Two Artifacts from the Love Collection

In the early 1920s, Bessie Love was one of America's most popular movie stars, known for playing charming and energetic young women in everything from bizarre comedies to dark dramas. By 1925, however, her life became increasingly consumed with a secret battle against supernatural evil. (You can read the background details here.)

   Love acquired a number of magical artifacts during the 25 years she protected the unsuspecting world from darkness, which experts in the field of the occult and supernatural have dubbed the Love Collection. Today, we describe another two artifacts from the Love Collection. As is our habit, we also provide d20 System rules so you can use them in your games.

DIMOND'S COMPASS

Named for Edward Dimond, an American sorcerer and investigator of crimes who lived in 17th century Mass., at first glance this appears to be a malfunctioning compass with a magnetic needle that jerks from pointing in one direction to another without cause, which seems to point anywhere but North, and may even start spinning wildly without warning. It is rendered even more useless by the fact that what can be assumed to be the cardinal compass points are marked with curious symbols that are dissimilar to any earthly civilization, current or extinct. It radiates a faint aura of Divination magic.

   Although it bears his name, Dimond did not know where the compass came from. It was given to him as payment, when, as a young man, he proved a ships' captain innocent of murder by uncovering evidence that proved the merchant accusing him was the true killer. The seaman claimed he had found the compass in a ruined city, on an uncharted island that he had never been able to find his way back to since. Dimond carried it on his person from that day forward, as he believed it was imbued with a spirit of justice and that God had meant for him to have it and to guide him on his quests for truth. 

   Dimond's Compass passed through many hands before coming into the possession of Bessie Love; it was gifted to her, as it had been to Dimond, by a young werewolf whom she had proven innocent of murder in 1928 by exposing the witch who had been using magic to control him. All who have owned it have stated that it has either shown the way to great treasures, stores of lost knowledge, or evidence that exposes villains set on harming the innocent. 

   The fact is that Dimond's Compass can do all things those who have possessed it claim it can. It was created by Lemurian artificers, in the Time Before Time when the dark gods and their servants wrecked havoc across many planes.

   Using Dimond's Compass: A being must hold the compass in his or her left hand. It performs one of three functions related to directed the user to finding items, magical or mundane. All the would-be user has to do is hold the compass and focus his or her mind for one round one what he or she is seeking. The compass remains set by "default" on whatever it was last used for. It has a range of 3,200 feet, and if the object sought is not within range, the compass jerks between several directions, spins wildly for a moment, then stops. The compass cannot find items that are inside extra-dimensional spaces like a bag of holding. There is no limit to the number of times a character can try to use the compass to find the direction to an item. 

   The functions of Dimond's Compass are as follows:

   * Detect Magic: The compass points to the object or being with the most powerful magic aura or abilities within range that is closest to its current location. If there are multiple objects or beings within range, it prioritizes the closest item or being. (For example, the compass will point to a 3rd-level spellcaster over a 1st-level spellcaster; a +2 sword over a +1 sword; an artifact like the Silver Key over a +4 dagger, even if the dagger may seem more powerful if subjected to an analyze or detect magic spell; and a succubus over a 13th-level spellcaster. But if a man carrying a +1 amulet of protection is standing across the room, and a demonlord is across the street carrying the Sword of Dimensional Sundering, the compass will indicate the +1 amulet of protection.)  

   * Find Magic Portal: The compass points to the nearest magic portal within range. For the purpose of Dimond's Compass, a "magic portal" is a permanent gateway between one location and another, whether the remote location is 12 miles or 12 realities away. Such portals can appear to be doorways, pools of water, wells--anything that someone might pass through or dive into and emerge from.

   The compass locks onto the closest portal first, followed by the most powerful, so the indicated direction my change if the user is in an area where several portals are close together. (For example, the compass will prioritize a portal that takes those who pass through it to Valhalla over a portal that goes to Vermont if they are an equal instance from the user; but it will indicate a portal that goes to a place in the Dreamlands over a portal that can go to anyone of 100 locations depending on the will of whoever steps through it if the portal to the Dreamlands is closer.)

   The compass does not reveal any objects or command words that are needed to open a portal, or to control where it leads to if it has various destinations.

   * Locate Object: The user visualizes a general item or a a specific object that he or she is familiar with, has been described to him or her, or was an important part of an event with which the user is familiar, through personal experience or detailed witness accounts. The compass points unerringly in the direction of the nearest general item sought, or the location of the specific object. If the user is standing exactly above or below the item's location, the compass needle twitches, swings to the opposite cardinal point, twitches again, then swings back to the original direction. If the item moves out of the range of the compass, the needle begins spinning wildly, but it will indicate the correct direction again once the item is within range.

   Note: There is an overlap between the detect magic and find magic portal functions. The compass will detect a magic portal as a magic item if one is located nearby while it is trying to find magic items. Bessie Love never realized that Dimond's Compass could not distinguish between the two, as it's a weakness that rarely becomes a factor.

ASHER'S PEDESTAL

This artifact comes in two parts--a square pedestal made of lacquered oak and African blackwood that stands roughly four feet, and a two-foot-tall alabaster statuette of a handsome woman in ancient Egyptian garb and striking a twisted dance pose. Both the pedestal and statuette exude a strong Art Deco ascetic. 

   Asher's Pedestal was created by sculptor-turned-wouldbe-movie mogul Grayson Asher. He came to Hollywood in 1920 and began making movies featuring elaborate sets and costumes. Although not an attractive man, he was known for always having a starlet on each arm. He also had an uncanny ability for turning rivals and outright enemies into friends with surprising ease. The secret to his charm could be found in the pedestal and the alabaster statuettes he would display on it in his office at Asher Film Company.

   Asher's initial effort to get established in the film business was not as successful as he wanted--he had money, and skill as an artist, but he lacked charm, so he could not convince top talent to work for him. One night, the demon Orias appeared to Asher and showed him how he could have all the most talented men and women at his beck and call, as well as at his feet. In exchange for Asher's soul, he showed the demon showed him how to create and enchant Asher's Pedestal and the statuettes that function with it.

