My Anomalous Subsurface Environment game continues on G+, and the adventurers have finally figured out some of the basic mysteries of the first level beneath Mt. Rendon.  It's been a few months of game time though and the little mold farming hamlet of Chemfoldshire is growing into a boom town a rowdy boom town from the fortune hunters flocking to Mt. Rendon's various entrances.  Below is a table of traveling merchants, some of whom have flocked to Chemfoldshire (though I've changed the details in my own game).  This isn't perhaps the most useful of tables - but with all the OSR competitions going on right now I'm trying to work on some things for Dyson, Tenkar and the One Page Dungeon contest.

Dogs are among the most common beast in the human controlled area of the HMS Apollyon, and many breeds of dog have adapted and mutated within the hull to become dangerous predators. Players may purchase war dogs and scent hounds in the Rustgates, and perhaps find a witch hound or Hunter if they know the right person, but even these relatively simple breeds require a certain level of skill to handle in mass.  An adventurer can generally handle 2 HD of beasts before they will become unruly, while an animal handler can safely control 2+level HD of beasts.

It is noteworthy that below are just examples of dog breeds.  Other races and factions within Sterntown and the hull use different species, including crabs, giant rats, squid and hyenas.

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A monstrous dog - specifically Woola from the recent John Cater Movie

 Slezgar the Elf is a stalwart of the Anomalous Subsurface Environment Thursday Night G+ Game.  He appears as a random henchman in ASE I notable only as "Elf, Male. Enthusiastic about hanging out with those short-lived humans."  In Pat's ongoing and original ASE campaign Slezgar became the party's first henchman in February 2009 and then their nemesis - captain of an anti-human Elven NPC party, ultimately ambushed and slaughtered in late 2012...

Well my players rolled on the same chart and they got Slezgar straight off.  My Slezgar has yet to show propensity for betrayal, and rather ingratiated himself with the party - as the only regular delver that can cast sleep and surprisingly lucky.  He's reilable enough that his being a hedonist and a bit of a creep, hasn't put the party off yet.  It has also been established that he makes frequent bemused quips about the frailty of humans and has a rather licentious way of searching for secret doors - the players don't ask much about it because it seems to work (again Slezgar always seems to pull a roll out when it matters).  So far Slezgar's only act of sinister elven gamesmanship has been to demand a 25GP per delve fee, and to encourage the other henchmen to do the same.  Slezgar is considering demanding a share of treasure instead, but hasn't gotten quite high enough a dried blue lotus grubs to vocalize it.

Slezgar the Elven Flaneur

Slezgar the Elf
Elf 1

STR 14 (+1 Hit/Dam)
INT 12
WIS 7
DEX 15 (+1 AC/Hit Ranged)
CON 10
CHR 13+1

HP: 4
XP: 1099
AC:4
Spell: Sleep - 25% to cast it on everyone in area out of laziness.

Equipment: gaudy and somewhat risque partial splint armor, elven yatagan (1D8), Spell Book (several fragments of slate bundled together in old newspaper - sleep, magic missile, dancing lights), 20' rope, 35 GP

Elves Generally....

MILLICENT COBWEB 

Specialist/Assassin 6
HP 12
AC 5
ATK 1
DAM: (1D8+2 or 1D6+2 melee)*
(1D10x2) ranged
MV: 40'

STR 16 +2
INT 15 +1
WIS 8
DEX 17 +2
CON 13 +1
CHR 12

SKILLS: Backstab-6
Stealth-4,
Pick Lock/Tinker-3
Climb -3
Listen -3

Equip: Ash gray steel reinforced leather armor, Black dress, Ash Gray funeral hat, Festive leather skull mask, Silvered cavalry saber (1D8), Primeval monkey bone kukuri (1D6), Sawed off double barreled shotgun x2(1d8/1D10) 20 Silver shells, 20 shells, 2 magical monkey bone pistol bullets, 40' Rope, Compact hand mirror, Lantern, 6 Flasks of Oil, Turkitrice Talon Fetish (Once per day adds + 1D4 damage to attack) Scary Mask of Savage Origin (allows wearer to see in dark). Sack of mysterious blue Carcosa crystal bricks

*On Backstab attack damage is X4 and to hit chance is +4 (unless played by the rules - in which case it's X6/+6hit, without stat and item bonuses).

Priestess of Fleck.

The following are the cavalry forces within the Fist, 3rd Expeditionary, beyond Checkers and Dr. Benway, that a cunning party will be able to suborn into leaving their posts and joining the scramble for gold.  Included is the name of the, unit, the type of unit, their numbers, statistics for their leaders and rank and file, the share they will demand of treasure and a description.

