Urban Fantasy Fridays: Little Fears

It is October! You know what that means around here. For all of October, I am going to focus my "Fantasy Fridays" on Urban Fantasy and Horror. These will be more about accenting and supplementing your games with horror and less on these games being a "D&D Replacement."

Little Fears: Nightmare Edition

When was the last time you were really, really afraid? Most people would say childhood.  Little Fears is exactly about that.  Little Fears is a game of childhood fears.  The monsters are real; they hide in your closet and under your bed. The scary old lady down the street really is a hag. But don’t worry. You are protected by Belief, and items that seem mundane or meaningless to grown-ups can help you.   Little Fears is based on a simple system, as befitting its nature of school children fighting monsters that adults can’t see. 

Little Fears also has the notoriety of being one of three RPGs that one of my FLGS will not sell openly.  You can order it, but they don’t stock it.  I disagree, but I respect their choice.

Little Fears is a game of Childhood Horrors.  Simple enough.  As a father, I have been up many nights, sleepily fighting one bogeyman or another.  Thankfully, most bogeymen are terrified of my "huh? go back to sleep" speech cause I have never seen them.  But maybe once upon a time I did.  I am reminded of a Charmed episode where a little girl was being attacked by little bogey-like creatures, and the Charmed Ones, being adults, could not see them.  They had to cast a spell to be more childlike (with accompanying wackiness) to see the threat.  That was the hook I was going to use to get my group to play Little Fears one day.  Turn their characters into kids, and to keep them off guard, I was going to take their Unisystem sheets and give them Little Fears sheets instead, and then not tell them all the rules.  The Little Fears book makes a big issue about kids living in an adult world and not knowing or understanding the rules.  Frankly, I thought it was brilliant, but it never happened.

Little Fears plays like that.  Only more so.  Monsters are defined by the character's fear but also by their belief.  In some ways, playing LF with adults is a bit like playing D&D with really young kids.  They want to be the player AND the DM.  In LF the characters and players can change the nature of the game in overt or subtle ways.

The rules are very simple, really.  The system is a d6 dice pool based on abilities or qualities.  Monsters are built similarly to characters, though they are tougher, generally speaking.  The damage system reminds me of Mutants and Masterminds a bit and is also pretty simple.   Emphasis, though, in this game is not how many monsters you can kill, but how well you role-play the monster you nearly escaped from and lived to tell your friends about (because they have seen the same monster, but have been too afraid to tell you).  Little Fears is one of the most role-play-heavy games I have read in a very long time.  If you only like to hit things with pointy metal sticks or throw fireballs, then this might not be your game.  If the idea of playing something that is akin to "Kult Jr." or "C.J. Carella's WitchCraft Babies," then this is the game for you.

There is an overarching malaise, though, over Little Fears.  I get depressed reading it, I have to admit.  Maybe it is because I am a father and I know how those little kids feel to be afraid, alone, and powerless.  I guess the counterargument is that they are not powerless or alone, really.

The Lifespan Campaign

One idea I’ve toyed with is the Lifespan Campaign: taking characters from childhood through adolescence, young adulthood, and into older years across different horror systems. Each stage of life would utilize a different RPG: Little Fears for childhood, perhaps Dark Places & Demogorgons, Monsterhearts or Buffy for the teenage years, WitchCraft for adulthood, and Kult or Call of Cthulhu for the endgame. I love this approach because each game has a distinct “rule set” that reflects how life feels at different ages. 

Childhood is governed by Belief. Adolescence by Drama. Adulthood by Responsibility. Old age by Fragility. Or something like that. I reserve the right to tweak these ideas.

It’s a long campaign dream, but Little Fears is the perfect opening chapter.

Larina Nichols for Little Fears

Let's try out this idea. I have already established that Larina began to hear The Call of the Goddess when she was six years old. Around the same time, children have imaginary friends. In this universe, that would be the same time a Little Fears game would begin.

Little Larina and a ghost.

My name is Larina Nichols
I am a 6-year-old girl.
My birthday is October 25.

Concept: Outsider/Quiet kid

Abilities

Move: ØØOOOO 2

Fight: ØOOOOO 1

Think: ØØØOOO 3

Speak: ØØOOOO 2

Care: ØØØOOO 3

Traits

Good: I can Fight well when I am angry.

Bad: It’s hard for me to Think when I'm scared.

Virtues

Belief 7

Wits: scared ØØØØØ|ØØØOO calm

Spirit: dark ØØØØØ|ØØØØØ light (whole)

Qualities

I am the smart girl  +2
- I know words the teacher hasn't taught yet. +1
- I love books. +1

I am Curious +1

I am Brave +1

I see Scary Things -2

I don't fit in -1

I feel (Care)

fine ØØØØØØØ|OOO
sore ØØØØØØØ|OOO (-2)
bad ØØØØØØØ|OOO (-4)
cold ØØØØØØØ|OOO (-6)

My Stuff

My "Book of Monsters" +3
- "Names" monsters so they can't hurt me +1 to Armor
- Gives me advice on how to beat them +1 to Fight
- lets me talk to Monsters +1 to Speak

Pendant +2
- Glows when danger is near
- Protects me +1 to Wits

"Dragon tooth" (really some baked clay) +2
- Lucky +1
- Protects me +1 to Care

Questionnaire

My best friend is...Aurora. She is a year older.
The One Grown-up I can Trust is...Mrs. Jess, my 1st grade teacher. I think she used to be a witch.
Once I Lost...my stuffed bunny Jackson. 
He was special because...he would protect me from ghosts.

The One Place Monsters can't get me is...Dad's library. They are afraid of his books and music.
The One Thing Monsters can't touch is...my star pendant. 
I Don't Go near...basement.
Beacuse...the Shadow-girl lives there and she is not like other ghosts.

My biggest fear is...fire. 

A Little About Me
The Thing I like Least about Myself is...kids make fun of my hair and nose.
The Thing that always gets me into trouble is...when the ghosts bother me and I yell at them to stop.
When I get scared I...bite my nails. My mom hates that.

Family
I live in a one-story house with an attic and a basement that's a bit scary. With my mom (Stephanie) and my dad (Lars). I have a kitten named Cottonball who is small, white, and super fuzzy. The ghost of an old woman lives in the attic, but she is not mean and keeps the other ghosts away.

The Shadow-girl lives in the basement. She looks like a ghost, but isn't. She tells me she is going to take me and live as me. Shadow-girl will sometimes do bad things around the house, and I get blamed for it.

Goals

Short-term: I want to be braver around the older kids.

Long-term: I want to get rid of the Shadow-Girl

Secret

Knows her friend Aurora is being abused. She told a teacher, and then Aurora was gone for a long time. 

-

This is quite a good system for figuring out who your character is, or rather, was back then. There are things here I have thought about for Larina that I have never actually explored in other games; her fear of fire yes, but also how she sees ghosts all the time, and her interactions with "The Shadow-girl" a demonic presence in her early life. 

Going through this, I also decided that in a modern game, she would have been advanced a grade due to her intelligence, but was she emotionally ready? AND how does all of this affect the character I would play in Buffy, Chill, or Kult?

