Hex Pad - TSR, Spell Storage III

Short post today. I am a little under the weather.

The Hex Pad was released by TSR in 1979. The hex pad is exactly what it says it is. It is a sheets of hexagonal mapping paper. There is no cardboard backing and they are held together at the top with a wax binding agent.  This is one of those  items that is hard to find and when you do see it they usually go  for too much money. Let's be honest you can print hex paper for  free of the the Internet so this is merely a collectors item. I  can't recall what I paid for this copy as I bought it more than a  few years ago. The last one I saw on eBay had an opening bid of  $70 but never got any takers.

I hope to return to more productive posts tomorrow.


Spell:

Spell Storage III

Level: Ninth
Range: None
Duration: Special
Ares of Effect: Special
Components: V,S,M
Casting Time: 1 Round
Saving Throw: None

Please not that except for the level of spells that can be stored  this spell is identical to Spell Storage I.

When this spell is cast the magic user is able to then cast  additional spells into special designed foci. These will hold a  spell for later casting. These devices can only be used by the  caster that originally put the spell into the device.

The caster will be able to store one spell per device. The spells  must be between Seventh and eigth level with the use of this  particular spell. The caster may cast a limited number of spells  into any number of foci. The limit on this is that they must have  the spell to cast and they must be cast continuously with no more  than one round of break per spell.

The number of foci that a caster can have is limited by their  level. The caster can have a number of foci equal to one plus  their level at the time the spell was cast into the foci. The  spell will remain in the item for a period of 24 hours. At the end  of that time the spell energy dissipates.

The material components of this spell will be a small foci that is  designed specifically for a particular spell level. The cost of  the foci will be 50gp per level of the spell it is intended to  hold. Each foci may hold one spell. The foci may be reused after  the spell it contains is used or has lost the energy stored within  it.

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.

DCC #9 Dungeon Geomorphs, Forgetful Sleep

Goodman Games has a history of putting out some solid adventures. The Dungeon  Crawl Classics helped, at least in their advertising, bring back the classic  dungeon crawl for the gamer. Most of their modules I have read are well  written but perhaps one of my favorite items they have released is the Dungeon  Geomorphs.

The product was released in 2004 and unlike a traditional module it can get  used again and again with the same group. The book is 32 pages long and it  features over one hundred and twenty map tiles. These tiles have consistent  places on the map tiles where they can be connected so you do not run into  the occasional dead end (though those are not always bad).

The tiles come in different categories and are arranged by them. The  different categories included in the tiles sets are listed below. In addition  to these there are also blanks that you can use create you own tiles.

Caves
Castles
Ruins
Hallways/Corridors
Lairs
The Underdeep
Mazes
Dungeons
Temples

I like to think of myself as being fairly creative but drawing maps is  something I seem to struggle with. I was a fan of the original TSR Geomorphs  back in the day and keep a set of originals that I can make copies of as  needed and cut them up as the old ones get ratty. I know that there are many  online map makers but by using these I still feel I have at least a finger if  not a whole hand in the layout process.


Spell:

Forgetful Sleep

Level: Third
Range: 3" + 1"/level
Duration: 5 Rounds/Level
Ares of Effect: 3" Circle
Components: V,S,M
Casting Time: 1 Segment
Saving Throw: None

This spell in most ways mirrors the first level sleep spell but with increased and altered effects. This spell combines the effect of the sleep spell with the second level Forget spell.

When this spell is cast the magic user causes creatures in the area of effect to fall into a light slumber. The length of time spent sleeping will be the same as that of the first level spell. The spell will affect all creatures in the area of effect regardless of level. In addition the victims will have no memory of any encounter they may have had with the party.

The sleep the victims are in will continue for the duration unless they are touched by any non affected creature in even the slightest way. Any contact will immediately waken not just the individual touched by all in the area of effect. The DM should be mindful that the intent of the spell is a safeguard to mask the passage of the party and not allow the spell to be renamed to Massacre.

The material component of this spell is the same as that of the first level sleep spell.

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.

Hex Mapping Sheets - Chessex, Shade

Shorter post today as I have some meetings way too early this morning. Over the years I find myself picking up strange character sheets and other game aids. I really for the life of me do not know when I got this or where I got it.

This is a pad of hex paper for mapping from Chessex. The copyright says 1989 but I am not sure if that is for the package itself or for the product. I would suspect this came in some bulk lot but I may have thought I needed to have this for some reason at some point. The price almost makes me think it is not that old though as I don't think $7.95 is a 1989 price for some hex paper but it could be. Since you can print hex paper online though I have not priced it for some time.

To talk a little about the paper seems appropriate though. The paper is double sided and the back side is blue which, based on the comments on the package, means it will not photocopy well. I like that it is hole punched and has spots to make notes as to where it is or other important information. I can see that if I were making a serious run at a published game world this sort of product would be useful.


Spell:

Shade

Level: Fifth
Range: None
Duration: Special
Ares Effect: Caster
Components: V,S
Casting Time: 1 Round
Saving Throw: None

By means of this spell the caster causes themselves to coexist between the planes. They will exist on both the Prime Material Plane and the Ethereal plane though they exist primarily on the Ethereal plane.

Existing on both planes will have a number of effects for the caster on the Prime Material Plane. They will become almost undetectable without special abilities or senses. In game terms this means that the caster, unless be looked for, can walk through a crowded room with 90% chance of being undetected. They will be perceived as a wisp of smoke or a figment of imagination.

The caster will not be able to interact with the "real world" as it were though. This means they can not perform even the simplest of tasks like opening a door. They will not be affected by gravity which will allow them to walk across water or other liquids, even lava, with no effect. They can also for lack of a better term fly across open chasms and the like though they can not change elevation.

On the ethereal plane the caster does not really exist and can not tell what is going on there. They do have an effect on the flow of that plane and there is a 5% chance per turn that something there will take notice and act accordingly. This will occur by them following the caster back to the prime material once the spell ends.

The spell will remain in effect until the caster wills it to end though it can be ended in other ways. The caster if detected can be affected by attack means that will normally affect creatures on the ethereal plane. Should the caster have a Dispel Magic cast on them the caster will have a 50/50 chance as to what plane they will end up on. Should they end up on the ethereal plane they will find themselves with no idea where they actually are will have to find a means back.

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.