Leaving on a jet plane . . .

Unfortunately, I don't have much time to write this post. This is me in 5 minutes. Even as I type, I should be packing and making hotel reservations instead. Still, I can't resist leaving a few words for my fans and friends. I am going to Morocco and Greece for the summer. This will be a great way for me to change my mind set. People who have never left the country cannot imagine how insulated their thinking becomes. It is simply impossible to understand what a different culture feels like until you experience it. Just the smells of the Greek countryside with its abundance of basil and oregano bushes and its olive tree covered hills is something that changes you. I am grateful for the many decades of multiculturalism I have been exposed to. I believe it reflects well on my fiction. It has taught me to look at the world with different eyes. It reminds me, even now, that the world is much bigger place than even TV or the Internet has the capacity to show. Without the Greek isles, I would certainly never have become a naturist. Dropped into a world where attitudes toward nudity are radically different, it is amazing how quickly your own attitude changes. Walking among ancient ruins, I am awestruck and humbled by the very true fantasy that is human history. Of course, Morocco, with its ultra-conservative Islamic yet heavily influenced liberal European culture, is a thing to experience first hand, a clash of French, Spanish, Arabic and Berber peoples trying to make sense of the world they live in. The bazaars are a labyrinth of handmade treasures that would not look out of place in Medieval times, except when you run across the guy selling computer chips. Naturally, the beaches are crowded with fully dressed men and women casually strolling the sands. Yes, I have lived extremes, and that is pure mana for a writer. Going on a trip is not without risks, however, so if something happens to me, if I don't come back with a post sometime by July, you'll know I am a goner. If you are reading this and this is the case, please do me a favor and publish my damn book. Like the caveman at Lascaux or the pharaoh in Egypt, I'd hate to have lived and go unremembered. So in case you don't know me, my name is Nick Alimonos. I'll leave you with this . . .

 

Quest for the Talismans: Story Spaces

I'm a bit torn here. My RPG board game is immensely popular with whoever plays it. On more than one occasion people have told me, "You need to market this!" But I haven't even a clue how to market a board game and with the countless other board games already selling in comic shops (which I assume nobody plays) it seems a greater challenge than publishing. I suppose my game will exist solely for the enjoyment of friends and family. Still, it's nice to know that in this age of computer games, console games and cell phone games, middle school kids (like my nephew and his friends) can still have a fun time throwing dice around and using their imaginations.

Firstly, this is the board I am currently using. You can have one printed up at Kinko's or make your own. Just e-mail me at alimonosnick@gmail.com for the high def file.

So without further ado, I give you the final essential part to Quest for the Talismans: Story Spaces. These are 100 randomly generated situations using 2 ten sided dice. But if you're like me, you'll have even more fun coming up with your own story encounters. Here are mine:

STORY SPACES:

01.  A rickety bridge fails as you attempt to cross over lava. You are DEAD.

02.  Cosmic Event! What terrible luck! You are smitten by a meteorite, lose 10 Health.

03.  Yee-Har! Pirates caught you sleeping! Move player piece to the sea. You lose all ruples and items on your person, and are marooned on an island until rolling a 3 or a 6. Once free, start back from Graton Town.

04.  You are sold into slavery by nomads. Move player piece to desert area. Lose all ruples and items on person. Remain in desert until you roll a 3 or a 6. Once free, start back from Shemselinihar.

05.  You are captured by Amazon women and forced into the Dance of a Hundred Agonies. Move to forest area. Once free, start back from Saint Beauteous Castle.

06.  Your camp is infested by rust beetles! If your weapon is made of metal, lose your weapon (weapon cards are magical and are immune to rust beetles).

07.  Foreclosure! Pay 10 ruples to Saint Beauteous Castle or lose town privileges there.

08.  Foreclosure! Pay 10 ruples to Graton Town or lose town privileges there.

09.  Foreclosure! Pay 10 ruples to Shemselinihar or lose town privileges there.   

10.  Robbed! While sleeping, thieves take off with your item of transport.  

11.  Where’s my stuff? While sleeping, thieves take off with your ruples! Lose all ruples on your person.

12.  Poison or Not Poison? You find a mushroom that can either heal or harm you. Do you choose to eat it? Roll d4: 1-2. Lose 4 Health; 3-4. Gain 4 Health.

13.  While exploring a dungeon, you fall down a pit of spikes. Lose 3 Health and, if walking, move with a d4 until returning to town.

14.  You are caught in an avalanche. Lose 4 Health, and, if walking, move with a d4 until returning to town.

15.  You fall from a cliff. Lose 5 Health and, if walking, move 1 space per turn until returning to town. 

16.  There’s a snake in your boot! If wearing boots, lose 1 Health.

17.  BOOM! You lift your weapon in the rain and are hit by lightning! Lose 2 Health, or, if carrying metallic items, 7 Health.

