[Festival of Fright] Savage Menegerie: The Great Pumpking

No. Enc.: 1

Alignment: Chaotic

Movement: 180' (60')

Armor Class: 3
Hit Dice: 13
Attacks: 3 (2 claws,bite)
Damage: 2d6/2d6/2d8

Save: L7
Morale: 10
Hoard Class: XXII

The Great Pumpking is a giant plant mutant worshiped by Pumpkin Men (MF rulebook, pg. 90). It is unknown if The Great Pumpking is a godlike deity, a supernatural entity, or just a unique gargantuan creature. Regardless of its background, The Great Pumpking is a monstrous entity that is as evil as it is large. Only one has ever been encountered in the Mutant Future.

The Great Pumpking is well over 20 feet tall, made up of ropy, throny tendrills and vines, topped by a large pumpkin head. It attacks with two claw-like hands for 2d6 hit points each. It can also bite with a thorn-laden mouth for 2d8 hit points of damage. The Great Pumpking can also fire a devistating blast of radiation from its gamma eyes for 9d6 hit points of radiation damage.

The Great Pumpking is found only in pumpkin patches, usually near the lair of Pumpkin Men. It is said that the rituals and chants known by Pumpkin Men will call forth The Great Pumpking, but only at midnight during the Festival of Fright. Pumpkin Men offer up sacrifices to The Great Pumpking to curry favor and protection. If a party encounters a Great Pumpking, they will also have to deal with the 5d6 Pumpkin Men followers who have called it into existance.

Mutations: gigantism, natural vegetal weapons, optic emissions (gamma eyes)

[Festival of Fright] Notorius NPC: "Sam"

"Sam"

8th Level Mutant Human (probably)

STR: 17 --- INT: 14
DEX: 16 --- WIL: 15
CON: 16 --- CHA: 10
HPs: 58 --- AC: 1

Mutations: precognition, teleportation, mental barrier

Not much is known about "Sam," who is the recognized leader of the Tricker Treaters. What is known is that he is a coldblooded killer in the body of a child.

"Sam" appears to be a small child dressed in a pair of "Footie" pajamas. Over his head, he wears a simple mask made out of a burlap bag with two big black buttons sewn on for the eyes. He can be found carrying a trick-or-treat sack and/or a large lollipop in the shape of a jack-o-lantern. "Sam" never talks and remains utterly silent.

"Sam" can best be described as "The Spirit of Halloween," for he enforces the rules and rituals of the Festival of Fright. It is said he appears to one town or village one night of the year to watch over the populace as they celebrate the Festival. If he sees violators (not being generous to Tricker Treaters, not wearing masks and costumes, blowing out the candle in a jack-o-lantern), it is said he will exact revenge against those.

"Sam" is almost supernaturally fast and strong. He receives a +2 to hit bonus, +4 damage bonus, and he receives 2 attacks per combat round. He is hard to fight mentally as he has a permanent mental barrier in place. Physical combat is also difficult as "Sam" can teleport out of harm's way, and his precognition gives him advance warnings of grievous injury.

When "Sam" is first encountered, it may be almost humorous in nature as "Sam" does not seem to be very menacing. However, if "Sam" is crossed or insulted, his true nature should be revealed. "Sam" is -- at heart -- a demonic creature of sadistic intent. Oddly enough, treating him as a childlike trick-or-treater may be enough to make him break off his attack. It's been said that simply offering him some candy may make him forget his vengeance-fueled attack and he will wander off, happily munching the sweets offered to him.

"Sam" appears courtesy of the movie "Trick R Treat."

[Festival of Fright/Thundarr Thursday] Savage Menagerie: Werewolves

No. Enc.: 3d6 (3d10)
Alignment: Chaotic

Movement: 180' (60')

Armor Class: 5

Hit Dice: 4
Attacks: 2 (bite/claw)
Damage: 2d4/1d6

Save: L4

Morale: 8
Hoard Class: XX

Just as they "exist" in most fantasy tropes, Werewolves also exist in the World of Thundarr the Barbarian. However, unlike the "classic" idea of a Werewolf, the man-beasts from The Brotherhood of the Night differ greatly.

