• I'm attacking the darkness!

    From David Chmelik@dchmelik@gmail.com to rec.games.frp.dnd on Tue Oct 21 17:49:05 2025
    From Newsgroup: rec.games.frp.dnd

    Golstaff, you have entered the door to the North. You are now by yourself, standing in a dark room. The pungent smell of mildew emanates from the wet dungeon walls.
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Mortimer Houghton@mortimer@VivoBook.X512D to rec.games.frp.dnd on Wed Oct 22 02:32:31 2025
    From Newsgroup: rec.games.frp.dnd

    David Chmelik <dchmelik@gmail.com> writes:

    Golstaff, you have entered the door to the North. You are now by yourself, >standing in a dark room. The pungent smell of mildew emanates from the wet >dungeon walls.

    I check for traps, then look to see if there are any hidden doors.
    --
    There are the known knowns, things we know we know; and the known
    unknowns, things we know we do not know; but there are also the
    unknown unknowns, those things we don't know we don't know...but
    what about the unknown knowns, things we do not know we know?
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Zaghadka@zaghadka@hotmail.com to rec.games.frp.dnd on Wed Oct 22 11:55:58 2025
    From Newsgroup: rec.games.frp.dnd

    On Tue, 21 Oct 2025 17:49:05 -0000 (UTC), David Chmelik
    <dchmelik@gmail.com> wrote:

    Golstaff, you have entered the door to the North. You are now by yourself, >standing in a dark room. The pungent smell of mildew emanates from the wet >dungeon walls.

    < take all

    < I
    --
    Zag

    Give me the liberty to know, to think, to believe,
    and to utter freely according to conscience, above
    all other liberties. ~John Milton
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Kyonshi@gmkeros@gmail.com to rec.games.frp.dnd on Mon Oct 27 15:32:16 2025
    From Newsgroup: rec.games.frp.dnd

    On 10/21/2025 7:49 PM, David Chmelik wrote:
    Golstaff, you have entered the door to the North. You are now by yourself, standing in a dark room. The pungent smell of mildew emanates from the wet dungeon walls.

    I feel like I am likely to be eaten by a grue.
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Zaghadka@zaghadka@hotmail.com to rec.games.frp.dnd on Mon Oct 27 10:30:27 2025
    From Newsgroup: rec.games.frp.dnd

    On Mon, 27 Oct 2025 15:32:16 +0100, Kyonshi <gmkeros@gmail.com> wrote:

    On 10/21/2025 7:49 PM, David Chmelik wrote:
    Golstaff, you have entered the door to the North. You are now by yourself, >> standing in a dark room. The pungent smell of mildew emanates from the wet >> dungeon walls.

    I feel like I am likely to be eaten by a grue.

    Ha! It evoked a text adventure for you too?
    --
    Zag

    Give me the liberty to know, to think, to believe,
    and to utter freely according to conscience, above
    all other liberties. ~John Milton
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Spalls Hurgenson@spallshurgenson@gmail.com to rec.games.frp.dnd on Sun Nov 2 13:02:13 2025
    From Newsgroup: rec.games.frp.dnd

    On Wed, 22 Oct 2025 11:55:58 -0500, Zaghadka <zaghadka@hotmail.com>
    wrote:

    On Tue, 21 Oct 2025 17:49:05 -0000 (UTC), David Chmelik
    <dchmelik@gmail.com> wrote:

    Golstaff, you have entered the door to the North. You are now by yourself, >>standing in a dark room. The pungent smell of mildew emanates from the wet >>dungeon walls.


    Meanwhile, I'm outside by the tavern getting drunk.




    (for the utterly confused, the initial post was a reference to a
    comedy skit by the Dead Alewives troupe. It's been referenced a number
    of times in other media, but my favorite is probably when it was used
    verbatim in a hidden cutscene* in the "Summoner" video game, as seen
    here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYZeKxAt9Ps)














    * technically, not a cutscene in the game itself. It used character
    models from the video game but was inaccessible through the game
    proper. Rather, it was included as a movie file on the game disc.
    Just saying to prevent any pedantic corrections before they happen.
    ;-)



    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Punga@great-atuin.net@goat.great-atuin.net to rec.games.frp.dnd on Fri Jan 9 00:43:25 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.games.frp.dnd

    On 2025-10-22, Mortimer Houghton <mortimer@VivoBook.X512D> wrote:
    David Chmelik <dchmelik@gmail.com> writes:

    Golstaff, you have entered the door to the North. You are now by yourself, >>standing in a dark room. The pungent smell of mildew emanates from the wet >>dungeon walls.