As a reminder that it is a weighty game with some weighty issues, I went ahead and put in Larina's secret about Aurora. Larina feels like it is her fault that Aurora was gone for so long. As mentioned above, this game challenges you to confront a range of childhood fears.

Final Thoughts

Little Fears: Nightmare Edition isn’t just “kids fight monsters.” It’s about capturing that liminal space between innocence and terror, where imagination and fear are indistinguishable. It’s a heavy game, sometimes even depressing, but it’s also brilliant in its design and focus.

While it is a game about children, it is not a game for children.  The subject matter of abuse and death can be a bit much for some adults, let alone kids.  So consider this your warning about the issues covered here. 

Little Fears might also be one of the most effective horror games I have ever played. Chill, Kult, WoD, CoC, WitchCraft are all great and I love them all, but Little Fears is different and the power structure between what you can do and what you need to do is such that it is a scary, scary game.

If you want a horror RPG that digs deeper than gore and jump scares, one that makes you feel vulnerable again, this is it. Buy it. Play it. Even if it unsettles you. Because once you’ve cracked open Little Fears, you’ll never look at butterflies (or teddy bears, or shadows) quite the same way again.

Urban Fantasy Fridays: Supernatural (Special Edition)

 This year I have been celebrating various Fantasy RPGs and judging them on their ability to replace D&D. For October I am going to focus instead on Urban Fantasy games with Horror elements to them; something I rather love. 

This past week, instead of gaming, my son and I worked on characters. I was working on characters for my Urban Fantasy Fridays and he was doing Call of Cthulhu 7th ed. We got to talking while listening to his "D&D Classic Rock mix" when the subject came around to the Supernatural series. We both commented on how this September was the 20th anniversary of the show's premiere (September 13, 2005). We all agreed we had a lot of fun watching it. It was the last show we all watched together as a family, you know, before the kids got their own lives. Liam lamented that there was no Supernatural RPG. To which I corrected him and pulled it out.  He was pretty excited about it, to be honest. 

So we dropped the games we were working on (him CoC7, me Chill 3rd Edition) to recreate the same characters in Supernatural.

Supernatural RPG

2009. by Jamie Chambers. Published by Margaret Weiss Productions.

Supernatural: The Role Playing Game came out in 2009 from Margaret Weis Productions, back when they were adapting a lot of TV properties into RPG form. Like Smallville and Battlestar Galactica, this one used the Cortex System (the pre-Cortex Plus version). That alone puts it in a particular place in RPG history, when licensed games were less about “crunch” and more about catching the mood of the show.

I am somewhat hesitant to review this one. The big reason is that it is long out of print. You can find it on eBay for some really insane prices. The other reason is it only covers Supernatural up to Season 3; so about 20% of the show. There is a lot in the show that is not covered by these rules. Lastly, and this one is hard, it doesn't really *do* anything that other games can also do. The system itself, Cortex, is like a bastard child of Unisystem and Savage Worlds. 

The book is great looking and there is a lot here in terms of use and layout that will later be seen in the Dresden Files RPG. 

So I am taking this one out of my "Urban Fantasy Fridays" proper, but still giving it its own due by placing it in Supernatural's premiere month. 

As you’d expect, this game built for monster hunting, salt, shotguns, and a healthy dose of bad family drama. The book does a good job of introducing newcomers to the Supernatural world, but if you were watching the show back then, it was a nice way to immerse yourself in that universe at home. Characters are hunters, of course, though not necessarily Sam and Dean. You can make your own, or play with archetypes drawn right from the show. Sam, Dean, John (their dad), and Bobby (their other dad) are the only featured NPCs.

Mechanically, it’s pure Cortex: roll a couple of dice based on your traits and hope for the best, with plot points to keep the action flowing. It’s not a heavy system and fits the episodic structure of Supernatural really well, you can knock out a “case of the week” in a session or two. The downside is that it doesn’t dig too deep into campaign longevity; it’s really tuned for one-shots and short arcs rather than sprawling epics. Which is ironic given the show's eventual 15-year-long life. 

Looking back, the game is a time capsule. The series was still early in its run (season three), so it reflects Supernatural before it got truly cosmic. So no Crowley, no Castiel, and sadly no Rowena. That makes it more urban horror and road-trip mystery than angels, Leviathans, and end-of-the-world plots. In a way, that’s a strength, it captures the weird Americana vibe that made those early seasons fun.

It’s out of print now, and not easy to find at a reasonable price. Still, as a piece of the Cortex lineage and a reflection of Supernatural’s monster-of-the-week roots, it’s worth a look for fans. For me, it sits on the shelf next to Chill, NIGHT SHIFT, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer RPG, a reminder of when urban horror TV and RPGs crossed streams in fun and exciting ways.

Expanding the Supernatural RPG Universe

I mentioned above Cortex in this version feels like the bastard child of Unisystem (Buffy, WitchCraft) and Savage Worlds (Rippers, etc.) so expanding the RPG options of Supernatural are fairly easy.

I even have a few posts about it already, back when this game first came out.

• Supernatural RPG
• Cortex and Unisystem
• Magic in Cortex, Savage Worlds and Witch Girls Adventures
• Supernatural & Smallville
• Cortex, Part 1

I have used these ideas at varying degrees to make some new characters, espeically expanding the Supernatural universe to include witches and even succubi. 

• Wayward Sisters for the Supernatural RPG
• Cortex: The Hex Girls
• Willow & Tara: Cortex

Each one uses a slightly different type of witchcraft/magic system, and that works fine with me. None is "perfect" as far as I am concerned, but I am sure I could craft one.

In truth if I was going to play Supernatural these days, I would just use NIGHT SHIFT. 

But, I'll give magic/witchcraft one last try for Supernatural/Cotrtex.

Larina "Nix" Nichols for Supernatural

Would my witch be in the Supernatural universe? I have to say honestly, not likely. Witches are generally evil or at least up to no good in Supernatural. And anything she would do in the game can already be done by the witch and future Queen of Hell, Rowena MacLeod. But hey, this is my universe.

Larina Nichols

Concept: Witch (Seasoned)

Attributes
Agility: d6
Strength: d4
Vitality: d6
Alertness: d12
Intelligence: d12
Willpower: d12+d2

Derived Attributes
Initiative: d6+d12
Endurance: d6+d12+d2
Life Points: 20
Resistance: d6+d6

Weapons
Knife d2
Arcane Blast d8, Range: 40 Ammo 6 (Vitality)

Skills
Animals d6, Artistry d4, Craft d6, Discipline d4 (Concentration d6), Influence d10, Knowledge d8 (Linguistics d10, Occult d10), Lore d6 (Demons d8), Perception d6 (Empathy d8, Intuition d8), Performance d4, Ranged Weapons d4, Science d6 (Social Sciences d8), Unarmed Combat d4

Traits
Allure d6
Witch d8 (Telekinesis, Arcane Blast, ESP)
Obsessed (Magic) -d2
Dark Secret (Witch) -d4

Honestly, I like this build. I need to refine the magic system further, but this will certainly suffice. I don't think she would show up on the main Supernatural series. Witches end up in a bad way when Sam and Dead are around. No, if she is going to be a "guest star," then it has to be on Wayward Sisters. Avoids her and Rowena from sharing the same scenes. The group would seek her out for occult advice, not knowing she is a witch. And in proper Supernatural fashion, she even has her own soundtrack to choose from!

