Fantasy Fridays: Tales of the Valiant

 A newer entry today and a potential good replacement for D&D 5e on your table. But is it just a new coat of paint on a familiar rule-set?

Tales of the Valiant

Tales of the Valiant began as the Black Flag system/project from Kobold Press, already a big name in 5e-compatible products. The genesis was, of course, the massive OGL fallout from January 2023. Kobold, among so many of us, saw a threat to our product lines and opted to "pull a Pathfinder" and release their own rules only this time under their own license. They can sell core rule books (which is always a good source of money) and still create their own supporting products (their bread and butter as it were) and have them support both game lines.  It is a good idea.

They have published the "common core" of three books:

• Tales of the Valiant Player's Guide
• Tales of the Valiant Monster Vault
• Tales of the Valiant Game Master's Guide

The books are attractive and is well laid out. There is a lot great art. But the question is, do they provide me anything above and beyond D&D 5 (2014)? Well, all three books are 1,081 pages, so it is hard to dig through all of this to find specific differences. It looks like 5e and plays like 5e. I guess that is what is important, really. Now, the classes do have additions; each class features a subclass taken from the SRD and often an additional new one. There is the new Mechanist class, which is similar in concept to the Artificer class. So, for current 5e (again, 2014) players, there is something new. 

The truth is there are a lot of new things, but you need to dig for them. There is the "Beastkin" Lineage for example that looks like fun. As do the new "Sydereans" which combine Aasimar and Tieflings and "Small Folk" which combine halflings and gnomes. Ok, I am cool with that. Orcs and Kobolds (natch) are core lineages. I think every clone or RPG should have at least one unique core lineages. Yes, this book uses "lineage" and not race. I like this better. Heritages are how your character was raised. More or less. 

There does seem to be some more monsters, but the monster book is populated by "the Usual Suspects."

Again. It is hard to fault Kobold on this. These books have two purposes, and both require it to cleave close to 5e (2014). First it *is* a D&D 5e replacement. I have not tried, but you could in theory use this books with minor tweaks in a 5e game. I call this the Pathfinder solution. The other purpose is to provide Kobold (and third parties) a means to write "5e" compatible material but not require people use, or even buy, 5e core books from Wizards. I call this the OSRIC solution. 

I suspect the real value of these books and this game will come from future products. For example, the upcoming, just Kickstarted, Monster Vault 2, will be the true test of this system. Yes, they state outright this is for TotV and 5e, but I think this will be the case that makes or breaks this game. So far things are looking rather promising for Tales of the Valiant. 

Honestly, this book looks really good, and if I picked up the physical edition, I would be tempted to get the Core Three because of how good they all look together. But I don't play 5e all that much anymore.

Who Should Play This Game?

Honestly, this game will not replace 5e (2014) on anyone's table. It might supplement it, but it won't replace it. It could, however, replace 5.5e (2024).  My oldest and I have been talking about the various issues with 5.5, and he is sticking with 5.0 for now. But if you are one of those people who have felt especially burned by WotC's actions over the last 2.5 years, then maybe this is the game for you.

Johan Werper for Tales of the Valiant

I don't know. Something about this game makes me want to play a knight in shinning armor and perform actions of Epic Good. Not that I wouldn't play Larina in it, but the classes are not a perfect fit. The closest thing is not the Warlock, but rather the Leaf Druid. Now, the Chaos Sorcerer is interesting as well. Maybe I could try it for Sinéad.

I want to try out Johan, or at least some sort of version of him, because the Paladin in 5.5 seems so nerfed. I have been wanting to compare the various paladins just to see if this is true. 

This will be Johan VII, the son of Johan VI and Lana (my wife's character) for 5e. He has a twin sister, not uncommon for the Werpers. She will be a 5.5 character so I can compare properly. Their background is they were exposed to cosmic forces before birth, so they have something a little "extra."  In Johan VII this means his "Anointed" Heritage.

Johan Werper VII
Human (Anointed) Paladin (Devotion) 3rd level

Strength: +2
Dexterity: +1
Constitution: -1
Intelligence: +0
Wisdom: +2 (saves +4)
Charisma: +3 (saves +5)

Proficiency Bonus: +2
Initiative: +1
Speed: 30ft

AC: 17 (chain mail and shield)

Weapons
Longsword +4 1d8/1d10 (versatile)
Crossbow, Hand +2 1d6 30/120 

Passive Insight: 14
Passive Investigation: 12
Passive Perception: 12

Skills
History, Insight, Relgion

Proficiencies, Languages, & Talents
Advantage on Death Saves, Thaumaturgy Cantrip
Languages: Common, Elven, Draconic, Giant
Navigator's Tools
Talent: Combat Conditioning +2 to hp each level
All armor and shields, simple and martial weapons

Class Features & Traits
Divine Sense
Lay on Hands
Divine Smite
Martial Action - Guard
Spellcasting (Divine)
Sacred Weapon
Sanctifying Light

Spells
Cantrips: Thaumaturgy
First Level: Bless, Cure Wounds, Sanctuary

I like this version. 