    I check for traps, then look to see if there are any hidden doors.

    I check for cheetos.
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Justisaur@justisaur@yahoo.com to rec.games.frp.dnd on Fri Jan 9 12:56:44 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.games.frp.dnd

    On 1/8/2026 7:43 PM, Punga wrote:
    On 2025-10-22, Mortimer Houghton <mortimer@VivoBook.X512D> wrote:
    David Chmelik <dchmelik@gmail.com> writes:

    Golstaff, you have entered the door to the North. You are now by yourself, >>> standing in a dark room. The pungent smell of mildew emanates from the wet >>> dungeon walls.

    I check for traps, then look to see if there are any hidden doors.

    I check for cheetos.

    You find you're a cheeto.
    --
    -Justisaur

    |+-|+
    (\_/)\
    `-'\ `--.___,
    -|-4'\( ,_.-'
    \\
    ^'
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Spalls Hurgenson@spallshurgenson@gmail.com to rec.games.frp.dnd on Sat Jan 10 11:26:27 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.games.frp.dnd

    On Fri, 9 Jan 2026 12:56:44 -0800, Justisaur <justisaur@yahoo.com>
    wrote:

    On 1/8/2026 7:43 PM, Punga wrote:
    On 2025-10-22, Mortimer Houghton <mortimer@VivoBook.X512D> wrote:
    David Chmelik <dchmelik@gmail.com> writes:

    Golstaff, you have entered the door to the North. You are now by yourself, >>>> standing in a dark room. The pungent smell of mildew emanates from the wet >>>> dungeon walls.

    I check for traps, then look to see if there are any hidden doors.

    I check for cheetos.

    You find you're a cheeto.


    CHEETO
    FREQUENCY: Common
    NO. APPEARING: 5-50
    ARMOR CLASS: 10
    MOVE: 1" (3")
    HIT DICE: 1 -1
    % IN LAIR: 50%
    TREASURE TYPE: nil
    NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
    DAMAGE/ATTACK: nil
    SPECIAL ATTACK: see below
    MAGIC RESISTANCE: 100%
    INTELLIGENCE: Semi
    ALIGNMENT: Chaotic Evil
    SIZE: S
    PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil

    The dreaded cheeto (also known as a wotsits) can be found wherever
    gamers congregate. It moves very slowly on the ground, but is slightly
    faster when airborne. It is extremely vulnerable to physical attack,
    being easily crushed underfoot or by any significant impact. However,
    it is nearly invulnerable to elemental or magical assaults. It can be
    found as often in its lair (a plastic bag) as outside, and often can
    be found outside its expected territory; cheetos get everywhere! It's
    single attack is to spread orange dust everywhere, forever marking the
    victim (or their property) with its indelible orange stain. Given the
    numbers that appear, it is often impossible to encounter them without
    getting marked. The stain repels members of the opposite sex and
    attracts rodents (add +3 to all random encounter rolls). Although only
    being of marginal intelligence, the cheeto is purest evil and will do
    its best to ruin everyone's day in every (limited) way available to
    it.



    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Zaghadka@zaghadka@hotmail.com to rec.games.frp.dnd on Sat Jan 10 12:02:02 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.games.frp.dnd

    On Sat, 10 Jan 2026 11:26:27 -0500, Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:

    On Fri, 9 Jan 2026 12:56:44 -0800, Justisaur <justisaur@yahoo.com>
    wrote:

    On 1/8/2026 7:43 PM, Punga wrote:
    On 2025-10-22, Mortimer Houghton <mortimer@VivoBook.X512D> wrote:
    David Chmelik <dchmelik@gmail.com> writes:

    Golstaff, you have entered the door to the North. You are now by yourself,
    standing in a dark room. The pungent smell of mildew emanates from the wet
    dungeon walls.

    I check for traps, then look to see if there are any hidden doors.

    I check for cheetos.

    You find you're a cheeto.


