October Horror Movie Challenge: Suspiria (1977, 2018)

Been wanting to get to both of these for a while and tonight was the night.  I actually kinda wanted to do them last, but I was also hoping to get a few more in.  Been busy I guess.

I saw the original (1977) Suspiria many years ago.  I honestly think it was when my oldest son was born and I remember watching one night while holding him to get him to sleep.  I rewatched it and there was a lot I had forgotten.

The remake of Suspiria in 2018 has been mixed. Some loved it, others hated it and wanted to know why we needed a remake.  I thought it was visually stunning and I will watch Tilda Swinton in anything.  If she is playing a vampire or a witch?  Sign me the hell up.  I just wanted to know why this one was a full hour longer than the original.

The basic story deals with Susie/Suzy a naive American girl joining a dance studio in Germany; a divided Berlin of 1977 in the 2018 version.   Of course, the studio is a front for a coven of witches and Susie is the newest recruit.

Both films are visually stunning, with the original Suspiria edging out over the new one.

There is a mythology here that I feel I need to read more about.  The movies are derived from "Suspiria de Profundis" by Thomas De Quincey.   I am going to have to do some research on this.

In any case, both movies are great horror movies, each with their own moments, and I am ending the 2019 October Horror Movie Challenge on a very high note.

I think I am going to put the 4k restoration of the 1977 version on my Christmas list.

Final Tally
Watched: 33
New: 25

Tis the Season

Well, Trick or Treating is nearly done here and there is only four hours left of Halloween.

If you want to grab the 2019 Pumpkin Spice Edition of Advanced Labyrinth Lord you had best do it now.  It also looks really nice with my Pumpkin Spice Witch.

Hey, they look so good you should grab them both!

It was 20 Years Ago Today...

All apologies to the Beatles, but it was 20 years ago today that I released my very first witch book on the internet.

It was a "netbook" back in the days before the OGL and when TSR would go after everyone for even talking about D&D online.  This really put me "on the web" as it were.  Of course, I also published it under my pseudonym of "Web Warlock" at the time since I want to keep my "game" writing separate from my (then) Academic writing.

Today I am celebrating the release of The Basic Witch: The Pumpkin Spice Witch Tradition and the last couple of hours of the Kickstarter for NIGHT SHIFT.

It has been a really fun game design carrer. That little witch book I published while sitting in the hospital after my son was born got me into working with Eden, doing some of the D&D 3e playtests, and then a lot more.  But 20 years ago was when it all really started. Also kind of fitting it was 40 years ago that started playing this game to start with!

New Release: The Pumpkin Spice Witch Tradition

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

The Basic Witch: The Pumpkin Spice Witch Tradition

Samhain Blessings!
Autumn.

A time of change, a liminal time between times. A time for warm sweaters, pumpkin spice, and witchcraft!

Introducing the Pumpkin Spice Tradition, witches dedicated to this time.

- The Sisterhood coven
- 122 Spells and Rituals for witch characters
- New magic items including magic cauldrons, masks, and tea. Plus the magic item black market
- 3 Non-player characters to challenge or aid the mightiest characters

Fully compatible with Labyrinth Lord^TM and other Basic-Era games.
(But pairs nicely with Advanced Labyrinth Lord Pumpkin Spice 2019 Edition)

Fully compatible with other witch books from The Other Side.

Available Now!

NIGHT SHIFT: Talking 'bout my Generation

We are getting into the final days here for NIGHT SHIFT so I thought I'd share some more details on two of my "Night Worlds" for the book.  Some details will certainly look familiar to readers here.

Ordinary World
This is one I have talked a bit about here.  The idea behind Ordinary World is a simple one.  You are some sort of supernatural creature.  A witch, a vampire, maybe an exiled fae.  You are just trying to get by in a world full of other supernaturals, humans, and hunters.
Every character will get the Supernatural levels for free (different than the core rules)  BUT you have to work blending in amidst all sorts of hazards thrown at you.
There is a government group known as the Bureau, that wants to grab any supernatural they can to either dissect or use as a weapon and they already have few working for them now.
There are is an underground slavery market of Supernaturals run by "demons" that also want to grab you.   There is a group of Witch Hunters known as the "Dorothies" that really, really want to burn you alive.
And there are the humans that do what humans do in large groups.

