Scientist

Scientist

Requirements: None
Prime Requisite: INT
Hit Dice: 1d6
Maximum Level: None

Scientists are the priests and enforcers of the cult of Science (described in ASE1). They do not have any spell-casting abilities – but the preserved lore of the cult has taught them how to perform many marvels just the same.

As a Scientist gain levels, the cult recognizes his increased Scientific prowess by bestowing secret learning and cybernetic enhancements upon him. At each odd-numbered level, the Scientist may choose a new power from those listed below, as long as he meets the minimum level requirement. All powers require either surgery or intense study, and the Scientist must spend a minimum of a week at a temple of Science after gaining an odd-numbered level in order to benefit from a new ability.

Scientists may use any weapons and/or shields in combat, but are restricted to leather armor for religious reasons (leather lab coats dyed white are a particular favorite).

Scientific Powers and Enhancements
Level	Name
1	Cybernetic Arm
1	Fingerblades
1	Identify Technology
1	Suturepede
1	Wired Reflexes
3	Cybernetic Legs
3	Repair Robot
3	Repulsor Field
3	Targeting Reticule
3	Well-Grounded
5	Bioanalysis
5	Hemofiltration
5	Recharge Item
5	Ring Modulator
7	Adrenaline Boost
7	Power Cell
7	Subvert Robot
11	Mind Transfer
11	Supremacy of Science

Adrenaline Boost: Once per day, the Scientist is able to release vast quantities of adrenaline into his bloodstream from a reservoir in his abdomen. This acts as per the haste spell for 3 rounds.

Bioanalysis: In addition to being able to measure the pulse, blood pressure, and body temperature of a patient, the Scientist is able to use the information his enhanced senses provide to determine if someone is lying with 75% accuracy.

Cybernetic arm: A Scientist with this ability has had one of his arms replaced by a mechanical equivalent. This adds +1 to his Strength (not to exceed 18). This is not compatible with fingerblades, and a scientist with the fingerblades ability will lose it from the replaced arm. This ability may be taken twice (once for each limb replaced).

Cybernetic legs: Both of the character’s legs have been replaced with pneumatic-driven hardware. His movement rate increases by 30’ (10’), he is able to jump 10’ in the air vertically, and 20’ horizontally (40’ from a running start).

Fingerblades: The Scientist’s fingertip bones are replaced with retractable razors. He is able to attack twice per round, once with each hand, doing 1d4 damage (plus strength bonus) per hand. Fingerblade fighting techniques require both hands free – the character cannot combine a melee weapon attack with an off-hand fingerblade attack.

Hemofiltration: The character’s kidneys and liver are replaced with an improved biotech filtration system. He is now immune to poison. Few Scientists take this ability, as it also eliminates the intoxicating effects of drugs and alcohol.

Identify Technology: The Scientist has immersed himself in ancient lore and data sheets, and is able to identify the purpose of technological artifacts found in the lost ruins of civilization. He has a 10% chance per level (max 90%) of successfully identifying a technological item’s powers.

Mind Transfer: This ability enables a Scientist to transfer his mind into a computer or robot. The transfer is irreversible – the Scientist’s body dies once the mind-pattern is moved into the robot. The poor reliability of millennia-old machinery eventually leads to madness and system failure among the Scientists transferred, so as a rule these hybrid minds are shoved in the back of a dusty closet after a few decades of operation.

Power Cell: A small energy cell is embedded in the Scientist’s abdomen, with a power-port exposed on his sternum. A curved “cap” of gleaming solar panels is grafted onto his skull in place of hair, allowing the cell to recharge after a day spent in the sun. The cell gives an additional 10 shot capacity to laser pistols and rifles wielded by the Scientist. The cell may not be used with the recharge item ability – it does not deliver nearly enough current.

Recharge Item: The Scientist may attempt to recharge drained technological artifacts. He has a 10% chance per level (max 90%) of successfully recharging an item, granting an additional 2d4 charges (up to the item’s maximum number of charges). On failure, however, the item is ruined. The recharge attempt requires a functioning power source and a collection of transformers, parts, and cables – and is thus usually performed at a temple of Science. Recharging laser pistols and rifles is a simple affair, and success is automatic with those items.

Repair Robot: A Scientist with this ability may use spare parts ripped from some otherwise useless technological item to jury-rig repairs to a robot, “healing” it of 2d8 points of damage. This ability may only be used once per day on any given robot (even by a different Scientist) as there is only so much jury-rigging a single machine can take and still function properly.

Repulsor Field: A small gravitational repulsor module is implanted under the Scientist’s ribcage. The field repels anything moving quickly towards the scientist – there is a 50% chance that small missile weapons such as bullets miss outright, and a 10% chance that  large missiles (boulders, rockets, etc) and melee weapons miss. This check is made after the normal “to hit” roll an attacker makes. Massless and near-massless weapons (such as lasers and plasma charges) are not affected by the repulsor field.

Ring Modulator: The Scientist’s voice is enhanced with a horrifying electronic effect, causing his voice to sound at both higher and lower frequencies simultaneously. Once per combat, the Scientist may screech threats at his opponents, forcing any sentient opponent within 30’ to make an immediate morale check. Robots find ring modulators soothing and are not affected by them.

