Retro Gear #3: The Loc-Nar

Ok, most of us remember the animated Heavy Metal movie from the early 80s, even if you saw it much later.  Now, whatever you think about that film, it did offer up some very interesting ideas (I found the magazine much better, along with its American cousin, the great Epic Illustrated), all of them excellent fodder for your own fantasy campaigns, which is this week's topic...

And while an early 80s film, it really represents a throwback to some bedrock 1970s sensibilities.

This Retro Gear installment is not just a thing, but also an actual villain to introduce into your games, perhaps a recurring one!

The Loc-Nar is a cosmic entity of uncertain origin, although it describes itself as the "sum of all evils" when it chooses to speak at all, noting that it generally prefers to manifest as an object, exploiting human greed and/or lust for power.

The Loc-Nar possesses incredible
destructive power and has wrought great evil... 

Per the above, the Loc-Nar appears as a green, glowing sphere of variable size and power, normally, about the size of a baseball and passing for a strange (magical or technological) artifact to be found and utilized by those who seek to locate it.  On one occasion, however, it has grown to truly monstrous proportions and directly meddled in the affairs of an entire race of people.

In short, the Loc-Nar allows itself to be found and uses its considerable power to sew evil and discord which is, apparently and by its own admission, its sole mission in life.  To this end, it offers its "owners" the following power:

(1) Completely dissolve any living/mortal entity within 10' of it, a valuable way of controlling who possesses it, although any targets above 3rd level enjoy saving dice. 

(2) Raise up any number of corpses within 120' as zombies.

The fabled Taraakians could
sometimes defeat the terrifying Loc-Nar...

(3) Set into a staff, allows the casting of any spell at 9th level, once per round so long as the item is possessed (it can do this independently should events require).

(4) Possess any target that fails its saving dice, awakening its inherent evil (good adds +2 and neutral/evil types -3), adding 1d6+1 levels to the victim, changing their alignment, and either raising one attribute to maximum or granting (or doubling) an attribute when using Pits & Perils or any similar system.

Note: The latter happens when the Loc-Nar acts as an autonomous, independent agent and reveals itself to others.  To quote the wicked artifact (agent/entity) itself...

"Do not try to escape. You are 

in my control. Look at 

me: I am the sum of all evils. Look 

carefully. My power infests all times, all 

galaxies, all dimensions. But 

many still seek me out; a green jewel 

they must possess. But see how I destroy their lives..."

Despite its great power, the Loc-Nar is opposed by, and greatly fears, the legendary Taarakians, a race of skilled warriors dedicated to the protection of the weak and the destruction of evil, being perhaps the only things capable of destroying it.  One such warrior, Taarna, is said to have sacrificed herself to defeat it and ensured the preservation of her people.  And perhaps they live on within your own campaign.  The possibilities are literally endless!

The Visual Side of Pits & Perils

Despite having released a shiny new hardcover, Pits & Perils is ultimately about imaginative people making their own fun, and possibly the greatest thing we've accomplished is creating something that stays in the background of player-created action...

To that end, we just LOVE the player-created stuff that makes its way to us online or through correspondence.  In this spirit, we share the imaginings of +Sean Wills, writer of Crown of Qthuken and an early Pits & Perils fan in the United Kingdom.

The following appeared in his now-retired Vaults of Antiquity blog, replaced with the equally excellent Grumblefist Games site:

P&P can be remarkably visual, if only to convey that sense of an amateur production from the early 70s.  But some of what Sean's done here, like the above, is rather easy on the eyes!

Characters aren't the only ones who enjoy this treatment, as the above demonstrates.  Not only is this a cool little monster ready to tackle an unsuspecting party, but it's also an illustration of how gaming can easily work as purely visual art.

This is only some of the awesome stuff out there, and we both delight in the creativity (visual and/or otherwise) on display from those playing the game.  Keep it up folks, and have fun doing so!   

The Collected Pits & Perils...Is Here!

Well, it's here!  The Collected Pits & Perils, a hardcover collection of the original Pits & Perils rulebooks with some extra stuff thrown in for good measure.  Here's everything it has to offer, plus everything the product ISN'T...

So right up front: This is NOT a second edition, but a collection of PREVIOUSLY-RELEASED materials!

And now for what it IS...

The Collected Pits & Perils is a hardcover compilation of the original P&P rulebook and both official supplements.  It features a full-color cover with black and white interior covers and all the illustrations.  Basically, something nice for your bookshelf and/or for those who prefer a hardcover at the table...

