OSR: Znapkakka

Sweat trickles down Ned's brow. The air is filled with dust, mold, and decay in this underground hellhole. Every breath is a desperate sob. The thief's tired muscles scream for a recess, back heavily bent under the weight of the rolls of expensive silk.

Sir Edgar the Lion's Heart. Mightiest sword this side of the Vale. Pffft. Foolish prick with a silver spoon up his arse, that's what he was. Won't be having any share of this textile treasure now. Didn't Ralagazzam the Wise tell him to drop the plate before delving to the bowels of the ol' dungeon? Those fucking roaches turned out to be more than the senile fantasy of the dreaming wizard.

Real vermin, big as plump rats from the City. Air around them smells of ozone, sweet and pungent. But oh, Sir Knight knows no fear, let's charge and slice those beasts. Snapped Edgar with lightning from the sky (or their bowels) before his first war-cry was over. His plate all charred and blackened, and the pungent smell of baked flesh to boot. Despite their rat-like size, the roaches bled green ichor as any other critter would, after a taste of Ned's sling.

"Ok, right, left, straight corridor with the scintillating blades where t' porters were turned to mince, and we're out o' here, ya?"

"Hmm according to my notes it should be right, RIGHT, straight, and out. See?"

The wizened magician points on a soaked and stained joke of parchment with tiny scribbled notes all over it. Crap. Why hadn't they used chalk to mark the way? Or caltrops? Crap. Crap. Crap.

"Ok, quick then mage, ma back's gonna snap!"

The pair makes their way back, quick, much quicker than the way they came in. Gone are the meticulous examinations done to every flagstone, every stain on the walls. Right, right, and... where are the blades? Instead, a circular chamber opens, onyx columns sustaining the ceiling up high, wherever that is.

The mage's torch flickers, suggesting a... throne? seat? at the edge of its light. A hulking figure with arms like logs, over sized head like an inverted pear, fangs like daggers menacing in the shadows.

"Fuck your map, mage" - Ned whispers.

"Ah the mighty Bürokraken. Not all is lost, my dear Ned!" - replies a hopeful Ralagazzam.

Znapkakka

HD: 1/2 (2HP)
Omen: ozone smell, sweet and pungent. Barely audible rapid taps of their legs against the cobblestone.
Appearance: big bloody roach, zaps of lightning around them.
Number Appearing: 3d6
Wants: a meal! metal!
Armour: as Leather.
Movement: Normal speed as unencumbered 120' (40').
Morale: 7 (unimpressed of fire)
Save As: as Fighter 1 (D: 12 W: 13 P: 14 B: 15 S: 16)
Attacks: +0 to hit. Bite as dagger (d4) and Electric Shock, if applicable.
Special:

• Electric Shock: d4 extra damage to those within melee range wearing chain, plate, or other significant metallic armor (or more than 200 coins).
• Despise Clean Water: accustomed to putrid humidity in dank undegrounds, will flee at contact with pure (holy) water, and heavily avoid it.
  

Jackalope 2022: Virboko

Killerklown#1256 requests: "A creature and it's ecology from which a substance for precise oracles can be "harvested" "

A Failed Test

"Does the Moon fit inside the Sun? Or is it the other way around?"

"Does it matter? Are not the skies the domain of the indomitable Virbokos, anyways?"

"Give an answer, Practical. Or your tongue will turn to ash and blow in the morning wind across the yellowed plains."

"Not the Silence! I implore! The other way around it is then, Master." - sobs and wails and weeps and stomps.

"Bite back your tears, Juvens, for this is known. You are wrong.
People die. And so do books. When great Euk blessed us his words on papyrus, we protected them from fire, floods, worms, and the whims of tyrants. For failing would mean his memory dying a second time.
You will look up and observe the sacred Virbokos for a month. That will tach you about the Sun and Moon. If your progress is as meager as your temper, practical, Silence it will be."

Virboko, the Indomitable and the Librarians of Euk

The Virboko: A flying bull with wings that creates thunder when charging forward to its prey. Catching one is like catching lightning in a bottle. Fool adventurers and mercenaries try their stab at the task, for a hefty bounty provided by the Librarians of Euk (known as the Cult of the Soaring Bull).

The Cult of the Soaring Bull are a collection of monks centered on the study of the words of Euk, a local sage long dead. Sky and firmament also take a center stage in their studies, as does the reverence to the mighty Verboko. Contrary to popular belief, however, the monks are somewhat pacific and discrete.

After years of thorough training and apprenticeship, those monks able to get the corpse of a Virboko (by ANY means possible) get promoted from Practicals to the title of Master. At that point, a series of events ensue.

The tip of the bovine horns are filed and sniffed in a ritual at the light of the full Moon. This produces hallucinations, that are portentous and accurate (5:6 chance) but worryingly dangerous when consumed (Save vs Poison). Upon survival, the Master is allowed to wear the bovine horns as a helmet, and the pelt is treated and tanned for use as a mantle. From that point on, Masters tend to have sporadic violent and vindictive behavior, sometimes forced into their wise teachings. But this is rare.

As celebration, the Virboko's tail is prepared in a stew with carrots onions and potatoes. Wineskins flow as a crimson lubricant, a celebratory feast ensuing for three days and three nights.