Given his family history, his twin sister would be named Celeste or Celine. She will be stated up with D&D 5.5 as a Celestial Warlock, or whatever the warlock is called in that. 

The Player's Book includes Greek, Egyptian, and Norse gods as examples. I am half tempted to continue using my "Black Forest" mythos, maybe making them avatars of Jäger and Jägerin. They would not be real avatars, but that is how they would be perceived. 

I like this idea since my wife based her character Lana on Lagertha from Vikings. It also explains why Johan VII can also speak Giant. 

He compares well to his dad. So that is cool, with enough differences to feel like a new character.

I think I am going to need a bigger binder for Johan.

Witchcraft Wednesday: Left Hand Path work and more Moria

 The Left Hand Path is moving on a good pace, not as far as I wanted to be right now, but I can live with that. I did want to show off another bit of new art for the book.

That's how it appears in the book. I'll add the artists names when I am doing laying out. I might tweak the page a bit, but you get the right idea. 

Here is a closeup.

The artist is Bill Blue, and you can see more of his art on his site.

Last night I wrapped up the first adventure for my 1357 DR Forgotten Realms campaign. As a GMPC, Moria only gets a fraction of the XP earned, so she has not leveled up yet. My oldest bought some HeroForge minis for some of his characters. I joked with him about it asking are you sure you want to spend money on minis, the characters could be dead before they get here! He said it was fine since a couple of characters in the group are based on characters he has going in other games, so they will get use. Wonder where he got that from?

Of course, I had to make a mini of Moria and Mesphito Fleas. Shout out to Pun Isaac for sending me suggestions for her mini!

 I am not going to buy a mini of her for the same reasons I told my son not buy his minis, she might be dead before they come in the mail! Maybe I'll just buy the STL and print here at home.

Yeah, she still only had 4hp and three spells (using my Advanced rules), but Fleas did kill a goblin last night by biting it. So maybe her chances are not so bad after all. 

We started adventure C3 The Lost Islands of Castanamir last night. I decided that Castanamir was a Red Wizard of Thay, but broke away from them to continue his own esoteric research.  This is one of the adventures I got from the Grenda Collection, so it is fun to use. 

There is a room with two thieves, Doblin and Joblo (really??). Well, I misread the entry and thought those were the names of the Leprechauns. When Liam got to the room where the thieves were, I didn't have names for them. That's OK, it was Duchess & Candella to the rescue! They were looting investigating a wizard's tower in Glantri when they got pulled in here. Obviously Castanmir was seeking advice from the wizards in Glantri with help for his tower. 

I am going to certainly be bringing them back as comic relief. I said they don't really fit in the Realms, but who am I kidding? They fit everywhere!

Speaking of reoccurring characters. I am certainly going to be using Grenda's Briana Highstar as an antagonist. They are not ready to meet her yet. I know she is an enemy to "balance," but she also serves Mephistopheles. She could even start out as ally. I don't know yet. I will see how it plays out.

I already have a mini for her!

This one is labeled as "Black Robed Mage of High Sorcery" so that works great for me. She also looks she is wearing a feathered cloak of some sort. 

This will be fun!

Tuesday Mail Call: Baldur's Gate 3 Origin Characters

 I have been on the record both for my love of Baldur's Gate 3 and for my disappointment in how Wizards has mishandled the property. In a case of almost too little and almost too late comes the Baldur's Gate 3 Icons of the Realms Origin characters pack.

The minis are from WizKids, so you know what to expect here. They are not bad.

Comparing them to my Hero Forge versions, each has pros and cons.

No mini yet, that I know of, for my current obsession Mizora, but I also have not really been paying much attention.

I have to admit I really do not see me buying much of the new D&D 5.5 material. 

Monstrous Mondays: Duke Bartzabel

Photo by Alessio Zaccaria on Unsplash

 Progress continues on the Left Hand Path witch book. This is going to be my biggest one yet.

While conducting further research over the weekend, I couldn't help but notice that almost every occult road leads to or from Aleister Crowley. Either he was involved, or he adopted (aka stole) elements for his own use. One such element was the demon Bartzabel.

