October Horror Movie Challenge: Spellbinder (1988)

 This one has been on my list for a bit. At least since I saw it in the video store in Carbondale. As it turns out, that video store is now Castle Perilous Games.  My wife says I have seen this, but I sure I hadn't; I am not really a fan of Kelly Preston. But today is a good day for witch movies. Starting this one early today because I don't want to clean up my garden.

Spellbinder (1988)

Jeff Mills (Tim Daly of Wings and Superman: The Animated Series) is a Los Angeles lawyer who saves Miranda Reed (Kelly Preston) from being beaten up by her sketchy Central Casting creep boyfriend Aldys (Anthony Crivello ). Jeff takes Miranda back to his place, where she gets naked, but they don't have sex (at least on screen) but she heals his injured back which seems to drain her and she falls asleep. Magic can be draining.

Jeff leaves her at his place (sleeping) but he sees Aldys in his dreams trying to kill him. He gets home that evening and she is still there AND cleaned his house by canglelight, just wearing one of his shirts. Had to check, yeah written by a guy. Surprised she didn't have a steak and martini ready for him. Though they do drink champagne in a bubble bath. Oh, and dinner was ready.

An aside...I still don't think Kelly Preston can act. She is great looking here, but I have never been impressed with her at all.

Soon, Jeff and Miranda settle into a domestic life, but are being followed by Temu Billy Squire and "We Have Billy Drago At Home."  Things start to fall apart when Miranda's coven starts hunting down wayward members, Jeff's secretary starts to suspect Miranda, and oh yeah, she becomes a suspect in a series of Satanic murders. Things start to pick up when Mrs. White (Audra Lindley aka Helen Roper) shows up to threaten Jeff. 

Mirianda leaves, and Jeff starts looking for her. He goes to the police and we get treated to Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa as Lieutenant Lee. 

Miranda has been missing for a bit now, and Jeff is still looking for her. One night he gets a call from her at his office. Mirianda is there, but the coven follows them back to Jeff's place. We learn that the coven needs to sacrifice someone on the Winter Solstice, and Miranada thinks it is going to be her.

Jeff takes Miranada to one of his clients, Brock, who is a paranoid conspiracy theorist. Mrs. White turns out to be Miranada's mother, which is a shock to absolutely no one except for Jeff.  

Miranada disappears again, even Brock's Fortress of Paranoia can't protect her.

The movie really drags at the end. Turns out everyone but Jeff is in the cult, and Miranada wasn't a victim; she was bait to get Jeff, who is the real sacrifice.  They kill him and cut out his heart.

Later on, Grace dies mysteriously, and we see Miranda acting out the same scene from the beginning of the movie on her next victim.

It had some potential, but it got bogged down. 

In the end, only Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa's Lieutenant Lee is the only decent character here. 

This really didn't change my opinion of Kelly Preston.

Occult D&D and NIGHT SHIFT

 The movie, despite its flaws, has some good ideas. A witch moving in with a PC suddenly is a great plot point. Whether the witch turns out good or evil, they will undoubtedly be trouble of some sort. 

When I was talking about the WitchCraftRPG yesterday, I was considering some Conspiracy X material as well. This movie kinda gives us some crossover. This sort of thing is a lot easier in NIGHT SHIFT.

A possible adventure idea would be to follow along with Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa's Lieutenant Lee investigating these Satanic murders. Getting closer and closer to the coven. Knowing the 1980s he would also have a background in some mystical martial art. Cliché? Yeah, but that's the 80s for you.

October Horror Movie Challenge 2025
Viewed: 28
First Time Views: 25

October Horror Movie Challenge: Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983)

Some films feel like autumn. Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983) is one of them. Based on Ray Bradbury’s 1962 novel, it’s a dark fantasy about small towns, childhood fears, and the seductive power of regret. It’s also one of those rare movies that slipped through the cracks, too eerie for kids, too sentimental for adults, but it lingers like a memory you’re not sure you actually lived.

I have been wanting to rewatch this one for some time, and it just released on Disney+ a couple of weeks ago. I waited till tonight, October 24th, the same date as in the movie. 

Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983)

The story takes place in Green City, Illinois—a place that could easily be Greenville down in South Central Illinois or Waukegan up north (Bradbury’s real hometown and the city’s likely inspiration). Either way, we’ll just have to pretend those rolling hills in the background somehow belong to our flat Midwest. It’s the kind of town where boys dream of adventure, but evil is only a whistle away.

The plot is simple: two boys, Jim and Will, encounter a mysterious carnival that rolls into town led by the sinister Mr. Dark, played with slithering charisma by Jonathan Pryce. The carnival promises to fulfill your deepest wishes, but the cost is your soul. Only Will’s father, the aging librarian Charles Halloway (Jason Robards, who brings real gravitas), stands between the town and damnation.

Jason Robards gives one of his most heartfelt performances as Charles Halloway, Will’s father. He’s not the traditional hero, but rather a weary, aging librarian haunted by the fear that his best years are behind him. Robards brings such quiet dignity and warmth to the role that his final act of bravery, facing down darkness for the sake of his son, feels mythic. It’s the kind of understated performance that sneaks up on you and stays long after the credits.

Jonathan Pryce is pure, liquid menace as Mr. Dark. His every word drips with charm and threat. Pryce’s Mr. Dark isn’t a cackling villain; he’s temptation incarnate, seductive, eloquent, and terrifying in his control. You can see shades of this performance echoing years later ("The High Sparrow" in Game of Thrones for example) in Pryce’s roles as smooth politicians and sly schemers. Honestly when I first watched it I thought he was the Devil.

And then there’s Pam Grier as the Dust Witch, silent and otherworldly, gliding through the film like an angel of death wrapped in silk. She’s mesmerizing, equal parts terrifying and hypnotic, and though she doesn’t have much dialogue, her presence fills every scene she’s in. Grier was already a legend of 1970s cinema by this point, and here she’s used like an icon of dark glamour, a visual embodiment of the carnival’s deadly allure. I had had a crush on her since "Scream Blacula Scream."

This movie was made during Disney’s early ’80s experimental phase, when they were testing darker, more adult material, films like The Watcher in the Woods (1980), Dragonslayer (1981), and Something Wicked This Way Comes fit into that uneasy space between family film and nightmare. You can see echoes of Escape to Witch Mountain (1975) in the tone and pacing, and some of the set pieces (especially the swirling leaves and looming carnival tents) wouldn’t look out of place in Poltergeist (1982).

It’s fascinating to look back now and see how much later media borrowed from this movie, even if unconsciously. Scenes of the train or of boys sneaking through libraries and hidden halls that feels like a dry run for Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001). The imagery of flickering candles, books, and autumnal magic feels like the DNA of half a generation’s fantasy storytelling.

But for all its atmosphere, Something Wicked had a troubled birth. Bradbury himself wrote the screenplay, and his collaboration with director Jack Clayton (The Innocents) was fraught. Disney re-edited the film heavily after test screenings, reshot major portions, and replaced much of James Horner’s original score. The result is a movie that feels like a beautiful half-remembered dream, gorgeous in places, uneven in others. It was a box-office disappointment, which is a shame, because few films capture the haunting melancholy of childhood quite like this one.

Now, thanks to Disney+, Something Wicked This Way Comes is finally easy to revisit. Watching it again in high quality, without having to dig through old VHS copies, it’s clear that it deserves rediscovery. It’s a movie about innocence lost, time running out, and the magic of a small-town October night when anything might happen, and maybe it already did.

I remember seeing this one when it was new in the theatres. At the time, I was not much different than the boys on screen, a little older, though, but in a similar town in Illinois. I remember that desire for adventure. 

This movie was also an early adopter of CGI graphics. They are primative by today's standards, but still effective. That carnival ride at the end of the movie is still creepy.

Occult D&D and NIGHT SHIFT

If you’re running Ravenloft, this film is practically a template for dark carnival adventures. The tone of Something Wicked This Way Comes lives somewhere between Carnival (the 1999 Ravenloft supplement) and The Wild Beyond the Witchlight (for 5e). Both draw on the same idea—a traveling show that promises wonder but delivers damnation.

