see these personalized antagonists, and they focus on making what should be an end-of-arc villain, or something with a lot of build-up, into the garden-variety threat that their players are dealing with on a regular basis. And the effect is basically the same one you get in movies where the monster is in plain sight, standing under bright lights in more than half the scenes of the film.
Put bluntly, it loses its mystery. And without mystery, it's got no power over the imaginations of the players.
If you're going to use these big bads to raise the stakes of your game (which you should, it's what they're for), you need to take the time to actually draw out their legends. Keep them in the shadows, and let the PCs learn about them slowly. Have them move around one another in a tightening circle, but without coming to blows until there's been enough buildup that the tension is really starting to show on the players' actions.
Give Me an Example?
Let's say that you are running a Werewolf: The Apocalypse game. Your players have formed a relatively young pack, and they're hungry for glory. What better way to give them that glory than for them to defeat a noted Black Spiral Dancer (or an entire pack of them)?
That's your goal as the Storyteller... but that's not where you start the game. That's where you want to end things. Once you have that end game, you work backwards.
It's easier when you know where you're going.
Start at the end. Who are these infamous villains, and what relationship do they have to your young werewolves? Is one of them an uncle, aunt, parent, or brother who fell to the Wyrm, and a PC needs to slay them in order to put their soul to rest and purge its corruption? Is one of them a former mentor? Or for a more thematic connection, is one of them a dark mirror of a particular PC, showing what they could become... and maybe deep down what part of them wants to become?
It's a concept very similar to The Anti-Party, it just happens to work really well with werewolves.
Once you know who your villains are, build up their history. Give them a reputation, like I talked about in The Small Legend, and figure out what your players will learn about them.
For example, the head of the pack may have been noted Silver Fang Konstantin Romanoff, considered a shining light among his tribe. In his desperation for victory, and to prove himself, he traded his pride and his morals a little at a time. Now he fancies that his eyes are open, and that he has become the true king he was meant to be. A Wyrm Lord who will rule the polluted ashes of the new world... a werewolf Dr. Doom, if you're looking for a simple, gothic comparison. At his side the former Get of Fenris champion Ragnar Thorsson, whose brutal rages consumed him from within until eventually he declared his fealty to a power that never asked him to hold back. Den Mother Lorna Dane pledged herself to end the hostilities, and to spare the lives of the young, becoming a twisted version of the gentle soul she'd once been. And so on.
Once you know what your villains are, and what their reputations are, plant clues in the game for your PCs to learn more about them. Figure out which NPCs are going to be knowledgeable about these villains, and who will big-up their legend. If they have a personal connection to the PCs, ask if the villains were thought dead, but it turns out they're alive, but wicked. Then, once you have all of that information, ask what your PCs have to deal with before they even find out who and what the true villains of the story are!
It's all connected!
If your pack of Black Spiral Dancers are the big bads, chances are they have corrupt kinfolk working under them. They may have purely mortal servants, attack teams of fomori, first response teams from a Pentex subsidiary, or a dozen other servants carrying out their plans, as well. While individual pack members might be considered lieutenant villains of different arcs of the story, have the PCs come across clues about them. Maybe they're tracking down a group of dangerous kinfolk to question them, only to find them torn apart to the last man, expended shell casings all over the ground and silver slugs in the walls showing that whatever did it simply would not stop. Or perhaps the PCs find a powerful ally mortally wounded, and the ally tells them about the creature that hurt him so badly. Lower-level villains might talk if they're captured, or the big bads might even send messengers or communications to the PCs, either threatening them or congratulating them for their strength and cleverness in foiling their plans.
Once you have all of that set up, let your players work their way up the chain of command, getting in the way of the villains' plans, learning about them, and building up to a big conclusion. But do not skimp on the reveal of the bad guys' legends, or the presentation of what they're capable of. Let your players marinate, and really drink in exactly how much of a threat this could be for them.
While the above example uses corrupted werewolves, you could do the same thing with the True Fae in changeling, Methuselahs and Antediluvians in Vampire, or most other big bads that a game provides you with. If something is supposed to be a serious threat, and a major force to reckon with, take your time with it. Spool out their legend, let the players explore, give them little bits of story here and there, and show how other NPCs fear and respect these forces. Much like how most of the cast of a film talks about John Wick, you need to make these baddies your bogeymen.
