Mishelved: Alice in Wonderland

From Lit to battle board legit

By Frank Gori and Jeff Harris

“Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.”
― Lewis Carroll

In many ways reality is subjective. If something exists only for you and only when you are alone does it make a difference if it is real or not? Your perceptions are your realities.

In Pathfinder I sometimes find the First world of the fey flat. It has largely been left undefined but like the rest of that setting by trying to capture everything they have homogenized the world a little too much for my liking.

Consider a moment having two fey realms, one of nightmares ruled by the Queen of Hearts/The Red Queen based on a horror infused Wonderland setting. The other ruled by Glenda Good Witch/The White Queen and based on Baum’s Oz.

Light and Dark,Winter and Summer have been explored before as Fey concepts. I’d propose the battle line be drawn by dream and nightmare. A little of each lies within the other, and we’ll save flying monkeys for next week but join me for a tour of the most frightening place to be the court of the Queen of nightmares, or it’ll be off with your head!

 

 

The Queen of Hearts

A bloated pale red haired heavily made up woman in Royal finery and jeweled rings and amulets, wears a bored expression as you enter.

Young Adult Half Fey Red Dragon Bard 4 CR 18 XP 25,600 CE Huge dragon (fairy) Init +6; Senses dragon senses, smoke vision; Perception +20 Aura frightful presence (150 ft., DC 19) DEFENSE AC 27, touch 10, flat-footed 26 (+17 natural, -2 size, +2 dex) hp 172 (15d12+75) Fort +14, Ref +11, Will +13 DR 5/magic, DR 10/cold iron; Immune fire, paralysis, sleep; SR 24 Weaknesses Vulnerability to cold OFFENSE Speed 40 ft., fly 200 ft. (poor) Melee bite +21 (2d8+12), 2 claws +21 (2d6+8), 2 wings +19 (1d8+3), tail slap +19 (2d6+12) Space 15 ft.; Reach 10 ft. (15 ft. with bite) Special Attacks breath weapon (50-ft. cone, DC 22, 10d10 fire), crush (Small creatures, DC 22, 2d8+13) Spell-Like Abilities (CL 15th; concentration +17) At will—detect magic, pyrotechnics (DC 14) Racial Spells Known (CL 5th; concentration +7) 2nd (5/day)—resist energy, see invisibility 1st (7/day)—alarm, magic missile, shield, true strike 0 (at will)—arcane mark, bleed, light, magehand, message, read magic Bard Spells Known (CL 5th; concentration +7) 2nd (2/day)—allegro, hold person, silence 1st (4/day)—ear piercing scream, lock gaze, unnatural lust, unseen servant 0 (at will)—daze, detect magic, ghost sound, lullaby, , summon instrument, unwitting ally Spell like abilities (CL 15th; concentration +17) (3/day)—dancing lights (1/day)—confusion, deep slumber, entangle, fairy fire, feeblemind, glitterdust, Major Image, Mislead, Project Image Tactics Luckily the Red Queen rarely bothers to intervene in a fight. She expects within her court that her redcap knights will deal with intruders or generally any that annoy her. If they are having a hard time she will casting as support, should any dare touch her or attempt an intimidate check she changes to a dragon and ruins your day. STATISTICS Str 27, Dex 14, Con 21, Int 16, Wis 15, Cha 16 Base Atk +15; CMB +25; CMD 37 (41 vs. trip) Feats Cleave, Improved Initiative, Improved Iron Will, Improved Vital Strike, Iron Will, Multiattack, Power Attack, Vital Strike Skills Appraise +21, Bluff +21, Diplomacy +21, Fly +12, Intimidate +21, Knowledge (arcana) +21, Perception +20, Sense Motive +20, Spellcraft +21, Stealth +12 Languages Common, Draconic, Orc, Slyvan, Elf SPECIAL ABILITIES Change Shape (Su) A fey creature can change shape into a single form. Possible forms include a normal specimen of its base creature, a humanoid creature within one size category, or an animal within one size category. In all cases, the fey creature appears as the same individual of its alternate form each time it changes shape. The type of polymorph spell used should be chosen as appropriate based on the alternate form, such as alter self for taking humanoid form. This ability can be selected more than once, granting an additional form each time. Evasion (Ex) A fey creature gains evasion, as the rogue ability of the same name. Vanish (Su) As a swift action, a fey creature can vanish for 1 round as if affected by invisibility. It can use this ability for 1 round per day per Hit Die. Smoke Vision (Ex) A very young red dragon can see perfectly in smoky conditions (such as those created by pyrotechnics).