But before all of that, we have to understand the indomitable Virboko. Native to the vast and arid golden plains of the Krelp plateau, they roam this relatively flat land as kings and masters of the territory. Their origin lost in time, many claim them a distant cousin to the famed Owl-bears, another failed biological experiment in Wizards' shameful history. Regardless, Virboko can see the color of magic, the sight of which makes them furious and violent, wanting to destroy its source.

Lastly, fear their rampaging stomp! It breaks a trail on the soil if they fly as high as fifty feet high, its sound echoing as an ill omen through the barren Kelp. It could see you squashed like an ant.

Virboko HD: 7 Omen: stomping echoes resonates through the plains; earth starts to shake as with a mild earthquake Appearance: hulking bull with green-dark hide, and ebony wings as a corvid's Number Appearing: d3 Wants: protect its vast territory and offspring at all costs Armour: as Chain (5 [14]) Movement: unencumbered 120' (40') on ground / 240' (90') if flying Morale: 10 (assuming 12 will never give up combat) Saves: as Fighter (D: 8 W: 9 P: 10 B: 10 S: 12) Attacks: 2 x push (1d8), 1 x horns (2d6, 3d6 if it charged) Special:  Magical Attraction: attracted to and infuriated by the color of magic, will charge at the sight of it whenever possible. Rampage Stomp: anyone caught under the trajectory where the Virboko is flying (at 50 feet or less altitude) muss Save vs Paralysis or suffer d6 damage and fall to the ground.

New Magic Items

Viboko's Horn Essence
One use, has to be sniffed.
Hallucinations cloud the ecstatic mind of the consumer, which are premonitorily accurate (5:6). This produces visions of the future, up to 1 year ahead, filled with symbolism. There is, however, a serious chance of serious consequences when consumed (Save vs Poison or fail into catatonic fits for 2d6 weeks).

Mantle of the Flying Bull
The wearer's alignment can't be Lawful whilst wearing the mantle. Once per day they can enter a crazed rage, which increases their HP, saves, and to-hit bonus as if they were 4 Levels higher. If they want to calm themselves down before that, they have a 4:6 chance of failure, to which they would attack allies and anyone or anything within sight.

Gobbos, Goozs, Boblims

Short, obnoxious, beligrant, capricious, numerous. Deal with one and five more will appear. They have many names: boblims, goozs, goblins, or the more widespread gobbos. Short, mean, serrated teeth, fiery red eyes, altered skin: buggy green, vomit yellow.

Sunlight makes their eyes weep and skin burn, sprouting festering boils. So they dwell underground, rarely venturing out at night, only on disorganized guerilla raids. Their red eyes are accustomed to darkness, perfectly seeing in the dimmest of lights.

Their origin, a mystery for all but the fiercest sages or academics. (Keep this secret from your players unless there's a reason not to). A gobbo sprouts when a child is exposed to continuous inhalation to an underground mushroom's spores called the Green Dream. Makes them to stop growing, developing the characteristic qualities of a gobbo. Adults don't suffer this effect, instead giving them a mild hallucinogenic effect. Something to do with hormones, or lack thereof? Any big city pays good coin for a sack of fresh Green Dream, priced drugs and all that.

So how do kids end up in mushroom infested caves? Delusions of grandeur from a minor Fae, who self-proclaim themselves King. Or Queen, Prince, Duchess or another made-up righteous title. Let's stick with King for simplicity for now. A king without subject is like a land without water. So they do the deed. A few children go missing from the local village. Kidnapped by their soon-to-be King.

Underground calories are a premium, however. Subsistence is met on a diet of mushrooms, roots and cabbage. In terms of preference, however, gobbos get ecstatic on the thought of raw pink flesh. Cattle and dogs are ok. Pigs and humans are best.

Despise cats, they think them devils in disguise. Will hunt them, skin them, and burn their bodies, leaving the pelts as warning for other cats all throughout their lair's entrance. (side note: sometimes right, 1:666 chance of cat being a minor devil).

Gobbos don't respond well to authority. At all. Actually, a good strategy when running into the buggers is to ask who's in charge. Has a 1:6 chance of starting a heated argument, often escalating into fisticuffs among the little ones (allowing the clever PCs to flee). Obey the priests of the great grub, and of course the gobbo King, who's above all orchestrating this madness.

Worship the great grub, a worm that should grow in size like gobbos do in numbers. Looking for a Burrowwurm, yet gobbos don't really know what they're doing. It's a certainty that past some days their current grub will die, no matter the care taken. Gobbos clench to their unworthiness as the plausible cause. But the cycle repeats with a new grub. Who knows, perhaps someday they might be right? Few priests of the great grub oversee this fanfare.

Gold, silver, coins and gems will get indifferent stares from a gobbo. Value is in what's actionable: food (flesh), booze, weapons, toys. Their currency comes in three forms: teeth, toenails, dried dungs. Conversion rate is 7 to 15 to 1 (yes, you need a heavy sack of dried dungs for a single tooth). Gobbos hardly know how to count past five, so most exchanges are just eyeballed.

Gobbos are numerous like a colony of ants. Instead of relying in the local children supply, they use their hard-earned currency to sprout more siblings. More to that below. Kids Gobbos love the idea of siblings until it becomes a reality and it turns into a huge jealousy-ridden mess.

