Spoils of Art: Krull (1983)
Krull1,2 is a 1983 movie by Peter Yates and Stanford Sherman, starring Ken Marshall, Lysette Anthony, and Freddie Jones. There's also an appearance of young Liam Neeson3 in a minor role. The movie spawned a short comic adaptation4 which pretty much follows the movie's plot.
What follows is not a review of the movie, but an attempt to replicate its aesthetics using "Into the Dungeon: Revived" framework. If you haven't yet seen the movie, but are considering doing so, be aware of possible spoilers you might encounter here. I'll try to avoid the big ones, however.
Contents
This it was given me to know: That many worlds have been enslaved by the Beast and his army, the Slayers.
And this too was given me to know: That the Beast would come to our world, the world of Krull, and his Black Fortress would be seen in the land, that the smoke of burning villages would darken the sky, and the cries of the dying echo through deserted valleys.
But one thing I cannot know: Whether the prophecy be true that a girl of ancient name shall become queen, that she shall choose a king, and that together they shall rule our world, and that their son shall rule the galaxy.
Characters and Creatures ↩
Presented in order of appearance.
Eirig's Guardsmen
STR 12, DEX 12, 5hp, Armour 3 (full+shield), sword (d6), Ironclad.
Prince Colwyn
Also, his most armoured attire throughout the whole movie.
STR 14, DEX 16, WIL 16, 14hp, sword and dagger (3d6), Swashbuckler, Proven Warrior.
Obtaining the Glaive at the beginning of the story, Colwyn never uses it until the final showdown with the Beast. Upon completing the marriage ceremony, Colwyn also gains the power of casting Scorching RayItDR, p.14 (d8 Fire Damage) as a Prepared Spell (2hp cost).
The Slayers
STR 12, 8hp, Armour 3 (exoskeleton), spear-blast (ranged d10 ignoring Armour, slow reload), spear-blade (d8, 2h), d8 Claws, wall-climbing at half-speed, non-breathing.
The backbone of the Beast's forces — worm-like alien creatures controlling armoured humanoid exoskeletons. Their usual tactic is to shoot an energized blast from their spear-blades before closing into melee.
Ynyr the Old One
— The Old One?
— Well, not as old as all that.
Whatever powers Ynyr wielded in his prime, currently he appears to be an old wise man and healer on a mission to find the man of great destiny to save the world.
DEX 12, WIL 18, 6hp, cane (d4), Healer.
Ergo the Magnificent
DEX 12, WIL 6, 4hp, Failed Mystic.
Failed Mystic (feature)
You can read Runic and activate Scrolls but must succeed on a WIL Save to do so. On a failed Save, the Spell is cast upon yourself or miscasts randomly.
Ergo had been shown to cast two types of spells: a sort of boosted-up Expeditious RetreatItDR, p.13 allowing him to fly large distances at an impressive speed but questionable accuracy, and Baleful PolymorphItDR, p.17 which he appears to be unable to target onto anyone but himself (though sometimes that proves useful still when he transforms into a tiger).
Robbers
— You're escaped prisoners.
— Every one. Slaves, bandits, fighters, and brawlers.
STR 13, DEX 13, 2+d4hp, Armour 1 (brawler or piecemeal armour), Brawler or Warrior.
Typical weapons:
- axe (d6/d8)
- dagger (d6)
- hunting bow (d4)
- quarterstaff (d6, 2h)
- spear (d6/d8)
- sword (d6/d8)
- whip (d4/d4)
Rell the Cyclops
Long ago, his ancestors lived in a world far from Krull and had two eyes like other men. Then they made a bargain with the Beast who is the leader of the Slayers. They gave up one of their eyes in exchange for the power to see into the future. But they were cheated. For the only future they are permitted to see is the time of their own death. They're sad, solitary creatures, born to know the day they will die.
STR 18, DEX 12, WIL 15, 10hp, trident (d8, melee or thrown), Skilled (stealth, tracking), Cyclops.
Cyclops (ancestry feature)
Roll twice for HP and take the better result.
All of your Damage dice are Raised by one.
You know the exact time of your death and can announce it, gaining Advantage on all Saves for d6 minutes and dying immediately afterwards.
The Emerald Seer
The Seer wields magic equal in power to ScryingItDR, p.16 — a 4th Circle Spell, so must be a Veteran (or even Master) Mystic with a focus on the divining Spells. Blind and frail, he hardly warrants a full-featured stat block, but if you want to make such a character yourself, you might want to acquire these Spells:
- detect magic, detect poison
- detect secret doors, detect dead, identify
- arcane sight, locate object
- obfuscate, see invisibility
- detect scrying, locate creature, scrying
- alter fate
Titch
The Seer's assistant, Titch, is just a small boy and thus doesn't possess any fighting capability.
STR 6, 2hp.
Changeling
The Beast has many weapons. This was one of them, the Changeling.
STR 12, 4hp, spell-like powers (at will): alter self, vampiric touch.ItDR, pp.14-15
Similar to the Slayers in nature and employed by the Beast as spies and assassins, changelings can take on the form of any man to strike at their enemies at the most opportune moment.
Crystal Spider
STR 16, DEX 16, WIL 6, 6hp, Armour 1, d8 Deadly Bite.
A giant albino spider that guards the Widow of the Web.
Deadly Bite: if the bite reduces STR score, the target dies from venom.
Firemares
Assuming the league is equal to 3 miles on Krull, the speed is equal to 3,000 miles per 24 hours. Converting this to the standard 8 hours/day travel rate for Aerial TravelItDR, p.33 rules, we get a wildly impressive 1,000 miles per 8 hours (or 125 miles per hour).
STR 18, DEX 14, WIL 6, 4hp, d6 Fire Hooves.
Wild horses that, if caught and temporarily tamed, can travel up to 3,000 miles per day ignoring the terrain effects. Afterwards, they require a day of rest to not suffer a d6 STR Loss.
The Beast
STR 20, WIL 18, 15hp, Armour 3, 2d8 Claws, d10 Bite, d8 Blast Breath (ignoring armour), immune to non-magical attacks and mind control magic.
Master of the Slayers, the Beast is a mysterious giant creature from outer space, possessing unknown magical powers, including mastery of illusions and protection against scrying.
The Beast controls the Black Fortress — a colossal space-faring structure which appears to be almost a part of the Beast's body. Once per day, the Black Fortress can be teleported to any place on the planet it resides on.
Items ↩
Spear-blade
d8 Damage, two-handed blade.
The standard weapon of the Slayers.
Can emit a powerful energized blast (ranged d10 ignoring Armour), but needs to be reloaded like a firearm before doing so again. The number of "spikes" used as ammunition is also limited.
Sands of Time
Lose a pinch of sand to stop the time for one enemy for one turn, but you lose a year of your life as well.
The Glaive
Once, the Glaive was a very powerful weapon. It can be so again.
The legendary five-pointed throwing magical weapon. A symbol of royal power of the Turold's kingdom.
5d6 Damage ignoring armour, can target multiple ranged opponents and be used against structures. Telepathically controlled, returning to the user's hand by itself. Attacks against alien and extraplanar creatures are Enhanced. When rolling over 9 Damage, becomes stuck in the target, requiring being removed by hand.
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