Werewolves appear to be a humanoid creature with the characteristics of a large wolf. They are covered in brown or grey fur, have pointed ears and claws, and fangs. Unlike a wolf, Werewolves have yellow slitted eyes and a thick mane of hair around their head, giving them an almost-feline-like look. They are rarely found in small groups, preferring to hunt and travel in larger packs. A Werewolf attacks by biting and clawing, dealing 2d4 and 1d6 hit points respectively. They have enhanced sight and enhanced hearing, giving them an almost supernatural ability to track their prey.

However, the bite of a Werewolf does not pass along the lycanthropy curse. All Werewolves are created by their "pack leader," a powerful Werewolf who can create new Werewolves just by touching a victim. (If a Werewolf pack is randomly encountered, there is a 20% chance that the pack leader will be accompanying them, though there is a 60% chance he will be found in their lair.) This pack leader should be 2HD larger with a +2 bonus to hit. If he is able to grab and hold a victim, the victim should save versus stun attacks or be transformed into a Werewolf under the control of the pack leader. However, this condition can be broken and reversed upon exposure to a naturally occurring substance such as wolfsbane or the waters of an enchanted spring. It is left to the Mutant Lord to determine the antidote to the lycanthropy.

In the episode "The Brotherhood of the Night," the pack leader Zebon was trying to grow his pack large enough to capture and convert the wizard Infernus. Once the wizard was under his thrall, he planned to use his massive army (along with the wizard's power) to rule the world. Once Thundarr tossed him into a healing spring, he reverted to a wolf form rather than a human form, which could mean that he was a mutant wolf all along.

Mutations: enhanced sight, enhanced hearing

NOTE: This creature was inspired by the episode "The Brotherhood of the Night" from the Ruby Spears post-apocalyptic cartoon series "Thundarr the Barbarian." Stay tuned for more of Thundarr Thursday!

[Festival of Fright] Dangerous Encounter: Living Nightmare

To run this encounter properly, the Mutant Lord will previously need to have some idea as to who (or "what") frightens the PCs. It can be a particularly villainous foe they encountered, a monstrous mutant they barely defeated, or any large creature they have heard rumors of that they have shown hesitancy to meet. ("Boy I hope we never run into one of those!")

When this encounter begins, the PCs should find themselves in some central public location such as a town square, tavern, or marketplace. There should be some concerned excitement bubbling up nearby as the townsfolk in the crowd begin to talk excitably. The PC should catch snippets of conversation: "She just wandered in...thought she was dead...her poor parents must be relieved...!" If the PCs ask around or investigate, they'll get the following information:

"About three weeks ago, a small girl disappeared from the village. No one knew if she was taken or if she just wandered off into the woods. It was assumed she had been dragged off and eaten by one of the creatures lurking in the ruins nearby. Her parents were inconsolable. However, about an hour ago, she wandered into the village! She seems to be healthy and unharmed, but there's something...wrong about her. She just stares off into the distance--never blinking, never speaking..."

The parents are happy to talk with the PCs (they're just delighted their child is back) and will let them meet with the girl if desired. The child, named Haester, sits silently in a chair, staring wide-eyed off into space. She seems almost robotic or hypnotized, devoid of emotion. If the PCs talk to her gently and ask what happened to her, she'll slowly turn her head to them and blandly remark, "The Grizzold took me to his house." The parents will act surprised, explaining that "the Grizzold" is a made-up monster from a fairy-tale her parents used to tell her. (If asked for a description of the Grizzold, the Mutant Lord is encouraged to describe the most horrific creature he can imagine. The PCs may later encounter "the Grizzold" if they're freaked out enough at the description!) Upon further conversation, Haester will describe the old ruined house about 5 miles away where "the Grizzold" kept her. She will also warn about his "mean dogs" before she shuts down completely. If the PCs aren't curious enough to investigate on their own, the village's town council will offer them a handsome reward to deal with this monster before another child is taken.