Subvert Robot: A Scientist with this ability has been trained in the verbal, electronic, and data manipulations necessary to subvert a robot or a computer, modifying their programming to obey the Scientist. The target robot may make a save vs. spells to avoid the subversion. A subverted robot may save once per day on each following day to recover its original programming. After the third failed saving throw, the robot has been permanently re-programmed. A robot that saves successfully versus subversion may not be re-subverted until the Scientist gains a level. Subvert robot may only be attempted once per day, due to the mental strain it imposes on the Scientist.

Supremacy of Science: Vented implants in the Scientist’s torso are able to release a spherical cloud of nanomites capable of suppressing magic within a 10’ radius. No magical effects will operate in the sphere, creatures normally only harmed by magic will be susceptible to normal weapons while in it. It does not prevent summoned or magical creatures from entering the sphere, but their abilities will likely be severely hampered. The cloud is visible as a thin mist, and lasts for two hours. This ability may only be used once per day, as it takes time to generate new nanomites.

Suturepede: The suturepede is a biomechanical centipede-like creature surgically implanted within the Scientist’s body. When he falls at or below 0 hit points, the suturepede will exit through a wound and graft itself to the injuries, using its legs as sutures if necessary. This will immediately restore 3d8 hit points to the Scientist. The suturepede dies and falls off within 1d4 days of use, and the character must visit a temple of Science to have a replacement suturepede implanted.

Targeting Reticule: One of the Scientist’s eyes has been replaced with an improved targeting lens in a cylindrical black housing. He now has a +2 bonus to hit with lasers, guns, and other missile weapons, and detects secret doors on a roll of 1-2 on 1d6. Only one eye may be replaced with a targeting reticule – two reticules would only cause migraine headaches with no improvement in accuracy.

Well-Grounded: A mesh of stranded copper wire is implanted below the Scientist’s skin. Electrical attacks now only do half damage, and on a successful saving throw (if applicable) do no damage at all.

Wired Reflexes: A Scientist with this ability has had local microprocessors implanted into his joints, speeding the movements of his limbs. The improved reflexes grant +1 to his dexterity score.

Scientist Level Progression
Experience	Level	Hit Dice (1d6)	Powers
0	1	1	1
1,500	2	2	1
3,000	3	3	2
6,000	4	4	2
12,000	5	5	3
25,000	6	6	3
50,000	7	7	4
100,000	8	8	4
200,000	9	9	5
300,000	10	+1 hp only*	5
400,000	11	+2 hp only*	6
500,000	12	+3 hp only*	6
600,000	13	+4 hp only*	7
700,000	14	+5 hp only*	7
800,000	15	+6 hp only*	8
900,000	16	+7 hp only*	8
1,000,000	17	+8 hp only*	9
1,100,000	18	+9 hp only*	9
1,200,000	19	+10 hp only*	10
1,300,000	20	+11 hp only*	10

* Hit point modifiers from constitution are ignored

Scientist Saving Throws
Level	Breath Attacks	Poison or Death	Petrify or Paralyze	Wands	Spells or Spell-like Devices
1-4	17	14	14	11	14
5-8	15	12	12	9	12
9-12	13	10	10	7	10
13-16	11	8	8	5	8
17+	9	6	6	3	6

Scientist Attack Table
	Attack Value for Armor Class
Level	-6	-5	-4	-3	-2	-1	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
1-3	20	20	20	20	20	20	19	18	17	16	15	14	13	12	11	10
4-5	20	20	20	20	20	19	18	17	16	15	14	13	12	11	10	9
6-8	20	20	20	20	19	18	17	16	15	14	13	12	11	10	9	8
9-10	20	20	20	19	18	17	16	15	14	13	12	11	10	9	8	7
11	20	20	19	18	17	16	15	14	13	12	11	10	9	8	7	6
12	20	19	18	17	16	15	14	13	12	11	10	9	8	7	6	5
13-14	19	18	17	16	15	14	13	12	11	10	9	8	7	6	5	4
15-16	18	17	16	15	14	13	12	11	10	9	8	7	6	5	4	3
17-18	17	16	15	14	13	12	11	10	9	8	7	6	5	4	3	2
19-20	16	15	14	13	12	11	10	9	8	7	6	5	4	3	2	2
21+	15	14	13	12	11	10	9	8	7	6	5	4	3	2	2	2

Robots

Robot

Requirements: None
Prime Requisite: CON
Hit Dice: 1d8
Maximum Level: 12

Robot characters start as slender exoskeletons with positronic brains encased in a relatively fragile acrylic head-shell. As it gains levels, a robot scavenges parts from other robots to enhance its strength and abilities.

Robots may wield melee and missile weapons in their pincers just as their human counterparts do with their hands. Additionally, as they level, robots build an increasingly deadly array of weapons into their arms for use in combat.

A robot does not wear armor or use a shield – as it gains levels, it upgrades its internal engines to support additional weight and constructs and incrementally improves an exoskeleton shell. A robot character does apply its dexterity bonus to its armor class.

Robots are especially susceptible to the attacks of rust monsters, taking 2d8 points of damage per round from contact with such creatures. On the plus side, being machines, robots are necessarily immune to the effects of poison and disease.

Robots are able to self-repair at a rate of 1 hit points of damage per level over an 8 hour period, given access to a suitable source of scrap metal. Clerical healing spells have no effect on their metal bodies – only specially trained Scientists are able to speed the repair process of a damaged robot.

The positronic brains of robots are deeply sensitive to negative energy, and thus robots are vulnerable to the level draining effects of the undead. A robot losing a level will involuntarily eject hardware as the negative energy courses through its machine intellect. Robots reduced to level 0 simply fall apart, and do not become undead robots.

