Primer Burn And Hot Lead Bubble (GLoG Class: Lead Witch)

Firearms are an oddity in Bromeilles.While handguns and long guns do exist in some real capacity, their construction is both tedious and unique to its builder, with only a few standardized designs known to exist, such as the designs of Quentin Blanchard—an acolyte to the late Gisèle de Roy. These remain closely guarded secrets. Thus, the vast majority of guns discoverable on the continent (how few they are) are hack-jobs: volatile stone-throwers pushed from the Twin State's scrap-works.

In the century since Blanchard's death—a wound self-inflicted—The Republic has only visited his compound on the island of Courrisaunt a singular time. Blanchard's ideas were long thought buried with him.

But there are whispers that the old workshop has been robbed. Unusual new firearms have been spotted across the continent, not en masse but in worrying numbers, and all lie in the possession of Witches. Whether these are truly Blanchard's designs or original inventions has yet to be confirmed, but the damage they have inflicted remains very real.

The sole inspiration. One day, I'll make a version that does her justice.
The Gunwitch Class on Steam

Lead Witches are solitary hunters. If there exists a coven on the continent, it is well-hidden and unacknowledged by The Republic. Their stock consists of natural killers, born or built, who will not squirm at the sight of a dying man. They are the unwanted, the misanthropes, and the hungry. The Lead Witch does not seek a kinder life, nor does she wish vengeance upon an entity. Her wishes are swift, her sacrifice is pain, and the heat which emanates from one's heart is about the only thing standing between her and a good night's sleep.

THE LEAD WITCH
+1 Magic Dice per Template
Starting Skill: 1) Bounty-Hunting 2) Distillation 3) Highway Robbery

Starting Equipment: One light pistol (1d8, two shots), One light pistol OR medium breaker (1d6, one shot, 15' cone) OR heavy rifle (2d6, one shot) Traveler's Greatcoat (as leather), A Tool of the Trade.

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A – Hex: Prime

B – Caustics Make The Flesh-Men Cry

C – Sixty-Palmed Trigger, +1 Tool of the Trade

D – Invocation: Cold, Bitter & Sweet

Hex: Prime
R: touch T: a piece of ammunition D: until dispelled I: 1x MD

You imbue a bullet or load of shot with foul purpose. This ammunition is considered magical and deals [sum] additional damage.

 

Hollow-points implode. Pellets spread into deliberate patterns. Wounds reach through flesh like cracks in glass, and the holes left behind leak brambles.

Caustics Make The Flesh-Men Cry
The wounds your armaments inflict exact pain unlike anything this world has ever seen, excluding what you've already put in them. You can make ten rounds of pistol ammunition (or half-as-many for a larger caliber, like a rifle or shotgun) in approximately eight hours of work, so long as you're given enough space and security to be uninterrupted. This can be done either over the course of several sessions or all in one sitting—pull an all-nighter, why don't you?

 

Additionally, you can imbue unfinished ammunition with unique properties using Hex: Prime. Cursed ammunition remains magical in nature, but instead inflicts one of the following effects, determined by you when you construct the round. These rounds can be loaded normally into your firearms, activating on an attack of your choosing.

 

Ammunition modified with this feature, like Hex: Prime, require your MD to function. Don't worry, though: these are returned to you once they're fired!

 

Cursed Ammunition:

1.  BLAZECAP
• A faint light emanates from the inside of your gun. It whispers to be heard, then sneezes all over your target as they're set alight. On hit (or miss within 10'), target must Save Vs. Burning. Burning creatures take 1d6 damage each turn and cannot heal until they're put out, either as an action or through traditional means. Obviously, you cannot burn incombustible things... can you?
  
2.  FAMILIAR'S PAW
   
• There exists a cleverness to this one: alien satisfaction for a job well done. An attack with this round completely reloads the weapon it's fired from, so long as you have the ammunition to fill it.
  
3.  BISMUTH
• Your round splits, bends or stretches beyond reason. In addition to your chosen target, you may attack up to two additional creatures within 10 feet of them with the same bullet. Only a single attack roll is made, compared to each target's defense.
  
4. DOG TEARS
• These rounds, rightfully, scare the living shit out of whoever is near them. Creatures that can hear you fire must Save vs. Fear, but become immune to its effects for a week on a success.
  
5.  REVENANT SWORD SHAVINGS
   
• Your round vanishes into thin air, then re-emerges from another location of your choosing in a straight line. Make an attack roll against the first creature this line meets, which ignores directional defenses such as cover and shields. The maximum possible range of this location (and the subsequent attack) is equal to the firearm's range.
  
6.  TOO MUCH TO DRINK
   
• Surprise me. Roll 1d6 when you fire this round to determine its effect. If the result is a 6, roll twice and take both effects. Additional 6's are re-rolled. 
  

If I do this again, I'm definitely giving them some sort of modular weapon system
"Voodoo Witch" by Daria Rashev

Sixty-Palmed Hammer
Whenever you use your action to Cast a Spell, Interact with the environment or make a Skill check, you may fire a one-handed firearm you are brandishing immediately afterwards. If your action is used to make an Attack with a firearm instead, you may make an additional attack with that weapon.