    CHEETO
    FREQUENCY: Common
    NO. APPEARING: 5-50
    ARMOR CLASS: 10
    MOVE: 1" (3")
    HIT DICE: 1 -1
    % IN LAIR: 50%
    TREASURE TYPE: nil
    NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
    DAMAGE/ATTACK: nil
    SPECIAL ATTACK: see below
    MAGIC RESISTANCE: 100%
    INTELLIGENCE: Semi
    ALIGNMENT: Chaotic Evil
    SIZE: S
    PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil

    The dreaded cheeto (also known as a wotsits) can be found wherever
    gamers congregate. It moves very slowly on the ground, but is slightly
    faster when airborne. It is extremely vulnerable to physical attack,
    being easily crushed underfoot or by any significant impact. However,
    it is nearly invulnerable to elemental or magical assaults. It can be
    found as often in its lair (a plastic bag) as outside, and often can
    be found outside its expected territory; cheetos get everywhere! It's
    single attack is to spread orange dust everywhere, forever marking the
    victim (or their property) with its indelible orange stain. Given the
    numbers that appear, it is often impossible to encounter them without
    getting marked. The stain repels members of the opposite sex and
    attracts rodents (add +3 to all random encounter rolls). Although only
    being of marginal intelligence, the cheeto is purest evil and will do
    its best to ruin everyone's day in every (limited) way available to
    it.

    Suggested additions
    ```````````````````
    Cheeto dust negates any invisibility effect as Dust of Appearance.
    Cheetoes have a charming ability that, if a save vs. death is failed,
    causes the afflicted to seek out more Cheetoes obsessively to the
    exclusion of any other activity. Dust encrustation becomes unremovable
    after one week. Remove Curse can cure the afflicted from this obsession. Cheetoes also inflict a powerful disease, High LDL, after 2 weeks of
    prolonged contact due to the obsession. There is no save for contraction
    of the disease. Remove Disease will be necessary should persistent
    contact with the Cheetoes occur. High LDL causes one point of lost
    CON/week until cured. Lost CON can be restored with a Restoration or
    Wish/Lmtd Wish spell. At CON zero, the victim suffers Congestive Heart
    Failure, and only Ressurection will restore such a character, clearing
    the arteries of the afflicted. Anyone aged old or venerable automatic
    contracts this disease upon encountering a Cheeto.
    --
    Zag

    Give me the liberty to know, to think, to believe,
    and to utter freely according to conscience, above
    all other liberties. ~John Milton
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Spalls Hurgenson@spallshurgenson@gmail.com to rec.games.frp.dnd on Sun Jan 11 11:36:17 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.games.frp.dnd

    On Sat, 10 Jan 2026 12:02:02 -0600, Zaghadka <zaghadka@hotmail.com>
    wrote:

    On Sat, 10 Jan 2026 11:26:27 -0500, Spalls Hurgenson ><spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:

    On Fri, 9 Jan 2026 12:56:44 -0800, Justisaur <justisaur@yahoo.com>
    wrote:

    On 1/8/2026 7:43 PM, Punga wrote:
    On 2025-10-22, Mortimer Houghton <mortimer@VivoBook.X512D> wrote:
    David Chmelik <dchmelik@gmail.com> writes:

    Golstaff, you have entered the door to the North. You are now by yourself,
    standing in a dark room. The pungent smell of mildew emanates from the wet
    dungeon walls.

    I check for traps, then look to see if there are any hidden doors.

    I check for cheetos.

    You find you're a cheeto.


    CHEETO
    FREQUENCY: Common
    NO. APPEARING: 5-50
    ARMOR CLASS: 10
    MOVE: 1" (3")
    HIT DICE: 1 -1
    % IN LAIR: 50%
    TREASURE TYPE: nil
    NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
    DAMAGE/ATTACK: nil
    SPECIAL ATTACK: see below
    MAGIC RESISTANCE: 100%
    INTELLIGENCE: Semi
    ALIGNMENT: Chaotic Evil
    SIZE: S
    PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil

    The dreaded cheeto (also known as a wotsits) can be found wherever
    gamers congregate. It moves very slowly on the ground, but is slightly >>faster when airborne. It is extremely vulnerable to physical attack,
    being easily crushed underfoot or by any significant impact. However,
    it is nearly invulnerable to elemental or magical assaults. It can be
    found as often in its lair (a plastic bag) as outside, and often can
    be found outside its expected territory; cheetos get everywhere! It's >>single attack is to spread orange dust everywhere, forever marking the >>victim (or their property) with its indelible orange stain. Given the >>numbers that appear, it is often impossible to encounter them without >>getting marked. The stain repels members of the opposite sex and
    attracts rodents (add +3 to all random encounter rolls). Although only >>being of marginal intelligence, the cheeto is purest evil and will do
    its best to ruin everyone's day in every (limited) way available to
    it.