And you just want to get to your job and pay the bills!

Lots of urban intrigues and working against a huge enemy that has all the advantages.  It will make you wish for the days of just dealing with angry mobs with pitchforks.

I am planning on introducing some new supernatural types including Cat People.

Generation HEX
Another one I have talked about here.  This one has two focuses, foci, there is more going here.
First, magic is back and everyone knows it.  But it is only the newest generation that can do it.
So there is that kind of world to deal with.
The second aspect of GenHEX is the magical school aspect for the first generation of new witches in 300 years.

You get some of the struggles of Us vs. Them as we do in OW, but this is Magic vs. Non-Magical, as well as Generational.

Characters will all be younger, high school age, with some members of their magic-using Generation as just a little older, maybe in their very early 20s.

Rule additions here will be more kinds of magic and rules for running a Generation HEX school in any of the other Night Worlds or even other Old School games.

We have so much more planned for you all.  So give us a little support on the Kickstarter if you can!

Edited to add: Now available, Night Shift: Veterans of the Supernatural Wars. You can get the PDF from DriveThruRPG and both the standard and special edition hardcovers from Elf Lair Games.

October Movie Challenge: The Neon Demon (2016)

The Neon Demon is another one that has been on my list a for bit.  I admit I am a fan of Jena Malone.  This is more of a psychological thriller-horror than horror-horror.  Though there are some serious horror elements; necrophilia, murder, cannibalism.  You know, family fare.

At the core this movie is about the horrors of the modeling world and what happens to the "disposable" women of this world. 

Elle Fanning plays Jesse, a 16-year-old would-be model. She has beauty and natural talent which of course puts her in the cross-hairs of current models Gigi and Sarah and the obsession of make-up artist Ruby (Jena Malone).

As Jesse gets deeper and deeper into this world and more and more narcissistic the thin veneer of everyone's sanity (or if there was any) peels away. Ruby tries to rape Jesse, but is rebuffed.  So Ruby heads to her other job as a morgue make-up artist where she violates the corpse of a woman.   
When Ruby comes home to the house she is letting Jesse stay at she pushes Jesse into an empty pool where she breaker her leg.   Ruby, Gigi, and Sarah descend on her and butcher her.  Gigi and Sarah eat her and Ruby bathes in her blood.

And it gets weirder from there.

The film is arty and maybe a little too long, but a fun little descent into madness.


Watched: 31
New: 24

Monstrous Monday: Children of Twilight for Basic-era games and Night Shift

It's time for another Monstrous Monday!  Today I have something "special" for you all. A monster I know you will all love to fight and really something perfect for the Pumpkin Spice Witch.

They might not sparkle, but here are some VINOs for you.
The Children of Twilight for Basic-era Games!

Artist: LetzteSchatten-stock.  Model: Alice Spiegel.
Photographer: A.Gavrish

Vampire, Children of Twilight
No. Enc.: 1d2 (1d8)
Alignment: Neutral 50% Chaotic (evil) 50%
Movement: 180’ (60’)
Armor Class: 0
Hit Dice: 9
Attacks: 2 (claw, see below)
Damage: 1d6+6/1d6+6, drain constitution
Save: F9
Morale: 11
Hoard Class: XVII
XP: 8,000

The vampire is one of the most dreaded undead.  Twilight’s Children, though, are less terrifying to behold but still powerful undead creatures. Twilight’s Children share many of the same strengths that weaknesses as the common vampire. They are strong (they have strength scores of 21), undead, immune to mind-affecting spells such as sleep, hold, and charm. They are also immune to having their minds read.  Twilight Children also cannot enter personal dwellings without an invitation and are barred from holy ground.  In particular, they are prohibited from Druid’s groves and any Witch’s covenstead.

