Return to the Kennels of Doom!

(see also Chaos Hound, Canidor)  

MOON DOG (#7/30, #219/365) [OOTP IV]

SKILL: 9

STAMINA: 10

ATTACKS: 1

WEAPON: Large Bite

ARMOUR: None

DAMAGE MODIFIER: +1 to Damage Roll

HABITAT: Towns, Ruins, Anywhere master is

NUMBER ENCOUNTERED: 1-3

TYPE: Animal

REACTION: Hostile

INTELLIGENCE: Average

Once thought to be identical to the horrible Death Dog of southern Allansia and elsewhere, recent research from Ruddlestone has revealed that the hideous canine known as the MOON DOG is in fact a very different type of creature! Some say this is because the beast is tainted by Chaos, or that it exists half-within the Ethereal Realm, or even that it materializes on Titan when the lunar event of Moon Dogs appear in the sky, mysterious celestial bodies that flank the actual moon as dogs would follow their master. 

Regardless of reason, the Moon Dog, named for their habit of baying at the moon with shrill howls, is the most savage of all dogs. A huge beast, stronger than four men, its pelt is normally midnight-black but sometimes silvery-white in hue. The size of a fully grown Wolf, Moon Dogs are truly vicious creatures with razor sharp fangs better suited for a beast four times their size. Very cunning by nature, they can be sent to hunt and kill specific enemies, and are often equipped with spiked collars, and sent forth in battle to charge and attack horses and their riders.  

Each encountered Moon Dog may have mutations on the roll of a 6 on a 1D6 roll. Roll on the table below to determine what they are:

Roll Mutation Effect

1 Two Heads: +1 SKILL, +1 STAMINA, +1 Attack

2 Silvery Coat: Attacks count as magical weapons

3 Rabid: Wounded enemy must deduct an extra 2 STAMINA after the battle as they cut the poison from their wounds.

4 Shrill Howl: All enemies have -1 to SKILL unless have Ear Plugs or similar.

5 Tough Hide: Counts as Light Armour.

6 Two Mutations: Roll twice, ignoring further rolls of 6.

The Night Prince Zanbar Bone kept six Moon Dogs in the kennels at his Dark Tower, with which he would unleash against those that vexed him, such as the inhabitants of the nearby town of Silverton. The Order of the Black Shroud, undead Death-Knights from Bathoria, a chapter of whom have recently settled somewhat surprisingly at Valsinore Castle in western Ruddlestone, were known to keep Moon Dogs as guard hounds within the walls of their dread keep.

RAZAJACKAL (#8/30, #220/365) [OOTP IV]

SKILL: 7

STAMINA: 7

ATTACKS: 1

WEAPON: Large Bite

ARMOUR: None

DAMAGE MODIFIER: None

HABITAT: Deserts, Plains, Wilderness, Hills, Ruins

NUMBER ENCOUNTERED: 2-7

TYPE: Animal

REACTION: Unfriendly-Hostile

INTELLIGENCE: Average

Out there in the wilderness, hunting in howling, snarling packs of two to seven slavering beasts, is the dreaded RAZAJACKAL! Like a Jackal but bigger, and similar to a desert wolf in appearance, the Razajackal has large canine teeth for savaging its prey, and communication among pack-members is via a series of howls, screams and snarls. Indeed, such are the skin-crawling sounds made by the creature, particularly when fighting, all who face it in combat must reduce their SKILL score by 1 for the duration of the battle (unless they have Ear Plugs, Goblin Ear Wax, or something similar). 

Razajackals typically prey on camels, antelope, gazelle, goats and sheep, but have been known to attack humans crossing the desert as well. They will flee however, if their numbers are reduced by half, retreating to their den, which is generally a series of burrows lined with the chewed bones of their victims. Razajackals are known from the Scythera Desert in Khul and the White Bone Desert in Amarillia, where the clear night air transmits the sounds of their howls far and wide as they hunt for fresh meat among the star-lit dunes!

Dealing with Dogs

Assuming a breeder or animal trader can be found that sells them, different types of dog can be purchased at the prices listed below. It is assumed the price includes basic training relevant to the dog type's proclivity; Sled Dogs will be able to draw a sled, Attack Dogs will be trained to attack, and so on. Training a dog by oneself is identical to the process for training horses and other steeds given in the Combat Companion (p. 44).

Dogs require food! The amount of food a dog needs every day is related to their SKILL score as follows (and is taken from the Adventure Creation System, p. 15):

SKILL Daily Provisions required

5 or less 1 Meal/Day

6-9 2 Meals/Day

10 or more 4 Meals/Day

Each Provision is equivalent to a typical human-sized provision. For every Provision required per day, dogs will also require a full waterskin of water.

Dogs that are not fed regularly suffer the same penalties to their STAMINA score as Heroes, and their ability to follow instructions has a -1 penalty per day of not being fed. In addition, if they or their owner rolls a Critical Fumble, the hungry dog will turn on its master or mistress and attack them instead!  

Dog Type Prices

Type City Cost Town Cost Village Cost 

Attack Dog 35gp 40gp 40gp

Bloodhound 25gp 30gp 32gp

Brician War-Hound 35gp 40gp 40gp

Death Dog 50gp 70gp 80gp

Dog 6gp 8gp 10gp

Elven Hound 45gp 60gp 70gp

Fang Hound 45gp 60gp 70gp

Great Hound 33gp 38gp 38gp

Guard Dog 10gp 8gp 8gp

Hunting Dog 15gp 20gp 20gp

Kalagarian Ridgeback 30gp 36gp 38gp

Mastiff 35gp 40gp 40gp

Moon Dog 50gp 70gp 80gp

Orc Hound 10gp 11gp 12gp

Retriever 8gp 10gp 12gp

Rottwild 20gp 22gp 24gp

Sheep Dog 8gp 10gp 12gp

Sled Dog 30gp 25gp 25gp

Snuff Hound 30gp 40gp 40gp

War Hound 35gp 40gp 40gp

Whippet 10gp 12gp 15gp

Wolf Dog 16gp 18gp 18gp

Wolfhound 20gp 25gp 25gp

Dog Armour

Similar to the barding worn by Warhorses and the like (e.g. see Return to the Pit, p. 10), it is also possible to equip dogs with armour to protect them in battle from injuries. Spiked Collars can be worn by any dog, but other types of armour may only be worn by the following breeds: Attack Dogs, Brician War-Hounds, Death Dogs, Elven Hounds, Fang Hounds, Great Hounds, Kalagarian Ridgebacks, Mastiffs, Rottwilds, Orc Hounds, War Dogs, Wolf-Dogs or Wolfhounds. It may also be worn by slightly more supernatural canines, including Hellhounds, Moon Dogs and the Xlaia, but not flying breeds, including Aakor, Canidor or Devil-Hounds.

