Witchcraft Wednesdays: Heqate, Queen of Heka and the Crossroads Eternal

 I am working on my next Myths & Monsters series, this time on the Ptolemaic Myths of the combined Greek and Egyptian pantheons of the Ptolemaic rule of Egypt. While the poster children for these myths are Serapis and Hermes Trismegistus, I want to focus on a goddess who is, as far as I know, fairly unique.

While I am leaning heavily on academic scholarship here for this one, that only takes me so far. And in truth, if I am going to come up with my syncretic god here, it might as well be a Goddess of Witchcraft and Magic. 

Thankfully, one such goddess sprang, fully formed like Athena, from my mind. Or very nearly fully formed. 

Heqate, Queen of Heka and the Crossroads Eternal

This Wednesday, I want to return to the Ptolemaic Myths specifically, to the goddess known as Heqate (formerly Heka here), the Witch Queen of the Two Lands and the living embodiment of heka. This is not simply Hecate with great eyeliner, nor Heqet with a torch and dogs, nor even a distaff Heka or a Greek Weret Hekau. This is a syncretic goddess of magic, liminality, birth-life-death-rebirth, and arcane will, forged where Greek moon sorcery meets Egyptian divine speech.

If you've ever wanted to play a moonlit necromancer-priestess, a midwife-witch who communes with ghosts, or a seer whose scrolls bleed truth, this is your goddess. 

Heqate: The Torchbearer of the Threshold

In older Greek traditions, Hecate was already something liminal, goddess of the crossroads, of the moon, of ghosts, and witchcraft. And, of death, the ultimate threshold. In Egypt, the frog-headed Heqet presided over childbirth, resurrection, and divine protection in the womb and tomb alike. Add to this the Egyptian concept of heka (lower case, not the god Heka), not magic as trickery, but as cosmic creative force, and Weret Hekau, the Egyptian personification of supernatural powers, you get something entirely new. 

In the Ptolemaic imagination, these figures blur into one divine presence:

Heqate, the Queen of Witches, the Scribe of Names, the Midwife of Magic.

• She carries torches of silver flame, revealing the paths between life and death and rebirth.
• She speaks true names, unraveling illusions, enchantments, and lies.
• She presides over birthing chambers and funerary rites, the first breath and the last silence.
• Her voice is heka, and her will becomes ritual law.

The Three Faces of the Liminal Witch

Followers of Heqate often describe her as having three aspects (I can't resist a good Maiden-Mother-Crone tri-aspect):

• The Maiden of Moonlight – Patron of seers, dreamers, and witches-in-training. She guards hidden knowledge and initiations.
• The Mother of Torches – Midwife and ward-breaker. She protects the soul at its most vulnerable.
• The Crone of Ash and Word – Keeper of forbidden names and the judgment of oaths. Her word is binding.

Temples and covens devoted to her often use three altars—one facing the door, one the hearth, and one a mirror.

Final Thoughts

Heqate isn’t just a rebranding. She’s a bridge goddess, walking between systems, just as witches walk between divine and arcane, mortal and otherworld, life and death. She offers you a chance to center magic not as firepower, but as language, ritual, and transformation.

The Ptolemies ruled over Egypt as Greek-speaking elites, and their greatest symbol wasn’t a weapon or a crown, it was a library. The Great Library of Alexandria was the beating heart of the Ptolemaic worldview: knowledge as power, preservation as control, language as law.

If Hermes Trismegistus is the figurehead of recorded wisdom, the scholar-priest who catalogues and measures, then Heqate is the figurehead of forbidden wisdom and occult knowledge, the whispered name, the unwritten charm, the scroll burned before it can be copied. She is the sorcerous opposite to Hermes’ alchemical order, not in opposition, but in complement. They are a cosmic argument between forms of knowing.

Do they oppose each other? Perhaps. No more than witches and wizards clash in how they practice magic. Perhaps this ancient rivalry echoes across the ages, playing out in coven and tower, scroll and staff, moon and mercury.

In any case, it is certainly a fun way to set up a god rivalry between wizards and witches in your worlds. 

And if I am being honest. She would have great eyeliner and wear an ankh as a necklace. 

Monstrous Mondays: Hippalektryon

 I am back to work on my next set of syncretized myths, this time my poster child of syncretism, the Greco-Egyptian gods, also known as the Ptolemaic Religion.  I am taking some of the historically documented gods (Hermes Trismegistus, Serapis, Harpokrates) and mixing in my own takes (Heka, Hermanubis), and others to round this set of myths out.

There are a few monsters that fit both the Greek and Egyptian myths very well. The pegasus (as a winged horse), the sphinx, giant snakes, giant scorpions, all sorts of undead. But there are some monsters common to both cultures (Ancient Greece, Ancient Egypt) that could also be used. Here is one. The Hippalektryon is an interesting creature. Since it is the combination of two creatures I decided they are sacred to Hermes Trismegistus.

Since my Myths & Monsters series is for 1st Edition, here it is in that format.

HIPPALEKTRYON

Rooster-Horse Hybrid

FREQUENCY: Very Rare
NO. APPEARING: 1d4
ARMOR CLASS: 4
MOVE: 18" (Fly: 30")
HIT DICE: 4+4
% IN LAIR: 10%
TREASURE TYPE: C
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2 claws / 1 beak
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1–4 / 1–4 / 1–6
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Sonic crow
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Immune to illusions
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Low to Average (6–10)
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
SIZE: M (5'–6' long)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: IV / 210 + 5/hp

DESCRIPTION: The Hippalektryon is an odd and rare creature with the hindquarters, wings, and tail of a giant rooster and the forequarters and head of a small horse. Their muzzle ends in a sharp, rooster-like beak. Native to mythic dreamlands and prophetic realms, it is often found in sacred sites, high mountain nests, or circling the domes of prophetic temples. They most often make their nests overlooking a body of water.

Though physically awkward, they are powerful flyers and capable of delivering swift, slashing claw strikes with their rooster-like talons, followed by a sharp beak attack.

Once per day, a Hippalektryon can emit a Sonic Crow (30’ cone, 10’ wide at base, 30’ at end) that causes confusion (as per the spell) to all creatures in the area unless they save vs. spells. Creatures that fail their saves also suffer a -1 penalty to any Wisdom-based rolls for 4 rounds. The crow may also be used to dispel illusions within 60' (as dispel magic, 7th level).

They are considered sacred to Hermes Trismegistus and are sometimes summoned by priests or sages seeking omens, clarity, or inspiration. A feather plucked from a living Hippalektryon may be used to create scrolls of prophecy or truth-telling magic.

Fantasy Fridays: Man, Myth & Magic

Man, Myth & Magic by Herbert "Herbie" Brennan and J. Stephen Peek and published originally byYaquinto Publications in 1982, and now published (in PDF and single softcover formats) by Precis Intermedia.  

I have always been fascinated by this game. The name of course grabbed me for two reasons. There was the whole "Myth and Magic" side to it all which in 1982 was a big draw for me.  There was the magazine and encyclopedia series also called Man, Myth & Magic that dealt with all sorts of occult-related topics.  

I read reviews for it in Dragon Magazine (#80) and White Dwarf (#41) and was actually quite curious about it.  The reviews really ripped into the game, and I needed to know if it was as bad as they made it sound.  Sadly, I never found a copy near me, and a mail-order of $19.00 + tax and shipping and handling made it a little more out of reach when it was new and all I had was a paper route for spending money.

But I was always drawn to historical games. If I could play or run a game and learn something about history at the same time, then it was time well spent. I have enjoyed quite a few, mostly Victorian-era ones, and others I ripped online so much that I promised I wasn't going to rip on them anymore. 