When the PCs arrive in the area, they should see an old dilapidated mansion on a hill. (The Mutant Lord is encouraged to play this up as the classic "haunted house" scenario, with the wind whipping up, night falling, and a blood-red full moon in the sky.) As they approach the house, a pair of Kamatas (MF rulebook, pg. 78) will charge from the underbrush and attack.

Kamata (2) (AL C, MV 180’ (60’), AC 5, HD 5, #AT 3 (2 claws, bite), DG 1d8/1d8/1d6, SV L3, ML 9, mutations: energy retaining cell structure, increased sense (smell))

Once the creature's "pets" are dealt with, the PCs can enter the house. Unbeknownst to the party, a Fear Feeder has taken up residence in an old dilapidated mansion. The extra-planar creature feeds on fear, terror, and horror, and it takes the shape of whatever terrorizes its victim the most. As the victim cringes in horror, the Fear Feeder consumes the negative energy until it has drained a victim of all its Willpower. Once drained and emotionally broken, it releases its prey and goes to find a fresh source of fear. (Fear Feeders are particularly fond of childhood traumas.)

Fear Feeder (1) (AL C, MV 120’ (40’), AC 3, HD 6, #AT 2 (claws plus special), DG 1d8/1d8/WIL drain, SV L6, ML 10, mutations: mental phantasm (unique), emotional vampirsm (fear))

The Mutant Lord should have the PCs slowly investigate the house, looking for "the Grizzold." Since the Fear Feeder is a shadowy creature, it will hide in the corners and the darkness, looking for an opportunity to take the shape of a new horrific being to terrorize its new "playthings." The Fear Feeder will try to attack the party individually rather than as a group, so it will wait until they separate before striking first. Once the nature of the Fear Feeder is discovered or once it looks like the fight is going against it, it will attempt to flee the area, hoping to find another location near another village with children.

[Festival of Fright] Savage Menagerie: Prometheoid

No. Enc.: 1

Alignment: Neutral
Movement: 90' (30')

Armor Class: 5
Hit Dice: 9
Attacks: 1 (hand or weapon)
Damage: 3d6 or as weapon

Save: L5
Morale: 10
Hoard Class: VII

Prometheoids are the end results of twisted medical experiments trying to learn the secrets of immortality and cheating death. A Prometheoid is a stitched-together collection of human (and mutant) body parts which is then somehow brought back to life through science or mutation (or magic if your campaign has it). Prometheoids are also known as "Conglomerate Men," "Reanimated Dead," or the more colloquial nickname "Frankenstein."

Prometheoids are huge, often standing more than 8 feet tall. (It is said that their creators make them bigger so it's easier to work on them.) Due to their size, Prometheoids have a form of the increased strength and increased constitution mutations. They can deal 3d6 damage in unarmed combat, and if they use a weapon, it's 3d6 plus whatever damage the weapon deals. Prometheoids are immune to damaging effects from poisons or radiation. They also do not age (explaining why a Prometheoid created in the past could still be wandering the wastelands).

If a Prometheoid is the result of an experiment performed prior to the Final Wars, the creature will not have any other mutations or abilities. If, however, the creature was created in the Mutant Future, the Mutant Lord should bestow 1d4 additional physical mutations upon the creature. (It is assumed the creator used mutated body parts in the Prometheoid's creation.)

Mentally, a Prometheoid can be one of two minds: It can be a mindless grunting killing machine, rampaging against life itself. Or it can be an intelligent, yet twisted, tragic figure who feels that its existence is cursed and damned. It is left to the Mutant Lord to determine the story behind its creation and its motivation in the world.

Mutations: increased strength, increased constitution, special (see description)

[Festival of Fright] Furtive Faction: Tricker Treaters

Group Goals and Beliefs: To test the charitable nature of strangers. To judge the worthiness of "treaters" and to "trick" those who do not measure up.

Identifiers: Tricker Treaters are children (or possibly small adults) wearing tattered, shabby clothing and a single, simple mask. They may be carrying a bag or sack with them. They never speak, except for the phrase "Tricker Treat," which are the only words you will hear them utter.