    Suggested additions
    ```````````````````
    Cheeto dust negates any invisibility effect as Dust of Appearance.
    Cheetoes have a charming ability that, if a save vs. death is failed,
    causes the afflicted to seek out more Cheetoes obsessively to the
    exclusion of any other activity. Dust encrustation becomes unremovable
    after one week. Remove Curse can cure the afflicted from this obsession. >Cheetoes also inflict a powerful disease, High LDL, after 2 weeks of >prolonged contact due to the obsession. There is no save for contraction
    of the disease. Remove Disease will be necessary should persistent
    contact with the Cheetoes occur. High LDL causes one point of lost
    CON/week until cured. Lost CON can be restored with a Restoration or >Wish/Lmtd Wish spell. At CON zero, the victim suffers Congestive Heart >Failure, and only Ressurection will restore such a character, clearing
    the arteries of the afflicted. Anyone aged old or venerable automatic >contracts this disease upon encountering a Cheeto.


    Coming soon to a D&D game near you: a menagerie of monsters based on
    commonly eaten snacks!

    I wonder how many satirical 'monster stat' blocks I have posted to
    Usenet over the years... not as many as I used to, to be sure, but
    back in the day (you know, when Usenet was still a going concern!) it
    was far more common. Somebody would mention a thing and before you
    know it, there'd be a response with stats for said thing.

    I'm ashamed to admit that I am so out of practice now that I actually
    had to crack open the Monster Manual to remember all the categories
    required. ;-/

    Somebody needs to dig through all the Usenet archives and compile a
    list of all the monsters --satirical or otherwise-- submitted to
    public scrutiny over the years. God knows it can't be any worse than
    the original Fiend Folio ;-)


    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Zaghadka@zaghadka@hotmail.com to rec.games.frp.dnd on Sun Jan 11 11:41:37 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.games.frp.dnd

    On Sun, 11 Jan 2026 11:36:17 -0500, Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:

    On Sat, 10 Jan 2026 12:02:02 -0600, Zaghadka <zaghadka@hotmail.com>
    wrote:

    On Sat, 10 Jan 2026 11:26:27 -0500, Spalls Hurgenson >><spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:

    On Fri, 9 Jan 2026 12:56:44 -0800, Justisaur <justisaur@yahoo.com>
    wrote:

    On 1/8/2026 7:43 PM, Punga wrote:
    On 2025-10-22, Mortimer Houghton <mortimer@VivoBook.X512D> wrote:
    David Chmelik <dchmelik@gmail.com> writes:

    Golstaff, you have entered the door to the North. You are now by yourself,
    standing in a dark room. The pungent smell of mildew emanates from the wet
    dungeon walls.

    I check for traps, then look to see if there are any hidden doors. >>>>>>
    I check for cheetos.

    You find you're a cheeto.


    CHEETO
    FREQUENCY: Common
    NO. APPEARING: 5-50
    ARMOR CLASS: 10
    MOVE: 1" (3")
    HIT DICE: 1 -1
    % IN LAIR: 50%
    TREASURE TYPE: nil
    NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
    DAMAGE/ATTACK: nil
    SPECIAL ATTACK: see below
    MAGIC RESISTANCE: 100%
    INTELLIGENCE: Semi
    ALIGNMENT: Chaotic Evil
    SIZE: S
    PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil

    The dreaded cheeto (also known as a wotsits) can be found wherever
    gamers congregate. It moves very slowly on the ground, but is slightly >>>faster when airborne. It is extremely vulnerable to physical attack, >>>being easily crushed underfoot or by any significant impact. However,
    it is nearly invulnerable to elemental or magical assaults. It can be >>>found as often in its lair (a plastic bag) as outside, and often can
    be found outside its expected territory; cheetos get everywhere! It's >>>single attack is to spread orange dust everywhere, forever marking the >>>victim (or their property) with its indelible orange stain. Given the >>>numbers that appear, it is often impossible to encounter them without >>>getting marked. The stain repels members of the opposite sex and
    attracts rodents (add +3 to all random encounter rolls). Although only >>>being of marginal intelligence, the cheeto is purest evil and will do
    its best to ruin everyone's day in every (limited) way available to
    it.

