Magical Biotech and Monster Making, Part I – Ingredients

There was an earlier request for this, and – now that I finally have a little time for writing and putting things up again – it’s time to start this particular article-series… d20… covers a lot of settings. The realm of dream? Been there. Virtual reality setting? Done that. High Fantasy? Please! That’s where it [...]

Analysis of Experience Points

Analysis of Experience Points Recently, our characters in an Atheria campaign game have entered (hopefully merely for a visit) a very standard D&D (Forgotten Realms, as it turns out) world, with a more traditional experience-point-based system for leveling and advancing. We were… surprised, to the say the least. And disturbed. Many of the creatures we have [...]

Federation-Apocalypse Session 152 – In the Houses of Healing

It didn’t take long for Raphael, Archangel of Healing, to notice the visitors. (Raphael) “Ah, it looks like we have additional guests. Are you here to learn the healing arts, or are you here seeking assistance in some matter?” (Kevin) “Assistance I fear: the Lady Tyra Istral has an injury that is beyond any of [...]

Federation-Apocalypse Session 105 – The Chill of the Night

   So, they’d been traveling across Necropolis to reach Necropolis. Bloody confusing of the realm’s discoverers to simply give the place the name of the first city they’d arrived in there.    OK, it was hard to blame them for not being interested in extensive exploration given the nature of the realm – but still. [...]

Federation-Apocalypse Session 99 – The Black Alliance

   Hm… The newly shapeshifted Thralls seemed a bit… restive. What was… Ah. The local reality limited their intelligence while they were in animal form and gave them a full set of animalistic instincts and tendencies. At least that only seemed to apply to the horses; the ones in Neodog form had full-size brains to [...]

Federation-Apocalypse Session 92c – Car Wars

   Marty decided to leave out the lawyers for the moment. The poisons they used always gave him the willies anyway. Some things even other LAWYERS did not deserve…    Some character witnesses wouldn’t hurt though – and some of the Knights would probably enjoy a visit to Battling Business World! Thawban would certainly take [...]

Thera: Magical Basics

   Theran Magic involves three basic factors; raw mystical energy, the occult lore to forge and maintain psychic spell-constructs through which to channel it, and the skill to direct it properly. Since everyone uses magic to some extent in daily life, each class provides a contribution to a characters Base Caster Level, as listed under [...]

Thera: Channeling The Primal Powers

   On Thera, Channeling goes a bit beyond the ability to influence the Undead.    Channeling focuses primal energies through the user’s life – or unlife – force. It’s the oldest of all mystical techniques, by far the most erratic – and is the province of those who have the faith and will to open [...]

Thera: The Runelord Epic Class

The Theran Epic Hero:    Beyond Twentieth Level :    Theran characters may take a maximum of 20 “normal” class levels. Any levels beyond that must be taken in one of Thera’s two, mutually exclusive, high-level Classes – Epic Hero and Rune Lord. While it is possible – at least in exceptional cases – to [...]

Thera: Faiths and Religions

   The Great Powers of Thera come in at least three groups, and possibly four. There’s some debate on the subject.    The Primal Ennead are the personifications of cosmic elements and forces – entities that really don’t pay much attention to individual mortals. Each has a male and a female aspect. In reality what [...]

d20: Mystic Companion Prestige Class

Mystic Companion, A.K.A.; “Greater Familiar”   “You must anchor me, lest I be lost in the worlds beyond” “Join your mind with mine, your power with mine…” “I shall ward you as you work” “Igor! Fetch me a brain!” “What happens if I press this?”    The Mystic Companion is a spellcaster’s aide, roughly equivalent [...]

Battling The Balanced Encounter

   There’s always a certain tension in any role-playing game.    For the role-playing part you want characters who are firmly a part of the setting, who have histories and personal involvements there, and who – preferably – have personalities that are distinguishable from that of their player. They should be detailed, complex, and as [...]

Comparitive Kristianity Part II

   Well, despite delays, the original d20 version of Kristin is now up for comparison with the Champions version. Since this is the original, it also includes some of her history and background, unlike the Champions version.  

Flight of the Raven

   First up for today, we have a selection of Raven’s friends, allies, and enemies from an assortment of campaigns.    For announcements, the Champions game will be tomorrow evening – starting about 7:30 – in the University of Tennessee library as usual. Given that most of the current legal plotlines have concluded, its back to [...]