Group History: According to legend, during the days of the Festival of Fear, small children would be sent into the world at night, begging for tribute. The children, wearing masks to hide their identities, would approach a stranger and utter the chant "Tricker Treat" while thrusting an open bag or sack at the stranger. The stories say that those who gave worthy gifts to these children would be blessed with good fortune throughout the year. Those who refused or offered small rewards would be punished -- or "tricked" -- for their miserly ways. If a Tricker Treater approaches you, you'd better have something of value to give to them. If you refuse or shortchange them, they'll wander off silently to plot their "trick."

Game Information: Since the days of the Final Wars, the original intent of the Halloween Trick-or-Treat tradition has been warped into a pseudo-religion. It is now viewed as a test of integrity and generosity. Those who pass are left unmolested. Those who fail are deemed unworthy of existence and will "tricked" i.e. killed. These "tricks" usually come in a form similar to the harmless pranks of yesteryear. However, instead of having eggs thrown at their house, the "tricked" may wake to hear live grenades crashing through a window. Instead of releasing a pig in the "tricked" house, they may find a hungry, angry hideous boar. Tricker Treaters see themselves as the final judge of mankind's true character, and they take that responsibility seriously and with bloody intent. It is rumored that their leader, known only as "Sam," is a very powerful mutant who violently enforces his interpretation of the Laws of the Festival of Fright.

Seven Days Celebrating The Festival Of Fright

Pull on your masks and grab your trick-or-treat bags. Beginning tomorrow, your post-apocalyptic Mutant Future PCs will discover that mutated creatures and twisted atomic abominations are the LEAST of their problems when this annual Festival of Fright rolls through their village. Seven days of ghosties, ghoulies, long-legged creepies, and Things That Go Bump In The Night, leading up to a special Halloween-themed encounter on October 31.

Boo!

Savage Menagerie: Zebrant

No. Enc.: 1 (1d2)
Alignment: Neutral
Movement: 210' (70')

Armor Class: 3
Hit Dice: 5
Attacks: 1 (bite or trample)
Damage: 1d6 or 1d20
Save: L3
Morale: 6
Hoard Class: None

Contrary to appearances, the Zebrant is not a mutated insect. It is actually a mammalian horse that has mutated extra legs and a multisegmented torso. This large beast (7-foot-tall at the shoulder) is prized as a swift mount capable of fast speeds. It can also comfortably carry two riders. However, Zebrants are very rare to find in the wild, and -- until caught and tamed -- they will bolt from any perceived threat. Although they shy from combat, a Zebrant will bite if given the chance for 1d6 hit points of damage. A Zebrant may also try to trample an opponent, doing 1d20 hit points if it manages to bowl over an attacker.

Besides its speed and carrying capacity, a Zebrant has one other benefit making it a much sought-after mount. A Zebrant has a greater force screen mutation that it can enfold around a rider. Once a day, a Zebrant can activate its force screen, encompassing both itself and anyone riding on it. The force screen is capable of deflecting 5d6 hit points of damage before collapsing. This mutation has given rise to the Zebrant nickname of "Striped Tanks," as a rider on the back of a Zebrant is all but untouchable.

Mutations: gigantism, force screen (greater)

[Thundarr Thursday] Review Of The Official Thundarr DVD Release

The blurb on the back of the DVD case says it all, as if the copywriter was acutely aware of the demand for this cartoon series:

YOUR SEARCH FOR THE SUNSWORD IS OVER!

I placed my order for the Thundarr the Barbarian DVD set on October 14 and received it five days later. Very impressed with the speed of delivery, but how would the set itself stack up to this very demanding Thundarr fan? I knew the set was going to be a "made to order" DVD set, so I was concerned about both the quality of the materials used as well as the quality of the video itself. I needn't have worried.

The first thing that impressed me was the quality of the case and discs themselves. The case artwork is one we've seen thousands of times, and I was disappointed that the actual 'toon logo was not used on the cover. But that aside, this did not strike me as something that was "custom-burned." This has the appearance of a DVD set purchased at any retail store. The discs themselves are DVD-Rs, but the disc art is silk-screened on rather than paper labels. Very sharp-looking product.