And the less you have them physically there, but still present in the narrative, the more effective they tend to be.
For More World of Darkness Content!
If you enjoyed this week's post, and you'd like more World of Darkness or Chronicles of Darkness content, consider some of my supplements below!
Vampire: The Masquerade
If you need secondary villains and minions to pepper your story with, consider the following titles:
And those who are looking for a unique method to get information to their players might want to check out this piece, along with the audio drama of its introductory short story below!
Perhaps the game line I've created the most content for to-date, those looking for unique NPCs should check out the following bundle, which has all 13 tribes, Black Spiral Dancers, as well as kinfolk for the mokole!
Lastly, if you're a fiction fiend, I was part of a Werewolf anthology not long ago. Check this one out if you'd like to see even more tales told across the setting by myself and fellow contributors:
The game I've been doing the most work on lately, the ongoing tales from these supplements are also getting their own audio dramas! So if you enjoy listening to them, consider subscribing to the Azukail Games YouTube channel so I can keep the publisher greenlighting them!
That's all for this week's Moon Pope Monday. To stay on top of all my content and releases, make sure you subscribe to my newsletter at the bottom of the page!
To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!
There are, generally speaking, two kinds of GMs when it comes to fantasy RPGs. There's GMs who want to embrace the full scale and spectrum of possibility within the setting as it exists, and there's GMs who want to limit as many player options as possible when it comes to how weird, wild, or strange they get.
You can usually identify the latter because they'll tell players to stop trying to make "special snowflake" characters.
Now, I talked about all the issues I have with this line of thinking back in It Only Has To Happen Once (Weird PCs and The "Special Snowflake" Argument). In brief, though, if something is allowed by the rules of the game, and is possible within the setting, then players should be allowed to choose those options. Whether it's an orc paladin, a goblin wizard, a dwarven sorcerer, or any other basic combination of species and class that isn't expressly banned by the rules.
Because sure, it might be weird. It might be unconventional. But it's fantasy... stretch your imagination, because that's the name of the game!
Frost Fang approves of snowflakes of all kinds!
It is for this purpose that I created Hoardreach for my Sundara: Dawn of a New Age setting. So if you want the freedom to get weird, wild, and bizarre with your characters, this is going to be right up your alley!
For folks who want to stay on top of all my latest releases, sign up for my weekly newsletter! Also, if you enjoy my work, my latest novel Painted Cats just dropped this month. So if you want to check out a noir mystery with a Maine coon cat as the protagonist, this one is a wild ride!
Hoardreach is Where The Weirdness Lives
For folks who haven't been tuning in, one thing that I threw out the window with Sundara as a setting was the alignment system. While that means you no longer have alignment requirements for classes in Pathfinder, it also means there's no such thing as species-based alignments, or culture-based ones. Everything has to be evaluated on its own, rather than always having that Good, Neutral, or Evil label hanging over it to color your perspective of what you're looking at.
Oh don't you worry... there's still plenty of initiative that needs rolling.
However, while Sundara as a setting is about progress, discovery, and finding creative solutions to existing problems, several readers have mistakenly thought that makes it a world without conflict. There are plenty of conflicts for adventurers to get involved in, from protecting trade secrets, to dealing with outbreaks of undead, to trying to soothe tensions between two powers that might go to war... but what Sundara lacks is the idea that you can just kill certain creatures because they're evil without thinking twice about doing so.
And that, my friends, is where Hoardreach comes in.
Hoardreach is a sky island (a unique mountain location with drastically different conditions due to its height, as opposed to an island that floats in the sky... don't worry, we'll get to that later), and it was the strangeness of this location that drew the Founders. 5 dragons, rather than battling over the territory, agreed to each allow the others the part of the mountain they wanted for their lairs, and to act in the defense of all. While fairly young dragons individually, all 5 working in concert wielded far more power than anything short of a great wyrm could have managed.
After negotiations with one another, and meeting with a representative of the Adeptus Draconis (an order of knights tasked with keeping peace between dragons and non-dragons that was first mentioned back in 100 Knightly Orders), the Cooperation reached out to their neighbors. In exchange for tribute, they would extend their protection to surrounding areas, and assist with dangers they faced. While many were reluctant at first, the benefits of the dragons' aid far outweighed the cost asked.
