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1 of 1- Spider of Leng
- Swordsman
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- From: Plateau of Leng
- Registered: 5/05/2018
- Posts: 315
Them!
So I'm doing lots of writing lately putting together my Dark Treasury campaign. Inspired by Halloween, I put together a possible side encounter where the party walks into a remote village as the peasants are drawing lots to determine whose child goes in the Wickerman to be sacrificed to Malakai, "He Who Walks Behind the Stalks." They discover that a local shamaness, Archnae Darkleaf (Necromancer/Druid) is behind the sacrifices. She lives in a hut on the outskirts of town, surrounded by a cornfield guarded by animated scarecrows and jack-o-lanterns. When picking spells for her, I stumbled across "Them", which I had forgotten about. Another great stroke of inspiration from Jeff and yet another reason why this game is so cool. It's these little things sprinkled throughout.
"Could you fancy me as a pirate bold? Or a longship Viking warrior with the old gods on his side? Well, I'm an inshore man and I'm nobody's hero. But I'll make you tight for a windy night and a dark ride."--Jethro Tull
- mabon5127
- Pure-blooded Pict
Offline
- From: Ptarmigan Rock
- Registered: 3/02/2014
- Posts: 1,238
Re: Them!
It sounds like a great encounter! I too think the spell is lots of fun and the movie was one of my favorites as a kid (and probably now as well....)
“How can I wear the harness of toil
And sweat at the daily round,
While in my soul forever
The drums of Pictdom sound?”
- rhialto
- Sorcerer of the 21st Aeon
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- From: Shenandoah Riverbank
- Registered: 3/03/2014
- Posts: 797
Re: Them!
Ha, very cool nod to a classic, didn't see that.
I'd allow it to work on more than just ants, though would keep the effects the same: same HD, attacks, ST, etc. as the Giant Radioactive Ants, though appearing different. In this case, maybe Headless Scarecrows, or Flying Jack-o-Lanterns.
"It is all very well to point out that the man lacks facility; as he asserts, sheer force can overpower sophistication."
Jack Vance, Rhialto the Marvellous
- gizmomathboy
- Warlord
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- From: Spiral Mountain Array
- Registered: 5/19/2014
- Posts: 1,322
Re: Them!
Wow. That is indeed a fun spell...now to think of a reason for an NPC to use it...
What? Me worry?
- francisca
- Swordsman
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- Registered: 3/03/2014
- Posts: 423
Re: Them!
gizmomathboy wrote:
Wow. That is indeed a fun spell...now to think of a reason for an NPC to use it...
- gizmomathboy
- Warlord
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- From: Spiral Mountain Array
- Registered: 5/19/2014
- Posts: 1,322
Re: Them!
Wow. That is indeed a fun spell...now to think of a reason for an NPC to use it...
Note sure if either campaign has room in it for a 7th level cleric.
Although, if there is a 5th level cleric that has a 7th or greater level master with some scrolls to hand out...
What? Me worry?
- Spider of Leng
- Swordsman
Offline
- From: Plateau of Leng
- Registered: 5/05/2018
- Posts: 315
Re: Them!
Incidentally, the jack-o-lanterns & scarecrow are statted up in the Swords & Wizardry version of Tome of Horrors. Scarecrows are also in 1st edition Fiend Folio. Malakai is from "Children of the Corn," and is made a god in Greg Gillespie's Barrowmaze & Archaia, which also have Zuul from "Ghostbusters" in their pantheon.
"Could you fancy me as a pirate bold? Or a longship Viking warrior with the old gods on his side? Well, I'm an inshore man and I'm nobody's hero. But I'll make you tight for a windy night and a dark ride."--Jethro Tull
- •
Thread Starter- Ghul
- Dread Necromancer
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- From: Isle of Ghul
- Registered: 3/01/2014
- Posts: 2,639
Re: Them!
Glad you guys enjoy the spell. You need a good flamethrower to deal with those ants, of course. ;)
HYPERBOREA- A Role-Playing Game of Swords, Sorcery, and Weird Science-Fantasy
- Spider of Leng
- Swordsman
Offline
- From: Plateau of Leng
- Registered: 5/05/2018
- Posts: 315
Re: Them!
We also employ Wands of Bug Spray, which I think were in the companion set back in the day. Essentially it's Raid, and it works on all manner of giant insects and arachnids (8d6 dmg; save for half).
"Could you fancy me as a pirate bold? Or a longship Viking warrior with the old gods on his side? Well, I'm an inshore man and I'm nobody's hero. But I'll make you tight for a windy night and a dark ride."--Jethro Tull
- •
Thread Starter- Q-sub
- Ruffian
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- Registered: 12/08/2018
- Posts: 31
Re: Them!
Incidentally, the jack-o-lanterns & scarecrow are statted up in the Swords & Wizardry version of Tome of Horrors. Scarecrows are also in 1st edition Fiend Folio.
To my knowledge, the first appearance of a jack-o'-lantern in our beloved hobby is this illustration by Greg Bell, in the 1975 Dungeons & Dragons Supplement I, Greyhawk:
And speaking of bugs... this is the 'original' Bugbear! It's the look I prefer, and find entirely suitable for insertion into Hyperborea, for which one can use any of the available OS stats (and for a nice kicker, make them a minor Sub-lunary Dæmon).
Though Jimm's shambling boar-thing certainly deserves a mention as well 
~ sub
Last edited by Q-sub (11/07/2019 3:23 am)
- Spider of Leng
- Swordsman
Offline
- From: Plateau of Leng
- Registered: 5/05/2018
- Posts: 315
Re: Them!
Outstanding! So many inspiring pics & ideas on this forum.
"Could you fancy me as a pirate bold? Or a longship Viking warrior with the old gods on his side? Well, I'm an inshore man and I'm nobody's hero. But I'll make you tight for a windy night and a dark ride."--Jethro Tull
- •
Thread Starter
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