Shout-Out to Ben's Nerdery and Myth Setting Musings

So there's this blog called Ben's Nerdery. It hasn't been updated since December 13, 2013, but there's great Myth-related stuff there...specifically, Myth RPG-related stuff.

I must confess, the map I actually consider the most useful in Lamentations of the Fallen Lords is the custom-drawn one from Ben's Nerdery, with all of the roads and new towns and other awesome additional details. I more-or-less consider it the canonically correct map in my campaign, other than my own sparse additions like putting Pembrooktonshire on the map. I would repost the map here, but I'd rather try to contact the owner of the blog first for permission, and I haven't done so yet. You can see it HERE in all its glory at the original website. There's even a version with a hex overlay!

My favorite thing about this map is that it actually includes a scale for distance. If I'm not mistaken, the original games were somewhat inconsistent about distances, so knowing how much space the map is supposed to cover is super handy. Unless I eyeballed it wrong, I think the scale provided would make the known world of Myth a scant 1,000 by 800 miles. Assuming Myth takes place on a world roughly the size of Earth, that gives me a lot of room to add things beyond the borders.

Now if only I could figure some semi-realistic population figures for the setting. I mean, there aren't currently very many cities for an area of that size, right? Maybe the monsters and bandits and lack of arable farmland due to the big magical desert and the big frigid mountain ranges and the Trow-dominated no-man's-land are a bigger check on population growth and wilderness domestication than I've given them credit for. Even so long after the last Great War and after such a huge increase in peace, prosperity, and technological/magical advancement, maybe human, dwarf, and fir'bolg populations have barely recovered for some reason, despite everyone's (supposed) contentment and higher standard of living. That would account for the lack of urban development, I guess, but I'm no sociologist/economist/anthropologist. I could use some help figuring out how this all goes together.

Not that such detail is strictly necessary, but I enjoy it to some extent. I don't need to know the economic details of every little town, or the GDP of the Empire, or the family tree of every politician, or anything like that. I haven't read them myself, but I've heard accusations that the Forgotten Realms setting books, for example, get bogged down by this kind of excessive detail, which is boring to read and has little impact on actual play at the table. I don't want to go that far. I just want a few, basic facts to provide a greater relative level of verisimilitude compared to what I've already established in my take on Myth's world.

Bottom line, wherever you are, Ben, thank you for your awesome maps and ideas for running Myth as an RPG and other assorted Nerdery. Here's to you!

How Are the Town Guards Equipped?

Primary weapon (d20):
1. Longsword/Axe/Mace and Shield
2. Greatsword or Greataxe
3. Halberd or other Pole Weapon
4. Crossbow
5. Trident and Net
6. Javelins and Shield
7. Scythes, Pitchforks, and other Farming Tools
8. Hook and Chain
9. Atlatl or other Spear-Thrower
10. Sword Cane
11. Shield with Spikes that pop out like claws
12. Bellows Device that pumps out knockout gas
13. Sword/Axe/Spear made of wood and obsidian, possibly with a Shield
14. Rusty Pipe yanked from unidentified machinery or Comically Oversized Wrench
15. High-tech Alien Weapons that ran out of ammo a long time ago but look intimidating
16. Porcupine Pelt on a Stick
17. Giant Match struck on the nearest rock (town shows many signs of fire damage)
18. Morningstar or Flail
19. Saw modified to be a weapon
20. Sledgehammers, Pickaxes, and Shovels

Secondary weapon (d20):
1. Shortsword or Falchion
2. Daggers
3. Bolas
4. Kukri or Machete
5. Throwing Axes or Throwing Clubs
6. Whip
7. Chakram
8. Boomerang
9. Sling
10. Glass orbs filled with knockout gas
11. Lasso
12. Brass Knuckles or Cestus
13. Nearest Broken Bottle
14. Surprising Hard Rubber Ball
15. Bone Clubs and Flint Knives
16. Hammers (not of the war variety)
17. Garrote or Highly Anachronistic Plastic Bag used to suffocate adversaries
18. Nearest Severed Limb, still gripping a weapon (Hm...There's an unusual number of those lying around...)
19. Thick Book
20. Harsh Language