18.  In the jungle you are bitten by a carnivorous plant. Lose 1 Health.

19.  You fall down a well. Lose 2 Health, but gain 1 healing water.

20.  Heavy snowstorm slows your movement. Move 2 spaces back the way you came.

21.  You are caught in a heavy storm. A kind family offers you shelter for 1 turn.

22.  You help a traveler fix a broken wagon wheel. Lose 1 turn then move an extra 2 spaces.

23.  You are caught in a tornado. Roll d6 to land on a warp point.

24.  WOOF! While bathing in the river, a stray dog runs off with one of your items (of least value)! Go back 2 spaces to retrieve it, or surrender item. 

25.  YUCK! You are stuck in a tar pit! Move 1 space on your next turn as you swim through it.

26.  You come across treacherous mountain terrain and are forced back the way you came, move back 2 spaces.

27.  You meet a traveling salesman named Ed who won’t leave you alone. Lose one turn getting him to leave you alone or pay him 1 ruple.  

28.  Help fix broken carriage wheel: Lose 1 turn.

29.  You meet a poor beggar asking for ruples. You take pity on him. Lose 1 ruple.

30.  Troll Bridge: Answer riddle of another player or pay 10 ruples to pass, or find another way around and go back 5 spaces.

31.  While exploring the jungle, you fall through a trap door into a monster’s lair. Move immediately to the nearest M Space.

32.  You save a peasant from drowning. He offers you 1 ruple.

33.  You’ve caught a large fish. Eat it to regain health on your next turn or sell it in a town for 2 ruples.

34.  You successfully hunt down a wild boar. Eat it to regain health now or later.

35.  You meet a princess who’s lost her crown. Help her find it for one turn and be rewarded with 5 ruples.

36.  In a nest you find a golden egg. Sell it in town for 5 ruples.

37.  You run across a traveling merchant caravan. They offer you a free ride. Move ahead 2 spaces.

38.  While navigating the river, a fast current carries you 3 spaces forward.

39.  Hitch a ride on a roc! This giant bird moves you 5 spaces in any direction. Roll d4 to determine 1. N, 2. S, 3. W, 4. E. If player cannot move five spaces, stop at the last space in that direction. 

40.  Pay 5 ruples for a ride on a fishing boat (optional). Move ahead 2 spaces and earn a free fish.

41.  You meet a kind farmer. Pay 1 ruple for his food (optional).

42.  You meet a blacksmith on his way to town. Buy weapons or armor (see Town).

43.  You meet an alchemist on his way to town. Buy potions (see Town).

44.   A traveling parade declares you most beautiful (or handsome) in the land. Win 10 ruples.

45.  You are commanded by the Sultan of Shemselinihar to attend the royal wedding of his son. Go directly to Shemselinihar (without rolling). If your character is male, lose 10 ruples betting money in the Sultan’s private resort. If town is destroyed, go to 46. 

46.  You are commanded by the Queen of Saint Beauteous Castle to attend her royal ball. Go directly to Saint Beauteous Castle (without rolling). If your character is female, lose 10 ruples buying appropriate dress. If town is destroyed, go to 47. 

47.  The King of Graton Town needs you to attend his annual poetry reading festival. Go directly to Graton Town (without rolling). If all towns destroyed, roll again.  

48.  You meet a thief for hire. He offers to rob the other players (optional). All players pay you 5 ruples.

49.  You meet a wizard for hire. He offers a spell to switch places with any other character in the game but for a fee (optional). If you take the wizard up on his offer, you don’t need to pay him until you meet again (by rolling 49), in which you must pay him one talisman.

50.  Help the prince find his princess! Roll this number again to earn 100 ruples.

51.  Your great-great uncle has kicked the bucket and left you his inheritance. Earn 30 ruples.

52.  Along your journey, you discover the forgotten Tomb of Sir Marek the Brave. You find the magical Sword of the Defender: DMG 5/ARMOR +1, lain over his sarcophagus. Note: Space can be used once per game.

53.  You find the Statue of Damokles, wearing the armor he had in life. If male, gain ARMOR 14. If female, sell armor in town for 20 ruples. Note: Space can be used once per game.

54.  You come across the Temple of Strom. Inside the temple is an idol with a jeweled magical Hammer: DMG 5 (see Hammer in Town). Value: 30 ruples.

55.  Caverns of the Dwarvensmiths: You discover the hidden Caverns of the Dwarvensmiths. Upgrade to better ARMOR (of least value) than you are currently using.

56.  Treetop Homes of the Elves: You spend time with the elves. Gain HEALTH and ARROWS: DMG 3.  

57.  You find a magic fairy fountain. Restore full health or capture fairy for later use.

58.  Queen of Fairy Kindness: The fairy in this fountain gives you the option to free any one player character from the DEAD space (optional).