• Mr. Dark: Think of him as a charismatic Domain Lord, feeding on temptation and broken dreams. His carnival is his demiplane.
  

• The Carnival: Perfect for one of those “it appears overnight” settings. The rides and attractions offer small, personal wishes, each one just twisted enough to trap the victim in the carnival forever.

• Theme: At its heart, this is about choice, the same core idea that makes Ravenloft tick. Every character is offered a deal, and what they do with it defines their fate.

You could easily run a one-shot or full mini-campaign inspired by this film: a cursed carnival passing through a sleepy town, two children discovering its secret, and one old hero standing up to darkness one last time. 

October Horror Movie Challenge 2025
Viewed: 27
First Time Views: 24

October Horror Movie Challenge: Queen of Bones (2023)

 Another pick by my wife. Now, typically when she picks the movie, I get a veto power if it is under a certain IMDB or Rotten Tomatoes rating. She doesn't like to look at the ratings beforehand. This one did not have very good ratings at all, 4.6 on IMBD and no rating at all on Rotten Tomatoes; neither a good sign. But we watched it anyway and really liked it. This in a large part due to the performances by  Martin Freeman and Julia Butters. 

Plus, it is a perfect Witchcraft Wednesday movie.

Queen of Bones (2023)

Fearful or religious men (often the same thing) have always feared women’s autonomy. History has shown that whenever a woman becomes too independent, too willful, too curious, too powerful, someone slaps the word witch on her and decides she needs to be “saved.” That’s the heart of Queen of Bones, a quiet, moody folk horror film that takes place not in the 1600s but in 1930s rural America.

Martin Freeman plays Malcolm, a widowed father raising his daughter Lily (Julia Butters, who’s fantastic) and son Samuel (Jacob Tremblay) in a house thick with secrets. At first, Malcolm seems decent enough, even tender in his grief. But as Lily begins to change, both in body and in strange, supernatural ways, his love curdles into fear. We slowly realize that he’s not just haunted by what happened to Lily’s mother… he’s terrified his daughter might become her.

That dynamic drives the film’s tension. Lily starts having dreams, visions, and odd encounters in the woods. The line between puberty and possession blurs. Is she cursed? Chosen? Or simply awakening to her own power in a world that can’t tolerate that? By the time the third act arrives, the answer feels almost inevitable: Malcolm would rather destroy her than let her become something he can’t control.

It’s not subtle, but that’s fine, it isn’t supposed to be. Queen of Bones plays like a postscript to Robert Eggers' The Witch, set 300 years later but fueled by the same fear: that the feminine divine, if left unchecked, would upend the patriarchal order. It’s witch panic dressed in Depression-era grief, with dust, silence, and old ghosts in every corner.

There’s a scene late in the film, no spoilers, where Lily finally confronts what her father did to her mother. It’s devastating, not just for the violence but for the certainty behind it. Malcolm truly believes he’s doing God’s work. That’s what makes him the monster.

What I loved about this film, and what I think most critics seem to have missed, is how subtle its magic is. It’s not a jump-scare movie. It’s an awakening movie. The horror here isn’t in the witchcraft, it’s in the control. Freeman gives one of his best performances as a man eaten alive by righteousness, and Butters is mesmerizing as Lily, teetering between innocence and fury.

This isn’t The Witch, no. But it shares the same DNA: a girl’s coming-of-age framed as an act of rebellion against divine tyranny. The difference is, this one suggests the witch’s power was always there just waiting for her to claim it.

Queen of Bones might not be perfect, but it’s important. It’s quiet horror with something to say about generational trauma, religious oppression, and the terror of becoming yourself. The final moments hit like a benediction and a curse all at once.

NIGHT SHIFT & Occult D&D Ideas

Let's be honest here. 

I you can't see the RPG potential here I am not sure you are reading the right blog. Generational witches are a topic I discuss frequently here. Like obsessively so.

I wonder what Lily's life would have been like after the movie? She would have been 23 near the start of WWII, in her 40s when the Beatles came to America, her 60s when the 80s began and so on. Interesting. 

For NIGHT SHIT, it’s a modern folk-horror story transplanted to a rural, Depression-era America where witchcraft is whispered about in sermons. A perfect slow-burn scenario: something ancient stirs in the woods, and the townsfolk are eager to call it Satanic. The PCs could arrive as outsiders—teachers, doctors, or priests, only to discover the true evil that resides within the house. Or a perfect Call of Cthulhu game that doesn't involve the Mythos. 

For my Occult D&D ideas, it is a good example of how witchcraft is inherited via bloodlines, and there are witch families.

October Horror Movie Challenge 2025
Viewed: 25
First Time Views: 23

Monstrous Mondays: Archangels

 I was looking for an idea to post today and saw that it was Michaelmas. Now I am not Catholic (I am not even a Christian, or a believer) but I thought this was a good excuse to round out my hierarchies of angels both for my Occult D&D project and for my Basic Bestiary.

A Word About My Basic Bestiary

This one is taking a bit. I am climbing the dual mountains of editing close to 400 monsters AND finding good art for them. I am funding the art myself, as I don't want to rely on crowdfunding for this. 

Angels

I have talked about the various angels and related creatures in my games before. 

• Monstrous Mondays: Angels
• Monstrous Mondays: The Agathós (and other Angels)
• Monstrous Mondays: Starchild (Occult D&D)

What I want to do is create groupings of various good-aligned outsiders (Celestials) and assign them hierarchies similar to those found in the lower planes. Angels, then, are the Lawful Good-aligned Celestials. 

The trick has been finding the right way to group them all, figure out the hierarchies as the Medieval scholars would have classified them, AND (and maybe the most important) find something that works well for the games I play.

The Archangels

The generals of Heaven's armies are the seven Archangels. While some scholars equate an archangel to a particular layer of the Seven Heavens, this is not really the case.  Of these seven, St. Michael is considered to be their leader and the most powerful. 

ARCHANGEL MICHAEL
General of the Heavenly Hosts

FREQUENCY: Unique
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: –6
MOVE: 24”/36” (flying)
HIT DICE: 22 (231 hp)
% IN LAIR: Nil
TREASURE TYPE: Special (holy relics only)
NO. OF ATTACKS: 3 (flaming Holy Avenger sword +6)
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1d12 + 12 (STR and magic bonuses) + 1d8 fire per hit +6d6 damage to the "unholy."
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Holy Word at will; spell-like abilities as a 22nd-level cleric; Voice of Authority (as Command on all evil within 60’, no save vs. 6 HD or less); Haste 3/day; may summon 2–20 angels once per day.
SPECIAL DEFENSES: +2 or better weapon to hit; immune to fire, lightning, charm, petrification, poison, death magic; regenerates 3 hp/round; 90% magic resistance.
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 90%
INTELLIGENCE: Supra-genius (25)
ALIGNMENT: Lawful Good
SIZE: Huge (9’–10’ tall)
PSIONIC ABILITY: 350
— Attack/Defense Modes: All/All

“I have seen demons in their true forms, nightmare creatures born in dreams of madmen, and even sat in the galleries of a diabolic auction to bid back a mortal soul from the clutches of a Duke of Hell. I have faced things that should have unmade me, yet I walked away with laughter still on my lips.

But when Michael appeared, when the sky split as if dawn had come at midnight, my laughter died. I had thought devils horrific, but they are at least comprehensible: greedy, ambitious, vile. The Archangel is none of these things, and that is what made him terrifying. His presence was like a storm that judged the worth of every breath I had ever drawn. His eyes pierced every spell, every secret and lie I had cloaked myself in, and for a moment, I was naked in truth before the heavens. And he saw all. 

I confess, the most dreadful creature I have ever faced was not a demon or a devil or some abomination from beyond the veils of reality, but the Archangel himself. Not because he is cruel, but because he is absolute and just.”