Armor (d20):
1. Paper
2. Wood
3-8. Leather
9. Monster Scales/Carapace
10. Bone/Horn
11. Bronze Lamellar
12-15. Steel or Iron Chainmail
16-18. Steel Plate
19. Mithril (Radioactive, but the poor guards don't know that. They're just thinking "Magic elf armor! Awesome!)
20. Modern Bullet-Resistant Kevlar

Unusual Armor Features (d12):
1. Bright, clashing colors
2. Designed to make the guards look like rhinos, armadillos, turtles, etc.
3. Made of obvious scrap material that doesn't match
4. Integrated machinery makes the guards look like clockwork automatons
5. Excessive number of spikes and huge shoulder pads - intimidating, but not practical indoors
6. Intricate spiral pattern of string woven over, under, or into every piece of armor
7. Completely unmarked - no insignia, no badges, no official papers, just the uniform and equipment
8. Holes in armor play flute-like notes when air passes through them
9. Covered in glyphs that glow when undead are nearby
10. Stuffed with asbestos for fireproofing - the local alchemist has a contract
11. Contains built-in flotation device
12. The armor is animated - there's no actual physical person inside, just a bound spirit or other controlling force

Strange Duties, Customs, or Habits (d12):
1. At noon every day, all of the guards in town drop everything they're doing, no matter how important, and go to the town square to perform a short but elaborate costume drama.
2. The guards never use proper nouns while on duty.
3. Every day, one guard is chosen (by lottery, vote, or some other system) to be the Anti-Guard, who has to go around helping criminals avoid being caught.
4. The guards punish idleness and loitering more severely than almost any other "crime."
5. The guards eat some kind of strange fruit constantly while on duty.
6. Every guard is accompanied at all times by an accountant riding an exotic animal (like an ostrich). The accountant makes sure the guard does not go over their budget while performing their duties.
7. All of the guards are obsessed with a board game or card game that has byzantine rules. Whenever possible, they wager irresponsible amounts of money or goods, or else promise extensive favors if they lose.
8. Every guard is required to belong to a different religion, or at least a different religious denomination or sect.
9. Guards are segregated between women and men, and guards are only allowed to enforce laws when dealing with citizens of their own gender.
10. All of the guards speak and sing at the exact same pitch, which changes every day.
11. All of the guards have blue skin because they all drink colloidal silver. They also work the word "silver" into conversation as often as possible.
12. Whenever a citizen falls in the river or gets splashed by any large amount of the river's water, the guards arrest that citizen the next day on unrelated and severe charges.

Myth Classes - Mage

This class represents the Warlocks, Avatara, etc. from the Myth computer games. It is a combination of the Magic-User and Alice. For more information on the Alice class, see A Red & Pleasant Land, pages 29 to 33.