Twilight Children cannot change to bats, animals, or mist. Nor can they summon animals of any sort.  They avoid direct sunlight but are not harmed by it.  Mirrors, holy symbols, and direct sunlight will keep them at bay because when presented with them they reveal what they truly are, reanimated corpses.  A stake through the heart will kill them, but decapitation is always best.

The biggest weakness of the Twilight Children is a general malaise.  As they age, they become less and less interested in the world around them. This manifests as a flat affect; they never show emotions because they longer have them. As they continue after 100 years or so their alignments even drift to Neutrality.  Eventually, they also lose the desire to feed and waste away to nothing.  A Child of Twilight will rarely be more than 200 years old.

The Children of Twilight attack via claw, but their bite attack is reserved for when they are feeding.

They drain blood to feed, but usually only once per week.  When they feed, they must consume at least 3 points of Constitution from a victim.  This can be spread out over many victims over a feeding period.  A Child of Twilight can live among humans for years and never be suspected of anything save for being a recluse.
Children of Twilight can be turned as 9 HD undead.

Children of Twilight
(Night Shift)
No. Appearing: 1-3
AC: 2
Move: 40ft.
Hit Dice: 10
Special: 2 attacks (2 claw), constitution drain.
Weakness: Vampire strengths and weaknesses. Cannot enter hallowed ground.

DON'T FORGET: NIGHT SHIFT is in it's LAST 3 Days at Kickstarter!

Edited to add: Now available, Night Shift: Veterans of the Supernatural Wars. You can get the PDF from DriveThruRPG and both the standard and special edition hardcovers from Elf Lair Games.

October Movie Challenge: Housewife (2017)

This one has been on my list but I debated because I saw some fairly poor reviews. But I wanted to see it so tonight was the night.

The movie starts with Holly and Hazel, young sisters, playing with dolls.  Hazel is drawing, including a very strange one with tentacles coming out of the clouds.   Hazel notices that she is getting her first period so Holly calls for their mother who is going on about "visitors".  The mother tells Holly to stay behind while she takes Hazel.  Holly goes to see where they went and she sees her mother drowning Hazel in the toilet.  Her mother chases her through the house to catch Holly, but her father comes home.  Holly's mother kills him but Holly manages to escape.

Fast forward to today and Holly is a bored housewife.  Holly and her husband Tim get invited to a cult meeting, UML, where they find their former lover Valery is now a "family member" of UML.
The cult's leader seeks out Holly and manages to read her mind and learn about her pain.

Holly, Valery and Tim head back home where they rekindle their love affair.

But things are not that simple.  Holly begins to question reality.  Did they come home? Did she meet up with Bruce the UML leader again?  Is she seeing her mother and sister?   A session with Bruce makes her think she killed her sister.

Then it gets weird.

I won't ruin the ending for you, but in truth I kinda liked it.  Weird, surreal and frankly a lot of fun.


Watched: 30
New: 23

October Movie Challenge: Dead Space: Downfall (2008)

Part Alien, Part Zombie movie and dash of Event Horizon, I had higher hopes for Dead Space: Downfall.  Sadly it was not to be.  Based on a video game, I should have known it wasn't going to be great, but I  had hoped for a bit more.

A group of interstellar miners find an artifact on a dead planet and decide to take it back to Earth along with a big chunk of the planet.

The artifact begins to make people crazy and they begin killing each other.  The dead being to rise, transformed into monsters that kill more of the crew and thus making more monsters.

Fairly predictable.







Watched: 29
New: 22

October Movie Challenge: Voice from the Stone (2017)

I will admit, I like Emilia Clarke. I think she is a good actress and I like to see her in more roles other than the Mother of Dragons.  This movie was a late afternoon pick.  A slow-burn thriller at my wife's request (she is not a horror fan normally).

This one was not so bad.  Clarke plays Verena, a pediatric nurse that specializes in helping families.  She is summoned to Tuscany to help a mute child after the death of his mother.
The child Jakob listens to a crack in the wall where it is assumed he hears the voice of his mother.  Verena works with him to get him to talk.
As the movie goes on we begin to question Verena's perspective on things.

