Patrons of the Known Galaxies: Ur-Noo-Polis

 

Patrons of the known Galaxies

Ur-Noo-Polis (Urnopolis)

The spirit of City

 This thing that haunts the Ur-metropolis seems a contradiction, an ill wind, or oily elusive shadows?  A long serpentine wind winding between buildings and threading its way into even the most hidden spaces.

Possession of Splinters Sailing on the Seas of Probability will greatly enhance the utility of this patron, but it is by no means essential.  

 The Ur-city, the Omnimetropolis,  is known by billions of names throughout the omniverse. The “All-City” is a reflection of the First City and of course of all cities in some sense.  A concept so important in the Collapsing Universe that the Noosphere emanation of the concept of City has long since become self-aware, hungry, and watching.   All cities are it’s body and equalmuch it’s memory.  City transcends time and space, and many Great Cities of Legend, seem to reincarnate in other times and places under names more fitting to their new environments. Through all of these places, from Los Angeles to New Chicago, Myris Ithil, the City of Brass, or transcendental Urath, through each window, into each home and business and office and street does the All City’s Sentience watch, self-absorbed, obsessed with the parasites that live within it and make up the greatest body of its spiritual energy….

Ur Noo Polis is both aiding and malevolent.  It will help but it may require you to allow an innocent to be murdered, both the act and your complicity, sacrifices to the All-City.

Tap the Urnoplis and Invoke the Spirit of the All City here 

This post was brought to you by the best people on earth, my patrons.

Special thank yous going out to

Beckett Warren, Charlie V, Christopher Tamm, Dyson Logos, Evlyn Moreau, Mamading Ceesay, PiaLaMode, and Tore Nielsen

Thank you for your support!

 

Patron Design Tricks - For those stuck on designing a patron I share this

I love designing patrons, they are (among)( my favorite thing about DCC - one day I am going to run a variant without clerics and no wizard magic other than patron magic but give that to all the classes.   

But anyway. I do love patrons and I love designing them, though the latter was not always true.  Patrons often appear deceptively easy to create fully until you sit down and realize you either do not have enough for a full patron or you need to whittle it down to a more focused single thing.   IT can be a real challenge, especially when you are creating new original material and so lack the yardstick of a more familiar thing.   

Even then, executing an end result that anyone wants to play with ever is almost a second skill set.  I used to have a much harder time breaking down patrons and making their design nay good – especially in sorting out What (of the idea) goes where? 

Then at some point I recognized that they are all legendary, in the folkloric sense.

 What do you mean LEGENDARY?   Here’s what I mean - Once I realized that the one defining element in the game world  (within the fiction) that ALL patrons have in common is being Legends, then designing them became easy and a lot more fun.   Taints? You become like them. Cool.  Do they have curses they are laboring under? Now you do too.   Spells? Well, what is the legend’s story? What is the legend? 

The three spells are what happened in the legend.  You tell the story by describing the spells and their effects.  

Its’ a neat medium to work in and I love writing mythologies for things.  So it’s been bang on for me ever since.

Remember, the patrons you create are your (fantasy)’ settings folklore.  Build from there.

 Of course, you can call me on this as Through the Walls of Mistand Thorn contains no less than FIVE patrons, all very Fairyland themed (well psychedelics horror show Fairyland, _I_ wrote it)  and give me the what-for on my patron design. 😊 

On trucking with demons (and beastfolken!)

My most sincere apologies! I slipped up – I forgot completely that beaastmen are not actually in the DCC RPG rulebook – they do however go all the way back to the beginning, Sail the Sunless Sea (check title)

Nonetheless I reference them many times in the book, statless, as I mistakenly thought they were in the core.  My bad and I should have checked.

In any case for those that need them here’s an appropriate stat block for beast folk, based off of (but not identical to) the classic Harley Stroh stats from Starless. (Wasn’t sure if I could reproduce them but also hey look I spun it.)

Bestialfolk (1-6) Init. +1; Atk spear +0 melee (1d6); AC 12; HD 1d8; hp 3 each; MV 30’; Act 1d20; SV Fort +1, Ref +1, Will -1; AL C.

For each Bestial encountered, roll 1d12 and 1d14 and combine the results to determine their appearance.

Beast folk are dim-witted, only marginally social creatures that are driven by a combination of instinct and both craven and darker urges that make it difficult for even the smartest of them to effectively reason.   They often appear to move as a pack or hive mob with no pretense of sentience.   Rare individuals may differ.