My oldest and were talking about D&D's Bel and Zariel and how they are fun and all, but they don't really fit with the cosmos we have going in our games. So, Bartzabel came to me at exactly the right time. 

Here he is, as he will appear in the monster section of The Left Hand Path.

Bartzabel

Warlord of Hell, Duke of the Battle Planes

Armor Class: –3 [22]
Hit Dice: 20+80 (170 hp) ******
Move: 120' (40'), fly: 180' (60')
To Hit AC 0: 6 [+13]
Attacks: Flaming greatsword (2d8+8 + 1d8 x2), tail lash (2d4), command (see below)
Special: See below
No. Appearing: 1 (unique)
Saving Throws: Monster 20
Morale: 12
Treasure Type: V, Z (plus magical war trophies)
Alignment: Chaotic (Lawful Evil)
XP: 13,300

Intelligence: Exceptional

The ruler of the battle planes of Hell and the Emissary of War is the great Duke Bartzabel, also known as Barzabel and Bartyabel. He commands Hell’s armies and lays claims to Hell’s Battle Plane. This puts him in direct conflict with Archduke Astaroth, who makes a similar claim. Bartzabel has little time to pursue his vendetta against Astaroth due to his constantly fighting in Hells wars.

Bartzabel appears as a large goat-headed Aeshma, his large horns coming out of the top of his skull. His features are bestial, and he is constantly in a rage. His skin is blood red, and there is an aura of fire and fear about him at all times. On his forehead is a pentagram that burns with a bright internal fire. His lower half is like that of a goat. He appears as a massive red-skinned satyr. 

This devil can attack with his great flaming sword +3 (+8 due to his strength) twice per round, lash with his tail, or take command of any devil lesser than 18 HD. He also has the following powers:

Astral Legion (1/day): Summons 2d6 Spectral Legionnaires (HD 6, AC 2, wielding force glaives). They last for 6 rounds, are immune to non-magical weapons, and follow his commands flawlessly.

Infernal Conscription: Once per round for 3 rounds, Bartzabel may inscribe a glowing war sigil in the air. All creatures of 5 HD or fewer in a 30' radius must save vs. Spells or act under suggestion-like orders (typically: "kneel," "drop weapons," "march into the fire").

Rally: All allied troops within 90' gain +1 to hit, +1 to saves, and are immune to fear. Enemies within the same radius must save vs. Spells or suffer –1 to hit and damage due to strategic intimidation and tactical pressure.

Additionally, once per day, Bartzabel may reroll any failed save, attack, or damage roll—his mind bends fate toward efficiency. This is in addition to the powers all devils have.

When not at war, which is rarely, he can be found in The Fortress of Endless Iron, on the blasted war plains of Hell’s first level. In addition to the legions of lesser devils he commands, he commands the Legion Occultum, a host of infernal soldiers who wield both weapons and spell-etched armor, bound by unholy contracts of obedience. They cast spells and have the powers of Warlocks of level 15 or higher.  He knows all the secrets of war and will impart them to those who can summon him. This includes the knowledge of wars to come.

Bartzabel as a Patron: Bartzabel is very open to warlocks, teaching the arts of war, much like the Grigori did in aeons past. This has led some scholars to believe that he, too, is a member of the fallen, not one of the lower orders of devildom. Scholars point to the Angel Graphiel and how he has not been seen since Bartzabel ascendance. Instead of a normal familiar, the warlock summons a Red Hellfire Imp, a tiny horned figure with parchment wings bearing Bartzabel’s sigil. It grants a +2 bonus to the warlock’s initiative and to hit rolls. Damage-causing spells always inflict an extra +1 point of damage.

--

Find Duke Bartzabel along with 125+ other demons, devils, and more in The Left Hand Path, the Diabolic & Demonic Witchcraft Traditions.

Fantasy Fridays: Fantasy Wargaming

 Returning to this series, I aimed to explore games that would provide insight into how Satan, demons, and the devil were perceived in the Middle Ages. Here is the first of those. 

Fantasy Wargaming

Edited by Bruce Galloway (1981, 1982). 220 pages.

Every gamer of a certain age has owned this game at least once, and some of us have owned it multiple times. It claims to be "The Highest Level of All." I am surprised that the cover, with the summoned devil about ready to grab that old wizard, didn't hamper sales. 

I have seen a few different versions of this book. A letter-sized hardcover, a digest-sized book, and I swear a softcover version. It was a regular feature of the Science Fiction & Fantasy Book Club, and I suspect that is how it got into so many hands. 

