Jungle Giant Weretyrannosaurus hybrid form, art by Dan Smith

Within the tribes of jungle giants, there are a few revered families whose members are blessed with the ability to transform into another rarely seen inhabitant of the expanse’s jungles: the tyrannosaurus! Such natural lycanthropes are not cast out from the tribe, since the jungle giants’ immunity to disease prevents the curse from spreading throughout the group.* Typical adventuring parties are safe from the curse as well, since it can only affect Huge, Gargantuan, or Colossal humanoids. In the warm forests of the Inner Sea region, that means afflicted weretyrannosauruses are limited to forest giants, great cyclopes, inverted giants, and storm giants.

Like other jungle giants, jungle giant weretyrannosauruses stand 17 feet tall and weigh 4,000 pounds, but they grow to 40 feet long and 14,000 pounds in hybrid form. The runic brands in their bark-like skin are still readily visible in the scaly hides of their hybrid form but disappear while in animal form.

Jungle giant weretyrannosaurus families are part of jungle giant tribes, and serve the same gender roles within the tribe; a female warrior of the family may even be her tribe’s matriarch. Male jungle giant weretyrannosauruses may assume animal form to serve as mounts for female jungle giant warriors (whether or not the female is also a weretyrannosaurus), but the females do not serve as mounts and the males rarely serve as mounts for male warriors.

* Lycanthropy’s status as a disease and a curse in the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game makes calls like this tricky. I’m following the wisdom of a post on the Paizo forums, based on the efficacy of remove disease: lycanthropy is a disease until 3 days after you are first bitten, and then it becomes a curse.

Lycanthrope, Jungle Giant Weretyrannosaurus

This towering creature has a jungle giant’s body and the toothy head of a tyrannosaurus, with a pebbly texture on its bark-like hide.

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Archery Expert (Su)

A jungle giant weretyrannosaurus is proficient with all bows, and does not provoke an attack of opportunity when firing a bow in melee combat. Afflicted weretyrannosauruses do not gain this ability.

Change Shape (Su)

A weretyrannosaurus has three forms—a humanoid form, an animal form, and a hybrid form. Equipment does not meld with the new form between humanoid and hybrid form, but does between those forms and animal form. A natural weretyrannosaurus can shift to any of its three alternate forms as a move-equivalent action. An afflicted weretyrannosaurus can assume animal or hybrid form as a full-round action by making a DC 15 Constitution check, or humanoid form as a full-round action by making a DC 20 Constitution check. On nights when the full moon is visible, an afflicted weretyrannosaurus gains a +5 morale bonus to Constitution checks made to assume animal or hybrid form, but a −5 penalty to Constitution checks made to assume humanoid form. An afflicted weretyrannosaurus reverts to its humanoid form automatically with the next sunrise, or after 8 hours of rest, whichever comes first. A slain weretyrannosaurus reverts to its humanoid form, although it remains dead.

Curse of Lycanthropy (Su)

A natural weretyrannosaurus’ bite attack in animal or hybrid form infects a humanoid target with the lycanthropy curse (Fortitude DC 15 negates). If the victim’s size is not Huge or greater, this ability has no effect.

Lycanthropy

Type curse, injury; Save Fortitude DC 15 negates, Will DC 15 to avoid effects

Onset the next full moon; Frequency on the night of every full moon or whenever the target is injured.

Effect target transforms into a tyrannosaurus under the GM’s control until the next morning

Lycanthropic Empathy (Ex)

In any form, natural weretyrannosauruses can communicate and empathize with tyrannosauruses and megaraptors. They can use Diplomacy to alter such an animal’s attitude, and when so doing gain a +4 racial bonus on the check. Afflicted weretyrannosauruses only gain this ability in animal or hybrid form.

Powerful Bite (Ex)

A weretyrannosaurus applies twice its Strength modifier to bite damage in hybrid or animal form.

Spell Storing (Su)

Once per day as a immediate action, a jungle giant weretyrannosaurus can absorb a targeted or ranged touch spell used against it, negating the effects against it but not against any other targets. It can retain this stored power for up to 1 minute, during which time its tattoos glow with blue fire. If it damages a target with a successful hit using a melee or ranged weapon, it can cast the spell on the target as a free action, as if it were using a spell storing weapon. This spell uses the caster level and DC of the original caster. This discharges the stored spell. Afflicted weretyrannosauruses do not gain this ability.

Warding Tattoos (Su)

A jungle giant weretyrannosaurus’ magical tattoos grant it a +4 deflection bonus to Armor Class while in jungle giant or hybrid form. The giant loses this bonus if it wears armor. Afflicted weretyrannosauruses do not gain this ability.

ECOLOGY

Environment warm forests

Organization solitary, pair, pack (3–6), or part of a jungle giant tribe

Treasure NPC gear (masterwork composite longbow [+8 Str] with 40 arrows, other treasure)

—jhunterj

Compatibiliy & OGL

Compatibility with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game requires the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game from Paizo Publishing, LLC. See http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG for more information on the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. Paizo Publishing, LLC does not guarantee compatibility, and does not endorse this product.

Pathfinder is a registered trademark of Paizo Publishing, LLC, and the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game and the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Compatibility Logo are trademarks of Paizo Publishing, LLC, and are used under the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Compatibility License. See http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/compatibility for more information on the compatibility license.

Pathfinder and associated marks and logos are trademarks of Paizo Publishing, LLC, and are used under license. See paizo.com/pathfinderRPG for more information on the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game.

Designation of Product Identity: The jhunterj site, including logo and stylistic design, as well as the Weretyrannosaurus illustration.

Declaration of Open Game Content: All content of this article not designated as Product Identity is declared Open Game Content as described in Section 1(d) of the Open Game License Version 1.0a.

Open Game License Version 1.0a

The following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and is Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc (“Wizards�). All Rights Reserved.

1. Definitions:

(a) “Contributors� means the copyright and/or trademark owners who have contributed Open Game Content;

(b) “Derivative Material� means copyrighted material including derivative works and translations (including into other computer languages), potation, modification, correction, addition, extension, upgrade, improvement, compilation, abridgment or other form in which an existing work may be recast, transformed or adapted;

(c) “Distribute� means to reproduce, license, rent, lease, sell, broadcast, publicly display, transmit or otherwise distribute;

(d) “Open Game Content� means the game mechanic and includes the methods, procedures, processes and routines to the extent such content does not embody the Product Identity and is an enhancement over the prior art and any additional content clearly identified as Open Game Content by the Contributor, and means any work covered by this License, including translations and derivative works under copyright law, but specifically excludes Product Identity.

(e) “Product Identity� means product and product line names, logos and identifying marks including trade dress; artifacts, creatures, characters, stories, storylines, plots, thematic elements, dialogue, incidents, language, artwork, symbols, designs, depictions, likenesses, formats, poses, concepts, themes and graphic, photographic and other visual or audio representations; names and descriptions of characters, spells, enchantments, personalities, teams, personas, likenesses and special abilities; places, locations, environments, creatures, equipment, magical or supernatural abilities or effects, logos, symbols, or graphic designs; and any other trademark or registered trademark clearly identified as Product identity by the owner of the Product Identity, and which specifically excludes the Open Game Content;

(f) “Trademark� means the logos, names, mark, sign, motto, designs that are used by a Contributor to identify itself or its products or the associated products contributed to the Open Game License by the Contributor

(g) “Use�, “Used� or “Using� means to use, Distribute, copy, edit, format, modify, translate and otherwise create Derivative Material of Open Game Content.

(h) “You� or “Your� means the licensee in terms of this agreement.

2. The License: This License applies to any Open Game Content that contains a notice indicating that the Open Game Content may only be Used under and in terms of this License. You must affix such a notice to any Open Game Content that you Use. No terms may be added to or subtracted from this License except as described by the License itself. No other terms or conditions may be applied to any Open Game Content distributed using this License.

3. Offer and Acceptance: By Using the Open Game Content You indicate Your acceptance of the terms of this License.

4. Grant and Consideration: In consideration for agreeing to use this License, the Contributors grant You a perpetual, worldwide, royaltyfree, non-exclusive license with the exact terms of this License to Use, the Open Game Content.