59.  You win a fighting contest in a small village. Your reward: FREE GET OUT OF DEATH CARD.

60.  Searching through a dungeon, you discover a chest of gold and gems worth 30 ruples.

61.  You rescue a princess locked in a tower by her evil stepmother. She rewards you with a kiss and 30 ruples.

62.  You find a magic mirror in an abandoned house. Stepping through it, you are transported to the nearest player’s piece. You may, if you choose, BATTLE player this turn. 

63.  You find the lair of a genie. The genie will grant you one wish—but be forewarned, wishes can backfire! If the other players decide you have spoken incorrectly or too greedily, they can choose to cancel or reverse your wish.

64.  Cross the Rainbow Bridge: Jump 1 Space over (optional).  

65.  Rain pelts you angrily. You take shelter in an abandoned house for 1 turn.

66.  An impenetrable fog surrounds you. You can’t even see your hand in front of your face. Spend 1 turn wandering until the fog lifts.

67.  You meet an old knight, Sir Reminisce, whose armor looks quite worn. Judging you by your adventure gear, he eagerly invites you to the nearest lodge to regale you with adventures from his youth. He pays for drinks and lodging. Move to nearest T Space. 

68.  Something’s alive in your boot. You’ve never felt such pain. Lose 1 Health and take 1 turn to recover, or, if you don’t wear boots, you find a very strange specimen of worm—an infant devastation worm, perhaps?

69.  Poison or Not Poison? You find a mushroom that can either heal or harm you. Do you choose to eat it? Roll d4: 1-2. Lose 4 Health; 3-4. Gain 4 Health.

70.  A toothless traveler needs his broken wagon wheel to be fixed. Do you help him? No, screw him. Yes—His family is thankful, Lose 1 turn, gain 1 garlic wreathe.

71.  You meet a traveling gypsy who insists the world is coming to an end. Lose one turn getting him to leave you alone or pay him 1 ruple.

72.  Bar Fight! Move to the nearest town. There you meet a drunk named Sven who insists you play cards with him. After beating his hand, he shouts about you cheating and threatens to kill you. Do you fight him? Y. You kill him with little effort, but are now banned from this Town. N. You walk away with only your pride bruised. 

73.  Bugs in the Basement! Move to the nearest town. A trap door beneath a bar leads to the basement, a 4x4 room filled with giant bugs! To complete miniquest: Kill all 6 dungeon beetles.

      Dungeon Beetle: HEALTH 2, ARMOR 10, Bite 1

74.  You meet an aged knight, Sir Reminisce, who tells you of the glorious

weapon he once lost while exploring a dungeon. To complete miniquest:

Seek the nearest dungeon; a chest there will contain Sir Reminisce’ old weapon, the Zweihander of Epic Proportions. Keep the weapon, or sell it back to the knight—who will pay you its value.

75.  You meet a woodsmith named Jeriah who tells you of the Haunted Redwood. “You wouldn’t need to kill it—that’d be impossible—just bring me a limb and I’ll forge you the greatest bow in the world!” To complete miniquest: Go to nearest M-Space to find Haunted Redwood. After hitting it once, flee to the nearest town to meet Jeriah. She will give you: Haunted Redwood Bow: dmg 5, range 5/10.

76.  You meet a strange old man named Richten writing a book about the

undead. He asks if you would be so kind as to bring him any undead artifacts, which he will gladly pay top ruple for. To complete miniquest: Meet Richten at Graton Town: for a skeleton skull he will pay 5 ruples, for a vampire wing 10 ruples, for ashes of a Burning Man 20 ruples, and for armor of Death Knight 30 ruples. 

77. A shower of stones, trailing fire, falls from the sky. They make holes in rooftops, split apart trees, and leave smoking craters in the ground. After cooling, they break open revealing a green like substance. Before you know it, it latches onto your hand! You lose the ability to attack and feel yourself hungering for brains. Quickly, reach town in 3 turns or become a zombie!
78. You meet a witch brewing a stew in a cauldron. She offers you a free pot; do you accept it? If Yes: 1-2. It’s poison. Lose 1 Health per turn. 3-4. Full healing.
79. The road here is terribly rugged, but you come to a strange hollow in the ground. It may be a shortcut; do you take it? If Yes: 1-2. Move +1d6 or 3-4. Move to nearest M-Space.
80. You come to a field of poles. Each pole is adorned by a human head in varying states of decay. What or whom could have done such a thing? All you know is, you can’t go this way; you just can’t! Roll 1d6 and go back the way you came.
81. You come to a very dark, very deep well. The winch does not look like it has been turned in years. Do you turn it? Yes: 1-2. The water is refreshing. Regain health. 3-4. The water is foul; you are sickened and unable to act for 1 turn.