Tamarine breed beastfolken – roll 1d12 twice and combine the results

1.       Cow headed

2.      Scorpion tailed (attacks for 1d4)

3.      Horse hooved

4.      Covered in fine black and brown fur, some leathery webbing at the fingers and toes.

5.      Wasp head, mandible, antennae, compound eyes, buzzing from tiny vestigial wings. 

6.      Covered in fine Bee-like hairs, constantly covered in pollen

7.      Horse headed

8.     The digitigrade hind paws of a Wolf

9.      The horns of a Goat

10.   Serpent scaled

11.   large muscled body covered in short hair, and an additional head – that off a (1) dog (2) wolf (3) saber tooth (5) Lamprey (5) A feral, leonine head and mane (6) bee head

12.  A bejeweled dragonfly

1.       Doughy, leathern skin

2.      Shiny black-brown chitinous resin covering skin

3.      Mane of (1-3) horse (4-6) lion

4.      Thick leathery skin

5.      The blind eyes, large ears, and screech of a bat

6.      Six to eight eyes spread out across the face in two rows of three or triple rows of two.

7.      A thick luscious horse tail

8.     Horns of a goat, perpetually streaked with gore

9.      Oily black secretions constantly seep from enormous skin pores

10.   Thick bristly orange fur

11.    Wings and segments suggesting a bejeweled dragon-fly like body.  Wearing armor is impossible.

12.  Body is segmented into thorax and abdomen; wasp-like body with vestigial wings, goes about on all fours.

And now a question I'm surrprised I don 't get more often

Why would any civilized person ally with such a monstrous spirit as the red queen?

Because she legitimately will help you, and isn’t likely to screw you over unless you have first done so to her.  She has long offered her 'gifts' most readily to  those who place themselves in harm’s way – prostitutes and sex workers especially but also gladiators, professional fighters and those who do what they must to survive.   Sorcerers who seek the safety to a cushy court wizard position will find themselves increasinly challeneged by her patronage.  In rare instances, the Pandoramicum has been known to favor princes and princesses, and more commonly across the worlds down through the ages she is said to have watched over the smallest of children, most especialy the abandoned.....

In short, Tamarah is among the most "reasonable" of demons, but she remains a demon and a potent one. 
Play-wise, of course, Tamarah is there for those who seek to experience the patronage of a dicey untrustworthy cosmic power that equalmuch seeks to use them as they use it in the finest Moorcockian tradition.

Take the first sip here
Turn off your mind relax and float downstream. It is not dying, it is not dying. Lay down all thoughts surrender to the void - it is shining. It is shining. 

the Rain Princess (a DCC Patron)

Rain Princess
A modern inhabitant of the faerie chaos

The Rain Princess is trapped away in her tower, which is covered in vines, mushrooms, and plants and other growing things.  She is immortal but is doomed never to leave her covered  ivory & gold tower. She is a creature of great compassion and wisdom but is seldom spoken of.  Where her tower touches the mortal world closest, there is rain eternal for it is said the gods have great compassion for her, glorious but trapped.
Combining many faerie tale elements, this is one of the saner patrons the faerie chaos has to offer.  Indeed, she relates better to material creatures, trapped in their prisons of time, life, and death, than she does to the ….alien things responsible for her captivity.   She can provide information, aid of an indirect but potent nature, and will do what she can to help (if your heart is pure (or pure enough) but know that any attempt to free her brings doom upon you as well.

Invoke Patron results table - Invoke the Rain Princess
Level 1 Range: Self Duration: Variable
Casting time: 1 round Save: None
Misfire N/A
Corruption Roll 1d8 1-4 minor 5-7 major 8 greater