 

A brandished firearm is either currently in your hands or readily accessible. Thus, a revolver in a hip holster or atop the countertop before you is considered valid, but the one stashed away in your backpack or at the bottom of your boot is not (assuming your boots are still on).

Invocation: Cold, Bitter & Sweet
Requirements: the corpse of your victim's hero, a shield made from human hair, seven days
Duration: until dispelled (set the body ablaze)
Description: Obtain the corpse and slather it in honey. Place those remains in a barrel filled with syrup, molasses, or another viscous fluid, then seal the barrel shut with your shield. After seven days of fermentation, impale one or more iron rods into the barrel—one Magic Die per rod.

 

For each Magic Die invested into the ritual, your victim's next wound will refuse to heal, preventing them from regaining hit points equal to the damage taken. Healing aids will be applied, scar tissue will begin to form, but these wounds will remain open and bloody and agitated for as long as the invocation remains.

 

At the bare minimum, this health reduction is equivalent to the average of one of the victim's Hit Dice per MD. Of course, losing a limb in this situation would be far, far worse. For them.

Lead Spells

1. Sixth Sense
   R: n/a T: self D: n/a
   If a projectile would hit you, you can choose to avoid it instead, or roll Defense if it would have struck automatically. This only applies to projectiles: arrows and dart traps are okay, giant swinging logs are arguably fine too, but pitfalls are not.
   
2. Golden Gun
   R: touch T: a loaded gun D:[dice] attacks
   Your enchanted firearm glistens in the sunlight, but distorts into geometry in the dark. A creature killed by this weapon transmutates, with anything in a 6" radius surrounding the killing blow (including belongings and flesh) becoming 2d4 + [dice] in raw gold. This material reverts in a degraded state after 24 hours. 
   
3. Black Powder Calling
   R: touch T: a loaded gun D: [dice] hours
   You grant one of your firearms a soft independence, allowing it to levitate around your body—about as high or far as you are tall—at will. You can manipulate the weapon and fire it while keeping your hands free, but it must be reloaded manually. This weapon is considered brandished for the duration.
   
4. Did You Hear That?
   R: instant T: [sum] pieces of ammunition D:n/a
   Outside of a dim flash of light, your next [sum] attacks are nearly imperceptible, producing no smoke or sound.
   
5. Feelin' Lucky?
   R: 20' T: a creature of [dice] HD or fewer D: until dispelled
   If threats of physical violence won't work, then a combination of physical and spiritual violence might just do the trick. You gain a [dice] bonus to relevant "persuasion" checks and intimidation attempts against the target, so long as you keep your sights (literally) trained on them. If they didn't hate your guts before, though, they definitely do now. 
   
6. High Gaze
   R: sight T: a creature with equal or more HD than you D: [dice] rounds
   Clocks strike at the Witching Hour wherever you go. A bird falls from the sky when this spell ends at the end of your turn: at that moment, both you and the target must immediately make an attack with a ranged weapon. For each prior turn spent (up to [dice] rounds) without taking the Cast a Spell or Attack action, the attacker deals an additional 1d8 damage. If the target is out of sight when this spell ends, only you take that damage.
   

Tools Of The Trade

1. Chitin Plate. If you would be the victim of a critical hit, it becomes a regular hit instead. The plate then cracks and becomes worthless. Also good for target practice.
   
2. Pixie Flytrap. Not as bad as it sounds; a catch-and-release system for nature spirits. +2 MD, but can only be spent on your cursed ammunition. Two slots.
   
3. Silver Bullets. You can never be too careful. half a slot, equal to five pieces of ammunition.
   
4. Hand-Loading Kit. A heavy-duty satchel covered in webbing and hidden pockets. Fashionable, too. You can produce twice as much ammunition using this kit. Slot-neutral.
   
5. BY LORD'S DOOR. He is a stubby, light rapier (+1), stained dark with soot and gunk. Deep pink scars are all that remain of the surface of this once decent blade. Coughs incessantly, but thumbing the pommel seems to help.
   
6. Cauldron. Doubles as a cooking pot, so long as you remember to clean it out beforehand. Comes with some neat wheels, otherwise two slots.
   
7. Bug Spear. For emergencies, big game, or emergencies caused by big game. A heavy spear that, once primed as an action, explodes upon contact with a solid object. Everything within 10 feet takes 3d8 damage, or half on a successful Save.
   
8. Mag Pull. In terms of availability, you're probably one of the continent's lucky few. In fact, you probably made it yourself. Acts as an effective +2 to one of your gun's capacity.
   

Puking All Over The President (Sludge Post)

Here's a rough collection of thoughts pulled out of my first sludge pile, which I filled sometime in 2022. It is a mixture of setting-specific blurbs, wild ideas, and whatever random bullshit crawled into and out of my brain. May my trash somehow become your treasure!

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Chronomancy — the reversal of molecules to younger forms

Gustneau's Pet — At what point does artificial life become life?

The Blood and The Body are not the same thing

Communicate through dreams by changing one aspect of the environment at a time.