As word of Hoardreach spread, people started coming to see it for themselves. While there were explorers and merchants, along with scholars, the city also drew outcasts who'd been forced away from their own homes. Goblin tribes that had been hunted, harpies who were unwanted, the remnants of orc mercenary bands who found no welcome, and dozens of others all sought places within Hoardreach. As the city grew it drew still more (and stranger) inhabitants who were able to lend their unique skills and abilities to make the city run smoothly. Soon the Founders were able to conserve their energies only for dire emergencies, while the various corps throughout the city took over the day-to-day labors.
Now Hoardreach is known far and wide. For in addition to being the City of Wyrms, it is also the place where the fledgling industry of air travel has been born. Ships shingled in the cast-off scales of the founders, and carefully constructed for form and function, have opened the possibilities of new types of trade and travel... as well as warfare, for those who would consider making the dragons of Hoardreach their enemies.
When Weird Becomes Normal
Everything in Hoardreach is utterly bonkers and bizarre... which means that to those who live there, this is completely normal.
It's not unusual to have different seasons going on in different districts, the very elements influenced by the presence of one of the Founder's Wyrm Marks. Flying ships are an everyday occurrence, as are pseudodragons, fey dragons, kobolds, and others. Sorcerers with draconic heritage are fairly common, many coming to the city hoping to learn at the feet of powerful dragons who might (albeit distantly) share their bloodlines. Ogres catch lines to help anchor ships, goblins and orcs sell soup in bowls around one of the main squares, and a frost giant is one of the head shipwrights who designs the unique sky ships of Hoardreach.
This is the Fantastical Mundane in action. If there's a monstrous species players have access to in the setting, chances are there's at least a handful of them in Hoardreach. If there's an unusual magical specialty, a strange family history, or just an odd magic item, it's a safe bet you could find it there. If you wanted to play a goblin who grew up in a major city surrounded by their family instead of being hunted like vermin, or a gnoll who was raised by an adopted halfling family, or a sorcerer who learned magic in the lair of a dragon, or an ogrekin looking to make their own way in the world... that's just Tuesday in Hoardreach.
So if any of that sounds like something you want to add to your game (as each of the Cities of Sundara can be enfolded into a different setting, or played as part of Sundara), get your copy of either the Pathfinder Edition of Hoardreach, or the DND 5th Edition of Hoardreach today!
Don't Forget The Rest of Sundara as Well!
If Hoardreach sounds like your cup of tea, remember that it's the 4th installment in the Sundara setting thus far! Not only that, but the others all have their own weird, wild, and unusual goodies to offer as well. So take a moment to check out:
- Ironfire: The City of Steel (Pathfinder and 5E): Built around the Dragon Forge, Ironfire is where the secret to dragon steel was first cracked. The center of the mercenary trade in the region, as well as boasting some of the finest schools for teaching practical sciences, Ironfire is a place where discovery and danger walk hand in hand!
- Moüd: The City of Bones (Pathfinder and 5E): An ancient center of trade and magic, Moüd was lost to a cataclysm, and then buried in myth. Reclaimed by the necromantic arts of the Silver Wraiths guild, this city has once again become a place teeming with life. Despite the burgeoning population, though, it is the continued presence of the undead that helps keep the city running, ensuring that Moüd is not swallowed up once more.
- Silkgift: The City of Sails (Pathfinder and 5E): Built on the cottage industry of Archer cloth (an extremely durable material used for sails, windmills, etc.), Silkgift is a place that prizes invention and discovery. From gravity batteries that store the potential of the wind, to unique irrigation systems, to aether weapons, the city positively churns out discoveries... and then there's the canal they cut through the mountains that makes them a major center of trade across the region.
Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!
That's all for this week's Moon Pope Monday. To stay on top of all my content and releases, make sure you subscribe to my newsletter at the bottom of the page!
To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!
If you're anything like me, then there are probably some areas of the 5th Edition of Dungeons and Dragons you find frustrating. A lot of it is straightforward, streamlined, easy to learn and easy to play... but there just aren't as many options as you might like. Not just for races (particularly less-traditional, more monstrous ones), but also for tactics and options to help spice things up once initiative has been rolled and it's time to really forge the narrative of your epic tale of fire and blood.
For those of you who really want to expand your options, this project from Total Party Kill Games is definitely something you should get in on.