Dog Armour Prices

Type City Cost Town Cost Village Cost 

Spiked Collar 5gp 7gp 9gp

Leather 8gp 9gp 16gp

Mail 12gp 18gp 30gp

Plate 16gp 22gp 46gp

Spike  30gp 35gp 50gp

Dog Armour Roll Tables 

Armour Type 1 2 3 4 5 6 7+

Spiked Collar* 0 0 0 0 0 +1 +1

Leather 0 0 0 1 1 1 2

Mail 0 0 1 1 2 2 3

Plate 0 1 2 2 3 3 4

Spiked** 1 1 2 2 3 3 4

* = If the Spiked Collar blocks or partially blocks a melee attack, the assailant suffers 1 STAMINA damage from the spikes on the collar. Spiked Collars can be worn in addition to all other Dog Armour types except Spiked Armour (in which they are included).

** = Spiked Armour causes 1 STAMINA point damage to any adversary that successfully hits the Dog that wears it.

Collar of the Immortal Nightmare (#9/30, #221/365) [EA:V2] (Enchanted Item)

This is a black leather colour studded with thick silver spikes. When worn by a large dog, such as a Mastiff or Rottwild, it provides protection as per a regular spiked collar. In addition, the hound that wears it is immune to damage from normal weapons; they will appear to suffer wounds, but once they reach 0 STAMINA, they will be reborn again with their full STAMINA intact! Only silver or magic weapons can harm a dog that wears the Collar of the Immortal Nightmare. One such creature was the black Mastiff 'Midnight' kept by the Salamonian tax-collector Odious Pinchpenny, and used to menace those that were tardy in paying revenue to the man regarded as the most detested person in Salamonis. 

Unavailable to buy

Each Peach Pear Plum

(Sad news)

BANDURIN FRUIT (#4/30, #216/365) [TTHA] 

Appearance: This is a small tree with oval-shaped dark green downy leaves, single pink flowers, and large pear-shaped fruits with thick yellow-green skin.

Distribution: Forests and hills in warmer regions of Titan.

 

Effects: The fruit of the Bandurin tree is edible with an intense aroma and tart flavour. They are nutritious if eaten singly; and restore 1-2 STAMINA points. Gorging on Bandurin Fruit however will cause stomach cramps resulting in the loss of 1-3 STAMINA points. To alleviate this, most Bandurin Fruits are harvested to make jams, preserves and liquor.

Cost: City 2gp, Town 3gp, Village 4gp (per fruit)

 

Availability: Uncommon

CARACALK SEED (#5/30, #217/365) [TTHA] 

Appearance: This is a type of palm-tree with long spiny pale green leaves, that produces large clusters of red date-like fruit.

Distribution: Deserts, plains and wilderness in the hottest regions of Titan.

 

Effects: Caracalk fruit is edible and preserves easily, and thus is used commonly as provisions by nomads and other desert travellers; a bag of Caracalk fruit is identical to one preserved ration of Provisions in effect. In addition, the fleshy remnants and seed of the fruit are fermented to make Caracalk-seed liquor, a potent alcoholic beverage, that can be drunk straight or added to other beverages such as coffee or tea for flavour. Anyone drinking a bottle of Caracalk-seed liquor straight, gains 4 STAMINA points and a +1 SKILL bonus to their next combat, after which they must Test their Luck or collapse into unconsciousness for 10-60 minutes. Those that remain conscious suffer a -2 penalty to all actions for the same time frame.

Cost: City 8gp, Town 10gp, Village 12gp (per bottle)

 

Availability: Common

GALDA FRUIT (#6/30, #218/365) [TTHA] 

Appearance: This is a small tree with a dense canopy of wide, serrated green leaves, large white flowers, and orange-yellow fruits that resemble small peaches.

Distribution: Plains, forests and hills in the warmer regions of Titan.

 

Effects: Galda Fruit is extremely nutritious, with a rich, sweet taste. Eating a bag of fresh Galda Fruit or a bottle of Galda Fruit preserves restores 1-3 STAMINA points.

Cost: City 3gp, Town 4gp, Village 5gp (per bag or bottle)

 

Availability: Common

REVIEW: Fighting Fantasy Adventures (Wallace Design, 2025) Box 0: The Orb of Lucis

  

SPOILER FREE REVIEW BUT READ THE WHOLE REVIEW!

 Fighting Fantasy Adventures (Wallace Designs, 2025)

 

Box 0: The Orb of Lucis

 

[Random intro: My brother-in-law saw me messing about with this deck of cards. His chosen vocation is online transvestite Hindu fortune-teller and he thought it was an innovative new tarot system. That’s how cool the cards look!]

 

Backed Tier Reward: Treasure Chest

 

Basics: Shipping was received early, probably due to Bangkok’s proximity to the presumed China production origin, packaging was excellent, very sturdy. Plastic corner protectors on the box, no damage whatsoever, mint condition.

 

The big box contains 8 smaller boxes, 1 for counters, markers and dice, 1 for Hero cards plus a signed card by Steve Jackson, Ian Livingstone and Martin Wallace, (my backer bonafide card is #3346), 6 for the various adventure boxes. There is a map printed on the inside of both upper and lower boxes (both of which make very sturdy dice rolling containers). There is also a 16-page rulebook and a hardback tactical board for combat and marching order.

 

This review concerns Box 0: The Orb of Lucis. This review will start in reverse with the ugly, the bad, the good, and my final thoughts, on this box only. Each box contains a set of Dungeon Cards, which form the map, and Encounter Cards, which form the meat of the adventure.