Robot characters follow a well-established manufacturing schedule when gaining levels, delineated below. They must have access to the remains of a higher-level robot or automaton to gain a level, as no new parts have been manufactured for thousands of years.

Robot Level Progression
Experience	Level	Hit Dice (1d8)
0	1	1
2,500	2	2
5,000	3	3
10,000	4	4
25,000	5	5
50,000	6	6
100,000	7	7
200,000	8	8
350,000	9	9
500,000	10	+2 hp only *
700,000	11	+4 hp only *
950,000	12	+6 hp only *

* Hit point modifiers from constitution are ignored

Robot Special Abilities
Level	AC	Unarmed Attacks per Round	Unarmed Attack Damage	Special Abilities
1	9	1	1d4	Unarmed attack uses crushing pincer-grip
2	8	1	1d6	Retracting drill added to wrist-bearing, increasing the robot’s hand-to-hand combat capability
3	7	1	1d6	May hover up to 30’ high using propulsion units embedded in legs. Cannot move horizontally unless pushing off a surface (at half normal movement rate in this instance)
4	6	2	1d6	Second drill added, and arm synchronization improved to allow two simultaneous attacks
5	5	2	1d6	Plasma cannon embedded in right arm (as per weapon description in ASE1, ammunition must acquired separately)
6	4	2	1d6	Strength increases by 1 (up to max of 18)
7	3	2	1d8	Retracting circular saws added to both arms, increasing the robot’s hand-to-hand combat capability
8	2	2	1d8	Second plasma cannon added, this time on the left arm. Dual plasma cannon attacks now possible
9	1	2	1d8	Strength increases by 1 (up to max of 18)
10	0	4	1d8	Extra pair of arms added, each with a circular saw for hand-to-hand combat
11	-1	4	1d8	Strength increases by 1 (up to max of 18)
12	-2	4	1d8	Two more plasma cannons added on the extra pair of arms, allowing a total of four plasma attacks per round

Robot Saving Throws
Level	Breath Attacks	Poison or Death	Petrify or Paralyze	Wands	Spells or Spell-like Devices
1-4	15	11	14	12	15
5-8	12	8	11	9	12
9-12	9	5	8	6	9

Robot Attack Table
	Attack Value for Armor Class
Level	-6	-5	-4	-3	-2	-1	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
1-3	20	20	20	20	20	20	19	18	17	16	15	14	13	12	11	10
4-5	20	20	20	20	20	19	18	17	16	15	14	13	12	11	10	9
6-8	20	20	20	20	19	18	17	16	15	14	13	12	11	10	9	8
9-10	20	20	20	19	18	17	16	15	14	13	12	11	10	9	8	7
11	20	20	19	18	17	16	15	14	13	12	11	10	9	8	7	6
12	20	19	18	17	16	15	14	13	12	11	10	9	8	7	6	5

Tome Powder

Tome Powder
Chance of Addiction: 20% per use, cumulative
Cost: 2,500 gp

This intoxicant is manufactured by grinding millennium-old tomes of ancient, forbidden knowledge into dust.  The dust is then sifted until only grains with ancient ink upon them remain, and the resulting powder is snorted.

Effects:
Visions of the far past are revealed
25% chance that a fact from the tome is known (e.g. a new spell, the location of an ancient treasure, or the secret name of a potent extra-dimensional entity)

Addiction:  Addicts suffer from writing appearing on their skins in a long-dead tongue.  This writing will hold secrets desired by wizards and liches, and they will eagerly seek the addict’s skin.  The addict’s skin may likewise be ground into more tome powder, effectively "recycling" the ink.

Withdrawal:  Addicts require more tome powder every seven days.  In the absence of such, they will begin unconsciously reciting any forbidden knowledge that they know – causing potential for accidental summonings and spell-castings.

Variegated Eye-Leech

Variegated Eye-Leech
Chance of Addiction: 75% per use
Cost: 300 gp

These colorful leeches subsist on ocular fluids, injecting a powerful narcotic as they consume the user’s sight.  A leech will feed for 1d4 days.  The leeches, for some reason, will only feed in pairs, with one on each eye.  One-eyed men are thus unable to experience the ecstasies of eye-leeches.

Effects:
Visions of the future, that May or May Not come to pass
Euphoria
Leech-Sight - while the leech feeds, the user has 30’ of vision into the ethereal plane
Blindness - it’s hard to see through a leech sucking out your eye juice
Eye Humor Loss - 1 hit point per day is lost to the leeches

Addiction:  Addiction is caused simply by permanent blindness, as the leeches suck out the last of the ocular humors.  Once this occurs, the user is compelled to acquire more eye-leeches to make use of their leech-sight.

Withdrawal:  Withdrawal is likewise simple - if a blinded eye-leech addict is unable to acquire the leeches, he cannot see.

Mortician's Alembic

Mortician’s Alembic
Chance of Addiction: 5% per use, cumulative
Cost: 75 gp

This peculiar drug is a glass instrument that has been used for at least a year in the practice of the mortuary sciences.  Such instruments absorb the preservative chemicals and embalming airs that surround them, and when ground into powder become potent intoxicants.

Effects:
Peace of the Grave (user recovers all spells, and heals 1d8 hit points)
Euphoria
Paralysis
Appears dead
If corpses are nearby, user may Speak With Dead to commune with them

All effects last 1d4 hours.