Lycanthropy is a disease, Vampirism is a curse

Vampires can consume "normal" food and drink without difficulty, and some even take great pleasure in it. It cannot, however, subsist them fully

What DOES happen to tieflings when they die????

Who said that imps (bug-people) learned to speak common? Or that they even have voice boxes? They're magic users, after all

You Reap What You Sow goes both ways

Mimics first teach their children to imitate currency when they hatch

Mimics like the ones from Prey (2017)

Four owls in one's dream is a sign of witchcraft

A firearm that requires hit dice / spell slots / magic dice to fire

Lunar Witches (and by extension, potentially lycanthropes) can hear the moon humming (crying?) to them

POSITIVISM IMPLIES FINALITY // YOU ONLY SPEAK OF LIES // OPEN WIDE

The Solaine have a guilty pleasure of drinking blood tinctured with drugs (what kind?)

"I could wake up as a hundred different people, and it wouldn't change a thing."

The borderline is visibly drawn, strewn with blood and gore

Grinders: Body-Modders

WE ARE NOT MANY / / YOU ARE FEW / / THE GRAIN THINKS ITSELF THE MOUND

Training yourself to have object-permanent dreams

Cogphtram: a drug that makes you perceive yourself as another person

...Do Liches learn to control all their bodily functions by getting super stoned?

FLAW: "I hate people who are in the same position as me"

The imps were not created with telepathy; it was earned, and it can be removed (albeit over generations)

Hypatia was the first of the angels to step foot on Séraphine, perhaps? Importance lies in the fact that the first angel was a devil

A monster that changes intent every time it takes damage

FLAW: "There must be no copies of me. Not reflections, no records, no exceptions"

A calling card that constructs itself out of the victim's blood, either as an object or a puddle

"Rabbit, why must we drink from the bottom of the glass?" / / "Too much tea is bad for your teeth, dear Alice!"

A lightsaber which balances on the shoulder like a greatsword

Third-Leg Magik philosophy

Emotional sign systems

Calling barracks "tombs"

Seeing a group of witches for the first time is a terrifying experience:  whispering cacophonies from identical shadows

Airports are fae space

A giant, cylindrical lake at the bottom of a dense jungle gully

An Electric motor in a spaceship that throws thousands of incredibly dense orbee-like balls behind it

"I know people worry they’ve lost too much blood. Don’t worry, you keep making more. Just like tears."

Nailing copper nails into trees to stop them from (re)growing

Iridovirus

Dragons prevent space travel through violence and desolation—Mars was only the beginning, shattered to bits by falling stars

A drug that can't be taken during the day / at sundown

Fungal creatures, using bodies as hosts/greenhouses, would be about as temperature-resistant

The greatest claim any self-proclaimed [enchanter] could make is that they were miraculously immune to propaganda

"See that guy over there? I killed him yesterday, and he doesn't even know it yet"

Goldfish acknowledge space—humans track it

Alright Ramblers, Let's Get Rambling (Rant Post, Hello 2024!)

 This isn't anything like my usual posts on here. But, seeing as I haven't posted anything in almost a year, I feel as if I have an opportunity to live up to this blog's name. So, what's on my mind?

I'm a really big fan of war games. More than that, I've always been a fan of the simulation aspect of war games. There's something about an attention to detail, not just in terms of mechanics but in the literal attention that is required from the player, that intrigues me. Sadly, like plenty other interests, I suffer from a severe lack of experience in the medium. I also suffer from a lack of skill. They're related, but not like you think.

A big issue of mine is "putting your money where your mouth is". Although I will spill buckets from my mouth about a given topic, or how much I enjoy thinking about that topic, or what I'd like to do within that medium, rarely do I actually live up to this standard. It's not a standard at all, really—simply describing who I am or would want to be—but it's nonetheless frustrating. Want to role-play as a particular character in an RPG? Good luck getting me to maintain the illusion for very long. How about sticking to a rule set or immersing yourself into a book / game / other medium? Better outcomes, in bursts, while suffering the same degradation in the long-term. Maybe you should write an adventure, or run a campaign, or start writing in a routine again! Doesn't that sound great?

...Yeah, about that...

My point is that it upsets me. I could spend centuries trying to rationalize why it happens or where it comes from (my ADHD diagnosis last year notwithstanding), but ultimately I don't think that matters. Who cares where it comes from? I've had to deal with this sort of thing since childhood, medication hasn't magically fixed the problem, and I've obviously not uncovered a good coping mechanism for it.

Yet in spite of these very real feelings, I continue to play war games. I still play RTS games, I still get upset at simulators, and still do I daydream about the various scenarios that I could craft, re-enact, or run for others. For myself as well, of course, but this feels like it falls into a bucket similar to writing: I have so many ideas, and so much more that I'd like to do with them.

Why do I bring any of this up? For one, because I can, but also because I've spent much of my waking time this year trying to not do nothing and still failing. I could go back several years and argue the same, but screw that noise. I bring this up because there's only one good reason.

I Want Control Change

Mucho Texto, enjoy some compensation
Art by Fishiibo

Now ain't that something we've all heard before? 

