Looking For Some Spooky Gaming This Halloween Season? Don't Worry, I've Got You Covered

It's that time of year again. The leaves are falling, the wind is whispering through the bare branches, the pumpkins are putting on their grins, and home decor is going on sale again. Yes, Halloween is just around the corner, and for most of us that means it's time to dip our toes back into the darker end of the gaming table and indulge something on the scary side.

But what, you might be asking? Well, if you're looking for inspiration don't fret! I've been working the grindstone pretty hard, and I've got some things that I'd like to suggest for all those seeking a ghoulish gaming experience.

Time to get spooky.

Before I launch into the list for this week, though, I do have a brief favor to ask. If you haven't signed up yet, join my newsletter to make sure you get all the updates for what I'm working on, and what's coming out. I put out one every Sunday/Monday, and you'll never miss a new release of mine again!

Also, I recently wrote a piece for a Halloween contest over on Vocal. So whether you're a film buff, or just looking for a recommendation for what you should watch this Halloween season give my entry Candyman: A Horror Film That Haunts Us Decades Later a read... especially if you're from the Chicagoland area!

 

Lastly, if you want to keep things casual this year, check out my older piece 5 Horror Board Games You Should Have on Your Shelf!

Horror One-Shots!

Beware the trolls... and the toads!

While I've talked about them a great deal in the past, I do still have three one-shot modules out from Total Party Kill Games for Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition that are available right now! False Valor is about solving a murder mystery, and it delves into regional politics, but the other two... well, they were written specifically with the Halloween season in mind.

The Curse of Sapphire Lake (pictured above) is what you get when Beowulf collides with a slasher movie. The town of Kingsbridge is cursed, or so they say, and there is a figure in the mist... accidents keep happening, and bodies keep turning up. Will the party manage to pry the icy fingers of death from around this place's throat, or will it once more fade into shadows and obscurity?

The final release in the series, The Ghosts of Sorrow Marsh also provides an eerie, atmospheric adventure. The town of Bracken has been all but cut off, and dangers haunt the road at night. Something lurks in the marsh, and there are tales of strange figures and odd whispers. Supplies are running low, and the town's citizens are at the breaking point. Can the heroes dispel the darkness lurking in the marsh, or will it swallow them up like it has so many who have come before it?

If you're one of the many groups out there who likes to play something short and spooky during the reap times, then either of these should scratch that particular itch for you!

World Building and Inspiration

Because sometimes you just need a couple of bricks...

If you're one of those DMs who prefer to make things yourself, don't worry, I've got stuff for you, too.

For example, 13 Fiends: A Baker's Dozen of Devils is filled with unique fiends that are much more ground-level and accessible than a lot of devils tend to be. Each devil also comes with rituals unique to them, areas of influence, and cults that tend to make pacts with them. Whether you're looking for warlock patrons, antagonists for your party, or a particular rite to act as the center piece of a session, this collection has you covered!

And speaking of cults, a solid companion piece to it is 100 Cults to Encounter. Perhaps the best selling supplement of mine for the entire year, this one gives you snapshots of cults from every walk of life, often providing hooks and rumors to easily slot them into your game as antagonists... and potentially as allies depending on your party. Speaking of potential allies in the shadows, I'd also recommend checking out 100 Secret Societies if you need a little extra juice when it comes to filling out the darker corners of your horror games this year.

 

Also, there's this!

Also, for my World of Darkness lovers out there, I recently put the finishing touches on my 100 kinfolk project, and it's now available as a bundle! That's 13 tribes, and a total of 1,400 kinfolk NPCs usable either in a Werewolf: The Apocalypse game, or in a general WoD game where you need NPCs in a hurry. For more on the project, and what it's about (as well as a full list of the independent tribes in it), check out 100 Kinfolk: A Werewolf The Apocalypse Project.

Character Conversions

 

It's that time of year again.

 

While I spent most of last year shuffling content and moving articles from one archive to another, a lot of folks forget that my Character Conversions Page has more than superheroes and Game of Thrones builds on it. In addition to 50 some-odd other characters I also have classic Pathfinder guides for:

- Michael Myers (Halloween)

- Pinhead (Hellraiser)

- Jason Voorhees (Friday the 13th)

Though I'm still sharing around all the old guides that have been updated to account for new mechanics, items, and classes that were released since I first wrote them, this is a section I'm contemplating coming back to for a few, additional names. Jigsaw? Chucky? Maybe Leatherface? Who do you think should be here... keeping in mind these guides are primarily for players, not for DMs (though they can use them, too).

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!