Trust me, this is going to expand your toolbox in a BIG way!
What is The Book of Monstrous Might?
The short version is that The Book of Monstrous Might is a Kickstarter project from TPK Games that aims to put more options into the hands of players and dungeon masters alike for DND 5th Edition. This gaming tome adds new monsters and monster abilities for DMs to enhance and spice up their campaigns, but it also has new monstrous races for players to dig into and toy around with. And for everyone at the table, it offers new tactical rule sets and options derived from the company's Gold Medal seller Recovery Dice Options.
Speaking of which, click over to the Kickstarter page for The Book of Monstrous Might, and you'll get a code for downloading a copy of Recovery Dice Options absolutely free! Just as a way for you to dip a toe in, and see where the bigger project is going.
Make Your Game That Much Better!
Whether you're running a game in your own setting, or you're adventuring through the pages of a pre-written adventure, the content planned for The Book of Monstrous Might can only enhance your gaming experience. What makes it really useful, though, is that it's a pick-and-choose option. You can use all of it if you want to, or you can just incorporate the parts of it you like. It's entirely up to you how much of its fresh mechanics find their way into your game!
Also, if you're looking for some grim little scenarios to try out at your table, with or without the new rules you'll soon have in your hands, take a moment to check out the Critical Hits series that I wrote for TPK Games a little while back as well! These include:
- False Valor: A whodunnit style adventure where the party has to find out who killed a young woman in a local farming town before her death re-ignites the dying embers of a war that's three generations done.
- The Curse of Sapphire Lake: The hamlet of Kingsbridge has lain dormant for thirty years, but when it tries to rebuild something dark awakens in the lake. A figure with a bone white mask, and a hunger for destruction that was birthed in the settlement's past. The curse will take more than courage to break, and the secrets go very, very deep.
- Ghosts of Sorrow Marsh: When travelers go missing in the Sorrow Marsh, it will take brave adventurers to find out what's transpiring. Many have strode out boldly, only to vanish into the darkness. Will you find out what terror lurks in the bowels of the marsh?
Again, for more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio. Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!
To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!
It's been a while since I've reviewed something new in my Monday slot, and if you are a Pathfinder Classic player then have I got a treat for you! Because I managed to snag a review copy of Savage Company, and if you haven't seen it yet then you should go get yours right now.
If all you wanted was my opinion, it is rip-roaring nonsense that is exactly the kind of insane, high-octane fun that I feel Pathfinder was made for. Keep reading if you want more information, but if that's all you needed to go download the free Recruit Orientation Guide, then go do that.
Seriously, I haven't been this pleased with a campaign setting in a while.
If you'd like to know more, however, keep on reading.
What Is "Savage Company" Exactly?
The short version is that Savage Company is a campaign setting meant to be used in conjunction with Pathfinder Classic (or Pathfinder 1st Edition, if you choose to use that label). It can be used with the game as it stands (since Pathfinder already has rules for both primitive and advanced firearms in it), or it can be used in a more modern or modern-esque technological level (anywhere from just after the Renaissance to the tech level of today).
Oh yeah... the safety's coming off!
The backstory for this setting is that it takes place in the town of Tombstone. This place was an abandoned fort in the middle of an area blasted by magical war, and devoid of non-hostile forms of life. The place was claimed by the orcs and half-orcs of the mercenary band known as Savage Company, and they held onto it. As their reputation grew, and their numbers swelled, they started to recruit more and more adventurers to their cause... particularly individuals from "monstrous" races who had a hard time finding reliable work, and trusting companions anywhere else.
As time went by, Savage Company managed to bribe, strongarm, and make diplomatic entreaties to its neighbors, eventually declaring its holding as legitimate. Now the town of Tombstone, as well as the underground network of tunnels that holds everything from the gangs of Trox laborers, to goblin tinkerers, to billets of orcs, hobgoblins, and other well-trained mercenaries who can respond at a moment's notice, is a company town where anyone who needs the best in the business can come to hire mercenaries of any stripe.
The tone of the setting is kept purposefully vague so that you can fit it into Pathfinder's usual blend of fantasy/sci-fi (where armored paladins and gunslinging vigilantes may fight side-by-side), or you can expand the more modern military feeling to the rest of the setting as well. It's entirely up to you!