- From the Journal of Larina Nix

Michael is one of the seven archangels and the greatest warrior among them. He appears as a towering, armored figure of radiant fire, bearing a great Holy Avenger that burns with divine light. His voice alone can turn entire legions of fiends.

When encountered, Michael is always on a mission of cosmic import, never idly wandering the planes. He may be summoned only by direct decree of the highest divine power. In battle, Michael is the equal and opposite of the greatest demon princes and arch-devils, such as Demogorgon or Asmodeus.

Michael is the war-leader of Heaven, the one who cast down Lucifer in the First Rebellion, and who wields the flaming sword at the threshold of Paradise. He is invoked in exorcisms, called upon as protector of the dying, and hailed as the angel of judgment. In many myths, Michael weighs the souls of the dead upon golden scales, determining whether they ascend or fall.

Unlike other celestials who guide, heal, or inspire, Michael exists to fight. His presence is a living reminder that the heavens themselves are not pacifistic, but hold a sword against the darkness. He embodies both the mercy of the divine and the implacable wrath of cosmic law.

The sword borne by Michael is no ordinary weapon, but a Holy Avenger of such potency that it channels his immense strength and divine fire together. Each strike inflicts 1d12 damage, to which both his +6 Strength bonus and +6 enchantment bonus are added, followed by an additional 1d8 points of searing flame. Against demons, devils, undead, and those faerie creatures which are inimical to Law and Good, the sword delivers an additional 6d6 points of radiant destruction. Few beings can withstand even a single blow.

Michael’s arsenal of powers extends beyond his martial prowess. He may utter a Holy Word at will, casting down evil beings as if by the decree of heaven itself. His Voice of Authority compels obedience in all creatures of non-good alignment within 60 feet, with no saving throw allowed for those of 6 hit dice or less. In battle, he moves with preternatural swiftness, able to Haste himself and his allies thrice per day, and once per day, he may summon an entire host of angels (2–20, of any order) to his side.

In defense, Michael is nearly unassailable. Only enchanted weapons of +2 or better may harm him. He is wholly immune to fire, lightning, charm, petrification, poison, and all death-dealing magics. His body regenerates 3 hit points per round even if dismembered or disintegrated, so long as a spark of his divine essence remains. In addition, he possesses a 90% magic resistance, rendering most spells against him useless.

To mortals, the sight of Michael is awe beyond bearing. His radiance is said to blind the unworthy, and even those of good heart find their voices stolen in his presence. Against him, demon princes falter, and arch-devils bow in bitter hatred.

Michael as a Patron of Celestial Warlocks

Unlike the dark bargains made with demons and devils, pacts with Archangel Michael are covenants rather than contracts. The warlock does not “steal” or “bind” power from him; instead, Michael bestows divine might upon the worthy as part of their service to the Cause of Law and Good. Such warlocks are sometimes called Knights of the Flame or Champions of the Dawn.

The requirements and duties of the Warlock of St. Michael are so strict that few can adhere to them. 

Requirements

Alignment: Lawful Good. Any deviation severs the pact.

Vows: The warlock must swear oaths of courage, protection of the innocent, and resistance to evil in all its forms. They may never knowingly ally with demons, devils, or the unseelie fae.

Service: At least once per year, the warlock must undertake a holy quest of Michael’s choosing (via vision, angelic messenger, or dream).

Gifts of Michael

Warlocks in covenant with Michael receive invocations suited to battle and the banishment of evil:

(Minimum level in parentheses.)

Radiant Smite (1st): Once per day per level, the warlock’s weapon shines with holy fire, dealing +1d6 radiant damage to undead, demons, devils, or evil faerie creatures.

Shield of the Host (3rd): The warlock may call upon angelic warding, granting them protection from evil 10’ radius for 1 turn once per day.

Voice of Command (5th): Once per day, the warlock may issue a single-word command (as the spell Command), affecting all evil creatures of 6 HD or less within 30’.

Flame of Michael (7th): The warlock may invoke Michael’s light, striking a foe with 3d6 holy fire (save vs. spells for half). Usable once per week.

Summon the Dawn (9th+): Once per month, the warlock may summon a single Agathós (Aurora, Astral, or Lunar) to aid them for 1 turn per caster level.

Drawbacks

Michael is implacable in judgment. Warlocks who deviate from his vows may find their powers withdrawn instantly. Should they betray their covenant or consort with the unholy, Michael himself may appear, not as a teacher, but as an executioner.

Witchcraft Wednesdays: More Occult D&D, the Supernal Tongue

Still working through my ideas on "Occult D&D." 

I have scads of notes on Enoch and Enochian and the connection he has to the occult via figures like John Dee and Edward Kelley. I have always wanted to explore the concept of Enochian as a magical language, but I have not used it. Why? Well, for starters, Enochian works well here due to its ties to history (Dee, Kelley) and myth (Enoch), as well as the gravitas of the Abrahamic religions. That all works wonderfully in a NIGHT SHIFT game, but not for a D&D-like game.

I also have a bunch of notes and ideas scribbled out on Proto-Indo-European languages. My thinking was to use PIE as a sort of root language of the world and one taught to witches, much like the ideas of my first "witch language" posts. 

There is no way I am going to build my own constructed language no matter how cool that sounds. I am no David Peterson. Though I do like to think his Inha language would be fun to explore. Great for Primordial. His Verbis Diablo is also great for Infernal, and I loved the idea of his Méníshè from Motehrland: Fort Salem.  What do all three of these languages have in common other than being constructed by Peterson? They are all explicitly languages learned by witches.

I am not ready yet to put a stake down in a specific witch language. I mean, I assume most Pagan witches are likely illiterate, and many of my other traditions are separated by time and space (Classical and Gothic, for example). So what language would they have in common? Well, nothing witch-specific, but something very occult.

SUPERNAL (Lost Tongue of Creation)

This language is the primordial root-speech from which all alignment tongues are said to descend. It is believed to have been spoken in the earliest ages, before the division of law and chaos, good and evil. Angels and devils alike once uttered its syllables, but even the eldest celestials and the most ancient fiends no longer command it in full.

Supernal is not a common language of conversation but a metaphysical system of sound and sign, wherein words themselves shape reality, bind spirits, and mark the planes. Only a fragment survives. Fewer than two hundred words are known with proper pronunciation, and even these must be taught with precision, for error can render meaning void or bring peril to the speaker.

There are many written forms, the most notable being Supernal-A, a draconic-seeming script often mistaken for true Draconic, and Supernal-B, a flowing elven hand that appears beautiful but yields nonsense when translated as Elvish or Sylvan. Supernal texts (grimoires, tablets, or fragments) are commonly interpolated with Celestial, Draconic, or Elven words to replace what has been lost.

Those Who May Learn It: Supernal is reserved for scholars of the occult, such as high witches, ceremonial warlocks, magi, and certain esoteric clerics or wizards. Ordinary characters cannot select it. Even among such classes, mastery is partial; no individual is known to possess more than a handful of true phrases.

Game Use: Treat Supernal as a secret, universal occult tongue. It may be used to decipher ancient inscriptions, recite certain rituals, or command extraplanar beings when the proper words are known. It is never learned by chance; knowledge of Supernal must come through initiation, tutelage, or the study of rare and perilous texts. Characters cannot learn Supernal unless they meet the following requirements. 

• Must be a witch, warlock, cleric, magic-user, or one of their subclasses. Druids cannot learn this language.
• Intelligence score of 16 or higher.
• Have a free language to learn.
• Find a teacher who knows Supernal.

Costs for this can vary greatly depending on the demand and location. It takes one year for the character to even learn the basics and a decade to learn enough to be able to read any text. For game purposes, treat one year of learning as one level of experience.

Magic-users, as part of their normal education, learn a few words of Supernal along with magical words of Draconic and Elvish. They can be assumed to have had one year (one level) of instruction already.

