The Other Side blog

Monday, October 7, 2019

Monstrous Mondays: Scarecrows for Basic era Games

There is one Halloween monster that I always look back on in fondness. The Scarecrow.
Maybe it was because I grew up in the Mid-west. Or maybe because it was because of the Scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz. But I think it was more due to this cardboard Scarecrow Halloween decoration we had hanging in my bedroom. The thing scared me at first, but soon it came to mean Halloween for me. This would have been in the years 1974 to 1976.

Since then scarecrows have been as much as a part of Halloween as witches, black cats, and vampires.

So it is natural in my mind that witches are the ones to animate scarecrows to do their bidding.

Razzle dazzle drazzle drone.
Time for this one to come home.

Razzle dazzle drazzle die.
Time for this one to come alive!

- Parchment found near a risen scarecrow

Scarecrows are basic guardians similar to druthers, but not nearly as powerful. Like mundane scarecrows, their bodies are made of straw and cloth. They stumble clumsily about their assigned area and attack most anything that wanders through it. Some scarecrows are bound to a post and use their paralyzing (fear) gaze to imprison any trespassers.

Scarecrows are assigned to protect a particular area. They never leave the area, even when chasing an intruder. They will attack anything humanoid or animal-like in appearance that walks into its territory unless otherwise instructed by their creator.

Paralyzing Gaze: Anyone that meets the gaze of a scarecrow must make a saving throw vs. Paralysis or be paralyzed for 1d4+1 rounds.

Construct: Immune to mind-influencing effects, poison, disease, and similar effects. Not subject to critical hits, subdual damage, ability damage, energy drain, or death from massive damage.

Fire Vulnerability: Because of their straw bodies, Scarecrow Guardians are extremely vulnerable to attacks from fire. They take double damage from all fire attacks.

In addition, a scarecrow guardian will catch fire easily after any attack that would normally ignite mundane items. A scarecrow on fire receives 2d6 damage each round (do not double this damage).

Scarecrow
(Labyrinth Lord, Pumpkin Spice Editon)
No. Enc.: 1 (1)
Alignment: Neutral
Movement: 60’ (20’)
Armor Class: 9
Hit Dice: 3d8 (13 hp)
Attacks: 1 (slam) + Paralyzing Gaze
Damage: 1d6
Save: F3
Morale: 12
Hoard Class: None
XP: 65

Scarecrow
(Blueholme Journeymanne Rules)
AC: 9
HD: 3d8
Move: 60
Attacks: 1 slam (1d6) + Paralyzing Gaze
Alignment: N
Treasure: None
XP: 50

Scarecrow
(Old-School Essentials)
A patchwork collection of old clothes, straw and a pumpkin for a head.
AC 9 [10], HD 3 (13hp), Att 1 slam (1d6) + Paralyzing Gaze, THAC0 17 [+3], MV 60’ (20’), SV SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16 (3), ML 12, AL Neutral, XP 50, NA 1 (1), TT None
▶ Paralyzing Gaze: Save
▶ Fire Vulnerability: Because of their straw bodies, Scarecrow Guardians are extremely vulnerable to attacks from fire. They take double damage from all fire attacks.
▶ Construct: Immune to mind-influencing effects, poison, disease, and similar effects. Not subject to critical hits, subdual damage, ability damage, energy drain, or death from massive damage.

Animate Scarecrow (Ritual)
Level: Witch Ritual 3
Ritual Requirements: The witch and an hour-long ritual. Additional witches may be included.
Range: One scarecrow
Duration: One year plus one day per combined witch levels.
The witch must prepare the scarecrow's body out of hay, straw and old clothes. This should take at least an hour or two to gather materials and make the body. Longer times are needed for more complex scarecrows, but never more than three hours. Successful casting means the scarecrow is animated and will respond to the witch's commands.
Material Components: The creation of a scarecrow's body and an hour-long ritual. The witch includes three strands of her own hair to link the scarecrow to her. If more than one witch contributes to the construction of the scarecrow then each has to contribute a strand of hair.

Sunday, October 6, 2019

October Horror Movie Challenge: Thirst (1979)

Leonard Maltin liked this movie. So let's see how it is.

The premise is an interesting one. A woman from the late 70s is discovered to be the only living heir to the Elizabeth Bathory. They kidnap her and take her to a human farm where "cattle" are drained of blood to feed over 70,000 modern vampires.

Out would be Bathory though is having none of it and is resiting her conditioning.

