The Citadel at Norðlond

Gaming Ballistic has started its deliveries from their latest Kickstarter, The Citadel at Norðlond. This is their second kickstarter to sell Dungeon Fantasy powered by GURPS. Both have been very successful and a third is in the works.

Unlike Hall of Judgment, The Citadel at Norðlond is not a stand alone adventure but a sourcebook with enough information to run campaigns for many gaming sessions. It has something for just about everyone from political intrigue to good old hack and slash. A good GM could easily use the many factions to cause tensions within the group, or to just harass them on their journey. Evil cultists, Dragonmen, Fae, and more abound in and around Norðvorn.

I really like the representation of the Fairy in this book. My original Dungeon Fantasy game from ten years ago had Fae everywhere. It was a real hassle for the players to go anywhere as they had to stop and give offerings to each area for safe passage. That setting had no Gods, just Fae, everywhere. In your house, the inns, outdoors, etc. So I was very pleased to see them represented, although differently, in The Citadel at Norðlond.

There are other things then fairies to worry about in this setting and plenty of opportunities for the players to get in trouble. Douglas Cole has not only given you fuel for the fire by providing you with the information for all the factions and political turmoil, he has provided everything for a rich setting. Names and proper pronunciations, holidays, towns, traditions to really get the players engrossed in a fantasy viking region. Even if you don’t play GURPS (but why wouldn’t you?) The Citadel at Norðlond would be a great setting sourcebook for any rule system.

The Citadel at Norðlond and Fantastic Dungeon Grappling to add new combat options for Dungeon Fantasy RPG.

Now all we have to do is sit and wait for the third Kickstarter which I believe is going to be The Dragons of Rosgarth

GURPS: Dungeon Fantasy Monsters 2

GURPS Dungeon Fantasy RPG kickstarter has been underway and with a week to go we really need to push to get this through. The future of GURPS products may hang in the balance of this kickstarter!

Now is the time to get the DFRPG box set if you missed the original Kickstarter and some other goodies too!

*EDIT* Now fully funded!

Fukuiraptor

Despite its name the Fukuiraptor (foo-KOO-ee-RAP-tor) is not a Raptor at all. It belongs more to the Allosaurus family. At 14 feet (4.2 m.) long, 3 feet (.92 m.) high at the shoulder and weighing 450 pounds (200 kg.) the Fukuiraptor is nothing to tangle with lightly. When domesticated they can be used as mounts for smaller individuals (average of 5′ 3″ and around 100-120 lbs.) or as hunting/war dogs. Riding Theropods (small) required and Animal Handling: Theropods required. In the wild they are only encountered alone or with a mate.

ST: 15 HP: 15 Speed: 6.75
DX: 14 Will: 3 Move: 7
IQ: 3 Per: 12
HT: 13 FP: 13 SM: +2 (3 hexes)
Dodge: 9 Parry: 0 DR: 1

Attack (Skill or Resistance):

  • Claws: 1d+1 cut C,1; SL: 12
  • Teeth 1d cut C, SL: 14
  • Tail: 1d+1 cr C,1;

Traits: Acute Taste & Smell 1 [2, B35]; Bestial -10 [B124]; Cannot Speak -15 [B125]; Claws, Sharp (Feet) 5 [B42] Claws, Sharp (Hands) [3, B42]; Combat Reflexes 15 [B43]; Damage Resistance 1 – Tough Skin, -40% [3, B47]; Enhanced Move 1
(Ground Speed 16); Fit 5 [B55]; Hidebound -5 [B138]; Peripheral Vision 15 [B74]; Restricted Diet (Carnivore) -20 [B151]; Weak Striker (Tail; Cannot Parry; Long, SM+1; Limited Arc, rear hexes); 5 [B88]; Taboo Trait (Fixed IQ) 0 [B263]; Teeth, Sharp 1 [B91]

Skills: Brawling DX+0 [1, B182]; Stealth DX-1 [1, B222]; Survival (choose one) Per-1 [1, B223]; Tracking Per-1 [1, B226]

Class: Dinosaur, Animal

Xiaosaurus

Xiaosaurus (Zhou-SAWR-us) is a small, lightly-built dinosaur. It is an herbivore and a fast, agile runner. It is small and lizard-like, about 5 feet (1.5 m) long, one foot high and weighs about 15 lbs. It walks on two long legs, has four-toed feet, five-fingered hands, short arms, a long, stiff, pointed tail, a flexible neck, and a small head with large eyes. It has leaf-shaped cheek teeth. They pose no threat in the wild but can be a nuisance in urban areas.