Man, Myth, & Magic sadly belongs to the camp of a historical mishmash, that is to say, it is about as historically accurate as an episode of Xena: Warrior Princess.  Don't get me wrong, I love me some Xena and it is very entertaining in the right frame of mind.  The same is true for this game. Great, in the right frame of mind.  In fact, I think that now, living in a post-Xena world, there is a place for this game that did not exist in 1982.   

For this review, I am going to consider my original boxed set from 1982 (now minus the dice) and the newer PDF versions found on DriveThruRPG published by Precis Intermedia.  In both cases, the material is the same minus some of the extras that came in the boxed set like the dice and a pad of character sheets.

Man, Myth, & Magic

Man, Myth, & Magic was published in a boxed set of three books (same covers), with a pad of character sheets, some maps, and dice.  The PDF combines the three books into one 132 page volume. The original boxed set retailed for $19.00 in 1982 ($55 in today's buying power) and the PDFs sell for $7.95 today.  The books feature color covers and black & white interiors. 

Book 1

Book 1 is 24 pages and covers the "Basic Game" and the game most like the one as originally conceived of by Herbie Brennan.  In this game, the players play gladiators in the time of the Roman Emperors. Which one? That is up to a random dice roll unless of course, the players want something different. 

It's an interesting idea, but...well there are some problems here. According to the back of the box, it is the Summer of 41 CE. Cool.  But Caligula was assassinated in January of 41 CE.  Tiberius ruled 14 to 37 CE and Nero was Emperor from 54 to 68 CE.  The only Emperor in the Summer of 41 was Claudius. Adding dates in parentheses would have been a nice touch.  Let's not even get into the fact that Cleopatra VII, the last of the Egyptian Pharaohs, had died back in 30 BCE, 71 years before the events of this game, but that looks like her on the cover.  I'll talk more about this later.  In theory you can tun this game from 4000 BCE to 500 (or 1000) CE. 

You begin with your Roman Gladiator and your two percentile d20s and roll up your characteristics.  The characteristics in the Basic Game are Strength, Speed, Skill (not used just yet), Endurance, Intelligence, and Courage. The scores range from 1 to 100.  You add all these up for your Life Points (so 5 to 500), you fall unconscious at 20 or below and dead at 0 or below. 

The Basic rules take your gladiator from start to a bit of combat and adventure with the maxim that the best way to learn is to do.   This is a tactic that the rest of the game uses.  At the end of this, your character is ready for new adventures.

The neat bit, and one I want to revisit, is the idea of reincarnation. That is if your character dies they can be reincarnated. 

Book 2

Book 2 covers the "Advanced Game" and includes 40 pages. Here we learn more about skills, the Power score, and the different Nationalities (10) and Classes associated with each (2-5 each).  All are completely random and no real attempt is made to explain why say an Egyptian Sorcerer, a Gaulish Barbarian, a Roman Gladiator, and a Hibernian Leprechaun would all be part of the same adventuring party.  Ok. That's not entirely true, but the explanation takes some digging. 

Up first is determining your Nationality. Again a random roll gives you African, Briton, Egyptian, Gaul, Greek, Hebrew, Hibernian, Visigoth, Roman, and Oriental. Each at 10% chance.   Within each nationality, there are character classes.  Regardless of how many there is an equal chance for any given class.  Most nationalities have a sort of "fighter" like class and all have merchant.  There are two classes open to women characters only, Wisewoman (African) and Sybil (Greek).  Details are given for all the classes, 20 in total, but not a lot of information.  In most cases only a paragraph here and some more details later on.  This brings up a persistent issue, the rules are a bit scattered everywhere throughout the book. 

Additionally, there are two "Special Categories" of players (not characters) of "Orator" and "Sage" or essentially a storyteller and a record keeper.  Much in the same way Basic D&D has a "Caller."  Not much else is mentioned about these roles however. 

This character is considered to be your first incarnation.  Anytime your character dies, you can then reincarnate.  This allows you to change your nationality, class, and gender and retain a little bit of the Skill from a previous incarnation.  It is an interesting idea, I am not 100% certain though that it works. Knowing gamers I see a situation where players would play a character only to get them to die for a chance at a better character next time. 

There is a fun chart on inheritance that would be fun to port over to other games.  Related there are our ubiquitous tables of equipment.   

Some of the other secondary "Optional" characteristics are also detailed.  These include Agility, Charm, Dexterity, Drinking, and so on.  These are really more akin to "skills." The trouble is that some of these you have to roll higher, some you have to roll lower and others you don't roll at all.  There is no rhyme or reason here. 

Combat rules follow and they remind me a bit of Runequest.  Nothing really special really.  Strength points over 50 can add to your damage, Skill points over 50 can add to your "To hit" chance. Combat, like all the rolls here, start with a basic 50% chance to hit.  The Basic game just has you roll. The Advanced game has you make called shots.  Classes with Combat as their "Prime Ability" can improve their ability to hit even more. All classes can spend Power to also increase their to-hit bonus; 10 points of Power to increase your chance by 1%.  Interestingly armor does not stop you from being hit, it does reduce damage taken.

The goal of the game though is the accumulation of Power.  Power advances your character and can overcome that 50% failure rate.  Power also is the, well, power behind Magic. 

The last third or so of the book covers all sorts of additional rules.  Some seem tossed in, to be honest. Poisons are covered as are spells.  

Magic, as expected, is given some special attention, though not as much as I was expecting.  Magic is assumed to be real and work, at least part of the time.  Magic is described as "Coincidence," a spell is uttered and something happens whether it caused it or not. "Science," Damascus steel is given an example. The superior technology was seen as magic. "Psychic Phenomena" which not really an explanation at all, likewise "Trance State" and as "Lost Knowledge."  Though no explanation is really given as to how magic works.  

Book 3

The adventures take up Book 3 and is 64 pages.  This book is for the Lore Master (Game Master) only and is also one of the weaker parts of the game.  The Adventures, while interesting, are a bit of a railroad. In order to succeed the players have to hit all the parts in order and then move on to the next adventure.   

The adventures include the following:

• The Dragon Loose in Rome. Not a dragon really, but a rogue T-Rex.  Not that this makes any more sense, but ok, points for effort.  
• Apollo's Temple. Emperor Caligula sends the characters to the Temple of Apollo aka Stonehenge.
• The Witches of Lolag Shlige. The characters then have to go to Ireland (Hibernia) and rescue a child from some witches.
• The Great Pyramid Revealed. Caligula has issued a death warrant for the characters. They find themselves in the Great Pyramid of Giza.

These adventures are a prelude to the published adventures.   There are some neat ideas here, but the adventures lack something for me. Actually, it lacks a lot of things for me, but I could make some changes to make them work.

There are some encounter tables, but they only cover the areas that the adventures are detailed here. I also have to note there are no monsters here. Just humans. 

One of the bigger criticisms of this game at the time was the then $19.00 price tag, which is about $55 in today's buying power. Now, $20 for a boxed set of three books, character sheets, and dice sounds like a steal. With the PDF at just $7.95, it is a price I think should attract anyone interested in this game. 

The art is in black & white, which is expected and welcome, but there is not a lot of it and some of it is repeated throughout the books.  

Man, Myth, & Magic sometimes feels like two different games, or rather two different ideas merged into one game. I feel that the classic Roman Gladiator/Basic Game was Herbie Brennan's idea and the worldwide game of various nations and types or the Advanced Game was Steve Peek's. Given that Brennan started working on a game called "Arena" which was a Gladitorial RPG. I don't have anything concrete to base this on other than a feeling. 