5. Representation of Authority to Contribute: If You are contributing original material as Open Game Content, You represent that Your Contributions are Your original creation and/or You have sufficient rights to grant the rights conveyed by this License.

6. Notice of License Copyright: You must update the COPYRIGHT NOTICE portion of this License to include the exact text of the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any Open Game Content You are copying, modifying or distributing, and You must add the title, the copyright date, and the copyright holder’s name to the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any original Open Game Content you Distribute.

7. Use of Product Identity: You agree not to Use any Product Identity, including as an indication as to compatibility, except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of each element of that Product Identity. You agree not to indicate compatibility or co-adaptability with any Trademark or Registered Trademark in conjunction with a work containing Open Game Content except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of such Trademark or Registered Trademark. The use of any Product Identity in Open Game Content does not constitute a challenge to the ownership of that Product Identity. The owner of any Product Identity used in Open Game Content shall retain all rights, title and interest in and to that Product Identity.

8. Identification: If you distribute Open Game Content You must clearly indicate which portions of the work that you are distributing are Open Game Content.

9. Updating the License: Wizards or its designated Agents may publish updated versions of this License. You may use any authorized version of this License to copy, modify and distribute any Open Game Content originally distributed under any version of this License.

10. Copy of this License: You MUST include a copy of this License with every copy of the Open Game Content You distribute.

11. Use of Contributor Credits: You may not market or advertise the Open Game Content using the name of any Contributor unless You have written permission from the Contributor to do so.

12. Inability to Comply: If it is impossible for You to comply with any of the terms of this License with respect to some or all of the Open Game Content due to statute, judicial order, or governmental regulation then You may not Use any Open Game Material so affected.

13. Termination: This License will terminate automatically if You fail to comply with all terms herein and fail to cure such breach within 30 days of becoming aware of the breach. All sublicenses shall survive the termination of this License.

14. Reformation: If any provision of this License is held to be unenforceable, such provision shall be reformed only to the extent necessary to make it enforceable.

15. Copyright Notice:

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary © 2009, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Author: Jason Bulmahn, based on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, and Skip Williams.

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 3 © 2011, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors Jesse Benner, Jason Bulmahn, Adam Daigle, James Jacobs, Michael Kenway, Rob McCreary, Patrick Renie, Chris Sims, F. Wesley Schneider, James L. Sutter, and Russ Taylor, based on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, and Skip Williams.

—jhunterj

Image of Privateer Press’ storm troll, from Handcannononline.

Male Troll Humanoid 6 / Druid 3 / Storm Kindler 4

NE Large humanoid (giant)

Init +3; Senses: Darkvision (60 ft.), Low-Light, Perception +7, Scent

AC 24, touch 13, flat-footed 21 (-1 size, +3 Dex, +6 natural, +1 deflection, +5 Studded Leather +2 (Large), +1 Ring of Protection)

hp 127 13d8+65, Regeneration 5 (acid or fire)

Fort +18, Ref +10, Will +15 (+2 Competence bonus against spells and effects with the air or water descriptors)

Defensive Abilities: Aura of Calm, Oceanic Spirit

Resistances: Oceanic Spirit

Speed 30 ft.; swim 60 ft.; fly 30 ft. (in whirlwind form)

Melee bite +15 (1d8+7/19-20)

Melee claw +15/+15 (1d6+7)

Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.

Special Attacks: Rend (1 claw, 1d6+7 plus 2 Con damage), Storm Burst (6/day)

Str 21, Dex 16, Con 21, Int 8, Wis 16, Cha 10

Base Atk +9; CMB +15; CMD 29

Feats: Armor Proficiency, Light, Armor Proficiency, Medium, Combat Reflexes, Improved Critical (Bite), Improved Natural Armor, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Rending Fury, Shield Proficiency, Storm-Lashed

Skills: Acrobatics +3, Climb +10, Craft (Ships) +3, Escape Artist +3, Fly +11, Heal +3, Intimidate +4, Knowledge (Geography) +4, Knowledge (History) +8, Knowledge (Nature) +10, Knowledge (Religion) +3, Perception +7, Profession (Sailor) +10, Ride +3, Sense Motive +3, Survival +9, Swim +15

Languages: Druidic, Giant, Polyglot

Archetypes: Storm Druid

Special Qualities: Darkvision, Low-Light Vision, Nature Bond, Nature Sense, Orisons, Regeneration 5 (acid or fire), Scent, Spontaneous Domain Casting, Storm Shape, Stormvoice, Wave Breaker, Wild Empathy +3, Windwalker

Special Abilities: Electricity resistance 5, Sonic resistance 5

Possessions studded leather +2 (large); ring of protection +1; cloak of resistance +1; amulet of mighty fists +2; feather token, anchor; unholy symbol (silver); pirate clothes (basic/large); spell component pouch; powdered metal and rare inks (100 gp value); 20 gp; 10 pp

Deity: Urxehl Domains: Storms Subdomain (Domain Spells: Obscuring Mist, Fog Cloud, Call Lightning)

Prepared Spells:

Druid: Spells per Day: (4/4/4/3 DC:14+spell level)

0th - Flare, Guidance, Know Direction, Spark

1st - Alter Winds, Bristle, Ray of Sickening, Summon Nature’s Ally I

2nd - Eagle Eye, Frigid Touch, Slipstream, Warp Wood

3rd - Create Treasure Map, Hydraulic Torrent, Poison

Aura of Calm (Su) Allies within 5 feet (including yourself) are treated as one size category larger for the purpose of wind effects (this stacks with the bonus from Storm-Lashed), and they gain a +2 competence bonus on all saving throws made to resist spells and effects with the air or water descriptors.

Darkvision (Ex) Range 60; Darkvision is the extraordinary ability to see with no light source at all.

Low-Light Vision (Ex) You can see 2x as far as humans in low illumination.

Nature Bond (Ex) You may not choose an animal companion. You must choose the Air or Weather domain, or the Cloud, Storms, or Wind subdomain.

Nature Sense (Ex) +2 bonus on Knowledge (Nature) and Survival skill checks.

Oceanic Spirit (Su) +4 bonus on Fly and Swim checks, and never needs to make concentration checks because of natural weather. She gains resistance to electricity 5 and sonic 5.

Orisons You can prepare a number of orisons, or 0-level spells. These spells are cast like any other spells, but they are not expended when used and may be used again.

Regeneration (Ex) You are difficult to kill. You heal damage at 5 points per round, as with fast healing, but you cannot die as long as your regeneration is still functioning (although you still fall unconscious when their hit points are below 0). Acid or fire causes your regeneration to stop functioning on the round following the attack. During this round, you cannot heal any damage and can die normally. Attack forms that don’t deal hit point damage are not healed by regeneration. Regeneration also does not restore hit points lost from starvation, thirst, or suffocation. You can regrow lost portions of you body and can reattach severed limbs or body parts if they are brought together within 1 hour of severing. Severed parts that are not reattached wither and die normally.

Rend (with Rending Fury) (Ex) If you hit with one or more natural attacks in 1 round, you can cause tremendous damage (1d6+7) by latching onto the opponent’s body and tearing flesh. This attack deals an additional amount of damage, but no more than once per round.

Scent (Ex) You can detect opponents within 30 feet by sense of smell. If the opponent is upwind, the range increases to 60 feet; if downwind, it drops to 15 feet. Strong scents, such as smoke or rotting garbage, can be detected at twice the ranges noted above. Overpowering scents, such as skunk musk or troglodyte stench, can be detected at triple normal range. When you detect a scent, the exact location of the source is not revealed–only its presence somewhere within range. You can take a move action to note the direction of the scent. When you are within 5 feet of the source, you pinpoint the source’s location. You can follow tracks by smell, making a Wisdom (or Survival) check to find or follow a track. The typical DC for a fresh trail is 10 (no matter what kind of surface holds the scent). This DC increases or decreases depending on how strong the quarry’s odor is, the number of creatures, and the age of the trail. For each hour that the trail is cold, the DC increases by 2. The ability otherwise follows the rules for the Survival skill. When tracking by scent you ignore the effects of surface conditions and poor visibility.