 

The Ugly

The elephant in the room is the AI-influenced art. To be honest, I was expecting it, having seen some early pre-release art that was obviously AI. I said nothing, hoping at the time others would, and maybe they did, because the obvious AI art has been disguised to some extent. The kicker when playing the game though, was encountering a monster card where one wing was growing out of the rear of the monster’s eyeball, while the monster’s other wing was sort-of on their back. The sort of lazy AI art we see because AI doesn’t actually know what it’s doing. Unfortunately, once you’ve seen that example, you can’t unsee it, and then you start seeing it everywhere. I could be wrong, and all it takes for proof are the original artists’ PSD files or equivalent. Unfortunately, while the artists are credited, who did what is not so clear, so I don’t know who is responsible for what art. As far as I can see, the AI art takes three major forms, most of which are creatures and monsters (note, some creatures’ art appears AI-free).

 

Firstly, such as wing-eyeball monster, there are creatures where AI generated the image, which was then processed – slightly – by a human, and the rest obscured with “Dungeon Smoke”, so all you see is the head and maybe a few limbs at best, or cropped out as a ‘porthole’ effect, again, with just the head. It’s actually a shame everything is so obscured with “Dungeon Smoke” because there are two monsters in particular, I would love to see the original AI images as they are well gnarly, insanely so even.

 

Secondly, there are humanoid monsters where an original AI configuration, recognizable by the bland expression and strange design choices, are traced over and masked by some first-class digital texture work. They need to get the artist who did the texture work to draw the actual pictures next time, the textures are that good. These cards are bearable, not too bad, clear and refreshingly free from “Dungeon Smoke”.

 

Finally, there is a repeated legless dragon motif where the belly scales become a weird rope pattern half-way down, which repeats until the tail. It wouldn’t be so bad if it were just that (I believe the technical term for such a creature is an Amphiptere), but the wings are attached to said rope-belly and not the back of the dragon, making the problem more acutely visible. Again, once you’ve seen it, you can’t unsee the rope-belly-wing. This is repeated on all boxes, and every card, encircling the encounter or dungeon number. Ironically, the head is based on the original black dragon ‘Titan’ from the Fighting Fantasy gamebooks, and in this form the dragon occurs on the tactical board, happily free of rope-belly or rope-belly-wings. The whole thing could be a weird design choice, but there’s also a monster card with a similar problem, the belly scales invert to become an armoured carapace before reverting to belly scales and finally, thankfully, being obscured by “Dungeon Smoke”.

 

[I could be wrong on all of this, all we need to see are artist PSD files, timelapse videos or equivalent.]

 

The maps inside the box look great, but there are mistakes, misspellings and mislabeling with place names. Briefly, these are as follows: it should be Zengis not Xenghis, Kay-Pong not Kai-Pong, Carnex not Carner, Skaar not Skaal, Kalong Marshes not Kalon, The Dragon Reaches not Dragon Reach, Blood Island not Blood Isle, and Snake Island not Snake Isle (thanks to Victor Cheng for the last one). This is not difficult to get right.

 

One card typo that leapt out was a creature being described as ‘hagged’. While I quite like the idea of the word ‘hagged’ as a possible contemporary expression to ‘fragged’, I think it should be haggard.

 

I realize none of these things affect gameplay in any way, but given how much money the campaign raised, and how good the product looks otherwise, they all combine to detract from one’s overall enjoyment of said product.

 

The Bad

My counters aren’t great as the counter material has interfered with the print quality. They are legible but weirdly distorted, reminiscent of bit-mapped images to some extent. Hard to tell if it’s a poor-quality print job or a low-resolution image file usage or both.

 

There’s not much lore in the initial quest. We don’t know who or what Lucis is, why they have an Orb worth stealing, and who or why there needs to be a guardian for the Orb. Nothing here ties it to Fighting Fantasy or the Allansia map, other than the fact your Heroes are measured by SKILL, STAMINA and LUCK.

 

Some of the Encounter Cards have this weird ambient background text on them, but it has no tangible effects. It makes for nice atmosphere, but you’re never told when you should read it.

 

I understand it’s a bonus introductory quest, but the ending to this quest is remarkably anticlimactic. It’s very satisfying to play, so it’s quite strange you get no tangible benefit for completing it.

 

Some of the creatures, despite, or possibly because they are/were AI inspired, are remarkably bland in name and absence of lore. They look wicked! I want to know who they are and what they’re doing in this god-forsaken dungeon.

 

There’s a lot of “Dungeon-Smoke” on the cards. This is not a game for playing dark dive bars or for those of poor eyesight. Some of the counters are tiny and fiddly. The dungeon sprawls, and not in a regular grid either. Prepare to spill beer or coffee or pizza or chips all over it.

 

It’s a total one-shot. Once you’ve solved the secret of the Orb of Lucis, that is it. I might dig it out when my daughter gets back from college or my wife finally consents to playing a fantasy board/card game instead of root canal surgery, but there is no replay value once you’ve rumbled the mysteries here.

 

The Good

Gameplay! It’s fun, fast, exciting, terrifying even! Stuff happens, and like the gamebooks, once something’s happened there’s no comebacks, no five finger bookmarks even. It’s balanced, intuitive even. Despite all my tedious bitching and moaning above about the aesthetics, I was having fun. I felt I was playing a board/card game version of a previously obscure, unreleased Fighting Fantasy gamebook. The general atmosphere of 80s dungeon bashing is alive and well.

 

The Heroes were all fun in this initial adventure. I played solo with all four, which is a bit book-keeper-ish, but nothing too extravagant. Their abilities are all cool and complement each other well. One even has a “Smoke Bomb” ability to match all that “Dungeon Smoke”. Marching order is important. Tactics are important, but not tedious. Monsters are scary. Resources have to be managed carefully, items are gratefully found and acquired. This is all good gameplay and certainly adds to the fun value. The central puzzle is very, very satisfying to solve. Rules are easy to understand, writing is generally clear although it could be slightly more descriptive.