ST: 4 HP: 4 Speed: 7.25

DX: 16 Will: 2 Move: 7

IQ: 2 Per: 12

HT: 10 FP: 10 SM: -4

Dodge: 9 Parry: n/a DR: 1

Attack (Skill or Resistance):

  • Bite: 1d-6 cr SL: 16
  • Kick: 1d-5 cut, Reach: C,1, SL: 14
  • Tail Lash: 1d-4 cr, SL: 14
  • Claws: 1d-6 cut SL: 16

Traits: Acute Taste & Smell 1 [2, B35]; Bestial -10 [B124]; Cannot Speak -15 [B125]; Claws, Sharp (Feet) [3, B42]; Combat Reflexes 15 [B43]; Damage Resistance 1 – Tough Skin, -40% [3, B47]; Fit 5 [B55]; Hidebound -5 [B138]; Penetrating Voice [1, B101]; Peripheral Vision 15 [B74]; Restricted Diet (Herbavore) [-20, B151]; Striker, Crushing (Tail) 5 [B88]; Taboo Trait (Fixed IQ) 0 [B263]; Teeth, Blunt [0, B91]

Skills: Brawling DX+0 [1, B182]; Survival (choose one) Per-1 [1, B223]; Tracking Per-1 [1, B226]

Class:Dinosaur, Animal

Elmisaurus

I have two types of DF games. One is kept completely underground, the other is a standard fantasy world except horses are rare.  Instead dinosaurs are the main beasts of burden and wilderness threat.  The Elmisaurus is one of the animals that has been domesticated in my campaigns.  They can be found in cities and almost all Elmisaurus (EL-mih-SAWR-us) you will come across are domesticated pets. They are great at catching unwanted pests such as rats and Xiaosaurus. They are 6.6 feet long, about 3 feet at the shoulder a weigh in at 70-100 lbs. They come in a dazzling display of patterns and are normally light purple, white, black with small in frequent orange spots. In the wild they are generally found in Warm temperate areas and are found in small groups 1d+2. They rarely attack humans unless they outnumber the target and are extremely hungry.

ST: 9 HP: 9 Speed: 7.25

DX: 16 Will: 3 Move: 7

IQ: 3 Per: 12

HT: 13 FP: 13 SM: 0

Dodge: 10 Parry: n/a DR: 1

Attack (Skill or Resistance):

  • Claws, Sharp: 1d-2 cut C,1
  • Striker, Tail: 1d-1 cr C,1
  • Teeth, Sharp: 1d-3 cut C

Traits: Acute Taste & Smell 1 [2, B35]; Bestial -10 [B124]; Cannot Speak -15 [B125]; Claws, Sharp (Feet) 5 [B42] Claws, Blunt (Hands) [3, B42]; Combat Reflexes 15 [B43]; Damage Resistance 1 – Tough Skin, -40% [3, B47]; Fit 5 [B55]; Hidebound -5 [B138]; Peripheral Vision 15 [B74]; Restricted Diet (Carnivore or Herbavore) -20 [B151]; Striker, Crushing (Tail) 5 [B88]; Taboo Trait (Fixed IQ) 0 [B263]; Teeth, Sharp 1 [B91]or Teeth, Blunt [0, B91]

Skills: Brawling DX+0 [1, B182]; Stealth DX-1 [1, B222]; Survival (choose one) Per-1 [1, B223]; Tracking Per-1 [1, B226]

Class: Dinosaur, Animal

Notes: Omnivore

Ash Zombie

Ash Zombies can only be made from those that have died in a fire. All the surviving ash and bone fragments must be available to create the Zombie. Ash Zombies contained enough residual life force or death-aspected mana, that they can be reanimated with the Zombie spell. The Zombie will look like a person formed from ash. If the ash had blown away then the skeletal structure will be exposed. It is not uncommon to see an Ash Zombie with part of the skull or a with a skeletal limb exposed, Its also common for an Ash Zombie to have little or no skeletal structure left. Instead of the rotting smell of your regular Zombies, Ash Zombies smell of brimstone and sulphur.