Paizo's gobbos are more interesting than the Ha$bro ones

Gobbo
HD: 1 (3hp)
Armor: as leather (they're naked, but smol and fast), maybe shield
Weapon: serrated bone, rusted dagger, club (d4), sling (d4) or bow (d6)
Number appearing: patrol (d6), 2d6, 5d6
Morale: 7 (9 with King)
Intelligence: capricious toddler to teenage brat.
Speech: like a 5 year old child who mispronounces their "s" as a "z".
Drama die*: d6 new gobbos appear through cracks on the walls, hidden trapdoors, out of crates, etc.
Want: fresh meat, grubs, shrooms, teeth, toenails, dried dung.

Priest of the Great Grub
(Otherwise like a regular gobbo.)
HD: 2 (6hp)
Morale: 8 (9 with King)
Intelligence: entitled/spoiled child.
Spells: cause fear, darkness (no light). Improvise some spell effects from the following: dancing bowels, castle of sand, spoil food & water.

d6 Gobbo Trickz
1. Bone Netz - 20' x 20' area, save vs petrification to avoid being trapped.
2. Dissonant Bagpipes - bloody annoying, they have no clue how to play. Any attempt to cast a spell needs a successful save vs devices.
3. The Hot Stick - a branding stick they stole from the latest farm raid. Glowing hot. Deals d8 damage, and if the target is hit they are either marked or if wearing metallic armor receive 2 extra damage (player's choice).
4. Thunderplate - actually a big flat stolen shield. Acts like a deafening gong if struck. Reverberates, causing part of the ceiling to collapse. Applicable damage.
5. Grabby Shiny Rock - cartoon-like oversized magnet. Takes metallic weapons, coins and other valuables from the PCs.
6. Black powder - improvised or stolen, terrible quality. All flash, little bang. But deafening and obnoxious. Makes animals, beasts of burden, dogs or torchbearers flee.

Fighting gobbos should always be a messy business, shenanigans ensuring. Spice up the encounter. There's tons of them, and more if PCs stay to fight back. They go for the kneecaps, balls, and toes (mmm juicy toenails). Good chances they'll bring their newest eccentric toy to the fray. Or whatever big and nasty creature they captured this week.**

d6 Gobbo Shrooms & Plants
1. The Green Dream - if inhaled by an adult has hallucinogenic effects. Save vs poison -2 to hit and AC. No effect on animals. For children see above.
2. Tummy spore bomb - 30 ft cone. Save vs poison or vomit uncontrollably for a round, unable to act.
3. Sweet Baby Blue - tiny plant that only grows underground. Mild sedative, any respectable barber is aware of it, paying up to 3d20gp for a sack of these dried plants.
4. Firefly - an orange shroom that glows in the dark with fluorescent light. Treat like a lantern, but light is dim.
5. Broomz - explode in d3 rounds after ingestion, causing 2d6 damage to anyone within 10' radius.
6. Yellow Phoenix - put in teeth, nails, dung (or any fuel) to get a replica of a humanoid after d20 hours. Only a child fits in the flower. Extremely delicate, worth 1000gp to the right buyer.

d6 Gobbo Kings
Assume they all have the same stat block***, plus a couple special abilities.
1. Erimea - face like a porcelain doll. Body of a fox, the size of a horse, with blue fur. Speaks in whispers. Wants to be the most beautiful thing in existence.
2. Mooog - strong, muscular, dim-witted. Actually, Moog is just a troll.
3. Fuh - Fae patron of untied shoelaces and other bitter annoyances. Likes to turn invisible and go to town with the latest prank. Probably the least dangerous of the lot.
4. Bowie
5. Three Nights - slick and elegant. Mysterious and dangerous. Deals in gossip and secrets. Seeking more capable minions, to step up the competitive fae political ladder.
6. The Green Man - an actual honorable fae, worshiped in some human settlements. Religious roots. Wanted to stir things up a bit, start some mess to then clean it up his-self. Backfired tremendously, is now trapped within the colony of gobbos.

* This is what ICRPG does, I think? Don't remember what it's called there. You essentially roll a d4 when combat starts, and after that many rounds shit hits the fan.
** Ogres. Domesticated giant centipedes, rats or badgers. Trolls. Ravaging swines. Geese. You name it.
** Don't have one at hand right now. Might add later. 4HD or so? Decent saves, few trickery spells?

Reading List  

This post is fueled by the most recent sleepless night (yesterday). With little research or care for coherence, I decided to just spitball those ideas. It might come in handy for a future campaign, or something. Here some sources that were rummaging in my mind:

• A lot of the above was lifted from the Dungeon Craft youtube videos.
  
• There's also been a few interesting recent takes within the OSR, like the one at Lost Pages or the one in the Knock#1 zine.
• Terrible Beauty for Shadow of the Demon Lord.
• I'm probably missing a gazillion excellent blog posts on goblins. Have any interesting take? Let me know.
  

OSR: Why is damage left as a die?

Going through recent adventures in the OSR space, it is very common to see an attempt at generic or system neutral statistics. This is done a lot, with armor as chain, saves as Fighter 1, etc. This is very useful if say, you are running your game for B/X but then change for Swords&Wizardy (different saves), or LotFP (different AC baseline).

An exhibit from the Dust Elemental in the remastered Stygian Library

BUT very often monster descriptions use original die size. D8 in the picture above. Why? Why not take instead an equivalent damage as sword, or damage as polearm? Main reason I can think for this vestigial limb to persist is that some monsters inflict greater (or different) damage than what standard weaponry allows, surpassing damage dice.