82.  If male: You are seduced by a traveling gypsy woman. After you wake, you find her gone, having stolen your ruples. If female: The gypsy woman tells you your fortune and offers you a Get Out of Dead Free card.

83.  You meet a guide who shares with you the awful history of the land. He shows you a very old wall where, as he puts it, “much blood was spilt in the building.” Exploring the wall further, you come to a passage, overgrown with vegetation, leading down. Move to nearest dungeon.

84.  You come across an abandoned graveyard. Do you search the tombs or leave the dead to rest? If Yes, roll d4:

      1-2. You find two 5 ruples as placed on the eyes of the deceased.

      2-4. You have woken the dead:

      (6) ZOMBIES! HEALTH 1, ARMOR 6, Claw/Bite 1*

85. You find a jewel which gives you a strange, out of body experience. Roll a d6 and move any player’s piece that many spaces.

86. You come to a small church. There is a gathering holding a candlelight vigil.

A priest’s dagger is about to plunge into a girl who looks to have just reached puberty. This sacrifice, he says, will feed the altar of Yog-Sothoth. To complete miniquest: Kill Acolyte of Yog-Sothoth and return the girl to furthest Town. If completed: gain 100 ruples (clear diamond) reward! 

      Acolyte of Yog-Sothoth*: HEALTH 12, ARMOR 10, Dagger: 1

87. The Haunted Lodge: Off the beaten path, you come to a shabby looking lodge. As you approach it, dreaming of rest and mead, your heart sinks. It’s been abandoned many years. Upon entering this ruin, however, you are shocked as it comes to life. The music is lively and the mead plentiful. Suddenly, there is a panic out the window. The overzealous Captain of Beauteous Castle, determined to put an end to corruption, has barred the doors and windows. Good god—his men are setting fire to the place—everyone in the lodge is going to burn. And you realize you are looking at the ghosts of a terrible massacre. On the wall these words are written in blood: “Wherever there are massacres, there is ethereal phantasm.” To complete miniquest: Destroy the ethereal phantasm to gain 100 ruples.

Ethereal Phantasm: HEALTH 15**, ARMOR 12, DMG 6*, Move 7

§  *Once per battle, phantasm uses fear paralysis. If hit, player must roll Endurance check/Difficulty 15

§  Resist 3, immune to poison, charm, fire, ice, magic

88.  A blood red moon fills the sky. A frantic man is running toward you. Two armed men are chasing him. The armed men ask you to stop him. The frantic man begs for asylum. Who do you help?

Ø  The man: fight armed guards (see below)

Ø  The armed men: The frantic man is easy to subdue with your aid . . . at first: Werewolf attacks all.

      (2) Soldiers: HEALTH 8, ARMOR 10, Swords 2.

89.  Good God, what’s happened here!? You come to what appears to be a small town, but everything is in ruin. It looks like some sort of desperate struggle took place. You shout but there is no one to answer. And . . . WHAT is that man eating! In a panic you look behind you but the walking dead have already begun to close. Zombies! (6) HEALTH 1, ARMOR 6, Claw/Bite 1*

§  If three or more zombies hit you, you are grappled and lose a round.

§  Immune to charm spells. Double damage from fire.

90. Ymir Escapes! Ymir the Frost Giant enacts revenge against the people of Saint Beauteous Castle after the great ancestor of Queen Isadora, Palor Giantsbane, imprisoned him under ice for a thousand years. All players must go to Saint Beauteous Castle to fight Ymir (do not roll). The player who rolled the story may use the city’s trebuchet: DMG 8. If all players die, all get out of DEAD free.

YMIR THE FROST GIANT: HEALTH 32*, ARMOR 12, GLACIAL AX 8**, STOMP 8, Move 6

§  **Glacial ax hits all enemies in a 5’ x 15 arc

§  At will, giants can stomp medium enemies as BASH for 8 damage

§  Resists 1 damage, takes double damage from fire

     Combat Action: Through the Knees—Agility/Difficulty 15 (+2 damage, reroll initiative)

91. Worm! An ancient evil is disturbed after the people of Shemselinihar dig under the dunes for new sources of water. All players must go to Shemselinihar to fight the Worm (do not roll). The player who rolled the story may use the city’s trebuchet: DMG 8. If all players die, all get out of DEAD free.

Devastation Worm: HEALTH 48*, ARMOR 8, BITE 10, CRUSH 10, Move 2

• Resists 2 damage, immune to poison, charm
• On a 3, worm crushes enemies under its girth as BASH for 10 damage
• On a 6, worm moves through the ground causing an earthquake, dealing 4 damage
• to all in a 20’ radius and restarting initiative. Negate effect with Agility roll/Difficulty 10
• Swallow whole on a hit roll of 18—20
• Devastation worms can burrow between spaces and under walls and solid objects

92. A Case of Stolen Eggs: Pirates rob a young gray female dragon of her eggs and try to sell them in Graton Town. The fools are incinerated but Fercus seeks vengeance. All players must go to Graton Town to fight Fercus (do not roll). The player who rolled the story may use the city’s trebuchet: DMG 8. If all players die, all get out of DEAD free.