The book is quite lengthy and contains numerous historical details. No shock. It was written by a bunch of gamers from Cambridge University and edited into a (allegedly) comprehensive whole. I would describe the book as having more than one voice to be honest. There are parts that want to be an RPG or at least a coverage of RPGs (Wargames in the parlance of the book) and another voice that seems to disdain them. More on that. 

The book is certainly more of an artifact of the 1970s rather than the 1980s. And 1970s College Elite at that. It is a book and style I typically subscribe to the "Second Generation" of gamers. These are the guys, typically college age, who picked up RPGs while on college campuses. They were not the First Generation (Gary and the folks around him), but they had similar backgrounds. For the record, I see myself more of the Third Generation, or Gen 2.5. I was in middle school and learned from people who had learned from the Second Generation. 

There is a lot to unpack here. Not just in terms of the game itself but the history of the game.  I would not be able to provide a thorough review of it for this particular post.  I am not even sure I want to try.  For starters, there is a notable disdain for RPGs in this book, particularly for D&D.  I would call it a Fantasy Heartbreaker, but it never lets you get close enough to it to break your heart.  Don't get me wrong; there is a lot here. Some of it is even good. I normally (or plan to, anyway) conclude these posts in this series with a recommendation on whether the game is a good fantasy game and whether it would be a suitable substitute for D&D at your table. The answer to both is very much a no. 

So why go through the exercise of it?

There are some tidbits here that I like.  While most modern players would balk at some of the ideas here- hell, some of it raised an eyebrow or two in the 1980s- there is a certain in situ charm about it. As described Fantasy Wargaming is 11th Century role-playing as viewed through the eyes of people in the 11th Century (and filtered through Cambridge students of the 20th Century). 

In particular, there are comprehensive lists of fantasy arms and armor, often surpassing what you find in most games. The glossary on arms and armor (starting on p. 54) is rather great. 

But for me, the best parts come from the sections on star/birth sign, social class, magic and monsters. 

Star/Birth Sign

I am NOT a proponent of Astrology. But, I do see how/why it is important to Medieval characters and to witches in particular. This game provides some background and makes mechanical changes to the characters.

Social Class

Scattered throughout the book, it also informs and affects everything.

Magic

Likewise, scattered everywhere, there is some really great stuff here that I could mine for ideas. How much of it is practical at the game table? That I don't know. But it is fun to read. It has a mana system, which is always attractive but also always cumbersome. 

Here is what the book says on the subject of Wise Women (p. 28):

Cunning Man/ Wise Woman. By far the most common user of magic in either the Dark or Middle Ages. The Cunning Man or Wise Woman is a solitary, rural magician, usually situated permanently in a single village or area. He/ she is part of the community, and usually accepted until something unfortunate and inexplicable happens which can be fastened upon him/ her. The Mage specializes in appropriate kinds of spell: the curing of people and domestic animals, the bringing of disease and death as retribution, and certain kinds of detection (especially thief, lost things, etc.). He/she uses immediately available materials for enchantment, and the basic incantatory preparations for spells. Mainly "White" magic.

And Witches (p 28):

Witch. Member of a Devil-worshipping coven, in which magical skills are taught both by other members and by demons themselves. Witchcraft is an eclectic, powerful type of magic, drawing on as many traditions as the varied membership of the covens allows. The Witch is most effective in magic involving people, and compulsion-Curing, Disease and Death, and Absolute Command being the greatest specialities. Witches may be found in the highest and lowest walks of society, in court, city and countryside alike. Other Mages may join covens and become Witches., without losing their own spell specializations. The Witch is almost always a secretive figure. his/ her magical skills either being hidden or practiced in solitude. The Witch is automatically damned, and all his/her magic Black.

I'll have to see where my Larina falls.

Monsters

There are many great ones here, mostly from Medieval Bestiaries. Some who have never made it to the pages of a Monster Manual. This includes the names of some demons and angels. 

I think one of the reasons I keep coming back to this book is not the game value or even the editorial comments but rather for the depth of some of the information. 

The reviews for Fantasy Wargaming were never great, some even going as far as calling it "the worst RPG ever made" which is a little harsh in my mind. It is not good, but it is not the worst. A proposed sequel to cover the classic and ancient world never happened and Bruce Galloway himself passed in 1984. In fact of the five main authors, only one is still with us. 

Larina Nichols for Fantasy Wargaming

I can't not do a witch for this. That's crazy talk.