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 cat noir thriller Marked Territory, 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!

Rise of The Runelords Chapter 28: The Three-Fold Challenge of Xin-Shalast

The Companions have dealt with threats untold, and fought their way to the realm of one of the most noted of the Runelords. They have beheld countless horrors, and now they are all that stands between Karzoug and his fresh conquest of the lands he once ruled. But though the Runelord invited them to test their mettle against his, he is no fool. There is yet one more challenge the Companions must overcome... the barrier surrounding the heights of Xin-Shalast!

 

For those who need to catch up:

- Chapter 1: Blood and Butterflies
- Chapter 2: Murder and Glass
- Chapter 3: The Sin Pit
- Chapter 4: Tussles in The Tangle
- Chapter 5: The Assault on Thistletop
- Chapter 6: Secrets Behind The Curtain
- Chapter 7: Murders At The Mill
- Chapter 8: Halflings and Ghouls
- Chapter 9: Fox in The Hen House
- Chapter 10: Something Rotten in Magnimar
- Chapter 11: The Crumbling Tower
- Chapter 12: Demonbane
- Chapter 13: Trouble at Turtleback Ferry
- Chapter 14: The Taking of Fort Rannick
- Chapter 15: Water Over The Dam
- Chapter 16: Mad Lovers, And Lost Captains
- Chapter 17: The March of The Giants
- Chapter 18: The Taking of Jorgenfist
- Chapter 19: The Secrets Beneath Sandpoint
- Chapter 20: At The Gates of The Runeforge
- Chapter 21: Storming The Halls of Evocation
- Chapter 22: The Bowels of Necromancy's Tomb

- Chapter 23: The End of Runeforge

- Chapter 24: Preparation For The Final Journey 

- Chapter 25: The Hunger in The Mountains 

- Chapter 26: The Gateway to Xin-Shalast

- Chapter 27: The Path of Temptation

- Chapter 28: The Three-Fold Challenge of Xin-Shalast

- Chapter 29: Crossing The Barrier of Greed

- Chapter 30: The Fall of Karzoug

 

Lastly, if you want to stay up-to-date on this and all my other stories, please subscribe to my weekly newsletter so you don't miss anything!

 

Now that you're caught up, to continue the adventure...

A Dying Empire, And An Impassable Barrier

After all the legends the Companions had heard of Xin-Shalast, and all the tales of its beauty and grandeur, the sight that greeted them upon their arrival was not what they had expected. Carved from the side of the mountain, the city had clearly been a place of splendor and aesthetic perfection once upon a time.

That time was long passed, though. What was left behind was a cancerous place, quickly falling to ruin and rot; an apt reflection of the soul of its master.

This place is dying... but still dangerous.

Xin-Shalast was far from lifeless, however. The lower districts swarmed with the rabble, all of them ducking away and shying from the mere sight of the Companions. Above that was a place of petty nobles and ragged gentry, each with their cadre of slaves in tow. A merchant district sold any and everything, with ancient relics and strange technologies changing hands for souls, promises, delicacies, and blood. There were traders from Leng, stone giants, strange denizens from the outer planes, and three dozen other varieties of creature the Companions had never seen before. Greed pumped through the veins of the city, giving it life even as it forms a scabrous carapace, calcifying its lifeblood.

The Companions felt a dozen different emotions climbing through the city. Sorrow at the state of the people, disgust at the casual brutality, rage at the callous disregard for humanity, and at the last a cold determination to cut the head from the serpent and be done with this.

That was when they encountered the barrier. The upper reaches of Xin-Shalast where Karzoug dwelt were held behind a dome of power. A dome that could only be bypassed by those who had the proper key. There were three such keys, each held by someone of power. It seemed one reason the Runelord was as confident as he was because the Companions were on the other side of the shield from him.

The Dragon, The Tyrant, and The Devil

Perhaps one of them will make a deal with us?

Upon learning of the conditions they needed to pass the barrier, the Companions first approached the tax collector of Xin-Shalast... she who is draped in gold. They entered a colossal hall of wealth, with coins and jewels stacked on every side. The collector sat upon a dais at the end of the approach; a towering magma dragon with melted gold encrusted on her scales. She was a sight to behold... but even the most nimble of silver tongues was barely enough to still her irritation at being disturbed from admiring her form. When it was clear she was in no mood to discuss anything, the Companions left with as much grace as they were able before they would have to test their steel against her flames.