 

The art that is not AI is excellent. This includes the map, of which I would happily buy a print if the names were corrected. The Hero Card illustrations are epic and atmospheric. The Dungeon Card room pictures are fantastic, particularly once you clear a room by flipping the card over, which shows the bloody mess of a slain monster carcass everywhere. You could make an entirely separate random dungeon-bash game with the dungeon cards drawn from a stack, a lone Hero, and the Encounter Cards randomized on a table. There’s some hidden art on the outside of the bottom box that looks insanely brilliant but is sadly “brownscaled” out. I’d like to know which artists drew what pictures, because there is some outstanding artistic talent on show here.

 

Final Thoughts

It’s a fun, exciting one-shot card-box dungeon adventure, marred by some sloppy AI art. I’m looking forward to playing Box 1: The Warlock of Firetop Mountain next week (have to pace these one-shots out) and see how it tackles recreating an actual published gamebook. I liked it so much I’ve started re-engineering THE ORB OF LUCIS as a short non-linear amateur Fighting Fantasy gamebook, which, once typed up, I will repost here for interested parties to play. Would I back it again? Only if they ditch the AI art, use 100% human art, and run the whole thing by a Fighting Fantasy fan who knows their Zengis from their Kay-Pong. Flawed but intriguing.

DRUIDS of a lesser god

DRUID (#3/30, #215/365) [POT]

SKILL: 7

STAMINA : 9

ATTACKS: 1

WEAPON: Sickle

ARMOUR: None

DAMAGE MODIFIER: None

HABITAT: Forests, Jungles

NUMBER ENCOUNTERED: 1

TYPE: Humanoid

REACTION: Neutral-Hostile

INTELLIGENCE: High

The DRUID is a follower of the ways of nature, of plants and trees, and can ofetn be found wandering from hamlet to hamlet, conducting rites of fertility for the local farmers. Some Druids become adventurers to combat the damage they see evil creatures, such as Orcs and Goblins, inflicting on woodlands and forests. All Druids will have simple plain robes, a sickle, and a holy symbol of their chosen god or goddess. For other possessions roll 1-3 times on the following table:

Roll Gear

1 Pestle and mortar

2 1-3 bunches of different Herbs

3 Crown of Mistletoe

4 Animal companion (roll 1 Fox 2 Wildcat 3 Wolf 4 Bear 5 Boar 6 Stag)

5 Golden Sickle

6 Staff of Oak Sapling

In addition, roll on the below table to determine the race of the Druid:  

Roll Druid Race.

1-3 Human 

4 Wood Elf

5 Gnome

6 Halfling 

Finally, the Druid may not necessarily be of a goodly persuasion - Dark Druids do exist! What the layperson calls a Druid is actually a blanket term for a wide diversity of plant-venerating priests and spellcasters of no small variety of types. Roll on the table below to determine the Druid's particular chosen vocation:

Roll Druid Type

1 Dark Druid (Human only): Roll for chosen god: 1-3 Darkthorn 4-6 Myknosis

2 Druid: As per the Priests Companion (pp. 29-31)

3 Priest: Roll for chosen god: 1-3 Galana 4 Aegraven 5 Argowen 6 Cholumbara

4 Elementalist: Roll for type: 1-3 Xylomancer, 4-6 Plant Sorcerer/Sorceress

5 Grove Tender: As per the Magic Companion (pp. 50-60)

6 Plant Master: As per the Magic Companion (pp. 26-38)

The reaction of the Druid depends on their provenance - Dark Druids will invariably be hostile, whereas other Druids will be neutral as long as their glade, grove or patch of woodland is treated with care and respect by any intruders. 

On Titan, Druids exist on all three continents. They are found in some number on the Dark Continent of Khul, particularly in the north-east, conducting various rites and rituals at the numerous stone circles that dot the landscape between Kalagar and Arion, and tending to the many copses of forest found in this misty wilderness region. In Allansia, Druids are primarily found in the northern forested areas and are accorded great respect by the Northmen and other barbarian tribes of these borderlands. 

This is similar in the Old World, however, the Druid has also become a feature of the religious life of some of the nations there; an Arch-Druid is known to reign at the Sanctuary of Throff within the teeming streets of Royal Lendle for example. One must also beware the Dark Druids! In ancient times they allied with Orcs and Skeletons and ravaged the borders of the legendary kingdom of Karazan, while in more recent ages countries such as Ruddlestone have recorded sporadic outbreaks of Dark Druid-related cults, worshipping evil vegetation deities such as Myknosis and the Darkthorn.

One RUNE to rule them all!

(See also Runesword and Bronze Runeshield)

Runic Axe (#30/31, #211/365) [EA:V2] (Enchanted Item)

This is a magnificent weapon, being a brilliantly polished two-handed battleaxe, that may be single or doubled-bladed. It has runes inscribed on the blade and also along the haft of the weapon. Not only does the Runic Axe improve one's fighting prowess, merely hefting it in one's hands fills one's mind with bloodlust and a fearless craving to main and kill one's enemies.

When used in combat, the wielder of the Runic Axe may increase their Initial SKILL by 2 points. However, they may never Escape from a battle, and must always fight to the death. In addition, if there is ever a choice between fighting or negotiation and parley, the Runic Axe will always force its bearer to attack!

One such weapon, known as Bokhorbhil, was wielded by the Dwarven gardener of Baron Tholdur of Neuburg. Another was the property of the aptly-named adventurer Eric Rune-Axe, who dwelt within Affen Forest. Eric was something of a reclusive hermit, driven insane after becoming lost in the Maze of Zagor, and tended to attack intruders without warning, happily lopping off their limbs with no apparent remorse.

Unavailable to buy 

Rune Club (#31/31, #212/365) [EA:V2] (Enchanted Item)

This is a roughly carved club, usually made from Hardwood, Ironbark or Ebony, and inlaid with runes of Green Metal. It counts as an enchanted weapon, and inflicts double STAMINA damage against Living Statues, Golems, Crystal Warriors and similar construct-type guardians.