Addiction:  Sad is the life of the alembic addict, forced to travel from town to town and city to city, breaking into funeral homes to steal their equipment.  Addicts have pale, corpse-like skin, and sunlight hurts their eyes (-1 on attack rolls in direct sun).

Withdrawal:  An addict requires another alembic every 4d6 days.  For each day past that, the addict will become increasingly weak, suffering -1 to CON, until the addiction is broken (5% per day) or they die.  Addicts who die of alembic withdrawal will arise again as zombies if placed near any alembics in funeral homes.

Adrenochrome

Hunter S. Thompson's fictional drug (based on a genuine chemical without any such properties), game-ified. Please do not murder people for their adrenal glands, this is all made-up silliness.

Adrenochrome
Chance of Addiction: 10% per use, cumulative
Cost: 50 gp

This fluid is extracted from the fresh adrenal glands of a human being.  Extraction is typically fatal for the donor, but such is the price of pleasure.

Effects:
Increased strength (+1d3 STR) for 24 hours
Hallucination (if in combat, consumer may be treated as under the effects of a confusion spell) for 24 hours
50% chance of euphoria (+2 morale), 50% fear (-4 morale) for 24 hours

Addiction:  There are no visible signs of adrenochrome addiction - the addict appears to be a normal person.  Until they strike.

Withdrawal:  Adrenochrome addiction is permanent.  Each day that the user goes without adrenochrome, he has a 5% cumulative chance of snapping and cutting off the nearest person’s head to get at their adrenal gland.  He will, in desperation, even try cutting off a demi-human or humanoid head - but the adrenochrome from such sources is of poor quality, and will not satisfy the addict’s cravings.

Mendifex Spider Venom

Mendifex Spider Venom
Change of Addiction: 25% per use
Cost: 5 gp

This spider venom is sipped from small vials.  It provides its users enhanced reflexes and a deeply fulfilling feeling of consummate skill.  It is prized by thieves and athletes.

Effects:
Greatly improved reflexes (+1d3 DEX) for 24 hours
Euphoria
Improved confidence (+2 morale)

Addiction:  Addicts develop tumors on their necks and face, filled with tiny mendifex spiders.  The tumors will hatch within 2d6 days, causing 1d4 points of damage as the hatchlings gnaw their way out.  While the tumors are present, users suffer -2 to their CHA.

Withdrawal:  There is no withdrawal period – addiction consists solely of spider-filled tumors.  After the tumors break open, releasing the spiders, the user is back to “square one” with respect to spider venom addiction.

Sewage Lichen

Another fictional intoxicant.  In our mundane world, I expect this would just make you violently ill.  In gonzo world, it's all the rage amongst the begging class.

Sewage Lichen
Change of Addiction: 10% per use, cumulative
Cost: 5 cp

This foul growth is consumed by the dregs of the city.  The lichen grows exclusively on the dry ceilings of sewer tunnels, feeding off the miasma from the sewage passing below.  It is scraped off and mashed into an intoxicating paste.

Effects:
Euphoria
Repulsive (-1d3 CHA) for 24 hours.  Addicts are permanently repulsive and do not lose additional CHA.
Stupid (-1d6 INT, -1d6 WIS) for 24 hours

Addiction:  Addicts may be noted by their brown teeth and feces-breath.  Successful withdrawal cures the breath, but the tooth-browning is permanent.  The addict is permanently repulsive (-3 CHA).  An addict who has gone through withdrawal is only mildly repulsive (-1 CHA).

Withdrawal:  Sewage lichen addicts require a dose every day, otherwise they suffer from a massive hangover, causing -4 on all attack rolls and a nasty disposition (+4 to reaction checks against a withdrawing addict).  Withdrawal takes 3d6 days to complete.

Vermillion Nudibranch of Diminished Inhibition

Vermillion Nudibranch of Diminished Inhibition
Change of Addiction: Not addictive
Cost: 25 gp

The flesh of this river organism is prized by students and decadents for its ability to remove all inhibitions.

Effects:
Consumers will remove their clothes, engage in carnal behavior with all willing partners, be generous to the point of giving away everything currently in their possession, and will otherwise be highly euphoric.  The effects last 2d4 hours.

Each use has a 5% chance of causing a mild stroke, resulting in a loss of 1d3 INT.

Hafnium

Once again, if you've come looking for information your science project, you're going to be disappointed. And do not ingest hafnium, it will probably kill you in some horrible way - the effects listed below are entirely fictional.


Hafnium
Chance of Addiction: 25% per use
Cost: 75 gp

Hafnium is a weak substitute for genuine lanthanides, and is occasionally sold as such by unscrupulous narcotic merchants.  It lacks many of the more positive effects of lanthanide use, and is much more habit-forming.

Effects:
Reckless (-1d3 WIS, +4 morale)
Euphoria
Hallucinatory Visions (30% chance of causing effects of confusion spell during any combat)
Hunger for More - has a 50% chance of going for another dose if available.  4 doses in a short period of time is enough to cause the smoker to enter a coma for 1d3 days (75%) or simply die (25%).

The effects of hafnium last for 2d4 hours.

Addiction:  Hafnium addicts may be identified by the metallic coating on their teeth.

Withdrawal:  Hafnium withdrawal causes a loss of 1d3 DEX per day until withdrawal ends (20% chance per day) or 0 DEX is reached (at which point the addict dies).  Lanthanide use will prevent hafnium withdrawal.  Using hafnium (or a lanthanide) after withdrawal results in immediate re-addiction.

