Showing posts with label magic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label magic. Show all posts

Wednesday, 15 July 2020

War Against The Dark Lord 3: Gossip & Treasure
























The Dark Lord what a jerk. All that propaganda and teaming up with the biggest a-holes in the multiverse and outside of it makes him even more appealing. Unlike other wars, the dark lord knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men and so he has evil bards to slander and lie and misinform rulers. Also, treasure if you can call it that is frequently cursed and mostly benefits evil people. So if you sell cursed stuff only evil people buy it so mostly it is illegal and most people break it or throw in a volcano or wave it in front of an angry dragon. It would be disappointing to hear about the dark one tracking heroes but not you.

This isn't for authentic middle earth. Its kind of a parody or a way to give your world some dark look shenanigans for a while. It doesn't have to last. There will always be yet another dark lord rising.

d20 New Laws in Face of Evil
- You heard the new crier it's the Law!
-Hang on we are the goodies right?
-Another psyop from the dark lord dream scheme team?

1 Any spies serving the enemy even unknowingly will be executed without trial
2 Anyone with orc, koblin, kobold or ogre slave is to hand them over to the military
3 Anyone knowingly selling cursed devices of evil shall be burned alive as a witch
4 All tainted with illness or mutations is to report to civic authorities
5 None on common land must wear a hood or robes fully covering the body unless part of recognised religious devotions. Any such garbed persons meeting in secret by night are henceforth witches
6 Any villain giving false counsel to their lord's enquiries in this time will be given 100 lashes
7 Anyone about their business who sees any orcs or goblins must report them to the authorities or be blinded and tongue cut out
8 All fit and able-bodied boys and men of 14 or older are to report to local headman and lord for military service, those caught evading service will be flogged and sent to the frontline with penal troops. Those claiming illness will be taken to a healer to be made fit for service
9 A new poll tax of +10% on all goods, new road and bridge tolls and town entry fees,
10 Local authorities will be stockpiling food and weapons in secure locations, ask you local village head man or woman where you will need to flee and what to take in a mass retreat
11 All spellcasters are to report to a local church authority or lords wizard to be briefed on the upcoming crisis and their new role with the crown
12 Those caught hoarding or profiteering off the war shortages, are enemies of the people and will be placed in stocks or pillory for a week
13 For their protection and the common good all halflings are to report to the civic officials where they will be transported to a place saftey
14 Curfew nobody out after 6pm until further notice
15 Flying undead minions of the dark lord have been seen, lights out after dark until further notice for public saftey
16 All newcomers are to report to civic officials for registration and to record their activities 
17 Church officials will be conducting random strip searches looking for evil signs, witch marks or cult tattoos. Only those guilty of espionage or witchcraft need fear
18 All bards are to report to civic officials and must obtain a permit to perform. Suspicious bards sewing dispair will be tarred and feathered those spreading dark lord propaganda will be burned
19 Looters or food thieves will be getting their hands cut off as a warning for the first offence
20 For the duration of the emergency in these troubled times, women may be put to work in jobs normally only allowed for men and may wear trousers. Wives must manage affairs of households and industry until the war effort is over

