#RPGaDay2023 SMARTEST RPG you've played

 Oh, now that is an interesting question.

It is a tossup, really.

Victoria and Baker Street are two very historically accurate Victorian-era RPGs. No steampunk, no gothic horror, no supernatural. Straight-up exploration of one of the more fascinating ages (in my mind) in history.  I love my Steampunk. I LOVE my Gothic Horror and Supernatural. But that loves comes from a solid grounding in the age, and these game both managed to give me what I love and be very clever about it.

Likewise, I love the tales of King Arthur and an age of a Mythic Britan.

While less grounded in actual history, these books both capture their subject matter well. Pendragon and Chivalry & Sorcery are great fun, and I just don't get to play them enough. 

It is great to do a historically accurate RPG as Victoria and Baker Street show, but Pendragon and C&S also demonstrate why historical accuracy sometimes needs to take a backseat (or passenger seat) to a good game.

#Dungeon23 Tomb of the Vampire Queen, Level 8, Room 7

Moving on in this area, the party comes to a wider chamber. 

Lurking in the shadows is a true horror.  A skeletal horror, covered in blood with glowing red eyes.

It appears undead, but it is a Babu Demon. 

Babau Demon

These 7’ tall demons have ebony flesh that clings closely to their skeleton, appearing almost like a leathery corpse. They have a single curving horn that emerges from the back of their heads. 

Armor Class: -3 [22]
Hit Dice: 7+7 (45 hp)
Attacks:  2 claws (1d4+3 x2), 1 horn (1d6+3) or 1 weapon +3
THAC0: 12 [+7]
Movement: 150’ (50’)
Saving Throws: D8 W9 P10 B10 S12 (7)
Morale: 8
Alignment: Chaotic
XP: 2,050
Number Appearing: 1d3 
Treasure Type: C

Babau demons prefer to attack with weapons from a distance when possible and have STR 19 which grants bonuses to attacks and damage with some weapons.

• Glowing Eyes: Any creature within 20’ that looks into a babau’s glowing red eyes must succeed in a saving throw versus spells or be affected as if from a ray of enfeeblement. 
• Slimy Skin: A slimy red jelly coats the babe’s skin when in combat, reducing damage by 50% from cutting and stabbing weapons.
• Thief Skills: These demons have the abilities of a thief of 9th level. 
• Weapon Damage: Babau suffers damage from ordinary weapons and +2 damage from weapons of iron.
• Spell-Like Abilities: The babau can use the following at will.
• darkness 10’ radius
• dispel magic
• fear (as the wand of fear, by touch)
• fly
• levitate
• polymorph self
• heat metal.
• Gate Demon: a babau may gate (25% probability of success) another babau demon.

#RPGaDay2023 Favourite game you NEVER get to play

 My favorite game I never get to play? Easy.

C. J. Carella's WitchCraft.

I love everything about this game and I never ever get to play it.  I think the last time was at Gen con maybe 10-12 years ago.

It was my inspiration behind Ghosts of Albion and NIGHT SHIFT. Neither of those games would have been made if it had not been for WitchCraft.

I can't even adequately put into words what this game means to me. Only the AD&D Monster Manual comes close.

#Dungeon23 Tomb of the Vampire Queen, Level 8, Room 6

 Going back to Room #2 the next passage looks similar to the passageway for Room #3.

 The tunnel is largely empty.  

#RPGaDay2023 OLDEST game you've played

 Not sure if this means "This Year" or "Ever." Let's go with Ever.

The Oldest game I have played is Original Dungeons and Dragons.

I spent a summer after my freshman year at college playing in an OD&D campaign. It was an eye-opening experience to say the least!

#Dungeon23 Tomb of the Vampire Queen, Level 8, Room 5

 Passageway 4 ends in a locked door. The lock can be picked or forced open with a combined strength of 24.

Inside this small oval shape room, the party finds a collection of treasure.

The lamps (six total) glow with an arcane light (via a continual light spell).

There are all sorts of small chests here (10+1d6) each containing gems (5d8 x 100 gp worth), a decanter of endless water, a spell book with random spells (1d10 1st level, 1d8 2nd level, 1d6 3rd level, 1d4 4th level, and 1 5th level). Despite it's obvious age it appears to be magically preserved.*

*If a player reads a spell from this spell book as if it were a scroll, it will destroy the whole book.

There is a dagger +2, +3 to lycanthropes.

A shield +2, +3 vs. missile fire. 

A scroll of teleportation (with detailed descriptions of the 1st level). 

As well as 1d4+3 random other magic items. 

Three of the small chests act as large bags of holding. A person could carry one each.

There is a jeweled crown (cursed, after possessing it for one year the wearer thinks they are a king and demand to be treated as such). 

And a gilded, jeweled dagger. It is sharp but not magical. It is worth 1,000 gp.

Otherwise the room is a dead end.

--

Game Masters should reward XP value equal to 1/2 of the GP value of treasure found. 

Kickstart Your Weekend - The Beast & Snow #1

 I wasn't going to promote any Kickstarters for a bit after a month of doing nothing but Wasted Lands, but this one came up and I couldn't say no.

The Beast & Snow #1 - NSFW Queer Fairytale Romance

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/comicuno/beastsnow1?ref=theotherside

Revision fairy tales? Vampires? Strong female leads? Kat Calamia and Phil Falco? Dorilys Giacchetto cover? Liana Kangas cover? Stjepan Sejic cover?!

Sign me up! No need, I did that myself.

Ok so this looks like a lot of fun and I am getting a strong "Carmilla" and "Vampyres" vibe from this. 

The art looks great and the story should be great from what little bit I can gather here.  They are just missing a witch from being perfect! (I am nothing if not consistent.)

And if you think I am NOT doing versions of these characters for my home game using my Monster Mash rules then you don't know me or this blog very well. 

They have met their funding and unlocked their first stretch goal. Looks like they might need more stretch goals at this rate!

But seriously, this looks like a lot of fun and I hope there are a lot of issues in this series.