• The Mage must be Chaotic in alignment.
• The Mage casts, transcribes, and researches spells, writes and uses scrolls, and creates magic items as a Magic-User (except where noted), and their known spells and spells per level (or spells per day) are the same as a Magic-User of the same level (except where noted).
• At character creation, the Mage starts play with a spellbook containing Read Magic, Summon, and three other randomly-determined first level spells. New spells are added just like the Magic-User (Rules & Magic p. 79).
• The Mage can use Skills and Skill Points as the Alice, except that they cannot have more than the default 1 point in the Sneak Attack skill.
• The Mage has a +1 bonus to finding traps with the Search skill, like the Alice.
• The Mage can use the Exasperation ability as an Alice of the same level (A Red & Pleasant Land p. 30-31).
• At character creation and upon leveling up, the Mage rolls twice on the Level Up Table like the Alice (A Red and Pleasant Land, p. 30, 32-33), but if 01 through 20 is rolled, the Mage does not alter their saving throws. Instead, the Mage adds 1 spell per level (or spell per day) to the Spell Level of the Mage's choice. This can only be added to a Spell Level to which the Mage would have access at that level. For example: The Mage reaches Level 5 and rolls 07 on the Level Up Table. At Level 5, the Mage can by default cast 3 level 1 spells, 2 level 2 spells, and 1 level 3 spell per day. The Mage can choose to increase the level 1 spells per day to 4, or the level 2 spells per day to 3, or the level 3 spells per day to 2.
• In the Lamentations of the Fallen Lords campaign, potions of Cleric spells do not exist in the world of Myth. Theoretically, they could be invented through extensive and expensive research. On the other hand, powerful direct-damage spells which do not exist in LotFP's Rules & Magic book, like the classic D&D spells Fireball and Lightning bolt, do exist, but as the closely-guarded secrets of various magical organizations or paranoid individuals. They can be acquired from these sources or recreated through difficult research, but such actions are likely to create enemies.
• At Level 10 and above, the Mage's constitution bonus is no longer added to the HP gained per level.

Level	EXP	HP	Paralyze	Poison	Breath	Device	Magic	Skill Points
1	0	1d6	13	13	16	13	14	2
2	2,250	+1d4	13	13	16	13	14	+1
3	4,500	+1d4	13	13	16	13	14	+0
4	9,000	+1d4	13	13	16	13	14	+1
5	18,000	+1d4	13	13	16	13	14	+0
6	36,000	+1d4	11	11	14	11	12	+1
7	72,000	+1d4	11	11	14	11	12	+0
8	144,000	+1d4	11	11	14	11	12	+1
9	288,000	+1d4	11	11	14	11	12	+0
10	432,000	+1	11	11	14	11	12	+1
11	576,000	+1	9	9	12	9	8	+0
12	720,000	+1	9	9	12	9	8	+1
13	864,000	+1	9	9	12	9	8	+0
14	1,008,000	+1	9	9	12	9	8	+1
15	1,152,000	+1	9	9	12	9	8	+0
16	1,296,000	+1	6	7	8	5	6	+1
17	1,440,000	+1	6	7	8	5	6	+0
18	1,584,000	+1	6	7	8	5	6	+1
19	1,728,000	+1	5	6	7	4	4	+0
20	+144,000/lvl	+1/lvl	5	6	7	4	4	+1 on even levels, +0 on odd levels

Myth Classes - Journeyman

This class represents the Journeymen and Heron Guards from the Myth computer games. It is a combination of the Fighter and Cleric (as evidenced by the saving throws below).