Now there are a lot of neat ideas here.
I like the idea of Elizabeth Bathory's heir. I like the secret society of "vampires" (they are not real vampires, but do have red eyes).
I even like the cattle farm idea, 20 years before Buffy would explore the same idea in "Doppelgangland".

Sadly it was combined rather poorly. Not the plot so much, though it is slow, it is the execution of that plot.

Plus the acting, for the most part, is pretty bad.

I had higher hopes, but I suppose if it had been better I would have seen it already.

Watched: 6
New: 4

Saturday, October 5, 2019

October Horror Movie Challenge: Prophecy (1979)

Wait...are they implying that Armand Assante is a Native American??? That and more horrors are found in Prophecy!

Ok this movie kinda freaked me out when I first saw it at the 67 Drive-In (named for Illinois Route 67). It really has not aged well. I saw a while back on TV (maybe 20 years ago) and even then it looked dated. But today? Yeesh.

Funny thing though the central theme, a big American company invading land belonging to Native American and poisoning their water supply is pretty much "Ripped from the Headlines" today.
Plus the idea of a giant mutated grizzly is a fun one.
The execution...not so much.

But my real beef with this movie (besides the aforementioned Armand Assante as a Native American) is that the movie is called "Prophecy" but what prophecy? Sure there is the legend of the Katahdin (named for the largest mountain in the area I assume), but that is not a prophecy really.

Of course Armand Assante and Robert Foxworth and both better actors than this movie would have you believe. Thankfully both went on to big and better gigs.

The poster for this movie was also much better than the movie itself. I also remember the trailer promising me more than the movie would or could deliver.

It was left open for a sequel, but none ever happened as far as I know.

Watched: 5
New: 3

Friday, October 4, 2019

October Horror Movie Challenge: Motel Hell (1980)

All this AND Wolfman Jack!

I remember watching this one back when it first came out, but that's nearly 40 years ago so I forgot a lot.

True story, I once wrote a review for this movie for my school newspaper but they wanted me to censor the word "Hell".

This movie was the first of what I would later come to call "Country Horror" or "Rural Gothic", which is appropriate given the poster's "homage" to American Gothic.

I'll be honest, the whole cutting the victims vocal cords really creeped me out back then. The movie does not hold up well, at all really, but there is a certain campiness about it that is fun.

Nancy Parsons (Ida) would, of course, go on to fame as Beulah Balbricker in the Pork's films and other bit parts.

In some ways, this movie gave us the concept of the comedic horror film of the 80s. Not intentionally of course. I feel this movie, while trying to be a 70s Grindhouse horror, gave us the seeds that would later grow into Nightmare on Elm Street and the Evil Dead movies (though Evil Dead was already in production by then).

Watched: 4
New: 3

Kickstart Your Weekend: Night Shift, Veterans of the Supernatural Wars

Night Shift: Veterans of the Supernatural Wars RPG

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/294629699/night-shift-veterans-of-the-supernatural-wars-rpg?ref=theotherside

First the Kickstarter sales blurb from my co-author Jason Vey:

So folks, to coincide with Halloween, I will be Kickstarting the newest core RPG from Elf Lair Games this October! I'm still working out the exact details (getting quotes for printing costs in particular) so I know what to set my goal, but it's planned as a hardcover B&W release. Please spread the word and keep your eyes out! Here's some more about the game:

NIGHT SHIFT: VETERANS OF THE SUPERNATURAL WARS Debuting the new Elf Lair Games house system, O.G.R.E.S., Night Shift is an urban fantasy, horror, and dark modern supernatural game that uses a brand new system of old-school mechanics inspired by and derived from the original, basic, expert, and advanced versions of the World's Most Famous Role Playing Game. It allows you to mimic all the tropes of just about any film, TV series, or novels you like.

All of the following are possible with Night Shift:

Cheerleaders that are chosen to slay vampires

Sisters imbued with the power of chosen witches

Worlds where Fae of all manner battle in the politics of light and dark

The great-grandniece of a famous gunslinger inherits the legacy of the demon hunter.

A world where two brothers armed with knowledge and weapons hunt the supernatural in their father's name

And more!

Excited? I sure am!!

The Kickstarter is in full swing NOW.

My co-author Jason posted a bit on his blog about O.G.R.E.S. , the system that powers Night Shift.