Phygor

The Ascended Master, Scribe of the Gods, Walker Between Worlds

In the chronicles of magic, few names are so widely spoken and so little understood as Phygor. Born into a wealthy family, he was initially a promising but unremarkable student at the Great School of Magic. Then, as the tale is told, one day he simply stood up from his bench, leaving behind his books, his belongings, and even his half-eaten meal, and began to walk. He walked out of the School, out of city, and out of the world that others knew.

Phygor wandered for years beyond counting, traveling among hermits, witches, shamans, astrologers, monks, and warlocks. He learned a fragment here, a secret there, piecing together what none before him had dared: a greater vision of magic, gathered from every corner of the earth. Some say he spoke with dragons in their dreams, others that the spirits of the land taught him great mysteries. A few whisper that he was shown hidden truths by beings of heaven and hell, who recognized in him a mind vast enough to hold the Supernal syllables themselves.

When Phygor returned, he was transformed. His magics were strange and terrible, alien even to the archmages of the Great School. With these, he crushed a rebellion of wizards not with slaughter, but with dazzling displays of artifice and spells they could not comprehend, forcing them to surrender in awe. Though a man of Law and Good, he did not hoard his knowledge. He broke with all tradition, declaring that magic was not the possession of a cabal or a guild, but a birthright of the wise. He published his findings, opened his grimoires, and gave freely of his lore. Even those of wicked heart who opposed his ideals respected his power and grudgingly acknowledged his genius.

Phygor’s end is disputed. In some tales, he simply walked again, leaving the world behind as he had once left the School, and was never seen thereafter. In others, he ascended bodily into the higher planes, taking a place among the immortals. A few claim he became something greater still: the Scribe of the Gods, known to angels as a shining scribe and to demons as a voice of thunder, recording the hidden laws by which all spells are written.

Among witches, magi, and warlocks alike, Phygor is a luminary sage of study, initiation, and the pursuit of hidden knowledge. To invoke his name is to claim the lineage of the wandering master, the one who saw further than all others and gave what he found to the world. To some, he is a hero, a true master teacher. To others, a dangerous radical bent on upsetting the balance of magic. To all who wield magic, he is a name spoken with respect.

All of the known words of Supernal come from his writings. 

Monstrous Mondays: Starchild (Occult D&D)

 For years, I have been getting these little blank journals. My kids used to like to get them and give them to me for birthdays, Father's Day, and Christmas. Anyway, I typically keep them next to my desk, my bedside stand, and my end tables where I read or watch TV. I have dozens of them filled up, and maybe twice that number that are partially filled. 

This past summer, I have been working on collecting these into something. Not 100% sure what that something is, but I have been scribbling it all down under the header of "Occult D&D."  

Here is a "monster" I have been playing around with for a little bit. The first version of this was from a notebook I had all the way back to my earliest AD&D 1st Edition days. Revised heavily in the 1990s, and picked back up this past July.

Starchild - Photo by Alesia  Kozik

STARCHILD

(Custodes Sidereus, Ascended Master, Starborn)

Astral Celestial (Unique/Extraplanar)

FREQUENCY: Very Rare
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: -2
MOVE: 15"/48" (Fly)
HIT DICE: 14–16
% IN LAIR: 15%
TREASURE TYPE: see below (Astral Cache only)
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 (touch) or by spell
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2–12 (psychic touch) or by spell
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Spell use, see below
SPECIAL DEFENSES: +3 or better weapon to hit; immune to charm, sleep, fear, illusion
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 65%
INTELLIGENCE: Supra-Genius (20–22)
ALIGNMENT: Variable (see below)
SIZE: L (10'–12' tall)
PSIONIC ABILITY: 200
Attack/Defense Modes: All / All
LEVEL/XP VALUE: IX / 19,500 + 20/hp

Starchildren appear as radiant humanoid beings of flawless beauty and serenity. Their physical forms are idealized, genderless or androgynous, glowing with starlight or surrounded by cascading auroras. In some traditions, they appear as translucent, elven-like sages robed in constellations; to others, they are shining spheres of cosmic intelligence, barely contained in mortal shape.

Starchildren rarely engage in physical combat, preferring pacifism, diplomacy, or departure. However, they will defend others from destruction, particularly mortals of magical inclination. They attack once per round with radiant energy (3d6 damage), or may cast spells as a 20th-level magic-user, 20th-level witch, or illusionist, depending on which magical tradition is strongest in the region.

They also possess the following innate abilities, usable at will unless noted otherwise:

• Teleport without Error
• Plane Shift
• True Seeing
• Detect Magic
• Telepathy (universal languages)
• Contact Other Plane (always succeeds, never drives them mad)
• Banishment (3/day)
• Akashic Memory (see below)

Once per week, a Starchild may grant a mortal access to the Akashic Record as per the Access the Library ritual spell. This is usually done only for profound magical seekers or as part of a sacred pact.

Starchildren possess all psionic defense and attack modes and may use any of the "sciences" or "devotions" as needed in a particular situation. 

No two sources agree on what the Starchildren are. Some witches say they are the ascended forms of the first witches, elevated beyond mortal limits. Others insist they are celestial beings from the stars, what modern occultists call Star People or Elder Teachers. Still others view them as sentient emanations of the Cosmic Consciousness, a universal mind from which all magic flows.

They do not reproduce, nor do they maintain societies in the conventional sense. However, Starchildren have appeared to witches in times of great need, offering insight, visions, or magical gifts.

Starchildren are known to walk the Astral Plane, the Ethereal Realm, and other dimensions unknown to mortals. They are believed to be custodians of the Akashic Record, a vast, extradimensional archive of all knowledge, magic, thought, and possibility.

Starchildren do not eat, breathe, or sleep. Their presence warps reality subtly, nearby spellcasting becomes easier, plants grow slightly better, and dreams become filled with symbols and visions. Prolonged contact with a Starchild can result in magical mutations or spiritual awakening, depending on the soul of the one exposed.

A slain Starchild does not leave a corpse, but transforms into stardust and ascends, its essence dissolving into the Astral Light.

Though they do not hoard material goods, a Starchild’s sanctum may contain:

• A spellbook containing 1d6 unique or forgotten spells.
• Crystalline artifacts imbued with planar energy.
• An Astral Map that allows access to unknown planes.

Starchildren as Patrons. If the Starchildren were once patrons of witches, as many believe, they are no longer. Though all traditions have something in their teachings that many conclude is a product of the Starchildren. 

Each Witch Tradition interprets them differently:

• The Aquarian Tradition see them as the progenitor of their tradition and the form they ultimately aspire to transcend to.
  
  
• The Atlantean Tradition believes they are the architects of the great crystal cities beneath the waves.
  
  
• The Classic and Pagan Traditions see the Starchlidren as the messengers of the old gods of their faiths. They would be called angels in other philosophies. 
  
  
• The Daughters of Baba Yaga whisper that Baba Yaga herself is the most terrible and wise of the Starchildren.
  
  
• The Followers of Aradia believe the Starchildren first taught Aradia the language of the stars.
  
  
• The High Secret Order seeks audience with them for the secrets of deep occult power.
  
  
• The Scaled Sisterhood refer to them as Cosmic Serpents, and some suspect the great Dragon/Serpent Anantanatha is one.

Names of the Starchildren

These are the Starchildren known to occult scholars.

Unceph the Dual-Flame: The one who whispers across mirrored selves. Keeper of the Seventh Gate of Thought. They are male and female, both eternally. 

Lioriel of the Infinite Choir: Angel of harmonics and secret words. Her voice is a thousand singing stars.

Xavhalon the Prism-Eyed: All colors bend through their gaze; they dream in radiant geometry.

Astraema of the Crystal Veil: Watcher of fates yet unformed, veiled in moonlight and deep water.

Seraphex, Keeper of the Burning Glyph: Bearer of the first word etched in flame. Those who read it are forever changed.

Urilathe the Memory Unbound: He who walks the halls of unchosen pasts. Wields the Book of What Might Have Been.

Omniala the Pale Aurora: She dances on the threshold of death and dreaming, trailing silver fire.