12-13	The Princess sends refreshing, pure rain; afterward the frogs of the wood will report all that they see and hear to Her.   The caster will not get wet.
14-17	Bright Spies of Midsummer eve - Send aid in the form of light fairy creatures and local but clever animals.   1d4 fairy lights, creating pale eerie light not quite bright enough to read by, and 1d10 small woodland creatures or terrain equivalent (small birds mostly) descend upon the caster as though sent by the Princess herself.   One of which will on her behalf happily answer any one question in a language the caster understands.
18-19	Embracing cloak of Autumn clouds - The Rain Princess weaves a net of multilayered clouds, mist, and a fog to protect and conceal you from things in the sky & things searching for you, most especially flying mythical creatures (Chimerae, Dragons, certain Demons, and the like). For up to 1d4 hours to allow pursuit or escape overland.  Furthermore, during this time the caster and (d4+cl) designated others leave no traces of their passing identifiable by mundane means. This could be sufficient to allow a party a rest in a wilderness or dungeon environment free of harassment for a limited amount of time.  These effects end immediately upon any act of violence committed by those under it’s effects.
20-23	Sending Sweet Rain  Will send a spring storm that rains sweet water down upon the caster and 1d3+CL designated others; the caster will not become wet or damp unless desired. Caster can designate a restoring rain (which will allow all to recover 2d5 hp, and 1d3 ability loss) or a cleansing rain (Which will purge disease and taint, to the point of curing disease, neutralizing poison, or the like).  Additionally, the caster may designated this effect to replicate the 18-19 effect above as well In addition the water is sweet and pure, and very potent, a cupful sufficient to alleviate dehydration conditions and cleanse the characters mundanely.
24-27	The infinite and dewy recollection of early morning - WIll refresh the character’s memory of any single forgotten spell, even including spells the character has previously lost, had stolen, or traded away.   This takes effect immediately, and the spell is usable on the character's next round of action, making use of it at +3 to the spell check.
28-29	Weapons of the Eternal Suitors - Over the millennia of her imprisonment, many have sought to free the Rain Princess.  Those so questing have vanished, naught to return, and so are called the Eternal Suitors.  However, many of these suitors have, over the eons, left many a weapon of potent aspect.  With this invoke result, the Rain Princess allows you to wield a shadow of one of these weapons of power.  Roll a d6: Shadow of the ebon blades - wavy black inky long blade +4 hit/damage v. anything, incorporeal or solid Shadow of the Elondice silver sabre - +1 to hit, cuts through *anything* on nat. 20 Shadow of the Onyx Mace - +4 to hit, 3d6 damage, shatters inanimate objects Shadow of the Fire Spear - flung but returns; 60’ range 5d6 fire/magma Shadow of the Kingsblade +2 longsword, holy, lawful; +2d4 v. chaos Shadow of the Stormbow 300’ range 2d6 +3d6 electricity and degaussing Such a weapon manifests automatically; each can be used once a round with the caster’s normal action die as an attack action.   Weapon lingers until no longer in use or next sunrise.  The caster is always considered proficient with this weapon.
30-31	A Door in the air, barely ajar -  The Rain Princess Lets down her silver hair; the caster may climb the spun filaments, evacuating the scene to a shadowy non-dimensional space 10’ above.  In this space the caster has the benefit of time passing at an altered, glamoured rate, so that ten rounds pass in the pocket space for every single round in the ‘real world.’  The caster and 1d4+CL others may remain in this pocket space for CL/hours before they will need to decamp back into the real world. During this time successfully searching for the hidden will prove nearly impossible, save by scrying magic at an equivalent. DC.
32+	Anointed Champion of the Trapped Princess of Rain - You channel a sliver of the The Rain Princess herself and in so doing she comes closest to knowing freedom.   Immediately an ash, oak, (or local equivalent)  branch will erupt from nearest woodlands (or a bush if necessary) - this weapon may only be borne by the caster and only lingers for CL / rounds.   While bearing it, you are +2 AC, +2 to Hit, +2 to damage, and with the longspear, crit on an 18-20.  All criticals impale, which inflicts 1d8+12 damage and immobilizes the target.   While bearing the branch-spear the wielder ise immune to electricity, magnetic attacks, and the effects of weather and environment. As the bearer of the branch-spear the caster is the Rain Princess’ appointed champion. The character is  changed by this. In the short term, The caster experiences a +4 morale bonus to attack, spell checks, and both will and fort saves for the next 2d6 hours.   The caster will be able to spend luck on others as though they were a halfling.   Additionally, the caster receives a permanent +1 to Personality and Int, and will be treated as at least part fey by fey creatures forevermore both socially and magically. However, in taking on even a little of herself into you, you have brought a sliver of her curse upon you.  Regardless of your success in other arenas, you will forever know isolation and loneliness, as though set apart from All  peoples.   This does not go on forever.  In 1d4+1 game years, when the caster is alone without witness, they will vanish from all reality, drawn into the her Tower, forever silent.  Perhaps they are together, forever?  Or perhaps from such suitors doth she feed, and in that way, knows the world.   Who knows?