I should post Rowena, but she is basically similar to this, only more powerful (as she should be). 

Doing this does make me nostalgic for the show. 

Saturday Morning Cartoon Action Hour!

 This one came about in a weird way. 

So my oldest and I have been playing AD&D 1st ed. Forgotten Realms at night when he gets off work. He is a chef and works till midnight. Recently though, we have also dipped our toes into the Fantasy Flight Games/EDGE Star Wars, which caused me to pull out a bunch of my original Star Wars figures.  These have been sitting on my desk for a while. Much to my wife's chagrin.  Anyway that is the background.

I have all these Star Wars figures on my desk along with some of the ReAction figures, including a Sorceress I repainted to look like Larina (I am dedicated to my obsessions). I also have a collection of various witches and the Dungeons & Dragons Cartoon characters decorating my desk. We were talking about how much I still prefer d20 Star Wars because of the D&D connections. Liam dislikes it for that reason. He wanted to know if there was a system out there that could do both. So, I told him about Cartoon Action Hour.

I spent some time with Cartoon Action Hour Season 3 a while back and even detailed Zatanna for Super Friends.

We pulled it out and thought about making a silly game with his Mandalorian Bounty hunter (using my Boba Fett from 1979, sent in my Proofs-of-Purchase!), Larina, and my repainted astromech droid KE11-N3R, or "Kenny". Cause why not, anytime we pull out a new game we try something familiar. And there may have been some beers involved. 

It was fun and silly, and we had a great time, really. 

While I was hungover the next Thursday (and Liam was not) I was thinking that this game might make for a good system for the Dungeons & Dragons cartoon. Cartoon Action hour specifically calls out D&D as a great example of the Saturday Morning Cartoon they loved. So, I started to think about what would work.

A while back, I had talked about the new D&D cartoon minis and how Shelia was missing from set. I said this at the time:

 I did not watch the D&D cartoon much, but I was aware of it. I can't help but wonder if the red-headed girl with a penchant for wearing purple and hoods in 1983-85 didn't somehow influence my red-headed witch with a penchant for purple dresses and black hoods in 1986?  I honestly can't say.

In fact, I didn't even think about it until I scored this D&D Cartoon "kids" book at my local game auction.  It is called "The Witch's Spell Book."

That is the image above. 

The basic plot of this  Choose Your Own Adventure is that you have the Golden Wood by finding Agnes the Witch's Spell Book. The spell causes Tiamat's heads to argue among themselves. For reasons, only Shelia can read the spell. You would think Presto, but no, it is Shelia. Each of these books featured a different character, and they tend to go for a lot of money now on eBay. See the books for Bobby (written by Margaret Weis!), Shelia, Hank, and Eric. No idea if Presto or Diana got one, but someone was Book 2. Glad I got mine a lot cheaper than that. 

Now, not to go out on a limb too far, but does this make Shelia an initiate witch?  It would in my games. She is 13 in the show, the age witches often "hear the Call of the Goddess" in my game worlds. (BTW this is what makes Larina special, she heard the Call at age 6.) There is a witch in this book, Agnes. So I guess it is possible. 

I am not 100% out in left field here. Sheila is called "La ilusionista" (The Illusionist) in the Latin American dubbing of the cartoon. And in at least one of the Spanish intros Presto and Sheila are called, "Los Magos," or "The Wizards." Same for the German dub. In the German dub, Diana is "The Princess of Acrobats."

Why not try to make an adventure of this book? I speculated that Shelia was not going to be part of my War of the Witch Queens, but maybe this could be a side-quest. Anyway, I worked up some details for Cartoon Action Hour. I mean, a spell to get Tiamat's heads to argue with each other? That is some profound cartoon logic. don't know if I'll run it yet, but I have everything I need, really.

Dungeons & Dragons Cartoon, 1986 Season

The Dungeons & Dragons Cartoon did not make it to 1986, which is too bad, really. While I did not watch it a lot when it was on, I did watch it a ton with my kids.  I can imagine a continuation of the series (many have) where we finally get to see Skylla show up. Also, since it is my 1986, my witch would show up as well. Plus, I already did stats for her.

So here is my premise. Sheila, having realized she has a knack for witchcraft due to the events of The Witch's Spell Book, seeks out some answers. She finds two witches, one good and one evil, in Larina and Skylla, but which is which? Great cartoon logic, and a chance for me to use some of the ideas originally planned for Skylla in the Cartoon. Plus the title "Which Witch" kinda writes itself. In a perfect world, it would have been written by Paul Dini.

Here is our star, Sheila the Thief. I am posting the sheets instead of text because these sheets are just to damn fun NOT to post. I gave her Cloak of Invisibility a score of 6 because it is supposed to be an artifact. 

Skylla belongs here. She is a great evil character and always up to no good. Besides, what are heroes without their villains? 

Here is Larina, for her as a GMC I would tone her down a bit to the same level as Skylla.

I fully expect some of my numbers to be off. Please remember, we were drinking while doing this. Well, I am sure Sheila's stats are good.

I also just noticed that the Dungeons & Dragons Cartoon premiered on Sept. 17, 1983. So 42 years ago!

We will have to come back to this game more often.

Fantasy Fridays: King Arthur Pendragon

When it comes to legendary role-playing games, few carry the mythic weight of King Arthur Pendragon. Originally created by Greg Stafford in 1985 and in 2016 published in its 5.2 edition. Chaosium owns it again and there is a new (2024) edition out.  I have not picked that one up, so I am sticking with 5.2 for now. Pendragon has always stood apart from its fantasy cousins. Where Dungeons & Dragons gave us dungeons, monsters, and treasure, Pendragon asks us to sit at the Round Table, wrestle with honor and passion, and live out the great romances and tragedies of Arthurian legend. Still, it is an epic RPG and one worth looking into.

King Arthur Pendragon (5.2)

2016. Greg Stafford.

Greg Stafford often called Pendragon his “masterpiece,” and for good reason. He poured decades of study into Arthurian myth, Malory, Chretien, the Welsh triads and built a system designed not just to simulate combat but to embody the ideals and contradictions of chivalry. Over the years, the rules have been polished but never really overhauled. The 5.2 edition (2016) is a refinement of the earlier 5th, cleaning up layout, clarifying rules, and giving new players the most accessible entry point into the game’s deep traditions. I picked up my old 2nd Edition version and it is remarkable how compatible they are with each other. 

The system is similar to Chaosium's Basic Role-playing system. So it has always been sorta-kinda compatible with Call of Cthulhu and RuneQuest, though the years and system assumptions have pushed them all away from the BRP standard. You won't be seeing Yog-Sothoth showing up in Wales anytime soon with this game. No Pendragon is for people who want to play an Arthurian game and respect the scholarship that went into this game. That is not to say there isn't magic in this game; Morgan le Fey is here after all as is Merlin, but it is not a central theme. 

The game itself is a fantasy realized epic Britain of the 5th and 6th centuries, with the style of the High Medieval Periods of the 10th to 15th centuries. You can play it as a strict Dark Ages game or a high-fantastical one, as seen in the popular King Arthur culture. You can do "Excalibur" or even the TV show "Merlin."