   The top of the pedestal contains a well-hidden secret compartment that is two square inches in size. The statuette also has a secret compartment, the opening to which is under the bottom of its base. When certain items belonging to a person are hidden respectively in the pedestal and in the statuette, and the statuette is placed on the pedestal, the person to whom the items belonged falls becomes infatuated with the person who hid the items. This infatuation can be developed into full-blown love and undying loyalty with even the smallest kindness or hint of returned affection. Even if the statuette is later removed from the pedestal, the person remains under the magical influence until the item tied to him or her are removed from the statuette and pedestal or the statuette is destroyed. The affection the enchanted victim felt gradually fades.

   It is possible to have multiple people under the sway of Asher's Pedestal. The pedestal's compartment can be packed full of small items, but each victim enchanted by the artifact must be represented by a statuette.

   In 1926, Asher tried to get Bessie Love to star in a big-budget, costume comedy set in Ancient Egypt. He wanted Bessie to play Cleopatra. The offer and the role both seemed attractive to Bessie, but as she looked into Asher and his personal life (as had become her habit since taking up her fight against supernatual menaces), she became suspicious: too many actors and crew associated with Asher's productions had either killed or tried to kill each other, or had suffered mental breakdowns. Her investigations let her to a chance confrontation with Asher in his office--as Dimond's Compass pointed her to the Pedestal and the dozen statuettes on display in his office--while he was meeting with the demon Orias. During the ensuing battle, most of Asher's statuettes were shattered and Asher himself killed. Orias claimed his soul as he lay dying, and Bessie rebuffed the demon's offer to pick up where Asher left off. She took Asher's Pedestal and the statuette that had been prepared to dominate her, and she added them to her collection of occult trophies and souvenirs. 

   Using Asher's Pedestal: Asher's Pedestal is used to subject targets to a permanent effect identical to the charm person or charm monster spell. The user must spend at least 10 minutes within 10 feet of the target, and manage to obtain a small object that they have carried on or close to their body for at least six hours at a time, as well as some of their hair, a nail-clipping, or some bodily fluid. The user must then create a statuette that represents the target. This statuette need not be a literal representation of the target, nor particularly skillfully made, but it must represent how its maker views the target on some level. It must be made with a compartment that can contain the hair or other part of the target, or the piece of the target can be incorporated directly into the statuette.

   The small item belonging to a target must be placed in the secret compartment in the Pedestal, and the statuette containing the actual part of the target's physical body must be put on top of the Pedestal. The magic is then activated, and the target must roll a successful saving throw (Will save DC28, magic resistance does not apply but any saving throw bonuses do). The saving throw must be re-rolled every day at sunset where the Pedestal is located until the character either fails it, or the statuette is removed from the Pedestal or is destroyed. Once the saving throw is failed, the target is subjected to a charm person or charm monster spell (whichever is appropriate for the target).

   The effects of the Pedestal remain permanent until the item belonging to the target is removed form the Pedestal or the statuette, the statuette is destroyed or moved more than 100 feet from the Pedestal. The target is freed from the enchantment and the feelings toward the user will gradually fade. If the removed statuette is once again put on the Pedestal, the target must once again make successful saving throws or come under the item's sway again.

   To locate the secret compartment in the Pedestal, searchers must make a successful DC18 Search skill check, or DC28 Spot skill check to notice the covering and figure out how to open it.)

   Drawbacks to Using the Pedestal: If a victim is kept ensorcelled for three months and/or at the point the third victim is put under a user's sway, Orias appears (in his favorite human form as a very handsome and fit black man) and informs the user that he must either release the target or allow Orias to corrupt them to serve his wishes. He promises the user that no harm will come to the victim--other than their soul may damned forever. If the user refuses, all enchantments immediately end and anyone who was under the sway of the Pedestal comes to hate the user deeply and with near-fanatical intensity.

   Destroying the Pedestal: No special requirements are needed to destroy this artifact.

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If you enjoyed this post, you can check out more tales of Bessie Love's secret adventures here. Also, if you REALLY enjoyed it (or find the roleplaying game rules useful or inspiring), consider getting some of the booklets we've released through NUELOW Games. It will encourage us to make more!)

The Secret Life of Joan Blondell

Joan Blondell, Ninja Cutie (?)

Evidence has emerged that actress Joan Blondell (who is best known for her roles in films from the early 1930s) belonged to one of the secretive Ninja Cutie Clans. This has been suspected by those who have read the journals of Bessie Love (who led a secret life herself as the Love Bug), but now there is proof.



Take a look at these photos. Who but a highly trained ninja assassin could safely traverse a tiled roof in high heels while carrying a bow and arrow?

Further, who but a Ninja Cutie would smile so prettily while firing an arrow through her quarry's heart?

The fact that Blondell was already known to be an expert swordswoman is further evidence supporting the theory that she was a deadly (but cute) ninja!

All that said, more research is needed before it can be fully stated that Blondell was a Ninja Cutie. The evidence uncovered so far points equally to her being a practitioner of the arcane secrets known only to the Sisters of Bastet.

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As is our wont when making up things about actresses from the Golden Age of Hollywood, we like to include some roleplaying game rules that either sprang from the process of making things up, or which prompted us to do so. With that in mind, here are a couple of feats for the d20 System game. (If you find any of this amusing or entertaining, maybe you want to check out the Ninja Cuties d20 Modern supplement from NUELOW Games. Click on that link to get it. Selling copies will encourage us to make more stuff, either for sale on the blogs!)

BACKWARDS AND IN HEELS [Ninja Cutie, Sister of Bastet]
Not only do high heels not slow you down, they make you deadlier!
   Prerequisite: 3rd level, Dex 14, Cha 14...
   Benefit: When wearing high heels, except for stiletto heels, the character gains a +2 bonus to all the following skills: Balance, Bluff, Climb, Jump, Move Silently, and Perform (dance).

BACKWARDS AND IN STILETTO HEELS [Ninja Cutie, Sister of Bastet]
Whether you have them on your feet or in your hands, you make stiletto-heeled shoes as dangerous as the knife they are named for.
   Prerequisite: Backwards and in Heels feat
   Benefit: When wearing stilettos, you gain a +2 bonus to Diplomacy and Intimidation skill checks. Additionally, you wield a stiletto as a melee weapon that deals a based damage of 1d6 points.
   Special: When this feat is selected, the character automatically gains Exotic Melee Weapon Proficiency (stiletto heel shoe) as a bonus feat. Additionally, the character can wield two stiletto-heeled shoes at once without any penalties if she possesses the Two-Weapons Fighting feat.

(Special Thanks to L.L. Hundal for shoe insight.)