The second place they went was the gambling den run by a fiend. None seemed to know his name, but all obeyed the rule of his establishment. A rule that seemed to say most desires were legal, and all debts had to be paid. The fiend smiled at Zhakar, addressing him by name, and welcoming the son of such a prominent devil to his establishment. He was more than happy to bargain the marked coin he held as his key to the wall of greed... but the price he set was high. A child of Zhakar's bloodline, fathered on one of his own servants. Not so high a price, he said, with the soft whisper of the infernal that Zhakar knew all too well. It might even be a price he would enjoy paying.

Mastering his urge to try to slay the fiend, and keeping a tight control of his tongue, Zhakar assured the keeper of the house that he would consider the offer, and inform him of his decision soon.

It was the third holder of a key that elicited both pity and fury in equal measure. Above the city came the constant crash of thunder, and flash of lightning. A dozen giants lay dead on the ground, fallen from a great height. In the clouds stood the towering figure of a storm giant, his flesh slowly turning black and stony as he dipped deeper and deeper into the well of power Karzoug had given him. Rebuilding an ancient sky citadel, he planned to raise his people back to the power and grandeur they had once had... no matter who he had to kill to do it. And despite all that Karzoug had done to him. and the hold over his soul the Runelord had, he would not even entertain the idea of parting with the ring that would allow him to bypass the wall. For it was his ring that gave him power, and allowed him to accomplish what so many considered impossible.

Which Will They Choose?

With the three guardians of the keys known to them, the Companions face a choice. They must acquire one to enter the upper city... but who will they choose? And how will they go about it? For every moment they wait, more suffering goes on all around them. And worse, if they hesitate, it might be the only edge Karzoug needs to enact whatever plan he had for dealing with them.

Stay tuned, and I'll see you next time on Table Talk!

For more of my work, check out my Vocal archives, as well as the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio where I help out from time to time. Or, to check out books like my hard-boiled cat noir novel Marked Territory, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my recent short story collection The Rejects, head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter, as well as on Pinterest where I'm building all sorts of boards dedicated to my books, RPG supplements, and greatest hits. Lastly, to help support me and my work, consider Buying Me A Ko-Fi, or heading over to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron! Even a little donation can have a big impact.

In These Harsh Times, Game Designers Need All The Help They Can Get

Unless you live down among the dark elves (in which case, welcome to the Internet, glad you could finally join us), then you're no doubt aware that this pandemic has been a trying time for all of us. Creators in general, and game designers in particular, have been feeling the squeeze, though.

 

And we could really use your help right about now.

 

You literally are our best hope.

 

What I'm about to lay out are some simple things you can do to help the creators out there that you want to support through this pestilence. Not every option will be available for every individual, but go through the list and see what you can do to help. Because most of us were barely scraping by before all of this started, and now we're basically holding on by our fingernails.

And while it should go without saying, you can basically swap my name and details for most other game designers out there. I would really appreciate any and all help you can kick my way, but I also totally understand if there are other creators out there you'd rather support. Just remember that a lot of the stuff you can do is free, so you can be pretty generous with your actions!

How To Support If You Have Money

Gold makes the world go round.

This pandemic has led to a lot of us losing our jobs, or taking pay cuts. However, there are some of us out there who've managed to maintain our positions, or even to find new demand for our skills. So if you have spare money in your budget, and you want to help game designers out there, here are some simple things you can do.

First and foremost, buy their games! Whether you grab my 100 Kinfolk Bundle off of Storyteller's Vault (1,400 kinfolk NPCs for Werewolf: The Apocalypse), snatch a copy of one of my modules like The Curse of Sapphire Lake or Ghosts of Sorrow Marsh for DND 5th Edition, or download one of my DM supplements like 100 Cults to Encounter, 100 Fantasy Guilds, or 100 Secret Societies. Every purchase makes a difference when sales are down, and they've been steadily declining for a lot of us during this time.

Also, for ease of browsing, I've put the more than 80 modules and supplements I've written and been a part of into two archives. One gallery is on Pinterest, and the other is on Flipboard, but both of them have the same content. So take a moment, stop in, and see if anything appeals to you!

Alternatively, if you want to support a creator directly, consider just giving them a tip, or setting yourself up to support them. I'm on both Patreon and Ko-Fi, as an example, so if you want to help me keep the lights on while I keep these blogs going, any and all donations are greatly appreciated!

Lastly, check to see what other projects your favorite game creators have on the market that you might not know about. For example, if you're a fan of Clinton Boomer (which you should be) then you should check out his novel The Hole Behind Midnight sooner rather than later. If you've enjoyed Lauren Masterson's (alias Alice Liddell) contributions to High Level Games' blog, pick something off her Amazon author page or out of KHR Arts if you prefer her artwork.