Spontaneous Domain Casting You can “lose” a prepared spell in order to cast any domain spell of the same level or lower.

Storm Burst (Sp) As a standard action, you can create a storm burst targeting any foe within 30 feet as a ranged touch attack. The storm burst deals 1d6+1 points of nonlethal damage. In addition, the target is buffeted by winds and rain, causing it to take a -2 penalty on attack rolls for 1 round. You can use this ability 6 times per day

Storm Shape (Su) As a standard action, you can transform yourself into a whirlwind (as whirlwind universal monster ability) for 4 minutes per day. This time need not be consecutive, but must be spent in 1-minute increments. As a swift action, you can change the height of your whirlwind form from a minimum of 10 feet tall to a maximum of 30 feet tall. If you are underwater when you use this ability, you instead transforms into a vortex of the same size (this functions identically to the whirlwind ability, but can form only underwater and can’t leave the water). You can breathe water while in vortex form. If you do not possess a fly or swim speed, you gain one (as appropriate to the new form) of 30 when in storm shape. With a fly speed, you have average maneuverability. You can damage and trap Medium or smaller creatures caught in the whirlwind, dealing lethal damage equal to your unarmed strike damage to each one that fails a Reflex save (DC 19) and lifting it into the air if it fails a second Reflex save.

Stormvoice (Ex) Your voice can magically carry over howling winds and peals of thunder. Whenever a Perception check is needed to hear your voice, the DC is reduced by 3.

Wave Breaker (Su) You gain a swim speed equal to 60. You may breathe water for 4 hours per day. This time need not be consecutive, but must be spent in 1-hour increments.

Wild Empathy (Ex) You can improve the attitude of an animal. This abilty functions just like Diplomacy check made to improve the attitude of a person. You roll 1d20+3 to determine the Wild Empathy check result. The typical domestic animal has a starting attitude of indifferent, while wild animals are usually unfriendly. To use Wild Empathy, you and the animal must be within 30 feet of one another under normal circumstances. Generally, influencing an animal in this way takes 1 minute, but as with influencing people, it might take more or less time. You can use this ability to influence a magical beast with an Intelligence score of 1 or 2, but you take a -4 penalty on the check.

Windwalker (Ex) The penalties from natural or magical wind effects (see page 439 of the Core Rulebook) are treated as one step less severe for you.

Compatibiliy & OGL

Compatibility with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game requires the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game from Paizo Publishing, LLC. See http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG for more information on the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. Paizo Publishing, LLC does not guarantee compatibility, and does not endorse this product.

Pathfinder is a registered trademark of Paizo Publishing, LLC, and the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game and the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Compatibility Logo are trademarks of Paizo Publishing, LLC, and are used under the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Compatibility License. See http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/compatibility for more information on the compatibility license.

Pathfinder and associated marks and logos are trademarks of Paizo Publishing, LLC, and are used under license. See paizo.com/pathfinderRPG for more information on the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game.

Designation of Product Identity: The jhunterj site, including logo and stylistic design.

Declaration of Open Game Content: All content of this article not designated as Product Identity is declared Open Game Content as described in Section 1(d) of the Open Game License Version 1.0a.

Open Game License Version 1.0a

The following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and is Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc (“Wizards�). All Rights Reserved.

1. Definitions:

(a) “Contributors� means the copyright and/or trademark owners who have contributed Open Game Content;

(b) “Derivative Material� means copyrighted material including derivative works and translations (including into other computer languages), potation, modification, correction, addition, extension, upgrade, improvement, compilation, abridgment or other form in which an existing work may be recast, transformed or adapted;

(c) “Distribute� means to reproduce, license, rent, lease, sell, broadcast, publicly display, transmit or otherwise distribute;

(d) “Open Game Content� means the game mechanic and includes the methods, procedures, processes and routines to the extent such content does not embody the Product Identity and is an enhancement over the prior art and any additional content clearly identified as Open Game Content by the Contributor, and means any work covered by this License, including translations and derivative works under copyright law, but specifically excludes Product Identity.

(e) “Product Identity� means product and product line names, logos and identifying marks including trade dress; artifacts, creatures, characters, stories, storylines, plots, thematic elements, dialogue, incidents, language, artwork, symbols, designs, depictions, likenesses, formats, poses, concepts, themes and graphic, photographic and other visual or audio representations; names and descriptions of characters, spells, enchantments, personalities, teams, personas, likenesses and special abilities; places, locations, environments, creatures, equipment, magical or supernatural abilities or effects, logos, symbols, or graphic designs; and any other trademark or registered trademark clearly identified as Product identity by the owner of the Product Identity, and which specifically excludes the Open Game Content;

(f) “Trademark� means the logos, names, mark, sign, motto, designs that are used by a Contributor to identify itself or its products or the associated products contributed to the Open Game License by the Contributor

(g) “Use�, “Used� or “Using� means to use, Distribute, copy, edit, format, modify, translate and otherwise create Derivative Material of Open Game Content.

(h) “You� or “Your� means the licensee in terms of this agreement.

2. The License: This License applies to any Open Game Content that contains a notice indicating that the Open Game Content may only be Used under and in terms of this License. You must affix such a notice to any Open Game Content that you Use. No terms may be added to or subtracted from this License except as described by the License itself. No other terms or conditions may be applied to any Open Game Content distributed using this License.

3. Offer and Acceptance: By Using the Open Game Content You indicate Your acceptance of the terms of this License.

4. Grant and Consideration: In consideration for agreeing to use this License, the Contributors grant You a perpetual, worldwide, royaltyfree, non-exclusive license with the exact terms of this License to Use, the Open Game Content.

5. Representation of Authority to Contribute: If You are contributing original material as Open Game Content, You represent that Your Contributions are Your original creation and/or You have sufficient rights to grant the rights conveyed by this License.

6. Notice of License Copyright: You must update the COPYRIGHT NOTICE portion of this License to include the exact text of the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any Open Game Content You are copying, modifying or distributing, and You must add the title, the copyright date, and the copyright holder’s name to the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any original Open Game Content you Distribute.

7. Use of Product Identity: You agree not to Use any Product Identity, including as an indication as to compatibility, except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of each element of that Product Identity. You agree not to indicate compatibility or co-adaptability with any Trademark or Registered Trademark in conjunction with a work containing Open Game Content except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of such Trademark or Registered Trademark. The use of any Product Identity in Open Game Content does not constitute a challenge to the ownership of that Product Identity. The owner of any Product Identity used in Open Game Content shall retain all rights, title and interest in and to that Product Identity.

8. Identification: If you distribute Open Game Content You must clearly indicate which portions of the work that you are distributing are Open Game Content.

9. Updating the License: Wizards or its designated Agents may publish updated versions of this License. You may use any authorized version of this License to copy, modify and distribute any Open Game Content originally distributed under any version of this License.

10. Copy of this License: You MUST include a copy of this License with every copy of the Open Game Content You distribute.

11. Use of Contributor Credits: You may not market or advertise the Open Game Content using the name of any Contributor unless You have written permission from the Contributor to do so.

12. Inability to Comply: If it is impossible for You to comply with any of the terms of this License with respect to some or all of the Open Game Content due to statute, judicial order, or governmental regulation then You may not Use any Open Game Material so affected.

13. Termination: This License will terminate automatically if You fail to comply with all terms herein and fail to cure such breach within 30 days of becoming aware of the breach. All sublicenses shall survive the termination of this License.

14. Reformation: If any provision of this License is held to be unenforceable, such provision shall be reformed only to the extent necessary to make it enforceable.

15. Copyright Notice:

Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Lords of Chaos: Book of the Damned, Vol. 2. © 2010, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Author: James Jacobs.

Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Paths of Prestige. © 2012, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors: Benjamin Bruck, Jason Bulmahn, Matt Goodall, and Jason Nelson.

