By Kobold Staff Nov 12, 2018 | Articles, Midgard |
The creature resembles a great blackened asp with smoldering skin and white-hot serpentine eyes. It slithers as confidently through the air as across the ground. Serpent of Suffering. Alnaar demons appear most commonly when a people, race, or species is experiencing suffering. There to hasten the process, the alnaar erupts from the Abyss, leaving massive holes in the firmament of the afflicted cities and towns. The alnaar’s only wish is to...
By Kobold Staff Nov 9, 2018 | Articles, Con Report |
Gamehole Con! Hello, Madison! Just a few quick snaps of the Kobold booth. Lots of magical tomes available here, including some rare gems like limited edition, leatherette copies of the Midgard Worldbook, Creature Codex, and shockingly, Southlands. Plus issues of Warlock and so much more. Not to mention real live kobolds. (Come say...
By Thomas Knauss Nov 7, 2018 | Articles, On the Road |
Alas, it has been a pleasure to share my exploits and insights over the past several months with you, my dear readers. My journal pages have taken us across the breadth of Midgard from the soaring peaks to the scorching sands. Therefore, it only seems fitting for us to part company with a celebration at the top of the world in the frozen north. Entry Six—Fire and Ice Sadly, with each passing year, my tolerance for cold declines. In my youth,...
By Kobold Staff Nov 5, 2018 | Articles, Midgard |
The Greenleaf College was founded by elfmarked who sought to record their varied heritage. Drawing from elven lore and power, Greenleaf bards strengthen their connection to nature. Through their magic and their tales, they convey the rejuvenating strength of the forests and rivers to their allies. [From the Midgard Heroes Handbook…] GREENLEAF COLLEGE (BARD) When you join the Greenleaf College at 3rd level, you gain access to an expanded list of...
By Kobold Staff Nov 2, 2018 | Articles, Wallpapers |
It’s November! So here’s a set of wallpapers for your computer, your smartphone, or whatever electronic device you’ve got. This month we tease the upcoming Midgard Sagas, by artist M. Wayne Miller. Bring on that weird winged tentacled beast thing! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Please, click on the image you want to download to expand it into a downloadable...
By GM Lent Oct 31, 2018 | Articles, The Sorcery Stop |
Magic is the lifeblood of fantasy. Arguably the dividing line between fantasy and other types of fiction, magic can be strange, mysterious, frightening, comical, and anything in between. So if you’re looking to explore the applications of magic in a fantasy roleplaying campaign, you want to visit the Sorcery Stop! Followers of Death Death cults have existed for as long as creatures have contemplated their own mortality. Born from fear,...
By Kobold Staff Oct 29, 2018 | Articles, Midgard |
Eons ago, a group of aboleth left the Material Plane to wander through distant planes—seeing them through magical scrying was not enough, so these aboleth used astral magic and bodily travel to see far beyond normal realms. A Forgotten Tribe. As ages passed, memories of those who departed slowly faded from the minds of those aboleth who remained behind. Those few aboleth who did remember that long ago some of their kin had gone plane-wandering...
By Jacob Huebsch Oct 26, 2018 | Articles, The Far Side of the Table |
Welcome to the table. Every GM makes mistakes. Sometimes the mistake goes unnoticed, or the GM quickly remedies the situation without the players ever being aware that there was a problem in the first place. Other times, GMs make mistakes that bring the game to a halt, forcing both the players and the GM to pause and fix things. Over the next three articles, let’s analyze when and why something can go wrong. What are common categories for...
By Daniel Colby Oct 24, 2018 | Articles, Races of Midgard |
The world of Midgard is home to many races, some hailing from cities, some from the wilderness, and others from the hidden depths of the world. Chernomoi are one of those many calling this world home. These well-dressed folks generally reside around one specific region of the world, the Mharoti Empire. Living among the larger draconic races, chernomoi have been given the nickname “lair sprites.” Description: Chernomoi are tiny, humanoid...
By Kobold Staff Oct 22, 2018 | Articles, Midgard |
Stannasgard is the most open and cosmopolitan of the dwarven reaver kingdoms, a major trading enclave and a gateway to the Nieder Straits. For many merchants, it’s the farthest into Northern territory they care to venture. Mines are the backbone of Stannasgard’s prosperity, since the land is rich in veins of iron and adamant. Working from these superlative raw materials, the dwarves of Stannasgard have forged a reputation as master artisans,...
By Matthew Corley Oct 19, 2018 | Articles |
“The Margreve came before such recent inventions as gods and spells and names and language.” (Baba Yaga) The stories and legends of the Old Margreve invariably turn their attention to Grandmother—or Baba Yaga. The denizens of the forest often feel Baba Yaga’s eyes upon them while they travel under the canopy. Sages, scholars, and madmen discuss her connection with the forest, its connection with her. In their squabbles, they agree on only one...
By GM Lent Oct 17, 2018 | Articles, Cult Activity |
The core rules provide options for cultists and cult leaders, but few options for other members of an occult organization. In particular, those who have sworn pacts to gain magical power are sorely underrepresented. Warlock NPCs This article presents a new NPC to help develop and fill out the membership and leadership of a profane sect. High Priests are the real brains and power behind the cult. The entry is presented in the same monster format...
By Kobold Staff Oct 14, 2018 | Articles, Midgard |
Hidden in the dappled shadows of the tree’s leaves, the elf ’s leather bandolier jingles softly. Leather armor dyed to match its surroundings, the nearly invisible archer removes a vial from the bandolier, quickly attaching it to an arrow. The well-kept bow does not creak as the bowstring is drawn. Mixing their knowledge of dangerous chemicals with their extensive weapon skills, these elves are devastating from afar. A Sharp Smell. Try as they...
By Stephen Rowe Oct 12, 2018 | Articles, Memoirs of a Lich |
Dear Osvaud, This is Osvaud. People who gravitate toward illusions are the biggest jerks in the wide world of wizardry. On a related note, we love illusions! Some spells kill, others save, but a properly wielded illusion causes a crippling existential crisis! The difference between a “good” and a “bad” illusion is all about Levels of Deception. This is a fancy way of saying you need to design lies in stacked layers with each level playing to...
By Thomas Knauss Oct 10, 2018 | Articles, On the Road |
No predicament frightens me more than the terrifying realization of being lost. My first brush with the unsettling sensation took place during my teenage years. My parents introduced me to the unspoiled wilderness at an early age. Under their tutelage and vigilant gaze, I explored dark forests and other feral areas where many adults feared to tread. At the age of fourteen, I decided to apply these lessons during my first solo foray into the...
