By Michael Allen Jul 14, 2017 | Articles, Trapmaster |
The Empty Shelf Setting the heavy tome in place, Mira thought to herself, “These sages need to get out more. I am bored just looking at these books. I would rather eat sawdust than read them. They are probably drier…” Indeed, the bookshelves mask the seams in the pivoting section of wall ahead, but the tiny scrape marks in the floor give it away. Opening the panel is another issue. Attempts to manipulate the pivot seem...
By Michael Allen May 26, 2017 | Articles, Trapmaster |
The Diviner’s Judgement Facing one way and then the other, Mira finally turned back toward the doorway. Reaching out to the double doors blocking her way, she made her choice… The 10-ft.-wide corridor turns the corner and comes to an end fifteen feet ahead. A sturdy double door bisects the plain stone wall. Both panels sport brass knobs; no lock or keyhole is evident. The skeleton of a long-dead human lies sprawled in front of the...
By Michael Allen Apr 28, 2017 | Articles, Trapmaster |
Courage Triumphant Mira raised a weary and trembling arm, blackened with corruption, and grasped the door pull. “Hopefully, I’ve gotten this right,” she muttered as she pulled with all her remaining strength… Three doors block the way, a blackened iron pull on each. The three pieces of hardware are fashioned as grotesques—the ring pull dangling from the visages of horrific creatures rendered in hard metal. One pull resembles a...
By Michael Allen Apr 7, 2017 | Articles, Trapmaster |
Seasons of Love Mira spat with frustration. It seemed a shame to leave some of the best pieces behind, but as the verse hinted, there is always some loss in the search for love… A rosewood box on a recessed shelf awaits across from the entrance to this 15-ft.-by-20-ft. chamber. The walls and 20-ft.-high vaulted ceiling bear the mural of an idyllic retreat in the woods, just the kind sought by lovers for a private tryst. Floor mosaics...
By Michael Allen Mar 17, 2017 | Articles, Trapmaster |
The Over-Under Mira sighed as she slathered on the last of the warding gel. The opening looked quite dusty, and the gel was certain to pick it up as she squeezed through. Getting her clothes clean afterward would prove a bother… No lock or handle graces the iron door slightly too small for the frame. Light from beyond leaks through a space of almost an inch between jamb and door around the entire perimeter, interrupted in five spots on...
By Michael Allen Feb 24, 2017 | Articles, Trapmaster |
The Woodpile Reaching out to grab the handle of the axe, Mira sighed and thought to herself, “This is why I left the farm. I never did much enjoy morning chores…” A 35-ft.-long tree trunk rests on the ground in the middle of a 15-ft.-by-55-ft. chamber, a whirring saw-blade spinning four feet above the felled timber. A woodbin just inside the door holds twelve split pieces of wood. A similar bin on the far side of the room...
By Michael Allen Jan 20, 2017 | Articles, Trapmaster |
The Hands of Time Mira cursed as a gobbet of molten iron landed on her shoulder. A partner would have made the riddle of the clock easy to bypass. As it was, her only course had been to spike the pendulum. She thought the sweat on her brow beaded from concentration as she picked the lock, but looking up, she realized it was from the heat of the iron spike that was now red hot and flexing under the pressure of the axe-shaped pendulum. Breaking...
By Michael Allen Dec 16, 2016 | Articles, Trapmaster |
Spike-Eating Pit Trap Brushing the flakes of rust from her hands, Mira reached into her pouch and withdrew a wooden spike. Glad now that she had paid the druids of the grove to enchant it, the young rogue carefully tapped it into the seam of the pit trap ahead, ignoring the statues of horrific creatures awaiting her at the end of the corridor… At the far end of the 10-ft-wide corridor, six stone monsters flank a door, the heads of each of the...
By Michael Allen Nov 18, 2016 | Articles, Trapmaster |
Mira smiled fondly at the inscription inscribed onto the leather flap on her tool pouch as she returned the magnifying glass: Grand-daughter, may these tools grant you the blessings they once brought me, though the paths you seek to walk are dark and fraught with ancient perils. The traps you encounter will most definitely be of the old school. —Gavin Setting aside the ship-in-the-bottle, the young tomb robber sat down in the corridor and began...
By Wade Rockett Mar 22, 2016 | Articles, Front Page |
It’s been my privilege to work with Kobold Press almost since its inception—first as a copywriter and marketer, and later as a designer, developer and editor. My favorite Kobold books to work on have been for the 13th Age Roleplaying Game by Rob Heinsoo and Jonathan Tweet. So, to help celebrate the 10th anniversary of Kobold Press, I’ve converted Christina Stiles’ Scaler’s Alley scenario in Streets of Zobeck for use in a...
By Melody Haren Anderson Dec 22, 2014 | Articles, Front Page, Monsters |
It is said that for every idea there is a star in the sky, and every star sings a song honoring that ideal. This is one of those songs. Although not all are malevolent, star songs adhere to their ideals with alien fervor and this makes them dangerous. Furthermore, they attempt to cause and thereby incorporate sounds that they feel strengthen their songs. This leads them to seek out like-minded beings with whom to work and strengthen in return...
By Kobold Staff Nov 17, 2014 | Announcements, Front Page |
An Age of Wizardy has arrived! Magic is everywhere. Whether it’s a hidden power wielded by a secret few or the energy that powers an entire realm, magic is a vital part of any fantasy world. And now its secrets are yours! Now available from the Kobold Store, DriveThruRPG, Paizo and Amazon, Deep Magic: 13th Age Compatible Edition is for 13th Age players who want new options that allow them to bend reality to their wills and perform spectacular...
By Wade Rockett Oct 28, 2014 | Articles, Front Page |
Chapter 2 of Deep Magic: 13th Age Compatible Edition describes 30 specialty schools and magical traditions, each with flavor text to give you an idea of how the school fits into the world, a brief description of how they like to use their spells, and a list of their spells. Here are some of our favorites: The Daughters of Freyja, The Forlorn Elementalists, The Inklings, The Red Inquisition and the Zobeck School for Scoundrels. Any listed spell...
By Wade Rockett Jul 29, 2014 | Articles, Front Page |
I’m busy editing the manuscript for Deep Magic: 13th Age Compatible Edition by ASH LAW, now available to pre-order. There’s so much cool stuff in here that I can’t wait to share with you. So I wont! Here’s a sneak preview from the book: a conversion of the duel cantrip. Duel You create an illusory combat terrain for magical duels, lasting 1 hour or until you end the effect. Duelists go through all the motions of casting...
By David Dolph Jun 30, 2014 | Articles, Front Page, Monsters |
Anima are raw emotions given tangible form. Unfortunately for those encountering this creature, the strongest emotions can come at the time of death. Fear, pain, and despair are some of these passions turned into monstrosities. Some among society know the secrets of pulling the power of emotions from a dying person; the time when emotions can be at their highest peak. An even smaller subset of these individuals even know how to manipulate the...
