Castelli & Chimere - Castles & Chimeras: agosto 2024

Castles & Chimeras will take a look at Dungeons & Ducks the first feathered rpg (that had a lot of international translations, in Italy it had a rough history changing his name a lot of times from the first translation "Antri ed Anatre", the second one "Pertugi e Paperi" up to the final one "Pericoli e Paperi".

Ducks are a small humanoid race that migrate between prime materials plane, they usually stay in one plane for thousand of years and then most of them go to find new lands. Ducks are very versatile and they adapt and prosper in many worlds.

Ducks are a very brave race, are very good at getting along with other races and they are able to live well in almost any place.

Ducks as a playable race are found in many games, they are very famous in Glorantha (also known as Durulz) and in the swedish Drakar och Demoner which has been translated to english as Dragonbane.

Here we present an OSR racial class for most of the OSR games (Labyrinth Lord, Basic Fantasy RPG, and so on).

DUCK

Prerequisite: DEX 9

Primary: COS

Hit Dice: 1d4

Max Level: 13th

Armors: any (but must be adapted to the small size), any shield

Weapons: any (for their small size)

Languages: Alignament, Ducktongue, Common, Draconic, Halfling*, Gnomic*

*ducks seem to have a knack for learning other small race languages

Ducks are anthropomorphic beings covered in feathers with beaks, arms and hands and webbed feet, between 90 and 112 cm tall (88 + 2d12) but are very light for their height (30-40 kg). The plumage can have many colors but is often white or black. Ducks have four-color vision so apparently similar ducks have subtle differences in the color of their feathers that make them immediately different in the eyes of other ducks.

Combat

Ducks can use all armor and all weapons as long as they are suitable for their small size.

Hiding

Ducks are very skilled at hiding. This skill starts at 5 out of 12 at first level and improves by 1 every 3 levels (up to 9 out of 12 at 13th level)

Moving Silently (Stealth)

Ducks are very skilled at moving silently (also thanks to their feathers). This ability starts at 5 out of 12 at first level and increases by 1 every 2 levels up to a maximum of 11 out of 12 at 13th level)

Feather Fall

Ducks are very light, if not encumbered their falls are reduced by 30' and they receive half the damage for the rest of the fall. If the damage taken is greater than the remaining hp the ducks can make a saving throw vs. death if they pass it they remain with only 1 hp but unconscious for 1d6 turns.

Reading languages

Ducks in their migrations have known multiple writings. At first level they have a 7 out of 12 chance of understanding any non-magical text, this probability increases by 1 every 4 levels up to a maximum of 10 out of 12 at 13th level

Flock

If at least three ducks work together in combat they receive an offensive bonus of +2 to attack rolls and a defensive bonus of -2 to opponents' attacks, they can also decide who in the flock receives the damage (they cannot divide the damage at will but decide who in the flock will take the hit), they can do this only 2 times during a single combat, 3 times if there is at least a 7th level duck and 4 times if there is at least a 13th level duck.

Use of scrolls and magical items (use magic)

Ducks can try to use any scroll and magical items restricted to other classes, the operation is not without risks especially at the first levels. Use without problems starts from a probability of 3 out of 12 at first level and increases by 1 every 2 levels up to a maximum of 9 out of 12 at 13th level. A result of 12 means that the item or scroll does not function as it should and has dire (and often hilarious) consequences for the duck.

Duck Curiosity (Knowledge)

Ducks are very curious and gather knowledge and curiosities, they have a small chance of having some information about places, stories, magical items and monsters they encounter. This chance is equal to 1 in 12 at first level and increases by 1 every 4 levels up to a maximum of 4 in 12 at 13th level.