Going Gonzo With John: The Pequod

by John Belliston
Haunt by Frank Gori

The Pequod:

Artifact

Overwhelming Necromancy

Strong Transmutation

The Pequod is an intelligent item with the following stats:

Alignment: LE

Int: 16

Wis: 14

Cha:10

Ego Check: 23

 

(Ego +5)

Base Item: (+12)

Senses 120 feet

Transform into a Colossal Whale (Use Great White Whale stats) (+2)

Cast Skeleton Crew (+1)

Special Purpose (+2)

Can detect Whales within 60 ft (+1)

 Bite Attack +25 (6d6 19-20)

 

If destroyed or damaged beyond repair the Pequod sinks and one week later returns to the nearest port fully repaired with new components.

Refer to Pathfinder vehicle rules located here http://www.d20pfsrd.com/equipment---final/vehicles#TOC-Sailing-Ship for more info on vessels.

The ship was once owned by a captain so obsessed with his hunt of a demonic white whale that he destroyed himself and his crew. Such was the depth of his madness and hunger for slaughter that his blood soaked boat continues on in his stead.

The Pequod is always a three masted boat with a whale skull on its prow, though all other aspects of it's actual appearance change as it rebuilds itself from the bones of what it kills and sunken ships.

The ship seeks to destroy its eternal quarry the demonic white whale, though it will also hunt and kill any other whale that it comes across. To fulfill its purpose it will seek out a crew.

When searching for a crew it travels toward the nearest port. One week before the arrival of the boat all intelligent creatures with Profession (Sailor), Profession (Whaler) or have spent at least three week on a ship will have a dream about the ship's arrival. Once the ship makes port all so effect must make a Will (DC 20) or they will board the ship with the intent of becoming it's new crew. The ship will stay docked until at least 10 crewmen board but will not allow more than 20. (If more crewman are required then the Pequod will summon the needed number of skeletons to fill the roles.)

Once the crew is out to sea one will be selected by the ship to be the Captain. As time goes on the madness of the ships first Captain will slowly begin to seep into any that ride the vessel. Every 48 hours the crew must make a will save (DC 20). For every failed check the crew gets a -1 to all rolls not directly involved with hunting whales or killing sea creatures. This resets after a week off of the boat.

(For the purposes of all intelligent item rules the Captain becomes the “owner”, however The Pequod can select a Captain of any alignment, though for every step away decrease the amount of time by half.)

Once a day for an hour the boat can transform into a Skeletal copy of the Great White Whale. While transformed the Crew are protected by a magical bubble in the belly of the beast. The Captain can extend this transformation to 24 hours by drowning one of the crew.

The Pequod is a fully stock and provisioned whaling vessel. Every 24 hours the provision barrels refill with new food and water, but the food always has the faint taste of brine and rot, and the water always tastes slightly stagnant.

Once a day with a perception check (DC 16) 1d6 harpoons can be found randomly placed on the deck. If the roll exceeds the DC by 10 or more these harpoons are of masterwork quality.

 

We also suggest adding the following haunt to the ship, the destruction of the ships ego and negative effects dissipate with the solving of the haunt.

Endless Whale Hunt

CR 10

Compelled to seek vengeance on the white whale the effected Captain and the 5 crew members with the highest profession (whaling) ranks must row out to harpoon any whales they come across.

XP 9,600
CE persistent haunt (10 ft. by 50 ft. ship)
Caster Level 11th
Notice Sense Motive DC 20 (to notice personality shift in captain)
hp 45, Trigger Whale sighted; Reset 1 day

EFFECT

This haunt materializes as a sudden red gleam in the captain and five crew member’s eyes and a pronounced limp from the captain. A greater geas is cast on the captain and the members of the harpoon crew whenever the ship senses a whale. The men must slay the whale at all costs.

DESTRUCTION

The crew must mutiny and murder the captain to defeat the haunt, only a death by mutiny will end the haunt.

Going Gonzo with John: Love for Lovecraft

By John Belliston

We all love Lovecraft. It doesn’t matter if you hate him, hate his writing and ideas, and raise your fist to uncaring universe cursing his name, in reality you love Lovecraft. That is the twisted power of his art. But what is it that we think of first when the man’s name is conjured?

We think of tentacles. We think of Cthullu. We think of the 1930s. If we’re really deep in the know we think of the Elder Sign or the King in Yellow. We imagine the trappings of his fiction. The aesthetic he created.

But that’s not the point of Lovecraft.

It never was.