What makes Ash Zombies desirable is the fact that they can be enchanted due to the fact that the ash will not rot like regular zombies and that they are almost immune to all but the hottest fires.

Ash Zombie Template -28 points

Attributes Modifiers:

ST +1 [10]; DX 0 [0]; IQ -2 [-40]; HT 0 [0]

Secondary Characteristics

Damage 0; BL lbs.0; Will 0 [0]; Per 0 [0]; FP 0 [0]; HP +4 [8]; Basic Speed 5.25 [0]; Basic Move 5 [0]

Advantages

Damage Resistance 10 – Limited (Fire), -20% [40, B47]; Doesn’t Breathe [20, B49]; Doesn’t Eat or Drink [10, B50]; Doesn’t Sleep [20, B50]; Extra Hit Points 4 [8, B16]; High Pain Threshold [10, B59]; Indomitable [15, B60]; Injury Tolerance (Diffuse) [100, B60]; Injury Tolerance (No Blood) [5, B61]; Injury Tolerance (Unliving) [20, B61]; Resistant (Immune to all Mind Control) [30, B80]; Resistant (Immune to Metabolic Hazards) [30, B81]; Single-Minded [5, B85]; Temperature Tolerance 10 [10, B93]; Unaging [15, B95]; Unfazeable [15, B95]

Disadvantages

Appearance (Monstrous, Universal) [-25, B21]; Bad Smell:  -2 Reaction penalty [-10, B124]; Cannot Learn [-30, B125]; Dependency (Mana, Constantly) [-50, B130]; Disturbing Voice [-10, B132]; Fragile (Unnatural) [-50, B137]; Meta-Trait: Automaton [-85, B263]

Quirks

Sexless [-1, B165]

Features

Affected by Control Zombie, Pentagram, and Turn Zombie; No mental skills; Will not become a Skeleton.

Suffocating Embrace: Victims who fail to break free from a grapple may be enveloped into the ash body of the Ash Zombie: Roll the Ash Zombie’s effective ST 16 vs. the higher of the victim’s ST or HT; victory inflicts crushing damage equal to the margin. In addition, the victim cannot breathe
(see Suffocation, p. B436). This counts as an attack. Reach C.

Scavenger (Diablo I-III)

“Scavengers are ugly, pathetic creatures who survive off of carrion and corpses too diseased to attract any other carnivores. I did once meet a raggedy fellow who claimed that he had trained one of the beasts to bring him large rats to eat, but I’m sure the story is utter nonsense.”
— Abd al-Hazir

Scavengers are ugly creatures who survive off of carrion and corpses too diseased to attract any other carnivores. Unlike most carnivores of this type however, they are extremely aggressive and will not hesitate to attack those unfortunate enough to encounter them.

Scavengers have powerful legs which they use for swift springing attacks, striking at vulnerable faces and throats. Their anatomy bears a striking resemblance to that of the leapers of the Aranoch desert, and thus, many researchers classify the two groups as part of the same family of creatures.

Scavengers are more dangerous than they seem. They move with blinding speed and often swarm their prey with their numbers. They make difficult targets due to their speed, their constant moving, and their ability to burrow.

ST: 7    HP: 10   Speed:6.25
DX: 12 Will: 6    Move:6
IQ: 6     Per: 8
HT: 11   FP: 11   SM:-2
Dodge: 9 Parry: 9 DR: 1
Attack (Skill or Resistance): Claws: 1d-4 cut; Bite 1d-4 cut
Traits: Acute Hearing 3; Acute Vision 3; Animal (Bestial, Cannot Speak, Hidebound, No Fine Manipulators); Appearance (Hideous); Claws (sharp); Damage Resistance 1; Fur; Night Vision 3; Super Jump 1; Teeth (sharp); Tunneling (Tunneling Move +4)
Skills: Brawling-12; Jumping-15; Running-12; Stealth-12; Swimming-11
Class: Dire
Notes:Unwilling to negotiate. Truly evil

A standing Super Jump is 1yd, 1ft. High Jump: 1yd, 2ft, 3in, In-Air Speed: 5.85 yd/s

Khazra (Diablo)