This one is my latest release!

And because I'm still excited, I'll take this last chance to plug Marked Territory which dropped on the 1st of the month. A back alley noir mystery featuring the debut of Leo, a heavy from the Bronx, he ends up getting his whiskers involved in other people's business, and nearly getting in over his head. Curiosity might try to kill the cat, but he doesn't give up all that easy. A solid read for those looking to kill time in quarantine.

 

How To Support if You Don't Have Money

 

If you're just as broke as the rest of us, don't worry, that doesn't mean you don't have the power to help the creators and designers you like! In fact, even if you are making contributions and buying books, you can still do these things to double the results of your actions!

 

Never underestimate the value of a hand up!

The first thing you should do is find your favorite creator's social media channels, and follow them. The more followers someone has, the more attention they get, and the wider their signal gets boosted! I'm on Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter, for those who are interested.

Also, consider signing up for your favorite creator's mailing list. I started one recently (you can sign up here) and it provides a weekly update of all my new releases, fresh content, and other projects every week!

In addition to signing up for our updates, though, you can also use the power of your audience to help boost our signals so we can reach more people. For example, if you see a blog entry of mine that really speaks to you, share it with your groups! Whether you're in Facebook groups, you spend time on Reddit, or you've got a community on Discord that you think would enjoy it, don't be afraid to boost that signal. The more people who find out about what we do, and the more people who share it, the better off we'll be.

This goes double for my articles on Vocal, by the by, as they pay me based on how many reads they get. So if you want to help me out specifically, make sure you read through that archive and share anything that catches your eye!

Lastly, if you have bought something from a creator you love in the past, then take a moment to leave a review! Whether it's on Amazon, Drive Thru RPG, Goodreads, or perhaps all three, ratings and reviews make a big difference as to which products get seen, and which ones get forgotten. So even if you don't have the cash to buy something new, a few nice words and a recommendation can help that module, supplement, novel, etc. reach new readers who just might make a future purchase.

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!

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!

The Infernal Grandchild (Wizard Concept)

The mob had gathered, truncheons and pitch forks in their hands. Torches had been lit, and the fire danced in the eyes of the onlookers. Their gazes were fixed on the bloodied figure chained on the block at the edge of the water. With horns cresting from his black hair, and skin red as sin, there had been no trial. No hearing to evaluate the words of those who'd spoken out against him. After all, what could a creature with cloven hooves and a spaded tail truly say in its defense?

"Any last words?" The self-appointed judge asked.

The tiefling nodded his head solemnly. He'd been sitting there, head down, bloody fingers twitching across the stone for nearly ten minutes. He drew himself up, as best he could, and looked into the eye of the man who had sentenced him. He ran his tongue over his bottom lip, ensuring the blood would be a part of what he said. The crowd behind him drew in its breath, as if sensing what was to come. Before anyone could stop him the wizard spoke a single word, his blue forked tongue dancing around the syllables that would have stymied anyone not so blessed.

"Anthiaraxes," he said.

For a moment, nothing happened. It seemed in that second that it had all been a bluff... then the howling began. A wind from nowhere guttered the torches, and darkness bled into the world as if the very air had been stabbed. It congealed, and burst, the shadows birthing something that made all of them draw back. It bore the likeness of a woman, but twisted out of true. The neck was too long, the face too perfect. It bore too many knuckles in its fingers, and its hair whipped like an angry cat's tail, so dark it drank the light. The creature's eyes were the worst; twin voids that would siphon away the soul if one didn't have a will of iron when they met them.

"Before I pass my judgment," Anthiaraxes said, her voice a soft, sibilant whisper that burrowed into the ears and minds of all those present. "Why have you bound and chained my favorite grandson?"

And make it good. I didn't come all the way here for nothing.

When You Have Family in Low Places

Infernal power comes in many shapes and forms. For some it's a result of a pact made with dark powers in exchange for their soul. For others it's a mark of a favored servant, with an archfiend empowering them as a servant of their dire faith. For some it's a result of their bloodline, tainted by the back hand of a devil.

This concept is for characters who fall into the final category.

Whether this character is a tiefling, or they merely have some vestigial connection to the blood of the lower planes, the idea is that they know the true name of a powerful entity connected to their family. Perhaps it's the fiend who first mixed their blood into their line, or if the character is descended from a more potent devil, the name of one of that devil's servants who is bound to answer the call when it goes out. While this can also be accomplished with demons and celestial creatures, those are simply variations on the theme presented below.