Unavailable to buy 

Rune Ring (#1/30, #213/365) [EA:V2] (Jewellery)

This is a gold ring encircled with black enamel Dwarf runes, typically spelling out the name of a Dwarf warrior. They generally do not have magical powers, but if a warrior is slain in battle, the Rune Ring is traditionally returned to the Dwarf's next of kin or clan as proof of their passing, and a trade or reward may be offered in exchange.

3-18GP 

Runestaff (#2/30, #214/365) [EA:V2] (Type)

This is an ironshod staff covered in strange, ancient runes that glow and pulse with dark energy and light. It is a powerful weapon that can be used in combat as a regular staff and counts as being enchanted as well. The Runestaff drains the energy of its bearer's enemies, who must deduct 1 STAMINA point every Attack Round regardless of whether they win or lose against whoever wields the staff. Even if the staff-bearer is slain, the Runestaff will continue to drain energy for 1-3 further Attack Rounds! In addition, any Ghost hit with the staff must Test their Skill or be instantly banished.

Such a powerful enchanted item has been known to be used by diverse practioners of magic, including Arakel the Necromancer, Zagor the Warlock, Chaos Beast Men Shamans, and even the Jizo of Demons, when summoned to banish the Shura or warrior-ghost of a slain Dai Oni or other powerful demonic creature.

Unavailable to buy

KENNELS OF DOOM!

DOG (#12-29/31, #193-210/365) [OOTP IV]

SKILL: See below

STAMINA: See below

ATTACKS: 1

WEAPON: See below

ARMOUR: None

DAMAGE MODIFIER: See below

HABITAT: Towns, Ruins, Anywhere master is

NUMBER ENCOUNTERED: 1-3

TYPE: Animal

REACTION: Neutral-Hostile

INTELLIGENCE: Average-Low

The humble DOG of Titan has been bred by humans and other races into a bewildering diversity of different types. Out of the Pit covered such kinds as Death Dogs, Wild Dogs, Wolf Dogs (all pp. 38-39), and Wolfhounds (p. 120), while Snuff Hounds were described in Beyond the Pit (p. 129). Eighteen further breeds of Dog are detailed on the table below, which can be chosen as needed, or determined randomly by rolling two dice separately:

1st Roll 2nd Roll Type SKILL STAMINA Weapon Damage Modifier

1-2 1 ATTACK DOG 6 6 Large Bite -

The ATTACK DOG is an especially vicious breed of canine, similar to a Guard Dog, but trained to mercilessly attack any intruder venturing into a designated area the dog is protecting. They are large dogs of variable coloured pelage, with a heavy powerful muzzle and slavering jaws, that will attack to the death. Attack Dogs tend to be used by those who want something scary to guard their property and they don't mind how dangerous the creatures are. The compound containing Hog House, home of Lady Francesca de la Vette, in the city of Chalice was known to be guarded by Attack Dogs, likewise Krest Ironeyes of the Crowbeak Bandits in the north kept several as canine bodyguards (see Vault of the Old Kingdom, p 19).

1-2 2 BLOODHOUND 5 5 Small Bite -

This is a large breed of dog with a reddish-brown to black coat of short hair. BLOODHOUNDS can be used for hunting deer, boar and rabbits, but are more famed for their inexorable tracking ability with regards to humans. Across Khul and elsewhere, bounty-hunters and militia are known to employ Bloodhounds to successfully track down their prey, because once the dog has the scent of its quarry, it can be very difficult to shake it off. Bloodhounds are cowardly creatures however, and prefer not to fight, letting their master take care of their prey once the dog has tracked it down.  

1-2 3 BRICIAN WAR-HOUND 7 6 Large Bite -

Similar to the War Dog, the BRICIAN WAR-HOUND is a powerful breed of canid used in battle against human infantry, especially peasant levies. The national dog of the warlike kingdom of Brice, the Brician War-Hound is a large wolf-like creature with a black and tan pelt, a strong physique, fearsome toothy jaws and a brooding natural intelligence. They saw action in the first and second wars against Ruddlestone and also during the War of Four Kingdoms, and their breed has spread across the Old World to other nations such as Gallantaria and Ruddlestone. In times of peace the Brician War-Hound is used in bear-baiting, or being set against other creatures in a fighting pit, including human gladiators!

1-2 4 ELVEN HOUND 8 6 Large Bite +1 to the Damage Roll

Like other races Elves have been known to breed dogs, the most fearsome of which are the near-wild ELVEN HOUNDS. These are large dogs, strong with toothy jaws but also sleek, fast and agile, whose coat is often brindled or spotted with a variety of colours. They are usually kept by Mountain or Wood Elves, but it is rumoured that Dark Elves, particularly of both Clan Tesarath and Clan Camcarneyar also have kennels of Elven Hounds. Indeed, in his youth, the evil sorcerer Malbordus the Storm Child was renowned for his ability to hypnotize wild Elven Hounds that roamed the subterranean streets of the Dark Elven city of Tiranduil Kelthas simply by staring deeply into their bestial eyes.

1-2 5 FANG HOUND 7 7 Large Bite +1 to the Damage Roll

The FANG HOUND is a strange breed of dog from the obscure principalities of the central Mauristatia highlands, such as Mortvania and Lupravia. There is something evil and other-worldly about these creatures, and they are large, lean and hungry dogs with a red-eyed stare. When confronting intruders, their snarling muzzle will curl back threateningly, revealing horribly elongated canine teeth, hence their name. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Fang Hounds are used as guard dogs by the various corrupt and decadent nobility of these cursed lands. Countess Isolde, rumoured by some to be a Vampire herself, kept two Fang Hounds at Maun Tower, wearing heavy iron spiked collars, their fur matted with the dried blood of any intruder they had slaughtered.  

1-2 6 GREAT HOUND 7 6 Large Bite +1 to Damage Roll

The GREAT HOUND is one of the biggest breeds of regular domestic dog. This very large hound has a powerful muscular build with a sleek pelt whose colour ranges from fawn to brindle to grey, black or a harlequin mix of black and white. The Great Hound is used for hunting bears, boar and deer, often in addition to regular Hunting Dogs, usually to apply the coup de grace or incapacitate the quarry until the hunters arrive. They also make excellent and intimidating guard dogs due to their size, and have been used by nobility to protect themselves against assassins.