About Reincarnation

Reincarnation is quite a big deal in this game. This is not a huge surprise given Herbert Brennan's publication history.  His book "The Reincarnation Workbook: A Complete Course in Recalling Past Lives" could work as a guide for this game.  Personally, I would like to use the reincarnation idea to help smooth out some of the issues with different times.  So adventurers from Cleopatra VII's Egypt can then deal with Tiberius and then help in Boudicea's raid on Londinium.   Something similar to the Old Soul quality in Unisystem.  

Somehow, using the idea of the Distant Memory, which, like Old Soul, allows the characters to draw on past life knowledge and skill.  That is easy to do in Unisystem, not so easy to do in D&D like games with very rigidly defined classes. Taking a level in another class might do it. 

Not the same thing, but great fun

There is an interesting game here but I think the concept of it is greater than the rules as presented actually allow.  It never quite lives up to what the box claims.  Nor is it the abomination that earlier reviews made it out to be.  I think most reviewers balked at the price tag and the fact that the game did not offer anything new; at least not anything that meant going through the rather clunky rules. 

It is most certainly not a historically accurate game. It is historically inspired, to be sure, but not by any means accurate. 

The bottom line is that the game isn't good; in fact, it's rather bad in many respects. That is not to say that someone won't find this game interesting or fun. There are far, far better games out there. The game has some things that I enjoy, but not enough to make me want to play the RPG on a regular basis.  

Larina Nix for Man, Myth & Magic

Given this game's history and other tie-ins, a witch character is absolutely called for. As I have pointed out before in my *D&D games, witches can't use raise dead or resurrection spells, nor can they be used on them; witches can only reincarnate. This works well with Herbie Brennan's own ideas. So I am left sitting here wondering why it has taken me this long to make a witch character, especially one whose backstory (and future story) includes reincarnation. 

Indeed, the connection between Herbie Brennan, this game, and his own interest in the occult makes this character a no-brainer. A lot here works well for Larina, but nothing is perfect for her. There are sorcerers, wise-women, and even the leprechaun looks like fun. 

Larina "Nix" Nichols
Daughter of Lars

Nationality: 
Class: "Witch" (Mystic)
Prime Ability: Intelligence

BASIC
Strength: 45
Speed: 66
Skill: 78
Endurance: 60
Intelligence: 89
Courage: 75
Power: 91
LIFE POINTS: 335

OPTIONAL
Agility: 58
Charm: 15
Determination: 77
Dexterity: 60
Drinking: 22
Devotion: 20 (to the Old Ways)
Hearing: 50
Height: 5'4"

Language: 86% (3) Brittonic (Fluent), Latin (Basic), Saxon (Rudimentary)
Loyalty: 92 (to coven and outcast kin)
Luck: 3
Mental: 23
Read & Write: 92% (Brittonic runes, Latin scripts)
Senses: 45
Sight: 60
Stealth: 60

Swimming: 65
Portage: 40
Throwing: 48
Weight: 122 lbs

City Knowledge: 29 (limited, prefers villages)
Desert Knowledge: 5 (none)
Mountain Knowledge: 52 (hills, sacred sites)
Sea Knowledge: 51 (familiar with coastlines)
Woods Knowledge: 86 (knows herbs, hidden paths, spirits)

Magical/Special Fundamental Failure Rate:  5%/ 21%
First Strike Capacity: 125
Basic To Hit Number: 66
Number of Blows per Combat:  2   Per Round: 1  
Damage Bonus: +2
CMF: +10 when using spells, herbs, or improvised items

Weapons Allowed: Dagger, small blade, staff, sling
Armour Allowed: Leather or cloth robes only (prefers no armor)

Dexterity Figure: 17

Spells

• Healing - 1 pp = 2 LP
• Corn Dolly - 5 points of damage
• Woven Cross (Cross of Brigit) - Restores LP
• Pentacle - Turn Demons

Who Should Play This Game?

I would say the PDF, at just under $8, makes it worthwhile for the very, very curious. I have my boxed set, and I am happy with it, but my expectations were low, and my curiosity was really high. The PDFs are good, and Precis Intermedia did a great job cleaning them up and getting them out, so that is also a point in favor of the game.

The game itself is only worth about 2 stars.  My curiosity about it and desire to have it pushed it closer to 4 stars.  Ultimately, I will give 3 stars since I don't want to unduly affect Precis Intermedia games' overall rating.  But don't grab this unless you are really curious (which is a good reason) or want to see how not to design a game. 

There is another group that might be interested in this. Anyone who takes Herbie Brennan's ideas of reincarnation and astral projection seriously can use this game as a guide for exploring ideas in his Reincarnation Workbook. Not my thing, but some one will enjoy that aspect of it. 

Still, there is fun to be had with the right group and mindset. 

Links

• Man, Myth & Magic on RPG Geek
• Man, Myth & Magic (Classic Reprint) PDFs on DriveThruRPG
• Timeship, Herbie Brennan's other game.
• Man, Myth & Magic RPG (Classic Reprint) Published by Precis Intermedia
• PDF and Softcover store
• Character Sheet
• Roll for Sanity Unboxing video

Why D&D 5.5 (2024) Needs a New Campaign World

 I am starting this in the early Winter of 2025, but I suspect it will take me a bit to finish it. I want to set up some reasons why the newest edition of Dungeons & Dragons, called the 2024 Edition by Wizards of the Coast and the 5.5 edition by me really needs it's own new campaign world.

I have spent most of this year talking about how you can, and maybe should, try out other games besides D&D 5.5.  But I get why many would not. 

Today I want to take a different track. That D&D 5.5 (2024 edition) should have it's own game world and embrace the changes they have made.

D&D is Becoming Creatively Stagnant

Let’s face it. Wizards keeps returning to the same old wells: the Sword Coast, Ravenloft, Planescape, Greyhawk. Some of it’s great, a lot of it, even. But the nostalgia engine is starting to sputter. At what point does reverence for the past become a chokehold on the future?

Look, I get it. There is 50 years' worth of lore and backstory and things people can do in D&D that rest on what has come before. It would be foolish to think D&D would abandon all of that. That would be the same as DC saying they are rolling out a new comic line that has nothing to do with Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. 

But. The overreliance on nostalgia is becoming creatively thin, if not stagnant. I can buy into Iggwilv saying the hell with it all and running off to hide in Feywild. I get that. I can sorta see Bigby being transformed into a gnome or whatever. Hey, the world is weird and weird things happen. Though would it not be better to just make a new gnome character? I don't know.

I will say this by way of example. A while back, I had a 20-something explain to me who Kas was and his importance to Vecna's lore. Instead of being a dick and saying shit like "don't quote the deep magic to me..." I just let them be excited and share something that was obviously new and exciting for them. Maybe that is why we keep going back to the Keep, the Sword Coast, and Wild Space. 

Sure, it’s fun to reimagine Bigby or retcon Kas and Vecna’s ancient grudge. And I love that new fans are discovering these stories and making them their own; that’s part of the magic. But do we really need to keep dragging the same characters through the multiverse like Weekend at Bernie’s NPCs?

Where’s the creative risk? The bold new mythology? The chance to start over without decades of canon stacked like bricks around the game?

The Grogs who loved those settings will puff out their chests (and then cough a lot because, well, we are getting up there aren't we) and loudly proclaim they don't buy "WotC D&D." Fine. Then D&D should be made for the people who do buy it.

A new setting, unburdened by layers of TSR-era geopolitics and decades of novels, would give writers, designers, and players room to breathe.