Patron Taint - the Rain Princess

Patron Taint 1   - Overwhelming pangs of sadness and despair pluck at the caster’s heart and soul;  existential hopelessness and dread beyond mortal ken washing over and through them.  Subsequent recipience of this result leads to deep clinical depression, and later “sickness of the heart.”

Patron Taint 2  - In breaching the oath word-wards that make up the Princess’ tower, the caster takes on qualities of the prison itself.  Over the next d4+CL days the caster erupts in shoots, small colourful mushrooms, tubers, and other fungal and vegetable growths.   These may be plucked for spellburn purposes.  Additional receipt of these results will turn the caster’s hair green, cover their bodies in moss, and their feet in stonemasonry-like callouses.   Subsequent receipt of this result turns the character slowly into the material of the princess’ tower, adding 2 to their innate AC while suffering a loss of 2 permanent agility points.   With Five total recipients of this result, the caster fades from reality, to become an immortal moss covered stone brick, betraying the Princess by becoming part of her prison.

Patron Taint 3   - Somehow the purity and essence of light within the Rain Princess shines through you.  You shine from within a rose and golden light to a radius of 60’  The first time you receive this result, your eyes turn to gold and your hair to spun silver, while your features become more even and more Princess-like, netting a +2 PERsonality score permanently.  A second occurrence of this result however (and any subsequent), slowly sap the caster’s will and ego as they give up more and more of their self to the  Faerie thing they are channeling.  -1 Pers (perm.) each time, though their features will also slowly transform into a porcelain doll of perfect features, silver metallic hair, and sad eyes of liquid gold.

Patron Taint 4  - The Rain Princess looks on in disgust and despair at the state of your mortal world; her sense of fair play and just rewards bleeds over into the caster, moving their alignment a step closer to Lawful, suffering a perm. Loss of a point of luck in so doing.   Those already Lawful may find themselves geased to complete some need based task to benefit someone recently encountered by the party, the completion of which will hold off the luck loss (indefinitely).

Patron Taint 5  - A light mist rises and surrounds the caster like a comforting lover, covering them in a light covering of dew drops and water droplets.  This effect is permanent.  On a subsequent result of this taint, the mist is replaced with a light rain that, again, is constant but affects only the caster.  A third recipt will make life very difficult for the caster.

Patron taint 6  - Congratulations, you now are channel for the Rain Princess’ sadness. The ever tears begin.  1d5 hard black and silver  crystalline tears are painfully forced out of your tear ducts at dawn and dusk every day.  Each is worth 5d12 sp but each also inflicts 1d3 points of damage. Provided you survive this, subsequent receipt of this taint only induces an immediate crying jag as though it were dawn or dusk but has no other additional effect. The tears may most certainly be used for Stamina, or Personality based spellburn.

Spellburn

1. The caster sings a heartfelt but bittersweet paean to the Rain Princess, serenading her from afar. Allows burning of Personality, Stamina, or Intelligence.
2. The character spins about for a full round bringing both intense dizziness and the caster more into sync with the Princess.  Can be used for Stamina, Agility and Intelligence based spellburn.
3. A feeling of trapped imprisonment washes through the caster’s mind and body, freezing their joints and robbing their muscles of strength.  You share in the Princess’ constant torment only a little.  (Str, Sta, and Agil spellburn)
4. The caster’s breath crystallizes on exhale, literally sucking the air out of their lungs to fall to the ground shattering into small fragments which will then turn back to gas.   (Agil and Str spellburn)

Possible Patron spells

Won’t you Come out And Play? (level 1) - stirs the sleeping no matter how long sleeping, beckons the fearful to play, etc.  Essentially a supernatural “Come Hither” to mythical beings.

Open up your Eyes (level 2)  - bestows a kind of total arcane (fay and fae)  sight and extra

awakened perceptions; lots of cannot unsee; leads to madness

Clouds will be a Daisy Chain (level 3) - faerie weather control; can assume fanciful shapes,

rain frogs, fish, hot hail, etc.

A note on Spell Dueling

Note: for Spell dueling purposes, any other patron connected to faerie and any other patron the

Judge decides are considered proper oppositional patrons to counter invoke patron with invoke

patron.   Indeed, the only other spirit known to get on with her is the ancient fae spirit the Green

Fairy, the only fae creature known to break the ban on interacting with her.

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