3-4 1 GUARD DOG 7 8 Large Bite -

Given the dangerous nature of many of Titan's environs and inhabitants, it is perhaps no surprise how popular the standard GUARD DOG is! This is a huge, black-furred beast with awfully big teeth, equally happy barking at intruders as well as flying at them, eager to tear out their throat! Guard Dogs are very common in Port Blacksand, where many of the inhabitants own at least one, such as Ben Borryman the silversmith, J. B. Wraggins the locksmith, or Captain Marlin. They were also used to patrol the corridors of Baron Sukumvit's Deathtrap Dungeon, at least in its first incarnation, though rumour has it the smart adventurer could distract the Guard Dogs by tossing them old bones to chew on.

3-4 2 HUNTING DOG 6 6 Small Bite -

Packs of HUNTING DOGS are used by various people across Titan to pursue prey such as foxes, boars and deer. They are medium sized dogs, with short hair of any colour, usually quite lithe and lightly built, in order to keep up with their quarry while running full tilt. Duke Blackhill uses a pack of Hunting Dogs to hunt within Darkwood Forest, for example, as does Lord Hever of Fallow Dale in Khul when hunting in Affen Forest, while Felder the Hunter and his legendary pack of hunting hounds tracked down the Great Boar of Lein in Ruddlestone. The Hunting Dog is also a symbol of Fourga, the God of Pride.

3-4 3 KALAGARIAN RIDGEBACK 7 6 Large Bite -

Also known as the Kalagarian Hound, for they originated in the north Khulian port of Kalagar, the KALAGARIAN RIDGEBACK is a large breed, half-dog half-wolf, and a snarling, highly intelligent killer. They have short red-brown fur and a crest of bristly forward-pointing hair running along the length of their spine to the base of their tail, hence their name. The Kalagarian Ridgeback can be used as a guard dog, or for hunting Arctolyce and Nandibears, and they have spread far beyond Kalagar. For instance, the animal trainer Koepa the Horsemaster of Arion (see Travels in Arion, p. 32), has several loyal Kalagarian Ridgebacks that accompany her at all times.

3-4 4 MASTIFF 7 7 Large Bite +1 to Damage Roll

One of the biggest breeds of dog, and also known as a Bull Mastiff, the MASTIFF is a muscular, thickset beast with short wiry brown, grey or black fur, and a broad powerful muzzle full of large sharp yellow teeth. Mastiffs have a ferocious bark and are used as guard dogs, or in blood-sports such as bear-baiting, beast-fighting and even gladiatorial combat (Ripper and Slasher were two infamous bear-baiting Mastiffs from Ruddlestone). Some say the biggest and toughest Mastiff breeds are those of the Mauristatian provinces of Mortvania and Lupravia. The Salamonian tax-collector Odious Pinchpenny was accompanied on his rounds by a great black vicious Mastiff called Midnight; rumour has it the beast was immortal and could not be slain by normal weapons!

3-4 5 ORC HOUND 4 8 Large Bite -

The ORC HOUND is a large, aggressive mastiff-like breed of dog used by tribes of Orcs as a guard and attack creature. They are not particularly agile but have plenty of stamina and a strong bite. One such great hound, named 'Axemouth' was kept by the Orc Warlord Grark Gutburster, who recently launched an assault on the Khulian city of Ludria (see the Adventure Creation System, pp. 302-303).  

3-4 6 RETRIEVER 4 5 Small Bite -

Unlike Hunting Dogs which actively chase prey, RETRIEVERS are a breed of dog so named because they retrieve prey brought down by a hunter wielding a bow or primitive firearm. They are medium-sized dogs with a short waterproof coat in a variety of colours, and adept at swimming and traversing marshy terrain. Retrievers are a popular breed of dog, particularly among the nobility; Lord Hever of Fallow Dale kept several in his castle.

5-6 1 ROTTWILD 6 6 Large Bite -

The ROTTWILD is a large dog with a black and tan coat kept by people such as Flintskins (see Return to the Pit, pp. 81-82), and used as guards, hunters and trackers. These huge hounds can be quite ferocious and are trained to fight to the death, racing towards their target to leap at their throat, fangs bared in a snarl! 

5-6 2 SHEEP DOG 4 4 Small Bite -

The SHEEP DOG is a medium sized dog breed used for herding sheep and goats, and kept by farmers and shepherds across Titan. They come in wide variety of colours and coat types depending on the climate and terrain; Sheep Dogs in warmer areas will have shorter coats that are yellow, orange or brown in colour while those in colder regions will have thicker coats that are white, grey, brown or black. While highly intelligent, trainable, and able to warn their owners as to any threats to the herd, Sheep Dogs are not guard animals and that role is generally taken by larger more aggressive breeds of hound. 

5-6 3 SLED DOG 5 5 Small Bite -

The SLED DOG or Husky is a medium to large-sized breed used to pull a sled over snow, usually in cold or mountainous regions of Titan. They have thick coats that are white, grey or black in colour and may have a wolf-like appearance. Depending on the size of the sled and its cargo, a team of Sled Dogs may number between 2 to 12 animals. They can also be trained to defend the sled against threats such as Polar Bears or Snow Wolves, but are not especially effective as guard or attack dogs in these situations.   

5-6 4 WAR HOUND 7 7 Large Bite +1 to Damage Roll

Also known as a Wardog, the WAR HOUND of northern Allansia is a very large breed of dog used especially for battle. Related to the Brician War-Hound above, they are huge slavering creatures with variable-coloured pelage, sharp fangs, wild-eyed and always ready to attack. Although predominantly used in combat by barbarian tribes, local despots and grim Northmen, if bought as puppies War Hounds can be reared as faithful companions, always eager to defend their master. The horse trader Harold Hogget kept two War Hounds named Chewlia and Jawge at his hut near the town of Hamelin.  

5-6 5 WHIPPET 5 3 Small Bite -1 to Damage Roll

The WHIPPET is a smaller version of the Hunting Dog, but much faster, and in fact one of the fastest breeds of dog. They are used for hunting smaller prey, such as hares, rabbits and Fenzels. The best Whippets are said to come from the Arrowhead Archipelago. 