The movie reminds me a bit of "The Others".  The creepy atmosphere and the not knowing what is happening actually. Well...actually part of it was pretty easy to figure out.  The "twist" at the end leaves a little open to interpretations.

Still though, a nice little creepy movie.



Watched: 28
New: 21

October Movie Challenge: The Witch Files (2018)

What do you get when you cross "The Blair Witch Project", "The Breakfast Club", with "The Craft"? Well, the producers were hoping you would answer "The Witch Files."  Sadly that is still not the correct answer.

That is not to say the Witch Files doesn't have it's moments.  It does and there is some fun to be had here, I just can't quite figure out what it is missing or what else it needs to do.

The five girls, Julia, Claire, MJ, Brooke, and Greta, fit all the needed stereotypes for a teen movie so that is covered.   The town has a spooky history, check and there is some neat displays of magic.

I really wanted to like this movie more.  Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy it, it just wasn't great.









Watched: 27
New: 20

Featured Artist: Silveztra

Today's Featured Artist is another one I found at the D&D Fantasy Art Facebook page AND on Twitter.
Silveztra is a great artist and has such a cool style I knew right away I needed some art from her.

Here she is in her own words.

Hello! I am Silveztra a 24-year-old self-taught freelance artist who is inspired by fantasy characters. I am an avid video gamer, anime watcher, and D&D player! I love drawing both cute characters, the threatening and powerful, monstrosities and also delve a lot in drawing pinups! I mainly draw females. I actually have a four-year degree in applied communications, which may seem useless, but I attribute it to a lot of my success in building my customer basis! In the future, I hope to get more commissions and be part of projects bigger than myself in the gaming, art, and rpg communities.

And here is some of her art!

Of course first up is her Pumpkin Spice Witch version of my OC Larina.  This is going to be the cover of my new Pumpkin Spice Witch Tradition book.

She has a lot more, some NSFW, but all really good.

Check out all her links including her commission rates.  Twitter is her main site, but she has all the usual ones.

• Twitter, https://twitter.com/silveztransfw
• Commission Information, Google Doc
• Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/Silveztra/
• Patreon, https://www.patreon.com/silveztra
• DeviantArt, https://www.deviantart.com/silveztra/
• KoFi, https://ko-fi.com/silveztra

Be sure to check her out!

October Movie Challenge: The Love Witch (2016)

One could be easily excused for thinking this is a movie from the late 60's or early 70's.  In fact when I saw come up in my suggested movies that is in fact what I thought.  Looking at the film stills only reinforced that idea.  But the movie is from 2016.  It was shot on 35 mm film and used effects to mimic the Technicolor film of the time.  The sets, the costumes, and even the sensibilities are all from late 60s/early 70s.   It is a real vision from writer, producer and director Anna Biller.

The movie is "comedy horror" but dark comedy/horror is a better description. It deals with a witch named Elaine (played by the wonderful Samantha Robinson) who leaves San Francisco looking for love.  Trouble is her love spells usually leave her suitors dead.

Love Witch is fun little tale of feminist tropes and some interesting witch trivia. My only gripe was that the movie was a little too long.  At 120 minutes it should have really been 80 to 90 minutes.

This is one of those movies with a message to unpack and it was fun. Scary? Not so much, but I supposed a lot of people died all the same.


Watched: 26
New: 19

Pumpkin Spice Witch: New Witch Rituals

One of the things I enjoy about doing these witch books is creating new spells and rituals.  At present, I have featured over unique 1,000 spells in all my books combined I am thinking of one day putting them all into one document.

But until then here are some Halloween entertainment rituals from the Pumpkin Spice Witch.

Blessed Wanna-bes
“If you wanna be in my coven, you gotta get with my friends.” 
Level: Witch Ritual 2
Ritual Requirements: One witch and members of the coven
Duration: One Day per Level
Range: One dwelling
This ritual initiates a new witch into the coven.  Often called an Initiate, or sometimes in jest, a “baby-witch”, this ritual requires the entire coven to cast.
Once complete the new witch initiate can read the coven’s Book of Law, and learn the greater mysteries of the coven. 
During the duration of the spell the new initiate has a +1 bonus to all saves and to AC.
Material Components: The ritual tools of the coven for the initiate. Also food and drink for the cakes and ales ceremony afterward.