Flavor, Crunch, and a Whole Lot of Cheese
The first thing that I adore about this setting is that it purposefully takes aim at the ingrained attitude of, "monstrous races are inherently evil." Players and DMs alike have clung to this attitude even as Pathfinder made more and more traditionally "bad" races playable (orcs, goblins, hobgoblins, drow, duergar, etc.) without any form of alignment restriction.
What Savage Company does is acknowledge the history of adversity that these races have had, but turned it around by showing those in the company as people looking to make a better life for themselves through teamwork, cooperation, and using the advantages they were born with to find a calling in life. In fact, the outfit reminds me very strongly of The Devil's Own out of my collection 100 Random Mercenary Companies. This group recruited primarily monstrous humanoids, and most of them created personas for themselves because showing the world that face was often an advantage that left their enemy unsure of their true capabilities and weaknesses.
I'm sorry, I was told there would be cheese?
There is, of course, more to Savage Company than just a fancy setting, some solid fiction, and a bunch of pre-generated characters to get you started. It also gives you new classes (from the medic to the infantryman), as well as archetypes of existing classes from Pathfinder. It's got a slew of new feats (nothing game breaking, but there's more than a little spicy cheddar on the list), and perhaps my favorite section, new gear.
And as someone who's spent the past year tooling around in Warhammer 40k's orbit, I am very pleased to see chain blades, mini mechs, Mad Max-style war bikes, and the iconic orc chin piece, along with sensible bayonets, downright brutal custom machine guns, and dozens of other delicious upgrades for your armory.
Bringing Out The Big Guns
If you are one of those DMs who firmly believe that guns don't belong in fantasy games, or that traditionally evil races are always bad and they should never rise to the status of genuine heroes, this is not the setting for you. If you're one of those players who always reaches for the scarred tiefling soldier who would die for their comrades, the hulking half-orc tank who's the heart of the squad, or the goblin bombardier who is the deadliest mascot the party could ask for, then this book is going to find a place of honor on your shelf faster than you can say, "Roll initiative."
So if you like your characters weird, your guns blazing, and your adventures absolutely crazy, go get your copy of Savage Company today!
Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!
That's all for this week's Moon Pope Monday.
Hopefully you found this term useful!
For more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio. Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!
To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!
If you're a dungeon master, then you know exactly how expensive miniatures can get. While there's nothing wrong with using tokens or cardboard minis (the sort you could download from Paper Forge, for example), there is something a little more real about using three-dimensional miniatures for your beasties. Especially if you want to assemble a small army of zombies at one end of the table, or you want to make it abundantly clear that the entire deck of the opposing ship is swarming with pirates.
Buying that many miniatures isn't cheap, though... unless you hit up SCS Direct, that is.
Roll initiative.
What Is SCS Direct?
You know how everyone always tells you to shop for minis on the Internet, because that's where you find good deals? Well, SCS Direct is one of those digital storefronts I found on Amazon that has all kinds of awesome minis. Not only that, but it offers you packs of them for less than $20!
A brief sample of the minis packs I found include:
- 100 Fantasy Creatures (with wizards, two-headed ogres, unicorns, dragons, and other sundries)
- 100 Zombies (with traditional zombies, zombie pets, graveyard terrain, and other undead things)
- Humans VS Aliens (an equal assortment of civilians, and Cthonian horrors ideal for aberrations)
- 52 Robots (a slew of mechanical monsters, ready to populate a sci-game game or tinker's dungeon)
No matter what kind of game you're playing, these minis are something most DMs can afford, and even better they're made from durable plastic. You won't have to worry about fragile parts breaking off every time you move a mini, and they're distinct enough that there's no worrying about separating the monsters from the heroes. A major advantage if you like to run hoard battle scenarios.
If you like more detailed minis then you might be a bit happier with the offerings in the Arena of The Planeswalker game produced by Wizards of the Coast, especially if you can find it and its additional packs like Battle For Zendikar or Shadows Over Innistrad at a fairly cheap price. But if you need bad guys to beef up your map, then the big buckets of goons might be just what the doctor ordered for your next campaign!
That's all for this week's Moon Pope Monday post! If you've got a hot tip for getting cheap minis (or other bargain supplies for gaming) leave them in the comments below! If you'd like to see more of my work, head over to my Vocal archive, or just click my Gamers page to see only my tabletop articles. You should also consider heading over to the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio, where I work with other talented gamers making videos for players and DMs alike!