5-6 6 WORM DOG 5 4 Small Bite -

These are wiry-looking hounds with red eyes and slavering jaws. Although the WORM DOG is small and not particularly strong, a bite from them can be fatal, since they are riddled with disease-carrying parasites called Gungh Worms (hence the dog's own name). Anyone who is bitten by a Worm Dog will be infected by its saliva, causing the onset of Gungh Virus, unless they have some Worm Paste or other type of healing or disease-curing magic available. The symptoms of Gungh Virus include the presence of thread-like white worms in the infected wound, as well as a raging sweat-inducing fever, and it causes the loss of 10 STAMINA points, 1 SKILL point, and unconsciousness for 10-30 minutes. Only those with a strong constitution can survive the Gungh Virus! Worm Dogs typically live in burrows and dens they dig themselves, which they defend by yapping and biting manically. A colony was known to live offshore on Snake Island, but like most wild canines they can be found dwelling in a variety of terrain.

Weird and strange plants from far, far away... (part two)

COFFEE (#9/31, #190/365) [TTHA] 

Appearance: This is a smaller tree with glossy dark-green oval-shaped leaves, small white flowers and green seed-like fruit that turns red then purple when ripe.

Distribution: Hills and mountains in warmer regions across southern Allansia and Khul.

 

Effects: The seeds of the Coffee plant are dried, roasted and ground into powder to make a refreshing beverage with boiling water, served either hot or cold, and with a variety of additives, including milk, sugar, Cardamom, Ginger, Cinnamon, Cocoa, Fralderbark, Wyrmwood, and even Caracalk-seed spirit, among others. It is a premium beverage served in coffee-shops across southern Allansia and Khul, though its popularity is spreading. Coffee has mild restorative properties - anyone who drinks a cup of it can restore 1 STAMINA point.

Cost: City 2gp, Town 3gp, Village 4gp (per cup)

 

Availability: Common

FRALDERBARK (#10/31, #191/365) [TTHA] 

Appearance: This is a thick fleshy vine with glossy bright green succulent leaves, large yellow flowers, and long thin green pod-like fruit.

Distribution: Tropical islands across Titan.

 

Effects: The pod of the Fralderbark, when dried, becomes a fragrant dark brown stick. This is used as flavouring in various beverages including tea, coffee and various spirits. As such it is traded as a valuable spice across Titan. 

Cost: City 4gp, Town 6gp, Village 8gp (per bag of pods)

 

Availability: Rare

WYRMWOOD (#11/31, #192/365) [TTHA] 

Appearance: This is a woody shrub, with a pale silver-grey stems, narrow oval-shaped green gray leaves, and yellow tubular flowers.

Distribution: Hills, plains and wilderness across Titan.

 

Effects:  When dried, Wyrmwood is a bitter but fragrant herb used as an additive to various beverages, including coffee, tea, or beer. It is also used to make Absinthe. When burnt, the smoke from Wyrmwood torch drives off Dragons, Drakes, Wyrms and Wyverns of all kinds, or at least stops them from attacking whilst the torch is burning. If the torch-bearer attacks such a creature however, they will defend themselves but with a -1 penalty to their Attack Strength.

Cost: City 5gp, Town 7gp, Village 9gp (per torch)

 

Availability: Uncommon

In no-way-smooth CRIMINAL

CRIMINAL (#8/31, #189/365) [POT]

SKILL: 6

STAMINA : 5

ATTACKS: 1

WEAPON: See below

ARMOUR: None

DAMAGE MODIFIER: None

HABITAT: Towns, Towns (sewers), Dungeons, Ruins, Sea

NUMBER ENCOUNTERED: 1-2

TYPE: Humanoid

REACTION: See below

INTELLIGENCE: Average

Unless in a jail, prison, or an area of cell blocks, any CRIMINALS encountered will be escapees, currently free, desperate, and on the lam, running away from whoever imprisoned them in the first place. This means their reactions can be quite varied as the Criminal may be seeking aid to help them escape or silencing those they encounter to prevent a hue and cry being raised. Consequently, roll on the chart below for their initial reaction:

Roll Criminal Reaction

1 Friendly

2 Neutral

3 Unfriendly

4-6 Hostile

While the scores above can be used for all Criminals, at some point they did have a previous life, which will decide their background and skills. This can be determined by rolling on the appropriate terrain encounter table for their current location. However, their current circumstances will be quite different and the Criminal will usually be clad in tattered rags at best, with a weapon rolled for on the table below:

Roll Weapon Type

1 Club

2 Dagger

3 Blackjack

4 Chain

5 Needleknife

6 Ball and Chain (as per Morning Star)

In addition, a Criminal will have one item of gear, stashed or carried on their person. To determine what this is, roll three dice and consult the table below:

Roll Gear

3 a Throwing Knife

4 Lockpicks

5 Rope and grappling hook

6 half a bottle of Special Brew

7 a pouch of Smoking Weed and a Pipe

8 a Book, heavily annotated

9 Loaded Dice

10 a missing body-part (Roll: 1-2 Eye, 3-4 Hand, 5-6 Leg)

11 a Disease

12 a Skeleton Key

13 half a mouldy loaf of bread and an iron file

14 a Crowbar

15 a Pick Axe (as per War-Pick)

16 a Tunic of Holding (not worn)

17 a Treasure Map

18 a Shovel and a Sack

The general goal of any escaped Criminal is to flee the immediate area, and establish themselves somewhere else, far, far away. One of the more infamous criminals of recent times was 'Clubber' Tump, last seen working for the notorious crime lord Jay 'Fingers' Finch, head of the Surly Boys gang of Ludria (see Adventure Creation System, p. 258).