The game does cover witches and witchcraft:

Few questions in anthropology have raised as much controversy as the nature of witchcraft. There are three quite separate views of the witch-the peasant magician, the pagan, and the devil worshipper. Fantasy Wargaming accepts all three as valid. Witches clearly exercised magic. and not just Supernatural powers by appeal Equally, the theory of a surviving pre-Christian Celtic fertility cult bas some force. Some ritual elements, notably the sacred dance and orgy, appear at the very beginning of the period, before diabolism bad really taken root. There are echoes of Bacchic revels, and of Diana's Wild Hunt.
Some medieval witches strenuously asserted their worship of a "different" god. Yet equally, the evidence for devil worship among medieval covens is overwhelming. (FW p. 24)

Yeah, I can work with that. The game is set roughly in the 1000s AD. Yeah, I can do that as well. I would lean in on the Larina living in Wales concept I have. Her mother is Welsh, her father a minor Saxon nobleman.

Witches, or Wise Women, in this game, get special treatment. In general, women characters have it rough in Fantasy Wargaming to reflect the 11th Century times the game is set. Wise Women and Witches though can break out of this bleakness just a little. 

Larina might appear to be a Wise Woman, but she is a Witch. Of course, this means a pact with the Devil. I'll have to see how character creation works out. Though the section on religion mentions that there are some still holdover of Anglo-Saxons that follow the old Norse Gods. Could Larina be worshipping a version of Freya? I can make that work. MAYBE she worships some version of Helga or Mutter Natur from my Black Forest Mythos. Likely some Faery (p. 36) magic mixed in. Larina is very much a witch from the Margaret Murray mold. She likely pulls in a lot of different ideas. Of course to the authorities she is nothing more than a debased Satanist.

For this, I will refer to David Trimboli's breakdown of character creation. 

Larina, Daughter of Lars
Female Welsh Witch

Star Sign: Scorpio ♏︎

Ability Scores (adjusted for Star Sign)
Physique: 9
Agility: 12
Endurance: 10

Intelligence: 18
Faith: 15

Charisma: 16 14 (Scorpio)
Greed: 12 10 (Female -2)
Selfishness: 13 11 (Female -3, Scorpio +1)
Lust: 15 12 (Female -3)
Bravery: 12 10 (Female)

Social Class: 10 7 (Female -3)

Height: 5'3"  Weight: 110lbs
Current Agility: 12

Literate: Yes
Speaks: Welsh, Anglo-English, German (Low)
Chance to Speak Language: 60%

Leadership: 9

Mana: 5

Birthrank: Firstborn Daughter
Father's Social Position: Land Reeve (13)

Misc. Traits/Bogeys: 3 Heretic, Bisexual, Gift of Tongues. 

Spells

Flight: Mana 3 (Controlling: ♓︎/♐︎ Diminishing: ♍︎/♑︎)
Night Vision: Mana 2 (Controlling: ♋︎/♌︎ Diminishing: ♓︎/♒︎ )
Evil Eye: Mana 2 (Controlling: ♏︎/♋︎ Diminishing: ♐︎/♌︎)

Yeah it sucks to be a woman in the 11th Century in this game. No wonder she looks to witchcraft. But that is the type of character I would play. Load up the disadvantages! I'll still prevail. I am not going to get all bent out of shape about this. Those are the rules in the game, and since I am exploring the game, so be it. Plus, the raison d'être of this character will be to fight against the power of the Church, the Patriarchy, and well... I guess most of Europe at this point. 

I also rolled for traits/bogeys for her. She is a heretic, bisexual, and has the gift of tongues. I think that means she must be some sort of Satanic witch for sure. Also, given that she is very intelligent, has the gift of languages, and is bi, I am going to avoid calling her a Cunning Linguist. Damn. I did it anyway.

Characters start out at 16 here. Damn, I half tempted to lift this whole character and make her part of Moria's background instead! Personally, I'd rather start her at 19, have her living on her own and do that whole "mysterious witch of the woods" concept. 

Maybe in my "grand cosmology" this represents Larina as a Satanic witch. Sounds like something an edgy 16-year-old would do. "Mom! It's not a phase! I am dedicated to my Dark Lord Lucifer!" "That's nice, sweetie. Make sure you clean your room and finish your homework." "Ugh. Mom, you don't understand!"

She is a Scorpio. I wanted to keep that. But Scorpio, according to the rules, is the worst for a magic-using class. Well. I never bought into astrology anyway, so that is fine with me.

I like this character, but to be honest, there isn't a lot I can, or will, do with her. Nor can I recommend the game save as an interesting curiosity. Though I DO highly recommend Mike Monaco's "The Highest Level of All." It is a book dedicated to Fantasy Wargaming and does a better job than I ever will. 

So she has had a ton of disadvantages thrown at her from the word go. She is super bright, can read, knows languages, and is a bit lusty. No wonder she is going to rebel. I love her already.