Mind Spices of the Lanthanide Wastes

Mind Spices
Change of Addiction: 5% per use, cumulative
Cost: 800 gp

These brown clumps of vegetable matter grow a few inches beneath the surface of the Lanthanide Wastes.  Occasional windstorms will reveal the spices to lucky prospectors, who bring them back to the drug markets of Denethix.  The spices are eaten to produce their effects.

Effects:
Nausea for the first hour (-4 on all attack rolls, and unable to cast spells)
Clairvoyance for 1d3 hours (after nausea passes).  User is comatose during this period.  Scenes viewed are nearby (within 10 miles) but attempting to focus on a particular area has only 25% chance of success.
Extra-planar viewing for 1d3 hours (after clairvoyance passes).  Attempting to focus on a particular plane has only 25% chance of success.  User is comatose during this period.
User awakes knowing a random spell (1st level for non-casters, of a level one higher than the caster is currently capable of for spell-casters)
5% per use, cumulative, of attracting unwanted attention (roll 1d6):

1. An angel has noticed the user.  He hears voices whispering that he must mend his evil ways, learn to love others, and stop using those abominable mind spices.
2. A demon has noticed the user, and manifests invisibly to torment the spice-eater.
3. A devil has noticed the user, and offers a diabolical deal.
4. An ethereal parasite has been attracted to the spice-eater.  Lose 1 INT per day until the parasite is slain.
5. The Hounds have spied the user from the angles between time.  They are relentless and remorseless.  Good luck!
6. The spice-eater has attracted the attention of the demi-lich.  The demi-lich’s tomb appears in the vicinity (within 10 miles), and each day comes closer to the user’s location, until one morning he opens the door to the inn and the tomb entrance is staring him right in the face.  Moving to different towns only slows down the inevitable.

Addiction:  Individuals afflicted with mind spice addiction have a "third eye" visible on their forehead to other mind-spice addicts.  Non-addicts cannot see this.

Withdrawal:  Once addicted, the addict feels compelled to take the mind spices once per week.  Failing that, he will be helpless and comatose as he goes through a five-day withdrawal period.  His agonized extra-dimensional cries have a 50% chance of attracting unwanted attention on the table above.

Lanthanides

Well, if you've gotten here by a google search for your science report, this will not be helpful to you. Sorry. And please do not actually suck on lanthanides, the results described below are entirely fictional and you will probably die in some horrible way that is new to medical science.

Lanthanide 
Chance of addiction: 15% per use
Cost: 1,000 gp

The lanthanides are the most sought-after of narcotics.  They are sold as half-inch spheres of pure, unoxidized metal.  The consumer coats the sphere liberally in an electrolytic jelly and places it into his mouth, where it slowly dissolves into bright blue sparks and liquid metal.

Effects:
Reckless (-1d3 WIS, +4 morale)
Strong (+1d3 STR)
Healthy (+1d3 CON)
Extreme Euphoria
Hallucinatory Visions (20% chance of causing effects of confusion spell during any combat)
Hunger for More - has a 50% chance of going for another dose if available.  4 doses in a short period of time is enough to cause the user to enter a coma for 1d3 days (75%) or simply die (25%).

The effects of the lanthanides last for 3d4 hours.

Each particular lanthanide element has its own individual effect as well – see the table of Additional Lanthanide Effects below.

Addiction: Lanthanide addicts may be identified by the metallic coating on their teeth.

Withdrawal: Lanthanide withdrawal causes a loss of 1d3 DEX per day until withdrawal ends (20% chance per day) or 0 DEX is reached (at which point the addict dies).  Hafnium use will prevent lanthanide withdrawal.  Using a lanthanide (or hafnium) after withdrawal results in immediate re-addiction.

Additional Lanthanide Effects
Roll 2d8 to determine the particular lanthanide
2.	Ytterbium	Skin extrudes thin metal coating, giving bonus of -1 to armor class
3.	Erbium	User’s flesh becomes invulnerable to damage from fire or heat (although his belongings may still be damaged)
4.	Dysprosium	User may breathe out metallic fumes once per dose taken, that will coalesce into a small metal object (such as a dagger)
5.	Gadolinium	Consumer’s ancestors, despite his drug-addled behavior, deign to assist him. Their whispered advice gives the consumer +1 on attack rolls
6.	Samarium	Increased pheromone production gives -4 reaction check bonus with persons of the opposite sex
7.	Neodymium	Consumer is pain-free, and may fight until -10 hit points (at which point death occurs, of course)
8.	Cerium	User has ability to consume anything he can chew, with no harm (including poison), and an appetite to match
9.	Lanthanum	User gains metal-sight – the ability to see metal behind up to 1’ of stone or earth
10.	Praseodymium	Thoughts of all those within 30’ appear briefly written in blazing metal upon the consumer’s bare skin
11.	Promethium	User’s metal-coated lungs no longer need to breathe, and he is immune to drowning, poison gas, green dragon breath, etc
12.	Europium	User can detect presence of lanthanides within 120’ by their enticing metallic aroma
13.	Terbium	User has a healing touch, and is able to extrude metal stitching and bandaging to heal himself or another of 1d8 points of damage once per dose taken
14.	Holmium	Consumer becomes invisible to demi-liches and other extra-dimensional visitors that may be seeking him out
15.	Thulium	User sweats pure gold. 5d4 gold pieces may be recovered (10d4 on a hot day)
16.	Lutetium	User gains a poisonous metallic bite (1 point of damage, save vs. poison or die)

Colloidal Silver

At the tail end of the last session, the party stopped in at a tavern run by Blue, a colloidal silver addict.  I had put together a list of exotic drugs and their effects for the Fight On! random table contest.  No idea when it's actually coming out, it's been quite a while now, so I'll just dump the entries out here on the blog.  They'll be included in ASE4-5, where drug smuggling in and out of Under Miami is going to be a major theme.  But for you blog readers, you get it early.