Pathfinder Campaign Setting: The Inner Sea World Guide. © 2011, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors: Keith Baker, Wolfgang Baur, Clinton J. Boomer, Jason Bulmahn, Joshua J. Frost, Ed Greenwood, Stephen S. Greer, Jeff Grubb, James Jacobs, Michael Kortes, Tito Leati, Mike McArtor, Rob McCreary, Erik Mona, Jason Eric Nelson, Jeff Quick, Sean K Reynolds, F. Wesley Schneider, Leandra Christine Schneider, David Schwartz, Amber E. Scott, Stan!, Owen K.C. Stephens, Todd Stewart, James L. Sutter, Greg A. Vaughan, Jeremy Walker, and JD Wiker.

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Ultimate Combat. © 2011, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors: Jason Bulmahn, Tim Hitchcock, Colin McComb, Rob McCreary, Jason Nelson, Stephen Radney-MacFarland, Sean K Reynolds, Owen K.C. Stephens, and Russ Taylor.

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Ultimate Magic. © 2011, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors: Jason Bulmahn, Tim Hitchcock, Colin McComb, Rob McCreary, Jason Nelson, Stephen Radney-MacFarland, Sean K Reynolds, Owen K.C. Stephens, and Russ Taylor.

Storm Troll image © Privateer Press. All Rights Reserved. Images used without permission. This website is unofficial and is not endorsed by Privateer Press.

That’s me, standing in the IELLO booth, demoing Uchronia. Photo by IELLO’s Patrice.

So this was, perhaps, my 18th consecutive Gen Con; I believe my streak started in 1995. This year, as last year, I boothed for IELLO Games USA. I had many friends among the nearly 50,000 attendees, a few of which I actually managed to have conversations with, but others whose presence I was only aware of from their Facebook or Twitter updates.

Two things to notice in the picture of me in the booth: first, I’m wearing my Pivothead camera glasses; all of the photos and all but one of the videos I shot during the con were taken with those glasses. I’m still loving that purchase. And second, that’s Raz demoing at the right-hand table; Raz is the brains behind our Quizgle puzzle website project.

IELLO had the lovely and talented Dr. Horrible (Stephen) demoing Titanium Wars:

Dr. Horrible demoes Titanium Wars to the Rebel Alliance representatives. Photo by J. Hunter Johnson, released under CC-BY-3.0

Lexi Farron Strife as Super Nova. Photo by IELLO Games.

And IELLO also had Lexi Farron Strife cosplaying as Super Nova for the Guardians’ Chronicles demos. Prototypes of Heroes of Normandie and Zombie 15′ were shown, King of Tokyo flew off the shelves, and the new game, The Three Little Pigs, proved popular across a surprisingly wide demographic range.

King of Tokyo tournament. And a wolf. Photo by J. Hunter Johnson, released under CC-BY-3.0

Gen Con 2013 broke the attendance record, and it was marvelous. Mayfair Games capitalized on the opportunity and set a world record for most people playing a board game, with their mega Catan event. Paizo debuted Mike Selinker‘s Pathfinder Card Game, and I heard that they sold out of their con stock on Thursday. And IELLO ran King of Tokyo tournaments all weekend, with attendees standing in line for a shot at winning one of the coveted Space Penguins. Between the booth and the tournament area, I was well occupied during the exhibitor hall hours, which is my excuse if I missed seeing you!

For the last couple of years, Gen Con has been giving some gamers the opportunity to upgrade their pass to “Very Important Gamer”, gaining early access to the exhibitor hall on Thursday morning. This is my view of the registration line and the VIG line then:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpG79eMr_4E

IELLO also hosted an industry event to introduce their upcoming games, some debuting at Essen Spiel, others coming later:

[but you'll have to wait until early September for this one; sorry!]

That video was shot with my phone; the mic on my glasses did not capture the sound from the presenters well enough to be used. And on Saturday, I shot was is so far my most-viewed video on YouTube: the Gen Con Costume Parade:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2e7AjCi8XNk

Thanks to Stephan & the IELLO France crew, my roommate (and Gen Con rookie) Ivan, booth wrangler Russell, tournament wrangler Brian, and all the volunteers—it was a great show!

—jhunterj

Kaladrax Reborn, painted, from Fantization.com

Back in August, Reaper Miniatures had an insanely successful Kickstarter campaign to launch their “Bones” line of plastic miniatures. By the end of the campaign, the add-on stretch goals were enough to entice even me, who’s never painted a miniature before, to get in on it.

And then the penultimate stretch goal was Kaladrax Reborn. Only $10 (which is now MSRP $75, or $60 at Amazon.com).

So, I got my Bones package on Friday:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_G1AIT70is

Now I need game stats for ol’ Kally. A quick web search turned up one set of stats, but not for a system I’d be using. So I turned this Pathfinder version out using a Great Wyrm Red Dragon as the base, added the Advanced template and Ravener (instead of the Lich) template, and made substitutions to Spell-Like Abilities, Spells Known, and Feats. Enjoy! (I’ll put a PDF together once I’ve verified it a few more times, and hopefully gotten some corrections from readers here. I think my hp calculation may be off.)

—jhunterj

Kaladrax

Deep in the Draketeeth Mountains, far from the kingdoms of man and elf, lies a remote valley where the air is choked with sulfurous mist and ash and the wind shrieks with the voices of the damned. The cracked earth oozes noxious vapors and lava, while geysers of scalding mud erupt into the sky. This is the Dragon King’s Graveyard. From the beginning of time countless dragons have come to his dismal vale to die. Their bleached and crumbling bones lie strewn across the darkened valley.

This is the dominion of the necrodrake Kaladrax, an ancient dragon cursed with undeath when the world was young. From the heart of his poisonous mountains surrounded by impassable snow-capped peaks and sheer cliffs, Kaladrax rules over a legion of shambling skeletal horrors ready to destroy all interlopers. Many heroes have attempted to conquer the Dragon King’s Graveyard and destroy the undead Kaladrax, but their bones now rest among the countless treasures heaped in the necrodrake’s sepulchral lair.

Original Kaladrax painted by TheMightyThrud

Kaladrax CR 25

XP 1,638,400
CE Colossal undead (fire)
Init+4; Senses: ravener senses, smoke vision; Perception +48
Aura: fire (10 ft., 2d6 fire), frightful presence (360 ft., DC 35), cowering fear

DEFENSE

AC 48, touch 7, flat-footed 46 (+41 natural, -8 size, +5 deflection)
hp 444 (29d8+319)
Fort +27, Ref +16, Will +28;
DR 20/good; Immune: fire, undead traits; SR 36;
Special Defenses: channel resistance +4; undead traits; soul ward

Weaknesses: Vulnerability to cold

OFFENSE

Speed 40 ft., fly 250 ft. (clumsy)
Melee bite +41 (4d8+30/17-20), 2 claws +39 (4d6+20/17-20), 2 wings +39 (2d8+10/19-20), tail slap +39 (4d6+30/17-20)
Space 30 ft. Reach 20 ft. (30 ft. with bite)
Special Attacks: ravener breath weapon (70-ft. cone, 24d10 fire, 2 negative levels, DC 30), crush (Large, DC 30, 4d8+30), incinerate, manipulate flames, melt stone, tail sweep (Medium, DC 29, 2d8+30); ravener attack; soul consumption; soul magic
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 32; concentration +35) At will: control undead, detect magic, find the path, pyrotechnics (DC 25), suggestion (DC 26), wall of fire

Spells Known (CL 22; concentration +35)

9th—energy drain, gate

8th—discern location, greater shout, polar ray

7th—limited wish, mass hold person, spell turning

6th—antimagic field, create undead, greater dispel magic

5th—polymorph, telekinesis (DC 26), teleport, wall of force

4th—animate dead, fear (DC 25), greater invisibility, stoneskin

3rd—dispel magic, displacement, haste, tongues

2nd—darkness, detect thoughts, misdirection, resist energy, see invisibility

1st—alarm, grease (DC 22), magic missile, shield, true strike

0 (at will)—arcane mark, bleed, light, magehand, mending, message, open/close, prestidigitation, read magic

STATISTICS

Str 51, Dex 10, Con —, Int 30, Wis 31, Cha 32;
Base Atk 29; CMB 57; CMD 67
Feats: Cleave, Critical Focus, Empower Spell, Great Cleave, Improved Critical (bite), Improved Critical (claw), Improved Critical (tail); Improved Initiative, Improved Iron Will, Iron Will, Multiattack, Power Attack, Quicken Spell, Vital Strike, Wingover
Skills: Appraise +40, Bluff +40, Diplomacy +40, Fly +16, Intimidate +48, Knowledge (arcana) +40, Knowledge (history) +40, Perception +48, Sense Motive +40, Spellcraft +40, Stealth +24, Use Magic Device +40
Languages Abyssal, Common, Draconic, Dwarven, Giant, Ignan, Orc

ECOLOGY

Environment: warm mountains
Organization: solitary
Treasure: triple

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Channel Resistance (Su): Kaladrax gains a +4 bonus on Will saves made against channeled energy. He adds +4 to any Will saves made to halve the damage and resist the effect.