Each DVD holds five episodes (with the exception of Disc Three which holds six), and the episodes are organized by their original broadcast order. If you want to see how the show progressed over the seasons, just watch them in the order presented. I was a bit disappointed with the menus as they were very basic in appearance and presentation. The master menu doesn't even identify the set, allowing you to either Play All or choose a specific episode to play.

However, the episode selection menu gives you a taste of Thundarr by presenting the title cards for the episodes rather than just a list of episode names to choose from. That was a nice touch and was appreciated.
One slight disappointment: There are no extras in this set. It would have been nice to have added some concept art or seen some interviews with the creators, artists, animators, and actors of the show. A disappointing oversight considering the recent "Saturday Morning Cartoons: 1980s Volume 1" only had one Thundarr episode, but managed to also squeeze in an 18-minute Thundarr retrospective, including interviews with creators Joe Ruby and Ken Spears. (And that DVD was also a Warner Bros. release, so I assume there wouldn't have been any rights issue to have the WBShop place it on this DVD set as well.)

And how are the video/audio quality of the episodes? I'll let you judge with two screengrabs. The first is from the absolute best bootleg set that I have. (I use it for all of my Thundarr Thursday screenshots.):

Same scene from the DVD set:Obviously, the video is as crisp and clear as I've ever seen in an animated cartoon release. The cleanest video master available was used to create this set and it shows. Bright colors, sharp lines, and none of the generational breakdown you'll see from a copy-of-a-copy-of-a-copy.

Ordering info: The Thundarr the Barbarian Complete Series DVD Set is $29.95 with free shipping. Plus, until 11/30/2010, use code SCIFI25 at checkout for a 25% discount!

My 15 Games In 15 Minutes

Oh all right. It seems that every other blogger has jumped onto the 15 in 15 bandwagon, where they are asked to list the 15 games that have affected them the most in their gaming life. And they must do so in 15 minutes. So, without further ado, here are mine as they come to me:

1. Mutant Future - The Blasted Earth Retroclone that brought me back into the gaming fold. Seriously, is anyone surprised that this is number one on this blog?
2. Gamma World - The first gonzo post-apocalyptic RPG I played and one that showed me there was more than just Dungeons & Dragons out there.
3. Dungeons & Dragons - Of course I cut my teeth on the granddaddy of all RPGs in a long-running campaign that, I know, is still running 20 years later.
4. Ghostbusters RPG - My first exposure to the D6 system and the game that showed me that RPGs could also be incredibly funny.
5. Toon - A maniacal RPG that encourages action over planning. Great fun to run at conventions - especially with a sound system blasting Warner Bros. cartoon theme music.
6. Call of Cthulhu - Unlike the lighter comedy RPGs I enjoy, this showed me that, sometimes, there are no winners. Eventually you will either die, go insane, or be eaten. Horror done right.
7. Villains and Vigilantes - Played and enjoyed this supers game long before exposure to Champions. Still have all of my original books from the FGU days and am glad to see it back!
8. Dark Cults card game - Not exactly an RPG, but I grabbed this eerie little storytelling card game years ago, and it was a regularly played diversion for years. Still have it on-hand too.
9. Timemaster - Loved Pacesetter's stuff back in the '80s, and a time travel RPG was just icing on the cake. Really well-thought-out time travel mechanics with interesting adventures in the past and future.
10. Chill - My other favorite Pacesetter game. Less dire than Cthulhu, but no less deadly. If CoC was the "Hammer Horror" of RPGs, Chill was "Universal Monsters."
11. Stuperpowers - Long before I found out about Mystery Men and Flaming Carrot, I had stumbled across this spoof of heroes with useless powers. Hysterical in small doses. "Prehensile nipples," anyone?
12. Stalking The Night Fantastic/Bureau 13 - Discovered the original spiral-bound photocopied STNF at a local convention years ago. Thought the idea of a government branch fighting the forces of the supernatural was very cool.
13. Space 1889 - Didn't play it much, but loved the concept. My first exposure to the steampunk genre.
14. Tunnels and Trolls - Played a few games and loved the simple mechanics of the system. Plus it was a bit more lighthearted than other fantasy games which was nice.
15. International Fantasy Gaming Society - Yup, I was a LARPer for many years. Role-playing on a tabletop is one thing. But get back to me when you've actually explored a dungeon, turned a wave of undead, or slain a troll lord in real life. I have. ;)

Honorable Mention: The original Illuminati by Steve Jackson Games. Fnord.