    Suggested additions
    ```````````````````
    Cheeto dust negates any invisibility effect as Dust of Appearance.
    Cheetoes have a charming ability that, if a save vs. death is failed, >>causes the afflicted to seek out more Cheetoes obsessively to the
    exclusion of any other activity. Dust encrustation becomes unremovable >>after one week. Remove Curse can cure the afflicted from this obsession. >>Cheetoes also inflict a powerful disease, High LDL, after 2 weeks of >>prolonged contact due to the obsession. There is no save for contraction
    of the disease. Remove Disease will be necessary should persistent
    contact with the Cheetoes occur. High LDL causes one point of lost
    CON/week until cured. Lost CON can be restored with a Restoration or >>Wish/Lmtd Wish spell. At CON zero, the victim suffers Congestive Heart >>Failure, and only Ressurection will restore such a character, clearing
    the arteries of the afflicted. Anyone aged old or venerable automatic >>contracts this disease upon encountering a Cheeto.


    Coming soon to a D&D game near you: a menagerie of monsters based on
    commonly eaten snacks!

    I wonder how many satirical 'monster stat' blocks I have posted to
    Usenet over the years... not as many as I used to, to be sure, but
    back in the day (you know, when Usenet was still a going concern!) it
    was far more common. Somebody would mention a thing and before you
    know it, there'd be a response with stats for said thing.

    I'm ashamed to admit that I am so out of practice now that I actually
    had to crack open the Monster Manual to remember all the categories
    required. ;-/

    Somebody needs to dig through all the Usenet archives and compile a
    list of all the monsters --satirical or otherwise-- submitted to
    public scrutiny over the years. God knows it can't be any worse than
    the original Fiend Folio ;-)

    You know, the group is pretty dead. Why don't we both make this a weekly
    thing? You take 1e stat blocks and I'll take 3.5e stat blocks. We can do spells, monsters, mock encounters, whatever. I already have a parody 3.5e
    spell ready to go.

    You can't grow a group without compelling content. ;^)

    At the very least, we'll make each other laugh.
    --
    Zag

    Give me the liberty to know, to think, to believe,
    and to utter freely according to conscience, above
    all other liberties. ~John Milton
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Gottfried Neuner@kyonshi@wilderland.ovh to rec.games.frp.dnd on Sun Jan 11 19:59:29 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.games.frp.dnd

    On 1/11/2026 6:41 PM, Zaghadka wrote:
    On Sun, 11 Jan 2026 11:36:17 -0500, Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:

    On Sat, 10 Jan 2026 12:02:02 -0600, Zaghadka <zaghadka@hotmail.com>
    wrote:

    On Sat, 10 Jan 2026 11:26:27 -0500, Spalls Hurgenson
    <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:

    On Fri, 9 Jan 2026 12:56:44 -0800, Justisaur <justisaur@yahoo.com>
    wrote:

    On 1/8/2026 7:43 PM, Punga wrote:
    On 2025-10-22, Mortimer Houghton <mortimer@VivoBook.X512D> wrote: >>>>>>> David Chmelik <dchmelik@gmail.com> writes:

    Golstaff, you have entered the door to the North. You are now by yourself,
    standing in a dark room. The pungent smell of mildew emanates from the wet
    dungeon walls.

    I check for traps, then look to see if there are any hidden doors. >>>>>>>
    I check for cheetos.

    You find you're a cheeto.


