Zombies Of Phoo

Zombies, normally a 2 hd creature in the Holmes Edit, are slow but silent, attacking every other round. Zombies of Phoo of the normal variety are indeed slow and silent but have a powerful "meat sense " that allows them to hone on anything meaty whether it be hiding, invisible, or otherwise. Moreover once a zombie wounds and opponent, a blood frenzy insues wherein movement is doubled, especially toward the victim, and attacks are doubled the first round to one a round, and will double again if another wound is caused. So yes, a gaggle of zombies can become extremely dangerous in groups.

Some zombies are the products of some lost dark art, constructed from corpses, and inscribed with arcane runes. Rune Zombies has specific qualities, all determined by their individual etchings. Typical abilities are but not limited to, Circle of Flies, Chill of the Grave, Strength of the Damned, Gaze of Stupefaction, Gibbering Madness and so on. They appear in lesser numbers and are generally twice as powerful.

Ancient Words Of Power

The words of power, from a language predating the Gods themselves, are few. Nine words of power exist. They are in no order, Compel, Invoke, Heal, Seek, Speak, Ward, Conjure, Summon, and Transform. Words are simliar to the 3E spell schools. Each level of spell cost the like in mana.

A typical mishap table would look something like this, either varying for the % of failure possibly:

1) Floor is mud now. Waist deep so plan accordingly
2) Voice becomes God-like, deafens all in 60' radius 2-12.
3) anti-magic shell around caster 3d6 rounds. (shhhh it's a secret)
4) drains 1 item of all magic randomly
5) any shadow in a 30' radius is now a strength draining shadow. Best of luck.
6) Hey Tom Thumb, you are 6 inches tall, maybe permanently.
7) Weakness 30' radius
8) Reverse gravity every third round. Take damage accordingly.
9) Anyone say minor earthquake.
10) Spiders. It's raining spiders. Assorted types.
11) Darkness on caster 30' radius
12) Sex change. D'oh.
13) Random person/creature becomes a Dire Bear
14) Dont harp on harpies. 3D6 appear.
15) Animates all weapons 60'radius. Rounds 2-12.
16) Congradulations you have a GAZE attack. Take a care where you look. Lingers for 1d6.
17) Missles thrown or shot become Giant Wasps. 2-12 rounds
18)Speaker head becomes 3x actual size.
19)Flying Monkeys. A whole slew. 6 + 6d6. Nasty creatures.
20) Fog of Whack. No sound penetrates, and regardless of vision, cant see crap. Good luck. 60'.

Homebrew: The World of Phoo

In the World of Phoo, everyone respects the ultimate power of magic.

Magic focuses on the use of ancient words of power, where great magics are bent to will, very similar to magic schools of 3e fame.

Each one word known can produce a variety of spell -like results if the speaker can harness the power. Each Speaker has a pool of mana he may drain for each effect. Mana is intelligence modifier + 1 per level. So a first level Speaker who has high intelligence can cast any effect that he has enough mana to perform. With a +3 modifier and 1 at first level, gives a rookie Speaker 4 Mana which could be turned into 4 first level effects, 2 second level effects , or 1 fourth level result. For every level past the Speaker the effect derives, a percentage is added to the chance of magical mishap, either 10 or 15 %. So a rookie can cast fireball to save his party, but his chances of causing the unknown are vast ( either 20% or 30%).

The number of words known is based on Charisma modifier, and the levels to which these words are a combination of Wisdom modifier +1d4. (If only one is known the level is 9 of course).

Magickers are viewed with suspicion in some areas, and are viewed with great awe in others. They also have a great HAT that they are capable of using like a miscellaneous magic item Bag O Tricks at one critter every other level.

The Speaker also constructs a conduit of magical WHIMSY, either a rod, staff, or wand that allows for storage of some mana, and reduces spell failure and or magical mishap. Sample list to follow.