The Love Quarterly

Although she is now all but forgotten, Bessie Love was a celebrated movie star and household name during the 1920s. Her most important role, however, was that of a crusader of against supernatural evil. From 1925 through 1950, in her guise as the Love Bug, Bessie faced off against cultists, lycanthropes, vampires, elder gods, and evil sorcerers and witches.

   The full extent of the debt the world owes her will probably never be known, but one of Bessie's more dangerous encounters took place in 1928 when she squared off against a wizard who was trying to enchant massive amounts of people by embedding spells in motion pictures.
    As Bessie broke into the wizard's lair, she came upon a magic mirror that drew her into a pocket dimension behind the glass where she had to defeat an exact copy of herself, or forever be trapped while the copy of her took over her life in the outside world. Bessie was victorious, and not only did she free herself from the mirror realm, but 17 other men and women who had fallen victim to the mirror's magic over the past two centuries... and several of those liberated helped her slay the wizard and set his magic films ablaze.
   Bessie took the mirror as a souvenir, and it hung in her home until she passed away in 1986. It was not present when the executor took control of her estate and it was presumed stolen. The mirror remains missing. (In truth, the mirror was taken by an angel that had been trapped in the mirror and who was freed along with the others when Bessie Love broke the enchantment on it by defeating her mirrored foe.)

D20 SYSTEM MAGIC MIRRORS
Here's some d20 System content inspired by Bessie's adventures, as has become our habit in these quarterly posts. The rest of the text in this post is released under the Open Game License, and it may be reproduced in accordance with its terms.

RANDOM MAGIC MIRROR GENERATOR
Use these tables to generate magic mirrors in treasure hoards or the lairs of villains. Roll 1d6 against the tables below

MIRROR TYPE
   1. Handheld
   2-4. Wall Mirror
   5-6. Full-length Mirror

MIRROR ENCHANTMENT
   1-2. Reflection answers one question per day (as legend lore spell).
   3. Reflections of items in front of it, no further than three feet away, seem to glow if they are magical (as detect magic, three times per day).
   4. The reflection shows the true form of a being concealed behind an illusion, or in a different from due to natural, spell-based, or item-based shapeshifting or polymorphing abilities. If the being is a natural shapeshifter, but is presently in the primary form (such as a lycanthrope in her human shape), the reflection shows secondary shape.
   5. A demonic (1-3) or angelic (4-6) trapped in the mirror can, once per day, unerringly reveal the location and condition of a single person. The request has to be specific--"Where is the six-fingered man who killed my father?" or "Where is the fairest person in the land?".
   6. Anyone who sees his or her reflection in the mirror without saying a password is immediately sucked into a pocket dimension behind the glass. Here, they must fight exact copies of themselves, except the duplicates are utterly ruthless and irredeemably evil. If the duplicate wins, the real character is trapped in the pocket dimension while the mirror-spawned copy takes his or place in the world. If the real character wins, he or she is given the option by the powerful spirit (demonic 1-3, angelic 4-6) to either release those trapped in the mirror or to become its new master and enjoy eternal life and youth so long as at least one person is trapped in the mirror every 50 years.
   The mirror functions like result #4 for the master, as its enchantments are powered by a spirit trapped inside it.

The Love Quarterly: Shawl of the Babushka

During the mid-1920s and early 1930s, Bessie Love was a popular movie star. Away from the adoring public, however, she led a secret life as the superhero Love Bug and defended Earth against supernatural evil. During her adventures, she collected a number of magical treasures. One of these was the shawl of the babushka. In this post, we reveal another of Bessie's secret adventures while describing this unique magical item in terms of the d20 System roleplaying rules.


THE SHAWL OF THE BABUSHKA
In 1946, Bessie Love (in her guise of the Love Bug) battled Baba Yaga to save children abducted from a village in eastern Ukraine. At the end of that adventure, she walked away with a shawl that Baba Yaga had woven and enchanted for her most loyal servants. At one time, 13 of these were known to exist; two were destroyed during the encounter that Love had with Baba Yaga and three witches, but ten more may still exist. The secret to making this item is known only to Baba Yaga
   The shawl of the babushka is a triangular piece of cloth that is roughly 3 feet wide and 7 feet in length. If subjected to detect magic, it radiates faint transmutation magic.
    The fabric is a red so deep that it is almost black. It is embroidered with flowery patterns in bright yellow and blue and green, but if those patterns are carefully studied (1d6+2 rounds) and a successful Knowledge (Arcane) skill check is rolled (DC20), it becomes apparent that mystic symbols of demonic origin are concealed in harmless-seeming floral motif. The purpose of the symbols isn't clear. (Only high-ranking demonlords and Baba Yaga herself know the meaning of the symbols, but see below for more.)

Powers of the Shawl of the Babushka
When worn, a shawl of the babushka grants the following protections and powers to its wearer:
   *Immunity to normal hot- and cold-weather conditions. The wearer is comfortable in the hottest and coldest places on Earth.
   *Immunity to be located by any magical means, except through the personal and direct actions of a god.
   * +4 bonus to saving throws made to resist damage from elemental magic.
   * Use charm person as a spell-like ability at 20th-level effectiveness twice per day.
   There is one final power that is not revealed by identify or anything short of a wish spell. It can only be explained by Baba Yaga, a demonlord, or learned through experimentation.
   * Become one of three different human females: A plump and friendly-seeming old woman; a bent, boney, hag-like old woman; and an extremely attractive young woman. Although the character using this ability retains all of his or her own statistics, levels, and class abilities, this transformation does not register as a magical one; for as long as the character wears the shawl, he or she is the woman that he or she has chosen to be. Aside from a vague similarity in facial features (Spot check of DC18 for anyone to notice), there is nothing else to give away the character's transformation. The transformation remains in effect until the character is no longer wearing the shawl.
   The transformation is brought about with a successful Willpower saving throw (DC12) and a full round action. Until the character realizes that there are three different forms that can be adopted, the woman that he or she changes into is rolled randomly on the following table:

Random Shawl Transformation (Roll 1d6)
1-2: Plump Old Woman
3-4: Withered Old Woman
5-6: Beautiful Young Woman