I am using the 5.2 version of the rules, which if you asked me, I could not tell you the difference between it and the 5.1 version save for new color art in 5.2, some reorganization, and different cover art. While I think the 5.1 art is more evocative of the game, I can't deny that the 5.2 version is extremely attractive. I have not updated to the full 2024 edition at all, but it looks attractive as well. I do have the Starter Set in PDF, though. Maybe I'll pick it up someday.

Character Creation

Instead of rolling up wandering adventurers, you take up the mantle of knights (and occasionally others) tied to lineage, land, and loyalty. The core stats are familiar, Strength, Constitution, Dexterity, Size, but where Pendragon shines are the Traits and Passions. Traits are moral-ethical pairs (Chaste/Lustful, Merciful/Cruel, etc.) that don’t just describe your knight, they drive play. Roll Merciful in the wrong moment, and your knight may act against your intentions, because that’s what stories do. Passions, like Loyalty (Lord) or Love (Family), give bonuses when invoked, but can also shatter a knight’s will if betrayed.

Character creation is as much about heritage as numbers. You’re asked: Who was your father? What did he earn? What land do you hold? Your knight isn’t a blank slate, but part of a saga. And unlike most RPGs, Pendragon expects you to play not just one knight, but their descendants across generations, carrying your family name into the twilight of Camelot. Something that obviously appeals to me.

It is assumed that players will be creating characters together to form some sort of cohesive narrative. There is a lot of freedom here and role-playing is stressed over "roll-playing."

The chapter assumes you are going to be a starting Knight, well, Squire. I am taking a different approach for my characters. 

Chapter Three: Family and Fatherland is notable since it details the experiences of your father and grandfather. If you are so inclined, it can be adapted to any Feudal Fantasy RPG. Just change the years to whatever makes sense in your game. 

The Pendragon Campaign

No review of Pendragon is complete without mentioning The Pendragon Campaign. First published in 1985, and then later as The Great Pendragon Campaign in 2006, this massive tome lays out a year-by-year chronicle of Arthur’s Britain, from the final days of Uther through the rise, glory, and eventual fall of Camelot. That’s over 80 years of history, adventures, and story hooks, meticulously tied to the mechanics of the game.

The brilliance of the Pendragon Campaign isn’t just its scope, but its structure. Each year has events, rumors, and opportunities for your knights (or their descendants) to shape the story. Early sessions might be about Saxon raids and border skirmishes, while later ones touch on the Grail Quest, courtly romance, and the heartbreaking dissolution of the Round Table. Players get to live through the entire legend, sometimes gloriously, sometimes tragically, but always with a sense of being part of something larger than their character sheet.

For Pendragon, the Pendragon Campaign is more than a campaign guide or adventure path, it’s the framework that shows the system’s true purpose. This isn’t a game about “beating the dungeon” or “killing the dragon.” It’s about legacy, dynasties, and the arc of myth. And its influence has quietly rippled into other games. Long campaigns like The Enemy Within for Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (1986) or Masks of Nyarlathotep for Call of Cthulhu (1984) were the rage at this time and the Pendragon Campaign shines even among these other memorable campaigns.  Even modern campaign design in games like Pathfinder’s Adventure Paths or D&D’s hardcover campaigns can be seen as walking in the shadow of what Pendragon pioneered.

For me, the Pendragon Campaign is a reminder of what tabletop RPGs can do at their very best: give us not just a night of fun, but a saga, a shared legend that lingers long after the dice are put away.

Johan Werper and Larina Nix for Pendragon

The best way to explore a game is through the characters. Thankfully, I have two that are ready to go! Typically, Johan and Larina were never in the same games. I'd play one or the other. I mixed this up a bit with Pathfinder and had them known to each other. I figured it was an alternate universe.  

I am going to do the same here, but with the intrigue of courtly politics I might consider them as clandestine lovers. Honestly I am basing it on Liam Neeson's and Helen Mirren's roles in Excalibur. 

How does a Roman Catholic Knight from the Continent meet up with a Pagan Welsh girl? Easy, I'll just adapt their meeting in Pathfinder where Larina found the wounded Johan and healed him. He feels indebted to her, he gives her access to a world she would not have normally been allowed in. Everyone thinks she has bewitched him. 

Johan Werper

I can't pick up a game like this and NOT wonder how my Knight-in-Shining-Armor Johan would work out. I had decided way back in High School that if Johan had a culture from Medieval Europe, it would be French, but living in England. Pendragon makes this easy for me since the language of the High Court would be French. I will say that he is from Brittany and traces his lineage back to Saxon invaders. 

Johan Werper II

Age: 22
Son Number: 1
Homeland: Brittany
Religion: Roman Catholic
Lord: Johan I

SIZ: 11
DEX: 14
STR: 16
CON: 11
APP: 12

Damage: 4d6
Healing Rate: 2.7
Movement: 3
Total Hit Points: 27
Unconscious: 7

Personality Traits
Chivalry Bonus: 0
Religious Bonus: 0

Chase/Lustful: 13/7
Energetic/Lazy: 12/8
Forgiving/Vengeful: 13/7
Generous/Selfish: 10/10
Honest/Deceitful: 12/8
Just/Arbitrary: 11/9
Merciful/Cruel: 13/7
Modest/Proud: 13/7
Prudent/Reckless: 10/10
Spiritual/Worldly: 10/10
Temperate/Indulgent: 13/7
Trusting/Suspicious: 10/10
Valorous/Cowardly: 15/5

Passions
Loyalty (Lord): 16
Love (Family): 17
Hospitality: 15
Honor: 15
Hate (Saxons): 10

Skills
Awareness: 5
Boating: 1
Compose: 1 
Courtesy: 4 
Dancing: 2
Faerie Lore: 1
Falconry: 3
First Aid: 10
Flirting: 3
Folklore: 3
Gaming: 3
Heraldry: 4
Hunting: 10
Intrigue: 3
Orate: 3
Play (Lute): 3
Read (Latin): 10
Recognize: 3
Religion (Roman Catholic): 10
Romance: 3
Singing: 2
Stewardship: 2
Swimming: 2
Tourney: 2

Combat Skills
Battle: 10
Horsemanship: 10

Sword: 17
Lance: 10
Spear: 6
Dagger: 5
Bow: 5

Distinctive Features
Long Blonde Hair

Glory: 1,500

Chainmail and shield
Silver arm band

Johan is a good fit for this game. I would do him as an alternate reality version and really dig deep into family events to help define who he is in this game. It would really be a lot of fun to be honest. I could even explore the family's past as part of Pagan Europe. That would have been 350+ years before this game though. Still something to think about.

Larina Nix

Of course, I had to try translating Larina into this framework. She doesn’t sit easily in Arthur’s world, but that’s half the fun. Larina as a mystical advisor? A Welsh witch standing at the edge of history? She’d never pass as a proper knight, but as an enchantress, wise woman, or secret Pagan counselor to Arthur’s court, she fits perfectly into the tension between the Christian and Pagan worlds that Pendragon thrives on. Plus, it is a theme I love to come back to time and time again: Pagans vs the rising tide of Christian conquest.

