A Cat of Tindalos

A Cat of Tindalos

Friday, June 24, 2016

Friday, June 17, 2016

15 Seconds of Fame

My Dungeon Starter Collection was featured on the Discern Realities Podcast 22.

http://www.gauntlet-rpg.com/discern-realities/episode-22

For those who wonder how my name is pronounced it is TYG-Art not TIG-ert. Sorry Tigger fans. It's a version of the popular Scots last name Taggert that got spelled and pronounced a host of different ways when my ancestors got off the boat. This version is popular in West Virginia.I did have an ancestor who spelled it Tyger.

Also- I think they're link to my Dungeon Starters:
 https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B7cav44145d9OXZFNjNpWFdBRFU&usp=sharing is mistaken or mangled for whatever reason. Still, I'm actually a big fan of this podcast so this is a bit of a thrill.

Thanks guys! Long may you broadcast!


Thursday, June 16, 2016

Wednesday, June 15, 2016

New Dungeon World Monster: Sussurus

Sussurus (Solitary, Large, Construct)
Pummel (d10 damage) 19 HP (1 armor)
Near
Special Qualities: Music that soothes the undead, Immune to Illusions and Invisibility
Su·sur·rus: whispering, murmuring, or rustling. 
(Example:"the susurrus of the stream" )
Or... 
A big headless hulk made of honeycombed bone channels? Wind blows through it and makes a sound that forces sleep on the undead? Check and double check. Many a party has destroyed this tomb guardian only to awaken things far worse... 
Instinct: Attacks tomb raiders

Creates undead pacifying music
Guards tombs
Sees with echolocation like a bat
Immune to Illusions and Invisibility



Monday, June 13, 2016

Sunday, June 12, 2016

New Dungeon World Monster

The CocoSolitary, Stealthy, Intelligent
Drains Life (d10 damage)10 HP0 armor
Close, Ignores Armor
Special Qualities: Undead, Shapeshifter

The Coco (or Cuco, Coca, Cuca, Cucuy) is a mythical ghost-monster, equivalent to the bogeyman, found in many Hispanic and Lusophone countries. He can also be considered a Hispanic version of a bugbear,as it is a commonly used figure of speech representing an irrational or exaggerated fear. The Coco is a male being while Coca is the female version of the mythical monster, although it is not possible to distinguish one from the other as both are the representation of the same being. 

The Coco is actually an undead, murdered child that preys on other children. Children killed but not consumed by a Coco will arise as a a Coco within three days of being drained.The Coco's true form is hideous, that of a twisted, half melted corpse child in rags. It will normally only reveal its true form if and will only appear as a cloaked figure (sometimes with a jack-o-lantern head) if not shapeshifting. It can appear as anything roughly human to child-sized, but radiates magic and evil strongly. The Cuco is normally cowardly but has been known to work as a spy for other undead. It dislikes, but can endure, sunlight.It is vulernable to holy water and will normally not cross salt or running water. 

Instinct: Devours children
  • Shapeshifts
  • Plots evil
  • Spy


Friday, June 10, 2016

Monster-of-the-Week Mystery Starter: Night Gallery

As Monty Python might say "Now for a mystery starter somewhat different..." A tribute to Rod Serling, Night Gallery , Lovecraft... Let me know what you think!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7cav44145d9TFo1MUVBTC0yZ0U/view?usp=sharing


Wednesday, June 8, 2016

Religious Freedom


Magical Items Revised


I think a lot of what makes Dungeon World items really work is a history and detailed description.

Magical Items Revised

I think a lot of what makes Dungeon World items really work is a history and detailed description.

Sword of Striking ("Odin's Blade", "the Wedsenday Sword")

Owner may roll twice on "Hack and Slash" rolls when using this sword and take the higher roll. No bonus on damage, but will hit Incorporeal monsters.

History: A viking long sword inscribed with runes and images of Odin's ravens, this blade will vibrate with eagerness in its sheath when battle approaches; the souls of its previous owners can be heard by the owner calling out for new recruits for Valhalla. It can never be cleaned and always appears freshly bloody but the owner will report an odd feeling of peace in battle.