Cowering Fear (Su): Any creature shaken by Kaladrax’s frightful presence is cowering instead of shaken for the first round of the effect, and shaken for the rest of the duration. Any Creature that is panicked by his frightful presence is instead cowering for the duration.

Crush (Ex): When flying or jumping, Kaladrax can land on foes as a standard action, using his whole body to crush them. His Crush attack is effective only against Large opponents or smaller. A crush attack affects as many creatures as fit in Kaladrax’s space. Creatures in the affected area must succeed on a Reflex save (DC 30) or be pinned, automatically taking bludgeoning damage during the next round unless Kaladrax moves off them. If Kaladrax chooses to maintain the pin, he must succeed at a combat maneuver check as normal. Pinned foes take damage from the crush each round if they don’t escape. A crush attack deals 4d8+30 damage.

Fire Aura (Su): Kaladrax is surrounded by an aura of intense heat. All creatures within 10 feet take 2d6 points of fire damage at the beginning of Kaladrax’s turn.

Frightful Presence (Ex): Kaladrax’s very presence is unsettling to foes. Activating this ability is a free action that is usually part of an attack or charge. Opponents within 360 ft. who witness the action may become frightened or shaken for 5d6 rounds. This ability affects only opponents with fewer than 29 Hit Dice. An opponent can resist the effects with a successful Will save (DC 35). An opponent that succeeds on the saving throw is immune to Kaladrax’s frightful presence for 24 hours. On a failed save, the opponent is shaken, or panicked if it has 4 Hit Dice or fewer. Frightful presence is a mind-affecting fear effect.

Incinerate (Su): Kaladrax can incinerate creatures in his fiery breath. A creature reduced to fewer than 0 hit points by his breath weapon must make a Fortitude save (DC 30). Failure indicates that the creature is reduced to ash. Creatures destroyed in this way can only be restored to life through true resurrection or similar magic.

Manipulate Flames (Su): Kaladrax can control any fire spell within 120 feet as a standard action. This ability allows him to move any fire effect in the area, as if he were the caster. This ability also allows him to reposition a stationary fire effect, although the new placement must be one allowed by the spell. Finally, for 1 round following the use of this ability, Kaladrax can control any new fire spell cast within his area of control, as if he were the caster. He can make all decisions allowed to the caster, including canceling the spell if he so desires.

Melt Stone (Su): Kaladrax can use his breath weapon to melt rock at a range of 100 feet, affecting a 60-foot-radius area. The area becomes lava to a depth of 1 foot. Any creature in contact with the lava takes 20d6 points of fire damage on the first round, 10d6 on the second, and none thereafter as the lava hardens and cools. If used on a wall or ceiling, treat this ability as an avalanche that deals fire damage.

Ravener Attack (Su): When Kaladrax scores a critical hit with a natural weapon, the target gains 1 negative level (DC 30 to remove) and Kaladrax’s soul ward gains 5 hp.

Ravener Breath Weapon (Su): Kaladrax can use his breath weapon as a standard action once every 1d4 rounds. The breath weapon starts at an intersection adjacent to Kaladrax and extends in a 70-ft. cone in a direction of his choice. Those caught in the area take 24d10 fire damage and gain 2 negative levels; they can attempt Reflex saves (DC 30) to halve the damage & energy drain. Kaladrax’s soul ward gains 1 hp per negative level inflicted. Kaladrax can use his breath weapon even when he is grappling or being grappled.

Ravener Senses (Ex): Kaladrax has darkvision 240 ft. and blindsense 120 ft. He sees four times as well as a human in dim light and twice as well in normal light.

Smoke Vision (Ex): Kaladrax can see perfectly in smoky conditions (such as those created by pyrotechnics).

Soul Consumption (Su): When a living creature within 30 feet of Kaladrax dies, that creature’s soul is torn from its body and pulled into Kaladrax’s maw if the dying creature fails a Will save (DC 30). This adds a number of hit points to Kaladrax’s soul ward equal to the dead creature’s Hit Dice. Creatures that have their souls consumed in this way can only be brought back to life through miracle, true resurrection, or wish.

Soul Magic (Su): Kaladrax has no spell slots. Instead, whenever Kaladrax wishes to cast any one of his spells known, he consumes a number of hit points from his soul ward equal to the spell slot level necessary to cast the spell (including increased levels for metamagic feats and so on). If the soul ward has insufficient hit points, Kaladrax cannot cast that spell. Casting a spell that reduces his soul ward to exactly 0 hit points does not harm Kaladrax.

Soul Ward (Su): An intangible field of siphoned soul energy protects Kaladrax from destruction. This ward has a maximum of 58 hit points, but starts at 29. Whenever Kaladrax would be reduced below 1 hit point, all damage in excess of that which would reduce it to 1 hit point is instead dealt to his soul ward. If this damage reduces the soul ward to fewer than 0 hit points, Kaladrax is destroyed.

Tail Sweep (Ex): Kaladrax can sweep with his tail as a standard action. The sweep affects a half-circle with a radius of 40 feet, extending from an intersection on the edge of Kaladrax’s space in any direction. Creatures within the swept area are affected if they are Medium size or smaller. A tail sweep automatically deals 2d8+30 damage. Affected creatures can attempt Reflex saves to take half damage (DC 30).

Undead Traits (Ex): Kaladrax is immune to death effects, disease, mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, morale effects, phantasms, and patterns), paralysis, poison, sleep, stun, and any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects or is harmless). Kaladrax is not subject to ability drain, energy drain, or nonlethal damage. Kaladrax is immune to damage or penalties to Strength or Dexterity, as well as to fatigue and exhaustion effects. Kaladrax is not at risk of death from massive damage.

Compatibiliy & OGL

Compatibility with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game requires the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game from Paizo Publishing, LLC. See http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG for more information on the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. Paizo Publishing, LLC does not guarantee compatibility, and does not endorse this product.

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Pathfinder and associated marks and logos are trademarks of Paizo Publishing, LLC, and are used under license. See paizo.com/pathfinderRPG for more information on the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game.

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Kaladrax flavor text © Hobby-Q, Inc.

Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Undead Revisited. © 2011, Paizo Publishing, LLC. Authors: Eric Cagle, Brian Cortijo, Brandon Hodge, Steve Kenson, Hal Maclean, Colin McComb, Jason Nelson, Todd Stewart, and Russ Taylor.

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 2, © 2010, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors Wolfgang Baur, Jason Bulmahn, Adam Daigle, Graeme Davis, Crystal Frasier, Joshua J. Frost, Tim Hitchcock, Brandon Hodge, James Jacobs, Steve Kenson, Hal MacLean, Martin Mason, Rob McCreary, Erik Mona, Jason Nelson, Patrick Renie, Sean K Reynolds, F. Wesley Schneider, Owen K.C. Stephens, James L. Sutter, Russ Taylor, and Greg A. Vaughan, based on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, and Skip Williams.

Red Dragon, Great Wyrm conversion by Broven on d20pfsrd.com

GURPS Monsters

Another of my GURPS books made the jump  to PDF from e23: GURPS Monsters can now be yours in instant download from: http://e23.sjgames.com/item.html?id=SJG30-6418

It just went “live” on April 25 and has been selling briskly, as far as my experience goes (which is not very far, admittedly). Enough so that in that handful of days, it pushed my royalties into the “cut a check” level all by itself, when otherwise orders for my previous books trickled in to get me a check every handful of quarters. So, good times, thank you, and go help out my May numbers if you don’t have yours yet!