1. Bluto and Company - Flying Monkeys, Light Cavalry** - 1 Serjeant, 8 Troopers - 3 Shares

Bluto (Flying Monkey 3) STR 15 INT 11 WIS 6 DEX 16 CON 12 CHR 13.  AC 4 HP 14, ATK 1, DAM 1D3/by Weapon, MV (50'/30' Fly), ML 8.  gilded scale mail, scimitar(1D6), 2 large revolvers (6 Shot+2D10 bullets) (1D8/2Atk per)
Trooper (8) (Flying Monkey 1) AC 5, HP 4, ATK 1, DAM 1d3/by Weapon, MV (50'/30' Fly), ML 6. scale mail, scimitar(1D8), carbine(1D6); 2D10 + 5 bullets  [30'/100'/200'].
* Flying, may attack flying enemies and can scout as if on raised terrain at all times.
** Inconspicuous, Unlike many flying units Flying Monkeys are mistaken for birds on a 4 in 6 when seen from a distance and scouting or moving.

Bluto and his band were recruited by a detective thaumaturge who was killed only a few weeks later.  He and his monkeys have since stayed on, despite a lack of a wizardly master, because they have nowhere else to go.  They are extremely unhappy having lost most of their troop in desperate actions to fight off  mutated pterodactyls and pterosaurs riders many times tougher than them.  Bluto is a gruff monkey but charismatic of average intelligence (fairly high for a monkey) and a sluggish curmudgeonly demeanor, he's brave and loyal normally but recent events have worn him and his troopers down to the point where a big score and flight seem a great option.

If sutibly impressed by the magical powers of his new business partners Bluto's natural monkey magiphilia will come to the fore and he may be talked into only a single share as a reward.  His troops are good ranged skrimishers, and can hover out of melee range for up to 10 rounds.  They are hit and run fighters though, and despite their general willingness to fight and will flee determined attackers.  As scouts they have the distinct advantage of flight (slow clumsy flight) and can spot terrain features, hex contents and other forces as if they were on a hill at all times.  They are visible when doing this, or moving, as all flying units are, but will often be mistaken (4 in 6) for large birds.

The Undesirables - NPC party No. 4

Yesterday I created a new NPC party for the Appolyon - a real gang of murder hobos, derived from the use of the random henchman generator I posted a few days ago.  Note stats are listed only where above or below average range. It is as follows:

Madam D'Aubigny

The Real D'Aubigny by Beardsly

Adventuress (SPC 2) - Currently recovering from a badly burnt arm (will have complications, loss of STR most likely, 1 wk recovery)
HP 7 AC 4
STR 14, DEX 17, INT 13, CHR 17
Duelist - 2
Firearms - 1
Light Armor -1
Agility -1
Con Artist -1
Hedge Magic - 1
Aubigny is a singer, swordswomen, pistoleer and adventuress from somewhere with an early 20th century sensibility, She wears a pith helmet, armored leather vest, dark practical skirt and bright pirate style sash holding her saber and revolver.  She's a good leader and organizer, but not the strongest member of her party.

Beans
Flying Monkey (FM3) - Holding the group together
HP 10 AC 4
DEX 16 INT 6 WIS 7 CHR 14
Firearms - 4
Light Armor -1
Awareness - 2
Tinker -1
A maimed (missing a wing) and flightless flying monkey of advanced age, Beans was formerly a scout for an uptown family but since his injury has been retired.  He spent his muster out bonus quickly, as monkeys tend to without the order of regimental life, and has a nasty Mad Kelp habit.  Beans, despite his stupidity and impulsiveness is likeable, and rather dangerous with his pair of heavy revolvers or cutlass.  He still wears a stained frogged and steel lined uniform and armored fez, with all rank and unit designations ripped off.

Le Denier Combat

Below is a table for generating henchmen aboard the Apollyon.  So far a former gallery slave has become a decent spearman and a dinosaur hunter has been hired. The table includes the option of rolling again to determine a foible for the henchperson. 

 I personally try to avoid henchmen because of the XP penalty, but they are undeniably useful.  My personal GM philosophy about henchmen is that they are NPCs who distrust the characters, talk to each other and would really rather be doing anything else than climbing about in lost places fighting monsters.

Now I'm not sure if these guys work anywhere but the Apollyon, where flotsam come aboard from various times and places.  Still it's a wide variety of strange henchpeople and things that can make for memorable NPC's beyond the simple meatshield.

Some of these "foibles" can be quite bad as well, and I wouldn't give one to every henchperson.

It's guaranteed that the only way (ok maybe if you've given them a wand of lightning bolts or they're really crafty) that your party will beat the Serpentman manned, cuthonically enhanced, pair of armored triceratops guarding the front of the moribund Pleasure dome where the 100,000 GP prize is stored is with some armored back up. Well at least if they go about it in a stand up fight way.  I will post about my armor system when I work it out - but it'll be some sort of Structural Damage thing like Mekton or SpellJammer.  Basically your bullets, spears and magic missile will only serve to annoy an armor unit unless you manage to get very lucky. I'm aiming for that sequence in war movies where the tank just chases people down, bullets sparking off the glacis plate until its treads fill the screen - expect it's you wizard's carefully hoarded fireball that only manages to shake the monstrous beast for a second.