The Sword of Tyche ("Luck's blade", "Tyche's Gladius" or "The Bitch Goddess' Letter Opener")

Owner may roll twice on "Hack and Slash" rolls when using this sword, but must take the second roll. No bonus on damage, but will hit Incorporeal monsters.

History: A Roman Gladius enshrined with prayers to "fickle Tyche" and an image of the naked goddess inscribed on the blade. This weapon is always sharp and immaculate and never requires cleaning. When in battle an owner of this sword will always be found laughing and smiling whatever the odds or the owner's previous mood.

Pickman's Ring

Owner is cursed and may not remove ring once it is placed on his or her hand.. Owner may converse and parlay with all forms of ghouls who will not attack and offer owner and his or her party aid and advice. If owner fails Last Breath roll his or her corpse will arise as an undead monster (GM's Choice, usually powerful ghoul) that will attempt to track down and consume the party. Owner is immune to any ghoul special attacks or fear spells. The owner will start eating insects and need no other form of nutrition as long as these are present when camp is made.

History: First owner was Upton Pickman; famous Arkham artist who was once human.


New Dungeon World Magical Items

Sword of Striking

Owner may roll twice on "Hack and Slash" rolls when using this sword and take the higher roll.
No bonus on damage, but will hit Incorporeal monsters.

The Sword of Tyche

Owner may roll twice on "Hack and Slash" rolls when using this sword, but must take the second roll. No bonus on damage, but will hit Incorporeal monsters.


Pickman's Ring

Owner is cursed and may not remove ring once it is placed on his or her hand.. Owner may converse and parlay with all forms of ghouls who will not attack and offer owner and his or her party aid and advice. If owner fails Last Breath roll his or her corpse will arise as an undead monster (GM's Choice, usually powerful ghoul) that will attempt to track down and consume the party. Owner is immune to any ghoul special attacks or fear spells.



Revised Crypt Wight

Revised. Many thanks to Samoht Strebor!

Crypt Wight (Group, Devious, Intelligent, Cautious, Hoarder, Terrifying)
Ghost Blade (d6 damage) 10 HP (4 armor)
(Close, Near)
Special Qualities: Undead

A crypt wight is a corpse given a semblance of life through a fallen spirit's love of violence and hatred. A crypt wight can drain the life energy out of victims by touch or blade, turning them into new wights upon death. Crypt wights may not leave their tombs and sunlight is fatal to them. They may not cross running water or salt. Silver weapons do double damage. A crypt wight appears as a weird and twisted reflection of the form it had in life. Wights are always evil.

Custom Move: When a crypt wight first drains you with its ghost blade or touch, ROLL+CON;

On a 10+, it fails and you take no damage
On a 7-9, choose 1; On a -6 or less fail take all three.
@Take d6 of damage damage.
@Take-1 ongoing until you make camp.
@Lose 1 point of Strength until you make camp.
On a 6-, all three take effect.

Instinct : Steal the strength of the living.

Extinguish all light 

Ambush from corpse or walls.

Show them the horrors of undeath



La Llorona

La LloronaSolitary, Magical, Devious, Intelligent, Terrifying
Death cry (d8 damage)12 HP4 armor
Close, Ignores Armor
Special Qualities: Drowns Children, Incorporeal

La Llorona ("The Weeping Woman") is a legendary ghost prominent in the folklore of Hispanic America. According to the tradition, La Llorona is the ghost of a woman who lost her children and cries while looking for them by the river, often causing misfortune to those who hear her. 

Parents often use this story to prevent their children from wandering out at night. In some versions of this tale and legend, La Llorona will kidnap wandering children who resemble her missing children, asking her children for forgiveness and drowning these other children to take their place, but they never forgive her and she keeps trying. People who claim to have seen her say she appears at night or in the late evenings from rivers or lakes in Mexico. Some believe that those who hear the wails of La Llorona are marked for death but those who escape in time are not so marked, similar to the Gaelic banshee legend. She is said to cry, ¡Ay, mis hijos! ("Oh, my children!") 