FERCUS: HEALTH 20**, ARMOR 15, BITE 8, Fly 12

§  On a 3 or a 6, young dragon breathes a cone of fire dealing 8 damage in a 10’ x 15’ cone—Roll Agility vs. d20 for 4 damage

§  Resists 2 damage, immune to fire, charm and poison

§  Snatch—On a hit roll of 18—20, dragon snatches one enemy, flies him into the air, and drops him to his death. Initiative restarts.

   Combat Action: Climb On—Agility/Difficulty 16 (free attack)

   c: Tame—Wisdom/Difficulty 25

   c: Learn to Ride—Agility/Difficulty 21

93. You are greeted by Ascenderon the archangel. She can retrieve one Talisman from another player or from a dungeon, but in return, she will resurrect all dead players. Do you agree?

94. You are greeted by Pazuzu the archdemon. If you desire, he can kill any one character, but you must pay him one Talisman or your most valuable item. Lost Talismans return to the dungeon from whence they came.  

95. You encounter Princess Naira, who will accompany you as an NPC on your Quest until returning to Town. If Naira is already in the game, go to 96.

96. You encounter Termina of Ravenholm, who will accompany you as an NPC on your Quest until returning to Town. If Termina is already in the game, go to 97.

97. You encounter Prince Amir, who will accompany you as an NPC on your Quest until returning to Town. If Amir is already in the game, go to 98.

98. You encounter Sir Garek the Bold, who will accompany you as an NPC on your Quest until returning to Town. If Sir Garek is already in the game, go to 99.

99. You encounter Cimmeria, who will accompany you as an NPC on your Quest until returning to Town. If Cimmeria is already in the game, go to 00.

00. Clouds open and light descends like a stairwell. An enormous man stands before you. The air is electrified around him. At first, you think him a very good-looking giant, but then you realize it is SKURD, GOD OF BATTLE! SKURD is pleased by your courage and offers to join your quest. After landing on an M or D Space, or after killing another character, SKURD will leave the player.

Skurd: HEALTH 100, ARMOR 15, HRUNTING (SWORD) 10/10

·         On a 3 or a 6, Skurd lets out a fierce battle cry like a thunderclap, stunning all enemies for one round.

·         At any point in time, Skurd can teleport to the realm of the gods.

Quest for the Talismans: Monsters!

I love monsters!

What's a great role playing board game without monsters? And the more the merrier! My fondest memories from the early days of D&D is how much I loved my Monster Manual; it was a dusty old book from the seventies given to me by a cook at my father's restaurant. The brittle, yellowed pages only added to that sense of mystique about the game. I used to gaze long and hard at the flat, black & white sketches and fantasize about the day when my character, Sir Marek the Brave, might have to battle them. Of course, the artwork looks pathetic by today's standards, and any search for monster art on deviantArt will almost certainly garner superior work. But keep in mind this was the eighties and the Internet was a thing undreamed of.

What I like about the monster system in Quest for the Talismans is its simplicity. You only have to know a few numbers, so it's easy to make your own monster from your imagination or from images you find around the Web. I collect miniatures used for gaming at hobby shops. To encourage players to think creatively, some monsters include action rolls, because hacking and slashing at a creature until it drops dead is just plain boring, not to mention unrealistic. As a writer, I have always had a hard time imagining a knight stabbing a dragon to death. But what if the knight could climb on the dragon's back? Reach for its head to drive his magic sword through the dragon's brain? Now the whole battle seems more feasible, but there are no mechanics in D&D to set that in motion. I suppose there are players who imagine just such a scenario, but the dice doesn't account for how difficult it must be to jump on a moving monster's backside.

There are too many monsters in my compendium to post here, so I am only going to offer a sample. Want more? Just e-mail me for the whole compendium at alimonosnick@gmail.com.

_______

GLOSSARY OF TERMS:

Passive/Aggressive: Passive creatures will not attack you unless provoked by an attack. Aggressive creatures will attack you on sight.

BASH: This refers to attacks of overwhelming force where ARMOR is of little or no consequence, such as from a dragon’s tail or a giant’s club. Against BASH, heroes can only hope to move out of the way by making an evasive ROLL or Agility check (d20 +Agility vs. the monster’s attack roll).

Combat Action: During Sir Marek’s numerous adventures, these strategies proved useful. But these are only suggestions. There are, in actuality, infinite ways to fight a monster. Failing a combat action incurs an attack of opportunity.

XP gained for killing or defeating a monster is equal to its HEALTH, double HEALTH for * or triple for **.

