Drogar The Terrible; NPC Villain from The Warlord for Hyperborea

 Thought I would continue my posts about using DC Comic's The Warlord as inspiration for a Hyperborea RPG Campaign.  Issue #2 has some solid content, a fight with some Saber Toothed Tigers and The Warlord ends up getting captured by Drogar, a deceitful fighter that ends up being the captain of a slaver ship.  Thought Drogar would make for an interesting villain/NPC encounter.  Brief write-up below!

 

Drogar the Terrible

(stats as Bandit Captain Hyperborea Referee's Manual P. 80,  has weapon mastery with long sword and short bow- +1 to hit and damage) Speaks Seafarer version of Thieves' Cant

Gryfalcon Crew (25 - stats as Bandit P. 80, speak seafarer version of Thieves Cant)

Drogar the Terrible is the captain of the Slave Galley Gryfalcon. He has a crew of 25 ruffian/fighter types that keep the slaves/rowers in line and to repel boarders and other pirates. Drogar is a clever captain, he seldom risks his own skin and men in a fight, preferring to use trickery and guile to get what he wants.  He is no coward, but a dead man can't spend his hard won gold. 

 

Gryfalcon  (Phoenician Galley)

 

The Lost World of The Warlord for Hyperborea

     I've started (re)reading The Warlord comics series from DC Comics.  I dig it's Lost World vibe.  Just look at that cover! Seems to be a perfect match up for ideas for a Hyperborea Campaign (AS&SH).  While reading this issue the below panel just jumped out at me as an idea for my (eventual?) Hyperborea Campaign.  Have a little Serpentine Wine...just watch out for the "aftertaste"...

 Serpentine Wine - This evil brew is said to have been originally concocted by the foul Snake-Men. A few especially evil human magi are also believed to have also learned how to brew this sorcerous wine.  Anyone drinking this dark red wine must immediately make a saving throw versus Transformation or be turned into a  snake (roll a  d4 : 1=asp, 2=rattlesnake, 3=spitting cobra, 4=viper).  In all aspects the afflicted is for all intents and purposes a snake, they lose their intellect and any special abilities. They are also susceptible to a Snake-man's Command Serpents ability. This wicked wine is thankfully rare and difficult to brew, it acts as a variant of the Polymorph Other spell.  Casting Dispel Magic will reverse the effects, as will, the death of the afflicted.

 Based on a comic panel from DC Comics The Warlord. No copyright infringement is intended

Meet the Myconids- 5E Campaign Session 9

     Happy to say we had our 9th session of our 5E Campaign last night.  May seem like a minor milestone to many, but for our group of folks with hectic jobs, families, busy schedules and other obligations, nine consistent 4 hour+ sessions is pretty good.  I honestly think that having a true Session Zero has made a huge difference in the overall quality of the campaign. The players had input in the setting and we all had clear expectations of the game and group from the beginning.  The party has had several close calls, and lost a gnome henchman in session 8.  I'm more of an OSR DM, so running 5E has been an interesting process for me.  I've applied my Old School mindset to the game and the players have learned to avoid combat where they can, fight on their own terms when they can't.  Early on they went into a few encounters "guns blazing" and about had a couple of TPK's (when you are at 0 hit points, the monsters can and will continue to attack if the situation fits, leading to failed death saves very quickly!).

    This session had a lot of roleplay. They have managed a loose alliance with a small group of Myconids, dealt with some renegade mercenaries preying on innocent folk, and have established a community/encampment (at the old farm site they cleared in Session 2) for a growing group of refugees that the party freed from a hobgoblin fort back in Session 5. They have crossed the local (rogue) prince of the Kingdom of Valorn and are now wanted for crimes against the kingdom in that region (They determined early on the prince was corrupt and had his own agenda seeking power and domination, while he worked to undermine his father the king). The group also managed to find a "Stargate", now getting it to work reliably and whom (if anyone) to tell about it, is another matter entirely... 

COBRA FANG Copter

 A follow up to yesterday's post.  Over the weekend I had to run into the local Five Below store and happened to go down the toy aisle..when I spotted the COBRA F.A.N.G. Copter!!! Love that classic cover art from back in the day.

     I always wanted the original action figure version of this as a kid back in the 80's, but never had one, so of course I had to grab this! Ok, I grabbed two of them!  Yesterday, I finally had a bit of free time to assemble one of them, with it being 99 degrees outside (110 when you factor in the heat index), staying indoors and playing with ..er I mean assembling Legos ...well Construction Blocks, is smart right?  

Nice little vehicle that captures the look and feel of the original.  Now I need to find a set of skirmish rules that will allow me to use it in some tabletop gaming!

Waldorf approves! and he finds fault with everything!  (Waldorf minifigure sold separately).