The Khazra were originally human, part of the Umbaru race found in the thick Torajan Jungles in the Teganze region of Sanctuary’s eastern continent. During the Mage Clan Wars a race of sorcerers known as the Vizjerei required an army using demon-possessed victims, and the peaceful Umbaru clans seemed to fit the Vizjerei’s needs. To fight off the Vizjerei the Umbaru captured a wizard to help them not only gain control over their transformed clan mates, but to have themselves transformed as well in order to fully drive the Vizjerei out of the Teganze. Their strategy worked, but it was not without its price. They found themselves bound in servitude to the demon Zagraal in exchange for their cursed power. They became furious marauders, driven to raid villages and caravans to sate their bloodlust and procure sacrificial victims for their demonic master. This is also when they became known as khazra, which roughly translates as “demon” or “devil” in the Umbaru tongue.

After years of this terror, their previous brothers, the Umbaru of the lower Teganze, sent their Witch Doctors to eradicate the khazra’s threat to the region. Filled with otherworldly power, the Witch Doctors cut a swath of destruction through the khazra until they confronted Zagraal himself. In a now-legendary battle, the valiant heroes fought to the last man before finally bringing Zagraal down.

The khazra continued to wage war on humanity, but without a source of demonic power to draw from, their strength diminished. 

Khazra choose from the following templates

  • Barbarian, DF1 p. 4-5
  • Knight, DF1 p. 8-9
  • Scout, DF1 p. 10-11
  • Shaman, DF9 p. 16-17
  • Unholy Warrior, DF3 p. 27

Known Khazra Clans

Blood Clan
Death Clan
Fire Clan
Flesh Clan
Hell Clan
Ice Clan
Moon Clan
Night Clan
Stone Clan

Template: Khazra (Magical Creature) -70 points

Attribute Modifiers: ST+2; DX+1; IQ-2; HT+1

Secondary Characteristic Modifiers: Will-1

Advantages: Acute Hearing 1; Claws (Hooves); Damage Resistance 1; Perfect Balance; Striker (Crushing, Horns); Teeth (blunt)

Disadvantages: Appearance (Hideous); Bad Smell; Bad Temper (12 or less); Bestial; Bloodlust (12 or less); Disturbing Voice; Fanaticism (demon Zagraal); Intolerance (one group, Humans); Social Stigma (Monster); Stubbornness

 Perks: Fur

Features: Affected by Pentagram; Leg, foot, and head armor isn’t interchangeable with human armor. Tail (neither a manipulator nor enough of a problem to interfere with
armor).

Source: Diablo I – III

Example of a Khazra Barbarian 177 points

Attributes
ST 17 HP 22 Basic Speed 6
DX 13 Will 10 Basic Move 7
IQ 10 Per 12
HT 13 FP 13 SM +1

Dodge 9 +0 Parry 9 +0 DR: 0+1
Block 7+0

MELEE Attacks
Brawling Punch (13): 1d+1 cr at reach C, 1.
Brawling• Bite (13): 1d+1 cratreach C, 1
Brawling• Kick (li): 1d+3 cr at reach C, 1.
Poleaxe • Axe (17): 3d+3 cut at reach 2. 3*•
Poleaxe • Hammer (17): 3d+3 cr at reach 2. 3*•
Striker (Crushing) (13): 1d+3 a at reach C.

Traits
Barbarian (Dungeon Fantasy).

Skills
Animal Handling quines—10; Brawling—i 3; Camouflage—14; Climbing—i 3; Disguise/TL3 (Animals)—8; Fishing—16; Forced Entry—13; Hiking—12; Intimidation—12; Lifting—12; Mimicry (Animal Sounds)—12; Naturalist Earth)—12; Navigation/TL3 (Land—l 7; Observation—1 1; Polearm—1 7; Running—12; Spear Thrower—i 4; Stealth—i 3; Survival Plains)—i 5; Swimming—i 3; Tracking—i 5; Weather Sense—i 0; Wrestling—i 3.

Burning Dead (Diablo II)

The Burning Dead are skeletons whos bones are burning constantly.  Anyone touching the aura or within close combat will take damage.  This includes weapons striking the Burning Dead. If that wasn’t bad enough once the Burning Dead reach 0 HP they will explode causing burning damage and hot bone fragments.  One vulnerability is they can not be equipped with any armor as it interferes with their exploding ability when they die. Another vulnerability is water which causes considerable damage. Weapons they use must not contain combustible items and as such most weapons are steel or iron with nothing special on the grips and are usually heavily damaged from the constant heat. Soft metals should not be used either.