Not convinced? There’s a 10-page preview available there as well, to try before you buy, and my designer’s notes are freely available on Pyramid. Or if you’d prefer the physical book, there are a limited number of those left too. (You can order it used or new from Amazon as well: GURPS Monsters; but today’s prices make that seem unlikely.)

—jhunterj

Coach and Sam in the Cheers episode “King of the Hill”

Sam: I mean how much for the whole thing?
Coach: Oh, six hundred bucks Sam, but the salesman said, the salesman said satisfaction guaranteed.
Sam: Or …?
Coach: Now, that would have been a good question.

I was reminded of that clip from Cheers when reading the rules for The Resistance. They include a restriction on “good” players not screwing up:

“Note: The Resistance Operatives must select the Mission Success card; Spies may select either the Mission Success of Mission Fail card.“

This kind of rule is not needed. It’s sound strategic advice (there’s no reason for the good guys to fail any mission, while there are instances where a bad guy might play a success card). It might be there to keep griefers from messing up the game, but then I reach my usual follow-up question for such direct, absolute statements: “… or what?”. What happens if the Resistance Operative plays a Fail card? The Spies are much more likely to win, that’s all. There’s no way to see the “foul” during play (unless more Fails are played in a single round than there are Spies in the game), so if you’ve got a griefer, you’re still stuck playing the whole game out before you can determine that this rule was broken. And you can just as easily ostracize a player who plays Fails inappropriately without this rule.

At work, we have agreements between departments, teams, and other groups. They are set up like contracts, except they aren’t always written by lawyers. When reviewing them, I frequently come across things like “so-and-so will do such-and-such within this amount of time” and I have to ask “… or what?” Are we just documenting goals and aspirations? If the   doing of such-and-such actually affects the business, we need to have the consequences listed.

Game rules and team interactions, if you are saying something has to happen one way, but it’s theoretically possibly for it to happen a different way, you need to have your “… or what?” answer, otherwise you’re relying on the good intentions of your audience.

—jhunterj

for GURPS 3rd Edition rules

Witeout was pretty far gone into Rio Largo’s main databank. He’d been in for over 10 seconds already, and time was running out. If only his Spanish was better! This was his first foreign run, and for the proggies, natch. The Chilentinan’s were doin’ some research in Antarctica, and Uncle Adam wanted to know whether it was bolshy or faex.

Bingo! Well, maybe bingo. Witeout found a file tagged ‘Antarctica’ but inside was shash data. Encrypted, drig! Better than nothin’, though, and it was too hot to hang around. Witeout slipped back through the Net to the good ol’ U. S. of A.

“All right, let’s hope it’s a simple cipher,” says Brian, Witeout’s player, looking up from his copy of GURPS Cyberpunk. “My Computer Programming is 17, so with the −6, I should get the real data on an 11 or less.”

“What does Computer Programming have to do with breaking codes, Brainiac? I found what you need here in High-Tech. See, roll against Mathematics−2 or IQ−8.”

“C’mon, Cryptography is in Terradyne. Hold on, I’ll look it up. (flip, flip, flip.) Here it is: Cryptography, mental hard, defaults to Mathematics−5 or IQ−6. Hmmm, but you get a +2 for simple ciphers.”

The GM cuts to the chase. “We’re going with what’s in the Basic Set. It’s got Cryptanalysis at Mathematics−3 or IQ−5. Your IQ is 13, so roll an 8 or less.”

Mark, playing the troop’s chiller, tries to decide which PC to zero first.

GURPS 3rd Ed Rules

Many GURPS books make reference to codes and ciphers. If they mention a skill to be used, it is variously called Cryptanalysis, Cryptography, or Cryptology. Its defaults vary widely, from Mathematics −2 to −5, IQ −5 to −8, or Computer Programming −6. Sometimes it’s a /TL skill, sometimes it isn’t. Not particularly universal, is it?

General Cryptology

Definition of Terms

First, the terms need to be defined. Cryptology is the combination of cryptography and cryptanalysis, cryptography is the creation of cipher and code methodologies, and cryptanalysis is the set of methodologies for obtaining plaintext from ciphertext without the proper keys. What that boils down to is cryptographers figure out how to encode stuff, cryptanalysists try to break the code, and cryptologists study both activities. A cryptosystem is what the cryptographer produces and what the cryptanalysist tries to defeat.

A cryptosystem can be secure (unlikely that anyone without the key can obtain any part of the original message) in two ways. If it is secure in the information-theoretic sense, then no amount of computational power and clever approaches can ever yield the original message. This is usually an impossible level of security to obtain. More often, a cryptosystem attempts to be secure in the computationally feasible sense, so that original messages cannot be obtained with any reasonable amount of computation.

There are other related activities. Cryptanalysis and cryptography are two opposing components of the opposing methods of signal intelligence and signal security (or SIGINT for those of you with GURPS Special Ops). These signals come in two varieties, communication and electronic.

Communication security can involve steganography, traffic security, and cryptography. Steganography is the set of methodologies for concealing the fact that a message is being sent. It includes things like invisible inks, microdots, and hiding messages in background noise. Traffic security involves keeping information from being derived from the patterns of communication traffic. For example, dummy messages can be sent so that when the time comes to send a large number of real messages, it doesn’t seem as unusual.

Communication intelligence includes interception and direction-finding, traffic analysis, and cryptanalysis. Interception and direction-finding try to defeat steganography by obtaining the message or the source of the message, respectively. Traffic analysis tries to deduce facts from patterns of communication traffic.

Electronic security can involve emission security and counter-countermeasures. Emission security is simply the electronic version of steganography—trying to keep the adversary from becoming aware that electronic signals are being used, for example, by shifting radar frequencies. Counter-countermeasures are used to successfully send electronics signals when the adversary is using countermeasures to prevent them from being successfully transmitted.

Electronic intelligence includes electronic reconnaissance and countermeasures. Electronic reconnaissance involves interception and direction-finding, just like with communication intelligence. Countermeasures include techniques like radar jamming and sending false radar echoes.

Historical Cryptology

Cryptography has existed since the fifth century B.C. when the Spartans developed and used a transposition cipher (in which the letters of the message are rearranged). Cryptanalysis is much younger. The Arabians were the first to document their cryptanalytic methods, in an encyclopedia completed in 1412.

A US Navy WAVE sets the Bombe rotors prior to a run. Photo by J Brew (CC-BY-SA-2.0)

Cryptology made intermittent gains through its lifetime. Advances in other fields sometimes lead to these gains. The use of radio communications in World War I led to the growth of cryptology into a mature science. The development of powerful computers in the 1960s made some of the complex modern protocols feasible. The development of public-key cryptography in the late 1970s stimulated academic interest, since it could be widely used in non-military situations. (Public-key cryptography involves two keys, the public key for encoding and the private key for decoding.) One of the most recent advances uses quantum mechanics and Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle to send messages encoded in beams of polarized light.

GURPS Rules

Character Types

Chemist/Computer Programmer/Engineer/Gadgeteer/Physicist

This group of character types can have some impact on the development of new methods of signal security and signal intelligence, such as invisible inks, password programs, cipher wheels, and quantum encryption devices.

Most of these scientists may find it useful to know Signal Security or Signal Intelligence. These are not required as long as someone else (with the appropriate skill) is handy to specify what needs to be developed.

Cinematic Spy

The master-of-all-trades superspy certainly needs to include Cryptography in his repertoire, and probably Signal Security as well. If the Bad Guys are taking steps to keep the Important Information from the Superspy, he would do well to have Signal Intelligence and Cryptanalysis as well.

Cipher Clerk

Unlikely choices for PCs in a heroic campaign, these individuals held important positions nonetheless. Simple mistakes in their daily tasks could provide the enemy with invaluable information. They all must have Professional Skill: Cipher Clerk.

Conspirator/Diplomat/Paranoid/Scribe/Telegraph Operator

These are the character types that may routinely use cryptographic protocols in their lines of work. Even if they don’t know the science of Cryptology, many should have the Professional Skill of Cipher Clerk, so that they can send and receive secure messages with some degree of success.