Putting tentacles on an alien isn’t Lovecraftian in the same way that filling a pillow with feathers doesn’t make it a bird. Cosmic horror of the kind that HP so beautifully crafted is about tapping into things beyond comprehension, forces so vast and alien that the mind refuses to even try and understand. It’s about unstoppable forces. It’s about looking into the eye of the hurricane and knowing that deep down there is no hope. You can only cower or try and postpone it for a little while longer.

That is the truest essence of his work.  And the one that needs to be explored far more than 1930s tentacles.

So how does one do that? How do you tap into the Cosmic part of the cosmic horror? Well the first step is to look at the scope of the forces you’re dealing with. Because despite what you may think, Lovecraft didn’t write about Good Vs Evil. He wrote about the stalling tactics that both good and evil would use against things that neither side could defeat. A Lovecraftian horror is something that even the “Forces of Evil” will rise to fight against. Despite the fact that they will fail.

Because failure is guaranteed. At least ultimately. These are forces which create realities to lock them away, beasts from before there were names chained within the hearts of stars. When whole worlds are used to bind these creatures what exactly do you do? And the part about Lovecraft’s work that so thrills and captivates me personally is that there is no answer to that question. His heroes shrug their shoulders in confused despair.

So in the hope of justifying my title, I’m going to take something and look at it through a Lovecraftian lens. Let’s take something good and make it terrifying.

Of course I’m talking about love.

We have our protagonists, our Player Characters. As time goes on they have good luck. Strange good luck. The kind of luck that does seem possible. Twisted coincidences that always seem to fall in their favor. Bizarre gifts thrusts into their hands by glassy eyed strangers. Small things you could spread over a session or an entire campaign. Let them know that they are loved but something beyond them.

Your paladins and clerics may even view it as a mark of favor from their god. And at that point is where you start to take it to the next level. If their god is good have undead refuse to attack them, or bow low and whisper declarations of love and devotion. If they worship an evil god have that love bubble up in other places that seem wrong.

That is the trick with this, to show in little ways that it’s wrong. That something strange is brewing and that they are the focal point. The players are loved by something beyond them, something that hungers for them, something that can shape reality. And let them slowly taste of this thing, and when they confront it make sure they understand that this thing will change reality, that it has powers far beyond any they handle.

And it wants its feelings returned.

 

Now that’s the bulk of my message, but I offer this little trifle for those that seek crunch here. A drawback.

 

Unearthly Prize

Somehow you have attracted the attention of something horrible from a distant plane. They seek to please you in strange and terrible ways.

Effect: Your aura is tainted by strange forces. For the purposes of detection spells you count as a Chaotic Evil outsider.

Going Gonzo With John: Its a Trap!

by John Belliston
and Frank Gori

 

 

Within the world of Poe there are many places where wondrous horror can be distilled onto the game table. Madness, monsters, terrible plots, and compelling villains.  But there is a shining jewel which I snapped up when given the opportunity.

The Pit and the Pendulum.

I mean what isn’t there to like? Inquisitors? Horrifying traps that test the limits of human sanity?

Yes. Let’s do that.

 

The Pit:

CR:14

Type: Magical

Perception DC:26

Disable Device: 35

Trigger: Location

Reset:

Effect: 40ft deep pit (4d6 falling damage, DC 30 Reflex save avoids). Black Tentacles trigger after the targets hit the ground (CMB +20 to grapple targets). At this point a Large Bladed Pendulum (Atk +20 4d6 Slashing) slowly descends from the ceiling. Each target makes a DC 30 Will save or be effected by a Slow spell (CL 13). Those effected suddenly perceive the amount of time spent in the pit as being hours not rounds. If they fail by more than five they perceive it as days. Even after escaping the scars of the time spent there linger. Each survivor of the trap is fatigued for 2d4 days. This is a curse effect.

 

 

This kind of Trap is most effective when you have villains to back it up. Want to make an often ridiculed weapon from previous editions terrifying? have a group of Inquisitors with  man-catchers use CMBs to push the PCs that save back into the Pit.

Add another level of terror by making the pit reset manual and when it closes it closes off light so all those without darkvision get is the audible sound of a sharp blade scything through the air seeming to creep closer and closer.

Perhaps later the Pcs discover the previous victims of the trap as flesh golems. The best parts of each scything victim reassembed into yet another horror for them to face.

Going Gonzo with John: Revelations in the Sand

By John Belliston and Frank Gori

  

 

The Thousand and One nights is a compelling combination of stories. Ones that dance and interweave into one of the true classics. There is so much to draw from inside that collection that at first glance I don’t even know where to start.