Drawbacks of the Shawl of the Babushka
The shawl of the babushka is a magic item made by Baba Yaga specifically for her most loyal human minions, typically witches. Wearers to whom she has gifted it wouldn't necessarily view these effects as "drawbacks".
   * Whenever the character uses the charm person spell-like ability, the GM rolls 2d6+1. On a roll of 4 or 13, Baba Yaga gains the ability to see and hear everything the character does for an hour, even if the shawl is immediately removed. She also knows exactly where the character is located.
   * Whenever the character transforms into one of the female forms, the GM rolls 2d6+1. On a result of 13, the character is physically replaced by a succubus for 1d4+2 hours. While the character is trapped in the demonic plane, no harm will befall him or her, but he will be warned against trying to cross Baba Yaga, as well as being offered the opportunity to gain the Chosen feat as a bonus, or otherwise makes offers to tempt the character to serve them. (Even if the character refuses all offers, the demons will always be cordial and polite to the temporarily planeshifted character; they will even happily explain everything about the shawl and its powers.
   The interaction with the demon generally takes place in a richly appointed, parlor with comfortable couches and easy chairs. If the character is rude or aggressive, the demons try to remain friendly and polite but they will leave him or her alone if the character persists. If the character attacks them, he or she is immediately transported to a sweltering, dark void for the duration to the swap.


  
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All text in this post is presented under the Open Game License and may be reproduced in accordance to its terms. Copyright 2020 Steve Miller.

Of Love and Muses (and Vengeance)

We're ending Palindrome Week as it began: With a post featuring the great Bessie Love... although it's mostly a d20 System game resource about summoning the Nine Muses!

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Bessie Love began her acting career in 1915, after her Mom told her to get a job. D.W. Griffith, at Biograph Studios, first gave her a couple small parts, but she struck a chord with audiences and her star rose quickly. She spent the next 15 years playing bubbly, energetic, and adventuresome young ladies. As sound arrived to film, Love was aging out of her signature roles, and her Hollywood career began to fizzle. She moved to England in the mid-1930s where she continued to act on radio, stage, and later, television.

Bessie Love in Greece, 1938
(Photo by Dr. Henry W. Jones, Jr.)

But, as revealed in this post and this post, Bessie Love was more than just an actress: She actively battled the forces of occult evil for 25 years, from 1925 through 1950.

During one of her adventures, in 1938, Love stopped the fascist government of Greece from gaining control of the Muses and channeling their powers to corrupt the creative urge of humans across the world. The Muses were so grateful for Love's intervention that they now often wear her form when appearing before petitioners and those exceptional people to whom they wish to offer gifts and inspiration unbidden. It was also at that time that she came into possession of the ritual through which a random or specific Muse can be called and asked for assistance.

SUMMONING A MUSE
There are two rituals for summoning a muse. They are essentially the same, but one involves an extra where a summoner (who must also be the petitioner--the person who is seeking the Muses's assistance) can name the specific Muse he wishes to call to him. Both versions of the ritual are detailed on a scroll that dates back to the days of Ancient Greece.
   On the version of the rituals recovered by Bessie Love, notes scribbled in modern-day Greek on the back of the scroll state that either version should only be performed every ten days. "Performing either more frequently will result in total failure, or always call E.," the note concludes.

Summoning a Random Muse
Using ink mixed with the blood, sweat and tears of a creative person or performer, the petitioner must write his or name on fabric or paper that has been carried close to the skin of an artist or performer for at least three days (this does not need to be the same person the blood, sweat, and tears were collected from).
   The petitioner must take the inscribed item to a place where creative or intellectual activities of creation or sharing take place, such as a theater, art studio, or university lecture hall. Muses may also be summoned on the slope of Mount Elikonas where the original temple to Zeus stood in ancient times, or anywhere on the island of Melos. (All these places are considered sacred by the Muses.)
    Once at the intended summoning location, the petitioner must burn the item while reciting the following words:

Oh, beautiful Spirit of Creation!
I ask you to spark within me a fire!
I ask you to let the light of Inspiration burn through the night!
Come, beautiful Spirit of Creation!



Ourania the Muse, as she appears in modern day

  This incantation must be spoken loudly 1d6 times while the item is being consumed by the flames. Then, what appears to be a slender young woman appears, forming instantly from the faint tendrils of smoke twisting in the air. She says that she has been called by the drive to create and that she will help if she can.
   The summoner gains a base +1 bonus to all Craft, Knowledge, and Perform skill checks made for three days after the Muse was called, with the benefit expiring as the sun sets on the third day. Specific Muses grant the summoner additional benefits which are detailed below. (These expire at the same time as the base benefit.)
   A random Muse answers the petitioners call in the simplest form of the ritual. Unless asked, she does not reveal her name, nor spell out what boons she is granting the petitioner. To see which Muse appears and what benefits she grants the petitioner, the GM rolls a d10 on the following table:


d10 Roll/Muse     Benefits Granted
1. Calliope           +4 bonus to all Diplomacy, Knowledge (Law),
                             and Craft (Writing) skill checks.  +2 bonus to
                             Will saves to resist Fear effects.
                                Calliope sometimes wears a crown.
2. Clio                  +4 bonus to all Research, Knowledge (History),
                             Perform (Guitar/Plucked Stringed Instruments)
                             skill checks.
                                 Clio usually appears holding a book.
3. Erato                +4 bonus to all Seduction, Sense Motive, and
                            Craft (Writing) skill checks. The bonus on
                            Craft (Writing) increases to +6 if the character
                            is writing romantic poetry or lyrics.
                                Erato usually appears carrying a lyre.
4. Euterpe            +4 bonus to all Diplomacy, Investigate, and
                             Perform (Wind Instruments) skill checks.
                                Euterpe usually appears carrying a flute.
5. Melpomene     +4 bonus to Bluff, Diplomacy, and Perform (Act)
                            skill checks. +4 bonus to all saving throws and
                            attack rolls while fighting on behalf of those
                            who live on the Isle of Melos.
                                 Melpomene usually appears carrying a combat
                            knife and wearing a Tragedy mask (which she
                            removes before speaking to a petitioner).
6. Ourania           +4 bonus to Knowledge (Astrology),
                            Knowledge (Astronomy), and Navigation
                            skill checks.
                                Ourania appears wearing a gown that glitters as
                            if it were made of stars and carrying a small globe
                            of the planet Earth.
7. Polymnia        +4 bonus to Craft (Music), Craft (Sculpture),
                            Knowledge (Mathematics), Knowledge (Religion),
                            and Perform (Song) skill checks.
                                Polymnia  usually appears carrying a lyre.
8. Terpsichore    +4 bonus to all Knowledge and Perform (Dance)
                           skill checks. The bonus on Knowledge skill checks
                           increases to +6 if the skill check is being made to
                           pass the knowledge onto other characters.
                               Terpsichore usually appears wearing a laurel
                           wreath on her head and carrying a harp.
9. Thalia             +4 bonus to Knowledge (Mathematics),
                            Craft (Structural), Craft (Writing/Art),
                            Perform (Comedy) skill checks. The bonus on
                            Craft (Writing/Art) increases to +6 if
                            the work is humorous in nature. +1 bonus to
                            attack rolls when wielding a scythe or sickle.
                               Thalia appears wearing a Comedy mask, which
                           she removes before speaking with the petitioner.
                           She also often carries a club painted in bright,
                           cheerful colors.
10. Erinyes         +4 bonus to Bluff and Intimidate skill checks,
                           as well as a +2 bonus to all attack and damage
                           rolls. However, after the three days have passed,
                           if the summoner has harmed or killed innocent or
                          defenseless sentient beings within three days
                          prior to calling the Muses, or while enjoying the
                          benefits of the summoning, the summoner will be
                          subject to a curse that imposes a -4 penalty on all
                          attack rolls, ability checks, skill checks, and
                          savings throws. The curse can only be lifted with
                          a miracle, wish, or if the summoner specifically
                          calls upon Erinyes by following the steps detailed
                          below. (Erinyes is not one of the Muses, but rather
                          a goddess of vengeance who enjoys answering
                          calls for of those other entities, posing as them,
                          and then cursing and forcing atonement out of
                          those she feels have escaped punishment for
                          misdeeds.)

Summoning a Specific Muse
The ritual and preparation needed to summon a particular Muse is similar to what is described above, with the following differences: The petitioner writes the name of the Muse he or she wishes to summon above his or her own name, and replaces "Spirit of Creation" in the first and last lines of the spoken incantation with the Muse's name.

Calliope, after being rescued by Bessie Love in 1938

   Once the specific Muse appears, the petitioner is immediately drained of 500XP, the spiritual cost of demanding that a divine being manifest in the presence of a mortal. In addition to benefits the Muse grants upon appearing, she will also answer up to seven questions relating to arts, sciences, creation, and specific artists, performers, and scientists. (The number of questions that will be answered equals 1d6+1, with an additional questions equal to the petitioners Charisma bonus, to a maximum of seven.)
   In addition to knowledge and the temporary blessings, a specific summoned Muse can also be asked to grant the petitioner one of the following permanent benefits, for a price:
   *Gain Educated, Investigator, Skill Focus, or Leadership as a bonus feat.
   *Make a single Craft, Knowledge, or Perform skill a permanent class skill.
   *Gain a permanent +1 increase to Wisdom or Charisma attribute (maximum of three increases for each attribute, and the attribute cannot be raised of 19; the Muses don't want too much competition from mortals)..
   As soon as the Muse grants the petitioner's request, he or she is drained of 1,000XP.
   Whether a character is wishing to summon a specific Muse, or is requesting a permanent benefit, the experience point cost cannot cause the character to drop below his or her current level.
   If the 500XP drain would bring about a level loss, no points are drained. The GM should roll on the table above to see what Muse (or if Erinyes) appears.
   If the 1,000XP cost would bring about a level loss, no points are drained. The Muse tells the character that she feels he or she is not ready to fully appreciate the gift being asked for, but that she may give it in the future.
   The summoned Muse may also ask the petitioner to undertake a quest, or may offer additional assistance if the petitioner is engaged in a struggle she considered important. Some Muses may lend the character an artifact to use for the duration of the quest or struggle. The item is returned to the Muse once the quest is over, or the danger has passed. (These artifacts, and conditions surrounding their use, are detailed in this post at the NUELOW Games blog.)
   If the petitioner agrees to undertake a quest for the Muse, the 500XP lost during original summoning are immediately regained. This is the only way the XPs taken by the Muses can be restored (other than through the normal methods of earning additional experience points).

Multiple Summoning Attempts
Despite the note on the scroll recovered by Bessie Love in 1938, the ritual to call the Muses can be performed by the same petitioner with possible success as frequently as often as every four days. It's only with a ten-day period between summonings that there is a high likelihood of actually calling a Muse.
   If less than three days go between summonings or summoning attempts, the call will always fail.
   If there are between 4 and 9 days between summonings, the GM must roll 1d10 against the following table to see the results.

1d10    Result of Frequent Summoning Attempts
1-2.       Failure. The Muses and Erinyes ignore the call.
3-8.      Erinyes answers.
9-10.    Roll on the Summon a Random Muse table

Summoning Erinyes
Calling upon Erinyes is not something that is recommended by mystics, occultists, or any sane individual. She exists to first and foremost to punish the wicked, and anyone who purposefully calls upon her will either find themselves a target of her punishment, or an instrument of search to avenge those who have been wronged. The one possible exception would be for someone who has been subjected to her curse while she was posing as another goddess, as asking her directly to lift the curse may be the easiest option.
   There is a base 90% chance that an attempt to call Erinyes will be successful. That chance increases by 1% for each additional person who takes part in the ritual (91% for two individuals, 92% for three, 93% for four, and so on).
   Those who wish to summon Erinyes, must write her name on a piece of paper, parchment, or thin piece of bark in their own blood. They must then wrap this document around a weapon that they have used against a sentient being, or which has been used by a sentient being against them. The item must then be placed into a fire, and the summoners must chant Erinyes' name with increasing volume 2d10+2 times. At the moment the goddess appears, the fire explodes upwards and is instantly snuffed out and replaced with thick, acrid smoke with swirls and coalesces into the manifestation of the goddess. The weapon and the material is was wrapped in are completely consumed, taken by the goddess as an initial offering.
  

A manifestation of Erinyes

    When directly called upon, Erinyes wastes no time with pleasantries, but immediately demands to know why those who have called her think they are worthy of her attention (or mercy, if they have been cursed by her).