_______

Bear: HEALTH 18, ARMOR 9, Maul 4, Move 6, Aggressive

Construct, Iron: HEALTH 8, ARMOR 15, Sword 3, Move 2, Passive
§ Resists 1 damage, immune to charm, poison, fire
: Create: Wisdom/Difficulty 23 + 1 day + 1 full plate armor

Cyclops: HEALTH 24*, ARMOR 10, BASH (giant club) 8*, Move 5, Aggressive
*On a hit, Cyclops’ sends enemies back 15’
: Directed Attack: Blind Cyclops with a roll of 15 or higher

Death Knight* HEALTH 15*, ARMOR 15, Souldrinker 5**, Movement 3, Aggressive
**Souldrinker is a cursed sword found only in dungeons. Whoever picks up this sword is cursed; it grafts to the hand and deals 1 damage to undead.

Dragon, juvenile: HEALTH 20**, ARMOR 15, BITE 8, Fly 12, Aggressive
§ On a 3 or a 6, young dragon breathes a cone of fire dealing 8 damage in a 10’ x 15’
cone—Roll Agility vs. d20 for 4 damage
§ Resists 2 damage, immune to fire, charm and poison
§ Snatch—On a hit roll of 18—20, dragon snatches one enemy, flies him into the air and drops him to his death. Initiative restarts.
: Combat Action: Climb On—Agility/Difficulty 16 (free attack)
: Action: Tame—Wisdom/Difficulty 25
: Action: Learn to Ride—Agility/Difficulty 21

Giant, Frost: HEALTH 32*, ARMOR 12, GLACIAL AX 8**, STOMP 8, Move 6, Aggressive
§ **Glacial ax hits all enemies in a 5’ x 15 arc
§ At will, giants can stomp medium enemies as BASH for 8 damage
§ Resists 1 damage, takes double damage from fire
: Combat Action: Through the Knees—Agility/Difficulty 15 (+2 damage, reroll initiative)

Giant, Hill: HEALTH 18*, ARMOR 10, BASH 6 (spiked club), Move 6, Aggressive
: Combat Action: Through the Knees—Agility/Difficulty 18 (+2 damage, reroll initiative)

Giraffe: HEALTH 13, ARMOR 8, Kick 6, Move 8, Passive
: Combat Action: Flank to avoid kick—Roll Agility/Difficulty 8 / per round

Gnoll: HEALTH 12, ARMOR 10, Ax 3, Bow 3, Range 3*, Move 4, Aggressive
§ *Gnolls make ambush attacks with their bows. Player must have a range weapon or be surprised (incurring two free attacks).
§ +2 initiative (between ranged fighters)

Gorilla: HEALTH 16, ARMOR 8, Fist: 2/2, Move 6, Aggressive

Lizard Man: HEALTH 11, ARMOR 12, Sword 2, Move 5, Aggressive

Lizard Man, Chieftain: HEALTH 14, ARMOR 14, Club 3, Move 5, Aggressive

Lizard Man, Champion: HEALTH 18, ARMOR 12, BASH (mace) 6, Move 5, Aggressive

Merquid: HEALTH: 10, ARMOR 10, Trident 4, Move 2 (8 in water), Passive

Minotaur: HEALTH 22*, ARMOR 12, Battleax 8, Horn 8*, Move 4, Aggressive
§ *On a 3 or 6, the Minotaur gorges with its horns as BASH for 8 damage
: Combat Action: Grab Horns—d20 +Strength v. d20 +8 (knock prone)

Orc: HEALTH 9, ARMOR 8, Battleax 3, Move 3, Aggressive

Orc, Chieftain: HEALTH 14, ARMOR 11, Master Craft Claymore 6, Move 3, Aggressive

Skeleton: HEALTH 4, ARMOR 8, Rusty Sword 2, Move 2, Aggressive
§ Immune to poison, charm, arrows

Troll, Bridge: HEALTH 16, ARMOR 10, Spear 3 / range 2, Move 3, Passive

§ Bridge trolls may be pacified by answering a riddle

Werewolf: HEALTH 12*, ARMOR 15, Claw/Bite 2/2*, Move 8, Aggressive

: +2 to initiative, Regeneration 1 (each round, regain 1 health)
: Each round, roll a d6. On a roll of 3 or 6, bites for 3 damage. If bitten, suffer lycanthropy on the following night unless a cure is used.
: Wolf Hunt: Those fleeing from a werewolf are hunted down. If the werewolf manages to move into the point where you flee, battle engages.

Zombies! (6) HEALTH 2, ARMOR 8, Claw/Bite 1*, Move 1, Aggressive
§ If three or more zombies hit you, you are grappled and lose a round.
§ Double damage from fire.

Quest for the Talismans: Characters!