When working on Larina one of the first things I run into is how women characters are treated differently than men. Now is 100% it is emulating Arthurian legends and tales, so just like Call of Cthulhu has a Sanity system, this has different rules more men and women characters. Grated you can grab something like Pagan Shore for older versions to even things out, but I want to try this with the version in front of me. Now there is nothing in the rules saying I can't female knight, and there are examples given, but they are exceptional examples. Fine, Larina is a Pagan anyway and wouldn't be a knight. There is a "witch" detailed (such as it is) on page 179. "Witch" is only mentioned four times in the whole book. I mean I know I can grab something from say Basic Roleplaying or Advanced Sorcery, but that is not the point of Pendragon is it? Plus there is no POW score for these characters. 

Larina ferch Lars

Age: 19
Daughter Number: 1
Father: Lars Nicholson 
Homeland: Cymru
Religion: Pagan
Lord: Johan I

SIZ: 9
DEX: 10
STR: 10
CON: 16
APP: 18

Damage: 3d6
Healing Rate: 2.5
Movement: 2.5
Total Hit Points: 19
Unconscious: 4

Personality Traits
Chivalry Bonus: 0
Religious Bonus: 0

Chase/Lustful: 5/15
Energetic/Lazy: 13/7
Forgiving/Vengeful: 10/10
Generous/Selfish: 13/10
Honest/Deceitful: 13/7
Just/Arbitrary: 10/10
Merciful/Cruel: 10/10
Modest/Proud: 7/13
Prudent/Reckless: 10/10
Spiritual/Worldly: 12/8
Temperate/Indulgent: 10/10
Trusting/Suspicious: 10/10
Valorous/Cowardly: 10/10

Passions
Loyalty (Lord): 15
Love (Family): 16
Hospitality: 15
Honor: 15
Loyalty (Old Faith): 13

Skills
Awareness: 3
Chirurgery: 10
Compose: 1 
Courtesy: 5 
Dancing: 3
Faerie Lore: 10
Falconry: 2
Fashion: 2
First Aid: 15
Flirting: 11
Folklore: 4
Gaming: 3
Heraldry: 1
Industry: 5
Intrigue: 2
Orate: 3
Play (Flute): 3
Read (Ogham): 10
Recognize: 2
Religion (Pagan): 10
Romance: 2
Singing: 3
Stewardship: 5
Swimming: 1
Tourney: 1

Combat Skills
Battle: 1
Horsemanship: 3

Dagger: 5
Staff: 5

Woman's Gift
Natural Healer

Enchantments
Enchantment
Magical Healing
Glamour

Distinctive Features
Long red hair
Bright, piercing blue eyes
Larger than average nose

Glory: 1,140

There is no INT or POW stat in this flavor of BRP. So there are not really any rules to cover her proficiency with languages. Plus as Welsh pagan girl she would not really have much of chance to learn languages save via exposure. But I did roll Natural Healer for her gift, so that is her "in" to the courts, or at least how she gets noticed.

For magic, the rules are thin. I mean, with a game that has Merlin as a character an appendix on magic would be nice. I gave her "subtle" magic. So, an enchantment here, magical healing, and glamour. All things that can be explained away with deft skill. She has a knack for healing, so she augments it every now and then with some pagan magic, OR is it just her knowledge of herbs and plants? Hard to say. Likely to get her burned at the stake if it were about 1000 years later. 

I love the idea that these versions of Johan and Larina are clandestine lovers. It would add the proper tragedy to the narrative and game. Plus, it is that nice push and pull between the Pagans and Christians I love to explore.

Why Play This Instead of D&D 5e?

D&D 5e is about heroes exploring dungeons, defeating monsters, and gaining power. Pendragon is about knights struggling with ideals, navigating dynastic politics, and finding their place in the grand sweep of legend. It’s a game of story rather than loot.

• If you want to explore chivalry, honor, and tragedy rather than XP and levels, this is your game.
  
  
• If you’re drawn to the romantic, mythic sweep of Arthurian legend, no other RPG captures it as faithfully.
  
  
• If you want to play not just a character, but a family across generations, Pendragon offers something unique.

In short: D&D tells us what it’s like to be an adventurer. Pendragon tells us what it’s like to live and die as part of the great legend of Arthur. 

That is not to say one game doesn't have something to offer the other. As D&D has grown, it has left its feudal medieval roots behind, if it really had any to start with. Yeah, Greyhawk cosplays as feudal lands, but really the place where D&D was always the best is in its name: Dungeons. 

The game is great. It's attention to historical detail is its strongest feature, but also its weakest one for me since I do like to have a bit of magic in my fantasy. No worries, I have a LOT of FRPGs with magic. 

Fantasy Fridays: Adventurer Conqueror King System

 Getting back to the real purpose behind the Fantasy Friday posts, helping you to find that perfect Fantasy RPG and showing that there is more than just D&D out there. Though today's post doesn't stray very far from D&D.

Adventurer Conqueror King System

The Adventurer Conqueror King System, or more often ACKS, was released in 2012. It was one of the biggest OSR titles released and met with a lot of critical acclaim. I have already talked about it quite a lot here, so instead of treading over well-trodden ground, I'll link out those posts here. 

• A is for Adventurer Conqueror King System
• Tale of Two Games
• ACKS B/XC Or How I commit heresy with Adventurer Conqueror King
• Review: ACKS Player's Companion
• Skylla: Adventurer Conqueror King & Players Companion

I like ACKs. The system is B/X with some add-ons to give me some of the things I miss from AD&D. Plus the Witch class from the Player's Companion is based on my OGC and material I shared with the authors/designers back in their early days. 

Adventurer Conqueror King - Imperial Imprint (ACKS II)

by Alexander Macris, Autarch 2025

The WotC/Hasbro OGL scandal caused a lot of folks, myself included, to re-think their reliance on the OGL. So Autarch opted to revise their core rules into three new books they are calling Adventurer Conqueror King - Imperial Imprint AKA ACKS II.

The books feel familiar:

• ACKS II Revised Rulebook
• ACKS II Monstrous Manual
• ACKS II Judges Journal

I like how the new Revised Rulebook looks like the next scene of the original rulebook.

This system is largely the same, with some of the OGC removed and revised. We are still not deviating far from the D&D B/X standard of 14 levels and some "race as class" ideas, but all in all it is still a very playable system. Converts from OSE or D&D B/X will drop right in, maybe even using the same characters they already were. Converts from D&D 5 or Pathfinder might find themselves wonder where all their "kewl powerz" are.

Where ACKS II shines is in its scope and depth. Autarch has taken what was already a very crunchy, very ambitious game and doubled down. The Revised Rulebook is a beast of nearly 550 pages, the Judges Journal piles on another 350k words of domain rules, economic systems, alchemy, and advice. If ACKS I was about building dungeons and kingdoms, ACKS II is about running empires.

The proficiency system deserves a call-out. It’s the same idea as before, but cleaned up and standardized to cover a wide variety of “skills.” In my opinion, this is one of the better OSR takes on non-combat abilities, and something I’d happily import into other B/X-derived games.  The systems here feels like the feats of 5e (but not 3e if that makes sense) so there is a solid rhyme and reason to them all. Plus the need to spend money and time for training keeps it solidly in the old-school camp. 