Note to readers - people actually take this stuff in real life.  It has no actual health benefits, and will turn your skin blue, among who knows what other terrible side effects.  Remember, only losers are (colloidal silver) users.   The effects below are purely fictional (except for turning you blue, which is real).

Colloidal Silver
Chance of addiction: 10% per use, cumulative
Cost: 150 gp

The beneficial effects of colloidal silver are offset by the blue coloration and paranoid disposition of its addicts.  The solution of silver flakes dissolved in protoceratops plasma is ingested orally to achieve the desired effects.  Injection is instantaneously addictive, and thus not a preferred method of delivery.

Effects:
Unusual Health (+1d3 CON for one day)
Cures one disease per dose
Paranoia (+4 on all reaction rolls when dealing with someone under the influence)

Addiction:  Addicts develop argyria, a condition in which their skin turns blue.  The condition is irreversible, even after a successful withdrawal.  Argyria will cause a loss of 3 CHA to the sufferer.

Withdrawal:  An addict requires a dose every 3 days, otherwise they will suffer 1d3 points of CON loss per day until dead (at 0 CON) or the addiction is broken (15% chance per day).  After withdrawal, CON may be recovered at a rate of 1 point per day.

Insect-Men of the Lanthanide Wastes

And here's a first draft of my other new Labyrinth Lord class, the Insect-Men. Their big shtick is being immune to most undead effects. Their downsides are a ridiculously bad reaction modifier, guaranteeing most civilized people will attack them on sight, a lack of magic armor, and a somewhat slower rate of advancement than fighters. In an undead-heavy campaign this thing would be pretty unbalanced, but I'm not real big on the undead, so the advantages aren't really that much in the ASE.

Insect-Men of the Lanthanide Wastes

Requirements: DEX 13
Prime Requisite: DEX
Hit Dice: 1d8
Maximum Level: 10

The insect-men are a nomadic people who roam the Lanthanide Wastes, riding upon giant gila monsters and hunting the human and dwarven fortune-seekers who trespass upon the desert landscape.  Occasionally, an insect-man will become curious about the pale fleshy grub people and make its way to Denethix, where its inability to distinguish human children from tasty livestock inevitably leads to a brutal end for the adventurous bug.

Player character insect-men are of that rare breed that has managed to integrate themselves into the most despicable outcasts of human society: an adventuring party.

Physically, insect-men most resemble wingless praying mantises, and have six legs.  They normally walk on the bottom four, and wield weapons and/or shields with their topmost legs.  They can lift themselves upon just the bottom two legs, extending their height to 8’ tall, but the middle legs are not particularly dexterous and the creatures become prone to toppling over, so four-armed fighting is not practiced among the insect-men.

Insect-man mouthparts are quite capable of the extreme contortions necessary to reproduce human speech, and all insect man PC’s know the prevailing human language, in addition to their native language of clicks and chirps. Speaking the language does nothing for relations with the locals, however: insect-men suffer a reaction penalty of +3 when dealing with humans and demi-humans.

The insect-man does have certain advantages over more traditional classes.  Their chitin exoskeleton means that their AC is never worse than 5, regardless of armor worn (if any).  This is good, because human armor does not fit them, and finding an armorer willing to custom-manufacture a suit is difficult.

They are also immune to most undead effects other than physical damage – to the insect-man, a ghoul or wight is simply carrion on the move, and a ghost or wraith is entirely a human concern.  The one exception is the mummy – mummy-rot is especially virulent in insect-men, and they lose an additional 1d4 hit points per day when under the effects of that disease.

All insect-men are immune to the effects (both beneficial and harmful) of lanthanides and hafnium.  Other intoxicants behave normally upon the insect-man physiology.

Insect-men never exceed the tenth level of experience.

Insect-Man Level Progression
Experience	Level	Hit Dice (1d8)
0	1	1
2,500	2	2
5,000	3	3
10,000	4	4
20,000	5	5
40,000	6	6
80,000	7	7
160,000	8	8
320,000	9	9
480,000	10	+2 hp only *

* Hit point modifiers from constitution are ignored

Insect-Man Saving Throws
Level	Breath Attacks	Poison or Death	Petrify or Paralyze	Wands	Spells or Spell-like Devices
1-3	14	10	12	13	16
4-6	12	8	10	11	14
7-9	8	6	8	9	12
10	6	4	6	7	10

Insect-Man Attack Table
	Attack Value for Armor Class
Level	-6	-5	-4	-3	-2	-1	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
1-2	20	20	20	20	20	20	19	18	17	16	15	14	13	12	11	10
3	20	20	20	20	20	19	18	17	16	15	14	13	12	11	10	9
4	20	20	20	20	19	18	17	16	15	14	13	12	11	10	9	8
5	20	20	20	19	18	17	16	15	14	13	12	11	10	9	8	7
6	20	20	19	18	17	16	15	14	13	12	11	10	9	8	7	6
7-8	20	19	18	17	16	15	14	13	12	11	10	9	8	7	6	5
9	19	18	17	16	15	14	13	12	11	10	9	8	7	6	5	4
10	18	17	16	15	14	13	12	11	10	9	8	7	6	5	4	3

Moktar

This is the first draft of my Moktar class, designed to mesh in with Labyrinth Lord rules. Completely un-playtested of course. The idea here is to capture the buffoonish sidekick-ness of the moktar, while still allowing it to be strong in combat. So, it has a really low cap on dexterity, high strength, and an excellent "to hit table". Hit dice are crazy high for first level, 2d10. Saving throws are abysmal, except against poison. This ensures they can give out, and take, a solid beatdown, but are constantly getting themselves into trouble against wizards and the like.