Links

• Wikipedia Page
• Huge review by Mystic Mongol (originally at Something Awful Forums)
• David Trimboli's Site
• Character Creation
• G.L. Dearman's Site
• About
• Comparing Fantasy Wargaming with D&D
• Handouts including Character Sheets
• Magic
• Witches
• Mike Monaco's site
• Fantasy Wargaming tagged posts
• The Highest Level of All, his book about FW

Witchcraft Wednesday: Introducing Moria Zami, Part 2

 Late post? Yeah, I was playing AD&D with my son until the wee hours of the morning! I have not done that in a bit. We are playing again tonight (this morning) when he gets home from work. We are going to finish up his first (playing) Forgotten Realms adventure.

Moria went over GREAT! I already love this character and I am playing her like Sabrina Morningstar (not Spellman, yes there is a difference) from the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.  Her mother is a witch, that I know, her father is a devil and a pretty powerful one, but I don't know who he is yet.

I am looking forward to finding out.

The Sabrina Spellman/Morningstar analogy is good here. Little Moria here will turn quite evil, maybe even the "Big Bad" of the series. Given who I thought the Big Bad was (Orcus), I have some ideas on who her father might be. But...I am going to hold this a little closer to my chest while I figure out how that might work out. I will say this, he is a Duke if not an Archduke. But Moria doesn't know this yet either. 

I have put a mark on certain spells on her sheet that cause her to dip a little closer to evil. She speaks infernal, and her eyes go all black. The characters know something is up with her, but the paladin of the group says she is not evil.  Liam told me I should build her in BG3, not knowing yet who she is. I told him "yeah, I oughta do that."

Since this is a one-on-one game, he is playing a lot of characters, and it is very likely that they won't all make it. I am looking forward to that as well. 

She has a familiar, a hellhound disguised as a Pug/Chihuahua mix (a "Chug?" a "Pihuahua?"). It is a lame excuse for me to finally use "Mephisto Fleas" for a familiar name.  And he is an odd looking mutt.

 

No idea if he will go full Hellhound yet. But I am sure he has it in him. In the meantime, he is just a rat-mutt. 

More Forgotten Realms: Introducing Moria Zami

 I have been out of town for a few days; it was my Father-in-law's 90th birthday. But right before we left, my oldest son and I were talking about our AD&D 2nd Ed Forgotten Realms game that he is running for me. He is having fun, but what he REALLY wants is to play. And AD&D 1st Ed at that. Yeah, he got a taste at Gary Con, and now he really wants to play AD&D more. Plus, we are both a little fed up with Wizards of the Coast, especially with their recent antics. 

Since we are both huge fans of Baldur's Gate 3, we wanted to add in some things from the video game. We have more connection to that than, say, Drizzt or Elminster. Trouble is, BG3 takes place in DR 1492, and we want our 1st ed game to take place in DR 1357, a year before the Time of Troubles. While in my 2nd ed game, I have a minor connection with Arnell Hallowleaf, but I also wanted something for this game. We are assuming that while my characters are exploring the Sword Coast, his characters will be exploring the Sea of Fallen Stars. This opens up a lot to us. But there are more than 130 years between our games and the events in BG3. So, there are not a lot of characters that are around for both times. Even Jaheira would only be about 10 years old at this point. Maybe they can rescue her and her family at some point. Set her on her path to become a Harper.

As it turns out, I have wanted to explore some of the past of the Cambion, Mizora. She is a rather entertaining character in her own right and deserves some further development. She is the servant of Zariel, but the trouble is there was no Zariel in AD&D 1st ed. Well, we are already ret-conning some details, and truthfully, I was never a fan of Tiamat as the ruler of Avernus. I might use Bel, the former ruler. I'll check Descent into Avernus for ideas later on.  But for now, I need to figure out who Mizora is, and more to the point, who is she in AD&D 1st Ed.

In BG3/5e she is a sorcerer, but this is AD&D, so I am going to make her a magic-user. I am also going to say she spent a lot of time in Avernus prior to BG3, so this is the time before that. 

I am not sure how long cambions live. I do think her mother was human, maybe even a witch. Now that would be fun.

---

A few hours later...

Ok, change of plans, sort of.

I AM sticking with Mizora, but not the Mizora he (and everyone) else knows. I am going with Mizora as a teenager. She knows there is something different about her, but she doesn't yet know what.

Moria Zami ("I am Mizora") is just a 16-year-old witch caught in the same pirate raid on the Sea of Fallen Stars that grabbed the characters. She is going to stay with them for a while. Until something bad happens. This also gives me the chance to try out some new things for my Left Hand Path book and something new I am starting later this summer.