Perhaps the weirdest encountered Criminals upon the world of Titan are those found at sea, specifically in the vicinity of the Black Ocean and its associated atolls and cays; the Isles of the Dawn, Yotakami Island, the Shark Islands, the Arrowhead Archipelago, and so on. Here, particularly troublesome convicted Criminals are imprisoned within the inflated air-bladder of the noxious Shael-Beast (see Beyond the Pit, pp. 122-123, and Encyclopedia Arcana: Volume 1, p. 70), and then sent floating off across the waves, condemned for the rest of their short life to an existence within a foul-smelling spherical gaol. Such Criminals have been driven completely insane by their ordeal, and, even if freed, will react with outright hostility and attack whoever was foolish enough to release them from the air-bladder. Needless to say, unlike other encountered Criminals, they have no weapon or possessions at all, other than the stinking rotting clothes upon their backs, burnt and blistered from the sun, saltwater and stinking confines of their globular imprisonment.

Who wants to live forever?

Potion of Longevity (#6/31, #187/365) [EA:V2] (Artefact)

 Since the tides of the time god Chronada washed over the world of Titan people have dreamed of immortality, of the ability to live forever, and the Potion of Longevity goes some way to achieving that goal. Also known as the Potion of Eternal Youth, the Potion of Youth, or the Youth Potion, it is a small elaborately carved vial containing a silvery liquid. When drunk, the imbiber of a Potion of Longevity can immediately reduce their age by 8-48 years, though care must be taken lest they revert completely back to being a mewling baby! The drinker of the potion will still have their normal chronological age, but their physical age will be reduced - for the effects of this and ageing in general see Gods of Titan, p. 110.

These potions are obviously very valuable; when the Allansian wizard Tulkinghorse discovered one in his old age, he used his second chance at life to found the magical style of Combat Magic (see Combat Companion, p.29), whilst Yaztromo of Darkwood Forest was rumoured to be working on brewing such a potion as well. There is one member of the Alasiyan Den of Thieves who claims to be 379 years old as they drink several doses of a Potion of Longevity daily, and the Sorcerer-Governor Gumpas has imprisoned them and attempted to extract the secret of the potion's manufacture. In the Old World, Karl-Heinz Matthaus, Alchemist-in-Residence at Castle Heydrich allegedly discovered the recipe below, with which he concocted Potions of Longevity to administer to Katarine Heydrich, who was supposedly 76 years old but looked far, far younger.

Unavailable to buy

Recipe: Potion of Longevity (#7/31, #188/365) [EA:V2] (Enchanting: Artefact)

Enchantment required: 6

Cost of recipe: N/A

Cost of ingredients: N/A 

Ingredients: Powdered Xentos Fruit, Basilisk Liver, Giant Squid Ink, Tatsu Pearl, Exo-Beast Brain

Time to craft: 1 Year

Description: Also known as the Potion of Eternal Youth, the Potion of Youth, or the Youth Potion, it is a small elaborately carved vial containing a silvery liquid. When drunk, the imbiber of a Potion of Longevity can immediately reduce their age by 8-48 years, though care must be taken lest they revert completely back to being a mewling baby! The drinker of the potion will still have their normal chronological age, but their physical age will be reduced - for the effects of this and ageing in general see Gods of Titan, p. 110.

Terror of the Techno Monkeys!

TECHN0-HOMUNCULUS (#3/31, #184/365) [OOTP IV]

SKILL: 9

STAMINA: 6

ATTACKS: 1

WEAPON: Small Claw

ARMOUR: Light

DAMAGE MODIFIER: -1 to Damage Roll

HABITAT: Anywhere their master is, Ruins, Dungeons, Towns

NUMBER ENCOUNTERED: 1

TYPE: Magical Creature

REACTION: Neutral-Unfriendly

INTELLIGENCE: High

Related to the Homunculus (see Beyond the Pit, p. 69), the TECHNO-HOMUNCULUS is a hideous-looking small creature whose arrival is usually heralded by the strange clanking of gears and the hissing of pistons, due to its half-animal, half-machine nature. The Techno-Homunculus is a disconcerting amalgam of metal and clay-like flesh, resembling a tiny horned and winged devil, similar to a normal Homunculus, however, half of its body has been replaced with mechanical parts and animated with Technomancy (see below). For example, half of the beast's head is exposed metal, one wing is a folding construction of leather and brass, and one arm and one leg are entirely metallic in nature. 

The Techno-Homunculus can fly, and will use its claws or other weapons (such as a dagger, or a magical bronze wand that causes 3 STAMINA points of damage per hit) to defend itself or its master. They make for intelligent familiars, and are able to understand complex instructions and converse with their master or their master's guests on a wide range of esoteric subjects. The rogue weather mage Balthazar Sturm was served by such a Techno-Homunculus who guarded his cabin aboard his flying flagship, The Eye of the Storm. If slain, the part-mechanical, part-magical creature disintegrates in a dramatic explosion of sparks, which will cause a small fire, igniting anything flammable nearby.

Ritual of the Animate Technoid (#4/31, #185/365) [EA:V2] (Conjuring)

Magic-Conjuration: 6

Type: Creation

Components: Mandrake root, 1 pint of the Conjurer's blood, 3 Gadgets, Filigree Wings

Time Taken: 1 Month

Rarity: Uncommon

Description: This ritual, enacted over the root of a Mandrake plant (see The Titan Herbal, p. 47) that has been harvested after 1 month and properly treated and modified with the above components, will animate the humanoid-shaped root into a Techno-Homunculus, a small half-magical half-machine creature. These are more stable than regular Homunculi, and will last for 2-7 years, though they require regular source of fuel or a recharging station to enable daily functioning.

Ritual of the Animate Technoid (#5/31, #186/365) [EA:V2] (Technomancy)

Device Technique: Techno-Homunculus

Device Type: Familiar

Device Size: Small

Device Complexity: 8

Magic-Technomancy Required: 3

Cost of Technique: 100gp

Power Source: 1 Small

Components: Mandrake root, 1 pint of the Conjurer's blood, 3 Gadgets (1 Doobry and 2 Wotsits), Filigree Wings,

Cost of Components: 200gp

Description: This ritual, enacted over the root of a Mandrake plant (see The Titan Herbal, p. 47) that has been harvested after 1 month and properly treated and modified with the above components, will animate the humanoid-shaped root into a Techno-Homunculus, a small half-magical half-machine creature. These are more stable than regular Homunculi, and will last for 2-7 years, though they require regular source of fuel or a recharging station to enable daily functioning.