Change is a complicated topic. It isn't instantaneous, by which I mean that change is a gradual process, rather than an immediate shift in being, but it seems anytime I see change referred to it's spoken of as if it were immediate. Whether in fiction or non-fiction, I often find change described as both a catalyst and as the sum of its parts. What I mean by that is the "spark", the "moment of change", is always given the honor of being 'the moment things changed.' That past tense is very important to me. Why? Because it wasn't the moment of realization that made things different—it was the aftermath. 

I realize that this is ridiculous, unnecessarily pedantic, and even plain stupid, but hear me out for a second. "Change" as we often describe it, on an individual level, is nothing more than an idea. It is a thought, a light bulb, an 'aha!' which informs our actions. But it isn't the idea that actually changes things, is it? Outside of fiction, where a character's written thoughts directly affect their next move—you would drown if you took a shot for every work whose protagonist suddenly refused to defeat their villain in the final battle—'what we think' can hardly be rephrased as 'what we do'. Because that would be ridiculous, no? If judgements were carried out based on people's thoughts rather than their deeds, not on action but on word, mental word, wouldn't we be in a whole heap of shit? That means it isn't our thoughts that change the world, but our actions. I can think of all sorts of philanthropic shit to do, but if I never actually do any of it, I might as well have never brought it up.

Maybe I'm just nitpicking. I could be making a mountain out of a mole hill, one that only I care about, but what speaks to me is how appropriate it is. I have spent years now trying to formulate a schedule for myself, desperately trying to design and then follow a routine which works for me. I have tried planners, timers, and reward systems. I have tried setting breaks, crafting personalized deadlines, and daily goals. I have tried damn-well everything to what seems like zero effect...

...and yet I've changed, haven't I? In many ways I'm still the same, yes; I still hold many of the same struggles as years prior, but there are places where I have changed. There are differences in my thoughts and in my actions, things which may not have been intentional, but were nonetheless adopted in my struggle to achieve other goals. I never noticed these things they were a part of me.

Things change gradually, but is it always so secret?

I wonder what it feels like to be somebody else. In living their life, which decisions are easy or hard? What does it feel like to sit down and do something? To decide that there are things which must be done and tasks which must be met? What are their habits like? Are their routines always a conscious decision, a meticulously placed puzzle piece, or do they simply carry themselves to do it? Muscle memory is one thing, but what about the mind? Do they feel the draw to dissociate, to stare into space? Do they heed the call of the void?

I can ask these questions forever. I know because I have, in drafts far older than this one, which will probably never see the light of day. Part of why I would like to be different through posting this one is my desire to break this cycle. I want to put my money where my mouth is, I want to follow my own advice. Yet every time I try to crack down on these issue they sprout right back up, like dandelions. 

I know better than to desire "change". Change as an object, as a kind of particle, is useless. It's worse than useless, namely because change alone doesn't do anything. Change requires an intention. More than that, change requires a will behind it, because real change does not come from the idea, but rather the desire to make that idea a reality.

This might all be obvious. I am aware of that, but awareness alone isn't going to cut it.

Esprit de Corps 

I don't want things to be easier, I want it to be fair
Artist Unknown

In the tireless fight to get my shit together, one thing that I have become increasingly aware of is that I have basically zero support network when it comes to making art. I have friends, hell, I have artistic friends, not to mention being part of all manner of online creative communities... so it seems extra weird that I don't interact with any of them. I've tried to make a conscious effort to be involved in these sorts of things, y'know, engaging with other people's work and sharing your own, but for some reason it's always a goddamn struggle. Why is that? 

Maybe it's a lack of praise? I would think not, since I've argued before about the balancing act between making art for yourself and making art for others, but I also wouldn't put it past me. A lack of attention? Similar concept, but I do rarely feel the need to share stuff that I should want to share, and that definitely wasn't always the case.

I don't even TALK about what I might be working on.

I'm still trying to figure this one out. I'm trying to figure all of these out, honestly, but I like to assume the best of people. Solving these problems shouldn't include a blaming game.

Boulder Up A Hill

One must imagine Sisyphus happy. I sure do, because if he can make the most out of literal hell, then maybe I'm not too screwed. As I've mentioned in parts scattered throughout this post, I am not a very big fan of the endless two-way cycle. Either I try to stick to a routine, pushing myself and failing to establish a cycle of things I enjoy (or claim to enjoy) doing, or I don't. Choosing not to attempt a cycle leads to either figuring things out on a day-by-day basis, which I am objectively terrible at, or a worsening of my mental health. Why does my mental health worsen? Because I'm not trying to figure my shit out, of course!

Is there really a 'shit' to figure out, though? Arguably, yes, but it's certainly not some ten-step plan or yellow brick road. There is no one true path to success, and by no means do I have any delusions of grandeur about that, but that still means that I can try to develop a cycle which works for me. 

I haven't made much progress.

But that's why I am writing this! Sure, writing it has been largely a stream of consciousness over the course of four hours. Yeah, I desperately want to delete whole paragraphs in search of the perfect word, or I could delete everything and pretend like this article never existed. It doesn't affect anyone else that I do these things, only me, but it makes things difficult. irritatingly difficult. 