    If she finds the answer lacking (if it's too arrogant, or if an attempt is made to deceive her, for example), she glares silently and with obvious disgust at those who called her and then dissolves into smoke. If those who summoned her aren't already cursed, for the next three days, they suffer a -2 penalty to all skill checks, saving throws, and attack rolls (with the effect ending at sundown on the third day, or following a miracle or wish).
   If Erinyes finds the characters worthy of her, her response depends on why she has been summoned.
   If she is being called to aid in a quest for revenge: She will answer four questions that the summoner believes will provide help in bringing about the revenge being sought. She will warn those who summoned her that revenge may not satisfy their thirst for justice, and that that if they are not careful, they may themselves become the monster they seek to slay. If summoners do not subsequently seriously pursue their attempt to gain revenge, she will subject them to the curse described in the result for rolling a 10 on the table for summoning Muses in the Summoning a Random Muse section.
   If she is being called to lift a curse on one or more of those who have summoned her: The summoners are charged with bringing a murderer or other criminal who has caused suffering to justice. Here are some suggestions for missions that Erinyes may task characters with. She lifts her curse as soon as characters agree to undertake her mission of vengeance, as well as granting them the temporary blessings described in the result for rolling a 10 on the table for summoning Muses in the Summoning a Random Muse section. If the characters do not subsequently engage in serious efforts to complete Erinyes' mission, the curses all who summoned her, as described on the table.


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All text in this post is released under the Open Game License and may be reproduced in accordance with its terms. Copyright 2019 by Steve Miller.

If you this material useful and entertaining, you can find more like it at the NUELOW Games blog. If you really liked it, consider buying some of the many game supplements and anthologies of comics and short stories that NUELOW Games has to offer.

The Love Quarterly: Magical Mystery Chairs

Last time around for The Love Quarterly, we revealed how Bessie Love secretly battled occult forces between starring in movies during the 1920s and 1930s. This time around, we're going to cover something she learned during her cultist-busting career: Hidden, often in plain sight, throughout the world are a surprising number of magical chairs. Some were purposefully constructed and enchanted, others became magically charged by absorbing intense spiritual energies for many years.

Love brought two magic chairs into her own home, one was a gift from a sorceress who was an ally in her fight against evil, the other was seized from a cult leader. The first chair, which stood in the corner of her sitting room, grants the person sitting in it the ability to instantly know what is on up to 100 written pages by just touching them; and the other chair, which she kept in her library, makes the person in it more able to see through lies while being more adept at telling them.

The rest of the text in this post is released under the Open Game License and may be reproduced according to its terms. Copyright Steve Miller 2019.

MAGICAL MYSTERY CHAIRS (for d20 System Games)
The GM can use the following tables to randomly generate magical chairs. Players can discover the enchantments of the chairs through whatever means are available in the campaign, except for those listed under WHAT CURSE DOES THE CHAIR BESTOW? Any curses should be discovered when they are inflicted.


IS THE CHAIR MAGICAL? (Roll 1d10)*
1-7.  No
8.     Yes. Roll once on WHAT BENEFIT DOES THE CHAIR GRANT?
9.     Yes. Roll twice on WHAT BENEFIT DOES THE CHAIR GRANT?
10.   Yes. Roll once on WHAT BENEFIT DOES THE CHAR GRANT? and
         once on WHAT CURSE DOES THE CHAIR BESTOW?
*The GM can check this table whenever the characters search a room furnished with one or more chairs using methods that can detect magical auras.


WHAT BENEFIT DOES THE CHAIR GRANT? (Roll 1d10)
1. As a full round action, absorb the information in up to 100 pages
    touched while seated in the chair. The character must be able to
    read the language, even if he or she isn't actually reading the
    text. The book or pages not need to be leafed through. The GM
    may require Knowledge skill checks or Intelligence checks for
    the character to comprehend the information if the text covers
    obscure or advanced subjects. Texts longer than 100 pages may
    be divided up and absorbed at different times, but loose pages
    must be placed in different stacks, and books must be opened
    to the point from which absorption is to take place.
    The chair's power can be used once every 12 hours.
2. +4 to all Knowledge skill checks while seated.
3. +4 to all Craft skill checks while seated.
4. +6 to Bluff skill checks while seated.
5. +6 to Sense Motive skill checks while seated.
6. Detect Poison and Neutralize Poison at 12th-level effectiveness
    while seated in the chair.
7. True Seeing as spell-like ability for 12 minutes once per hour while
    seated. (12th level effectiveness.)
8. The character does not age, require rest or sustenance while seated in the chair.
9. Brings a being back to life that has been dead less than 24 hours.
    The corpse must be relatively intact with no vital parts missing.
    The being is restored to life with fully healed.
10. Roll again on this table, ignoring and re-rolling additional
      rolls of 10. Additionally, roll once on WHAT CURSE DOES
      THE CHAIR BESTOW?

WHAT CURSE DOES THE CHAIR BESTOW? (Roll 1d10)*
1. -1 to all saving throws.
2. -1 to all attack rolls.
3. -1 to all saving throws and attack rolls.
4. -2 to all skill checks.
5. The sitter's butt goes numb and can only walk with a
    weird waddle. 1/2 movement rate, -4 to all Acrobatics,
    Balance, Climb, Run, and Tumble skill checks.
6. Suffer 1 point of extra damage per hit or damage dice.
7. While seated the character believes he or she telepathically
    "hears" the thoughts of another character in the room.
     The thoughts indicate the character is planning to betray the
     seated character, or is otherwise allied with an enemy of
     the party. The seated character can focus his or
    attention on someone else in the rool and "hear" that
    individual's thoughts as well. They will likewise be
    hostile or threatening. This is just an delusion caused by
    the chair. It ends once the character leaves the chair.
8. While seated, he character believes that he or she can see
     the true demonic form of another random character in
     the room. This is just a delusion created by the chair, and
     the character who appears to be a shapeshifted demon
     is determined randomly each time someone sits in
     the chair
9.  Roll on WHAT BENEFITS DOES THE CHAIR GRANT?
     The character who sat in the chair believes he or she has gained
     that advantage.
10. Roll two more times on this table, ignoring additional
      rolls of 10.
*Unless otherwise noted, all curses are permanent until the character who sat in the chair is subjected to a Remove Curse, cast at a 12-level or better effectiveness.

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Did you find this post interesting or amusing? Consider getting one of the actual products I've produced for NUELOW Games. It will encourage us to make more!

The Love Quarterly: Bessie's Secret Life

This is another of those infrequent posts where my loves collide--my love of old-time movies and pulp fiction... and my love of writing roleplaying game material. (If you find this post interesting and/or useful, I invite you to buy one of my many books. It will encourage me to make more. Comments are also welcomed!)