Want to be a pirate? A ninja? A princess? How about a pirate ninja princess? It doesn't really matter. Anything you can imagine, you can be. Anything you can think of, you can do. This is what I love about tabletop gaming. You don't have to worry about developers (you are the developer!) or copyright infringement either. Over the years, my friends and I have role played everything from demons storming the gates of Heaven (we chose heavy metal band names for our demons) to Marvel Superheroes to He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. Tabletop RPG's takes what I love about fiction and turns it into a game.

The characters in QFTT started out simply enough, a generic lot including a knight, a rogue, a prince and a princess. The fun part came from all of the outlandish ideas we came up with for what they could do. This is where skills come into play. Once, my nephew, using the pirate, wanted to hijack another character and sell him as a slave in town. I figured, why not? On Deadliest Warrior, I learned about a ninja weapon I had never heard of before: the black egg. Basically, the ninja fills a duck egg with broken glass, seals it up with black paint, and throws it in the face of his enemies to blind them. Wow. Guess what special new weapon my ninja got for our next gaming session? This is just to give you an idea of what infinite possibilities means and why I miss tabletop gaming so much.

The character system I have devised improves on D&D in a number of ways. 1) There are less numbers, so the game is easier to play and teach. Superfluous or redundant stats got the ax. Do we really need Wisdom and Intelligence? Dexterity and Reflex? 2) The numbers make more sense. I could never wrap my head around a knight fighting a dragon. How exactly does a six foot human take down a three hundred foot animal? And how does a shield or a helmet help defend against a foot the size of an oak tree? In QFTT, things work differently. When fighting a giant, you have to get the hell out of the way or get crushed, which is why AGILITY matters more when tackling giants. 3) The skill system enables players to do whatever they can imagine---so even though there is less complexity, there is also more possibility.

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 WHAT DO ALL THESE NUMBERS MEAN?

--- CHARACTER SHEET ---

MAX HEALTH: (Number of points of damage you can lose before dying)

ARMOR: (Other players must roll this number or above on a d20 to hit you) 

Side Note: Rolling to hit is the most needlessly complex mechanic in gaming—but in QUEST, by simply knowing your target’s ARMOR, you know what to roll. While limiting the number of “hits”—this easily satisfies the need to simulate hitting and missing while treating combat more realistically. Surviving a blow from a medieval weapon is rare, and being continuously “grazed” by swords and axes in an RPG makes little visual sense. Even if the notion is that “Health” equals some abstraction, such as “heroism,” what is all this talk of hitting and missing for? Great warriors knew how to execute a kill and this is where damage comes into play. In short, there is no need for a “modifier worksheet” in QUEST—all you should be thinking about is your skills and how best to use them. 

WEAPON/DMG: (Number of health points you subtract with each successful hit)

AGILITY: Add this number to your d20 roll* to avoid damage from large monsters with BASH. *This is called ROLLING. Since BASH attacks negate ARMOR, use ROLL to avoid getting hit! Also note: armor and shields decrease Agility for each point added to ARMOR, but the lowest Agility score is 0. This attribute may also come in handy depending on the monster you are fighting. See Sir Marek’s Guide to Monster Hunting. For more, see Advanced Battle options.       

STRENGTH: Add this number to your d20 roll when grappling with an enemy. See Advanced Battle options. This attribute may also come in handy depending on the monster you are fighting. See Sir Marek’s Guide to Monster Hunting.

WISDOM: Wisdom helps you make good choices and avoid obstacles. Add your Wisdom score as a bonus to your Story Space roll. Higher rolls are typically more favorable, but you may opt for the base outcome (without the bonus) if you choose. This attribute may also come in handy depending on the monster you are fighting. See Sir Marek’s Guide to Monster Hunting.    

ENDURANCE: Your Endurance determines the heaviest armor you can wear and the heaviest weapons you can wield. Armor weight is equal to its bonus and weapon weight to its damage. With Endurance +5, for instance, you can use a weapon that deals a maximum DMG: 5; you can also upgrade your armor up to 5 points for a maximum ARMOR: 13 (or 15 with Skill bonus). However, magic weapons and armor (those with names) are not limited by Endurance. This attribute may also come in handy depending on the monster you are fighting. See Sir Marek’s Guide to Monster Hunting.

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Want to make your own character? You can! There is character creation system which can be modified at your leisure, but I find it useful to learn the basics first with pre-made characters. Unfortunately, I cannot include the awesome pictures I use since they are not mine to share, but with a little digging you can find your own. So without further ado, I give you the Rogue, Prince, Princess and Knight, the first four characters my friends and I ever made (there are currently 17!).

