While I originally went into reading these with ideas for my BlackStar game, but instead I am more convinced than ever that an Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea game based in Zothique would be fantastic.
Part of my New Year's Resolution includes playing more "Basic Era" D&D and clones, and AS&SH is a part of that. I figure before I take it and make something new with it I should at least figure out how it's played out of the box.
I do plan on hitting more BlackStar in the new year as well.
The lands of the north are full of magic. There is the Abominable Snow Monster, also known as the Bumble, the Dreaded Winter Warlock and human evils like the Burgomeister Meisterburger. To protect the children of the lands of the north there is a fierce guardian, a Winter Warden, a man named Kringle.
Equipment: Kringle coat, magic snowball, a huge sack of toys.
The man who would be known as Kris Kringle was left as a baby near the home of the Kringle Barbegazi (Ice Gnomes). Those these gnomes had also lived close to many Álfar (Snow Elves) that they had picked up their ways. Many local humans simply called them Kringle Elves.
Kris grew to manhood and took on his adoptive family's decree as the First Toy Makers to the King to deliver toys across the mountains to Sombertown, the only place where the Kringles had not given out their toys (they were related to Tinker Gnomes as well).
To do so he had to first face the terrible Winter Warlock, whom he defeated but would take on as a friend. The Winter Warlock (now Lawful and lost some of his powers) provided him with his Snowball of Seeing and magic corn for his flying reindeer.
Kringle is the current Winter Warden for the area surrounding Sombertown. No one is sure who his parents are, but it is suspected his father was a powerful wizard or cleric.
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Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from the Other Side!
I just recently watched "Frozen" (I know, I am late to the game) and I admit it lived up to the hype. I am very familiar with the Hans Christian Andersen tale "The Snow Queen" in which Frozen is based, but it became a very different story when it hit the big screen.
In any case, Elsa, much like her literary counterpart the Snow Queen, can be depicted as a Winter Witch.
Another good reason to consider her a witch is her voice is done by Idina Menzel, who is also known for her portrayal of Elphaba in the Broadway musical Wicked. That's a serious witch-pedigree in my book.
So here is Elsa, the Winter Witch Queen for my newest book, The Winter Witch.
With this book, you can now learn the secrets of the Winter Witch, the living personification of all that makes winter the most dazzling and the most dangerous season.
Inside you will find:
The Winter Witch tradition and the Winter Warlock Pact
The Vǫlva and Warden classes
New races for S&W Complete to suit the winter world.
130+ witch spells
100+ Warlock spells
14 Cleric spells
40+ Druid and Magic-User spells
50+ Monsters
New Treasure, magic items and artifacts of powerful witches.
Art by Dean Spencer, Jacob E. Blackmon, Daniel Comerci, Larry Elmore, William McAusland, Todd Shearer, and Josh Soper.
I just watched the best panel discussion on instilling confidence in girls through RPGs. I was at PAX Unplugged here just recently and featured Satine Phoenix, BJ Hensley, Kate Welch, Dr. Megan Connell and moderated by Ethan Schoonover.
I could describe it, but it's just better to watch it.
I found many, many parallels in what they are talking about here and playing D&D with children with varying stages of Learning Disabilities. As some of you may recall I was running games for a while at my kids' schools. Pathfinder, D&D4 and D&D5. My sons also have a couple groups they run.
So I have seen children on different levels of the autistic spectrum, children with full on ADHD and auditory processing disorders. I have seen D&D help them focus, learn coping skills, time management skills and higher order organizational skills.
I keep thinking I really should apply my education and those Ph.D.s I worked on to this issue. But in truth I just love to see the kids play and learn. I can leave this in the more than capable hands of Dr. Connell.
Just a few short days till the Winter Witch is out. Here is another frozen fiend to throw at your players! Again, the inspiration for this one should be obvious.
This is me, saving the best for last!
Giant, Frost, Undead Hit Dice: 12 Armor Class: 2 [18] Attack: 2 fist (2d8), weapon (3d8), frost breath (4d6), Constitution Drain Saving Throw: 3 Special: Undead; Energy Drain, Frost breath, Immune to cold Movement: 12 Alignment: Chaotic Number Encountered: 1d3 Challenge Level/XP: 14/2,600
The horrible undead frost giant appears much as a giant wight or draugr. Indeed they are the wights among the Frost Giants. Horrible as they are powerful, these giant creatures appear as frozen skeletons with bits of armor still frozen to their frames.
In their frozen existence they forget much about what they were so they tend to attack with fists or by whatever weapons they had when they died. They do have two special attacks they can use. First is a breath weapon of cold air that can do 4d6 points of damage. That is the only attack they can perform that round and they can only do it every other round. They also have a level draining attack that drains 1 level Constitution per a successful fist attack. These creatures do not hurl rocks like their living counterparts.
These giants are usually found in great wastes and usually on the spot where they died. They typically do not have treasure save what they may have been carrying at the time of their death.
Undead Frost Giants are turned as Vampires (12 HD).
