A group of bandits chooses to shake down the village where the heroes happen to be saying...
Sunday, December 27, 2015
Tuesday, December 22, 2015
Der Hexenkessel (Savage Worlds), Episode 5 - Marriage Duties of the House Gnomes
The heroes travel through the Imperial City of Nuremberg, where a variety of purchases are made. Adolph meets a woman with an unusual companion. Letta encounters more discussion about the proposed tournament in Ravensberg. The village of Manderscheid is beset by men of ill intent.
There is mention in this episode of an image online that inspired a detail in Episode 4. The link to the article with the image is here:
http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/16383
Thursday, December 17, 2015
Der Hexenkessel (Savage Worlds), Episode 4: Horror on the River Lech
En route to Poland, our heroes pass near the fields of the Battle of Rain, where a small village, reeling in the aftermath of war, is also beset by a supernatural threat.
Saturday, December 12, 2015
Random Table: Who Did This Thirty Years War Veteran Fight For?
What possible use could you have for a random table to determine which faction in the Thirty Years War a particularly NPC fought for? Heck, I don't know, but we're all gamers, here... If anyone can think of a way to use it, we can, right?
Roll d8. The first column provides the faction that the NPC fought for. The second is informational, and states whether that faction was aligned for or against the Holy Roman Empire. The third provides a notable engagement or campaign the NPC fought in, and the associated date; if a specific battle is listed, the outcome for the NPCs side (Won or Lost) is noted.
For some real fun, roll more than once. If the result indicates that the NPC fought both for and against the Holy Roman Empire, don't worry... this happened all the time, historically.
Chris
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Who did this Thirty Years War veteran fight for? (d8)
|
|||
|
d8
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Fought for...
|
For/Against HRE?
|
Notable engagement
|
|
1
|
Hesse-Kassel
|
Against
|
Siege of Dorsten (L)
(1641)
|
|
2
|
Electoral Palatinate
|
Against
|
Siege of Heidelberg (L)
(1622)
|
|
3
|
Brunswick-Lüneberg
|
Against
|
Battle of Höchst (L)
(1622)
|
|
4
|
Catholic League (Mainz)
|
For
|
White Mountain to Battle
of Lutter (W) (1620 - 1626)
|
|
5
|
Bavaria
|
For
|
Battle of Zusmarshausen
(L) (1648)
|
|
6
|
Bernhardine Army
(France, kind of)
|
Against
|
Rhine Campaign of 1638
|
|
7
|
Imperial Army (Personal
to Emperor)
|
For
|
Battle of Tuttlingen (W)
(1643)
|
|
8
|
Saxony (Sweden)
|
Against
|
Battle of Lützen (W)
(1632)
|
Roll d8. The first column provides the faction that the NPC fought for. The second is informational, and states whether that faction was aligned for or against the Holy Roman Empire. The third provides a notable engagement or campaign the NPC fought in, and the associated date; if a specific battle is listed, the outcome for the NPCs side (Won or Lost) is noted.
For some real fun, roll more than once. If the result indicates that the NPC fought both for and against the Holy Roman Empire, don't worry... this happened all the time, historically.
Chris
Tuesday, December 8, 2015
Der Hexenkessel (Savage World), Episode 3: The Difficulty of Selecting a Gift for a Faerie
Fraulein Bort only has eyes for Adolph. A fancy dress is ordered by Kat. Alchemical cards are consulted for purposes of augury, and the question of whether to go to Poland or Finland is resolved.
Friday, December 4, 2015
Der Hexenkessel (Savage Worlds) - Episode 2: The Devil's Macrame
The group returns to Ravensburg, a mule laden with ashes in tow. Von Siegen and his arcane library are consulted. A Polish Faerie is learned of. The prospect of a journey to Finland is contemplated with horror.