Human-centric is No Longer the Norm

When D&D began, the assumption was largely a human-centric worldview with some elves, dwarves, and maybe some halflings thrown in. Each edition expanded the selection of species choice. This has largely been a benefit to the game since people can play what they want. But, many of these new options are not well mapped onto the worlds in use. The Forgotten Realms has made some strides to explain why there are dragonborn and tieflings and for the most part that works for me. But it is harder to see all of these folk in, say, Greyhawk. Interestingly enough, this is exactly the sort of thing I feel Mystara does well. 

D&D’s playable species have exploded since 1974. We now have playable angels, rabbitfolk, genasi, tieflings, dragonborn, and more. The world of the player is no longer a human one with some elves and dwarves in the margins. It’s a multicultural multiverse and that is a good thing.

And yet, the game keeps returning to campaign worlds built for that older paradigm.

I am playing a my first ever tiefling in Baldur's Gate 3 now. It is interesting. There are dialog choices that were not there before, most around "will I be accepted as a tiefling?" Larian Studios at least gets some of the issue with adding some new species in lands with a ton of lore that doesn't include them. But again, maybe the Forgotten Realms was just better at this than say Greyhawk.

A new setting could make this diversity the foundation, not the patch job. 

Look how Star Wars does it. Aliens everywhere and each one is more interesting than the last. In movies and TV shows, humans are cheaper to do obviously (no CGI or makeup) but RPGs should not have that limitation. 

D&D 5.5 is Brighter than Previous Editions, And Its World Should Be, Too

The tone of the game is more hopeful. You are not really murder hobos, you are heroes. The art is brighter, too. The world is more escapist fantasy where the Grim Dark is now found in the Non-fiction and Current Events sections of the library.

Characters aren’t just delvers of dungeons or looters of crypts, they’re agents of change, defenders of ideals, aspirants to legend.

You can see it in the art. It’s vibrant, inclusive, and dynamic. You can see it in the rules, as well with an emphasis on collaboration, character backstory, and narrative arcs.

But many of the older campaign settings were built on a darker foundation. Political cynicism, gritty realism, moral ambiguity. That’s great for some stories. But it’s not the dominant tone of 5.5.

I am running an AD&D 1st Ed game on Tuesday nights set in the Forgotten Realms. I mentioned that at the time of the game's writing (1987 CE) and the time I am setting it in (1357 DR) that there were not a lot of the species running around. I said I wanted to keep the spirit of the original rules for this. I compromised and allowed a "good" Drow and a Kitsune. This is what the new players want and why should anyone tell them no?

Let’s give this new era a world that fits its heart and implied vision.

A New Setting Would Be a Statement

The release of a new setting wouldn’t just be a product; it would be a signal. A declaration that this isn’t just another iteration of D&D. That D&D is evolving and ready to explore new myths, new cultures, and new stories, in new ways. Yeah, if you want, you can still go out and commit orc ethnic cleansing if that is your desire. I'll point out that you should stick to the older editions because, honestly, they do that better than the current one.

It wouldn’t negate the old settings. Greyhawk will always be there. So will Eberron and Mystara and the Realms. But just like 3e had Eberron, 4e had the Nentir Vale, and even 2e had Birthright, 5.5 deserves a world it can own. 

Something new. Something bright. A place where all these design choices of the last 15 years can come home and say "this is our world."

I’m not saying Wizards must make a new setting to make 5.5 a success. But if they want to inspire a new generation the way Greyhawk inspired Gygax’s table or the Realms inspired Ed Greenwood’s then they might consider lighting a new torch instead of holding onto the old ones.

Next time I'll talk about what this would could be.

Witchcraft Wednesdays: The Archwitch

Photo by Ferdinand Studio

 Working on a new project. It should be pretty obvious, but I will wait for the full announcement. Among some of the features of this new project is the notion of "Advanced Classes." You have already seen these kinds of classes before. They are the Bard (PHB), Thief-Acrobat, the Archdruid (UA), and the Wizards of High Sorcery from the Dragonlance Adventures book. 

Mine, however, are all occult-based. I have already been play-testing a couple of them, some for a while, but today's is brand new. Based quite honestly on a dream I had Monday night/Tuesday morning. Though, the idea of the class has been running around my head for many years now.

Presently, I have four of these Advanced Classes worked out. Three for Witches and one for Magic-users.  I am toying around with about three-four others for other Advanced-era Classes/Sub-classes. 

ARCHWITCH

Advanced Class for Witches

The Archwitch is the culmination of a witch's arcane and spiritual mastery. Unlike common witches who deepen their craft through occult rites, the Archwitch transcends the circle, walking the border between witchcraft and wizardry. She gains insight into the deepest mysteries of magic and the cosmos, weaving both witch spells and high arcana into her grimoire. Figures such as Iggwilv, The Simbul, and Sagarassi exemplify this path. While many label them as mere magic-users, their roots lie firmly in the traditions of the witch.

Only those witches who have proven themselves through trial, wisdom, and power may take on the mantle of the Archwitch. This path is rare, and most witches never reach such heights.

Requirements

To become an Archwitch, a character must:

• Be a Witch of at least 7th level.
• Have an Intelligence of 17 or higher.
• Complete a Great Working, an act of magical significance witnessed by their Patron or coven. Examples include banishing a demon lord, opening or sealing a planar gate, the construction of a powerful magic item or new spell or ritual, or binding a major spirit.
• Be acknowledged as an Archwitch by their Patron or a gathering of at least three witches of 7th level or higher.

Restrictions

The character ceases to gain new Occult Powers granted to witches at levels 7, 13, and 19. These are replaced by Archwitch abilities.

Spellcasting

The Archwitch retains her full Witch spellcasting progression.

In addition, starting at Archwitch level 7, the Archwitch may select one Magic-User spell per spell level, beginning with 5th level magic-user spells and advancing with her own level. These are treated as bonus spells known, castable once per day each, and are cast using her own spells cast per day.

At level 11, the Archwitch gains the ability to cast one 9th-level Magic-User spell per day, chosen from a written copy in her Book of Shadows or from a scroll. This simulates her mastery of the highest arcane knowledge.

Note: There will be spell advancement tables for magic-user spells 1 through 9.

Archwitch Abilities

Mastery of the Veil (gained at level 7): Once per day, the Archwitch may combine two spells of 4th level or lower into a single casting. The casting time is doubled and both material components must be used. The effects occur simultaneously but must be directed at the same target or area.

Arcane Communion (gained at level 9): Once per week, the Archwitch may enter a trance to commune directly with her Patron or a cosmic force, gaining insight similar to the Commune spell. Additionally, she becomes immune to confusion and feeblemind effects.

Unbound by Circles (gained at level 11): The Archwitch may cast a 9th-level Magic-User spell once per day, provided she has access to the spell in a written form. This spell does not count against her daily limit of learned Magic-User spells. This ability reflects her transcendence of mortal limitations and entry into the ranks of true arcane legends.

Role and Influence

The Archwitch is no longer bound to any single coven, though she may lead one. Her word carries power in the witching world. She is often sought for advice, feared by enemies, and respected by peers. Her Patron may grant visions or quests of great import. In some traditions, the appearance of an Archwitch heralds the turning of an age.

Only a handful of witches per century achieve this status. Their names are remembered in spellbooks and whispered in ritual.

Experience Progression and Saving Throws

The Archwitch continues to use the Witch's experience table, attack matrix, and saving throws.

Multi-Class and Dual-Class Use

The Archwitch path is only open to single-classed Witches. Dual-classed characters must complete all level requirements before entry. Elves and other multi-classed races may not become Archwitches unless the campaign permits exceptions.

Optional Rule – Ritual Ascension: At the DM's discretion, the transition to Archwitch may require an in-game ritual, quest, or magical confrontation. This may include astral travel, defeating a rival Archwitch, or recovering a lost grimoire.