Moria Zami
Witch 1st Level (Diabolic Tradition)
Lawful Neutral

S: 14            
I: 14             
W: 12           
D: 15           
C: 16           
Ch: 20

Paralyzation/Poison: 13
Petrification/Polymorph: 13
Rod, Staff, Wand: 14
Breath Weapon: 16
Spells: 15

HP: 5 (d4)
AC: 10
Weapon: Dagger

Occult Powers
Familiar: Dog "Mephisto Fleas"

Spells
First Level: Back Fire, Fey Sight, Sleep

So far, she is a good girl, but that is going to change.

Kickstart Your Weekend: More Witches! More Adventures!

 These people want to keep making a liar out of me.

Both of these have already funded and blown past their funding goals. 

Sickest Witch RPG - Core Rulebook

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/justinsirois/sickest-witch-core-rulebook-rpg?ref=theotherside

Ok this one looks like a lot of fun really. Love the concept, love the art. I am going to have to grab this one.

Sword of the Wyrm’s Bane & Vigilante Subway + 32 FREE PDFS

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/marktaormino/sword-of-the-wyrms-bane-and-vigilante-subway-32-free-pdfs?ref=theotherside

Mad genius Mark Taormino is back with more Maximum Mayhem! This one looks like fun and it comes with 32 free PDFs. That's a crazy deal.

Yeah...take my money.

Witchcraft Wednesday: The Left Hand Path

 It's been a bit since I last did this. So, let's get it going. I have a NEW Witch book coming out!

What can I say about this one?

Well, I think this will be my last "Basic-era" witch book. Yeah, I have said that before. 

You can see on the cover that the "banner" is for "Basic-Era Compatible," so not specifically Labyrinth Lord, Blueholme, Old-School Essentials, or ShadowDark. But rather a Basic system that can support them all (most of all) including a BECMI game I have been playing off and on for a bit.

All my witch books have a ruleset focus, as well as what I call a playstyle focus. This one is for all Basic rules, and the playstyle is how I was playing in 1985-86.  A time when the games I ran still had a bit of Basic & Expert in them, but I using AD&D.  This one is written from a point of view that we got that B/X Companion rules we had been promised. In the 1980s I wasn't playing BECMI yet.

I am also writing this from the perspective of the two major outbreaks of the Satanic Panic. The First was obviously the Witch Craze in Europe from the 15th century to the 18th. Witches in this book engage in activities that people believed witches did back then. I am also using notions from the 20th century Satanic Panic. D&D and Witches have always had a lot in common. 

And this one is huge. Here is a breakdown of the monsters and spells.

One of the reasons this has so many monsters in it is the notion that where there are witches, there are demons and devils. Additionally, I have many demons that I've posted here on The Other Side; this was an opportunity to collect them. Yes, I still want to complete my Basic Bestiaries; I just lack enough artwork.

As far as demons and devils go, I'll say I have the Usual Suspects here and lots of my own.

"The Usual Suspects" Demon Line-up JE Shields art

I am certainly going to be talking about this one a bit over the next month.

My target release date in Walpurgis Night, April 30, which is five weeks from right now. Yikes!

All the writing is done. I am in heavy edit mode now.

I am on "pink" pages now

Did I mention that this thing is huge? No idea on total page count yet. That will change a lot between now and then, but this is crazy. 

I really hope you enjoy this one. I have had a blast working on it. 

The Satanic Panic: 1969 - 1999

 A little project I am working on. This is an overview/timeline of the Satanic Panic in the last 30 years of the 20th Century and how our little hobby is connected.

Click to access my H5P site and interact with this timeline (technically an "accordion.")

Enjoy a little (emphasis on little) history lesson.

Gary Con XVII Afterword

 Back from Gary Con 17! I had an absolute blast. Got to see so many great people. Old friends, fans of the blog and my games, so many great gamers with great stories.  Sales wise, we did really great this year, Thirteen Parsecs was our big hit of course, but we also sold a lot of Wasted Lands. I think word of mouth is finally catching on!

I bought a lot less this year, only picking up the Cthulhu by Gaslight Investigator's book. But there was a lot of great stuff here.

Discovered there are editions of Dungeon! I do not own, Spanish and German. So now I am on a hunt for those.

I do speak both Spanish and German. Just not very well.

I worked on my old-school autograph collection.

I learned the hard way a while back if you want to talk to these guys you need to do it now. None of us are getting any younger.