d100 Gossip
01 The dark lord was wronged long ago and the gods cheated him, he just wants us to be free
02 The dark lord feeds all those who join them and pays in golden treasure and magic gifts
03 The dark lord just wants to smash all hierarchies so people can be free of gods and kings
04 The dark lord gets a bad reputation, it is all lies spread by those against his rightful rule
05 The dark lord is reborn again and again and will conquer all or destroy it all if he cannot
06 The dark lord is just a title despots give themself to recruit idiots to their cause
07 Past dark lords were independently drawing on old relics and legends to claim the name
08 All dark lords were guided by fate by a single malicious spirit that survived from long ago
09 Many have called themselves the dark lord and all failed and underestimated good
10 The first dark lord was cast down by the gods but drew power from the void beyond 
11 I heard the king will just barricade towns and cities and leave the countryside to orc
12 I heard goblins are swarming again, I guess the lords will drive them off then tax us more
13 I heard the goblins were promised their old lands back on the frontier by the evil one
14 I heard the dark lord has spies and magic scrying pools alert to any against him
15 I heard the dark lord is hunting adventurers in the area just to avoid problems later
16 I heard the army is on the verge of collapse with owed wages, old weapons and the clap 
17 I heard the dark lord just wants all the demihuman scum dead then will leave us alone
18 I heard the dark lord has tainted the coin of the realm to inspire madness and greed
19 I heard not all orcs like the dark lord. Many hate him for his hopeless aeons of failure
20 I heard there are old dungeon ruins in the hill we could move into and wait this out 
21  Monsters are on the march, I'm packing my things and fleeing to a castle in the morning
22 The dark lord often preys on weak or mad rulers, perhaps he already has the king in thrall
23 The nobility have already fled by sea taken the dark lords bribes
24 If we kill the leaders and present their heads, our new master will look kindly on us
25 We should probably dust off the militia armoury and post some guards maybe
26 I have never heard so many wolves in my life howling at night
27 I saw a huge swarm of bats that lasted hours and some were gigantic
28 I saw a goblin on a wolf and I hid till it left, I was so lucky I was upwind
29 I've seen these big thorn bushes sprouting up, big things like hedges
30 I saw mushrooms bigger than my head, but they were the poison kind only goblins eat
31 The dark riders of the evil one are hunting key people the dark lord knows are a threat
32 The agents of the dark lord seek certain relics and old artefacts and weapons
33 Hey has anyone seen any writing in rocks around here? Just asking for a wizard friend
34 I heard some adventurers came by with some gems the other day, anyone know them?
35 I found a dead halfling in the river poor thing, look like had been through hell
36 I heard the fishers quit cos of all the body parts found in the river and feeding the fishes
37 Some local mines had to close because of goblins, looks a pretty bad infestation
38 Ive been hearing goblin drums at night wonder what that means
39 If you are hit by poison orc or goblinoid arrows just get away and try to treat your wounds before the venom kills you, cleaning the wounds quickly can help
40 If you find orc blades they look crude but are very practical and worth a try
41 Some of the evil leaders have magic weapons you can turn against the dark lord
42 The dark lord leaves cursed weapons around to cause trouble and spread evil
43 The magic weapons of the evil one's captains are cursed and best destroyed
44 In these troubled times make sure a priest buries the dead properly or burn them
45 I heard cackling goblin witches riding bats around my house last night
46 A goblin took a dump down my chimney fouling our gruel pot and scared the children
47 My kids say a bugbear whispers to them through the window at night how adorable
48 My children had to hide from goblins the other day playing near the creek
49 All my goats disappeared. Don't know if they knew something or got stolen
50 I've seen distant smoke a bit lately, wondering what all the fuss was
51 The age of humans is over, this is the age of the orc!
52 Even though those frontier barbarians and amazons hate us some have come to fight orcs
53 Why don't the gods just stop the dark lord forever? They really do nothing, don't they?
54 I found this cool orc dagger! Pretty nasty looking eh!, Don't touch or I willl shank you!
55 Better look out, all sorts of men of fighting age have being pressganged into the army
56 Lots of men have been volunteering to fight including lots of women in disguise
57 I'm sending my children away, this nice merchant has offered to take them to a relative in the city for only a few pennies
58 I've stuck a broke farmer but the dark lord will let me take what I want when I want
59 The lords oppressing us for years, was it the dark lord or were they bad on their own?
60 I'm sure some divine miracle will save us we must pray away the dark lord