Monstrous Monday: The Piasa Bird

 Getting back to an old favorite of mine. My AD&D 1st edition Forgotten Realms game is still going great. The characters are still on a stolen boat and will land soon. I already know what is waiting for them.

PIASA BIRD

Frequency: Very Rare
No. Appearing: 1
Armor Class: –2
Move: 9" / 24" (Flying, Class C)
Hit Dice: 11 + 6 (55 hp average)
% in Lair: 50%
Treasure Type: Nil
No. of Attacks: 5 (claw/claw/horn/bite/tail)
Damage/Attack: 1–4 / 1–4 / 1–6 / 2–8 / 1–6
Special Attacks: Shriek (fear)
Special Defenses: Nil
Magic Resistance: Standard
Intelligence: Low (5–7)
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Size: H (20' long, wingspan 40')
Psionic Ability: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil
XP Value: 3,200

DESCRIPTION

The Piasa Bird is a terrible predator, said to haunt river cliffs and lonely forested bluffs. It combines the scaled body of a giant fish or serpent with the wings of a bat, antlers like a stag, claws like a dragon, and a monstrous human-like face complete with beard and gore-slick teeth. Most sages believe it to be unique, a living myth given form either by ancient curse or dark magic.

Legends trace its origin to a painted bluff near the Mississippi River, where the Illini people spoke of "the Bird That Devours Men." It is feared for its physical strength and its unearthly scream, which has driven entire camps mad with terror. It hunts mainly for pleasure and meat, especially favoring children and young adults.

COMBAT

The Piasa swoops upon its prey from above, initiating combat with its terrifying shriek. This is followed by a flurry of physical attacks: claws, horns, bite, and lashing tail. It can engage multiple foes at once, often striking with claws and bite against one target while sweeping others away with its tail or gore.

Shriek (Fear Effect): Once per day, the Piasa may emit a horrifying shriek. All creatures within 30 feet of the creature and of 5 Hit Dice or fewer must save vs. Spells or flee in panic for 1d4+2 rounds. Those above 5 HD must save or suffer –2 to hit rolls for the same duration due to overwhelming dread.

Only one Piasa Bird is known to exist, though superstitious accounts claim it disappears and reappears across generations. It lairs in a high cliffside cavern overlooking riverlands. It has no use for treasure, discarding anything it cannot eat. Its hunting cycle includes long periods of dormancy.

The Piasa feeds exclusively on fresh meat. It is a solitary apex predator. Due to its grotesque appearance and violent habits, it is considered a dire omen and subject of local legend. Some arcane scholars believe it to be a cursed spirit or manifestation of fear or ancient blood magic. Capturing one alive would be nearly impossible, but if somehow achieved, its display would command a king’s ransom.

Its shriek functions similarly to a fear spell but has a sonic origin.

Due to its chaotic nature, it may sometimes slaughter creatures without feeding, simply to instill dread.

--

I debated on whether to make him Chaotic Evil or not. I went with it since he his described as an evil monster and eater of humans, especially children. Plus tales of the Piasa used to scare the crap out of me as a little kid.

Kickstart Your Weekend: Old-School Gaming!

 Yeah, I said I wasn't going to do many more of these, but here we are. Though this week has some real treats and none of them really need my help.

Wandering Blades

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/tonyatplusoneexp/wandering-blades?ref=theotherside

Daniel Kwan , of the Asians Represent! podcast and many RPG books, is doing something I have been wanting him to do for a while now: make a Wuxia action RPG. This one also combines that with Japanese Animation action, so yeah, I am looking forward to it. 

Just three weeks left on this one and I am looking forward to seeing it hit more stretch goals.

The Necromancer's Game: A Complete Boxed Set

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/necromancergames/the-necromancers-game?ref=theotherside

I certainly don't *need* this game, but I rather like the looks of it. I am sure it will be fun.

Heroes of Might and Magic TTRPG

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/lmpublishing/heroes-of-might-and-magic-ttrpg?ref=theotherside

From Mōdiphiüs and based on Heroes of Might and Magic video games. This one should also be fun. And they have a native Witch class, so you know that has my attention!

OSRIC 3

https://www.backerkit.com/c/projects/mythmere-games/osric-3?ref=theotherside

Ah. The big one. This game caused quite a stir on the old Open Gaming Foundation lists back in the day. It would go on to be one of the biggest names in the OSR scene.

All three aim to give you a similar experience. All three are currently killing it in their respective crowdfunding campaigns. 

I am sure there is something here for you all. 

The Witches of Appendix N: J. R. R. Tolkien

This one is partly a "Witchcraft Wednesday" post and partly "In Search Of..." and a whole lot its own thing.

For the last couple of years, I have been rereading all almost all the books listed in Gary Gygax's Appendix N. 

In case you don't have your DMG handy, here is the list.

Anderson, Poul. Three Hearts and Three Lions; The High Crusade; The Broken Sword
Bellairs, John. The Face in the Frost
Brackett, Leigh.
Brown, Fredric.
Burroughs, Edgar Rice, Pellucidar series; Mars series; Venus series
Carter, Lin. "World's End" series
de Camp, L. Sprague. Lest Darkness Fall; Fallible Fiend; et al.
de Camp & Pratt. "Harold Shea" series; Carnelian Cube
Derleth, August.
Dunsany, Lord.
Farmer, P. J. "The World of the Tiers" series; et al.
Fox, Gardner. "Kothar" series; "Kyrik" series; et al.
Howard, R. E. "Conan" series
Lanier, Sterling. Hiero’s Journey
Leiber, Fritz. "Fafhrd & Gray Mouser" series; et al.
Lovecraft, H. P.
Merritt, A. Creep, Shadow, Creep; Moon Pool; Dwellers in the Mirage; et al.
Moorcock, Michael. Stormbringer; Stealer of Souls; "Hawkmoon" series (esp. the first three books)
Norton, Andre.
Offutt, Andrew J., editor. Swords Against Darkness III.
Pratt, Fletcher. Blue Star; et al.
St. Clair, Margaret. The Shadow People; Sign of the Labrys
Tolkien, J. R. R. The Hobbit; "Ring Trilogy"
Vance, Jack. The Eyes of the Overworld; The Dying Earth; et al.
Weinbaum, Stanley.
Wellman, Manly Wade.
Williamson, Jack.
Zelazny, Roger. Jack of Shadows; "Amber" series; et al.

This is not the first time I have talked about this list, but this series is likely going to be the most in-depth.

I talked about "Reading Appendix N" and what books I have added to it. My own "Appendix O" of occult and other supernatural-type books that have influenced my own games. I have that page linked under the banner for this blog. And last year, I mentioned I was getting started on this project.

With this new feature I want to go back to these books and talk about the witches who have appeared in them.  I am not going to talk about every book. I am not going to talk about every witch, even. Just the ones that spoke to me. 

There are many ways to do this, but I'll just jump in and go with the ones I remember the best and work around that.

Tolkien, J. R. R. 

Let's start with the heaviest hitter on the list. I should not have to explain the level of influence Tolkien had on D&D to anyone reading here. So let go past that and on to the topic at hand.

Where are Tolkien's witches?

Well, they are there, if you don't mind squinting a little. 

The Necromancer. This guy shows up in The Hobbit and is the reason the Dwarves have to go through Mirkwood instead of around it. Now we know that this guy was later retconned to be Sauron in The Lord of the Rings Lore. But for a moment, for me, before reading The Lord of the Rings, I had *ideas* about who or what The Necromancer was. So much so that "the Necromancer" has become a consistent villain in many of my games, D&D and others. 

But he is not really a witch is he? Reading The Silmarillion, Sauron certainly has aspects of a witch or a necromancer, including the ability to turn into a large vampire bat. 