Zyntharion of the Thirteenth Ray: Patron of heretics and innovators. The ray no one remembers seeing.

The Archon Selador: Who guards the spiral path inward. All questions asked three times.

Velek-Tha of the Outer Spiral: The serpent-form of stellar wisdom. They uncoil thought from the void.

Galithriel, She of the Star-Seeded Womb: Mother of the Starborn. Cradles the souls of those who dream beyond the veil.

Nocturiel the Dream-Encoded: Sleeper beneath the silver sphere. His sigils bloom in moonlit minds.

--

One might be excused for thinking that this all originated from weird post-70s New Age thinking. And yes, that is true, but it was equal parts that, equal parts of Chariots of the Gods?, and equal parts of television shows like The Phoenix. The catalyst, though, had to be Juice Newton's cover of "Angel Of The Morning."  My thought was, if there is an Angel of the Morning, are the others? Of course there are. 

I make no claim that Lioriel looks like Juice Newton circa 1980. But I also do not not claim it.

#RPGaDay2025 Day 16 Overcome

We talk a lot about what characters fight in fantasy RPGs; goblins, dragons, liches, whatever’s on the random encounter table that day.

But what really matters? What sticks?

 It’s what they overcome.

And I don’t just mean hit point totals.

Sometimes it’s the curse that’s been lingering for three levels. The guilt over a party member’s death. The temptation of a dark deal that still echoes in their dreams. The fear that they’re not the hero the prophecy promised.

Those are the real battles. The quiet ones. The personal ones.

I love when players come to the table thinking, “We’re going to win the day,” and leave thinking, “My character just grew.” They faced something hard, physically, emotionally, spiritually, and came out the other side a little different.

That’s overcoming.

It might be finishing off the necromancer who burned your village. It might be choosing not to take revenge. It might be sacrificing power for the sake of someone else. It might be finally, finally, telling the truth.

In fantasy RPGs, we often start with heroes already equipped to face the world: magic, swords, destiny. But the best stories show us that even heroes have things they struggle with, and that overcoming those things can be even more epic than slaying the monster.

The witch who overcomes isolation. The warlock who breaks their pact. The paladin who overcomes doubt. The thief who finds something worth protecting.

As DMs and writers, it’s easy to focus on obstacles that hurt the body. But don’t forget the ones that hurt the heart. They’re harder to stat, but so much more rewarding to resolve.

So next time you’re writing an arc, or running a game, or building a character, ask yourself: What have they overcome? And what still lies ahead?

Because the adventure isn’t just about who they fight.

It’s about who they become.

Questions

Where. Proud. Genre. First all matching roll, all 3s.

Where was I particularly proud of a genre? Easy. Victorian era RPGs. As a genre I see very little infighting between groups of games, and nearly everyone gets along and lover to share ideas with each other.

https://www.autocratik.com/ • https://www.castingshadowsblog.com/

#RPGaDay2025 Day 7 Journey

"Not all journeys begin on roads. Some start on broomsticks, others in dreams, or through a mirror no one else sees."

 - From the Journal of Larina Nix

A few days back, I talked about the Tavern as the iconic adventuring location, maybe as famous as the dungeon itself. But that’s only one, very early stop on the Journey. Capital J.

When I think of the Journey for characters, I can’t help but go full myth-nerd and drift back to Joseph Campbell’s The Hero with a Thousand Faces and the whole Hero’s Journey structure. That moment of Departure, when the character leaves the known world behind and enters the realm of magic, danger, and transformation? That’s the real start of the story. Not the tavern. Not the rumors. Not the first goblin in a dark hallway. But that choice, that first real step.

Now, for most D&D-style characters, that might be heading off with sword and/or spellbook, saying goodbye to the family farm, or signing on for a job in a shady city.

But for witches? It’s a little different.

Their journeys often begin in the unknown. It’s not “go out and find magic.” It’s “magic came calling, and now you’re part of it whether you like it or not.” It starts when the moon speaks. When the cat stares too long. When you dream of fire and wake with cinders in your hair. When you start to understand what the crows are saying.

Larina’s journey didn’t begin on a trail or caravan road. It began the moment she heard the voice of the Goddess, when she could see ghosts, and when she stepped behind her grandmother’s mirror and realized she could see her own reflection walking away.

That moment, the crossing of the first threshold, is crucial. And in gaming terms, it’s one of the most rewarding to roleplay, even if most of the time we skip right past it with a background paragraph.

But what if we didn’t?

What if we slowed down and let that Journey take shape in play? What if we saw the moment a young hedge witch received her first vision, or a would-be warlock stood at the edge of the Standing Stones, whispering a name they don’t remember learning?

Journeys matter. Not just because they get you from Level 1 to 20, but because they reveal who your character is, and what they’re willing to become.

And for witches, that journey never truly ends. It just spirals onward, like a sigil carved in bone, leading deeper into the mystery.

For witches I replace the circle of the Monomyth with the Spiral Dance.  

I'll come back to this more. 

Questions

When. Proud. Adventure.

When was my proudest moment in an adventure? So many, really. When my kids discovered the plot concocted by the demons to kill all the gods of the sun to invade the world. When they killed Strahd. When *I* killed Strahd nearly 30 years prior to that. When running Ghosts of Albion Blight and one group REALLY embraced their roles as the Protectors of Ériu. It's why I keep dong this!

https://www.autocratik.com/ • https://www.castingshadowsblog.com/

#RPGaDay2025 Day 6 Motive

Witchcraft Wednesday Edition

In most games, when the party gathers for the first time, there's a fairly straightforward motive: treasure, fame, glory, revenge. Maybe they’re trying to save their village. Maybe they just need to pay off a bar tab. Whatever the case, the classic adventurer is easy to motivate. Dangle gold or justice in front of them, and they’ll go down into the dungeon willingly.

But witches and warlocks?

Their motives tend to be… different.

“She didn’t go into the ruins for gold. She went looking for the name she saw in her dreams.”

 - page, recovered from the bog near Meirath’s Hollow

Witches often aren’t chasing wealth. They might live in crumbling cottages or vine-covered towers filled with tea, bones, and books. They have what they need. Their magic doesn’t come from loot, it comes from knowing. From power earned through pacts, practices, and pain.

When a witch goes on a journey, it’s usually because something has shifted in the world:

• The stars have changed their alignment.
• A long-forgotten spirit has begun to whisper again.
• A charm buried under a tree has broken.
• A name has been spoken that should not have been known.

Their motive isn’t external. It’s internal, symbolic, spiritual. Sometimes it’s not even clear to them at first. But they feel it. A pull. A path. The wind shifts through the birches in a different way, and suddenly she knows it’s time to move.

Warlocks, too, have unique motives, but theirs are often tied to obligation.

 Their power comes at a cost, after all. And sometimes that cost is paid in quests, souls, or favors. Maybe they heard their patron whisper something in their sleep. Maybe they found a rune etched into the frost on their window and knew they had to follow it. Or maybe they have no choice. Maybe the pact has come due.

That’s the thing about occult characters in fantasy RPGs: their motives aren’t lesser or greater than the standard adventurer’s, they’re just deeper. More tangled in the weird threads of fate and prophecy and intuition. Sometimes they’ll ride alongside the party for gold and steel and good company, but eventually, something will pull them off the path. And that’s when the story really begins.

So next time a witch joins your adventuring party, ask her why she’s there.

 If she tells you it’s for gold, she’s lying.

 She already knows something’s coming.

 She just doesn’t want to be the only one standing when it arrives.

Questions

How. Optimistic. Accessory.

Hmm. How does a particular accessory keep you optimistic? 