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In 1915, 17-year-old Juanita Horton's family was struggling to make ends meet, so her mother told her to go down to Biograph Studios to see if they'd give her work as an actress. Producer and director D.W. Griffith seized on her good looks and talent, and after a few bit parts, Juanita was on her way to stardom under the stagename Bessie Love.

But unbeknownst to the adoring movie-going public, Bessie Love was far more than just another Hollywood star... she was also the mysterious masked adventuress known as the Love Bug!

SECRET ORIGIN OF THE LOVE BUG
In the very early morning of September 3 of 1924, Bessie Love was awakened by frantic knocking at her door. Outside, in the swirling fog, was an elderly woman with a small suitcase. She thrust the case at Bessie and said, "You have been chosen."
   Before Bessie could react, the woman retreated into the fog and vanished. The confused actress took the suitcase into the sitting room and opened it. Inside was a strange bejeweled costume consisting of a mask, a curious-looking headdress, a backless leotard, and matching shoes. As she touched the mask, her mind was filled with images of and facts about an ancient order of mystics locked in an eternal battle with a demonic cult bent on bringing about literal Hell on Earth. The "costume" was in truth ancient ceremonial garb and mystically powered armor that assisted the wearer in her fight against demons... and Bessie had been chosen to carry on the fight. The vision had told her all she needed to know, as well as the powers of the outfit... and from that day forward, she split her time between acting and combatting mystical evils where she found them throughout Southern California.
   For the next year-and-a-half, newspapers carried reports of a mystery woman who fought crime and brought secret cults to light by defeating them. After rescuing children that had been slated for sacrifice to a dark god on February 14, 1926, she encountered a newspaper reporter who wanted to know her name. "Call me the Love Bug," was her swift, unthinking reply. The name stuck.
   As the 1930s dawned, Bessie found it increasingly difficult to balance her life as a Hollywood star with that of a cult-busting mystery woman. She eventually committed herself full-time to the battle against evil and left her glamorous life as an actress behind.

   By the mid-1930s, Bessie had relocated to England in order to learn more about the original creators of her magical gear and to stem the rising demonic tides at their source. Over the next decade, she faced evil mystics all over Europe and she found allies in the secret magical order The Daughters of Burdick. She still appeared in the occasional movie, but more often than not, her accepting roles was to bring her into the orbit of suspected cultists or other evil-minded people.
   In 1950, at the age of 52, Bessie decided she was getting to old for the physical demands of life as the Love Bug. She began searching for a replacement, a young woman to whom she could give the armor as it had once been given to her. Once that had been accomplished, she returned to acting full time.


THE LOVE BUG'S POWERS
The rest of this post is released under the Open Game License and may be reproduced in accordance with its terms. Copyright 2019 Steve Miller.

   The Love Bug's powers are derived entirely from her mystical armor, which radiates faint magic of an indeterminant type if such is detected for. The entire outfit must be worn for any of the powers to function. It is described below in terms of the d20 System roleplaying game rules.
   The Jewel-lined Domino Mask: This is a black mask, the edges of which are lined with tiny diamonds. It only covers the area around the wearer's eyes. Once per day, as a standard action, the wearer can invoke the spell-like ability of true seeing. The effect is just like the spell of the same name, as if cast by a 12th-level caster, but with a duration equal to twice the wearer's Wisdom bonus in minutes.
   The Bejeweled Headdress: Two jewel-encrusted insect-like anttenae rise from this tight-fitting headcover. It provides the wearer with a +4 bonus to all saving throws to resist mind-affecting magic and spell-like effects. In addition, once per day, as a standard action, the wearer can invoke the spell-like ability of telepathy. This ability functions as if cast by a 12th-level caster, but with a duration equal to twice the wearer's Wisdom bonus in minutes.
   The Bejewled Leotard: The jewels covering this tight-fitting garment are arranged in the patterns of Atlantean sigils of protection. It grants the wearer a +2 bonus to AC/DR, as well as a +2 bonus to Fortitude and Reflex saving throws. These bonuses stack with other similar bonuses.
   The Bejeweled Shoes: The wearer's base movement rate is increased by 10. The shoes also provide a +4 bonus to all movement and balance-related skill checks.
--
   As previously mentioned, for any of the powers to function, all four pieces of the set must be worn. If the wearer enters an area where magic is suppressed or otherwise doesn't usually work, the powers don't function, but they return immediately upon leaving that area. If dispel magic is cast at the wearer, she must make a successful saving throw (DC12), or the armor ceases to function for a number of minutes equal to the level of the person who cast dispel magic.
  
  

Meanwhile, at the NUELOW Games blog...

As some of you may be aware, I used to write for role-playing games full-time. I still do it on the side, mostly for my own little outfit NUELOW Games. Sometimes, the gaming interest and the love for old movies and black-and-white cross... and that has resulted in posts at the NUELOW Games blog.

The NUELOW Games blog is where I post game concepts and ideas that I (and sometimes my NUELOW collaborators) have that can't immediately be fit into a product, or which I think are so fun that I provide previews while we work on developing them. Sometimes, the posts are just random bits of fun or quirkiness inspired by headlines or photos or pieces of art.

One source of inspiration has been Myrna Loy, who is probably a well-known figure for most readers of this blog. who seems to have posted for a great number of unusual portraits. So far, pictures of her have sparked two ideas, but I'm sure more will come. Click here to see those posts.

Another source of inspiration has been the art of Bryan Baugh. Several posts designed to generate adventure ideas have been based on the drawings posted along with them. (Baugh graciously gave me permission to use his artwork in this way.) Click here to see those posts.

As always, myself and the other contributors to NUELOW Games releases are interested in your feedback, so if you have thoughts, feel free to leave them here or in the comments on the posts over at the other blog. And if you want to encourage us to make more, buy our books!

Musical Monday: The B52's performing "Give Me Back My Man"!

The B-52's are among the greatest New Wave bands to rise to fame during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Their presentation style was also among the most retro of all of them, which means they fit right in here at Shades of Gray... especially given this video for "Give Me Back My Man" is in black-and-white.



Some of you may be aware that I frequently post random tables intended to inspire roleplaying game adventure ideas (and to just amuse) over at the NUELOW Games blog. Whether you are or not, I am bringing that practice to this blog, for, at the very least, one post.