Witch-king of Angmar. Now this guy has "witch" in his name. He is introduced in the Lord of the Rings and he is the captain of the Nazgûl. We is set up to be the counterparts to Gandalf in many respects (but not "overmatched") and Aragorn, but he is not a Wizard. Are there differences between Wizards (immortal) and Witches (mortal)? Maybe. He could be called "witch" because of the parallels with his fate and what Shakespeare writes in Hamlet; "No Man may slay me." "Not of Woman born." 

He is interesting, for certain. But is he a witch? Reading some of Tolkien's letters it would also seem that the Witch King was associated with necromancy.

Galadriel. Sometimes referred to as a "witch" of the Elven woods, Galadriel is not exactly a witch, but she isn't not not exactly one either. What do we know about her that is witch-like? She has magic. She has her pool where she can see things beyond time and space. She acts as a guide to Frodo, a role similar to that of Circe or Calypso. She is one of the wise. Or even one of Wise. If you can catch my meaning of the difference there. She gave out magical gifts as well. The Phial of Galadriel, the dirt she gave to Sam, the "cloaks of elvenkind," and even her hair had magic. Just ask Fëanor.

In Peter Jackson's movies, ok not a perfect source, but bear with me, her witch-like qualities are even more pronounced. 

Is she a witch? Not really...her powers are due to being a really old, really powerful elf. Though we don't see anyone else doing this.

Melian and Lúthien. On the topic of elves, I have to mention Lúthien (elf) and her mother Melian (Maia). Melian was a Maia, so the same as Gandalf, Saruman, and Radagast. Pretty much every power she has screams "witch." She could cast enchantments, magic "circles" of protection ("Girdle of Melian"), and while she was of the Light, she loved the Shadows. 

Lúthien Tinúviel was by every account a complete bas ass. I mean she was not out there defeating armies or slaying ancient evils. But she was powerful. When Morgoth had stolen the Silmaril her lover Beren (a human man) went to go get them to prove his love. He got captured. Not taking this lying down, Lúthien rides Huan, the Hound of Valinor. Confronts Sauron while he is in the form a great vampire bat, breaks into Morgoth's stronghold, sings everyone to sleep, saves Beren and gets a Silmaril from his iron cown. She later dies, comes back to life, and then goes off to the West.

She might not explicitly be a witch, but I think she should get honorable mention.

Hobbits. Wait, what? Ok, hear me out on this one. How does Tolkien describe hobbits?

Hobbits are an unobtrusive but very ancient people, more numerous formerly than they are today; for they love peace and quiet and good tilled earth: a well-ordered and well-farmed countryside was their favourite haunt. They do not and did not understand or like machines more complicated than a forge-bellows, a water-mill, or a hand-loom, though they were skilful with tools. Even in ancient days they were, as a rule, shy of ‘the Big Folk’, as they call us, and now they avoid us with dismay and are becoming hard to find.

- Concerning Hobbits, The Hobbit

Sounds rather Pagan to me, and their magic sounds very much like Hedge Witchcraft. Hobbits are supposed to be the "everyman," the sensible Englishman/Englishwoman, the everyday folk. The same people were talked about by Gerald Gardner when he was creating Wicca. I am NOT trying to draw a connection between Tolkien and Gardner. Tolkien was one of the greatest authors ever to draw from his Christian upbringing, and you can find evidence of it in all his works. But their heroes are the same people.  In my games, halflings are completely pagan in their lifestyle and practices. I even say in my The Witch that every halfling village has a witch, and she is seen as a source of wisdom. 

I am currently reading "The Fall of Gondolin," which was one of the reasons I picked Tolkien for today. It is interesting on how much closer to Old English faerie lore Tolkien's work started out as. The Noldor were originally gnomes, and their name comes from gnomes and gnōsis. Though he later abandoned this idea. This also happened with his idea of "Fairy." Though there is still a reference to that in The Hobbit with one of Bilbo's ancestors described as a fairy, and the rather frivolous elves in Rivendell.  

Letters and Other Details

We know from Tolkien's letters that he envisioned two types of magic in Middle-earth, using the Greek words μαγεία (mageia "ordinary magic") and γοητεία (goeteia, "witchcraft"). While there are some good-evil connotations, Tolkien points out that Elves use "witchcraft." Hmm. Maybe Galadriel is a witch.

I think one thing is overly clear and that is magic has a price. Abusing it leads to evil and corruption.  It would have been interesting to see this difference in magic played out a little more in his works, I think.

There are more examples, but these are good enough for me for now. 

While I could dive more into his letters, other books and even other RPGs about Middle Earth, I think a rule I should establish for myself is to limit these posts just to the books mentioned. With the occasional step outside. For example I can't imagine talking about Fritz Leiber and not mentioning "The Conjure Wife."

Maybe Leiber will be my next post.

Witchcraft Wednesday: The Ecneics Wand

 I am sure if you have spent any time on the internet, you have seen a meme that has had you scratching your head in utter confusion. This is one of those times. 

Now, to be fair. This looks like someone was having a bit of a laugh. "Satin," "Syantasts," yeah you should read this and naturally think that no one is going to believe that.

Well. You would be wrong.

I have seen people sharing this unironically and even posting stuff like "I have read about ecneics..." or my favorite "I have done my research into ecneics..." The fuck you have.

So if they can have their laugh, so can I.

The Ecneics Wand

Wondrous Item

In the hands of a Left-Hand Path, Mara, or a Pagan witch, this wand can be used to focus their spell casting, granting a +2 penalty to saving throws against that witch's spells. If the target of the spell is a Lawful (good) Cleric, then the penalty is +3.

Additionally, any magic circles created by the Ecneics Wand also grants an appropriate ± 2 or ± 10% bonus where appropriate to the witch or ±2/10% penalty to anyone needing to save vs spells due to the witch's magic. This is particularly helpful when used to summon demons, devils or other spirits.

There is a Greater Ecneics Wand that in addition to above powers can also summon a Lithobolia once per day. 

Witch Finders can recognize the Ecneics Wand on sight and will act accordingly.

 

Mail Call: Nightshift Board Game

 A while back, there were three games called Night Shift. There was ours, NIGHT SHIFT Veterans of the Supernatural Wars. Another RPG, which became Nightbound when they discovered our trademarked name. And another, a board game about exotic dancers.  I already had Nightbound, and last week Nightshift came in the mail.

The box and contents are great. High-quality material with a really sturdy game board. Rules are fun and easy to learn. Exotic Cancer also lets you have the rules for free.  There is even a "How to Play" video.

The game pieces are your characters in the game. Each has their own personality, advantages, and goals.  You can meet them all here: Ruby, Topaz, Emerald, Sapphire, and Amethyst.

The minis are a bit taller than your average D&D mini. Reminds me of that couch meme. Just don't spill my coffee, ladies.

I can't help but think this would be a perfect representation of my own Mayfair's Gentlemen's Club from our NIGHT SHIFT.

It would work more or less exactly the same way. Only my version the dancers are all demons, vampires, and fae creatures. Amethyst is certainly a vampire. Topaz is fae. Sapphire is some sort of daimon or spirit of gnosis. Emerald is a demon. And Ruby? Ruby is human. The fact she can hold her own may make her the most mysterious of all!

But the game is great and the creator, Exotic Cancer, knows her stuff. This is another example of Kickstarter working out fantastically. 

Yes. There will be a Plays Well With Others post for all the Night Shifts! Maybe I can grab Exotic Cancer's Tarot set for it. 