*End rant*

My solution would be to have extended weaponry values in the equipment section (grenades, bombs, pistols, muskets), or use damage from spells (which are meant to surpass mundane weapons).

Don't have a solution to this trend. Just my observation. What do you think?

OSR: Burrowwurm

Enter the Burrowwurm

Materializes in the guts of an innocent individual who gets their first sin by killing another innocent without motif or benefit. The sinner has to feed on eggs for a full moon after the killing. Hence Burrowwurms can proliferate within the members of upper layers of society (noble children, and other families that can afford all those pricey eggs). Or in times of war. Or in a family of chicken farmers. The Burrowwurm comes to existence, just like that.

Diminutive at first, the wurm keeps crawling and growing within the host's guts, insatiable. Contrary to belief, Burrowwurms are not necessarily creatures of evil. Too dim-witted, they are however germinated from the purest evil. It's their gestation puddle, not their essence.

A kid that starts inexplicably drinking gallons of milk, and eating like a pig is a huge sign of a latent Burrowwurm inside them. It has to be dealt hastily, and with efficiency. Arduous task, if the kid is to remain alive after the cleansing.

Sunlight kills the Burrowwurm. Milk attracts it. This is obscure and bizarre knowledge, appropriate for a sage or long-forgotten tome. That is why past a certain size threshold they dwell underneath the surface, creating tunnels and passages without rest. The surface area will experience increasing intermittent mild earthquakes.

(Un)justified Devotion

Molekin, roachlings, slugfolk, and earth & mud elementals all could suffer from the delusion of taking the Burrowwurm for a minor deity. Or an envoy of one at the very least. At the Deftowurm size, who could blame blem? In a sense, they are right in their devotion of absurd power.

For instance, molekin are creatures of sheer law and obedience. Taking the most despicable and unwanted jobs in a society: sewer maintenance, dung collecting, corpse collector. You name it. Scattered in local colonies, they have an inclination to worshiping worms and maggots, recognizing the resemblance with the molekin lifestyle. And a Burrowwurm will be a magnet to the buggers, if they ever have the honor to come across one. Despicable, yet mighty. Shrines will be opened, prayers chanted. Out of an inner instinct, almost unconsciously. Sadly, the buggers end up as more fodder for the wurm.

Andrea Chiampo

Burrowwurm Stages

• Hatchling (1-2 HD): still inside the host's guts. Lure it by hanging the victim upside down, and putting a bucket of fresh milk inches away from their open mouth. It may take minutes, but the Burrowwurm should bait. Snake-sized, and as thick as a pinky, it's a matter of pulling it out. Painful process for the host, but they'll survive.
• Grubewurm (3-6 HD): size between a dog and a small pony. Host gets killed in a brutal manner, their bulging stomach missing adequate space.
• Minewurm (7-10 HD): size of a stallion up to a small elephant. Territorial, creates complexes of tunnels in search of underground calories.
  
• Deftowurm (11-19 HD): size of a whale, and then some. Causes local earthquakes.
  
• Postmortem (20 HD): a chrysalis, with uncertain outcome. A town-sized butterfly? Prodigious intelligence and telepathy. Maybe those molekin weren't wrong all along...?

A Deftowurm finds some tasty adventurers

Burrowwurm HD: 1-20 HD (see "Insatiable Growth" in Special). Omen: varies on size. A corpse with their abdomen area exploded. Shaking ground. Appearance: a wrinkled worm with sucking teeth-filled maws Number Appearing: solo Wants: food, milk Armour: as chain. Movement: Normal. Burrow through flesh and soil as Normal. After 11+HD, also stone and metal. Morale: 10 (assuming 12 will never give up combat) Saves: as fighter Attacks: 2 attacks, as polearm Special:  Insatiable Growth: Eat, burrow, destroy, annihilate. Size, growth, and Burrowwurm are synonyms. At the start of every week, roll a d20. If the number rolled is higher than the Burrowwurm's current HD, it gains 1 HD. If the Burrowwurm was damaged in that time, roll 2d20 and choose the highest value. Sunlight Aversion: slowly dies when in contact with sunlight. 1HD permanently lost per exposed minute. HD lost this way get regained when out of the light at a rate of 1HD per hour Regurgitated Gravel: (requires 7+ HD) 3 times/day the wurm can puke gravel and rocks. As lightning bolt, but force damage. Swallow Whole: (requires 7+ HD) replaces one of their attacks. Can target a single creature to save or be swallowed whole, causing death in one turn. Tunneling: (requires 11+ HD) Burrowwurms of a certain size can burrow through earth, soil, rock and metal. This creates a shifting lair, as tunnels are created and collapse with the wurm's passing.

OSR: Pywawa

A lone Farmer on arid lands buries their sole goat, dead on the drought. Out of fear of catching the disease that killed it, or new ones attracted by the carcass, a quick hole on the ground suffices. Foolery, as the Pywawa grow and thrive in hot and dry climates, and fresh meat underground is just the ideal breeding pot. The next morning, the Farmer will find their field filled with half-planted pineapple weeds...

Our poor farmer is in for a treat, and should run away, pronto.

Rather quickly, this field will prove to be the birth of full Pywawas. They'll come out of the earth, flying on their bat-like wings, shouting "WAWA WAWA WAWA" in unison. Their upper body resembles the shape and form of a pineapple (yet much sturdier), a proper description of the half above their lone eye. Their teeth are hard, will tear through leather, flesh, and tendons, yet stop at iron and stone. These flying fuckers seek hot flesh, as the unison cry continues. They eat, eat, and eat some more, and never know when to stop.