TERMINA of RAVENHOLM

CLASS: Rogue

MAX HEALTH: 10

ARMOR: 10

DAGGERS: 1/1*

CROSSBOW: 4 / range 3/6

AGILITY +6  STRENGTH +0

WISDOM +2  ENDURANCE +3

Skills: Ambidextrous, Speed, Aerial Maneuver, Thievery

Ø  Ambidextrous: *Attack twice with a dagger in each hand

Ø  Speed—+2 initiative, flee on 3, 4, 6

Ø  Aerial Maneuver—Make one dagger attack as you leap over your opponent. Hit or miss, reroll initiative.

Ø  Thievery—

·         Steal a single item while passing another player with a successful Wisdom vs. If theft fails, incur free attack.

·         Rob towns of ruples or a single talisman: Wisdom check/Difficulty 12. If failing, lose carried items and go to prison. Each turn in prison, attempt escape with Wisdom check/Difficulty 12. 

BACKSTORY: Termina escaped from an orphanage when she was twelve. Using her natural born savvy, she survived the slums of Ravenholm as a thief, but after the undead uprising in Bloodmoon Bay, she sailed to Three Towns, dreaming of the five talismans and the fortune they could bring. The looming threat of the dragon, however, made her doubt her intentions. Will she choose the path of heroine or remain a lowly thief?

QUOTE: “All’s fair in love and war.”

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PRINCE SAL’ADDIN AL-RASCHEED

CLASS: Prince

MAX HEALTH: 12

ARMOR: 10 (obsidian armlets +2)

BATTLEAXE: 5* (!)

AGILITY +0 

STRENGTH +0

WISDOM +2 

ENDURANCE +5

Skills: Axe Drawback, Wealth, Renown

Ø  *Lose initiative

Ø  (!) On a roll of 20, decapitate medium or smaller sized humanoid enemies

Ø  Ax Drawback—Your first attack with a battleaxe, if successful, deals 7 damage

Ø Wealth—Prince Sal’addin begins the game with 15r ruples.

Ø  Renown: Influence people’s minds, haggle for better prices, etc. (Diff. Check)

BACKSTORY: When Prince Amir never returns from his quest to find the talismans, his father, the Caliphate of Shemselinihar, Sal’addin Al-Rascheed, goes in search for him, donning a mask to hide his identity.

QUOTE: “You are not worthy.”

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PRINCESS TETHE

CLASS: Princess

MAX HEALTH: 8

ARMOR: 10 (obsidian armlets +2)

LANCE: 2

AGILITY +0  STRENGTH +0

WISDOM +4  ENDURANCE +2

Skills: Charm, Sleeping Beauty, Joust, Inspire Loyalty

Ø  Charm—Avoid battle with monsters at will. 

Ø  Sleeping Beauty—Escape DEAD on a 3, 4 or 6.

Ø  Joust—Pass an M Space or another player for a joust attack, bypassing initiative, for double damage (if the hit succeeds). If the enemy is not killed, do not collect ruples or items.  

Ø  Inspire Loyalty—The Princess can send men into battle with beginning stats:

HEALTH: 8, ARMOR: 8, SWORD: 2. If killed, she can hire another sellsword for 15r, two for 30r, or 3 for 60r. Sellswords use armor and weapon as knights. 

Beginning Items: Horse “Willow”: HEALTH 8, ARMOR 10, Dmg: Nil,

MOVEMENT 2d6, FLEE 3, 6

BACKSTORY: When Graton Town is destroyed by Stachte for the third time, incinerating all of the royal family but herself, Princess Tethe decides to take matters into her own hands, hiring knights to join her on the quest for the talismans.

QUOTE: “Charge!”

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SIR GAREK THE BOLD

CLASS: Knight

MAX HEALTH: 15

ARMOR: 14 (full plate +3,

helmet +1, kite shield +2)  

BASTARD SWORD: 4

AGILITY +0  STRENGTH +4

WISDOM +1  ENDURANCE +7

Special: Epic Blow,

3-in-1Blow, Defensive Position, Joust

Ø  Epic Blow—On an attack roll of 20, the Knight deals double damage.

Ø  3-in-1 Blow—After a killing blow, make a second attack against an enemy surrounding you—if fatal—make a third and final attack for the round. 

Ø  Defensive Position—Subtract points from  damage and move it to armor.

Ø  Joust—By passing an M Space or another player, a mounted Knight can joust attack, bypassing initiative and dealing double damage. If the monster is not killed in the attack, the Knight does not collect ruples.

BACKSTORY: After losing his lands to excessive gambling, Garek wanders between taverns in a perpetual drunken stupor. When he hears of the Quest for the Talismans, he sees it as his chance to redeem his honor. Donning the mantle of his great-grandfather, Sir Marek the Brave, Sir Garek hopes to attain his ancestor’s honorific of Nova Knight.   

QUOTE: “To live without honor is meaningless.”

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Can't wait for the next rules installment? Want to play now? Just e-mail me at alimonosnick@gmail.com; I'll send you the whole file!