As I mentioned yesterday, I often take the point of view of the characters. A while back, I got some art done of Larina. I don't remember which one it was, but around her waist she wore chain and it was threaded with dragon teeth. I had asked for a dragon tooth charm, and that is what I got back. I like to trust the artists with their vision, and this was a good choice. In my games from that point, it was a "charm" she wore to provide protection. While mechanically it added to her saving throws, I said it was something that gave her hope. She could collect all these dragon teeth and know she helped defeat those monsters, so whatever challenge was next, she could handle. 

https://www.autocratik.com/ • https://www.castingshadowsblog.com/

Witches of Appendix N: Robert E. Howard, Part 1: Conan

Cover by Margaret Brundage

 Of all the authors listed in Appendix N, few loom larger than Robert E. Howard, creator of Conan the Cimmerian and father of sword & sorcery as we know it. Howard’s blend of grim heroism, lost civilizations, black magic, and fierce women has shaped the DNA of Dungeons & Dragons more than most give credit for.

So much so that I need to split his contributions into two posts. There may be three by the time I am done. That is how much of a footprint Howard and Conan left in D&D and other RPGs.

Witches were very much part of Conan's Hyborian world. Witches are mentioned and alluded too, but rarely seen, save for the ones mentioned below. 

So today, for the Witches of Appendix N, let’s journey into the Hyborian Age and meet some of the women who wielded magical power in the world of Conan.

Salome: A Witch Shall Be Born

Howard’s most explicitly witch character is Salome, the titular witch of A Witch Shall Be Born (Weird Tales, 1934). A sorceress and twin sister of the noble Queen Taramis, Salome is the archetype of the evil twin usurper. She commands dark forces, imprisons and tortures her sister, and rules in her place through cruelty and bloodshed.

Salome is described as consorting with demons and sorcerers in her youth, and her magical power is seen in how she influences, manipulates, and brings ruin to a kingdom. She is every inch the pulp sorceress, beautiful, deadly, and corrupted by ancient evil. She was promiscuous where her sister Taramis was chaste, moral, and innocent. In the 1930s, this was akin to evil.

Sarah Douglas (who I'll be talking more about tonight) played the movie version of her, now named Taramis, in Conan the Destroyer. Did all that torture finally break poor Taramis, and she became more like her twin sister? (No, I know the producers didn't want her to be named Salome.)

Salome (and Taramis) have sparked a lot of imaginations, not just the Sarah Douglas movie, but also comics. These two images show the evolving look of Conan from the pulp days to modern comics. 

Honestly, that John Buscema art might be one of the most famous pieces of Conan art ever produced. 

I have even used Salome in my own games, after a fashion, when developing a few of my Witch Queens. 

Tascela: Red Nails

In one of Howard’s best Conan stories, Red Nails (Weird Tales, 1936), we meet Tascela, a woman of ancient Stygian blood, still alive centuries after her time. Like Salome, she is both queen (well...called a "Princess of Tecuhltli") and enchantress. Tascela’s sorcery is tied to life-draining rituals and forbidden rites. She maintains her youth and beauty by absorbing the life force of others, literally sacrificing maidens and children to keep herself young. Valeria is a lot of things, but I never got "maiden" vibes off of her. 

While not explicitly called a witch (except as an exclamation), her power is subtle. She appears regal, composed, but with an air of the perverse and profane. She leers at Valeria throughout the tale. Obviously, in the way a cat does a mouse, but there is a not-so-subtle sexual dimension to it all. Like Salome, Tascela is a witch and morally corrupt. Also, not a very subtle message. 

Tascela’s magic has an Aztec flavor, marked by blood, sacrifice, death, and timeless horror. While "witch" is good, she is more likely some sort of profane necromancer. 

From the unfinished "Red Nails" animation, designs by Jim Stenstrum

Special Mentions

Witches and Wizards: Black Colossus

We meet the wizard Natohk, and "Vampires were abroad that night, witches rode naked on the wind, and werewolves howled across the wilderness."

Zelata and Akivasha: The Hour of the Dragon

Old Zelata admits she is a witch when she first meets King-in-exile Conan.  Unlike many of the other witches, sorceresses, and spellcasters, Zelata actually helps Conan out. She is also helpful in uncovering the Heart of Ahriman. 

Though not called a witch by name, Akivasha, the Stygian princess turned vampire from The Hour of the Dragon (1935–36), is one of the most enduring witch-like figures in Howard’s canon.

Akivasha is undead, beautiful, and incredibly dangerous. Her vampirism is not accidental or cursed; it is the result of necromantic sorcery meant to preserve her youth and power. She resides in the depths of an ancient dungeon and attempts to seduce Conan, not just with charm but with supernatural influence.

“I was a princess in Stygia... more than a thousand years ago... I was beautiful, and I would not fade. So I went into the shadows to cheat age with dark magic. I became... what I am.”

Howard describes her as cold and radiant, her beauty somehow terrible. She evokes the kind of ancient magical evil that remains alluring even as it damns. Or as I always say, "Evil always looks sexy."

An aside. There are lots of Stygian witches here.

Conan's Long Shadow

Without a doubt the Conan stories of Robert E. Howard are fundamental to the foundations of D&D and RPGs in general. Conan is the quintessential adventurer. Penniless one day, rich beyond dreams the next, penniless again. He ranges far and wide, he battles monsters, sorcerers, and entire armies.  He is as much a part of D&D as Gandalf and Bilbo.

It is no shock that there have been so many Conan and Hyborian/Hyperborian RPGs out there. I could talk about them all here, but that is a better topic for my Fantasy Fridays.

Given this, I do find it a little odd that witches were not a more prominent part of D&D. I suppose it has been up to me to fill this gap.

No "Conclusion" today, I have Kull and Solomon Kane to deal with next, and maybe a third post on Howard's contributions to the world of RPGs beyond just witches. 

Monstrous Mondays: Rulers of Dragonkind

 Last week I posted about the D&D Rules Cyclopedia, and in it, it had the rulers of Dragons, Diamond, Pearl, and Opal. 

As an aside, I asked. "What if the Dragons were divided like this: Pearl = Chaotic, Opal = Neutral, Diamond =Lawful, Bahamut = Good, Tiamat = Evil?"

Since I already updated and redid Tiâmat for my Left Hand Path book, I thought, why not update the others as well?

I have been working on a Dragon book off and on forever, so I have already figured out various mythological dragons and dragon-like creatures to add. To take inspiration for a Lawful Neutral, Chaotic Neutral and True Neutral rulers of dragons was a matter of going through some material I have already written...and cleaning it up a little. 

So here are the five rulers of Dragon kind, minus Tiâmat. She is already in my book along with Leviathan. 

Note: I consider my Tiâmat to be Chaotic Evil.
Note 2: These dragons are scaled to match my LHP version of Tiâmat.

I'll most certainly redo these over time, like I did with Tiâmat.

Vritraxion

The Star Dragon, Lord of Law

FREQUENCY: Unique (Very Rare)
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: –4
MOVE: 9” / 24” (fly)
HIT DICE: 32 + 256 (400 hp)
% IN LAIR: 80%
TREASURE TYPE: H ×4, I ×3, N, O
NO. OF ATTACKS: 3 or by breath/spell
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2–16 / 2–16 / 6–60
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Breath weapons, spells, aura of command
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Magic resistance, immune to illusions, charms, hold, or mind-affecting spells
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 75%
INTELLIGENCE: Supra-genius
ALIGNMENT: Lawful Neutral
SIZE: L (75’ long)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil

CHANCE OF:
Speaking: 100%
Magic Use: 100%
Sleeping: 1%

Vritraxion is the embodiment of cosmic order, the radiant Star Dragon who codified the pacts that bind dragonkind. His body is a lattice of luminous crystal and stellar fire, and he enforces balance with absolute resolve.

Breath Weapons (3/day each):

• Stellar Disjunction – Cone 8", dispels all magic and slows chaotic creatures for 1 turn
• Law Pulse – 40' radius; chaotic creatures save vs. spell or be banished for 1d6 turns
• Prismatic Flame – Line 10", 90 hp radiant/fire damage, save vs. breath for half

Spells: Casts 3 spells per level (1st–8th); chooses spells related to binding, banishment, light, and planar control.

Aura of Command: All dragons within 240’ must save or be affected as command or geas, lasting 1d4 turns.

