"Go to the sign of Marvel's Axe, a dubious inn on the edge of the Thieves Quarter, in the City of Greyhawk, and look to your own wrist. If you perceive a bracelet and dangling dice, watch for the next throw in the war between Law and Chaos and be prepared to follow the compelling geas." -Signal

Monday, July 25, 2011

Non-Player Character Records, Universal Tongue

Character Sheets as I think I have said before are a very personal thing. In that I mean that one mans favorite is another mans trash. There are character sheets that I see and here people rave about that when I think about having to use them I think I would rather just not play...that might be a slight exaggeration but you get the idea.

The TSR Non-Player Character records are something that I have never used and really have no use for. If a NPC is important enough for me to write down more than a name and a few notes about possessions it is very rare. Most NPCs can be handled as a stat block.

The sheets in this book are actually half sheets. This allowed double the number to provided using the standard size book. They are also side perforated. This allows both half to be placed inside a three ring binder. This is a good idea but all this means is that they get lost in between two full size sheets of paper as I am flipping through the notebook trying to find them.

The best thing about these sheets is the artwork. Erol Otus actually out did himself on this piece. I am not sure if the images he incorporates were done first or he later used them but there are images in the smoke that I am sure I have seen in other works. Not for me but then again character sheets are a matter of taste be they character or NPC so your mileage may vary!


Spell:

Universal Tongue


Level: Third
Range: None
Duration: 1 Turn + 1 Turn/Level
Ares Effect: Caster
Components: V,S
Casting Time: 1 Round
Saving Throw: None

This spell when cast allows the magic user to speak and the words that are said will be understood by anyone that hears them. There is no limit to the number of different creatures or beings that will understand the words that are spoken. The ability to understand the words does not always translate to understanding the meaning though.

The reverse will also be true. The spell will have an enhanced Comprehend Language effect in that the caster will understand any words being spoken by a living being. The words must be understood by creature speaking them though so someone reading a scroll or tome that can not be deciphered otherwise will not be understood.

Disclaimer: The spells that you will see, for how ever long the write ups last, were all written up or conceived of back in the 80's so the terminology may not appropriate for anything other than 1e and depending on how well I did back then it may be slightly off for that as well. If there is any duplication of spells that exist now it is most likely I wrote mine first :) Please feel free to comment on them but try not to be too hard on me. If anyone wishes to use these in anything they print please let me know in advance and all I ask is proper credit.

1 comment:

Martin R. Thomas said...

I got these NPC Character Sheets from a friend who was into gaming waaaaaaaaaaaaay back near the start of my gaming career around 1983 or so.

And, like you, I also never used them. They're still sitting here in my "big book shelf o' games" but they're one of the products that I never go back to reference or look at because there's nothing there.

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