The GM's book is filled with great advice. With the vast majority of if compatible with whatever OSR or old-school game you are currently playing. 

The monster book is well organized with one monster per page, art, and plenty of information on each monster. Again, compatible with most OSR games, but especially anything with B/X DNA. Even if you don't play ACKS or ACKS II, this book would be useful. Note, there are no demons or devils in this book so if you need demons, devils or creatures from the "lower planes," may I recommend my own The Left Hand Path - The Diabolic & Demonic Witchcraft Traditions.  Given ACKS compatibility, you could add this as another type of witch tradition.

The overall vibe? If Hyperborea is AD&D wearing a B/X mask, ACKS has always been B/X pretending to be AD&D. ACKS II leans further into that identity. It’s a game that lets you start with kobolds in a hole and end with fleets, armies, and dynasties, something most OSR titles only sketch at. 

A note about AI art. There is a lot of art in this book, and unlike the previous edition, it is all color art. The vast majority is human made, but some of it is AI art. This is according to Autarch themselves. I am not going to moralize on this at all. But you will need to figure out for yourself it this is a deal-breaker or not.

Larina Nix for ACKS II

So a D&D-like system with a native witch, based on my own witch materials? Of course, I am going to try out Larina. In ACKS Witches are a type of Divine Caster, so they use the same spells as do Priests/Clerics.

Larina Nix
Witch (Antiquarian), Level 14 Witch Queen
Human (Rorn) Female, Neutral (Lawful Neutral)

STR 9 +0, Witches are a type of Divine Caster, so they use the same spells as do Priests
INT 18 +3
DEX 11 +0
WIL 18 +3
CON 11 +0
CHA 18 +3

Hit Points: 30
Initiative +0
AC: 1 (Bracers of Defense AC 1)

To Hit AC 0: 16

Paralysis 9
Death 9
Blast 11
Implements 7
Spells 8

Movement
Exploration 120 Feet/Turn
Combat 40 Feet/Round
Charge/Run 120 Feet/Round
Expedition 24 miles/day

Class Features
Traditional Medicine, Brew Potions, Minor Magical Research, Second Sight, Scribe Scrolls, Magic Mirror, Major Magical Research

Proficiencies
 Lore Mastery, Knowledge Occult (x2), Healing, Familiar, Arcane Dabbling, Alchemy, Mystic Aura, Adventuringt 

Spells (Divine)
First Level: Allure, Counterspell, Cure Light Injury, Kindle Flame, Sanctuary, Word of Command
Second Level: Augury, Dark Whisper, Halt Humanoids, Magic Lock, Righteous Wrath, Spiritual Weapon
Third Level: Bewitch Humanoid, Clairvoyance, Dispel Magic, Lightning Strike, Remove Cure, Winged Flight
Fourth Level: Divination, Inspire Awe, Lightless Vision, Skinchange, Smite Undead, Spirit of Healing
Fifth Level: Boil Blood, Communion, Fiery Pillar, Healing Circle, True Seeing
Sixth Level: Arrows of the Sun, Bewitch Monster, Home Ward, Phoenix Armor, Spellwarded Zone

Rituals Known: 7

All in all, not a bad version of Larina. Reminds me a bit of her AD&D 2nd Edition counterpart from my Complete Netbook of Witches & Warlocks. I would like to have pumped up her language skills a bit more. 

Who Should Play This Game?

ACKS is a fine game, it does some things rather well, but it only brings a few new things to the table already crowded with Hyperborea, Old-School Essentials, and original B/X D&D. Mind you, the things it does bring are really great. The organization is wonderful as is the presentation. The monster book is worth grabbing if you play any OSR game, just because it has a great presentation and some new monsters. The new classes are a great addition and I am certain someone out there is using the new classes here in their OSE game or even in B/X. I admit I would roll up a Bladedancer or Elven Nigthblade in a heartbeat. Come to think of it, Taryn, Larina's Half-elf daughter, would also make for a good Elven Nightblade.

Reading the rules will not help you decide if this game is for you over some other OSR game. You will need to play.

What makes ACKS II unique in the OSR landscape is that it doesn’t stop at the dungeon door. It’s not just about slaying dragons or clearing hexes, it’s about what happens next. You claim land, raise armies, chart trade routes, and maybe even crown yourself emperor. The rules don’t just hand-wave these things; they give you the numbers, the systems, and the tools to run them at the table.

I don't think ACKS or ACKS II will replace D&D 5e at someone's table, but who knows, I could be wrong. There is enough here to make it someone's perfect game.

The physical books, especially the limited edition black covers, look fantastic. I am content with my PDFs for now.

For me, it will be a game I reference a lot, but one I likely won't actually play. Though I think I would like to come up with the three Witch Queens (one for each tradition) of the Auran Empire on the continent of Aurëpos on the world of Cybele.

Long Ago, In A Galaxy Not *That* Far Away

 This week's Into the Forgotten Realms game was interrupted again. My oldest, Liam, wanted to go to Games Plus to buy a particular FFG/Edge Star Wars book. I had been wanting to go to pick up some paints and primer for all the demons and devils I have been printing out lately. 

Aside...don't expect to see many of my painted minis here. I am really just not that good, but looking over the Shadowheart I finished last night, I am getting better. 

Anyway, they didn't have the book he wanted, so he bought a bunch of others. Hey, he is a professional with a full-time job.  He can spend his money how he likes. He is saving for a condo so he can move out, and in truth, I am not rushing the professional live-in-chef out the door.

Game night became a session of character creation and painting. 

The new EDGE (previously Fantasy Flight Games) Star Wars RPG is fun. I am not a huge fan of a bunch of unique fiddly dice, but it seems fine here. He is starting a game with his group set during the Old Republic Days.

We had a blast, I even threatened to take my old Star Wars figures out of storage. 

While my fondness for the d20 Star Wars game is largely based on my desire back in the early 1980s to mix "D&D and Star Wars," this game is pretty good.  The books are gorgeous with a good mix of screen stills from the movies and art. Plus we keep remarking on how they had the "new book" smell.

We printed out some character sheets and got to work.

Ever since he was little, Liam loved Mandalorians. He has outgrown two different Jango Fett cosplay outfits, and he has a huge collection of Mandalorian Lego mini-figs and two (or three) Lego Slave-I kits. so he made a whole cadre of Mandalorian commandos. Which is also the next set of minis he wants me to paint. 

Of course, he was not the only one there with obsessions.

One of his players is playing a Nightsister. I told him I had a Nightsister mini he could use for it in my "witch box."  I told him he could have it.

I told Liam to offer the Bugbear first!

You already know where I am going with this. I mean if Liam recreated his iconic Bounty Hunter he plays in every game, and I am given the option of playing a goth, Force-wielding witch then what do you think I am going to do?

Jedis are so 1980s, new game, new (ish) idea.  Besides, I already had an action figure for her.