So I thought about what I knew of the story. Of the feelings and aesthetic that those stories conjured. Long stretches of lonely sand. Cities built around oasis’s bustling with people in flowing robes.

But most of all I picture the sand, and that, that is something worth exploring.

Sand Mystery:

Bonus Spells: 2^nd: Dazzling Blade 4^th: Glitterdust 6^th: Diamond Spray 8^th: Stoneskin 10^th: Mirage Arcana 12^th Cloak of Dreams 14^th: Scouring Winds 16^th: Horrid Wilting 18^th: Time Stop

Revelations:

Crystal Sight (Ex): You can see through stone, earth, or sand as easily as if it were transparent crystal. Your gaze can penetrate a number of feet equal to your oracle level, or 1/12th this thickness of metal. You can use this ability a number of rounds per day equal to your oracle level, but these rounds do not need to be consecutive.

Dream Sands: Using a ranged touch attack a sand oracle can cause a creature within 30 feet to fall into a deep, magical sleep, as per the spell sleep. The creature receives a Will save to negate the effect, with a penalty of -1 for every four levels the sand oracle has beyond the first. If the save fails, the creature falls asleep for a number of rounds equal to the oracle’s level. This mystery can affect a creature of any HD. The creature will not wake due to noise or light, but others can rouse it with a standard action. This sleep ends immediately if the creature takes damage.

Dusty Spells (Ex): Whenever you score a critical hit against an opponent with an attack spell, the target is blinded for 1 round. At 11th level, the duration increases to 1d4 rounds.

Earth Glide (Su): You can pass through stone, dirt, or almost any other sort of earth except worked stone and metal as easily as a fish swims through water. If protected against fire damage, you can even glide through lava. You glide at your base land speed. While gliding, you breathe stone as if it were air (you do not need to hold your breath). Your burrowing leaves behind no tunnel or hole, nor does it create any ripple or sign of your presence. A move earth spell cast on an area where you are flings you back 30 feet, stunning you for 1 round unless you succeed on a DC 15 Fortitude save. Activating this ability is a free action. You can glide for 1 minute per day per oracle level. This duration does not need to be consecutive, but it must be spent in 1-minute increments. You must be at least 7th level to select this revelation. You can bring other creatures with you when you glide, but each passenger costs an additional minute per minute of travel.

Quicksand Missile: Calling on earth and water elements you summon orbs of quicksand that unerringly fly toward foes in you line of sight. These orbs deal 1d3 of bludgeoning damage and on striking they quickly harden weighing foes down and inhibiting movement (lowering dexterity by 2.) The effects stack on multiple strikes, you get 1 missile at 1^st level and an additional missile every odd level.

Read the Ripples (Su): Once per day, you can gain a glimpse into your immediate future. On the round after you use this ability, you gain a +2 insight bonus on a single attack roll, saving throw, or skill check or to your Armor Class until the start of your next turn. At 5th level, and every four levels thereafter, you can use this ability one additional time per day.

Sand Barrier (Ex): You can create a swirling shell of sand that grants you a +4 armor bonus. When hit with fire damage exceeding three times your oracle level four pounds of glass is created around you. At 7th level, and every four levels thereafter, this bonus increases by +2. At 13th level, this barrier causes incoming arrows, rays, and other ranged attacks requiring an attack roll against you to have a 50% miss chance. You can use this barrier for 1 hour per day per oracle level. This duration does not need to be consecutive, but it must be spent in 1-hour increments.

Sand form: You can transform into living moving sand. Gain DR 1(Fire/Bludgeoning) this bonus increases by one for every three oracle levels you possess. You can pass through any space that something Fine size would. Last for ½ oracle level rounds 3+ Cha Mod times per day.

Scimitar of Sand: Calling on the elements you conjure a scimitar made of sand which you are proficient with regardless of your weapon proficiencies. It acts as a normal scimitar with one notable exception on a critical hit it deals damage and turn into shards of glass that will blind the target for 1 round per oracle level. At 4^th level treat the scimitar as a +1 scimitar, at 8^th level and every four levels after add an additional +1 to hit and damage.

Wear Away: You conjure sand to wear down what you touch. Functions as “Erosion Touch” Revelation from the Nature mystery.

Final Revelation: On Reaching 20^th level sand in all its forms becomes your window into the world. At any point in the day you can scry as per the scry spell but with an unlimited range within your plane and using any surface made from glass or sand.