ECOLOGY

Equipment Royal Outfit of free action, Royal scepter that acts as a greater rod of quicken, ring of the ram, wand of create pit
Treasure triple

Her Court:
10 Redcaps with the card knight template (see below)
A standard fire giant serves as her knight or jack also with the Cardknight Template
A reskinned Marilith as her king (the extra arms hide under his robe until combat!
A mated pair of perytons as her pets (she enjoys watching them rip out hearts and feed.)

Wearing a White rose in the Red Queen’s court adds +4 to any intimidation check and allows the wearer to acts as though they have the dazzling display feat even if they do not qualify.

Card Knight (CR +2)

The card knight is a champion among the fey, both feared and respected by the subjects of their respective queens.  They can be of any fey type, and becoming a card knight means that the particular fey is sworn to either the red queen of Wonderland or the white queen of Oz.  With this template comes both fealty and responsibility to one of the two fey rulers mentioned.  Whether red or white, a card knight is the bearer of his or her queen’s honor and the enforcer of her will.

Creating a Cardknight

"cardknight” is an acquired template that can be applied only to fey creatures of at least two hit die or greater (referred to hereafter as the base creature).  All card knights were once normal fey, but through their oaths of fealty and the power of their respective realms, they have become more than they once were.

CR: Same as base creature +2.

Alignment: Any lawful, a cardknight will mirror his or her liege on the good/evil alignment axis.

Type: The cardknight's type remains fey. Do not recalculate class Hit Dice, BAB, or saves.

Armor Class: The card knight gains an AC bonus based on their enhanced armor proficiency, normally a cardknight wears chain mail or better.

Hit Dice: Change all racial Hit Dice to d10s. Class Hit Dice are unaffected.

Defensive Abilities:

The cardknight gains the following abilities.

Defend Your Queen

Once a day per two hit die the cardknight posses he or she may, as a free action that can be taken even if it is not the cardknight's turn, voluntarily take damage for their queen.  As long as the cardknight is adjacent to their liege, they take the full damage from the attack rather than the original target.  This ability does not work if used on any creature other than the fey queen the cardknight is sworn to serve.

Suite Yourself

Each cardknight chooses one of the four traditional card suites, clubs, diamonds, hearts, or spades when the template is first applied, and one set this choice cannot be changed.  Each suite provides a special benefit to the cardknight.

Spades:  A cardknight with the spades suite gains a burrow speed equal to half their land speed, this movement type is modified by armor penalties, if any.

Clubs: A cardknight with the clubs suite gains DR 5/piercing and slashing.

Hearts: A cardknight with the hearts suite gains the benefits of the light fortification armor property, this is an ability of the cardknight himself and not his armor, thus it need not be magical, and the ability functions even if the cardknight is not wearing armor.

Diamonds: A cardknight with the diamond suite gains the ability to ignore the hardness of items or structures as if their weapons were made of diamond.  This does not grant the cardknight’s weapon any special bonuses (such as the improved sunder feat) or any type of damage bonus.

Attacks: A cardknight gains no additional attack types from this template beyond the normal attack types of the base creature.

Special Attacks: A cardknight gains the following special attacks. Save DCs are equal to 10 + 1/2 the cardknight's HD + the cardknight's Charisma modifier unless otherwise noted.

Challenge (Ex)

Once per day, a cardknight can challenge a foe to combat. As a swift action, the cardknight chooses one target within sight to challenge. The cardknight’s melee attacks deal extra damage whenever the attacks are made against the target of his challenge. This extra damage is equal to the cardknight’s hit dice. The cardknight can use this ability once per day at two hit dice, plus one additional time per day for every three hit dice beyond two, to a maximum of seven times per day at 19 hit dice.

Challenging a foe requires much of the cardknight’s concentration. The cardknight takes a –2 penalty to his Armor Class, except against attacks made by the target of his challenge.