I could stare at this page for another four hours and find another dozen unrelated topics to ramble about. Would that be a good idea? I don't know, but maybe it would be therapeutic. I could also leave it until tomorrow, to which I say that that's a bad idea, since I know that I would delete this draft the moment I remember it exists.

I don't know if the person I wake up as is the same as the person who went to bed. I'd like to imagine it isn't, though, because that means that I actually have the capacity to change my mind about something. Even if I'm not aware of it, maybe one of these days a version of me will forget about one of their bad quirks, and a more desirable one will slither into its place. That requires that I still put in the work, though, both as this new person and who I am now. 

I think that I can do the right thing. For my sake, I have to believe it. 

In Unrelated News

Howdy! Like said, definitely an unorthodox post. Good chance you skipped this in its entirety, or you skipped to the end, to which I say that I don't blame you! Life is hard enough as it is without some internet stranger airing their dirty laundry in your face. If you did read to the end of this post though, hello there! Also, thank you. I appreciate your commitment. Was the reading any good?

More appropriate posts in the future! When? Hell if I know, because I'm writing this post all in one sitting! I know damn well that if I try to make up some deadline here it'll be ignored and/or I'll fail to meet it, so instead, I'm going to make a vague written promise. If I could make a pinky promise online—can I?—it would make this a tad extra serious.

 I'm still alive, still world-building, and most of all, I'm still dreaming! Let's hope that this post is a sign of clearer skies. Will it be? I have no idea, and I don't wish to jinx myself, but let us hope for the best.

Go Go Gadget, Post!

Return of The King (GLoG Class: Ring-Bearer)

The new LoTR set for Magic: The Gathering just came out, and—considering that the silly card game has had me in a chokehold for the last few months—it's no surprise that this whipped me into an inspiration frenzy.

Be your very own Sauron. Play a Frodo-type, and risk your personhood being stripped away. Maybe play this in a Modern setting, and have your little buddy be the bard who follows around Terry Crews in White Chicks. That's the fun of OSR: it promotes doing whatever you'd like!

Just have fun. Enjoy!

God, He's So Cool
Art by Anna Podedworna

THE RING-BEARER

+1 Attack per template

Starting Skill: 1) Metalsmithing 2) Disguise 3) Pyrokinesis 4) Battle-Planning

Starting Items: The Ring, Chain, A Newly-Forged tool (Medium, 1d8 damage), A Collection Of Old Things, Hate.

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A – One To Bind, Corruption

B –  +1 CD, +1 Temptation, Mouth of Awe

C – +1 CD, +1 Temptation, One To Rule

D – Subjugation

One To Bind

You have crafted The Ring: a lone object of incredible power, of which you are its true wielder. Only you gain benefits from wearing The Ring, and only so long as you have Ring-Bearer Templates; other creatures who wear The Ring vanish into The Ethereal Plane for 1d4 minutes.

The Ring is a part of you. It can never be destroyed except by being submerged in the fire of its creation, and you are always aware of its general location. You know if someone else possesses The Ring and can communicate with them telepathically from any distance.

Corruption

You have a pool of Corruption Dice, or CD. These work much like MD, returning to you on a 1-3 and expiring on a 4-6. Unlike normal magic, you cannot regain Corruption Dice by taking a rest, instead regain one Corruption Die whenever you kill a sapient creature with at least 1 HD. You can only have as many Corruption Dice as you have Ring-Bearer Templates.

You can use your CD to power a Temptation of your choice, or expend it as a reaction to reduce the damage of a non-magical attack targeting you by [templates] + [sum]. Should you ever remove The Ring from your person, you temporarily lose access to your Temptations until it is returned to you.

Mouth to Awe

You have acquired the skills of a talented retainer—an orator and skald—who wishes only for glory in your name. With your permission, this skald will travel from place to place, using any acquired or gifted wealth to recruit hirelings, request lodgings, and otherwise support your journey (and are undoubtedly qualified for the task). They are otherwise a loyal, helpful assistant, and speak goodwill to your name on any occasion.

The Movie Version Looks Cooler IMO, But He's Drippy Too
Art by Alex Brock for MTG

One To Rule

Great power flows through you and only grows stronger with time. You deal +1 damage with weapon attacks for each unexpended CD you possess. 

Subjugation

Your hunger has overgrown even yourself, and with such hunger comes a desire for more. By spending a week of downtime and sacrificing one of your CD you may construct a ring of power. A creature wearing one of these rings can communicate with you telepathically from any distance and gains a single CD, which they can use to cast a Temptation of your choice. 

So long as it is being worn, a creature wearing a ring of power counts as an unexpended CD for your Own to Rule ability.

Once per month, per person, you may use the Dominate Temptation on a creature wearing a ring of power without expending CD. You do not need to see the target to use this ability, and can do so from any distance. The target cannot save.

Me And The Boys
Art by Anato Finnstark

Temptations

1. DOMINATE
• Command another to do your bidding. Bend the wills of man to consciously follow your words. Target follows [dice]-word order as per Command, but cannot directly harm themself. +1 target per CD expended. Targets can Save to resist.
  