Old Steel Leviathan Doodle

Below is the obvious solution to a pair of twenty ton triceratops armored in coats of eldritch signs and sprouting grabby tentacles. An insane robot tank and its insane scientist mechanic. Yes, it's Science Fantasy Oddball.  When I played the scenario in its rough form the Steel Levitihan below was able to hurt the 16HD brutes pretty good before the caught up and gored Checkers onto its side (horns ripping through steel plate), dislodging Benway and stamping him to bits.  Both triceratops were hurt bad,stitched with .50 Caliber bullets and the party was able to get rid of their last few HP with magic missiles, a critical with a poisoned crossbow bolt and several blasts from the pneumatic dart gun on the dune buggy they stole.

The following individuals are the persons most likely to have useful information an contacts within Rustgate, together they control the area and their goals - extracting as much wealth from beyond the rust gates as possible, without weakening thier defenses are more or less aligned. All of them may find the party useful, and a few may even take a liking to or see the benefit in aiding brave souls that can actually accomplish something amongst the Apollyon's general air of desperation and hoplessness.

Mechamn - Scavenger General

Mechamn is an old scavenger who has spent most of his life adventuring in the hull, he's still a strong fighter, though well past his prime.  Now retired from active plundering he attempts to organize and encourage scavenging and reclaiming the hull.  No living individual has seen more about the unexplored reaches of the hull then Mechamnm, and for respect and small change he will share this knowledge.

The old scavenger is actually fairly messanistic about reclaiming the hull and quite helpful to those that do.  He is rumored to have the finest set of maps, including blueprints recovered from the unexplored regions.

Mechamn is almost always accompanied by Mr. Twinkles, an equally aged one winged flying monkey who is known to be a deadly shot with bolt action carbine he carries at all times.

The motorized Penny Farthing

Boneshaker Morely  - Morely is a skilled warrior, mostly notable for his use of a motorized Penny Farthing cycle as a mount. While not as stable as a horse, or itself capable of attack, the bicycle is much faster and excellent for Morely's personal combat style of hit and run attacks with lance and horse bow.  Morely is known for his suicidal bravery and for his dapper silver frogged, green velvet brigandine armor, burgundy fur chaplet and burgundy fur Hussar's helmet. He is a good tactician and trainer of light cavalry and is usually  hired for this purpose.
Boneshaker Morley (Fighter 5) STR 15 INT 14 WIS 8 DEX 17 CON 12 CHR 13.  AC 2 (1 mounted) HP 26, ATK 2, DAM by Weapon MV (40'/120' Mounted) ML 10.  volatile combustion powered penny Farthing (DEX check to ride), brigandine (banded mail), lance (1d10 - x3 w/charge), scimitar (1D8), horse bow (1D6+1) +1, arrows x 35

Zomax - A weak sorcerer out of the Vile Fens who's main claim to fame is his mastery of a magical drum that he uses to direct his two giant spider familiars "Red" and "Sufferance".  Only Zomax can tell the difference between his spiders and he waits wistfully for the day they have little spiderlings for him to tenderly raise. He tends not to work well with others, but a pair of giant poisonous spiders backed by hedge magic and poison darts is often enough. 
Zomax (Magic-User 4) STR 7 INT 14 WIS 15 DEX 13 CON 8 CHR 5.  AC 7 HP 6, ATK 1, D by Weapon MV (40') ML8.  wicker fetish "armor" (AC9), bone dagger (1D4), Poison darts x20 (1D4+2D6 poison), Drum of Spider Taming (only works on normal spiders without training).  Spellbook of carved spider chitin tokens: Magic Missile, Sleep, Read Magic, Shield, Dancing Lights, Spider Climb, Enlarge, Grease, Flaming Sphere, Audible Illusion, Web, Levitate, Tongues.

Red - Giant Spider AC 4, HD 3+3 (21 HP) ATK 1 D (1d8 + poison) MV ('30) Save F4, ML 10.  Poison is save or die
Sufferance - Giant Spider AC 4, HD 3+3 (18 HP) ATK 1 D (1d8 + poison) MV ('30) Save F4, ML 10.  Poison is save or die

Lemon is the party's magician, but his skills at lobbing oil, palaver and quick thinking are what have made him most valuable so far. Polari is the language of carnies - in case you were wondering.

Roll a '3' and meet "Father Scapula"

OBELISK OF FORGOTTEN MEMORIES - SPECIAL ENCOUNTERS
 In the Obelisk of Forgotten Memories I have included a list of random encounters/event that is designed to stimulate wild and unpredictable play - basically if the PC's refuse to be the agents of change the encounters on the table are perfectly willing to pick up the slack.  Roll or pick when nothing is happening, the players flee back to town, or a diplomatic impasse need to be broken.


SPECIAL ENCOUNTERS

ASSASSIN RULE HACK:

Assassins, an often despised as either virtually useless or game ruining class.  Well now I have one in my party and frankly I don't like the old rules at all.  This here is my completely new rules hack of the Assassin.  They are specialist thieves who focus on poison, murder and fast one-on-one melee combat.  Yes, they are like ninjas.  So far the assassin being played in my campaign under these rules has not created imbalance, or more specifically, any imbalance she creates is caused by some amazing stat rolls (See previous post re: Nell) and the core AD&D/LLC rules on statistics bonuses. 

Gravrilo Princip, Assassin - Photographer unknown