Special Qualities: A cardknight gains the following.

Tabard of the Deck (Su)

Each cardknight receives a special tabard when they first gain this template.  The tabard itself is always decorated with a number from one to ten; this number is equal to the moral bonus the tabard provides.  The tabard bares the colors and heraldry of the queen he or she serves.  Beyond announcing to the world who the cardknight serves, the tabard allows the cardknight to bolster his or her queen’s soldiers.  Once per day the card knight may call upon his tabard to provide a moral bonus equal to half of the card knights hit dice to all allies within 60 ft. on attack rolls and saves vs. fear.  This bonus remains in effect for one round per hit dice, and will end if the cardknight is rendered unconscious or moves more than 60 ft. from a given ally.

Ability Scores: Cardknights gain +4 strength and +4 constitution and -2 dexterity.

Skills: Cardknights gain a +4 to the perception, intimidate, and sense motive skills.  Additionally intimidate is considered a class skill for a cardknight.

Feats: A card knight gains armor proficiency light, medium, and heavy if they do not posses them normally.  They also gain proficiency with all shields if they did not posses this feat prior to the addition of the template.  Card knights also gain weapon proficiency martial if they did not posses it before the addition of the template.  

Going Gonzo With John: Bring on The Weird

by John Belliston

Going Gonzo with John Belliston is about channeling the classic bizarre narrative and encounter styles of some classic pulp fiction and TV. Vincent Price, Alfred Hitchcock, and Rod Sterling are the types of narrators that would present this material. We need you though to challenge John. Got a weird idea that could never work? Email it to theflyingpincushion@gmail.com and challenge John!

Ah. I see you there. Looking out of the corner of your eye. You're curious. I have such strange and wondrous things here. The beautiful monstrosities, the terrible delights that only the truly bizarre can bring. I am here to show you the outlandish and the peculiar. The curious and maddening. The remarkable... and the ever so silly. But do not worry my dreaded loves and dearest enemies, I will be your guide through this forest of outcast ideas.

Who am I? I hear you ask. I am your humble guide through this bright and twisted realm. But you are far too savvy to think that a worthy answer. And so I shall give you a far better one.

I have played roleplaying games for twenty years or close enough to fake it. I have been game mastering for almost three fourths of that. Building worlds however... that I've done since I was a child. And more importantly, the worlds I've made are always a little strange, sometimes a little creepy, but always always a little off.

As you may have noticed, my most cunning friends, I have taken a distinctly dramatic approach to the writing of this. I babble like a carnival barker laid low and scrambling for your precious coins and attentions.

But look to either side and see who else is around. Because I will let you know the dual edged secret of my outrageous persona. Go ahead. I'll wait.

Now... the first reason for this is that quite simply, it amuses me. Amusement drives me to complete my deadlines and give you the article that you, with any luck, will crave.

And the second my dear reader, is a test. If this ridiculousness that I have wrought has not pushed you away then you have the open mind required for what I offer. Because what I'm offering is the completion of your strangest, your worst, your most laughable ideas. I want to collect them. I want to take them and work my magics to turn them into something amazing.

That's my offer. And now for the terms.

I'll take and do the ground work on your weird ideas. You'll post them in the comments or email them to the site and I in my seat in the places between shall work wonders.

Now the details I shall require are quite simply, the Tone, and the Type.

The Tone comes in three fattening flavors: Silly, Eccentric, and Creepy.

With Type being: NPC/PC, Town/Group, and Nation.

Now. An example. In three movements.

Let us begin with a duck. Because deep down we all want to be a duck don't we?

NPC and let's start with Silly.

“Ducknar the Bold was accidentally awakened by a careless druid and has sworn his newfound barbarian levels to make sure the breadcrumbs forever flow to his home pond.”

Eccentric: “It is almost unheard of for the soul of a slain druid to fly into their animal companion, but Thailia took this as a new lease on life. She would serve the party in her new form both to honor her fallen friend, and to confuse their enemies.”

Creepy: “Something ain't right with that duck. I swear a found a hoof in the pond three nights ago. Thing is... it ain't from no critter we got around here. It's way too big.”

These are but humble offerings I realize. Meant only to tease and hint at the potential within this little game. Now my darlings...

 

Who care's to play?