Femme Fatale

As pointed out in GURPS Espionage, the femme fatale need not be a female. In espionage, these manipulators will often need to send reports or receive instructions while in the, ahem, company of important figures. Even apart from the spy world, cryptology can be handy for secret lovers—Vatsyayana’s Kama-sutra lists secret writing as one of the 64 yogas that women should know.

Historian/Theologian

Occasionally a researcher finds an encrypted historical or theological text. Most often they will only study cryptology on the job—working with more experienced cryptanalysists as the need arises.

Intelligence Analyst/Black Chamber Member/Government Investigator/Intelligence Officer

Intelligence Analyst is the generic category that all of these character types fall into. Signals are intercepted and read without the sender or recipient realizing what was going on.

Black Chambers were the NSAs of their time, intelligence-gathering entities operating in peacetime. Mail from one European country to another would be opened by members of the Black Chamber, read, resealed, and delivered. If the message inside was encrypted, it would be held long enough to decrypt it. As modern diplomatic methods evolved, so did modern cryptographic methods evolve in the Black Chambers.

Black Chambers were common in Europe in the 1700s. Russia established one as well, the Spets-Otdel, during the reign of Peter the Great. England’s Black Chamber, Austria’s Geheime Kabinets-Kanzlei, and France’s Cabinet Noir all stopped operations in the 1850s, mostly because of public opinion. The United States also operated a Black Chamber after a success with cryptolologic service in World War I. The American Black Chamber was in operation from 1919 to 1929.

These other character types do the same kind of work, just in different arenas. Government Investigators would work within a government, possibly as Internal Affairs. Intelligence Officers are military officers who do their work in wartime, intercepting enemy communications. These characters would be skilled in Cryptography, Forgery, Languages, and Signal Intelligence.

Mage

In a world where magical spells are closely guarded secrets, mages would need cryptology the same way nations do. They would want to keep their knowledge hidden while learning the knowledge that their neighbors possess. See below for an example of a mage using cryptography as part of a security plan for his grimoire.

Netrunner

Some netrunners may need to act as intelligence analysts. They can either use an expert system or take the do-it-yourself approach. Most netrunners will not have security clearance to come by either option legitimately, but there is always the black market (or a good character story and Unusual Background).

New Skills

Cryptology/TL (Mental/Very Hard) No default

This is the science of textual information security. It allows the use of both the Cryptography and Cryptanalysist skills below. If the GM wishes to retain the simplified one-skill mechanic for this avenue of study, he should ignore Cryptography and Cryptanalysis and permit players to purchase only Cryptology. Mathematical Ability will add to this skill.

Cryptological training requires a Top Secret/Special Compartmentalized Intelligence Clearance in the modern U.S. and similar clearances in other settings. No one with disadvantages that would make him a potential security risk is likely to be selected for such training. An Unusual Background or other Advantage that the GM allows may be substituted for this clearance. Cryptology may be learned at lower TLs without the clearance or other explanation—it is assumed that earlier methods are publicly documented.

Historical note: the bonus from Mathematical Ability would be unavailable in the ‘real’ world until 1920, when William Frederick Friedman’s The Index of Coincidence and Its Applications in Cryptography was published. Friedman was the first to apply statistical concepts to the letter frequency distributions used in cryptologic techniques.

Cryptography/TL (Mental/Hard) Defaults to Cryptology

Cryptography is the science of developing code and cipher protocols and techniques. It allows the creation of new methods of encipherment, and the selection of appropriate techniques and combinations of techniques to define a protocol for a given security need. Mathematical Ability will add to this skill.

Cryptographical training requires a Top Secret/Special Compartmentalized Intelligence Clearance in the modern U.S. and similar clearances in other settings. No one with disadvantages that would make him a potential security risk is likely to be selected for such training. An Unusual Background or other Advantage that the GM allows may be substituted for this clearance. Cryptology may be learned at TLs lower than the current TL without the clearance or other explanation—it is assumed that earlier methods are publicly documented.

Cryptanalysis/TL (Mental/Hard) Defaults to Cryptology

Cryptanalysis is the science of obtaining plaintext from ciphertext without the proper keys. Computer equipment is extremely helpful, if available, in conjunction with this skill. The availability of other plaintext/ciphertext pairs in the same cryptosystem is an asset; however, message brevity is a serious impediment by even the most skilled cryptanalysist. Mathematical Ability will add to this skill.

Cryptanalytical training requires a Top Secret/Special Compartmentalized Intelligence Clearance in the modern U.S. and similar clearances in other settings. No one with disadvantages that would make him a potential security risk is likely to be selected for such training. An Unusual Background or other Advantage that the GM allows may be substituted for this clearance. Cryptology may be learned at TLs lower than the current TL without the clearance or other explanation—it is assumed that earlier methods are publicly documented.

Computer modifiers: +Complexity of the decryption program, with a successful Computer Operations roll.

Other modifiers: +5 for a known plaintext/ciphertext pair in the same cryptosystem. −10 for a message of a single word, −9 for fewer than 5 words, −7 for fewer than 10 words, −5 for fewer than 25 words, −3 for fewer than 50 words, −1 for fewer than 100 words, +1 for more than 150 words, +3 for more than 300 words, +5 for more than 500 words. Additional modifiers may be made based on the cryptosystem. [This skill originally appeared, in a different form, in GURPS Special Ops.]

Hobby Skill: Cryptogram Solving (Mental/Easy) Defaults to Language−4*, Cryptology+2, or Cryptanalysis+2

This is the ability to solve simple substitution ciphers, such as those published in puzzle magazines. Mathematical ability will add to this skill.

Note to GMs: Simple substitution ciphers are never used in modern times to secure important information. They are used to make information mildly inconvenient to obtain, or to provide a small delay if the information needs to remain unknown for only a short time. For example, some postings on the Internet’s newsgroups are encrypted using a method known as rot-13, where each letter is replaced by the letter 13 places away in the alphabet. It can be decrypted through the same method, and many newsreaders provide that method of decryption. No one expects the information to remain undeciphered, but it does allow the distribution of information that some members of the audience may not want to read immediately, such as movie spoilers, joke punchlines, or off-color remarks.

Note: This skill is not historically available until TL4. During medieval times, cryptology was considered a black art, like witchcraft. The ability to produce real information from a jumble of meaningless letters was viewed as divination.

*The default to a language skill should only be allowed in game worlds where cryptogram puzzles are common.

Professional Skill: Cipher Clerk/TL (Mental/Easy) Defaults to IQ−4, Cryptology−2, Cryptanalysis−2, or Special

This is the ability to use cipher equipment and to follow the appropriate methodologies for encoding and decoding transmissions given the proper keys. In a modern setting, using a computer-program-based encryption protocol with standard documentation, this could also default to Computer Operation−2.

Signal Security/TL (Mental/Average) No default

The Signal Security skill includes the areas of steganography, transmission and emission security, and traffic security (note that ‘signal’ can mean any type of information transfer). Steganography is used to hide the fact that a message is being sent at all. Transmission and emission security attempts to avoid direction-finding techniques by sending a long message in one short burst or shifting radar frequencies.

Traffic security similarly tries to render traffic analysis fruitless by changing call-signs, sending dummy messages, and applying radio silence. This skill allows the application of existing methodologies. To develop new methodologies would require rolls against the appropriate skill: Chemistry to develop a new invisible ink, Engineering for hidden compartments, etc.

Signal Intelligence Collection/Jamming/TL (Mental/Average) No default

This is the ability to operate sophisticated intelligence-gathering and direction-finding systems targeted at secure signals. In modern times this can include voice or Morse radios, telephones, radar, telemetry, etc. In earlier times it would be limited to detecting invisible inks and the like. Again, ‘signal’ can mean any type of information transfer.

Modifiers: −2 for isolated communications shorter than one minute, −1 to −10 for rough handling or poor maintenance of equipment. [This skill originally appeared in GURPS Special Ops.]

Traffic Analysis/TL (Mental/Hard) No default

This is the ability to identify target unit types and organizational structures from data such as callsigns, prosigns, and transmission patterns of intercepted communications traffic. [This skill originally appeared in GURPS Special Ops.]