    CHEETO
    FREQUENCY: Common
    NO. APPEARING: 5-50
    ARMOR CLASS: 10
    MOVE: 1" (3")
    HIT DICE: 1 -1
    % IN LAIR: 50%
    TREASURE TYPE: nil
    NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
    DAMAGE/ATTACK: nil
    SPECIAL ATTACK: see below
    MAGIC RESISTANCE: 100%
    INTELLIGENCE: Semi
    ALIGNMENT: Chaotic Evil
    SIZE: S
    PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil

    The dreaded cheeto (also known as a wotsits) can be found wherever
    gamers congregate. It moves very slowly on the ground, but is slightly >>>> faster when airborne. It is extremely vulnerable to physical attack,
    being easily crushed underfoot or by any significant impact. However,
    it is nearly invulnerable to elemental or magical assaults. It can be
    found as often in its lair (a plastic bag) as outside, and often can
    be found outside its expected territory; cheetos get everywhere! It's
    single attack is to spread orange dust everywhere, forever marking the >>>> victim (or their property) with its indelible orange stain. Given the
    numbers that appear, it is often impossible to encounter them without
    getting marked. The stain repels members of the opposite sex and
    attracts rodents (add +3 to all random encounter rolls). Although only >>>> being of marginal intelligence, the cheeto is purest evil and will do
    its best to ruin everyone's day in every (limited) way available to
    it.

    Suggested additions
    ```````````````````
    Cheeto dust negates any invisibility effect as Dust of Appearance.
    Cheetoes have a charming ability that, if a save vs. death is failed,
    causes the afflicted to seek out more Cheetoes obsessively to the
    exclusion of any other activity. Dust encrustation becomes unremovable
    after one week. Remove Curse can cure the afflicted from this obsession. >>> Cheetoes also inflict a powerful disease, High LDL, after 2 weeks of
    prolonged contact due to the obsession. There is no save for contraction >>> of the disease. Remove Disease will be necessary should persistent
    contact with the Cheetoes occur. High LDL causes one point of lost
    CON/week until cured. Lost CON can be restored with a Restoration or
    Wish/Lmtd Wish spell. At CON zero, the victim suffers Congestive Heart
    Failure, and only Ressurection will restore such a character, clearing
    the arteries of the afflicted. Anyone aged old or venerable automatic
    contracts this disease upon encountering a Cheeto.


    Coming soon to a D&D game near you: a menagerie of monsters based on
    commonly eaten snacks!

    I wonder how many satirical 'monster stat' blocks I have posted to
    Usenet over the years... not as many as I used to, to be sure, but
    back in the day (you know, when Usenet was still a going concern!) it
    was far more common. Somebody would mention a thing and before you
    know it, there'd be a response with stats for said thing.

    I'm ashamed to admit that I am so out of practice now that I actually
    had to crack open the Monster Manual to remember all the categories
    required. ;-/

    Somebody needs to dig through all the Usenet archives and compile a
    list of all the monsters --satirical or otherwise-- submitted to
    public scrutiny over the years. God knows it can't be any worse than
    the original Fiend Folio ;-)

    You know, the group is pretty dead. Why don't we both make this a weekly thing? You take 1e stat blocks and I'll take 3.5e stat blocks. We can do spells, monsters, mock encounters, whatever. I already have a parody 3.5e spell ready to go.

    You can't grow a group without compelling content. ;^)

    At the very least, we'll make each other laugh.


    there was at least one April Fool's Dragon magazine in the 3e years that
    had snack monsters. And one of those adventures a week dungeons around
    that time that had at least a pizza golem?

    And of course there was the Munchkin D20 game that had stuff like that
    (as well as the Dread Gazebo)
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Zaghadka@zaghadka@hotmail.com to rec.games.frp.dnd on Sun Jan 11 13:17:23 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.games.frp.dnd

    On Sun, 11 Jan 2026 19:59:29 +0100, Gottfried Neuner
    <kyonshi@wilderland.ovh> wrote:

    On 1/11/2026 6:41 PM, Zaghadka wrote:
    On Sun, 11 Jan 2026 11:36:17 -0500, Spalls Hurgenson
    <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:

    [snip]
    You can't grow a group without compelling content. ;^)

    At the very least, we'll make each other laugh.


    there was at least one April Fool's Dragon magazine in the 3e years that
    had snack monsters. And one of those adventures a week dungeons around
    that time that had at least a pizza golem?