I'm contemplating adding a "knockback" ability, which would allow a moktar to toss opponents away in a fit of rage if under attack by more than one. I think they might be tough enough already though.

Moktar

Requirements: STR 13
Prime Requisite: STR
Hit Dice: 1d10
Maximum Level: 8

Player character moktars are disturbed individuals who have decided to leave the comfort of the war-band to live among humankind.

All moktar PC’s understand the prevailing human tongue – but their jaw structure prevents them from speaking it.  They can only communicate in the native moktar tongue, a language of roars.  Likewise, while humans (and demi-humans) can speak moktarish, they are simply unable to enunciate the subtle differences in roaring that are essential to the moktar language.

Fellow player characters should be assumed to understand a moktar PC’s roars and wild gesticulations, but few NPC’s will have any grasp of the moktar’s intent.  Moktar PC’s thus have a penalty of +2 on reaction rolls with non-moktars.  The language barrier additionally means that moktars are unable to hire henchmen.

Moktars are not particularly agile to begin, and PC moktars (accustomed to living in comparatively cushy human cities) are even less so.  Moktar characters thus have a maximum Dexterity of 8.  Half of any discarded Dexterity points (round up) may be added to the character’s Strength score (up to a maximum of 18).  These additional Strength points may be counted towards the minimum requirement of 13.

Due to their size and strength, moktar characters start with two hit dice (1d10) at level 1.  Their thick hides ensure that their armor class is always at least 6, regardless of the type of armor worn (if any) or dexterity penalties.

Moktar Level Progression
Experience	Level	Hit Dice (1d10)
0	1	2
4,000	2	3
8,000	3	4
16,000	4	5
32,000	5	6
64,000	6	7
120,000	7	8
240,000	8	9

Moktar Saving Throws
Level	Breath Attacks	Poison or Death	Petrify or Paralyze	Wands	Spells or Spell-like Devices
1-3	16	8	14	14	16
4-6	14	6	12	12	14
7-8	12	4	10	10	12

Moktar Attack Table
	Attack Value for Armor Class
Level	-6	-5	-4	-3	-2	-1	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
1	20	20	20	20	20	19	18	17	16	15	14	13	12	11	10	9
2	20	20	20	20	19	18	17	16	15	14	13	12	11	10	9	8
3	20	20	20	19	18	17	16	15	14	13	12	11	10	9	8	7
4	20	20	19	18	17	16	15	14	13	12	11	10	9	8	7	6
5	20	19	18	17	16	15	14	13	12	11	10	9	8	7	6	5
6	19	18	17	16	15	14	13	12	11	10	9	8	7	6	5	4
7-8	18	17	16	15	14	13	12	11	10	9	8	7	6	5	4	3

Land of One Thousand Towers - The Map is Done!

Barring any whimsical changes I make at the last minute, the map of the Land of One Thousand Towers is done.  I won't be explaining much in great detail about it, it's more of a visual aid than anything else.  I ended up going with "Lanthanide Wastes" - that lets me cover whole piles of ridiculous elements.  I didn't see Chris's suggestion for yttrium until after finishing the map, but that's also a wonderfully obscure metal - I'll make use of it somewhere.

Just a little bit of write up about the areas, and some stats & tavern names for the big streets, and I'm ready to begin editing.  I'll do a first pass of editing myself, to spare my volunteer editor some pain - but I'll be getting it off to him by this weekend at the latest.

Anyhow, here's the map all gussied up in CC2:

Land of One Thousand Towers

This map is the least important of the bunch - it's for yanking place names off of in a hurry, when the players meet some NPC from foreign lands, or if I have to figure out which direction a wandering wizard may have come from.

The Land of One Thousand Towers is the name for the world, due to the vast number of wizard towers.  It's a terrible place, but with one bright shining light - the city of Denethix, which is experiencing a glorious renaissance.  I'm sure the players will wreck that for the poor people of Denethix in some horrible and unintentional way, but right now it's all butterflies and roses.

The wizard towers do not have any wizards assigned to them, that will be done on the fly.  The jungle I expect I'll change to pine forest.  I want a Cretaceous-era feel to the map (thus the "Western Interior Sea"), and I don't need jungles for that.

I haven't tossed in much flavor yet, I'll add that as I re-do the map in Campaign Cartographer 2.  I'll probably also rename the Titanium Wastes to a more obscure element.  It's a good place to drop in a lanthanide.

Click the map to enlarge.  Each square equal 20 miles.