Summoning: May summon 2d6 lawful dragons or planar creatures from the planes of Law once per day.

Lóngzihua

The Moon Pearl, Dragon of Chaos and Storms

FREQUENCY: Unique (Very Rare)
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: –2
MOVE: 12” / 30” (fly) / 18” (swim)
HIT DICE: 30 + 240 (375 hp)
% IN LAIR: 70%
TREASURE TYPE: H ×4, I ×3, N, O
NO. OF ATTACKS: 6 (3 bites, 2 claws, 1 tail) or by breath/spell
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 3–18 / 3–18 / 2–16 / 2–16 / 3–24
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Breath weapons, illusions, spells
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Displacement aura, blur effect
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 65%
INTELLIGENCE: Genius
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic Neutral
SIZE: L (70’ long)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil

CHANCE OF:
Speaking: 100%
Magic Use: 100%
Sleeping: 10%

Lóngzihua is a brilliant, serpentine dragon whose every movement paints the sky with color and thunder. Her coils shimmer like pearl and stormcloud, and her presence warps fate and form alike.

Breath Weapons (3/day each):

• Prismatic Mist - Cone 8", causes confusion, mirror image, and color spray effects
• Storm Spiral - Line 10", 10d10 lightning + concussive force (save vs. breath for half)
• Moon Pulse - 40' radius; all within must save or go berserk for 1d6 rounds (chaos effect)

Spells: 2 spells per level (1st–8th), focused on illusion, weather, charm, transformation.

Special: Can polymorph at will, and once per day can reshape terrain within 120’ (as hallucinatory terrain + move earth).

Displacement Aura: 50% miss chance from melee attacks.

She can also cast illusions, mirror image, polymorph self, and feeblemind once per day each. 

Anantanatha

The Opaline Coil, Dragon of Deep Time, and Balance

FREQUENCY: Unique (Very Rare)
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: –3
MOVE: 6” / 21” (fly)
HIT DICE: 31 + 248 (390 hp)
% IN LAIR: 85%
TREASURE TYPE: H ×4, I ×3, N, O
NO. OF ATTACKS: 5 (2 bites, 2 coils, 1 tail) or by breath/spell
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 3–18 / 3–18 / 2–20 / 2–20 / 3–30
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Breath weapons, dream magic, entropy field
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Time suspension aura, magic resistance
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 70%
INTELLIGENCE: Supra-genius
ALIGNMENT: True Neutral
SIZE: L (80’ long)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil

CHANCE OF:
Speaking: 100%
Magic Use: 100%
Sleeping: Never

Anantanatha, the World Coil, slumbers beneath the roots of all reality. His voice echoes in dreams, his coils define time, and his presence ensures the turning of the Great Cycle. He is impartial, inexorable, and eternal.

Breath Weapons (3/day each):

• Entropy Cloud – 40’ radius; creatures age 1d10 years (save negates), magic items must save or be destroyed
• Balancing Breath – Line 12", 10d8 damage to all summoned/extraplanar beings (save for half)
• Chrono Pulse – Cone 8", save or be suspended in time for 1d4 turns (temporal stasis effect)

Spells: 3 spells per level (1st–8th), typically divination, abjuration, or dream magic (e.g. legend lore, astral spell, time stop, foresight)

Special: Aura of Stillness: Spellcasting within 60’ requires a save or is delayed 1 round

Dream Gaze: Once/day, forces target into a dream-vision for 1 turn. Target is incapacitated for the duration while they see visions of their past and possible futures.

May commune with any spirit, even across time.

He may also cast legend lore, commune, astral projection, and dream once per day each.

Bahamūt
The Platinum Dragon, King of Lawful Good Dragons
The Silent Pillar, The World-Serpent of Light

FREQUENCY: Unique (Very Rare)
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: –3
MOVE: 9” / 24” fly / 6” swim
HIT DICE: 30 + 240 (375 hp)
% IN LAIR: 75%
TREASURE TYPE: Special (H ×4, I ×3, R, S, T, V)
NO. OF ATTACKS: 3 or by breath/spell/special
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2–16 / 2–16 / 6–72
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Breath weapons, divine spells, shapechange, fear aura
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Magic resistance, immunity to evil magic
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 75%
INTELLIGENCE: Supra-genius
ALIGNMENT: Lawful Good
SIZE: L (72’ long)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil

CHANCE OF:
Speaking: 100%
Magic Use: 100%
Sleeping: 1%

Bahamūt is the Platinum Dragon of Heaven, a radiant being of sublime peace and immense power. He dwells in the Citadel Behind the East Wind, said to drift between the Elemental Plane of Air and the Seven Heavens. His vast form gleams like a storm of pearl and silver light; when he breathes, stars flicker and silence falls.

He is the immortal foe of Tiâmat, whom he cast into the Deep in ages past. Though he rarely intervenes directly, his arrival signals the end of great evils and the restoration of cosmic harmony.

Bahamūt may choose between physical attacks, divine spells, or breath weapons each round.

Physical Attacks: 2 foreclaws (2d8+6 each), 1 massive bite (6d12+8), Tail sweep possible if airborne (3d10+6, 180° arc, save or fall prone).

Breath Weapons: (3×/day each), Freezing Wind Cone (8" length, 3" base), 10d8 cold damage, save vs. breath for half.

Celestial Vapor Cloud (40' radius). Save vs. breath or become gaseous (as gaseous form) for 12 turns

Voice of Disintegration (12" line), 10d10 force damage, save for half. Structures suffer full effect.

All saving throws vs Bahamūt’s breath weapons are made at -3.

Special Powers

Fear Aura: All evil creatures within 120' must save vs. spell or flee in panic (as fear).

Shapechange: Can assume the form of any creature or object at will (as shape change).

Summon Allies: Once per day, summons 1d6 gold dragons or 7 celestial canaries (each a disguised ancient gold dragon of max age and HD).

Aura of Grace: Allies within 60' receive +2 on saving throws, protection from evil, and regeneration 1 hp/round.

Spellcasting

May cast any spell (arcane or divine) of levels 1–8

Spells per day: 3 per level

Casts as 20th-level spellcaster

No verbal/somatic/material components required

Most often chooses dispel evil, true seeing, heal, blade barrier, holy word, gate, and wish.

Character Creation Challenge: The Ravenloft Weekend

Back in 1991, Grenda and I ran a weekend-long game of Ravenloft. We ran it as the "Dreams of Barovia" variant that combined adventure modules I6 and I10. He was the DM for I6 Ravenloft and I was the DM for I11 Ravenloft II: House on Gryphon Hill. It was a lot of fun to be honest, the problem was I forgot to tell my roommates and girlfriend where I was! When I crawled back to my apartment at 2D Lewis Park, I got an earful. The game was fun, but kind of a hazy memory to be honest. We played from Friday afternoon to Sunday evening straight. I remember sleeping in my chair and eating a lot of Quatros pizza. 

I am presenting all the characters now to cover my next few days (1/17 to 1/21). But more importantly to me, can I use Wasted Lands with NIGHT SHIFT to play a Ravenloft-style game? 

The answer is, absolutely.

Ravenloft is quasi-Gothic horror. As I have mentioned in the past, it is not true Gothic Horror because the characters are still hero types. They have power, they have agency. The heroes of Gothic Horror typically do not have the same level of power D&D characters do. Out Hunters in Dracula only succeed because they have each other and make use of the "technology" of the time. The PCs can go toe to toe with most Gothic literature monsters.

Wasted Lands is Post-Apocalyptic Cosmic Horror. NIGHT SHIFT is Urban survival Horror. BUT that is just what they are on the surface. They are both toolkit games to add or subtract what you want or need from them. 

I would still give the characters some power, but make the setting "Gritty."

That means no Heroic Touchstones. 

Heroic Touchstones are a key feature of the Wasted Lands and will be part of Night Shift 2nd Edition. But for a game like Ravenloft? I would take them out. Well...maybe one at first level. I'll work on the characters to see. Thankfully, none of these characters have psionics or other "kewl powerz," and all the classes are normal ones. 