Séance
Level: Witch Ritual 4
Ritual Requirements: The witch and at least one other person
Duration: 3 questions
Range: Caster
This ritual resembles the Clerical Speak to the Dead, save that the corpse of the dead person does not have to be present.
All that is required is the witch, who will do the actual speaking to the dead, and someone who knew the person in life.  The amount of time the queried spirit has been dead is not an issue as long as the person who knew them in life can still remember them.
There is a chance that the spirit summoned is not the spirit intended. The base chance is 75% reduced by 5% per level of the Witch and 5% per ritual member that knew the deceased in life.  So a 9th level witch with two family members calling on the spirit of their long-dead father has a base chance of 75%-(9x5%)-(2x5%) or 20% chance.
There is no way to know if the trickster spirit is telling the truth or not, usually not. Also unless directly challenged the witch has no way to know if the spirit is true or not.
Material Components: A crystal ball, witch board, or some other divinatory devices, and lit candles. All members of the séance must sit in a circle and hold hands.  They need not be at a table, a circle on the floor is acceptable.

Tripping the Light Fantastic
Level: Witch Ritual 5
Ritual Requirements: The witch and at least one other person
Duration: Preset time
Range: One other person per level of the witch
This ritual is a powerful glamour the witch can cast on the behalf of another person or group of people.  When cast the those affected will appear to be wearing the finest attire, jewels, immaculate hair, and impeccable courtly manners.   This ritual can make the lowest member of society appear and act as if they were reared in the highest society.
The glamour is perfect in every respect and even magics such as detect magic or true seeing will only reveal that the clothing itself is magical, making their disguise seem even more lavish.  Otherwise, the clothing, jewels even the manners and actions of those affected will be perfect in every way.
The ritual will only last for a prescribed time.  Typically till midnight or sunrise. After that, the illusion will fade and those affected will revert back to their true appearances.
Note: This ritual can not be used as a spell to cause fear or in place of other glamours such as Sister to the Dark Ones.
The spell gets its name from one of its first recorded uses, to prepare a servant girl to go to a royal ball.
Material Components: The key component here is nothing material, but the recipients' dearest desire to go wherever this ritual will allow them to go.

Grand Séance
Level: Witch Ritual 6
Ritual Requirements: The witch and at least one other person
Duration: 3 questions
Range: Caster
This ritual is nearly identical to the Fourth level Ritual séance save that in this case, none need to have known the spirit in life. The witch can call on the spirit on her own.
There is a chance that the spirit summoned is not the spirit intended. The base chance is 75% reduced by 5% per level of the Witch.  So a 15th level witch calling on the spirit of a long-dead king has a base chance of 75%-(14x5%) or 0% chance. 
Material Components: A crystal ball, witch board, or some other divinatory devices, and lit candles. All members of the séance must sit in a circle and hold hands.  They need not be at a table, a circle on the floor is acceptable. In a grand séance the witch will often burn fine incense and pour strong libations to attract the spirit.

October Horror Movie Challenge: Blood Craft (2019)

Well.  This one should of have been better, but I also should have known better really.

So the premise is good.  Two girls use witchcraft they learned from their mother to bring back the soul of their dead father who had raped and abused them so they could torture him.
Of course, things don't go as planned.

The father was a preacher and set up more of a stereotype of every bad behavior you can think of.  The girls Grace and Serena are likable enough and the actresses play the damaged types well. In fact I felt that they got better as the movie went on.

They summon the spirit and the girls learn some really horrible shit.

There is a nice twist at the end that I really should have seen coming.  But in the end, it was not really enough to redeem this movie.

Oh, and don't expect to see a lot of Dominque Swain in this.

Ah well. It could have been fun.



Watched: 25
New: 18

New Pumpkin Spice Witch cover

I am having a weird day.

So let's do something fun.  Here is the new cover for my upcoming Pumpkin Spice Witch Tradition book.