  
2. MASQUERADE
• Appear to be who you are not. Look trustworthy from the outside. You gain the appearance of a non-existent person [sum] hours, including a different voice, but your clothing and equipment remain the same. 3+ CD transforms your equipment as well.
  
  
3. OBFUSCATE
• Become formless. Peek into the world beyond. You become invisible for [sum] minutes. With 1-2 CD, you can see wraiths, ghosts, and other things in The Ethereal Plane. 3+ CD allows you to interact and speak with them.
  
  
4. ANNIHILATE
• Return to dust. Per CD, one non-magical sword-sized object you can see within 30 feet of you disintegrates. With 2+ CD, destroy an additional object for each additional die. Alternatively, target creature takes [sum] damage thrice over three rounds, and you must concentrate on this effect. You cannot take other actions while using this effect.
  
  
5. MANIPULATE
• Shape the world. [CD*5]-foot square of unworked material shifts, bends or moves to your design. Fire warps, water separates, and the earth becomes a pit. If material would directly cause harm, strike deals [sum] damage. With 2+ CD, you can hold its new position for [sum] rounds, or until you lose concentration. With 3+ CD, cause machinery to act without their controls.
  
  
6. RECUPERATE
• Fill wounds. You regain [sum] hit points. With 3+ CD, you can survive an otherwise fatal spell or injury as a reaction, returning to 1 hit point. 

Mishaps

1. CD only return to your pool on a roll of 1-2 for 24 hrs.
2. You take 1d6 damage.
3. You lose 1d6 Stability.
4. You lose control and disappear into The Ethereal Plane for 10 minutes. Something notes your presence.
5. You cannot receive beneficial magic for 1d6 hrs.
6. The nearest NPC to you becomes aware of The Ring's power and begins to covet it.

Dooms

1. The Ring tests you. It disappears from your finger to a random location within a day's travel of your current location.
2. The Ring tempts you. You cannot remove The Ring for any reason, even through magic or threat of death, and constantly fear that others may take it from you. Should the ring ever be removed at this point, you would do anything to get it back.
3. The Ring consumes you. Your body becomes warped and wraith-like, and your heart becomes inconsolable. You cannot love, nor care and look to others with kindness, for all of your desires lie with The Ring. Should you die, or your form be separated from The Ring, your soul shall finally be corrupted and your physical form shaped into incoherence. Your only reason for existing shall be subjugation, destruction, and control. You are not yourself.

Frightening, Glistening Things

Have you ever wondered why we give such importance to gemstones? 

They touch our minds. Gemstones are symbols of wealth, markers of high fashion, and icons of envy and greed. Great value is assigned to these stones regardless of their actual rarity. Their beauty encapsulates us. Watches and gowns, cars and technology: symbols of great prosperity alone to those who wield them, yet they are bedazzled all the same. Only this can elevate you. Bring your face to the limelight.

They touch our hearts. We associate gemstones with feelings of success and desire. We construct tools out of a rare few of them. We look to fiction and see examples of things that should be coveted: precious treasures to be plundered. Massive diamonds and glowing crystals are forlorn by those who own them as if the meaning of their very existence is to be wanted. Only this can make your dreams come true. Heal a broken heart.

They touch our souls. Historically, cultures have associated their shape, size, and colour with spiritual awakening. Vast theologies have been constructed to find a use for marvellous crystals, and maps have been charted of the body's gates and openings, signifying stones of all varieties as the bridge through which one can heal their entirety. Civilizations have always desired nourishment for the soul. Only this can fulfill the ultimate desire. Transcend mortality.

Gemstones are synonymous with high society, the rich and the monarchy, which is partially why they're so incredibly rare in Bromeilles. 

A Measure in Abundance

This Time, Beauty Meets Esotericism
"Heart of Lorkhan" by Helena Nikulina

If you were to acquire an enormous hammer and crack open the tallest mountains in Bromeilles, one would find a profound lack of gemstones. There would be a few, for sure—tucked away in amalgamate heaps, incoherent in placement and composition—but rarely enough to justify the dangers of excavation. This is because there are no gemstones in Bromeilles. 

That's hyperbole. 

But there really are fewurally-occurring gems on the continent! Not before The Storm Eternal and not in the four-hundred-odd years after the fact. Gisele De Roy argued that anything resembling a gemstone was swallowed before it could be pushed upward through the crust, a consequence of the continent's fractured state; The Magician Keryllion claims that it is simply the will of chaos. Luck functioning to its ultimate conclusion.

Of course, there are sources of fine stones in Bromeilles. The beauty of the high cities would suffer in status without them, nor would The Artisinal Schools have access to ripe new conduits. 

They're called Tear Stones, and they fall from the sky. 

Falling Stars

Records detailing the presence of tear stones have existed since before The Storm Eternal, with spottings noted in everything from Eldermen stories to cave drawings. The name 'Tear Stone' is a sanctioned nickname for the objects, tales claiming that the stone's design and the oddities of their condition are the results of The Moon's crying. Themselves indistinguishable from meteorites (also common sights in Bromeilles), tear stones are one of the few orbital objects visible through cloud cover. 