But P&P is a different sort of game, and it requires a different approach, so we've included the 18-page HOUSE RULES FROM YERTH supplement for good measure.  This provides advice for managing your game and new content from the author's campaign - available here exclusively (and also illustrated to boot): 

How to handle non-combat actions.

An alternate hit point system to make combat fast and lethal!

New spells, rules for magic/spell research, and alchemical side effects for magicians making potions.

Some new combat stuff and new enemies as well...

Tips for introducing non-player enemies to the game while keeping combat fast, furious, and lethal!

Multiple new magic items that greatly expand the possibilities in your own fantasy campaign plus some new rules for armor.

All in a 50 pound stock for added durability (built to last)!

Finally, we've scrubbed the books thoroughly for errata and to ensure the highest quality attainable.  In fact, we've just updated all of our digital P&P titles on One Book Shelf to reflect these updates, which means you should check out your libraries!

We love P&P and plan on publishing two more of our Basement Adventures this year.  But we're done updating this.  The game has reached its definitive stage, and we're moving on to other stuff, including something big with polyhedrals...  

Note that for now, the softcovers are still available because it doesn't make sense to stop selling them and because we like them and they're our only option for any kind of retail sale.

NOTE: The product listings for the softcovers have been updated to make buyers aware of the hardcover option. 

Now, this means you can get all three softcovers for $29.00 or the (collected) hardcover for $33.99.  And we've updated the product descriptions of the softcovers to alert potential buyers that the hardcover is an option should anyone prefer...

If you haven't already gotten the softcovers, this is an option.

But if you've purchased the softcovers already, this is the definitive version, and we leave that up to you whether or not you wish to pick it up eventually.  The choice is yours.

Everyone's support of the game has been overwhelming and much appreciated, and we thank you all.  Hopefully, new hardcover allows you to create worlds of wonder using just your imagination and a pair of six-siders!  Your imagination is what it's all about!

The (1972) Gargoyles Are Coming!

Some of you might have noticed that we've been on a serious Gargoyles kick lately.  No, not that 80s cartoon, but an incredibly cool made-for-TV movie from 1972.  This blogger saw it in 1974, instantly falling in love and unable to take his eyes off the screen except to look at his Aurora Movie Monster models...

This film holds up surprisingly well for B-movie fare and has a bona-fide role-playing slant.  So first, a brief synopsis: the evil gargoyles have lived alongside humanity for millennia, dying off under increased pressure, but rising again after a time of dormancy to resume their quest for earthly dominance.

That's it for the synopsis.  Pick this creepy classic up!

Alphas are evil, but shrewd, and
open to negotiation when it suits them... 

And once you have, feel free to introduce the gargoyles to your fantasy campaign using your system of choice.  Luckily, most of the best old-school fare already have rules for these, making much of this a matter of simple logistics.

So first, the setup: After ______ of years, the gargoyles have awakened from dormancy and are attempting to reestablish themselves, raiding farmsteads and killing isolated victims.  They live in a mountainous cave complex, nurseries, actually, filled with many eggs destined to birth their next generation.

Our heroes have been summoned to solve this mystery.

At the top of the gargoyle hierarchy is the ALPHA and BETA, the breeding masters of the colony.  Both types can fly and are strong and highly intelligent (assume 15+ or corresponding abilities in Pits & Perils), speaking the Common Tongue and a racial language for communication only among themselves.  Alpha/betas are 7-8th level, befitting their power and status in the colony. 

BREEDERS are female.  They're both intelligent and tough (assume constitution) as per the above rules and are otherwise capable of flight, like the alpha/beta type.  Again, level corresponds to whatever rules are employed, but should represent the rank-and-file, having additional bonuses when protecting their nests...

Breeders are dangerous when
defending their precious clutches...

  
Gargoyle HUNTERS are wingless and less intelligent, although terribly strong, perhaps more than the rest.  These are dispatched on errands to procure food and/or recover gargoyle remains lost during failed encounters.  It takes some time to establish a colony, making secrecy of great importance*.  Hunters always represent a rank-and-file variety with level to match. 

Most adventure begin as a mystery to be solved, noting that as the party gathers clues, hunters will certainly be dispatched.

Later, the party will enter the colony proper, encountering the gargoyles on their own terms.  These warrens are dark and winding, and their occupants will know them well!  Note also that while normally evil (chaotic), the alpha/beta types are shrewd and open to whatever negotiation might save their colony.  The role-playing opportunities are endless and combat a definite must!

*This is what we in the business call an "adventure hook" people...