The "Pumpkin Spice Witch" is by the super talented Silveztra.  I'll be featuring more of her art later this week, but here is a sneak peek.

I can't wait for Halloween!!

Monstrous Mondays: Pumpkin Headed Demon

Working on getting The Pumpkin Spice Witch Tradition book out to you all very soon and also working on NIGHT SHIFT.   So here is a creature that works well for both.  A demonic spirit summoned into a body of golem or lifeless corpse.  The Pumpkin headed demon.

Pumpkin Headed Demon

A Pumpkin Headed Demon, or Pumpkin Head for short, is a demon that is either summoned by dark forces or finds it way to inhabit a Pumpkin Golem, Scarecrow, or other such construct.  The material the golem was made from  is replaced by a crude flesh but the general shape remains the same.
The Pumpkin Head exists only to kill.  It is not mindless, even if it’s killing spree seems to be.  It is surrounded by an aura of fear that acts as the Cause Fear spell to a 60’ radius.  It attacks with its claws which appear to be made of steel.  Once per day is can breathe fire for 6d6 damage (save vs. Breath Weapon for half).

Pumpkin Headed Demon
(Labyrinth Lord, Pumpkin Spice Editon)
No. End.: 1 (1d4)
Alignment: Chaotic (evil)
Movement: 90’ (30')
Armor Class:  5
Hit Dice: 8d8+8* (44 hp)
Attacks: 2 (claws)
Damage:  1d4/1d4 + fire breath (6d6), fear
Special: Fear aura
Saves As: Fighter 8
Morale: 10
Treasure: None
XP: 2,200
A Pumpkin Head can be turned as “Special”.

Pumpkin Headed Demon
(Blueholme Journeymanne Rules)
AC: 5
HD: 8d8+8
Move: 30
Attacks: 2 claw (1d6-1 x2) + Fire Breath (1/day 6d6)
Alignment: Chaotic
Treasure: None
XP: 1,130

Pumpkin Headed Demon
(Old-School Essentials)
AC 5 [14], HD 8+8 (44hp), Att 2 claw (1d6-1 x2) + Fire Breath (6d6), THAC0 17 [+2], MV 90’ (30’), SV D8 W9 P10 B10 S12 (8), ML 10, AL Chaotic, XP 1,130, NA 1 (1-3), TT None
▶ Breath fire: 1/day, 6d6 damage, save for half.
▶ Demon-possessed Construct: Immune to mind-influencing effects, poison, disease, and similar effects. Not subject to critical hits, subdual damage, ability damage, energy drain, or death from massive damage.

Pumpkin Headed Demon
(Night Shift)
No. Appearing: 1
AC: 5
Move: 40ft.
Hit Dice: 8
Special: 2 attacks (2 claw) + Breath Weapon (Fire)

Edited to add: Now available, Night Shift: Veterans of the Supernatural Wars. You can get the PDF from DriveThruRPG and both the standard and special edition hardcovers from Elf Lair Games.

October Horror Movie Challenge: The Dead Don't Die (2019)

I caught my first 2019 movie tonight.  The Dead Don't Die. It was a lot of fun.  I have been a Bill Murry fan since I first saw him on SNL and Adam Driver is a completely underrated actor (and also funny as hell).

The truth though, I'd sit through anything to watch Tilda Swinton.  To watch her with a thick Scottish accent and wielding a katana while cutting through zombies?  Yeah, that is worth the price of the rental alone.

There are a ton of people in this movie too. Chloë Sevigny, Steve Buscemi, Danny Glover, RZA (working for WUps!), Carol Kane, Selena Gomez, Rosie Perez, Tom Waits, and Iggy Pop!  I mean really. This is crazy.

The movie is hilarious, with lots of callbacks to other zombie and B-Horror movies.
The ending left a little to be desired to be honest, but I don't expect a lot from zombie flicks.





Watched: 24
New: 17

October Horror Movie Challenge: Daughters of Darkness (1971)

It's strange. All these years and I have not done one of my favorite movies, Daughters of Darkness.