    And of course there was the Munchkin D20 game that had stuff like that
    (as well as the Dread Gazebo)

    Oh god, the Gazebo will never die. My gaming friends *still* talk about
    it and it is as cross-generational as Monty Python and gamers. Any time
    there's an actual Gazebo in a game, and my GMs are not afraid of it,
    there is a full-on assault and it is usually razed to the ground and
    looted. And my GMs, so far, are considerate enough that you can loot it.

    "I cast magic missile at the darkness" will eventually go away, but the
    dread gazebo is forever.

    As an offering of a modern meme in this vein, I give you "Fireball solves everything."

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmAub3iRWaU
    --
    Zag

    Give me the liberty to know, to think, to believe,
    and to utter freely according to conscience, above
    all other liberties. ~John Milton
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  • From Spalls Hurgenson@spallshurgenson@gmail.com to rec.games.frp.dnd on Mon Jan 12 10:47:44 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.games.frp.dnd

    On Sun, 11 Jan 2026 19:59:29 +0100, Gottfried Neuner
    <kyonshi@wilderland.ovh> wrote:


    there was at least one April Fool's Dragon magazine in the 3e years that
    had snack monsters. And one of those adventures a week dungeons around
    that time that had at least a pizza golem?

    "Snack Monsters"; Dragon Magazine #282 (page 56) https://dn721605.ca.archive.org/0/items/DragonMagazine260_201801/DragonMagazine282.pdf

    It includes the Pizza Slice (the red dragon of snacks!), Gummi Bears,
    the Lurking Dorito, the Jolly Rancher, and the Pepsioid.


    And of course there was the Munchkin D20 game that had stuff like that
    (as well as the Dread Gazebo)

    Not to toot my own horn, but...
    https://narkive.com/CxJrAXJo.3

    (I've no idea if that's original to me or if I lifted it from
    somewhere else. On the one hand, it uses a 3E stat block. On the other
    hand, the description sounds like something I'd write ;-)




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  • From Justisaur@justisaur@yahoo.com to rec.games.frp.dnd on Mon Jan 12 10:19:30 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.games.frp.dnd

    On 1/11/2026 9:41 AM, Zaghadka wrote:
    On Sun, 11 Jan 2026 11:36:17 -0500, Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:

    On Sat, 10 Jan 2026 12:02:02 -0600, Zaghadka <zaghadka@hotmail.com>
    wrote:

    On Sat, 10 Jan 2026 11:26:27 -0500, Spalls Hurgenson
    <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:

    On Fri, 9 Jan 2026 12:56:44 -0800, Justisaur <justisaur@yahoo.com>
    wrote:

    On 1/8/2026 7:43 PM, Punga wrote:
    On 2025-10-22, Mortimer Houghton <mortimer@VivoBook.X512D> wrote: >>>>>>> David Chmelik <dchmelik@gmail.com> writes:

    Golstaff, you have entered the door to the North. You are now by yourself,
    standing in a dark room. The pungent smell of mildew emanates from the wet
    dungeon walls.

    I check for traps, then look to see if there are any hidden doors. >>>>>>>
    I check for cheetos.

    You find you're a cheeto.


    CHEETO
    FREQUENCY: Common
    NO. APPEARING: 5-50
    ARMOR CLASS: 10
    MOVE: 1" (3")
    HIT DICE: 1 -1
    % IN LAIR: 50%
    TREASURE TYPE: nil
    NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
    DAMAGE/ATTACK: nil
    SPECIAL ATTACK: see below
    MAGIC RESISTANCE: 100%
    INTELLIGENCE: Semi
    ALIGNMENT: Chaotic Evil
    SIZE: S
    PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil

    The dreaded cheeto (also known as a wotsits) can be found wherever
    gamers congregate. It moves very slowly on the ground, but is slightly >>>> faster when airborne. It is extremely vulnerable to physical attack,
    being easily crushed underfoot or by any significant impact. However,
    it is nearly invulnerable to elemental or magical assaults. It can be
    found as often in its lair (a plastic bag) as outside, and often can
    be found outside its expected territory; cheetos get everywhere! It's
    single attack is to spread orange dust everywhere, forever marking the >>>> victim (or their property) with its indelible orange stain. Given the
    numbers that appear, it is often impossible to encounter them without
    getting marked. The stain repels members of the opposite sex and
    attracts rodents (add +3 to all random encounter rolls). Although only >>>> being of marginal intelligence, the cheeto is purest evil and will do
    its best to ruin everyone's day in every (limited) way available to
    it.