O.G.R.E.S. stands for "Oldschool Generic Roleplaying Engine System." It's the new house system for Elf Lair Games, which will run alongside our current O.R.C.S. and Cd8 Systems. It's another step forward in presenting a new approach to a "unified system" for running just about any kind of game, using mechanics that will be instantly familiar to players of "old school" fantasy games, specifically those that powered the Original, Basic, Expert, and Advanced versions of the World's Most Famous Role Playing Game.

What O.G.R.E.S. does, however, is streamline and codify these mechanics, to remove what many view as arcane and confusing elements, and break the system down into a fast-playing, fun, easy-to-understand, and open presentation, adding a few modern design elements to improve the smooth play.

This also means that the majority of products which are compatible with any of these editions of the game, are also compatible with O.G.R.E.S.

So if you are reading this blog chances are really good you already know how to play NIGHT SHIFT and O.G.R.E.S., in fact, my own Eldritch Witchery, which uses the 2d6-based O.R.C.S. system is nearly 100% compatible with NIGHT SHIFT right now, but we are also including some easy conversion rules.

NIGHT SHIFT is old-school, but some new-school design principles are also being used. We want a game that is easier to learn, quick to play and also has playability over several campaigns.

The system is class and level and I personally think it fits the genre very well.
Think about your favorite modern supernatural heroes. Mine would be Sam and Dean, Mulder and Scully, Willow and Tara, the Charmed Ones. They also progress through levels and have easily quantifiable "classes". I mean Season 1 Willow is very different from Season 5 Willow, same as Level 1 Willow vs. Level 5 Willow.

Starting next week I am going to be posting some content for NIGHT SHIFT including some of my playtest notes, some monsters and maybe even some spells.

We are both pouring everything we know from the dozens of games we have worked on professionally over the last 20 years. I am planning on this being my new system of choice for any and every modern game. I hope you can too!

Thursday, October 3, 2019

October Horror Movie Challenge: Inferno (1980)

Now here is one that has been on my list for some time. It did not disapoint.

Inferno (1980)

This Dario Argento film is the second of his "Mothers" trilogy which began with Suspiria (1977). This one lacks some of the visual power as Suspiria, but the horror and suspense are still there.

Without giving the plot away from the story deals with two siblings searching for more information on the book "The Three Mothers". The book tells that like the three Fates, there three Sorrows. Mater Suspiriorum, Matter Tenebraum, and Matter Lachymarum.
The Mothers, appear as witches to many and as Death to others.
As they investigate the book and it's origin they, and others, begin to get killed in fairly horrible ways.

It has been years since I have seen Suspiria, so maybe I need to watch the 2018 remake. I'll also need to check out the often forgotten third film, Mother of Tears (2007).

The score is great and gives a very surreal vibe to the movie. Again, not up to the level of Suspiria, but very fun all the same.

I love the idea of a book, so dangerous, that everyone around it meets a grizzly fate. Yeah I know, that is like 80% of Lovecraft, but this has a different feel about. In Lovecraft the horrors are uncaring. These horrors HATE us.

Plus I really like that poster. It often starred back at me from the horror shelves of the local video store.

Watched: 3
New: 3

Featured Artist: Christina "Catilus" Kritikou

It's been a while since I have done a Featured Artist and that is a crime. So to make up for it I want to share some great artists I have found recently.

Up first is Christina "Catilus" Kritikou.

I first found Christina on the D&D Artist Facebook group and I loved her style. Once I started digging there was even more great stuff out there.

Here is Christina in her manager's words.

Christina Kritikou

Christina Kritikou has been drawing and doodling practically forever. A few years ago, she took the plunge to go pro and recently started doing art fulltime with the brand name/mascot Catilus, one of her fantastic creatures. She prefers to create her sketches with pencil on paper and then use her digital pen to illustrate her works.

Christina loves drawing character portraits and group compositions with strong fantasy and science fiction themes. She is a prolific creator of homebrew D&D content, and some of her D&D items, such as her Cape of Nine Lives and Butter Cookie Tin became really popular across social media (much to her surprise!)

As a lifelong comic lover, Christina has recently launched her own webcomic: INTERSPACE PIRATE XUNAhttps://www.webtoons.com/en/challenge/interspace-pirate-xuna/list?title_no=282267 on LINE WEBTOON. About the comic: “Ancient terrors, interspace pirates, a weapon that can wipe out half the galaxy. Can Xuna save mankind and outsmart the ancient Masters while dealing with a ragtag crew of hot guys?”

Christina is very friendly and loves discussing character concepts. Feel free to contact her if you want her to draw something for you, or just feel like chatting with an up-and-coming artist and comic author.