Pywawas are ferocious, carnivorous, and have the cunning and intellect of a dog. Which means they will remember individual faces and locations, have great senses (keen vision), and are able to open door handles with their teeth (although more complex mechanisms will fly by them).

Heat and light are an attraction to them, so they will go after bonfires, torches, and candles first. They hunt and are always encountered in packs (or flocks, rather), and should be dreaded by all treasure hunters and adventurers.

Pywawa WAWA WAWA WAWA

To sum up:

• They fly, have the intellect of a dog, and always shout "WAWA WAWA WAWA".
• Pywawas attack at first sight, and always come in flocks.
• Can't be really tamed, but easily diverted by a) putting a huge fire or b) leaving fresh meat behind.

Pywawa HD: 2 Omen: distant shouts in unison of "WAWA WAWA WAWA". Appearance: one eye, size of a pineapple. Bat-wings flap. Number Appearing: 2d6 Wants: fresh and warm meat. Anything that's been dead for longer that 1 hour is of no interest to a Pywawa. Armour: as Leather + Helmet. Movement: fly at Normal speed. Morale: 9 Save As: Fighter 1 Attacks: Bite d8 Special:  Heat Attraction: Pywawas will attack torchbearers and move towards victims carrying heat sources. WAWA WAWA WAWA: anyone hit by a Bite, has to shout "WAWA WAWA WAWA". This prevents them to cast spells, or command hirelings (they can still spend their action to do gestures and signs). Also, Save vs Poison or has to attack with their Bite for d4 rounds the nearest creature (ignoring their weapons or other abilities), as the hunger for flesh consumes their will.

OSR: Basilisks

A standard Basilisk is the size of a mastiff dog, and looks like an oversized chameleon. They come in a wide variety of flavors, shapes, and forms. So each specimen has some distinctive characteristics, and some commonalities.

Truth is, any lizard of significant size can become a Basilisk. The more they eat, the bigger they get. The bigger they get, the higher the chances of developing the petrifying gaze trait that distinguishes them. Stone coated flesh is just an evolutionary developed taste for them. Petrified statues become a prized pantry. Contrary to a dog, Basilisks have the instinct to save food for a rainy day. It's a matter of caloric conservation.

As to their origin, there are numerous speculative theories. Some scholars claim this is pure evolutionary logic. Some lizards living underground developed the cunning to get their nutrients from minerals and stones (carbs being hard to get by). The gaze was a need to multiply said calories. Others claim that the First Emperor of the Itean Empire had a fetish with lizards, and built gardens full of reptilians, feeding slaves, spies, and perjurers to the cold blooded creatures. His adoration turning into experimentation and cross-breeding sprouted the first Basilisks.

Basilisk Template HD: 6 Omen: PCs will find extremely realistic statues, with bitemarks! Of humanoids, but also of animals, insects, and other creatures. The Basilisk has sparkling eyes that glow in the dark like two mostly consumed candles. Appearance: Size of a mastiff dog, looks like an oversized chameleon. Come in a wide variety of flavors, shapes, and forms. Get a Number Appearing: Solo, pair, d6 Wants: Food! Needs at least a full human per week to subsist, but can eat much more. Or roll a random  Armor: As Chain. Movement: Normal. If the Basilisk didn't move last turn, it can move at 2x Normal speed for this one. Morale: 8 (12 if protecting their petrified statue collection) Save As: Fighter [HD] Attacks: +[HD] to Hit, Bite d10 / Petrifying Gaze (passive, affects up to 2 different creatures) Special: Petrifying Gaze: Every round the Basilisk can fix their chameleon eyes onto up to two creatures. The victims must Save vs Petrification. On a first fail their legs start turning into stone (stuck in place), and they take a -4 penalty to AC. As long as the Basilisk keeps fixating one of its eyes into that victim, they stay in this state. On a second round they must also Save vs Petrification. On a second failure, the process continues, and they irreversibly turn to stone. On a success on the second save the first penalties still apply until the Basilisk dies, a turn (10 minutes) has elapsed, or the Basilisk averts the gaze. A creature can voluntarily avert their gaze or close their eyes, which negates the Petrifying Gaze effect, but they suffer a -4 to hit and -2 to AC.

Basilisk Sparks 

Roll and make your Basilisk unique! Or pick by hand. You can roll several times, but some entries are mutually exclusive.