Instinct: Steal life from children
  • Search in endless grief
  • Harm the living
  • Cause sorrow


Monday, June 6, 2016

Dungeon World Monster: Crypt Wight

Crypt Wight (Group, Devious, Intelligent, Cautious, Hoarder, Terrifying)
Ghost Blade (d6 damage) 10 HP (4 armor)
(Close, Near)
Special Qualities: Undead

A crypt wight is a corpse given a semblance of life through a fallen spirit's love of violence and hatred. A crypt wight can drain the life energy out of victims by touch or blade, turning them into new wights upon death. Crypt wights may not leave their tombs and sunlight is fatal to them. They may not cross running water or salt. Silver weapons do double damage. A crypt wight appears as a weird and twisted reflection of the form it had in life. Wights are always evil.

Custom Move: When a crypt wight first drains you with its ghost blade or touch, ROLL+CON;

On a 10+, it fails and you take no damage
On a 7-9, choose 1; On a -6 or less fail take all three.
@Take d6 of damage damage.
@Take -1 ongoing until you make camp.
@Lose 1 point of Strength until you make camp.
On a 6-, all three take effect.

Instinct: Drains Life

Haunts
Drains Life
Create new wights
Create magical darkness
Taunt the living



Friday, June 3, 2016

Giant Carnivorous Cave Salamander

For Gregory Fellis (Greg)...

Giant Carnivorous Cave SalamanderSolitary, Large
Bite (d8 damage 1 piercing)16 HP0 armor

A giant eyeless albino salamander; this amphibian of the deep cavern lakes and rivers is always hoping for a meal. Instinct: Bites
  • Lurks
  • Ambush
  • Overturn boat



New Dungeon World Monsters

JackalwereGroup, Small, Stealthy, Intelligent
Weapon or bite (d8 damage)6 HP0 armor
Close, Reach

These demonic jackals have three physical forms (jackal,jackal hybrid, human) they shift between and they often work for Lamia masters to capture slaves or caravans. Other than its size, its statistics are the same in each form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn't transformed. It reverts to its true form if it dies.

Sleep Gaze.

The jackalwere gazes at one creature it can see. The target must roll +Wisdom.
On a 10+ the player is now immune to a jakalware's gaze.
On a 7-9 the player sees, briefly the jackalware's true hybrid form.
On a 6 or less the player falls into a light sleep. 

Instinct: Enslave and/or rob
  • Shapechanger
  • Sleep Gaze
  • Ambush



LamiaSolitary, Large, Magical, Intelligent, Hoarder
Drains Blood (d12 damage)16 HP2 armor
Reach

A vampiric half-serpent woman that often manages a band of lesser jackalware thralls. A human drained of blood by a lamia will arise three days after death as a jakalware thrall of a lamia unless the victim's body is burnt or given a proper burial. It’s fairly clear that the Lamia was a precursor figure to the well-recognized vampires and succubae of modern fantasy and horror literature. 

In 1819, the English Romantic poet John Keats composed a poem simply titled “Lamia” that then influenced one of Edgar Allan Poe’s sonnets (“To Science”), which is all to say that there is something about this creature’s origin and character that has continued to capture popular attention over the course of several thousand years. It’s unfortunate that the Lamia’s role in blood-sucking and seducing men has been more or less usurped in popular culture and fantasy by the vampire and the succubus, but at the very least, her essence has survived in recognizable ways in those creatures to this day. 

Instinct: Drain Blood
  • Uses illusion
  • Seduce and drain
  • Summon Jackalware thralls

Thursday, June 2, 2016

Dungeon Starter: The Lost City of Cyndicea


Adapted for Dungeon World from the TSR Classic Basic D&D Module B4: The Lost City by Tom Moldvay. Dedicated to his memory.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7cav44145d9VG9PYXVpYy1tTHM/view?usp=sharing