If you're a gamer, then you've likely seen those grand set ups at conventions, or on YouTube campaigns where the DM has an entire spread of appropriate map terrain. A whole, miniature world whether it's a dungeon, the town square, or an entire army that's being battled. It looks like a dream come true, but that dream quickly turns into a nightmare when you see how much dealers sell some of that terrain for.
How much!? I could put a down payment on a REAL house for that.
While advances in technology like 3D printing have made it easier to get custom designs, most of us still can't afford to have one of those little miracles in our basement. Don't worry, though, there are plenty of places you can go to find interesting additions to your map.
Head To The Dollar Store
Whether it's the Dollar Tree, Dollar General, Five Below, or some other brand of store where they sell stuff for cheap, pop in there are take a good look around. Specifically, you need to walk down the toy aisle. In the super cheap dollar stores, you'll find bags of plastic toys that are perfect for map deployment. Over-sized wolves, hulking zombies, skeletons, pirates, cannons, catapults, knights, and the list goes on and on. While a lot of these minis won't quite fit in a single space, and they have some trouble standing up, you can easily glue them to a pre-existing base. And if you don't have any bases lying around unused, you can easily cut some from cardboard or plastic. Take a Sharpie to blacken the base, and you have adventurers, monsters, and all sorts of props that could be cluttering up your dungeon. You can even add some small stones or moss onto the base, if you're super dedicated.
It won't be Games Workshop quality, but hey, you're not paying Games Workshop prices, either.
In addition to just looking for those $1 bags of cheap toys, though, give a long, hard look to the board games on offer. Because as I mentioned awhile back in Want Cheap Minis? Wizards and Five Below Are Here To Help! these stores often get games like Arena of The Planeswalkers (which has over 30 miniatures in it, as well as some useful map terrain like boulders, ice walls, etc.). And even if it's not a cast-off from Wizards, board games with interesting minis, a crap load of dice, or even a dice tower, can often be picked up for a handful of change.
Even if you don't find something in the toy aisle, relax. Instead, swing by the craft section, and the home and garden aisle if they have one. You know that red dragon "mini" that's about a foot tall? Well, if you don't mind it having a ceramic glisten, you may be able to find one for $5 or so that's meant to go in your garden. It will be pretty heavy, and will require a base, but you'll see the same look of utter panic on your players' faces when you deploy it, and that's what matters. In addition to colossal beasties the size of a house cat, though, home and garden aisles in these stores are replete with tiny cottages, wells, castles, and other stuff for people who want to build little outdoor scenes in their gardens.
And remember, if the castle you find looks too cheery, all it takes is a coat of black gloss spray paint to turn it into the decaying tower of the wizard Karthandrel.
If That Doesn't Work, Head To Michael's
Chances are you've been in a Michael's craft store at some point. However, unless you went all the way to the back aisles, you may have missed their miniatures crafting section. While it's meant for model train enthusiasts, dioramas, and other miniature still-life art, these aisles can be a godsend for DMs who want to spice up the map.
They literally have everything you could want back there. You want dragons? Got em. Stone walls to mark out dungeon barriers? There are probably half-a-dozen varieties there. You want a grassy mat you can mark off into five-foot-squares? Giants? Sea creatures? Done, done, and done. Some things may require a little bit of constructive trimming and gluing to be made into game-ready pieces, but they won't cost anywhere near as much as what you'd find at a convention.
Especially if you get a store membership.
Michael's has a program where, if you're a member, they send you daily coupons, weekly specials, and birthday perks. So even if that hydra you're looking at is $15, well, you can get it for less than a 10-spot if you wait for a 50% off coupon... which you'll get pretty quick. And while you're there you could pick up some paints and brushes to make each head a different color... you know, in case your players have earned you wroth.
That's all for this week's Moon Pope Monday update. Hopefully you find the advice helpful, and if you know of any specific stores that always seem to have the goods feel free to share them in the comments. For more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, or just go to my Gamers profile to see only my RPG stuff. You could also stop by the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio where I help out. To stay on top of all my releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter. Lastly, if you want to help me keep getting good content to you, then consider leaving my a small tip by Buying Me A Ko-Fi, or becoming a regular patron over on The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page. Every little bit helps, and there's free stuff in it for you as well!