They have a considerable resistance to heat and fire which allows them to be placed in groups without damaging each other.

Template: Burning Dead (Skeleton) -123 points

Attribute Modifiers: ST-1; DX+2; IQ-2

Secondary Characteristic Modifiers: Basic Speed+1

Advantages: Doesn’t Breathe; Doesn’t Eat or Drink; Doesn’t Sleep; DR 2; DR: 10 (Limited Heat/Fire); Flaming Bite (Burning Attack); High Pain Threshold; Immunity to Metabolic Hazards; Immunity (All mind control); Innate Attack: Flaming Aura [13]; Innate Attack: Explodes on Death [9]; Indomitable; Injury Tolerance (No Blood, No Brain, No Eyes,
No Vitals, Unliving); Single-Minded; Temperature Tolerance 10; Unaging; Unfazeable; Vacuum Support

Disadvantages: Appearance (Monstrous; Universal, +25%); Automaton; Cannot Learn; Dependency (Mana; common, constantly); Fragile (Brittle); Fragile (Unnatural);
Mute; No Sense of Smell/Taste; Reprogrammable; Skinny; Social Stigma (Dead); Unhealing (Total); Vulnerability (Crushing Attacks; x2); Weakness: Water (1d per minute) Occasional; Wealth (Dead Broke)

Quirks: Cannot Float; Sexless

Features: Affected by Control Zombie, Pentagram, and Turn Zombie; No mental skills; Skull has only 2 total DR

Flaming Aura: Innate Attack: 1D burn (Cyclic: 1 sec +100%, Aura +80%, Melee Attack: Reach C -30%) [13]

Explodes on Death: Innate Attack: 2D-3 burn (Incendiary +10%, Explosion: 1 +50%, Fragmentation (Hot Fragments) +15%; Trigger: Common (on death) -20%) [9].  Those caught within 2 yards will take 2d-3 Burn damage in the same hex, 2d-3/3 for 1 hex away, and 2d-3/6 points of damage 2 yards away. Fragmentation Hot Fragments: Cyclic (Six 10-second cycles) is 5 yards and taking 1d(0.2) burn damage if hit.

Source: Magic [152], Diablo I & II

Plague Bearer (Diablo II)

The Plague Bearer looks no different from other Zombies with the exception of what appear to be fresh puss filled boils on their body.  When they touch exposed flesh they transfer a deadly disease to their victims.  This Plague is magical in nature and can only be caught by direct contact from the original host (the Plague Bearer) material.  So an individual who has caught the plague can not spread it to another person.  However touching any of the original material will infect a person.  Whether it is from direct contact from the Plague Bearer or from accidentally touching the remains of the Plague Bearer such as its corpse (you must burn the corpse to make it free from containment), or even by cleaning off your equipment after battling one.  One Plague Bearer shuffling through a town could infect anywhere from 5-50 victims. Thankfully they are easy to spot/smell.

Template: Plague Bearer (Zombie) -64 Points

Attribute Modifiers: ST +1 [10]; IQ -3 [-60];

Secondary Characteristic Modifiers: HP +5 [10]

Advantages: Doesn’t Breathe; Doesn’t Eat or Drink; Doesn’t Sleep;  High Pain Threshold; Immunity to Metabolic Hazards; Immunity (All Mind Control); Innate Attack [6]; Indomitable; Injury Tolerance (No Blood); Single-Minded;  Temperature Tolerance 10; Unaging; Unfazeable

Disadvantages: Appearance (Monstrous; Universal); Bad Smell (Reek of the Grave); Cannot Learn; Disturbing Voice;  Fragile (Unnatural); No Sense of Smell/Taste; Reprogrammable; Social Stigma (Dead);  Unhealing (Total);  Wealth (Dead Broke)

Skills: Brawling 10 (DX+0, 1), [B182]

Plague Touch: Innate Attack: 1D tox (Cyclic: 1 sec +100%, Contact Agent (no AoE) -30%, Resistible: HT-2 -20%) [6]

Source: GURPS Magic [152], Diablo II