Digressive Musings on Old-School D&D

Author: The Rambling Cleric Page 7 of 15

I'm a former professor of religious studies turned hospital chaplain that has a love for old-school roleplaying, particularly original D&D and B/X D&D. If you enjoy pondering the esoteric nature of early D&D, or just want to poke around and see what another player does in his old-school games, then you should find something of interest here.

The Family of Ecgred: Generating Random NPC Personalities Quickly

The winter storm has moved on leaving behind a ton of snow and bright, clear skies. This morning started with some routine diaper changing (daddy life), but now I’m enjoying a cup of coffee and have a little bit of time to write a quick post.

In my current Long Night Campaign, the players belong to one of several Saxon families that have traveled north from a section of the southern coast of Britain not far from the old Roman shore fort of Anderitum. The families have established a small community in the uncultivated “frontier” land situated just south of a great primeval forest known as Andredes Weald. To bring the families of the community to life, I’ve been randomly generating various aspects of each NPC, things like traits, dispositions, behavioral habits, and appearance. What follows is an example family produced using this random method, the family of Ecgred. This is the family to which the players are connected either by blood or by service at the start of the campaign.

The Long Night Bear-Warrior

We’re getting ready for another winter storm here. Such things always make for memorable morning commutes. Joy. Well, before I hit the sack I thought I would post the working draft for the Bear-Warrior, a Warrior subclass for the Long Night Campaign. My last post looked at the Hægtesse. Now it’s super-duper-bear-power time! I think my toddler’s stuffed teddy bear is subconsciously influencing my tired mind.

The Long Night Hægtesse: Supernatural Furies in an Anglo-Saxon Campaign World

This site has been gathering dust for a few months now. Being a hospital chaplain during an on-going pandemic makes for little time or energy. Oh, and since it has been on my heart and mind lately, if you have not gotten vaccinated AND you do not have a legitimate medical exemption or a truly sincere religious belief to exempt you (truly sincere, not some BS you pulled from the internet to get around the issue) then let me say this: #@*%$#!! #####EDITED OUT RAGE TO KEEP FROM GETTING FIRED#####

I know it’s your decision. No doubt. My decision is to take a moment and express my rage. My decision has been to spend the last two years with patients dying from COVID, along with their families. It’s tragic, and I’m tired of seeing the same situation over and over again. It’s like some twisted Groundhog day scenario.

Sigh. Moving on. I’ve been a little burned out if I’m being honest. Hell, the only reason I’m even making a post now is that I’m home sick with sick kids that bestowed the gift of projectile vomit on me last night…the chucky kind. That’s love. Anyway, I’m home today and everyone is finally sleeping peacefully (for now). What follows is a draft for one of the non-human options in my Long Night campaign set in 6th-century “England.” I now present the Hægtesse.

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