• The Journeyman must be Lawful in alignment.
• The Journeyman's base attack bonus increases per level as a Fighter.
• The Journeyman can use Press, Defensive Fighting, and Parry as a Fighter.
• The Journeyman can use their few Skill Points as a Specialist, except that they cannot have more than the default 1 point in the Sneak Attack skill.
• Cleave: When using a melee attack, if the Journeyman does more than enough damage to an enemy to kill it and there is another enemy within melee range of the Journeyman, the Journeyman may roll to attack that enemy as well. If this second attack hits, the target takes the excess damage above what was needed to kill the first target (unless the enemy's special defenses or immunities would prevent this damage). For example, if the Journeyman stood next to two enemies with 4 HP each and killed the first enemy with an attack doing 7 points of damage, the Journeyman could immediately make a to-hit roll against the second enemy to do 3 points of damage, since it only took 4 of the 7 available damage to kill the first enemy.
• Splintering: If the Journeyman rolls a natural 20 on a to-hit melee roll against a human or humanoid opponent that is wielding a non-magic shield, that shield is broken and no longer provides an AC bonus. If the Journeyman rolls a natural 20 on a to-hit melee roll against a human or humanoid opponent that is not wielding a shield of any kind but is wearing non-magical armor, the armor is damaged and provides one less point of AC. The Journeyman can opt not to use this effect (to preserve shields and armor for looting, for example).
• The Journeyman casts spells as a Cleric (except where noted), and their known spells and spells per level (or spells per day) are the same as a Cleric of the same level.
• The Journeyman does not need a holy symbol to cast spells, and can cast one-handed.
• The Journeyman can write and use scrolls and research spells like a Cleric. However, the Journeyman cannot create holy water. Also, the Journeyman cannot cooperate with a Magic-User (or similar class) to make potions of Cleric spells unless the method of doing so is first researched and discovered within the campaign.
• The Journeyman can add their Wisdom bonus to a Bushcraft roll to find Mandrake Roots in the wilderness. Success means that 1d4 Mandrake Roots are found. Finding Roots takes as long as hunting, and likewise slows travel time (see Rules & Magic p. 34). A shovel or other digging tool is needed to remove a Mandrake Root from the ground. Mandrake Roots are also commonly found for sale in towns for 5sp each.
• The Journeyman can enchant Mandrake Roots. Enchanted Mandrake Roots are commonly known as Jarl Roots, and they are similar to potions. Except where noted, follow the rules for creating a potion (Rules & Magic p. 81). Jarl Roots can be enchanted almost anywhere, not just in a temple, laboratory, etc. The Journeyman does not need the help of a Magic-User (or similar class) to make a Jarl Root, and cannot be aided by an Alchemist or other NPC in order to reduce the time or cost needed.
• Each Jarl Root contains one use of one Cleric spell. The following spells can be put into Jarl Roots: Cure Light Wounds, Delay Poison, Cure Disease, Cure Serious Wounds, Neutralize Poison, Cure Critical Wounds, and Heal. The process of making a Jarl Root takes 1d4 days per Spell Level of the spell being put into the root, and takes 50sp per day. The Journeyman can reduce the number of days needed by their Wisdom bonus, down to a minimum of 1 day.
• Only a Journeyman can activate a Jarl Root. A Jarl Root is used by touching it to the skin of the intended target and chanting the rune word carved on the Jarl Root while concentrating. This takes one round. A Jarl Root can be used on oneself or on another target - an unwilling target can make a Save vs. Device to negate the effect. Mandrake/Jarl Roots are unencumbering items. Enchanted (i.e. Jarl) Roots do not decompose until used or otherwise unenchanted, at which point they crumble into ash.
• When using a Jarl Root, the Journeyman can choose to cast the reverse of the spell inside the Root, instead of the normal version. For example, a Cure Light Wounds Root can be used to cast either Cure Light Wounds or Cause Light Wounds.
• At Level 10 and above, the Journeyman's constitution bonus is no longer added to the HP gained per level.

Level	EXP	HP	Paralyze	Poison	Breath	Device	Magic	Skill Points
1	0	1d8	14	11	15	12	15	0
2	2,000	+1d8	14	11	15	12	15	+1
3	4,000	+1d8	14	11	15	12	15	+0
4	8,000	+1d8	12	10	13	11	14	+1
5	16,000	+1d8	12	9	13	10	12	+0
6	32,000	+1d8	12	9	13	10	12	+1
7	64,000	+1d8	10	8	9	9	12	+0
8	128,000	+1d8	10	8	9	9	12	+1
9	256,000	+1d8	10	7	9	8	9	+0
10	384,000	+3	8	6	7	7	9	+1
11	512,000	+3	8	6	7	7	9	+0
12	640,000	+3	8	6	7	7	9	+1
13	768,000	+3	6	3	5	4	6	+0
14	896,000	+3	6	3	5	4	6	+1
15	1,024,000	+3	6	3	5	4	6	+0
16	1,152,000	+3	6	3	5	4	6	+1
17	1,280,000	+3	6	2	5	4	5	+0
18	1,408,000	+3	6	2	5	4	5	+1
19	1,536,000	+3	6	2	5	4	5	+0
20	+128,000/lvl	+3/lvl	6	2	5	4	5	+1 on even levels, +0 on odd levels