WHO TOOK HER MAN? (Roll 1d12)
1. The Queen of the 57th Dimension.
2. The Vampire of Mulholland Drive.
3. The Sorceress of Zoom.
4. The Sirines of Shipwreck Cove.
5. The Love Witch.
6. A Sharknado.
7. Lady Satan.
8. The Mermaid of Blood Bay.
9. Anal-Probing Greys from Ganyamede.
10. Herbert West, Mad Scientist.
11. Khefra, Living Mummy Princess of Egypt.
12. Russian Hackers.

NUELOW Games has just released another royalty-free art pack

If you're a small publisher looking for royalty-free art to round out your book, or a lover of black-and-white line art with a pulp-fiction flavor, the latest art pack from NUELOW Games might be just what you're looking for.

Cover for NUELOW Stock Art Collection #18. Illo by Lee Elias

This set contains more nudity and graphic violence than previous collections (as the title might hit at), so it has been put behind the "adult content" wall in accordance with NUELOW Games's distributor's policy. I'm posting a few samples of the 42 included drawings here. You can preview the entire set at the listing page either at DriveThruRPG. The very liberal usage license included with purchase can also be read in full there. (Basically, the illustrations can be used in just about any fashion you can think of, except for inclusion in other clip art packages.)

By Rais

By Xavier Villamonte

By Rod Ruth

For more previews, or to get your copy of NUELOW Stock Art Collection #18: Sex and Violence, click here.

The Milla Jovovich Quarterly: Milla Meets the Mandroids

In this installment of "The Milla Jovovich Quarterly" we've got something a little different in the form of greatly expanded textual goofiness to go with the interesting pictures of Shades of Gray's favorite actress/model: The usual couple of sentences have been expanded into a supplement for ROLF! from NUELOW Games, co-written by the game's creator, as inspired by the photos in this post.

MILLA MEETS THE MANDROIDS

A Battle Scenario for ROLF!: The Rollplaying Game

Design and Editing: L.L. Hundal & Steve Miller

The Abduction...
Milla remembered driving down the lonely California backroad, heading toward home in the deepest, darkest night. She remembered a bright light suddenly slicing through the darkness, blinding her... and then she woke up here. Where was here?  She didn't know. But it was a rocky landscape... under a brilliantly green sky. And it was cold. She put her arms around herself and shivered, and... and then the sharp white light blinded her again.

The Confrontation...
When Milla was again aware of herself and her surroundings, she was no longer cold. She was no longer in a rocky wilderness under a strange sky. Instead, she found herself standing in a room furnished with long couches and glass tables, with the carpets and furnishings all being off-white and various shades of gray. Then she noticed her clothes had changed, from the dress she had been wearing to a curious, skintight outfit made of a semi-transparent fabric laced with faintly glowing threads that connected to tiny sequins that were glowed slightly brighter.
    "The subject is once again self-aware."
    The toneless voice came from behind her, and Milla whirled about, stepping backwards and dropping into a half-crouch, fists raised. On a long couch sat two men, dressed entirely in black. Each wore a helmet and hid his face behind a shiny black visor. They remained seated as Milla spoke to them.
   "Who are you? How did I get here?"
   "We are Mandroids from the 57th Dimension," the pair replied in unison, their voices so perfectly toneless and identical they truly sounded like one. "We have been sent to your plane to study humans, to learn about their strengths and weaknesses, so that our Queen may conquer your world. You must battle us with human body and mind, so that every aspect of your being can be recorded and sent to the Queen for analysis. If you are victorious, you will be returned to your world."
   "What if I don't want to be your lab rat and refused to play your game?"
   "Then you will die. We will attack you whether you wish to fight us or not."
   Milla shuddered, thinking of her husband, her children. She had to defeat these creatures if she was to see them again. But what if she didn't defeat them?
   "What if I lose? What happens to me then?"
   "You will be sent to the 57th Dimension for further study and eventual conversion into a weapon for use in our invasion. You will be a testament to our Queen's glory. What you may initially view as a defeat, you will come to see as the first step in attaining the ultimate honor."
   Ultimate honor my ass, Milla thought. She wasn't going to lose. When this was over, these Mandroids would be broken at her feet--or they would be coming back to Earth with her, so they could be turned into weapons against their Queen.
   "You have chosen to fight," the Mandroids stated, rising to their feet. "As you humans say, 'Come at me, bro.'"
   "That doesn't apply here," Milla said with a frown. "But okay..."
   "Fight with all you have. Let us experience all that a human warrior has to offer."
   As the Mandroids advanced toward her, Milla's mind raced. What the best way to defeat these creatures--and possibly even bend them to her will?!
The Battle Scenario
Milla vs. the Mandroids is a ROLF! scenario for two gamers. One player controls Milla, the other controls the Mandroids. Stats for the characters are provided at the bottom of this post. Any combat maneuvers and traits not found in the basic ROLF! game are described in "ROLF!: Rise of the Trouser Snakes".
   (While the pictures in this post imply that Milla relies heavily on her Seduce battle maneuver, the player controlling her may use any means at her disposal to defeat the Mandroids.)

The Characters
MILLA JOVOVICH (Female)
Brawn 14, Body 14, Brains 7
   Traits: Improv Master, Nimble, Too Sexy for My Shirt
   Combat Maneuvers: Backflip, Basic Attack, Dodge, Seduce, Signature Move, Strike Pose, Yodel
   Important Stuff Worn/Wielded: Alien Clothing from the 57th Dimension (Armor, absorbs 3 points of damage).

MANDROIDS (Robots)
Brawn 11, Body 13, Brains 6
   Traits: Robot
   Combat Maneuvers: Basic Attack, Bitch Slap, Debate Philosophy, Dodge, Pimp Slap, Seduce
   Important Stuff Worn/Wielded: Nothing

Ending the Battle
The battle continues until Milla or both Mandroids are defeated. If Milla loses, she is sent to the 57th Dimension where she faces further battles to regain her freedom and to save Earth from the oncoming invasion. If Milla wins, she gains the Mandroids as her loyal servants (if she hasn't totally demolished them by beating on them). Whether she takes them back to Earth or takes the fight to Queen of the 57th Dimension... that's a story for another day.

(The photos are actually of Jovovich posing with the musical duo Daft Punk, for those of you who, unlike us, care about things like facts.)