The Mechanics

The mechanical trick for this story is the Arcane Discoveries option that was added to wizards in Ultimate Magic for Pathfinder. The discovery True Name allows you to learn the true name of a powerful outsider, which you can then summon to you as if by using planar binding as a spell-like ability. You must be 11th level to take this ability, and the outsider in question can have no more than 12 hit dice. However, if you take this ability at 15th level, the outsider can have no more than 18 hit dice. This functions as greater planar binding.

And if you really want to sell the whole, "favored child of an infernal heritage," my recommendation is to make a conjurer wizard who always falls back on summoned devils, hellhounds, and other similar monsters. Maybe they're servants of the conjurer's ancestor, or they simply recognize the lineage and are hoping they will earn favor by providing good service. But it's helpful to establish a theme as you grow in power, and gain access to stranger and more varied creatures.

 

While you can bring across the flavor using a sorcerer, a warlock (in 5th Edition DND, anyway), they won't give you access to this unique ability. That is, of course, at your discretion.

The Story

What story you make to support this kind of character concept is totally up to you! There are, however, some archetypes and paths you might want to consider.

If you want to play an evil character (keeping in mind all the advice I presented in 5 Tips For Playing Evil Characters, such as being part of a team) you could easily play as an extension of your ancestor's influence on the material plane. This would have many of the same overtones as a cleric of an archfiend; receiving messages from fiends, contacting the outer planes to report on your progress, etc. If you wanted to avoid making the character too edgy or grim, you could even give it a kind of Addams Family vibe where they simply have no idea what it is everyone around them is so upset about. This is just the way things are done at home (petting the hellhounds, laughing at the "playful" imps, etc.).

Alternatively, the character might be actively trying to turn the forces of hell to a good cause. So while the devils they summon are forced by both magic and oaths of allegiance to comply, they know they're going to catch hell from grand mama if she finds out this conjurer was summoning devils to fight against evil cults. You might even be able to set it up as a kind of chess game between the character and the fiend. The Infernal Grandchild thinks they're subverting the fiend's will, but on the grander scale of things it is the Infernal Grandchild who is actually fighting the fiend's foes. For every evil cult they crush, and every demon lord who's plans they undermine, that creates a power vacuum the fiend can then step into in order to expand their own power and position. While their Grandchild might sometimes deal a blow to one of the fiend's allies, or harm their other servants, that's all part of how the game is played. Sometimes you have to sacrifice a pawn or two.

You could even walk a middle path with this story, and create a kind of estranged family relationship. Perhaps the conjurer tries to avoid calling on the servants of the infernal the same way they'd avoid calling home to ask for money after they had a big fight with their father. They wait until there's no other way, and of course the fiend wants to help... because the more often the conjurer asks for help, the easier it will be to become their crutch. So it's a tug-of-war as the fiend tries to ensnare the wizard, and the wizard is trying to remain untethered to the machinations of their line's progenitor.

There's a lot you can do here, and so much of it is left up to you as the player (and your DM, of course). With that said, you might find helpful inspiration for bringing this concept to life in...

- 13 Fiends: A Baker's Dozen of Devils: If you're looking for a powerful fiend to attach mechanics to, the options in here have names, symbols, histories, and purviews you can easily draw on.

- 100 Tieflings To Meet in Your Travels: Whether you just want something to get your wheels turning, or you want to build an extended family, I'll always recommend giving this one a look. You don't have to be a tiefling for this concept to work, but it is fun.

- 5 Tips For Playing Better Tieflings and Aasimar: Again, you don't have to be a tiefling for this concept, but if you're going to be either a tiefling or an aasimar (after all, your ancestor might have fallen from grace), I'd recommend giving this one a look.

 

Also, if you want to make sure you don't miss any of my updates (and that you get a weekly rundown of all my fresh content, news, and more), then take a moment to sign up for my newsletter! If you don't want to click the link, there should be a form at the bottom of the page as well.

Like, Follow, and Stay Tuned For More!

That's all for this installment of Unusual Character Concepts. Hopefully this one gave you something to chew over, whether you're a player, or a dungeon master.

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 most recent collection of short stories 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!

To Avoid Racial Monoliths in World Building You Need To Think Small

One of the big issues that we run into in our games is the idea of a racial monolith. The short version of this is that, most of the time, humans are going to get a wide variety of cultures and languages, ethnicities and religions... and then the non-human races are just treated as variations on a theme. We've all seen it. The orcs are just low-brow cockneys (if you're a Warhammer 40k fan), or else they universally use a kind of Hulk-speak when they communicate. The elves are all like something out of Tolkien, with the same ethereal voice and aloof bearing. The dwarves are all thickly bearded and Scottish, no matter what part of the world they're actually from.