A Stack O' Mutational Links

My posts have been sporadic as of late, but that doesn't mean I haven't been scouring the Interwebs, looking for the best of Mutant Future and post-apocalyptic offerings out there. The following list is a collection of links and sites I've stumbled across over the last month or two that may inspire some Blasted Earth adventures. These are in no particular order:

If you're looking for some great end-of-the-world movies to inspire your games, visit the Post-Apocalyptic Movie Page for reviews of the best (and absolute WORST) of the genre. It's a bit behind with updates, but where else will you find reviews of such classics such as 2020 Texas Gladiators, Survival Zone, and Omega Doom?

Back in August, blog-meister Cyclopeatron offered up a new Mutant Future/Gamma World "class" called Gamma Wizards as well as a simple magic-casting system for these magic-wielding muties. By expending a few points of Mental Strength (or Willpower for MutFut players), a character can effectively cast spells such as Wave of Sleep, Spooky Grimace, and (my favorite) Radonic Fireball!

Urban exploration is the investigation and exploration of unseen and off-limits urban environments. I've visited urban exploration sites in the past to grab photos of run-down and decrepit buildings and areas. But I'm also fascinated that there are folks who -- today -- are exploring what could pass for post-apocalyptic ruins. Visit the Urban Exploration Resource and Infiltration.org for more information on these modern-day wasteland explorers.

You're visiting your backyard fallout shelter when World War III breaks out. And thus begins The Fog Fall, an online point-and-click adventure game by Pastel Games. Described by the creators as a "post-apocalyptic hidden object game," you're initially challenged with escaping from the underground bunker. What will you find when the door finally opens? There are now three episodes to the game to play.

Last month, blog-meister Brutorz Bill over at Green Skeleton Gaming Guild was kind enough to share a link to his pal Tormentor's Random Gamma World Loot Generator. I can see this getting a lot of use in future games.

As you're no doubt aware, the new Gamma World has been unleashed upon the public. Reviews are thus-far mixed. I'll try to summarize some reviews in the future as well as formulate my own once I've played it.

Fight On! Issue 10 Is Out! (With A Savage AfterWorld Submission)

That old-school stalwart fanzine Fight On! is now out with issue 10! Here's the blurb for this exciting issue:

Fight On! returns to unscroll the Runes of Chaos and conjure the mighty titans of yesteryear! Dedicated to Tom Moldvay, this BIG issue contains three BIG undercities and lost worlds by Gabor Lux, James Mishler, and Chris Robert alongside the rules supplements, mini-adventures and modules, villages, one-page dungeons, spells, monsters, NPCs, tricks, traps, geomorphs, reviews, and tables you've come to know, love, and expect from our fantastic fanzine. Illustriously illustrated by Patrick Farley, Jennifer Weigel, Lester, Kelvin Green, Jason Sholtis, Peter Mullen, Mark Allen, Anthony Stiller, Steve Robertson, and more; puissantly penned by Jeff Rients, Calithena, Jerry Stratton, Tim Snider, Geoff McKinney, Patrice Crespy, Peter Schmidt Jensen, Paul Stormberg, Geoffrey O. Dale, Tim Kask, and a whole gang of garrulous grognards trying to take it (their PC, that is) to the next level. We hope you'll roll the bones on this issue and check it out - but either way, keep Fighting On!

Regular readers will remember the Time-Displaced race for Mutant Future that appeared here at The Savage AfterWorld. Well, after a bit of tweaking and updating, those same time-flung travellers now grace the pages of Fight On! And artist-extrordinaire Lester Smolenski who illustrated the piece was kind enough to send me this teaser. Click it and order the issue today!