Talking with Tim Kask is always great. I discovered there is a bit of early D&D lore connected to our Alma Mater, Southern Illinois University, that I plan to explore in depth soon. Talking with Jeff Grubb is always great, this is the first year I thought to get his autograph! So much for following my own advice. 

Jeff Easly and Darlene were there, and they were fantastic as always. I didn't get anything signed from them this year since I do every year. Let someone else in.

I did get a chance to talk to Kelsey Dionne a couple of times and she is every bit as nice and approachable as everyone has said she is. She even knew about my witch book! So I had to give her a copy. They had a great con, I fully expect they sold out of their stock as well.  It is hard not to wish them all the success in the world, really. 

As I said, we did good, but Jason did better with Troll Lords Games. His new Wasted Lands sold out of its first printing and was the star of Troll Lords this year. So expect to see him to be writing for them for a long time to come. 

My oldest went with me and did not but play AD&D 1st Ed. We had a BECMI game one night but we were both so tired we opted to drive home instead. Yeah, I still drive into Gary Con every day. My youngest with with us the last day, but didnot stay, they were picked up by their girlfriend and they spent the day in downtown Lake Geneva while we did the con.

So yeah, we all had a complete blast!

My wife was in England that whole time, lucky (for her) when she booked her trip she flew out of London City Airport and not Heathrow. So she was not affected by the fire at Heathrow, save for her flight being delayed a little.

Looking forward to Gary Con XXVIII next year!

Kickstart Your Weekend: Castles, ShadowDark, Witches and More Witches

 Still at Gary Con, having a great time. A few more Kickstarters from some good souls. They honestly don't need my help, but here they are all the same.

Castle Zagyg Galleries of the Arch Mage

https://www.backerkit.com/c/projects/troll-lord-games/castle-zagyg-galleries-of-the-arch-mage

Long story short, this is the real Castle Greyhawk brought to us from Gary Gygax via Troll Lord Games. You know you want this. 

Shadowdark RPG: The Western Reaches Setting

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/shadowdarkrpg/western-reaches

At the time of writing this is at $1.6 Million. Not too shabby, and they are crazy popular here at Gary Con. 

25th Anniversary of Tarot, Witch of the Black Rose Issue!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jimbalent/25th-anniversary-of-tarot-witch-of-the-black-rose-issue

Jim and Holly are good friends of the Other Side. This is the 25th anniversary of their little comic that could, Tarot Witch of the Black Rose. This Kickstarter is doing well already, but I would love to see it do even better.

SPELL BOUND vintage witchcraft occult 1960s 1970s art

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/centuryguild/spell-bound-vintage-witchcraft-occult-hardcover-art-book

Okay, how could I not love this? Witchcraft covers from the 1960s and 1970s? It's like it was custom-made for me. How could I not love this?

So lots of great choices here. Spend wisely!

Gary Con XVII

 I am at Gary Con!

Come by the Elf Lair Game booth to say hi. Both #119.

We have NIGHT SHIFT, Wasted Lands, Thirteen Parsecs, and Jason's newest one Cd8.

Come on by, say hi, buy some books.

Witchcraft Wednesday: Trese (2021)

 I just watched the Netflix series Trese. I really, really enjoyed it—more so than I was expecting to. 

I also watched a documentary about the show, which increased my appreciation.

The show focuses on the magic detective Alexandra Trese. She was inspired by detectives like Constantine and Fox Mulder and based on Filipino myths and legends.  

My knowledge of Filipino myths is, well, not great. Maybe better than most, but certainly by no means great. But this show does not penalize people for not knowing. The story-telling and animation are so rich and evocative that you are brought along for the ride. 

The documentary covers not just the monsters featured in the anime (and the comic) but also the locations in Manila. Also nearly everyone involved in the show was Filipino which is rather cool.  Also, they tend to refer to characters with AD&D alignments which was fun.

Of course, there is the big question about Alexandra Trese. Is she a witch? Well, she does use magic; she is the 6th child of a 6th child. She is also a healer and the representative of humans to the supernatural world. She even has a ritual dagger. Plus, she wears all black, her hairstyle reminds me of devil horns, and her name, "Trese," means "Thirteen" in Filipino. 

While it is not an anime per se (it is Filipino, not Japanese), it does have a solid Witch Hunter Robin vibe to it.

Now I need to check out the comics for it. 

Of course, it would be perfect to build for NIGHT SHIFT. Alexandra could be better suited as a Chosen One with some spell-casting ability. 

Gary Con bound!

 This is a quick one today. I am trying to get some things done. Why? Because I am headed to Gary Con again!

Once again I'll be with Elf Lair Games, so stop by (and buy!) if you can.

Looking forward to seeing everyone again.