You can find this game and the designer here:

• Night Shift Game
• Exotic Cancer site
• Instagram
• Patreon
• Twitter/X

Monstrous Mondays: Chupacabras

 Today is Cino de Mayo! Which is ... well, nothing really. It is a made-up holiday (ok, all holidays are made up). It is not Mexican Independence Day; that is September 16th. Celebrates the Mexican victory over the 2nd French Empire at the Battle of Puebla in 1862 (see below). Also around here in Chicagoland it is a great excuse for some Mexican food (and we have some great choices here) and have people drive around with Mexican flags on their cars and trucks. It's a lot of fun really. 

It is also a good day to feature one of my favorite Latin American Cryptids, the Chupacabras or Chupacabra. 

Chupacabra

Small Beast, Very Rare

Armor Class: 8 [11]
Hit Dice: 3d8 (16 )
Move:  90’ (30’)
  fly*: 120’ (40’)
Attacks: 2 claws, 1 bite + drain
Damage: 1d4 x2, 1d3
Special: Blood drain, darkvision, enhanced senses (smell)
To Hit AC 0: 16
No. Appearing: 1d2 (1d6)
Save As: Monster 3?
Morale: 6 (8)
Treasure Type: None
Alignment: Neutral (True Neutral)
XP Value: 75

Languages: None

S: 11 I: 10 W: 10 D: 15 C: 15 Ch: 8 

Chupacabras are small reptilian creatures with large yellow eyes, long claws, and long teeth.  They remind one of a large, upright lizard about the size and weight of a gnome.  They have spines running down the length of their back.  Some chupacabras have wings and are capable of flight.

Chupacabras are nocturnal creatures found on the fringes of society where they feed on the blood of livestock, typically goats and sheep.  They are not above attacking large prey and will even attack a humanoid if they can get the surprise.  Their attacks are often thought at first to be wolves or wild dogs until it is discovered that all victims have been drained of blood.  Then, usually, vampires are blamed.

If the chupacabra makes two successful claw attacks and a bite attack, it is attached to its victim and begins to drain blood at the rate of 1d3 Constitution points per round, starting on the round it is attached.  The victim will need to make a strength check (roll under their strength score) to free themselves.  If the chupacabra takes more than 10 points of damage in a round, it will let go.  If the victim is drained to 0 Constitution, they will die.  Constitution can be regained at a rate of 1 point per week of complete bed rest or via a Clerical Restoration spell.

Chupacabras take no treasure and have no interest in weapons or magic.  A nest of chupacabras will have two adults, 2 juveniles and 1d6 unhatched eggs.  Unhatched chupacabra eggs will sell for 100 gp each or up to 500 gp in some areas (100 gp + 1d8 x50gp).

--

Given the successes (so far!) of my recent Myths & Monsters Vol. 3 - Lilith & Lilim (1st Ed) and Monstrous Maleficarum #4 - Lilith & the Lilim (5th Ed) I am thinking a volume on cryptids might work out well.

Fantasy Fridays: The Dark Eye

I am concluding Walpurgis Week with the perfect game for both Walpurgis Week and Fantasy Fridays, Germany's own The Dark Eye.

I have known about this game for a while, both The Dark Eye and the original German Das Schwarze Auge. I always wanted to own the original German, having taken German in both high school and college, but not using a language for, well, longer than I care to admit, you lose it. Das tut mir leid.

The Dark Eye always attracted me as a sort of darker fantasy RPG.  A game where Mirkwood is replaced by the Black Forest.  

I picked the 2nd Printing of the English edition at my local game auction.  I grabbed the core rules and a bunch of add-ons that I suspect came from Kickstarter. There is a lot, and it all looks so good. There is even a basic QuickStart.

The Dark Eye - Core Rules

Hardcover & PDF. 414 pages. Full-color cover and interior art (and all of it is gorgeous).

For the purposes of this review, I am considering both my hardcover version and the PDF from DriveThruRPG.

There is so much about this book and game that I love. Before I go into my deep dive I want to say that this game is wonderfully crunchy; this is not a rules-light game. BUT, and I can't stress this enough, it works so well here.  This easily could have come across as an artifact of the mid-80s with some early 2000s notions added on, but it doesn't. It actually all holds together rather well. I can well imagine that this is what D&D would have been like if instead of the wilds of Wisconsin it grew up in the wilds of Germany.  In both cases, the beer and brats would have been good. The adventuring world, Aventuria (and I will be discussing that more), is a dark place but the characters seem lighter for it. It is a nice antidote for the "Grimdark" worlds where the characters are equally grim. 

Chapter 1: Introduction 

This chapter gives us the basics of the game including what an RPGs are. We also get some background on the adventuring land of Aventuria including the lands of Middenrealm and surrounding lands. There is a nice map too. We get a brief on all the gods and demigods and even the five major dragons of the world. 

Chapter 2: Basic Rules

Covers what it says, basic rules. The game mostly uses d6s and d20s. There are eight attributes; Courage (Cou), Sagacity (Sag), Intuition (Int), Charisma (Cha), Dexterity (Dex), Agility (Agl), Constitution (Con), and Strength (Con). Remember I said it was wonderfully crunchy. Attribute checks are rolled on a 1d20, rolling under their score. Pretty easy. There are modifiers to these rolls, as expected. A roll of "1" is a success, and "20" is a botch.  If a modifier ever brings an attribute below "1" then it can't be attempted. This chapter also covers the basics of Skill checks and combat. 

There are also various Conditions, like confusion, pain, paralysis and so on that also modify various rolls and even combat and movement. 

I think this great to have all of this up front since it helps with the Character Creation section next.

Chapter 3: Hero Creation

This chapter details character creation. There are 15 steps outlined. Sounds like a lot, but character creation is quite detailed. It is a 4-page character sheet after all. There are many human cultures that provide some roleplaying differences and some mechanical ones. Additionally, there are Elven and Dwarven cultures too. By Step 5 we are getting to allocating points to our Attributes. Going pretty fast so far. This is a point-buy system and like many modern RPGs you can set caps on attributes and the total number of points.  You can choose a Profession (detailed in Chapter 6), as well as choosing Advantages and Disadvantages. You can then modify abilities, calculate combat techniques, choose any special abilities, calculate your derived characteristics, buy equipment, choose your starting age and name. 

There are some sample characters given and some details of how they were made. With all these cultures, professions, advantages, and disadvantages you can make a wide variety of characters. 

I created one for a Character Creation Challenge. The process was long but really fun. I was reminded of both factors while working on Larina below.

Make no mistake here. Character creation takes a long time. There is a lot going on here. While there are no classes, even with the aid of professions character creation will take up a good part of Session 0. 

Chapter 4: Races

This gets into detail on the races available to us. In addition to the Humans, Elves, and Dwarves we have met there are also Half-Elves (who use elf or human culture). They seem to conform to pretty much what you would expect them to. The attraction of this game though is again, the deep lore and connection to the setting. These are not Tolkien elves and dwarves, nor are they Forgotten Realms, Skyrim, or Pathfinder ones. They are, on the surface, familiar and also very much their own thing.

Chapter 5: Cultures

Cultures are the more important aspect of your character's background. So there is more on culture than on race. The cultures are highly detailed and have some Earth analogues, but not exact copies which is nice. There is a good overview on Wikipedia.

Chapter 6: Professions

These are the "not classes" of The Dark Eye. And there are a lot of them here. They are divided into three types: Mundane, Magical, and Blessed.

Mundanes include Bard, Courtier, Gladiator, Guard, Healer, Hunter, Knight, Mercenary, Merchant, Performer, Rogue, Sailor, Spy, Tribal Warrior, and Warrior. 

Magical professions are: Spellweaver, Wyldrunner, Cat Witch, Raven Witch, Toad Witch (three witches!), Black Mage, Gray Mage, Guildless Mage, and White Mage.

