Open Design Blog

The Empire of the Ghouls project is now complete and has shipped to the patrons who commissioned it. The final project came together at 160 pages and over 10 MB, offering an in-depth campaign against the Ghoul Imperium.

My thanks to all of the Ghoul patrons, and a Happy Halloween!

Just a heads-up for friends and patrons in the Seattle area: I'll be running a D&D table at the Emerald City Gamefest, probably a City of Zobeck miniadventure. If you are interested in attending, the Gamefest will be held November 17 at Third Place Commons in Lake Forest Park, Washington, from 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm. The event is free; no entry fee, no table fee, no cost to you.

I hope to see some of you there!

Ok, enough genies for a little while, here's one of the crew from "Sand Pirates" and his unusual familiar.

Muhtadi, First Mate and Navigator of The Wind’s Mistress    CR 3
Male Human Sorcerer 3
CN Medium Humanoid
Init +6; Senses Listen +3, Spot +3

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DEFENSE

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AC 18, touch 13, flat-footed 16 (+2 dex, +1 natural, +4 mage armor, +1 ring)
Hp 11 (3d4)
Fort +1, Ref +3, Will +3

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OFFENSE

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Spd 30 ft.
Melee Dagger +0 (1d4-1 /19-20)
Ranged Light crossbow +4 (1d8)
Spells Known 6/6; DC 12 + spell level)
0 — acid splash, daze, detect magic, flare, mage hand
1</i>st</i> — color spray, enlarge person, mage armor, magic missile

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STATISTICS

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Str 8, Dex 14, Con 11, Int 13, Wis 10, Cha 14
Base Atk +1; Grp +0
Feats Alertness*, Combat Casting, Improved Initiative, Weapon Focus (crossbow)
Skills Concentration +8, Knowledge Arcana) +4, Listen +3, Profession Sailor) +6, Search +3, Spellcraft +4, Spot +3
Languages Auran, Common
SQ Familiar; +1 Natural Armor
Gear light crossbow, 10 bolts, jambiya dagger, ring of protection +1), scrolls of animate rope 2), grease, and ray of enfeeblemen;, navigational instruments</font>

</p>Muhtadi serves as both the first mate and navigator of the Wind’s Mistress. He is both taciturn and haughty, but obeys the Captain’s orders without a fuss. His scorpion familiar
can be seen scurrying in and out of the many folds of his long black robes.</p>
Tactics Muhtadi, quite concerned for his own safety, stays as far away from melee as possible and has mage armor cast whenever combat seems likely. In combat, he lends support from a safe distance, often casting enlarge person on one or more of the pirates. If fighting aboard The Wind’s Mistress, he will gladly use an animate rope scroll on one of the many ropes lying on deck in order to take live prisoners to be ransomed. While generally loyal to the Captain, he is not above fleeing if the battle goes against the pirates.

Wakil, Muhtadi’s Familiar
Tiny Monstrous Scorpion
N Tiny Magical Beast
Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 60 ft.; Listen +3, Spot +7

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DEFENSE

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AC 20, touch 12, flat-footed 20 (+2 size, +4 natural, +4 mage armor)
Hp 5 (1d8+2)
Fort +4, Ref +1, Will +3

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OFFENSE

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Spd 20 ft.
Melee Claw +3 1d2-2)
Full Atk Claw +3/Claw +3/Sting -2 (1d2-4 plus poison)
Special Attacks constrict, improved grab, poison
Constrict (Ex) Deals claw damage on successful grapple check
Improved Grab (Ex) Successful claw attack to initiate grapple
Poison (Ex) DC 12/F 1 Con/1 Con

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STATISTICS

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Str 3, Dex 10, Con 14, Int 7, Wis 10, Cha 2
Base Atk +1; Grp -7
Feats Weapon Finesse
Skills Climb +0, Hide +12, Listen +3, Search +1, Spot +7
Languages None
SQ Deliver Touch Spells, Empathic Link, Improved Evasion, Share Spells

Comments?

There's a Gamer Travel podcast review of KQ#2 up! I'm always happy when reviews appear out of the blue.

Better still, there's a transcript of the review as well. The review comes from a patron and the founder of Purple Duck Games, mark_gedak.

The commission has been met, and the Arabian Nights project is moving ahead. Thank you to everyone who donated.

Design starts tonight, with quick outlines (these are miniadventures, after all) and then text.

One of the adventures will be written by Jeff Grubb, the author of Arabian Adventures! The working title for his piece is "Blood Oasis". More to come.

It's late on a Friday, so I won't announce the news today. But one of the big Al-Qadim names has signed on to write an installment of the Arabian Nights anthology.

I couldn't be happier. I'll name names on Monday, or when the commission is met, whichever comes first.

The goal for the Arabian Nights project is to have something in hand for patrons in mid-to-late January. To get there, the commission needs to be met on or before October 15th, which is fast approaching.

Current status is pretty good, but there's still a definite gap between 80% there and 100% there. If you have considered supporting this one, now's a great time to jump on board. The first design essays have already been posted, and the strongest adventure ideas are battling it out. Sign up today and see how six playable, portable adventures are put together.

The commission for the Arabian project is about 5/6 funded. I fully expect we'll reach it by the 15th.

In addition, the second poll has chosen the another of the topics for the Arabian Nights. The second adventure will be "The Sand Pirates", originally pitched by valmiras and incorporating refinements from a number of patrons. I'm really looking forward to this one, as it will feature lots of heroic action and mayhem.

The field included 15 strong candidates; of those, six survive to fight it out for the next slot. The survivors are:

• The Buried Tower
  
• Cult of the Howling God
  
• Chasing the Harem Thief
  
• The Haunted Caravanserai
  
• The Red Oracle
  
• The Sailing Turtle

If you are a patron with an idea to throw into the arena for the next round, please let me know by email. If you are not a patron yet, what are you waiting for?