Some of my earliest opinions on what Elizabeth Bathory acts like as a vampire come from the 1971 movie Les Lèvres Rouges, known here in the States as "Daughters of Darkness" (not to be confused with the movie Vampyres, which also had been called Daughters of Darkness).

Delphine Seyrig really helped form the idea of vampire Bathory as a timeless aristocrat so convinced that what she was doing was right that there is no sign of psychosis at all. She was a royal and therefore all others exist to serve her.  Now I will contend, just based on the reports as we know them, that Bathory was not a lesbian but rather a sexual sadist that happened to have targeted young girls.

That all being said, she is most often represented in movies, like she was here, as a lesbian and one that does not care much at all for men.  Of course, credit goes to Delphine Seyrig and her portrayal of the immortal Countess.  This movie presents Elizabeth along with her companion Ilona (Andrea Rau).  Elizabeth begins to prey on new bride Valerie while sending Ilona out to tempt her new husband Stephan.

There is nothing really subtle here.  Stephan is portrayed as a useless thing that later can only consummate his marriage by beating Valerie.  When he kills Ilona in an accident in the shower he is portrayed as incompetent and something to be discarded.  All the while Elizabeth holds court and seduces Valerie away.  The ending is jarring,  more "Celluloid Closet" style vengeance maybe? Valerie, with Elizabeth's voice, is now off picking up a new couple to continue her immortality with.

There are traces of we will later see in The Hunger here.  The cool, sophisticated, European, woman. She might have some royal blood in her somewhere (pardon the bad metaphor) and she is certainly worldly.  She has companions, maybe male and female, but it is in her female companions she lavishes the most attention on even if I dare say it, the most love.    This is not the rampaging monster of Dracula or even Orlock. Carmilla, Bathory and later Miriam Blaylock are exotic creatures almost unique to themselves.

This is still one of my favorite movies.

It should be no surprise then I want to bring her over to NIGHT SHIFT.

Elizabeth Bathory
Vampire Lady
No. Appearing: 1 (Unique)
AC: 2
Move: 50ft.
Hit Dice: 9
Special: 4 attacks (claw, bite, 2 weapon), vampire abilities
XP Value: 1,400

Ilona
Vampire Spawn
No. Appearing: 1
AC: 6
Move: 30ft.
Hit Dice: 4
Special: 2 attacks (claws, bite),
Cannot mind control. Do not gain “strong and fast” bonuses. Cannot polymorph. Cannot create new vampires.
XP Value: 900

This movie may have fueled more game ideas for me than any other.

Watched: 23
New: 16

Edited to add: Now available, Night Shift: Veterans of the Supernatural Wars. You can get the PDF from DriveThruRPG and both the standard and special edition hardcovers from Elf Lair Games.

October Horror Movie Challenge: Mark of the Witch (1970)

Enough TV movies for now.  Reading Anita put me in the mood for some movies about witches.  And I never say no to that!

Up first is Mark of the Witch from 1970, but it looks more like the 1960s really.  We don't quite have that 70s vibe here yet. 

This move covers similar ground to Black Sunday; a vengeful witch killed by witch hunters comes back 100s of years later to exact revenge.  Only this time the witch possesses a young college coed.  She proceeds to kill off other college kids for...I am not quite sure why. Maybe because she is EVIL?

Anyway, there are a few nods to actual witch practices and at least they got the hanging, and not burning, right.  The special effects are cheesy and the acting is only slightly better.  But it was a fun little romp.   Anitra Walsh is not bad playing Jill and possessed by the Witch Jill.

Still, there are better films out there. 





Watched: 22
New: 16

Here's to Us: The Hex Girls (and Special Guest) for Night Shift

Going back to some old favorites today and seeing how well I can build them in Night Shift.

A long while back I posted stats for the Hex Girls from Scooby-Doo and they were a huge hit.  It seemed natural to bring them over to my new game.

Night Shift has a remarkably flexible mechanic in the character Background.  While some games like D&D5 and Pathfinder2 also have backgrounds, there are more mechanics involved.  With Night Shift you give your character a background and things that they are likely to know become a given.  The GM can then rule (with a + or -) whether or not that background helps.