d30	Spark	Effect
1	Jelly Skin*	Like butter. Armor as Unarmored
2	Vegetarian*	Looses the Bite attack. Reaction rolls are done with +2.
3	Diminutive*	Small but vicious. Size of a squirrel. Half HD. Everything else equal.
4	Ham Legs*	Short and stocky. Reduce movement to 1/2 Normal.
5	Fickle*	Morale 5
6	Ice Blooded	Save vs Fear in the presence of significant fire (several torches, for instance).
7	Bat Wings	Gain a flying speed equal to Normal.
8	Gecko Feet	Cam climb at Normal speed (also upside down).
9	Regeneration	Regains a HD each round. Severed limbs regrow in d6 turns.
10	Whip Tongue	Each turn choose either this attack or the Bite. 20ft range. On a hit the target is grappled, and has to break free.
11	Hard Shell	Like a turtle's. Armor as Plate + Shield.
12	2d4 Heads	Gets to do a Bite attack per head. Each HD reduced is a head chopped.
13	Abundant Sentience	14 Intelligence, speaks Common and Draconian. Knows d4 random Magic User Spells.
14	Chameleon Mimetism	4-in-6 to stealth
15	Spiked Skin	Melee attacks against the Basilisk result in d4 damage taken by the attacker.
16	Regurgitated Stomach Bile	Breath weapon, 30ft cone. Save vs Breath or take 2d6 damage.
17	Triple Jaws	Like shark rows of teeth. Bite attack deals 3d10 damage instead.
18	Amphibious	Gains a swimming speed of Normal, and can breathe underwater.
19	Echolocation	Can navigate in complete pitch darkness, and locate invisible creatures. Can't see when deafened.
20	Tail Club	Everyone within 10ft Save vs Breath or take d8 damage. Nearby statues are knocked and break.
21	Twisted Horns	Gains an additional Charge attack (deals 2d6 damage and knocking prone, if it moved against the target).
22	Multi-legged	Speed is 2x Normal.
23	Viciously Unbreakable	Morale 12
24	Stinger Tail	Like a scorpion's. d8 damage and Save vs Petrification on a hit. If save failed, immediately turn to stone.
25	Elastic Limbs	Joints rotate in all directions. Hard to pin down or grapple/wrestle (+4 bonus to resist)
26	66 Tiny Eyes	Cannot be surprised.
27	Goat Legs	Can jump and hop up to Normal speed twice per round.
28	Headless Brutality	On death, body flails and runs around mindlessly for 10 minutes, stumbling and throwing everything around.
29	Eye Rays	Each Petrifying Gaze Save failed causes in addition d10 damage.
30	Stone Glide	Can pass through solid stone as if it was mud or a slime.

* these Sparks make the Basilisk weaker, not stronger

Simon Seene

What does the Basilisk Want?

d6	Motivation?
1	Protect the eggs. They are big and HEAVY, made of sheer stone. Like ostrich ones.
2	Food! It's deprived, and hungry for stony flesh.
3	Protect their territory, their home.
4	Something shiny! Gems, gold, or something glowy (torches don't count; it can't be hot!)
5	Creatures to play with! Like a clumsy oversized dog, it fails to think anyone is being harmed. It's all a game!
6	This one is expecting their Master's return. They wait and protect like the obedient pet they are.

Reversing the Gaze

• The most effective way to reverse someone stoned by a Basilisk is to use an antidote smeared on the victim's statue'd state. This involves a puré with equal parts Basilisk brain and strong alcohol (rum, vodka, whisky). The full process takes 1 hour when applied.
• Note that a Basilisk's brain is extremely delicate and hard to carry around. Misplacing or mishandling it removes its properties, damaging the synaptic neuron connections required for a reversal of the petrified condition.
• Alternatively, a sage specialist, master ranger, or other specialist might be able to concoct an antidote if the full carcass of a Basilisk is brought to them, and they have a week's time.

Advice for the Reckless Adventurer

Basilisks are scary, and deadly. They can wipe out a powerful individual in a whim. And then devour their stony remains. Facing one should always be avoided or circumvented. There's no incentive. Bring bait (disposable livestock), cover their head with a sack and chain them on the neck. Wear specialist protective goggles (expensive!) to delay the petrifying process. Blind it. Distract it. Smoke it out of its lair.

Reading List

• Wizzzargh's Basilisk
• Basic Fantasy RPG
• Tomb of the Serpent King
• Esoteric Enterprises pg. 227 (the section on Dragons)

OSR: 3 Rival Adventuring Parties

Very much inspired by Arnold K.

Assume the first one in the Cast section is their boss (+1HD), and that each member of the Cast has HD equal to the average level of the PCs. Roll or pick the party that best suits your campaign best. Assumed for B/X rules (Knave, OSE, LotFP).
Also note: there are Molekin here. Replace by Goblins, Halflings or Gnomes if those fit your game's setting better.

Scroll to the end of the article for a long ramble on Rival Adventuring Parties.

1) Auriola and the Crows

Capable, Divided, Versatile, Brass.

Truths:

• Auriola will accept any sword duel. And throw one to solve any disagreements.
• The group is divided. The Buttercheeks see Auriola (and the young Amusko) as too bold. Serafin and Brosco are doing their own thing. Changing the group's composition will tip the current balance.
• Serafin will kill ANYONE to have his voice back. If he believes his cords can be restored, he will betray whoever.

Cast:

• Auriola Yudego, the Dancer. Hair short, silver nose ring. Black leather and a rapier. Wants to be the best swordswoman in all of Maienstein. And she's pretty damn good. +2 to hit and damage if wielding a sword. But she's currently training her left hand (so no bonus). If a fight looks serious, she'll switch hands.
• Serafin "Birdsong". Young human wizard, with an untended beard and a red scarf. Had his throat slit once, but lived to tell the tale. Kind of. Now he can only speak through his crow familiar. Knows two spells: grease and glue. Wields a trusty repeating crossbow of his own invention (attack again on 19-20; gets stuck at 1 and needs d4 rounds to repair). Dreams of recovering his own voice.
• Amusko the Thief. 15 young human lad, with an innocent smile. "Secretly" in love with Auriola, will do anything to impress her. Brass, impulsive. Wields two sharp knifes. Keeps jewelry of his victims, which he aims to offer to Auriola when the hoard is significant enough.
• Zoila & Sorospen Buttercheeks. Thief halfling sisters. They regret every single decision that brought them to this point in their lives. They use bows, bear traps, ropes and bells with efficiency. Despite their nihilism, they carry on with the group.
• Brosco Ironheart, the Fighter. Halfling with ginger muttonchops. Short guy with a bad temper. Wields a hammer and a shield, and he will fuck up your kneecaps real bad. Morale 12. When he would fall to 0HP or below, he instead regains d6HP. Adrenaline that wears off after the battle, only applies once per day.