From the Nightmares of Thieves: An Alternate Troll for Savage Worlds Campaigns
The first sessions of the Der Hexenkessel campaign (played before we were recording actual plays) concerned a very simple monster-hunting mission. As an introduction to the setting of an Early Modern, quasi-historical Germany, I wanted the antagonist creatures to be prominent monsters from European folklore. I selected trolls.
Now, the Savage Worlds core rulebook provides perfectly fine stats for trolls. However, because a) I was a little worried that the rulebook's trolls, as written, would be too tough for a group of Novice PCs even singly, let alone in numbers, and b) because I can never leave any published RPG material well enough alone, I made up my own version of the good old troll.
I retained, from the SW rules and from countless other FRPGs, the notion that trolls can regenerate normal damage and are vulnerable to fire. To the SW version, I added vulnerability to sunlight as well. I also developed my new troll in both a lesser and greater version--the former to be encountered initially, and the latter to serve as the climactic Boss.
Furthermore, I thought a little about what one might call the ecology of the Der Hexenkessel troll. The campaign premise is rooted in the idea that the immense misery, fear, and loss of life of the Thirty Years War is--somehow--related to the increase in monster activity in the countryside. This implies that monsters can be quite literally "born out of fear".
Consequently, in designing my troll I decided that they would not be naturalistic creatures that are the product of some dark-fairy branch of evolution, with standard biological means of reproduction. Instead, greater trolls are spawned, fully formed, from the nightmares of thieves. Lesser trolls are then spawned, via a sort of "podding", from the bodies of greater trolls.
Lesser Troll
• Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength d8, Vigor d8
• Skills: Fighting d6, Intimidation d8, Notice d6, Stealth d6, Throwing d6, Climbing d8.
• Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 7 (1)
Now, the Savage Worlds core rulebook provides perfectly fine stats for trolls. However, because a) I was a little worried that the rulebook's trolls, as written, would be too tough for a group of Novice PCs even singly, let alone in numbers, and b) because I can never leave any published RPG material well enough alone, I made up my own version of the good old troll.
I retained, from the SW rules and from countless other FRPGs, the notion that trolls can regenerate normal damage and are vulnerable to fire. To the SW version, I added vulnerability to sunlight as well. I also developed my new troll in both a lesser and greater version--the former to be encountered initially, and the latter to serve as the climactic Boss.
Furthermore, I thought a little about what one might call the ecology of the Der Hexenkessel troll. The campaign premise is rooted in the idea that the immense misery, fear, and loss of life of the Thirty Years War is--somehow--related to the increase in monster activity in the countryside. This implies that monsters can be quite literally "born out of fear".
Consequently, in designing my troll I decided that they would not be naturalistic creatures that are the product of some dark-fairy branch of evolution, with standard biological means of reproduction. Instead, greater trolls are spawned, fully formed, from the nightmares of thieves. Lesser trolls are then spawned, via a sort of "podding", from the bodies of greater trolls.
Without further ado, then, here are the stats for the Der Hexenkessel troll. Perhaps you can find a use for this monster (or some version of it) in your own SW campaign.
-Chris
Lesser Troll
• Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength d8, Vigor d8
• Skills: Fighting d6, Intimidation d8, Notice d6, Stealth d6, Throwing d6, Climbing d8.
• Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 7 (1)
• Size +0: Lesser trolls are approximately human-sized.
• Special Abilities:
– Armor +1: Rubbery hide.
– Darkvision: Can see just fine in natural pitch darkness (not magic darkness).
– Claws: Str+d4 (d8 + d4)
--Agile Mover: Ignores penalties for movement through difficult terrain.
• Special Abilities:
– Armor +1: Rubbery hide.
– Darkvision: Can see just fine in natural pitch darkness (not magic darkness).
– Claws: Str+d4 (d8 + d4)
--Agile Mover: Ignores penalties for movement through difficult terrain.
– Weaknesses: Fire, sunlight.
-- Fast Regeneration: Trolls may attempt a natural healing roll every round unless their wounds were caused by fire, flame, or sunlight. An Incapacitated lesser troll returns to action if it heals itself (and is not Shaken--even if it was before being Incapacitated).