And so on, and so forth.

Beings of light and love? You must have me confused with the Eladurin, friend.

While I talked about this back in Tear Down The Monoliths (No Race, Religion, Etc. Is Universal) over on The Literary Mercenary, and it's one of main tips I give for playing unique, interesting non-human characters in my ongoing 5 Tips series, I figured this week I'd make a recommendation that gets to the root of the problem.

If you're running a game, and you want to avoid the problem of racial monoliths (or really monoliths of any variety), then you need to start thinking small.

 

Also, if you haven't checked out Ancestry & Culture: An Alternative to Race in 5E, then you're going to want to give it a look. It's gone Mithril at time of writing, and is worth the flip through for those interested in this topic. Lastly, if you want to make sure you don't miss any future updates from yours truly, consider signing up for my newsletter, either at this link or on the form at the bottom of the page.

What Is This Community Like?

The problem comes about when we try to make broad, sweeping statements about the entirety of a race, an ethnicity, a culture, a country, or a faith. The broader a view you take, the more universal your statements are going to get, and the bigger a problem you're going to run into.

So take a moment and scrub your brain of anything beyond the physical characteristics/bonuses of a particular fantasy race. Dwarves still get a Constitution bump, elves still live for centuries, and orc physiology still grants them the ferocity ability. But all that other stuff we usually think of? From the idea of racial languages, to universal faiths, to cultural touch stones... chuck it in the bin, and don't look back.

Trust me, it's better this way.

Once you've dumped all of that baggage, take a look at a community of these creatures, and ask what they, specifically, are like.

For example, do you have a clan of mountain dwarves who've made their home in a chain of volcanic islands in the southern seas, like I mentioned in Do Dwarves Surf? Tips For Diversifying Non-Human Fantasy Races? Do they still have a caste system, or are they more of a family hierarchy? Is there a communal understanding among the island chain, or do they draw up specific agreements? Are they heavily tattooed because it's impractical to wear badges of offices and medals of accomplishment in the heat and the wet?

You can do this with any group of fantasy creatures. Do the elves of the eastern prairie country have a tribal structure? Is it matriarchal, perhaps? Do they travel in time with the moving of the seasons, coming and going through long familiarity as if by magic? Do they refuse to wear shoes, staying in contact with the earth without barriers? Do they not have a concept of personal property, merely taking from the whole as is needed for the tasks they are set to accomplish?

Are your gnomes in a particular area highly charged with magic, because they live on top of a ley line and their fey blood is sensitive to it? Are the orcs who live at the foot of the black mountain polyamorous, creating layers of complexity for tracking who holds what rank in their power structure? Do the halflings in the valley have an entire wine culture, because grapes just grow better than barley and hops, and that's what they're known for?

Bring It Down To The Local Level

The smaller you think of your communities, the easier it is to avoid big missteps. Avoiding racial languages and focusing on unique local dialects, for instance, can do a lot to make parts of your map feel organic. Asking how a particular faith plays out in a certain community, what it values, and what its unique history is can let you paint a more unique picture as well.

Then, once you have the small picture painted, you can move up to the bigger, grander image. What is the region like? In what ways is this community typical, in what ways isn't it? As you move up the chain, you can construct a nation out of these smaller, more varied bricks that let you make a varied, vibrant culture.

Most importantly, it stops you from saying, "Well your character is X, so they Y and Z." It lets you take a step back, look at the culture they grew up in, what parts of the world they've been to, and what they've seen and done to get a more nuanced take.

It's a lot of extra work, no doubt... but it's totally worth it.

Lastly, for those who haven't seen it yet, I have a newsletter going out once per week! It sums up all my new releases, projects, updates, etc., and ensures you never miss out on what's going down. If that sounds like something you'd like to check out, the first one dropped today, so give it a look. And once you've seen it, just hit that subscribe button to make sure you don't miss a thing going forward.

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!

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!

5 Questions You Should Ask For Pirate Characters in Your Game

Since September 19th is official Talk Like a Pirate Day, I figured that this would be a good time to think about all the salty dogs, scallywags, buccaneers, and sea reavers who've graced our games over the years. If you can feel the sea calling to your dice for your next game, here are some thoughts you should keep in mind before you set sail for high adventure!

For adventure, for treasure, and for the fate of the realms!

Also, before we get into the meat of this week's update, I wanted to remind everyone that I now have a newsletter! It's going out once a week on Mondays, and it will give you a full recap of the entire week's releases, project progress, and news... so sign up today if you don't want to miss anything from me again!