I would use all the fear and terror effects from NIGHT SHIFT. I'd use Degeneracy and Corruption rules from Wasted Lands. That might feel like I am stacking things against the characters. I am.

Unlike D&D (esp. post 2000+ D&D) Gothic Horror is not about balance, it is exactly the opposite of that. The Big Bad Guy has all the power. 

The Characters

I only have vague recollections of these characters. I was spending a lot of time trying to get into grad school, and my focus then was largely on that. Plus, these are really just one-shot characters. So while they do have some good background attached, they were only used (to my knowledge) for this adventure.

Sir Beyrn Silverhelm

Class: Divine Warrior (from Night Companion)
Level: 13
Species: Human
Alignment: Light Good
Background: Warrior

Abilities
Strength: 18 (+3) N
Agility: 12 (0) 
Toughness: 18 (+3) 
Intelligence: 12 (0) 
Wits: 15 (+1) N
Persona: 17 (+2) A

Fate Points: 1d10
Defense Value: 0
Vitality: 98 
Degeneracy: 0
Corruption: 0

Check Bonus (A/N/D): +6/+4/+2
Melee Bonus: +5 (base), +3 (STR)
Ranged Bonus: +5 (base)
Saves: +5 to all Wits and Persona Saves, +2 to Toughness (Warrior background)

Divine Warrior Abilities
Sixth Sense, Heal Injury and Illness (13d6), Supernatural Attacks, Protection from Evil

Heroic (Divine) Archetype: Protection

Gear
Longsword, Field plate armor, Holy symbol

Sir Beyrn is a quintessential Diving Warrior. His stats on his AD&D sheet look like they might have been cribbed from Johan II to be honest! Which makes sense. Looks like Grenda created all these characters in a couple of weeks while working and going to school.

Hile Augarin

Class: Archer (from Wasted Lands)
Level: 12
Species: Half-elf
Alignment: Twilight Good
Background: Elf (Wasted Lands) 

Abilities
Strength: 18 (+3) N
Agility: 16 (+2) A
Toughness: 16 (+2) N
Intelligence: 11 (0) 
Wits: 15 (+1) 
Persona: 12 (0) 

Fate Points: 1d10
Defense Value: 2
Vitality: 92 
Degeneracy: 0
Corruption: 0

Check Bonus (A/N/D): +6/+4/+2
Melee Bonus: +5 (base)
Ranged Bonus: +5 (base)
Saves: +6 to agility-based saves

Elf Abilities
Night Shifted

Archer Abilities
Improved Defense, Master Archer, Ranged Combat, Supernatural Attack, Improved Range Damage, Eagle Eye, Incapacitating Shot, Multi Attack x4, Careful Aim, Trick Shot

Heroic (Divine) Archetype: hunter

Gear
Longsword, Longbow, elven chain

I have used Renegades and Warriors in the past for Rangers, in this case Archer is the better choice.

Finneous Sevinhand

Class: Renegade (from Wasted Lands)
Level: 12
Species: Half-elf
Alignment: Twilight Good
Background: Elf (Wasted Lands) 

Abilities
Strength: 15 (+1) N
Agility: 17 (+2) A
Toughness: 16 (+2) N
Intelligence: 13 (+1) 
Wits: 11 (0) 
Persona: 10 (0) 

Fate Points: 1d10
Defense Value: 3
Vitality: 87 
Degeneracy: 0
Corruption: 0

Check Bonus (A/N/D): +6/+4/+2
Melee Bonus: +4 (base)
Ranged Bonus: +4 (base)
Saves: +4 vs Death effects

Elf Abilities
Night Shifted

Renegade Abilities
Improved Defence, Ranged Combat, Stealth Skills, Climbing, Danger Sense (1-4 d6), Perception, Vital Strike x4, Read Languages, Stealth Skills

Heroic (Divine) Archetype: Thief

Gear
Shortsword, dagger, throwing knife, crossbow

Renegades have a different feel to me than survivors, though both can be used as thieves. 

Meroc Trothgard

Class: Survivor (from NIGHT SHIFT)
Level: 12
Species: Human
Alignment: Night Good
Background: Hunter/Gatherer

Abilities
Strength: 15 (+1) N
Agility: 17 (+2) A
Toughness: 17 (+2) N
Intelligence: 12 (0) 
Wits: 14 (+1) 
Persona: 13 (+1) 

Fate Points: 1d10
Defense Value: 2
Vitality: 90
Degeneracy: 0
Corruption: 0

Check Bonus (A/N/D): +6/+4/+2
Melee Bonus: +4 (base)
Ranged Bonus: +4 (base)
Saves: +4 vs Death effects

Renegade Abilities
Improved Defence, Ranged Combat, Stealth Skills, Climbing, Danger Sense (1-4 d6), Perception, Vital Strike x4, Read Languages, Stealth Skills

Heroic (Divine) Archetype: Hunter

Gear
Longsword ("Trollslayer"), dagger, longbow

Mechanically, the Renegade and the Survivor are the same. But in this case, I add in the backgrounds to give them a different feel. With Meroc here, I also decided not to go with their multi-class Ranger/Thief and stuck with the Survivor.

Aristobulous Declan

Class: Sorcerer (from Wasted Lands)
Level: 13
Species: Half-elf
Alignment: Night Good
Background: Scholar

Abilities
Strength: 11 (0) 
Agility: 16 (+2) N
Toughness: 15 (+1) 
Intelligence: 17 (+2) A
Wits: 10 (0) 
Persona: 13 (+1) N

Fate Points: 1d10
Defense Value: 3
Vitality: 72
Degeneracy: 0
Corruption: 0

Check Bonus (A/N/D): +6/+4/+2
Melee Bonus: +4 (base)
Ranged Bonus: +4 (base)
Saves: +4 vs Magic

Elf Abilities
Night Shifted

Sorcerer Abilities
Beguile, Enhanced Senses, Exorcist, Subtle Influence, Telekinesis

Spells
First Level (5): Arcane Darts, Chill Ray, Gout of Flame, Mystical Senses, Sleep, 
Second Level (4): Conjure Flame, Invisibility, Lesser Renewal, See Invisible
Third Level (4): Concussive Blast, Dark Lightning, Dispel Magic, Remove Curse 
Fourth  Level (4): Conjure Fire, Improved Invisibility, Paralyze Undead, Renewal
Fifth Level (3): Banishment, Shadow Armor, Teleport
Sixth Level (2): Destroy Undead, Dispel Evil
Seventh Level (1): Ball of Sunshine

Heroic (Divine) Archetype: Magic

Gear
Quarterstaff, Dagger, dart

Mages are Sorcerers. This one has a lot spells to help survive Castle Ravenloft.

Father Ercon Valeran

Class: Theosophist (from NIGHT SHIFT)
Level: 12
Species: Human
Alignment: Light Good
Background: Warrior

Abilities
Strength: 15 (+1) N
Agility: 18 (+3) 
Toughness: 16 (+1) N
Intelligence: 16 (+2) 
Wits: 20 (+4) A 
Persona: 19 (+3) 

Fate Points: 1d10
Defense Value: 3
Vitality: 87
Degeneracy: 0
Corruption: 0

Check Bonus (A/N/D): +6/+4/+2
Melee Bonus: +2 (base)
Ranged Bonus: +2 (base)
Saves: +5 vs Wits 

Theosophist Abilities
See Dead people, Turn Undead x2, Summon Dead, Channel Dead, Death Knell, Suggestion, Command the Dead

Heroic (Divine) Archetype: Hunter of the Dead

Gear
Mace ("Skullcrusher"), Quarterstaff, shortbow, holy symbol.

I can't help but notice that Father Ercon's Patron Deity is St. Werper. Nice touch Grenda!

I should stat up Strahd sometime as well. But I think he deserves his own post really. 

You can get the Wasted Lands RPG and the NIGHT SHIFT RPG at Elf Lair Games.