[Thundarr Thursday] Ancient Armory: Yondo's Nega-Sword

Weapon: Yondo's Nega-Sword

Damage: 1d10+16; Blast-4d6

Attacks: 1
Range: Blast-120'

Weight: 5 lbs.
Battery: Special (see description)

Charges: 30 minutes of use. Each "blast" decreases the power by 3 minutes.

Jealous of Thundarr's Sun Sword, the "wizard" Yondo attempted to steal the weapon. He was successful for a short time until Thundarr was able to retrieve it. However, Yondo was able to glean enough knowledge of the Sun Sword's workings to create a perverse duplicate of Thundarr's weapon -- a blade he called "The Nega-Sword."

When powered down, the Yondo's Nega-Sword is a thin-bladed fencing rapier with two long cables (about 15' long) snaking from the handle. These cables are then plugged into a large power cell. (In the cartoon, it was implied that this was a common automobile battery.) However, Yondo was able to channel some very powerful negative "red" lightning into the power cell, which in turn powers the Nega-Sword. When activated, the Sword's blade is sheathed in a glowing crimson beam and, when swung, the air hisses with energy. The Nega-Sword was shown to be an even match for Thundarr's Sun Sword, deflecting an attack from the legendary blade.

As an evenly-matched weapon, the Nega-Sword deals 1d10+16 hit points of damage just like the original Sun Sword. However, the Nega-Sword can also fire out a blast of negative lightning at a distance of 120'. This blast deals 4d6 of electrical damage to anything hit. However each blast also decreases the power level by 3 minutes. After 30 minutes of use, the power cell will be drained.

If the Nega-Sword has a weakness, it is the power cell it uses. The cell is the size and weight of an automotive battery, making the sword very difficult to transport and use. Also, if the cables are severed, the Nega-Sword will power down. Since the cables are only 15' long, Yondo must have the power cell either with him or near him at all times. If attacked with the Nega-Sword, it is best to target the power cell or hope that the power cell is quickly drained.

NOTE: This weapon is inspired by the episode “Master of the Stolen Sun Sword” from the classic Ruby Spears post-apocalyptic cartoon “Thundarr the Barbarian". Stay tuned each week for “Thundarr Thursday”!

[Thundarr Thursday] Savage Menagerie: Lava Troll

No. Enc.: 1 (1)
Alignment: Neutral
Movement: 60' (20')
Armor Class: 4

Hit Dice: 14
Attacks: 2 (claw/claw)
Damage: 3d4/3d4

Save: L7
Morale: 9
Hoard Class: none

A Lava Troll is a monstrously huge (18+ feet tall) humanoid mutant that lives in actively volcanic environments. They have eerie white eyes, pointed ears, a pug nose, and are covered in a sickly, rubbery, ashen-grey skin. Because of their preferred habitat, it will be rare to encounter a Lava Troll as no one is foolish enough to approach an active lava field or volcanic crater where they reside. If, however, someone does get close enough, they will attempt to grab the victim and drag them into the lava where they will then feed on what's left of the charred remains.

The Lava Troll's rubbery skin bestows on it a form of incredible fire resistance. They are immune from any and all fire and flame-based attacks. In fact, the skin of the Lava Troll is actually quite cool to the touch, so there is no danger of being burned by the Troll's touch. (But that's little comfort when it's dragging you to a firey doom.)

Due to the size of the Lava Troll, it has increased strength. However, it is a slow creature, so it receives no damage bonuses in combat, though it will still do 3d4 hit points of damage if it successfully clubs you with its fist. On a successful hit, a PC should roll a save vs. STR. If the save fails, the Lava roll has successfully grabbed the vicitim and will begin pulling them into the magma. Unless the PC is very clever or the party comes to his aid, he will be dragged screaming into the liquid rock.

Mutations: increased strength, fire resistance

NOTE: This creature was inspired by the episode "City of Evil" from the Ruby Spears post-apocalyptic cartoon series "Thundarr the Barbarian." Stay tuned for more of Thundarr Thursday!