    Suggested additions
    ```````````````````
    Cheeto dust negates any invisibility effect as Dust of Appearance.
    Cheetoes have a charming ability that, if a save vs. death is failed,
    causes the afflicted to seek out more Cheetoes obsessively to the
    exclusion of any other activity. Dust encrustation becomes unremovable
    after one week. Remove Curse can cure the afflicted from this obsession. >>> Cheetoes also inflict a powerful disease, High LDL, after 2 weeks of
    prolonged contact due to the obsession. There is no save for contraction >>> of the disease. Remove Disease will be necessary should persistent
    contact with the Cheetoes occur. High LDL causes one point of lost
    CON/week until cured. Lost CON can be restored with a Restoration or
    Wish/Lmtd Wish spell. At CON zero, the victim suffers Congestive Heart
    Failure, and only Ressurection will restore such a character, clearing
    the arteries of the afflicted. Anyone aged old or venerable automatic
    contracts this disease upon encountering a Cheeto.


    Coming soon to a D&D game near you: a menagerie of monsters based on
    commonly eaten snacks!

    I wonder how many satirical 'monster stat' blocks I have posted to
    Usenet over the years... not as many as I used to, to be sure, but
    back in the day (you know, when Usenet was still a going concern!) it
    was far more common. Somebody would mention a thing and before you
    know it, there'd be a response with stats for said thing.

    I'm ashamed to admit that I am so out of practice now that I actually
    had to crack open the Monster Manual to remember all the categories
    required. ;-/

    Somebody needs to dig through all the Usenet archives and compile a
    list of all the monsters --satirical or otherwise-- submitted to
    public scrutiny over the years. God knows it can't be any worse than
    the original Fiend Folio ;-)

    You know, the group is pretty dead. Why don't we both make this a weekly thing? You take 1e stat blocks and I'll take 3.5e stat blocks. We can do spells, monsters, mock encounters, whatever. I already have a parody 3.5e spell ready to go.

    You can't grow a group without compelling content. ;^)

    At the very least, we'll make each other laugh.


    Isn't this what the "Netbooks" were, or am I misremembering?
    --
    -Justisaur

    |+-|+
    (\_/)\
    `-'\ `--.___,
    -|-4'\( ,_.-'
    \\
    ^'
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  • From Spalls Hurgenson@spallshurgenson@gmail.com to rec.games.frp.dnd on Mon Jan 12 14:11:27 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.games.frp.dnd

    On Mon, 12 Jan 2026 10:19:30 -0800, Justisaur <justisaur@yahoo.com>
    wrote:



    Isn't this what the "Netbooks" were, or am I misremembering?

    From what I recall, it varied.

    Some netbooks were compilations of ideas from multiple users.*
    But other netbooks were wholly written by a single user and then
    shared online. The former tended to be more popular and got wider distribution/discussion.

    They were the 1980s/90s equivalent of DriveThru RPG, where anyone
    could create and share their D&D** ideas with other users, albeit with
    far poorer production values.

    But they generally weren't some guy scouring the net and sucking up
    ideas into a single volume, and then 'publishing' that as their own.
    Usually there was a request for submissions, or --if the editor saw
    something they liked written by somebody else-- a request to the
    original author for permission to add it to the netbook.

    Unsurprisingly, some of these netbooks are still available. If you
    want to revisit the olden days, take a look here for a selection: https://www.accum.se/~stradh/dnd/mirror/Ezra/







    ----
    * including some ideas from yours truly! I've gotten stuff I've
    written added to some netbooks! Just don't ask me what; after all
    these years I've no recollection of exactly what I'd contributed ;-).
    ** and other systems too... but mostly D&D


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  • From Gottfried Neuner@kyonshi@wilderland.ovh to rec.games.frp.dnd on Tue Jan 13 14:12:24 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.games.frp.dnd

    On 1/12/2026 8:11 PM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:
    They were the 1980s/90s equivalent of DriveThru RPG, where anyone
    could create and share their D&D** ideas with other users, albeit with
    far poorer production values.

    And considering some of the stuff on drivethru that says something.

    I actually liked those netbooks, although the use I got out of them was virtually zero.
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