Blessed professions are your cleric and religious types. They are: Blessed One of Boron, Blessed One of Hesinde, Blessed One of Peraine, Blessed One of Phex, Blessed One of Praios, and Blessed One of Rondra. Or, the various gods of the land, but not all of them.

Chapter 7: Advantages and Disadvantages

This covers the same lists found in character creation, but much more detail.

I am a huge fan of Advantages and Disadvantages. We used them all the time in Unisystem and became a great mechanic. I would love to see them ported over to D&D in someway.  But I guess modern D&D has feats, so there is that. These are great here and hit all the ones I expect to see.

Chapter 8: Skills and Chapter 9: Combat

Both chapters deal with how to run skills, non-combat, and combat, respectively.  Chapter 8, like Chapter 7, provides more detail than what was presented in Character Creation, Chapter 3.

Chapter 10: Magic

My favorite part of any fantasy RPG is Magic. This one is no exception. In the Dark Eye we have two basic methods of controlling arcane power, Spellcasting and Rituals. 

Now various spell-casting checks rely on different combinations of attributes, so no one mage is going to be great at everything unless all their attribute are high. Point-buy mostly assures this won't happen. Magic is a highly detailed affair, as to be expected. So one magic-using class is certainly not like the other. 

There are rules for traditions, artifacts, illusions. Just tons of details here. It is certainly one of the most robust magic systems I have seen in a while. Even elves have a complete different set of magics. 

And of course, there are spell listings. 

Chapter 11: Works of the Gods

This is similar to the Magic chapter, but for the Blessed Ones.  The magic here has different mechanics as to be expected really. While the "Spells" are largely similar format (for ease of reading) they feel very different.

Chapter 12: Detailed Rules

Covers all sorts of other rules. Healing, disease, poisons, heat and cold, and gaining experience. Also how Arcane Energy and Karma are replenished. 

Chapter 13: Bestiary

My next favorite chapter after Magic is usually this one, and it's great. We get all sorts of demons, elementals, animals, and familiars listed here. There is obviously room for much more. The monsters are built like characters, so they have similar stat blocks.

Chapter 14: Equipment

All the gear your characters will need.

Chapter 15: Game Tips

Both tips for the Players and the GMs. Kudos to them showing apples as the game snack.

Appendix

This includes a checklist for optional rules (with page numbers), common abbreviations, and tables.

There is just SO MUCH with this game.

I am overjoyed AND overwhelmed with all the options.  I can easily see why this game is so popular here and in Germany.  It is a game I would love to do more with. There is just so much material to be had, both to buy and for free. There is even a Community Content section for fan-produced works.

I could spend another year with it and still be finding something new. My only regret is not having anyone I can play this one with.  Well. I suppose I will mine it for ideas.

Larina Nix for the Dark Eye

A fantasy RPG with a dedicated witch class? Of course, I am going to try to build Larina here. I am opting to go with an older and more powerful version of her here with the Legendary experience level. It gives me a good idea of what progression is like in this game. 

Larina Nix
Female Human Middenrealmer Cat Witch

COU 14
SGC 15
INT 16
CHA 18
DEX 10
AGI 12
CON 13
STR 9

Life Points 34
Arcane Energy 45
Karma -
Spirit 2
Toughness 1
Dodge 6
Initiative 13+1d6

Fate Points 3
Social Standing 2 (Free)

Experience Level: Legendary (2,100 AP)

Advantages
Spellcaster, Good Looks (II), Increased Arcane Energy (VII), Increased Life Points (III), Socially Adaptable, Rich (VI)

Disadvantages
Bad Habit (Bites Nails), Annoyed by Minor Spirits, Afraid of Fire (I), Negative Trait (Obsessed with Magic)

Special Abilities
Tradition (Witch), Language & Literacy, Flying Balm, Connection to Familiar, Forbidden Portals

Languages
Cyclopean, Alaani, Alaani Script, Middenrealmer (native)

Skills
Physical: Body Control 4, Climbing 4, Dancing 12, Flying 12, Perception 12, Singing 14, Stealth
Social: Disguise 3, Empathy 12, Etiquette 5, Fast-Talk 4, Intimidate 6, Seduction 14
Nature: Animal Lore 6, Plant Lore 12, Survival 4
Knowledge: Astronomy 15, Magical Lore 20, Math 14, Myths & Legends 12, Religions 12
Craft: Alchemy 12, Artistic Ability 12, Clothworking 1, Metalworking 1, Music 12, Prepare Food 6, Treat Disease 6, Treat Soul 6, Treat Wounds 6, Woodworking 1

Not Larina, but really close. p 345

Combat Techniques
Brawling 7, Daggers 7 (melee) 6 (ranged)

Familiar
"Wattebausch" (Cat)
SA: First Among Equals

Spells
Cat Eyes 6
Harmless Shape 5
Fighting Stick 4
Odem 4
Gaze into the Mind 6
Satvarian's Splendor 5
Witch's Bile 4
Witch's Claws 4
Analyze Arcane 6
Corpofesso 4
Motoricus 4
Transversalis 6

Rituals
Call Djinn

Cantrips
Lucky Fingers
Rainbow Eyes

Age: 37
Birthday: Travia 25
Social Status: Free
Hair: Red
Eyes: Blue
Height: 5'4"

I like this version quite a lot. For role-playing ideas, I based this one largely on the version of her I ran over last summer in Blue Rose. 

Character creation is best done with the people you are going to game with. Not because the characters are mechanically tied to each other, but rather it is all too easy to make a character that is great at one thing and terrible at all others. Larina here is a great magic character and a very good (maybe even great) social character. When it comes to combat, though, she is rather terrible. She is going to have to rely on her charms to get through. But that is fine really, The Dark Eye is not a combat-focused game. Oh, you can, no doubt, but there is so much more here. 

I spent about 500 AP on skills alone and about that on Spells and Rituals. I have a handful left, but I rounded down to keep my math in check. I didn't buy any equipment or weapons other than a dagger and a broom. 

Who Should Play This Game?

This game may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it is perfect for some groups. 

For me, I love it. The game is amazing, really, and it looks great. Production-wise, it can go toe-to-toe with D&D 5e. It is deep, gorgeous, and there is history here. I am so disappointed that more people don't play it, and I am more disappointed that *I* don't get to play it more.

So, who should play this game? Everyone. Everyone should try this game. Under the caveat that you should try it with a Game Master who knows the game well and can help speed you along some of the crunchier bits.

Could this Game Replace D&D?

That depends. It has everything to play the same sorts of games that people playing D&D want. In fact while going through it all I can't help but think that Strixhaven would fare better under the rules for The Dark Eye. I have also already taken the adventure Witch's Dance and ported it over to D&D/OSR. While power levels are different, with characters in The Dark Eye scaled down from their D&D counterparts.

In it's home country of Germany, Das Schwarze Auge has already replaced D&D for many and is the "generic" for Fantasy RPGs, much like saying D&D is here. 

The setting is deep and rich. The art is gorgeous. The customization options for characters is outstanding. The only thing holding it back is how crunchy it is. Figuring out skills was like dealing with AD&D 1st Ed proficiency bonuses. Yes, it got a lot easier as you went on. Same with spells. But that initial learning curve will be more than many will want to do. 

In any case, it is still an excellent game. I wish it got more love here in the States.

Links

• Ulisses Spiele
• The Dark Eye (English)
• Das Schwarze Auge (German)
• DriveThruRPG site
• My Links
• Review: The Dark Eye
• Review: The Dark Eye - Witch's Dance (100 Days of Halloween)
• Character Creation Challenge: The Dark Eye
• Wikipedia
• Wiki Aventurica