Fire vs Lesser Trolls: A Wound caused by flame causes troll to go up in flames and burn down to the bone (bones crumble to dust). If the troll has been beheaded and the troll's body is consumed by flame, the head will remain intact. If a lesser troll is Shaken by flame, it catches on fire and takes 1d10 damage each subsequent round (unless a 1 is rolled on the damage die, in which case the fire goes out on its own).
-- Fast Regeneration: Trolls may attempt a natural healing roll every round unless their wounds were caused by fire, flame, or sunlight. An Incapacitated lesser troll returns to action if it heals itself (and is not Shaken--even if it was before being Incapacitated).
Fire vs Lesser Trolls: A Wound caused by flame causes troll to go up in flames and burn down to the bone (bones crumble to dust). If the troll has been beheaded and the troll's body is consumed by flame, the head will remain intact. If a lesser troll is Shaken by flame, it catches on fire and takes 1d10 damage each subsequent round (unless a 1 is rolled on the damage die, in which case the fire goes out on its own).
Sunlight vs Lesser Trolls: If a lesser troll is exposed to sunlight, the troll immediately catches fire and is destroyed.
Greater Troll (Wild Card)
• Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength d10, Vigor d10
• Skills: Fighting d10, Intimidation d10, Notice d6, Stealth d6, Throwing d6, Climbing d12
• Pace: 6; Parry: 7; Toughness: 10 (2)
• Special Abilities:
– Armor +2: Rubbery hide.
-- Size +1
– Darkvision: Can see just fine in natural pitch darkness (not magic darkness).
– Claws: Str+d4 (d10 + d4)
-- Agile Mover: Ignores penalties for movement through difficult terrain.
Greater Troll (Wild Card)
• Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength d10, Vigor d10
• Skills: Fighting d10, Intimidation d10, Notice d6, Stealth d6, Throwing d6, Climbing d12
• Pace: 6; Parry: 7; Toughness: 10 (2)
• Special Abilities:
– Armor +2: Rubbery hide.
-- Size +1
– Darkvision: Can see just fine in natural pitch darkness (not magic darkness).
– Claws: Str+d4 (d10 + d4)
-- Agile Mover: Ignores penalties for movement through difficult terrain.
– Weaknesses: Fire, sunlight.
-- Fast Regeneration: Trolls may attempt a natural healing roll every round unless their wounds were caused by fire, flame, or sunlight. An Incapacitated greater troll returns to action if it heals itself (and is not Shaken--even if it was before being Incapacitated).
--Sweep: May attack all adjacent targets at Fighting -2.
--Spawning: Each night, roll 1d6. On a roll of 6, a greater troll will spawn 1d3 lesser trolls over the course of the night. A greater troll can never spawn more lesser trolls than the number of humans it has eaten. While a lesser troll is being spawned, it will slowly emerge in a sort of troll-shaped pseudopod from the greater troll over the course of the night. This may give the greater troll the appearance of having multiple heads, or similar.
Fire vs Greater Trolls: If a greater troll is Wounded by flame, roll d6: on 5-6, the troll catches on fire (as per a "Spot Fire") and is subject to further damage on subsequent rounds.On each subsequent round, roll d6 again: on 1-2, the fire goes out on its own. On 3-4, the fire stays at the same level (see the "Fire Damage" table in the SW rulebook). On 5-6, the fire increases by one level. If the troll has been beheaded and the troll's body is consumed by flame, the head will remain intact.
-- Fast Regeneration: Trolls may attempt a natural healing roll every round unless their wounds were caused by fire, flame, or sunlight. An Incapacitated greater troll returns to action if it heals itself (and is not Shaken--even if it was before being Incapacitated).
--Sweep: May attack all adjacent targets at Fighting -2.