So, for example, Luna has the background of "Serious Musician" and I put emphasis on her ability to know music and performers.  If she encounters a puzzle that requires her to read music or even hum a tune then she is going to get a bonus.  Dusk's background is that she is in truth a rich girl that wants to rebel.  So she could say get a plus when it comes to knowing things like how expensive a new Lamborghini is, but a minus when it comes to knowing proper etiquette and protocol in situations.  She would have known these due to her upbringing, but since she rejected it to be a rebel she has forgotten it or ignored it.

All girls (all 4!) are musicians so when it comes to putting on a rock show, they are going to be great.

The Hex Girls are owned by Warner Brothers.

Thorn
AKA Sally McKnight
Witch
Str +0 Dex +0 Con +0 Int +1 Wis +1 Cha +2
XP: 20,100 (Level 4)
Hit Dice: 4d4 Hit Points: 11 AC: 9  Attack Bonus: +0 Check Bonus: +3 (Primary) +2 (Secondary) +0 (Tertiary)
Armor: none
Saves: +3 vs. spells and magical effects
Class Abilities: Arcana 70%, Spellcasting 70%
Other Special Abilities: Enhanced Senses, Empathy

Spells: 1st level charm person, disrupt undead, minor illusion  2nd-level phantasmal image, suggestion

Background: Rock star, eco-goth.
Thorn, in particular, knows a lot about the environment and what humans are doing to damage it.

Gear: Electric guitar,

Luna
AKA Kim Moss
Witch
Str +0 Dex +0 Con +0 Int +1 Wis +1 Cha +2
XP: 19,100 (Level 3)
Hit Dice: 3d4 Hit Points: 9 AC: 9  Attack Bonus: +0 Check Bonus: +3 (Primary) +1 (Secondary) +0 (Tertiary)
Armor: none
Saves: +3 vs. spells and magical effects
Class Abilities: Arcana 65%, Spellcasting 65%
Other Special Abilities: Enhanced Senses

Spells: 1st level charm person, read languages  2nd-level ESP

Background: Serious musician
Luna knows just about everything there is know about rock, pop, blues, and hip hop.

Gear: Keyboards; paper and pens for writing music.

Dusk
AKA Muffy St. James
Witch
Str +0 Dex +1 Con +1 Int +0 Wis +1 Cha +2
XP: 15,000 (Level 3)
Hit Dice: 3d4 Hit Points: 11 AC: 8  Attack Bonus: +0 Check Bonus: +3 (Primary) +1 (Secondary) +0 (Tertiary)
Armor: none
Saves: +3 vs. spells and magical effects
Class Abilities: Arcana 65%, Spellcasting 65%
Other Special Abilities: Psychic Power (Temporal Sense, Psychometry)

Spells: 1st level charm person, read languages  2nd-level ESP

Background: Secret rich girl and rebel
Dusk is a rebel who plays the drums so she can hit things, but in her former life, she was a prep-school girl from a very, very rich family.

Gear: Drum sticks (always has them on her)

And in the grand history of both the Hex Girls and Lzzy Hale of Halestorm, I figure that for one adventure she would get on stage and sing with the Hex Girls.
I will neither confirm or deny that Dusk hooked up with Arejay.

Lzzy
AKA Lzzy Hale of Halestorm
Survivor
Str +0 Dex +1 Con +1 Int +1 Wis +2 Cha +3
XP: 5,010 (Level 3)
Hit Dice: 3d4 Hit Points: 11 AC: 6  Attack Bonus: +0 Check Bonus: +3 (Primary) +1 (Secondary) +0 (Tertiary)
Armor: leather jacket
Saves: +3 vs. Death attacks and area effects.
Class Abilities: Stealth skills, climbing, Danger sense, Sneak Attack, Read Languages (80%)

Background: Rock star
Lzzy is a kick-ass rock star.

Gear: Gibson EDS-1275 Double Neck Electric Guitar

Edited to add: Now available, Night Shift: Veterans of the Supernatural Wars. You can get the PDF from DriveThruRPG and both the standard and special edition hardcovers from Elf Lair Games.