Larina Nix

Species: Human
Career: Mystic
Specialization Trees: Nightsister Witch

Soak Value 0
Wounds 11
Strain 13
Defense 0

Characteristics
Brawn 1
Agility 1
Intellect 2
Cunning 2
Willpower 3
Presence 3

Skills
General: Charm 3, Discipline 2, Medicine 1, Perception 2, Stealth 1, Survival 2
Combat: Melee 1
Knowledge: Lore 1, Outer Rim 1

Talents
Witchcraft: Force Rating +1
Summon Item: Duskblade

Force Powers
Conjure. Magnitude 1, Control 1
Move (aka TK). Magnitude 2, Range 1, Control 1

Force Rating 2

Weapons
Duskblade, Dam +3, Pierce 2, Superior. Summonable

Motivations
Faith (Natural World), Ambition (Enlightenment and Discovery)

Morality
Strength: Curiosity
Weakness: Obsession
Morality: 50

Gender: Female
Age: 25
Height: 1.6 meters
Build: Average
Hair: Red
Eyes: Blue

So who is this Larina? She is a brand new character (just 110 XP used). I figure she was left on Dathomir and raised by the Nightsisters. I am hesitant to say she is/was the only human on Dathomir because I know very little about Star Wars outside of the movies and Disney+ shows. But she is rare enough and at the time of the game she was the only human she knew. 

She is adventuring out into the galaxy to discover who she is and why she was left there. As she progresses, I want to give me more mental/psychic force powers.  I am not sure if she ran away from Dathomir (say like the Doctor) or was allowed to leave to further the goals of the Mother Superior (like Shadowheart). Either way she is discovering the galaxy is much, much larger than she knew. 

This allows me to play my favorite archetype with her, the country-girl/pagan visiting the big city. She is naïve, but not dumb, on the contrary, she is quite intelligent (strange that is exactly the sort of girl I married). I saw there was an option for religion, so she worships "The Winged Goddess."  I saw that and thought, if it was related to the Great Bird of the Galaxy, and almost immediately I began concocting a Star Wars/Star Trek crossover!

I'd also like her to get an astromech droid. Something that would act as her "familiar" and because I also loved those little guys. 

I am not sure how much of this game I will play. My son is very excited for it, but I'd love to get back to the Forgotten Realms sometime soon.

OH, and the book he wanted? Turns out it is a fan-made guide that we can download for free!

NOTE: It seems that Dathomiri are more or less human anyway. Ok. No worries.

Mutants & Masterminds Monday, Part 2!

 I opened up my BlueSky to a real treat this afternoon!

Steve Kenson, the creator of Mutants & Masterminds, saw my post from earlier today and offered his version of Larina for the soon-to-be-released Mutants & Masterminds 4! I mean, really? How awesome is that? 

Here is what he did.

Nix the Witch Queen

Abilities • 40 points
Strength 0, Stamina 2, Agility 2, Intellect 5, Awareness 6, Presence 5 

Skills • 20 points
Insight 4 (+10), Investigation 5 (+10), Magic 7 (+12), Perception 6 (+12), Persuasion 6 (+11), Ranged Combat: Witchcraft 4 (+10), Stealth 4 (+6), Technology 2 (+7), Treatment 2 (+7)

Advantages • 6 points

Connected, Contacts, Fearless, Evasion, Improvised Effect: Magic, Well-Informed

Powers • 67 points

Warding Sigils: Array (6 points) • 11 points

• DAE – Sigil of Deflection: Enhanced Dodge 6
• DAE – Sigil of Fortitude: Enhanced Fortitude 6
• DAE – Sigil of Will: Enhanced Will 6

Witchcraft: Array (21 points) • 34 points

• DAE – Divination: Enhanced Senses 10: Detect Magic, Acute, Analytical, Ranged; Postcognition 3; Precognition 3
• DAE – Glamour: Hallucination 7
• DAE – Levitation: Flight 10
• DAE – Part the Veil: Teleport 5, Accurate, Extended
• DAE – Spellbind: Ranged Paralyze 10, Accurate
• DAE – Witchfire Bolt: Blast 10, Accurate
• DAE – Witchfire Ward: Protection 10, Hardened, Sustained

Witch’s Familiar: Summon 4: Cotton the Cat: Use the 20-point Cat archetype plus Insubstantial 4; Continuous, Heroic, Mental Link; Enhanced Danger Sense, Enhanced Insight 2, Enhanced Perception 2 for Nix • 22 points

Combat • 28 points

Initiative +2, Attack 6, Defense 8

Resistances • 6 points

Dodge 8/14, Fortitude 7/13, Toughness 2/12, Will 7/13

(base rank/maximum rank with power effects)

Complications

Motivation: Responsibility – Uses her powers to protect and guide those who are Gifted or lost in the veil.

Enemies – The Necromancer and the Refrigerator

Power Loss: Spellcasting – Incantations and gestures are required for spellcasting. If unable to do either, Nix cannot use powers.

Relationship: Cotton – Her familiar is bound to her soul; if destroyed, Larina’s Will is Impaired for a day.

Reputation – Known in mystical circles; feared by some, worshipped by others.

Secret – Her knowledge of other worlds and timelines is dangerous to certain factions.

Notes

This is Nix based on how Tim presented her for M&M 3e. Were I Tim’s GM, I’d ask if having Nix’s Mystic Shield and Flight in her Witchcraft Array was preferred to having them as independent powers she could use at all times, although either is a perfectly viable option. A few particular conversion notes:

The playtest draft doesn’t use 3e’s Dexterity or Fighting abilities, although the Attack ability subsumes some of their functions.

Nix’s skills are largely unchanged, apart from replacing Expertise with the Magic skill.

Advantages not present in the playtest draft were removed, so there’s definitely room to add some additional ones. Improved Effect replaces Ritualist. She might qualify for Fearless 2 rather than just 1 rank (1 is now Resistance, 2 is Immunity). Nix’s is a great candidate for the Impressive Superiority or Instant Counter reaction advantages, or replacing her Attractive ranks with more interaction skill ranks. Second Chance could be replaced with Resistance to Mental Powers (5 points) or Resistance to Will Effects (15 points).

I assumed all of her Array Alternate Effects were Dynamic; which gives her a lot of flexibility, albeit a lot to juggle and manage in the midst of play as well.

This version of Nix is 167 points total, just a few over the PL 11 starting amount, and a bit low for PL 13, but her listed traits only hit the PL 12 limits, and even that only because of her max Dodge + Toughness: Her resistances can’t all be at their maximum at the same time because they’re Dynamic Alternate Effects.

Compare and contrast Nix with the Origin Edition Mystic archetype for some similarities and differences!

I mean, how can I argue with any of that? 

When the Origin Edition draft for Mutants & Masterminds Fourth Edition is out next week and the full game is out later on, I'll come back to her and see. 

Yes. This is going to be a lot of fun. Hey, does this mean that Larina has been visiting Freedom City? I am looking forward to hearing what she did there.

Mutants & Masterminds Monday

 Something a little special today. ‪Steve Kenson of Green Ronin announced on BlueSky and YouTube that there will be a new edition of his best-selling Superhero RPG, Mutants & Masterminds. I have long been a fan of this game. It also seems timely since we are now ushering in a new DC Universe on the big screen. Ever since Green Ronin had published DC Adventures as their lead-up to M&M 3.0, I have been tying my own Mutants & Masterminds games more directly to the DC Universe.  

