Tag: AD&D

Worldbuilding Wednesday 6/29/22: More Narnian Magic
xxxx(Narnia XXXIV)

Magic is everywhere in Narnia; yet the characters don’t use it in the way the Harry Potter kids use it, or even how a party in a fantasy RPG would use it. Only in the first book is magic used fluently and for purpose by the main characters, in form of Peter’s sword and shield, …

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Worldbuilding Wednesday 6/8/22: Narnian Magic
xxxx(Narnia XXXI)

I haven’t heard much about campaign settings based in Narnia, as opposed to those set in Middle-Earth. Something about Narnia resists this, either the religosity,  or the set-in-stone nature of the plot. But if someone did, here is some magic that might be used there.   Narnian Magic for an RPG Cry of Bacchus: Allows …

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Worldbuilding Wednesday 4/13/22: Undead Magic

Undead are some of the most terrifying creatures in the AD&D universe. Yet, there doesn’t seem to be much magic that deals with them. So here’s a few randomgenned spells created on the fly.   Undead Magic Hair of the Skeleton: Strands of hair still existing on the skull of an otherwise defleshed skeleton can …

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Worldbuilding Wednesday 2/23/22: Chimerae

  Pretty much anyone with a passing knowledge of Greek mythology or fantasy gaming knows what a chimera is, right? Part lion, part goat, and part snake, embodied in this Etruscan bronze statuette. It’s a goofy-looking beast in its original form. It has a lion body (note, however, the body looks more canine than leonine), …

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Worldbuilding Wednesday 5/12/21: Druid Magic

As prevalent as druids are in fantasy literature and gaming, very little is known of them from the historical record. What we do know comes from the accounts of the Romans who colonized Europe and Britain. They were famously derisive of the native tribes, seeing them as little more than uncouth barbarians, and also had …

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Worldbuilding Wednesday
5/27/20:The Best of Twittersnips
xxxx(Magic Items, Part 2)

It’s pretty hard to find artwork of fantasy characters using magic items, even wands. Most contemporary artists just picture them with blasts of energy flying from their hands, which is visual shorthand for “MAGIC!” Rowena Morrill is one of the rare few who has depicted them. She actually read the books and took notes of …

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Worldbuilding Wednesday
5/20/20:The Best of Twittersnips
xxxx(Magic Items, Part 1)

There’s a very broad category, in gaming, of magical items that are not scrolls, potions, clothing, or weapons. They range from everyday objects like braziers or books to esoteric ones like church organs and actually body parts (like the hand and eye of Vecna.) These were always the more interesting ones too me. What could …

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Worldbuilding Wednesday
5/13/20:The Best of Twittersnips
xxxx(Magical Clothing and
xxxxAccessories)

Magic clothing and accessories are a staple in fantasy. There’s the Tarnkappe of German legend, Cinderella’s glass slipper, and various gloves, cloaks, shoes, hats and girdles that helped the heroes and heroines of myth achieve their tasks. Tolkien played with that rift in The Hobbit, where Frodo acquires a magic ring by bumbling, less than …

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Worldbuilding Wednesday
4/8/20:The Best of Twittersnips
xxxx(Potions)

the love potion, by evelyn de morgan

Potions are essential for RPG fantasy gaming. They’re like a Get Out of Jail Free card, useful for a player in dire circumstances to cheat fate by teleporting themselves away from a foe or healing fatal damage. But they can also do other things. From my twitter feed, some favorites I created. “Potion” refers to …

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Worldbuilding Wednesday
3/4/20:The Best of Twittersnips
xxxx(Magic Weapons)

One of the most enjoyable aspects of AD&D and similar games are all the magical weapons a player can use. At first level, you might be lucky, as a fighter character, to gain a +1 magic sword, axe, or dagger; as you progress, the weapons become more dangerous and exotic. At higher levels, you’re sporting …

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