Now, without further ado, let's get started...

#1: Who Did You Serve With?

Jack? Oh yeah, he and I go way back...

Piracy is one of those crimes you don't commit on your own. Whether you're in a longship with a dozen other raiders, or you've got a galley with half a hundred big guns along each side, pirates are sailors first and foremost. And to sail a vessel, you need to be part of a crew.

Which begs the question... who did you serve with?

The answer to this question can be as detailed as you want, but it's a good idea to have at least a few specifics when it comes to your former crew members. Who were your friends on the crew? Who were your enemies? Did the bosun have it in for you, always giving you the worst duties he could? Were you and the captain close, or were you so far down the ranks that she only recognized you by your signature on the crew's roster? Given that a pirate operation could be as small as a few dozen, or as sweeping as a fleet, you've got plenty of room to play with, here.

For quick inspiration on this one, check out my 100 Pirates to Encounter supplement! From captains and first mates all the way down to the lowest deck hands, there's a little bit of everything in there. If that's not enough, you might find that 100 Random Bandits to Meet can fill in the gaps.

#2: Why Did You Become a Pirate?

College debt ain't going to pay itself.

As with any other profession, the motivation behind your choice to turn pirate can speak volumes for who your character is, and what their experience has been. For example, were you a former navy sailor who found themselves at loose ends after a war? A fisherman whose livelihood was disrupted by the new path taken by silver haulers, so you decided to raid them for the wealth they'd stolen from you? Were you press-ganged into service by pirates who took your ship? Did you wake up with a splitting headache from the night before, already on a ship miles out to sea?

All of these choices, and many more, are valid options.

It's also important to consider what I said in 3 Questions For Fleshing Out Criminal Characters, and to ask if your character is currently a pirate, an ex-pirate, or if they return to the trade as the winds of chance blow. Do they tell themselves they just need one more big score to get out, or are they married to the life? Did they get in out of necessity, but now it's the only way they know how to be?

Just some things to think about.

#3: What Was Your Ship's Code?

Just make your mark, and head to your berth.

Normally I'm one of the first people to remind players and DMs that the history, rules, customs, and traditions of a fantasy world are not required to mirror those of ours. With that said, though, the idea of a pirate ship having a code of conduct that members were expected to follow, as well as specific rules laid out for shares of treasure and compensation for injuries is something I think is worth adding into a character's history for sheer world building flair, if nothing else.

I talk about this more in Was The Pirate Code a Real Thing?, but it can add a lot of interesting points to a character. Perhaps they suggest the party draws up a contract, complete with loot distribution agreements, behavior requirements, and what lengths other members must go to in the name of the fellowship. For those who want to incorporate a little more history, making it a democratic process where all members get a say could make for interesting RP, even if everyone is just sitting around the table in the inn as they decide the basis of their working arrangement.

#4: What Is Your Reputation?

Yeah, you see those around here. I've got a history.

I first talked about this in Character Reputation in RPGs: The Small Legend, but it's particularly important when it comes to pirates. Whether you're an infamous pirate captain like the Dread Pirate Roberts (speaking of, his conversion guide is still up!), or you were simply part of an infamous crew, those are the things people are going to recognize when they size you up. Being a pirate is basically joining a floating gang, and whether you're still flashing colors, talking their particular lingo, or you have some indelible marks that show you were once a part of that crew, people are going to notice them and react accordingly.

I listed several possibilities specifically for pirates in 100 Fantasy Tattoos (And The Meaning Behind Them) in case you missed that supplement and were looking for a reason to pick it up.

#5: Remember, Any Class Can Be a Pirate

You'll address me as Captain or Sir, sailor, is that understood?

I made this point back in Any Class Can Be a Knight (More Thoughts on Outside-The-Box Character Presentation), and I hinted at it in Make Characters More Unique By Adding "But on The High Seas", but it's definitely worth repeating. Your class is just a set of skills and abilities your character possesses... it's not their job.

So the question you have to ask is what does a character with your class bring to a pirate crew?

Some of those answers are going to be obvious. A swashbuckler can easily move over difficult terrain, stabbing and parrying in the close quarters of ship-to-ship combat. A barbarian's fury would be holy hell unleashed on the narrow confines of a deck when there's no room to flee. A wizard on the high seas could act as a living artillery piece, crippling enemy ships with a wave of their hand, or summoning fog banks to cover an escape. A bard could act as a competent bosun, shouting out orders and inspiring the crew, while a druid might act as ship's navigator, summoning aid from the very waters to help them.