61 I heard an amazon say every dark lord wipes out so many men that women end up being in charge more often after even though the dark lord hates women
62 Plague has broken out recently nearby, watch strangers and travellers for the pox!
63 If you kill any orc they come back as zombies that never die, we have no hope
64 These bigger barbarian orcs seem mostly after the dark lord's wizards for some reason
65 In the early frontier days people enslaved and hoped out goblinoids and orcs, and people wonder what the monsters beef with us is like we didn't get rich off their dead
66 We raid their dungeons and caverns and villages they raid our farms and roads and towns
67 All kinds of monsters were less horrible before the dark lord was around
68 All the gods and powers lording over humans and twisting us with hatred and impossible standards, one day we will kill them all
69 The good gods love the dark lord, he proves why we need to worship or perish
70 The dark lord in the past depended on artefacts, destroy the key ones and we break him again
71 Even when we drive the dark one back we have to finish him and destroy his form and try to stop his essence escape again to be reborn
72 Wouldnt the real dark lord not admit it and accuse someone else of being him?
73 The lords of hell don't really support the dark lord, he does things to souls they don't like
74 The dark lord was long ago imprisoned in hell if only he could be again
75 You know I've never seen a woman orc work for the dark lord, wonder why?
76 The new dark lord has wizards that make orcs from alchemy and vile muck in great pits, the new orcs all men are armed and trained by brutal veterans to kill and fight in a few weeks
77 Lots of barbarian orcs don't like the dark lords or his wizards and how they "make orcs" and brainwash their creations into slavery under a proven failure
78 When I was lost underground in caves for a few years I met orcs that were as human as anyone
79 The dark lord is anti-life, he hates natural procreation and anything that lives without his consent
80 In the coming age of blood and fire best get on board with the dark lord who will control demons and undeath against his enemies
81 We caught a wizard poking around the graveyard last night, got him while trying some spell
82 Someone tampered with the sanctified area of the graveyard with unholy water and faeces. Hope we can get a priest in before zombies eat us
83 Someone painted bloody symbols of evil on the church door last night and naked people were seen running around the place then into the woods, bloody witches
84 The blacksmith just got some of those black metal weapons the orcs use in the shop
85 Orc goods work fine and put up with punishment but they sure are ugly and sometimes have rough edges. But worse of all its cheaper than anything I can buy locally, they would ruin us in a trade war
86 Orcs mostly fight and goblins act as, mostly skirmishers, archers or labourers. Goblin farmers grow fungus and have many useful domestic animals
87 Orcs don't like hobgoblins or bugbears around much and keep their goblins from changing into them by preventing goblin cannibalism that triggers these changes in times of war
88 I heard there is an orc legion in service to the lords of hell fighting the dark lord
89 The dark lord bound many demons to his will and chose them as the most vicious and willing to turn on each other, hell was to organised and united to let this happen to devils
90 The dark lord seriously cuts into hell buying and selling souls which they dislike 
91 I knew a guy who was a dark lord cultist and gee was he a stupid selfish maniac bastard. Who would join a club like that? Glad I told the inquisition 
92 Lots of those dark lord orcs made by wizards have never even seen a woman, confuses hell outa them. The dark lord didn't tell them any facts of life so old orc mercenaries teach em everything which is probably crap poor bastards
93 Goblins are not so bad in their own lands but they often end up bullied and enslaved by elves and orcs. The more hobgoblins and bugbears the more free the goblins are from other races and in conflict with them. But hobgoblins and bugbears often take over or replace goblins and predate on weaker kin. So they trade one master for another quite often
94 Over the ages, each dark lord has been weaker but the world gets more broken and some things are lost to us forever destroyed by the evil fury
95 There are plenty of other ancient evils and wicked gods out there who are far more subtle and don't die again and again and don't risk losing
96 Werewolves are around again, spread by the dark lord amongst us, look out you might know one
97 Has anyone seen any halflings lately, one borrowed my bucket and I was hoping on finding them again, there is a beer in it for you
98 The dark lord is just a shadow of a servant of one of the old gods living beyond his intended purpose by black elder magic he was never meant to wield 
99 Once incarnated in a new host body the evil one begins to diminish in power. He resists fighting directly using greater fire demons and elementals and dragon
100 The dark lord allied to the tainted bloodline of dragons long ago and most dragons hate him and sometimes they destroyed past dark lords. Shame you don't see dragons no more