Going Gonzo with John: Play within a Play

by John Belliston

Hamlet is arguable the most well know piece of theatre in the modern era. Given my natural theatrical proclivities I was most interested when our dear Pincushion announced that our next subject would be our dear Danish Prince. I wasn’t quite sure at first what direction to travel in as the obvious was so deeply enticing. There is a prevalence of death and undeath in that play that with just a little redirection could be a most profound gaming experience.

However my thoughts are forever on the strange and absurd and that was just too obvious for me. Nevermind the fine job others would do with that theme.

No, no. I would walk on paths less travelled and instead play with the “Play within the Play”.

For those unfamiliar with the play. There is a point when Hamlet hires a troupe of actors to perform a piece that is filled with the same details of his Uncle’s crimes. It is in his Uncle’s reactions that he finds guilt and eventually vengeance.

So how will one put this forth into the context of our favorite hobby?

A haunt.

Obviously.

 

The Play (CR 6)

XP 2,400

Alignment and Aura: LE (30’ by 30’ stage in the round)

Notice: DC 18 Linguistics or Knowledge (History) check to recognize the lines from the play being whispered in their ears.

Weakness: tricked by invisibility

Trigger: Proximity, Advanced Version triggered by Character with a secret.

HP: 12 Reset: 24 hours

Effect: All caught within the haunt who fail a DC 19) will save begin to act out a scene from an ancient play about a savage murder. After being attacked a new will save is allowed to break the effect. One effected character (selected at random) will attack each other effected creature until they are all dead or make their will saves. If however there is a character with a secret the haunt will always choose that character. The play itself will become a playing out of the details of their secret and they will feel compelled to silence the others caught in the haunt violently.

Destruction: Burn a script and theatrical mask in the middle of the haunt while it is active.

Going Gonzo with John: Gonzo Gods

by John Belliston

So... you return. Enticed? Or merely morbidly curious? Whatever the reason I welcome you back. This week I realized that I gave you no examples of my abilities.

 

And so my darlings I shall present you with just that. A collection of my work, for your benefit.

 

Bubbling up from my deepest imaginings I give to you two gods, both monstrous and delightful. Full of life and vigor... and more than a little creepiness.

 

The Blind Huntsman:
He Who Devours the Lost

Alignment: NE

Domains: Animal, Community, Evil, Travel, Trickery

 

The Huntsman wanders the world, seeking out those that have lost their way. He can smell the sent of their fear and despair and hungers for their panic and terror. Some speculate that he was a creature of the Fae in ancient times but by consuming the squirming souls of the unwary he became something else entirely. He delights in not only tracking and frightening his prey but in giving them hope for escape. Hopes that always lead into horrible traps. The first worgs were wolves that attacked the Blind Huntsman and tasted of his spilled blood. They were granted a link to their new master and a share of his cunning and hunger. Though he has no eyes of his own, tasting his blood lets him see through his new minions.

 

 

Saltizan:
The One Who Skitters in Sunlight.

Alignment: Neutral Evil
Domains: Cloud, Retribution, Trickery

 

Long ago Saltizan was the shining spider that spun the clouds. Her subtle touch brought a gentle respite from the harshest of the suns rays. Some say she stretched her power to far, trying to forever bind the sun in clouds. So others say that the sun grew jealous of her art, and so burned her face and cut her from the clouds. Regardless of the story, now she finds solace for her wounded pride and body in the cool shadows of the forest. She remains there her wounds forever smoldering and filling her with pain and hate. The Ettercaps she taught the secrets of silk, and ask only that they bring her the blood and flesh that will momentarily ease her pain.

 

 

 

But these, they are just baubles. Thrown together in a few moments to draw a glance at my work. There are other more significant examples of my ability. Work on my own projects and so forth.

 

The Kindred are a savage meritocracy where even your race can be changed by proving your worth.

http://clockworkchaospublishing.blogspot.com/2013/03/introduction-to-kindred.html

 

The Workman's Guild in the city of Hub is a ravenous hotbed of violence and democracy.

http://clockworkchaospublishing.blogspot.com/2013/04/introduction-to-workmen.html

Like wind across the sand the Lash-ti-nowish snake men change the face of the world.

http://clockworkchaospublishing.blogspot.com/2013/07/overview-of-lash-ti-nowish.html

 

And who could possibly say no to tree dwelling anarchist frogs?

http://clockworkchaospublishing.blogspot.com/2013/08/the-krishtog-overview.html

 

Now I apologize my dearest of readers for the hollow clump of jangling ideas that is this weeks post. But I must humbly remind you my darlings that I need your ideas. As many and as funky as you can possibly hurl in my direction.

 

I promise to have something more substantial next week... if you can give me your magnificently weird ideas.

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?