It has been 15 years since M&M was updated, and even a couple of years ago, I was asking for a new edition. So a new edition is long overdue. I am excited about it.  

The Hero Handbook will be the first book out and there will be a quickstart/playtest version out soon and a limited print run for Gen Con.

Honestly, it could not come at a better time. Like many RPG publishers, Green Ronin is getting screwed over in the Diamond Bankruptcy filing. 

I have been writing about and working on so much "Occult D&D" lately, I have not really had the bandwidth for any supers thoughts, that's one of the reasons why my "Countdown to Superman" posts were just movie reviews and not character write-ups as well. BTW if you want fun write-ups check out Pun's posts over at Halls of the Nephilim. 

I had a lot of fun exploring the Atlantean roots of Larina on Friday. I pulled out her M&M sheets and thought maybe I should update her. Afterall Steve Kenson is a witch, and Green Ronin recently re-released their 3rd Era/d20/OGL "Witch's Handbook" one of my favorite witch books, also by Steve Kenson. I have stats here for her for Prowlers & Paragons, Mighty Protectors, Superbabes, and DC Heroes.  This might give me more ways to explore A.R.T.E.M.I.S. as well.  

Larina Nichols aka "Nix the Witch"
(Mutants & Masterminds 2.0)

Concept: Multiversal Witch, Protector of the Gifted 
 Identity: Secret
 Power Level: 11
 Power Points: 165

Abilities

Strength: 10 (+0)

Dexterity: 12 (+1)

Constitution: 12 (+1)

Intelligence: 20 (+5)

Wisdom: 18 (+4)

Charisma: 20 (+5)

Saves

Toughness: +8 (+1 Con, +7 Force Field)
Fortitude: +6 (+1 Con, +5 base)
Reflex: +6 (+1 Dex, +5 base)
Will: +12 (+4 Wis, +8 base)

Combat

Initiative: +3

Base Attack: +4

Ranged (Magic Blast): +8

Melee (Dagger): +4

Defense: 20/14

Hero Points: 1

Movement Base 30 / 60 /120

Skills

Bluff +13 (8 ranks)
Concentration +12 (8 ranks)
Diplomacy +12 (8 ranks)
Gather Information +8 (4 ranks)
Knowledge (Arcane Lore) +20 (16 ranks)
Knowledge (Behaviorial Sciences) +12 (8 ranks
Knowledge (Current Events) +12 (8 ranks)
Knowledge (Theology/Philosophy) +13 (8 ranks)
Notice +12 (8 ranks)
Sense Motive +12 (8 ranks)
Search +13 (8 ranks)

Feats

All-out Attack
Artificer
Attractive (2)
Attack Specialization (1)
Connected
Contacts
Fearless
Dodge Focus
Ritualist
Second Chance (Will saves vs mental effects)
Well-Informed

Powers

Magic Control Array (22 PP, Dynamic)
   Magic-based powers linked through versatile casting

Mystic Blast – Damage 10 [Ranged, Magic descriptor]
   Power Feats: Accurate 2 (+4 to hit), Dynamic

Glamour – Illusion 6 [All senses]
   Concentration, Resist: Will, Dynamic

Witchfire Ward – Force Field 7 (Sustained)
   Power Feats: Subtle, Dynamic

Spellbind – Paralyze 8 (Will save, Magic)
   Extras: Ranged; Flaws: Action (Standard), Dynamic

Divination – Super-Senses 6 (Postcognition, Precognition, Detect Magic – Ranged/Accurate/Acute)

Teleport (Mirror Walk) – Teleport 6 (600 ft)
   Extras: Accurate, Extended; Flaws: Medium (mirror or water), Dynamic

Familiar: Cotton (8 PP)

Summon 3 – Small incorporeal white cat
  Heroic
  Extras: Mental Link, Feature: Danger Sense (for Larina), +2 to Notice/Sense Motive when nearby
  Cotton may take Independent actions to warn or investigate

Complications

Motivation (Responsibility): Feels a duty to protect young witches and the magically gifted
Enemies: The Necromancer, The Refrigerator
Fame/Infamy: Known in occult and supernatural circles; mistrusted by certain agencies
Power Loss: Incantations and gestures required for spellcasting

Notes: I combined about three different write-ups here for her. I like her starting at PL 11, a nice nod to her stats in AD&D when I wrote my first Witch books (Magic-user 1/Witch 10 dual class). 

---

Larina Nicohols aka "Nix the Witch Queen"
(Mutants & Masterminds 3.0)

Concept: Multiversal Witch, Protector of the Gifted 
 Identity: Secret
 Power Level: 13
 Power Points: 197 (2 over)

Strength 0
Stamina 2
Agility 2
Dexterity 2
Fighting 3
Intellect 5
Awareness 6
Presence 5

Skills
Athletics  (+0), Deception  (+5), Expertise: Occult 7 (+12), Expertise: Magic 7 (+12), Insight 4 (+10), Intimidation  (+5), Investigation 5 (+10), Perception 6 (+12), Persuasion 6 (+11), Stealth 4 (+6), Technology 2 (+7), Treatment 2 (+7)

Advantages
All-out Attack, Artificer, Attractive 2, Connected, Contacts, Fearless, Evasion 1, Ritualist, Second Chance 1, Well-Informed, Accurate Attack [Arcane Blast]

Offense
Initiative +2

Defense
Dodge 14, Parry 7
Toughness 12 (Def Roll 0), Fortitude 13, Will 13

Powers

Witchraft (Magic)
     Witchfire Blast: Blast 10 [Accurate]
     Alt: Mystic Shield: Protection 10
     Alt: Part the Veil: Teleport 4
     Alt: Divination: Senses 6
     Alt: Binding Curse : Affliction 8
     Alt: Glamour : Illusion 6
     Alt: Call Familiar (Cotton): Summon 4
     Alt: Fly: Flight 7

Warding Sigils
     Warding Sigils - Dodge: Enhanced Dodge 6
     Alt: Warning Sigils - Fortitude: Enhanced Fortitude 6
     Alt: Warning Sigils - Will: Enhanced Will 6

Second Sight
     Second Sight: Senses 6

Familiar: Cotton
     Familiar - Cotton: Summon 4

Complications
Motivation: Responsibility – Uses her power to protect and guide those who are Gifted or lost in the veil
Fame/Infamy – Known in mystical circles; feared by some, worshipped by others
Power Loss (Silenced) – Incantation and gestures are required for spellcasting
Relationship: Cotton – Her familiar is bound to her soul; if destroyed, Larina suffers a -2 to all Will-based effects for 24 hours
Uncovered Secret – Her knowledge of other worlds and timelines is dangerous to certain factions
Enemy: The Necromancer, The Refrigerator

Notes: For 3rd edition, I bumped up her PL to 13.  I figured she gained some power.  Again this is the combination of about two or three (one was a version of the other, so 2.5) different versions of her. The two different editions are not continuous versions of her, but rather what I wanted to do at the time. 

That is one of the strengths of M&M, you can build a character so many different ways. That's one of the reasons I have so many different versions of her. 

Mutants & Masterminds 4.0 should be fun as well and I am really looking forward to it.