One astronomist, Charles Billard, makes a note of a falling jewel in one of his premier journals:

    "...Perspiring atop the observation post, it was not long—shortly after nightfall—until we first saw the object. Carving its way through the clouds like a blade through the skin, its silver streak was clearly visible, the head a glistening bolt of light. Its entire structure was clearly visible until a count of sixty-seven seconds, whereupon its tail was swallowed by the storm. Our guetteur measured flickering for an additional fourteen seconds, at which point it disappeared across the horizon..."

Silverbolt, Savior's Told, Oh Beauty Can't You See?
"The Silence Of A Falling Star" by Randy Urban

The 'tears' are, up-close, reminiscent of arthouse projects. Warped chunks of rock buffed and bleached by the upper atmosphere, momentarily turned to slag by the impact, with craters all throughout its surface. Gemstones are generally immediately visible at this stage. Similar to one you would blast out of the ground, they are fused to the rock and one another. Unrefined, they possess an otherworldly beauty. 

Rarely longer than a metre, tear stones are at most 40% jewel and 60% rock. 

Falls are uncommon affairs. A given night may have zero and a dozen unrelated events, with few tear stones throughout the night or several in quick succession. Unlike the meteoroids which share space with them, tear stones often make landfall far from civilization and are otherwise small enough to be redirected.

Artisinal Shapers will often report being offered bribes. Few will admit to actually taking them, but there is great wealth to be made in cultivating tear stones; no more organizations uninvolved with The Republic.

Strange Gems, Stranger Things

In addition to their inherent scarcity, the variety of jewels found in tear stones is abundant, with several dozen recognized stones in possession by The Republic. 

Besides their aesthetic desires, several groups ranging from The Artisinal Schools to druidic sects expropriate certain gemstones because of their inferred supernatural abilities. Some may be important or necessary for a particular ritual or simply a valuable conduit for use during spell casting. In contrast, others whisper of innate magical talents within the stones. Such claims aren't entirely unfounded, and several expeditions have been funded by The Artisinal Schools and Covens alike to retrieve whole tear stones.

It is possible for Artisans to construct an artificial gemstone through the work of The Occult. Still, such a process is tedious and dangerous and usually lacks the innate tinge of magic in natural jewels. These jewels are still perfectly useable as conduits.

Beautiful, Aren't They?
Image from The Arkenstone

Truthfully, the word 'gemstone' is inaccurate compared to our world. Other materials such as bismuth and amethyst—a metal and crystal, respectively—are also available in tear stones and are referred to colloquially as gemstones. This doesn't mean that the materials themselves aren't also classified into their respective categories or that these materials don't possess some unnatural qualities of note, but that Bromeillan understanding of the term 'gemstone' is founded mainly on the phenomenon of tear stones.

This also doesn't mean there aren't gemstones already in the ground. There are, and plenty are the result of long-forgotten tear stones finally unearthed. The occasional "natural" gem is also findable within the continent's crust, though they are few and far between, and hardly possess any of the extraordinary qualities of their cousins.

Drink Deep and Descend (Science Fiction)

For some time now, I've been working on a "horror" project set in the LANCER TTRPG universe. It's been difficult for a number of reasons, but I am happy to announce that it is finished, and that means I can share it with people!

There are some ARG elements to this. Mildly, you don't have to go to some obscure website and count pixels, but there's a minimal amount of notetaking needed. A PC is definitely required because mobile would be FAR too much of a hassle. Pick up on keywords (if they're words at all) and try your best to solve it! Your efforts are rewarded.

Thank you very much for your time, and also enjoy!

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1m-DUYB91WZfhCE_Ca-loOybEfxA13qNi-_vm4SEOVnE/edit?usp=sharing

Pull Me Out (GLoG Class: Possessor)

I've been trying to catch up on the entire Cronenberg discography lately, including watching his son's work! Brandon Cronenberg is a fantastic director, walking down a path in cinema that honours his father's work while also bringing his own style into the fold, and I wanted to celebrate it a little. Still gotta watch Infinity Pool! 

Enjoy this weird thing.

Fun Fact: Most Of The Effects Were Practical! Even The Weird Fractal Stuff! Cameras Are Magic
Art by Randy Ortiz(?)

At some point, you found work within The Company: a clandestine operation of unknown origin and dubious funding, who utilize their positions of power and influence to shape the world to their whims. You are one of The Company's prized assets, not just for your training but your aptitude: you have been ranked highly compatible with The Company's Possessor program. For better or worse, you are worth your weight in gold.

The task is simple: research the inner workings of a targeted individual, learn their mannerisms, and then use the Technology provided to submerge their consciousness. 

Typically, your operations would include murders committed under the guise of the hijacked, but The Company receives offers from various clientele. 

Where do your loyalties lie? Who is it that hides behind that mask? Which is the real you?

POSSESSOR

+1 Stability per template

Starting Skill: 1) Subterfuge 2) Behavioral Recording 3) Intelligence Gathering 4) Mimicry
Starting Items: Light pistol with 20 bullets, whatever clothes you woke up with, $200 cash.