Just some thoughts to keep in mind, whether you're exploring the archetype of the pirate as an exercise in something new, or you're gearing up for Skull and Shackles, or a similar adventure path/campaign!

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

That's all for this week's Fluff post! If you've used this in your games, share a story down in the comments!

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 recent 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!

A Spooky DIY Initiative Tracker (Just in Time For Halloween)

Before we get started with this Monday's entry, I'd like to let readers know that I've finally taken a suggestion on something I've ignored for a long time... I'm starting a newsletter for all of my content! If you don't want algorithms to let my updates slip through the cracks, subscribe to my newsletter and you'll get updates every Monday on what's going down. Newsletters will keep you abreast of what's going on here at Improved Initiative, but you'll also get updates from The Literary Mercenary, my latest Vocal articles, book releases, new gaming supplements, news on what events I'll be attending (when that's a thing again), and more!

Additionally, if the subscribe link here gives you a hard time, scroll down to the bottom of the page and sign up there instead. The first newsletter should be going out this coming Monday, so make sure you're on the list!

Now then, for something fun, crafty, and just a little spooky. And to give credit where it's due, I stumbled across this idea from Geek and Sundry.

Death Comes For Us All (In Order of Initiative)

Well would you look at that? Bad guys go first.

Initiative is one of the tensest moments of combat. Everyone is readying themselves and hoping they can get into the fray and strike the first blow, while also hoping to evade the worst their enemies have to offer. While a lot of DMs out there simply make due with some scrap notebook paper (or with a cheap LCD tablet, if you're a futuristic kind of dungeon master), that's one more thing to juggle behind your screen. Even magnetic initiative trackers like the official Pathfinder Combat Pad from Paizo don't solve this problem.

But what if you could make a simple, vertical initiative tracker that made the combat order obvious for everyone at the table, while also adding a hint of spook to your games? Well, here's how you can do just that with a couple of bucks, and less than an hour of actual crafting time. All you're going to need for this is:

- Container (coffee mug, skull of your enemy, etc.)

- Floral foam (pool foam will work in a pinch)

- Craft knife

- Terrain piece (extra dice or stones work fine, too)

- Thin wooden dowel rod

- Clothespins

- Marker

And that's it!

So What Do You Do?

Trust me, this is a piece of cake.

First things first, you want to identify your ideal container to use as the base. Right now we're in the middle of Halloween decor season, which means there are all kinds of skull cups and mugs out there. You want something that's got a bit of heft to it so it won't topple over unexpectedly, but you also want to make sure it isn't going to take up too much space on the table. Something like this skull pen holder, for example.

Come on... look at this damn thing!

Once you have your base, take your craft knife and your floral foam, and use the former to shape the latter to fit. You want a steady base that doesn't wiggle, if at all possible. Ideally the floral foam should sit a little way below the rim of your cup, as well.

After the foam is situated, take your small wooden dowel and push it down through the middle of the foam. You should now have a small pole sticking up from the foam. All you have to do at this point is open up your clothespins, and write the names of the PCs (or the names of the players, if your group is always the same), and then label one as Bad Guys. Perhaps a second for BBEG, when there's going to be a powerful bad guy and then all the lesser bad guys after them. Write the names along the legs of the clips, and ensure the can be read from both sides.

When you first set the initiative order you clip the clothespins near the top of the dowel, going in descending order from first to last. Then, once someone has taken their turn, you rotate their clothespin to the other side. This shows the initiative changing, and since the names are on both sides, you can just flip then back to their initial position as you go through the next round!

Add The Final Details

Once you've checked to make sure your clothespins hold and spin properly, all you have left to add are the fine details. Stuff to take your new initiative tracker from functional, to finished!

If you want your dowel to be extra secure, consider using some glue to hold it in place. Don't soak it to the point that the foam is glued into the cup, but be generous. Once you have the dowel where you want it, add in some terrain along the top of the foam (moss and soil, fake grass, small rocks to form a bier, a pile of small skulls, or even just a handful of spare dice) to camouflage the top of the foam.

Also, if you want to go the extra mile, you can stain the dowel so it's nice and dark. You could give your clothespins the same treatment, but keep in mind the names on them need to be legible.

Once you've done all of that, you've got a handy, vertical initiative tracker that's attractive, economical, and which adds a little spook to your table!

Also, if you're looking for some more handy things to try for your game, make sure you also take a moment to read through:

- Organize Your Spell Cards With a Portable Spellbook!

- Need Cheap Minis? SCS Direct Has You Covered!

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!

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!