Investigation of Problems and Solutions (Cryptographic Techniques)

The standard problem for cryptographers is to send messages from one party to another such that no other party can gain information from the message. Here are some other things that aspiring cryptographers can develop:

• Anonymous Election: electronic election where every voter’s vote remains private and every voter can check that the election was not falsely manipulated. −6 penalty.
• Anonymous Transactions: electronic transaction where one party remains anonymous, but the other party receives some assurance (such as ability to pay or authorization). −4 penalty.
• Certified Mail: simultaneous exchange of a secret message and a signed receipt. −4 penalty.
• Digital Signature: the recipient can be sure of the sender’s identity, but the message is not secret. No penalty.
• Contract Signing: digital signatures are simultaneously exchanged. −2 penalty, or −4 if the signed document is secret.
• Oblivious Transfer: the sender cannot be certain if the intended recipient receives the secret message. −2 penalty.
• Secret Sharing: a group of people all hold pieces of a secret, which are unintelligible taken individually. If a large enough percentage of the group put their pieces together, the secret can be produced. −4 penalty.

Each of these additional properties would represent a −2 penalty: anonymity, authentication, multi-party usage, obliviousness, secrecy, and simultaneity.

Rules for ‘Attacking’ Cryptograms

If the game includes both cryptographers and cryptanalysts making and breaking codes, the GM should treat attacks on cryptographic systems as contests of skill rather than simple skill rolls. Whenever a new protocol is developed, record the amount by which the roll was made. When it is later attacked, the cryptanalyst must succeed by that amount or more. Usually, however, the GM will be creating all of the protocols (or using historical ones) and the players will be trying to break them. In this case, the GM assigns modifiers to the different protocols as he sees fit, and the cryptanalysts must make rolls at the specified penalties (or bonuses).

An attack on a secrecy protocol has varying degrees of success. If the cryptanalyst succeeds by 1 or less, the message is only partially decoded. The GM gives the player some interesting pieces of information, but not all of it. If he succeeds by 2 or more, the entire message is decrypted. If he succeeds by 6 or more, he can also decrypt any future messages sent in the same protocol with the same key. On a critical success, he can obtain the secret key as well. Note that if the cryptanalyst knows the protocol being used, he can often determine the secret key once an entire message has been decrypted without a critical success.

An attack on an authentication protocol also has varying degrees of success. If the cryptanalyst succeeds by 1 or less, he has achieved an existential forgery—he can forge a signature on one message chosen at random. If he succeeds by 2 or more, he can forge the signature on one message of his choosing. If he succeeds by 6 or more, he can forge the signature on any number of messages. On a critical success, he can obtain the signer’s private key as well.

In a cinematic campaign, all keys and passwords are words, numbers, or phrases that have special meaning to the user and can be guessed. Examples include ‘TRUSTNO1′ for Fox Mulder on The X-Files television series and ‘RAMESES II’ for Ozymandias in the  Watchmen graphic novel. ‘PASSWORD’, ‘SECRET’, and ‘SEX’ are good guesses for unsophisticated users, along with birth dates and maiden names. In a cinematic campaign, or a realistic game with naive users, the GM can allow a character to guess such a password or key on a roll of 3 on 3 dice. Bonuses should be given for intimate knowledge of the subject’s biographical information, or for the importance to the game’s plot. Or if the character has time and resources for a brute force attack on a system that the GM (or player) has already determined is protected by one of the naive passwords, the GM can rule that success is automatic.

Note that the magical spell Encrypt (GURPS Grimoire, p. 78) will produce ‘encrypted’ text that cannot be deciphered through mundane cryptanalytical attacks. It must be resisted or magically dispelled, or the encrypted item must be taken to a no-mana area. Truly fiendish mages will translate their most secret works into an ancient or alien language, encrypt it using mundane techniques, and then enchant the resulting work with the magical spell. See GURPS Magic Items 2, pp. 40-41, for even more convoluted methods.

Further Reading

Non-fiction

• HIDDEN CODES & GRAND DESIGNS. Pierre Berloquin. Sterling, 2010.
• MODERN CRYPTOLOGY: A TUTORIAL. Gilles Brassard in Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Vol. 325. Springer-Verlag, 1988.
• THE CODE-BREAKERS. David Kahn. Scribner, 1996.

Fiction

• THE VOYNICH CYPHER. Russell Blake. CreateSpace, 2012.
• ENIGMA. Robert Harris. Random House, 1995.
• CRYPTONOMICON. Neal Stephenson. Avon, 2002.

—jhunterj

Quizgle screenshot

Quizgle is live! Quizgle is a puzzle game where you have to guess the words that were used to generate the displayed search results. At a game of five rounds, you can share your result to see if your friends can  beat your score.

I had a lot of fun working on the database side of this game while my cohort S. Chedal knocked out the user interface and game play. We hope you will enjoy it!

—jhunterj

The chess pieces need to have easily identifiable facing, so pieces from Chess Teacher, chess dice from Proteus, standard chess pieces mounted on some teardrop-shaped bases, or gaming miniatures that are evoke the proper piece (clerics, mounted riders, perhaps golems for rooks, etc.) could be used. The king itself could be a standard RoboRally bot. Each player needs a king and a selection of pieces, for example, a rook, a bishop, and two knights.

Photo of the “Chess” board from planet gareth

Select one (or two) of the more symmetrically balanced boards from RoboRally—the “Chess” board from the Avalon Hill edition is an obvious choice, but there are many more that will work. You could use an empty grid as well, but then this becomes more chess and less RoboRally.

The two players set up their pieces on the two rows closest to opposite ends of the selected arena (secretly, if each wants to wait until the other sets up before deciding on their own set up). Deal out starting hands of 9 RoboRally cards.

Each turn, players lay out programs of five cards. The cards are revealed and executed in priority order. For each card, however, a player chooses any one of his pieces to move. A “Move 1″ allows a piece to make its normal chess move (and maintains the piece’s facing); all other cards would use their normal RoboRally movement or turning effect. Opposing robots landed on with a “Move 1″ chess move are captured; robots landed on with any other movement are pushed per the RoboRally rules. There are no checking rules as in chess, since the eventual capture requires hidden information (the presence of a “Move 1″). No castling or en passant captures either, for that matter.

Knights using a “Move 1″ are subject to effects similar to those of the “Frog Legs” option: the knight can pass over pits but would get stopped by walls; the knight move can be made only if a three-square path from the starting space the the landing space could be traversed by a flying robot.

A bishop can move through any vertex unless a wall or open pit on the bishop’s left and a wall or open pit on the bishop’s right meet at the vertex.

King Twonky and four chess dice pieces. Photo by J. Hunter Johnson, released under CC-BY-SA-3.0

A piece ending a turn on a double-wrench space farthest from its starting edge can be promoted (instead of any healing damage or gaining an option). That is, of the rows that have any double-wrench spaces, only the row farthest from the starting edge row “empowers” its double-wrenches with promotion capability.

The object of the game is to capture the opposing king with a chess move or eliminate him through Robo Rally effects (pits, crushers, or accumulated damage). Only damage to the king reduces the number of cards drawn.

Shogi pieces could also be used this way (and have good facing). You could even mix-and-match shogi pieces, other regional chess-like games’ pieces, or fairy chess pieces (see Chess variants). If you get really deep into it, you can also experiment with unbalanced sides, piece drafts, or point buys—let me know how it goes!

—jhunterj

Orc by EspenG (CC-BY-SA-3.0)

An orc cook goes to the orc butcher and asks for some prime elf steaks. The butcher says “It’s not ‘prime’ these days. Elfmeat went to ‘good’, ‘plusgood’, ‘doubleplusgood’.”

“Oh. Okay, gimme some plusgood elf steaks and some doubleplusgood pixie wings.”

“Pixie wings are now grade A, B, or C.”

“Erk. Gimme grade-A pixie wings. Oh and some … uh, what are faerie-light patties graded on this week?”

“Violet, blue, pale blue, sky, and white”

“I hate this!”

“Hate what?”

“Your shifty grades of fey!”

—jhunterj