--Spawning: Each night, roll 1d6. On a roll of 6, a greater troll will spawn 1d3 lesser trolls over the course of the night. A greater troll can never spawn more lesser trolls than the number of humans it has eaten. While a lesser troll is being spawned, it will slowly emerge in a sort of troll-shaped pseudopod from the greater troll over the course of the night. This may give the greater troll the appearance of having multiple heads, or similar.
Fire vs Greater Trolls: If a greater troll is Wounded by flame, roll d6: on 5-6, the troll catches on fire (as per a "Spot Fire") and is subject to further damage on subsequent rounds.On each subsequent round, roll d6 again: on 1-2, the fire goes out on its own. On 3-4, the fire stays at the same level (see the "Fire Damage" table in the SW rulebook). On 5-6, the fire increases by one level. If the troll has been beheaded and the troll's body is consumed by flame, the head will remain intact.
Sunlight vs Greater Trolls: If a greater troll is exposed to sunlight, the troll immediately catches fire (as a "Spot Fire") and immediately takes 1d10 damage. The fire will automatically increase by one level each subsequent round, and do damage accordingly, unless the troll is able to retreat from the sunlight.
Thursday, December 3, 2015
Der Hexenkessel: Campaign Overview
This information is also available on the campaign's Obsidian Portal Page, but I thought I would post it here for convenience...
Join us for the Legit Use of the Mule Podcast, featuring Der Hexenkessel actual play! Downloadable via iTunes, and streaming via Stitcher, Downcast, SoundCloud, and right here on this blog.
Chris
Central Europe, 1653.
The Holy Roman Empire and its neighbors struggle to recover from three decades of devastating conflict.
With millions dead through famine, pestilence, shot and sword, entire villages lie deserted. Bandits roam a lawless countryside. Treasuries of princes great and petty rest on the brink of ruin. Yet even beyond these all-too familiar horrors of war, dark rumors are whispered throughout this forsaken land… Rumors of forgotten rituals producing terrifying effects, and strange creatures from ancient tales come to life, stalking the forest gloom…
Der Hexenkessel is a Savage Worlds campaign set in Europe in the immediate aftermath of the Thirty Years War. The premise is that the immense death, destruction, and suffering of the war has somehow either produced or awakened from slumber menacing forces that had previously been relegated only to folktales.
Players will take the role of individuals who enjoy the patronage of Anton Ossa Edler von Siegen, an affluent but landless noble in the Holy Roman Empire’s Free Imperial City of Ravensburg. Von Siegen has more awareness than most of the authenticity (and danger) posed by the rising evil, and has recruited the characters as “monster hunters”, hand-picked to take direct action against the forces of darkness.
Join us for the Legit Use of the Mule Podcast, featuring Der Hexenkessel actual play! Downloadable via iTunes, and streaming via Stitcher, Downcast, SoundCloud, and right here on this blog.
Chris
Central Europe, 1653.
The Holy Roman Empire and its neighbors struggle to recover from three decades of devastating conflict.
With millions dead through famine, pestilence, shot and sword, entire villages lie deserted. Bandits roam a lawless countryside. Treasuries of princes great and petty rest on the brink of ruin. Yet even beyond these all-too familiar horrors of war, dark rumors are whispered throughout this forsaken land… Rumors of forgotten rituals producing terrifying effects, and strange creatures from ancient tales come to life, stalking the forest gloom…
Der Hexenkessel is a Savage Worlds campaign set in Europe in the immediate aftermath of the Thirty Years War. The premise is that the immense death, destruction, and suffering of the war has somehow either produced or awakened from slumber menacing forces that had previously been relegated only to folktales.
Players will take the role of individuals who enjoy the patronage of Anton Ossa Edler von Siegen, an affluent but landless noble in the Holy Roman Empire’s Free Imperial City of Ravensburg. Von Siegen has more awareness than most of the authenticity (and danger) posed by the rising evil, and has recruited the characters as “monster hunters”, hand-picked to take direct action against the forces of darkness.
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