DiscoverSwords Against MadnessEpisode 4: The Grim Work
Episode 4: The Grim Work

Episode 4: The Grim Work

Update: 2024-07-06
Share

Description

Miria finishes the task of slaying the Gorum, and struggles with the guilt of destroying helpless foes. As she struggles with her thoughts she makes a bond with a psisquid, and is then interrupted by a call from an old enemy.










In this episode we discuss the use of alignment in OD&D and Swords & Wizardry and why it matters. We also continue to feature the Gorum, shared in the Bestiary section of the SvM homepage.


<figure class="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>




Discussing Alignment






In segment 2 of the episode, I discuss Alignment including how it was used in AD&D.. I mentioned my casual retroclone project Ruins & Redcaps, and reproducing (and re-arranging) the rules of AD&D using modern information design in a way reminiscent of Old School Essentials. Here is a downloable excerpt on Alignment from Ruins & Redcaps.





For purposes of a campaign with only a Law-Neutrality-Chaos axis this can be expressed as a linear scale from 6 to -6 using row 0 of the Alignment table.


<figure class="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>




In any case, I don’t want Miria, Rayya, & Olan to slip too close to Chaos, but after this, Miria is definitely sitting somewhere around -1.5.





Yanghu





Yanghu is a smuggler captain of the Trassi Syndicate and former business partner of Miria’s. He is the one who shot her down, but she can’t remember why. Yanghu is a cruel Ogre Magus who loves to gloat.





Yanghu: HD: 5+4 (44hp); AC: 4 [15]; Att: portable laser cannon (4d8) or boarding sword (d12); SV: 12; Special: Magic use (See below), regenerate 1hp/round; MV: 12/18 (flying); AL: Chaos; CL/XP: 7/600






  • Magic Use: Yanghu can fly, turn invisible (per the spell), create a 10-foot-radius circle of magical darkness, change into human form, cast sleep and charm person once per day, and cast a Cone of Frost with a range of 60 feet to a base of 30 feet, causing 8d6 damage to any caught within (saving throw applies).





Map of Nar





I’ve drawn a map of Nar for an upcoming Hex Crawl!





<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"></figure>



Each hex is about 6 miles, but the terrain is mostly hilly jungle. I’ve marked a few locations with images:







  • 0903 is the location of the Village of Nar and the Church.






  • 0602 contains the Cloister of the Order of Stars.






  • 0402 includes the Pit of the Gorum.






  • 0401 includes the local Volcano, Guluke, and the secret Shrine of the All-Knowing.






The wreck of Empyreal’s Coin is just to the South of the peninsula 0405 (not shown, as I have to import a sunken flying saucer into CC3+).





Random Encounter Tables





Here are my Hot Springs Island inspired random encounter tables:





<figure class="wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex">
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"></figure>
</figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"></figure>
Comments 
In Channel
Episode 2: Burn

Episode 2: Burn

2024-05-2534:06

Episode 3: The Dagger

Episode 3: The Dagger

2024-06-1534:23

Episode 5: Heresy

Episode 5: Heresy

2024-07-2723:32

Episode 7: Mayhem

Episode 7: Mayhem

2024-09-0727:31

Episode 8: Gorum

Episode 8: Gorum

2024-09-2824:22

Episode 9: Flight

Episode 9: Flight

2024-10-1927:54

Episode 12: On a Wing

Episode 12: On a Wing

2024-12-2830:15

Episode 13: Doors

Episode 13: Doors

2025-01-1826:11

Episode 14: Machines

Episode 14: Machines

2025-02-0826:35

Episode 15: Shock

Episode 15: Shock

2025-03-0128:30

Episode 16: Rupture

Episode 16: Rupture

2025-03-2227:04

Episode 17: Villainy

Episode 17: Villainy

2025-04-1229:14

Episode 18: Alien

Episode 18: Alien

2025-05-0324:11

loading
00:00
00:00
x

0.5x

0.8x

1.0x

1.25x

1.5x

2.0x

3.0x

Sleep Timer

Off

End of Episode

5 Minutes

10 Minutes

15 Minutes

30 Minutes

45 Minutes

60 Minutes

120 Minutes

Episode 4: The Grim Work

Episode 4: The Grim Work

Brian C. Rideout