Tactics:

• Preference: outside, with the cover of trees or elevation for the Buttercheeks and Serafin to pepper with projectiles. A narrow pass works wonders for them. Under parley, Auriola will demand a one-on-one duel with the best fighter on the other side to resolve disagreements. Or just test/show her skill.
• Preparation: Serafin's raven will scout ahead. The Buttercheeks will prepare a couple bear traps, and put some rope with a bell hanging from a tree as an alarm in the selected spot. Serafin will conveniently "glue" the area, making it tough as nails to flee. Amusko will hide in nearby bushes to get the flank.
• Action: Auriola will march forward with Brosco to meet the enemies, whilst the Buttercheeks and Serafin loose projectiles. Amusko will wait for a window to sneak attack, fiercely protecting Auriola if the need arises.

2) Bookyn Nine-Nine

Boisterous, Fighty, Numerous, Reckless.
 
Truths:

• More a warband than an adventuring group, they all come from the moot town of Bookyn. Itzai used to be the constable there, until a series of unfortunate events forced him to leave the town with his lackeys and whoever had the guts to follow him.
• There's 18 (!) of them. The 9 that compose the adventuring group, plus the 9 animals: 3 mastiffs, 3 mules, a warhorse, a black cat, and a yellow parrot. The mastiffs fight if Alvin commands them to do so.
• They're into adventuring for the carousing, plain and simple: fight hard, get rich, die young. Will drink any liquor, try any drug. Playing with their egos is a valid proposition.

Cast:

• Itzai, the Constable. A human of law turned barbarian. Sword and shield and mohawk. Wearing his old constable uniform, and on the warhorse whenever possible. Charismatic, jovial leader as long as he gets what he wants. A monster if he gets denied. Has to play the macho role to keep leadership of the group, and is particularly weary of Vivian.
• Pimple, the Cleric. A limping molekin wearing black leathers, with a shield and a sickle. Worships Rotwurm, the Blind Hunter. Has a hard time patching everyone together after a battle. Surprisingly stealthy, has a collection of worms in a jar and is into rare herbs.
• Diofantos, the Scout. Is a human with a hunched back and a lot of finesse, who likes to be on his own. He only speaks in sentences one word long. Diofantos is a God in opportunism: arrives at the perfect and most critical moment. Has the exact item to overcome the challenge (and yes, he has it all in his sack). Most remarkably, he's an excellent bow shooter, and skilled with the shortsword. Has mirrors, caltrops, fake jewellery, disguises, smoke bombs, and much much more.
• Alvin, the Beastmaster Scout. A gnarly dwarf. Shaved, short ginger beard, arms full of bite-marks, ears full of rings. Is the only one really taking care of the animals: inventory, feeding, etc. Wields a whip and a spear to poke at the dogs and make them excited for battle.
• Eleder Jamjar, the Fighter. Halfling, failed alchemist in Bookyn, joined the group picking a spear and a shield, and has learned a trick or two from the others. Has a bag of flash powder that when lit emits a blinding flash of light, as well as several bottles of strong, fast-drying dye in a variety of bright colors. Can be used to stain objects, clothes, and even skin in different hues. Eleder applies warpaints on his compadres before battle.
• Torkild, the Barbarian. This dwarf will drink about anything offered. Either his blackened liver absorbs it, or it gets puked immediately. Has a 2d6 acid breath weapon. Obsessed with liquor, death, and crows (wants one for the party).
• Vivian, the Über-Barbarian. BATTLEAXE. SHOUTS AND COMMANDS. TORKILD'S AUNT. THIS DWARF LADY USED TO BE A PORK PIE BAKER BACK IN BOOKYN. NOW SHE HUNTS WHATEVER BEAST IS IN FRONT, COOKS IT AND GIVES IT TO THE BOYS. MOTHERLY, PROTECTIVE, AND LOUD.
• Nuño, the Berserker. Human in his mid-thirties. Mustache and pipe. He's cool. And the shortest temper. "Why are you looking at me?" "Why aren't you looking at me?" "You got a problem?". Shortswords and daggers galore. Quick. When the little patience is gone, he's vicious.
• Justino, the Second Fighter. A human with a wide grin, horse teeth. Scars on the face, seems to have been used like a chopping board. Was a woodcarver. Resents Eleder, who's half the size, but twice the fighter.
  

Tactics:

• Preference: They are a fucking mess, and a mix of warcries and showing off. But they're tough as nails, and have good numbers. Anyone who perils is quickly replaced, to keep the Nine-Nine name.
• Preparation: Diofantos might set some clever tricks: caltrops cutting an enemy's exit, a hidden pit, bear traps, etc. He will appear in the best possible moment (for the Nine-Nine), and finish whatever is already wounded. Nobody knows where he came from, but he's a lethal sneaky bastard. The rest of the gang doesn't prepare, at all. Pimple tries to avoid a mess, but fails every single time.
• Action: WAAAGH!