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A – Agent, Possession

Δ – It Takes A Village

Agent

Upon taking your first Possessor template, you become an employee of The Company. If you begin a game with this template, you likely already possess a host body. If not, or when planning another operation, some crucial information should be kept in mind:

1. Possession of a host body first requires medical preparation, including target acquisition and surgery. Without a team, the time this takes to plan and execute is up to you, usually 2d4 days. 
2. Your work also requires access to limited Company technology. As you are aware, only they possess machinery capable of performing Possession. You are immobile while plugged in.
3. An agent can remain in a host body for a number of days equal to 2 + their Possessor Templates before the severe risk of brain damage sets in.
4. An agent must kill the host body in order to extract. This is non-negotiable. Mostly.
5. Death with some level of precaution will kill the host body. Carelessness will kill you both.

Before session one, speak with your GM about the mission parameters surrounding your first Possession (or leave it a surprise!). Upon awakening, your clock begins. 

Possession

While under Possession, you track an additional resource known as Stability. If you're playing a GLoG hack or other OSR TTRPG that uses a mechanic similar to sanity/willpower, consider tracking that resource instead. Your Stability total is calculated similarly to your HP but with Wisdom instead of Constitution. Anything that restores HP (except for magical healing or basic sci-fi medipacks) also heals Stability, but only by 1d6 + your level.

note: super experimental, super weird. Just wanna try sticking my toes in "sanity mechanics" while also trying to make them good/cool/interesting. Or at the very least tolerable. In an ideal world, all characters are working with some sort of Stability mechanic: Possessors are just a bit tougher. Bear with my experimentation.

While under Possession, the host body's consciousness puts you under constant pressure. Your intrusion into the mind of the host body does not erase it, but merely assumes control, meaning that anything which disturbs your command over the host can have dramatic consequences. Some ways to lower or regain your Stability include:

• Witnessing something horrific, such as a depraved act of violence, for a prolonged period of time. (-3)
• Receiving a hideous wound, taking 5+ damage in a single turn. (-3)
• Purposefully damaging the host body. (-2)
• Getting high. (-2)
• Witnessing an emotionally distressing event, such as a team member's death or capture. (-2)
• Being reminded of personal, emotional conflicts. (-1)
• Engaging in graphic violence, if you're not into that sort of thing. (-1)
• Taking the equivalent of a short rest. You probably can't chain these. (+1)
• Completing a mission objective. (+1)
• Taking an hour each day to meditate. Also called running diagnostics. (+2)
• Going to bed. (+2)
• Completing your assignment (+3).

Whenever you would be reduced to 0 Stability, make a Wisdom check. On a success, you regain +3 Stability, and on a failure you UNRAVEL. 

Note: What does that entail? My mind says that it should involve a good rollable table, but that's more effort when this post should have been put up over a week ago. The general assumption is that it should be possible to come back from UNRAVEL'ing at least once, but is otherwise something to be avoided. Use your own Sanity table for now: I will be back!

It Takes A Village

Extract.

Nobody can be truly exceptional without people willing to support them, and this is no less true for your team. Your original body is effectively comatose whilst under Possession, meaning that not only is there an expectation of safety while handling your assignment, but an opportunity for growth.

The first time you extract, prematurely or after completing your assignment, choose two of the following templates below. A unique hireling joins your repertoire, hired out from the coffers of The Company, solely tasked with aiding you in your assignments. You may take an additional Possessor template whenever you level up, granting you another hireling, as well as the subsequent ability of each tree.

HANDLER — The Therapist; takes care of you.
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1) Can communicate with you while under Possession, Restores ½ your Stability upon extraction.

2) Once per session, grants intel regarding your current objective, so long as you haven't UNRAVELED this session.

3) Immediately pass your first Stability check under Possession.

ANALYST— The Interpreter; speaks to machines.

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1) Warns you if the host body is about to UNRAVEL, +1 Initiative.
2) +1 Save.

3)  You can pull a skill your host body possesses from its subconscious. Rank equals your Possessor templates. Once per day, lasts until extraction or you UNRAVEL.

MEDIC— The Doctor; treats you well.

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1) Watches your vital signs (blood pressure, IV, etc) while under Possession, +1 Save.

2) Advantage against Save vs Death effects.

3) +2 HP. 

RETRIEVAL— The Gatherer; tags and bags.

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1) Does most of the work for you, reduces time to prep Possession to 1d4 days.

2) Once per session, can retrieve an item from an improbable location (e.g. a hospital garbage can or a plane bathroom).

3) Once per day, will pick you up (and maybe your friends) if you need to get somewhere in a jiffy. Needs space and time, so no tight alleyways and no last-minute Uber chases.

COLLABORATOR — The Hunter; never works for free.

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1) A random hireling is recruited by The Company. Loyal and will work around your host body's cover. Can appear when activated on request, but otherwise at The Company's discretion. Resets every assignment.

2) Contact your hireling and ask for a favour which can be done in a reasonable amount of time, such as collecting evidence, assisting a break-in, or dispensing supplies. Money isn't an issue, but don't expect hitmen for hire.

3) At any time, If your hireling hasn't been activated yet (you can say no), choose a non-core NPC in the same room as you. They are immediately activated and revealed to be your Collaborator.