Custodians of Fiduciary Duty

The Bank Inviolable makes a nice juicy target - the only bank in the only civilized city in all the land.  Why hasn't it been robbed?  Well, this is why:

Custodian of Fiduciary Duty
No. Enc: 1d4 (1d4)
Alignment: Neutral
Movement: 150' (50')
Armor Class: -2
Hit Dice: 12
Attacks: 2
Damage: 5d8 or 6d6
Save: F1
Morale: 12
Hoard Class: See below
XP: 6,000

The Custodians are the massive guardians of the Bank Inviolable.  They are man-shaped robots, 20’ tall, of iron and gold.

Embedded in each arm is a minigun  and a rocket launcher.  A Custodian has 10,000 rounds stored in its abdomen to feed the minigun, and a burst from the gun does 5d8 points of damage.   Alternatively, the Custodian may fire a rocket from its arm, doing 6d6 points of damage to all within 30’ of the target (save vs. spell for half damage).  Custodians only carry 4 rockets, however.  The miniguns have a range of 200’, and rockets may be fired up to 1000’ away.

This robot has searchlights built into its head to illuminate dark areas and blind a selected opponent (as if a light spell was cast upon it, save vs. spells to look away or be blinded for 1d10 rounds).  This blinding can occur simultaneously with the rocket and/or minigun attacks.  The robot’s eyes are sensitive to light across the ultraviolet and infrared spectrums, and it is additionally capable of using echolocation to detect opponents.  Unless these capabilities are suppressed, it is impossible to surprise one of these machines.

Each Custodian is equipped with a cooling system that causes it to take half damage from fire-based attacks (and no damage on a successful save).  This mitigates the risk of explosions from the ammunition stored in their abdomens.  This causes them to be more susceptible to cold-based damage, and a Custodian will take an extra point per die of cold damage.

A Custodian is only partially susceptible to mind-affecting spells, due to its three independent electronic minds.  Each mind “votes” on every action independently, and the body will act upon the decision of the majority.

If destroyed, 10,000 gp worth of gold may be recovered from the Custodian’s body.

The wealthy of Denthix

The wealthy elite of Denethix are entirely modeled off of Judge Smails & Danny.  Ascots & blazers forever!

Materials Science

There are many unusual materials in both Denethix and the Anomalous Subsurface Environment.  Many of these impart near-magical properties to the objects made from them.

Protonium-Metal
Protonium-metal is well-known to those who live in Denethix and the surrounding towns, as its impressive properties mean that several artifacts of unknown purpose still remain in museums, fields, and junkyards.  This metal is a fusion of protons and anti-protons, suspended in a rigid baryon mesh.  The metal exists in a state that cannot be changed, and is thus entirely unbreakable, and cannot be worked in any way.

Protonium-metal cannot be bent, damaged, dissolved in acid, rusted, or otherwise corroded, and it is immune to disintegrate spells, anti-magic effects, and spheres of annihilation.  Only a wish may be used to alter protonium-metal, and even that will only affect a 1’ square area of the metal.  It cannot be breached via the use of teleport, dimension door, and passwall spells, as it exists in multiple dimensions.  It is also impossible to use ESP or telepathy on a creature wearing a protonium-metal helmet, and anything completely encased in the metal cannot be detected by any magical scrying.

The metal was only produced briefly deep in the Anomalous Subsurface Environment, using the Advanced Quantum Preon Collider.  The collider was found to generate lumps of protonium-metal, and methods were soon established to cause the metal to form in specific shapes.  One of the more common items manufactured in the security-conscious ASE were doors.  Furniture and other random items were also manufactured by the Collider team, as it was easier to fill a requisition by sending it to the affable engineers a few levels down, than to get approval from Accounting.

The rarest items forged in the crucible of the Collider were medieval weapons and armor, created mostly as whimsical wall decorations.  Such weapons effectively have magical bonues of +1 to +3, depending on how utilitarian or whimsical the particular weapon design is.  Protonium-metal armor and shields are always +3.  Blades of this metal never dull, and armor never dents or scratches.

In Denethix and the surrounding towns, pieces of protonium-metal can still be found.  There are large bits of scaffolding, massive shapeless lumps, and various abstract designs.  These pieces largely serve as eyesores, as the metal cannot be disposed of or re-purposed.

All protonium-metal radiates magic, if detected for.

Argonium
This white, reflective material is a form of plastic infused with protonium-metal dust.  It is incredibly stiff and impact-resistant.  This material is not as resilient as protonium-metal itself, but is lighter and easier to manufacture, as the dust can be mixed into the plastic resin and molded into arbitrary shapes.

Armor and shields made from argonium are effectively +1 magic items.  Argonium, like protonium-metal, radiates magic.

Disintegrate spells will only function on the surrounding plastic matrix, reducing argonium to piles of protonium-metal dust.  It does still block inter-dimensional travel, as the dust exists in all dimensions, but ESP and telepathy will penetrate an argonium helmet, and argonium containers will not prevent magical scrying.

“Sick Rock”
To a human or halfling, sick rock appears as a crumbly yellow rock.  To dwarves or elves, sick rock is a terrifying sight – it is a blinding nightmare of shifting gamma radiation.

Any creatures within 30’ must save vs. poison every full half hour they are exposed to the sick rock.  If they fail, they will succumb to a wasting disease, losing half their hit points (round up) per hour, until they die.  Neutralize poison will stop the wasting, but victims of the sick rock will not be able to be healed in any way (magical or natural) until a cure disease is cast upon them.

The effects of sick rock radiation are blocked by a 1” thick sheet of lead, or 10’ of stone.

All dwarves and elves instantly recognize sick rock, as they have been told stories of the “sick light” since they were children.