3) Jackson Five

Religious, Scheming, Meticulous, Secretive.

Truths:

• Will try to immobilize and interrogate all enemy priests/clerics/scholars. Ulrik can tell them apart, and Jackson will record every detail spoken in his keen mind.
• Can be bribed with religious texts. Fermin and Itzalle get to split all the loot (that's why they've stayed so far), since the zealots care little for other treasure and coin.
• Jackson can alter his form with spells (excluding his clothes), and impersonate any humanoid convincingly (he's a good actor).

Cast:

• Jackson, the Wizard. Stocky dwarf with grey beard in a braid, and a brown robe. Speaks in whispers, and prefers to listen first. Has arm-sleeve tattoos of snakes that animate under his command (2 poisonous snakes, 2HD each, bite attack deals 1 damage + 2d6 poison). Deals in secrets and is obsessed with religious texts and The Game. Tries to please Agent Daximona, and have contact with that deity. He's failed so far.
• Fermin, the Hafling Fighter. Straw hair covered by a red bandana, mace and shield. Fights as dirty as it gets: spits, bites, goes for the nuts; you name it. Gets to attack + do a stunt each turn. Has a treasure map sewn inside his bandana, which he's hoping to find one day (but keep from the others).
• Itzalle, the Scout. She's a scarred human that should've retired long ago. Covering for 14 grandchildren with her share of the loot. Cooks an excellent stew. Uses a crossbow if needed, and has smoke bombs. But she's here mostly to crack doors open and disarm complex traps.
• Ulrik, the Cleric. A dwarf that can smell any cleric or man of faith. Can't stand his own stench. Plate, shield, and hammer. Worships Sin, the Enigma of All, so he will use any situation to laugh and cheer, no matter how untimely.
• Stye, the Torchbearer. Old molekin with a crooked back. Joyfully carries all the equipment, food, and loot for the others. He's useless in combat, and will beg and hide. Has a pet mastiff called Pitt (2HD, bite attack d10 damage + knocked prone on hit), which is far more capable and protective of his owner. Ulrik spared him once, so Stye ows his life to him and will blindly follow the Cleric.

Tactics:

• Preference: will try scouting, subterfuge, espionage or parley. They're the bunch that promises help and acts the way until they steal your treasure while you're sleeping. If all fails, they attack with surgical precision. Will concentrate on enemy priests and clerics first. And they'll retreat or negotiate if things look sour.
• Preparation: Jackson will use a disguise or illusion spell to scout the enemy days ahead. Posing as a beggar on the road. Or a helpful merchant. Will learn as much as it can about them. Itzalle will prepare her excellent stew and offer it (poisoned). She will bury smoke bombs in retreating points, activated on pressure if they need to flee. Fermin, Stye and Pitt will hide as a last resort.
• Action: Combat is not favored by the Jackson Five. They will have no interest in it if the scale isn't properly balance in their favor. They do their homework, and do it thoroughly: will know the weak links of the enemy, their composition and relationships, if they have any Clerics or Wizards, etc. and use it to their advantage.

Ramble on Rival Adventuring Parties

Goblin Misfits, by Anthony James Rich

Avoid at all costs. I'm being serious. There are several problems associated with using a Rival Adventuring Party (RAP from now on). Here a few:

1. There's a big chance to overshadow the PCs. Or that the players think you are in a power trip. We don't want that.
2. They are complex to roleplay. This is a group of misfits as rich as the PCs, and it's hard to make them justice.
3. They are hard to play in combat. They should have abilities, spells, magic items. This adds up, fast.

Why even bother then? There are several reasons, and things could go in any direction.

• A RAP doesn't have to stay in the antagonist corner forever. They could team up with the PCs, eventually. Roleplaying and interactions can become very rich.
• To show contrast. The party is careful and meticulous, taking no risks? Make the RAP fast, brass, violent. And vice versa. Are half of the PCs magic users? You bet your ass the RAP will be full of inquisitor clerics wanting to burn their spellbooks and cleanse their souls.
• To introduce competition and timers. What happens if several RAP are after the same McGuffin at the temple of Jon McLich? It means the players have to be fast in their goal. It means they could arrive to only see the dragon slain, the gold sacks being carried by the RAP. Change of plans! But we came prepared to fight a dragon, not a RAP! Yeah...
• For verosimilitude. If the game is a heavily focused megadungeon chances are that several groups are trying to plunder its riches. In OSR games the PCs rarely play The Chosen Ones, and this helps to reinforce that idea.

But I cheated. The disadvantages I listed before can be circumvented, or at least mitigated. See, we should:

1. Foreshadow and use standard OSR procedures. Reaction rolls. The full deal. Making recurring obstacles and antagonists are hard in TTRPGs, but in the case of a RAP, it can pay off immensely. What if the RAP was sponsored by the local authorities?
2. Make a member of the RAP mute. Or speak alien languages that can only be understood by other members of the RAP. Or add some beasts and animals (dogs, elephants, basilisks, you name it). It also helps if you have a strong RAP theme, and a clear leader/face that will be interacting with the PCs.
3. Ditch the idea of making N character sheets, or giving them templates (for the GLOG). All they need is one or two distinctive abilities each, because of how long a combat will take in general. Do go nuts with the tricks if needed; RAPs are bosses in their own right.