d100 Treasure
01 Manbane poison, coats one melee weapon or ten arrows for the first hit, hour later victim saves or takes a d3 poison from septic wounds per wound. Made by goblins 25gp dose 
02 Goblinbread a type of tasty spongy fungus used as rations and keeps fresh or can be dried 1sp a day
03 Berseker potion starts a d4 rounds after drinking lasts one turn, addictive 25gp 
04 Wellbane, pollutes a well with a dose,
 lasts d4 days if water source replenished, drinkers save vs poison+2 or d4 days diarrhoea and vomiting and dose a d3 HP per day 25gp
05 Siege mine 8d6 (-1d6 per yard from centre, save halves) to breach wall or gate by berserk suicide bomber 30lb 300gp
06 Orcsalve heals 1HP but stings enough to make children cry for hours, comes in a wooden box with d6 doses 30gp
07 Firecrackers make lots of noise come in strings 
of 25 and goblins love them for 12gp
08 Blackbriar seed, grows a thick 3m tall and wide bush over a d4 days, experts groom them as they grow to shape into fortifications for 25gp
09 Horsebane seed, planted by goblins to kill horses painfully over a d3 days if they fail a save, a handful of seeds can plant 2d3 patches, 5gp but most people destroy it
10 Catnip is loved by every pussy in the land but also bugbears and it makes them, mellow playful and then sleepy. An ounce of catnip is only one sp
11 Goblin dagger, curved black iron foot long blade +1 on hands of chaotic evil user 250gp
12 Goblin small sword, curved black iron two foot long +1 on hands of chaotic evil user 350gp
13 Goblin shaman sickle all plants and mushrooms cut remain fresh a week 1000gp
14 Goblin Arrows, dozen in a bundle all treated with Manbane (see 01) 25gp
15 Goblin Shortbow +1 on hands of chaotic evil user 600gp
16 Spore grenade 2d4 over 1 area save or choke a rounds 40gp
17 Potted alarm fungus, screams if disturbed by noise or movement for d4 rounds 40gp
18 Goblin lords helmet, a finer than most silver inlay 
with boars tusks small pot helm for small races or a child, +1 Protection and improves reaction with wild boar or pigs by +2
19 Great Goblin Clever, 2d4 damage, hacks off a random limb on a natural 20 roll and causes  1HP per round blood loss until dead or treated, bugbears love these 
20  Goblin spider web net, can only be thrown once over 1 area and all within make a STR save to resist or trapped for a turn or freed with a blade or burned off causing 2d4 fire damage to all trapped 40gp
21 Bats in a box, 3d4 messenger bats in a box can be trained to home in a new location or fly to the dark lord command post, a d4 scrolls are usually with it 40gp
22 Bat swarm in a box, a 1 yard square wood crate containing a swarm of blood thirsty vampire bats who attack anyone in area when released, good for traps or dropping on victims 90gp
23 Giant bat and riding harness, AC+3 HD 2 D6 bite Mov 3 or 18 flying for a small humanoid 150gp
24 Wolf puppy, only a month old with 
1HP and misses mum 12gp
25 Warg wolf puppy, already has a d4 HP 150gp
26 Goblin hound, AC+3 HD 1 d4 bite Mov 15 has night vision and eats bugs and slugs
27 Baby giant spider in a cage, will grow bigger and it is already starting to talk 60gp
28 Orc horses are fierce war horses bred with orcish blood and cruelty, fearless but hard to control and it will eat meat and drink blood if it can or really wants any. Ugly as sin and mange covered AC+5 HD3 Bite & Hoofx2 d6 each 90gp
29 Zombie pony, not very fast, smelly and revolting but obey instructions without fear just half speed. Stats as a zombie just a quadruped and it tramples for a d8 120gp
30 Bone golem horse, used as mounts for heroes of necromancy and undead, AC+5 HD 6 Hoofx2 2d6 obeys first intelligent non-living evil one to mount it once old master killed 4000gp
31 Orc dagger, iron black bladed, serrated and saw-toothed wickedly, over a foot long, +1 +2 vs elves, if wielder not evil save or turn evil once blood spilt 300gp
32 Orc black scimitar, iron curved sword, with vile runes, three foot long +1 +2 vs humans, the wielder becomes paranoid when humans near with a failed saving throw 600gp
33 Orc iron blade, a straight sword over three foot, brittle and shatter on a natural 1 vs metal armour, +1 vs elves, faerie brings or demons 200gp
34 Orc Morningstar as mace but 2d4 +1 vs elves, faerie brings or demons, more durable from the dark lords iron orc blades 300gp
35 Orc black spear, with a black iron head and corrupted wood from an evil tree, d8 +1 vs elves, all wounded by it save vs poison and take a d3 one hour later. Wielder of these die much younger 600gp 
36 Orc Lord Blade, ingenious hight quality and brutal design, praise to the orc gods in old orc runes, grey steel d8+1 all with simple mean names like 
gutbiter, foesplitter, orphankiller  1200gp 
37 Orc Lord Spear, grey steel on a ash haft, dedicated to the orc lord, +1 plus when an elf withing 1 range head ignites with screaming hatred and does a extra d3 fire damage as long as a living elf is near. Only Lawful Evil can weild it or the touch burns for a d3. Some orcs kept a live elf on a chain to keep the spear angry 3000gp
38 Bow of the Orc Lord, a great twisted composite bow that can three times a day turn an arrow to a 2d6 magic flaming arrows 1200gp
39 Mace of the orc lord, a great flanged mace +1 +2 vs elves and demons, on a natural 20 a struck living victim must save or is blinded for a d4 rounds their eyes shrouded in magic darkness, only a lawful evil user gets the benefit of the blindness power dedicated to a orc night goddess 1600gp
40 Shield of the Orc Lord, +2AC and provides +1 to all saving throws, runes evoke a treasure hoarding burrowing orc ancestral demon, 2000gp
41 Silver Star Ring, given to elves as a trick long ago, can cast cure light wounds and light once a day, each use the wielder save or a wizard of the dark lord will begin spythem and inform local minions of the dark lord where the ring is 3000gp (1000gp if dark lord active and curse known)
42 Bronze Heart Ring, 
given to dwarves as a trick long ago, three times a day for ten minutes the ring can detect gold of over 100gp value withing 3 range or only 1 through rock. If over a 1000gp is detected the dark lords wizard minions know where the gold is too now and the wielder must save or develop a mad craving for the gold 2000gp (1000gp if dark lord active and curse known) 
43 The Golden Crown Ring, given to human nobles long ago to curse their lines and a few turn up occasionally and none know the true purpose. The wielder gains +1 CHA while wearing it but if left on the finger of a deadman they arise as a wight and seek to murder their families for the dark lord. 3000gp (1000gp if dark lord active and curse known) 
44 The White Gold Ring, was made to tempt wizards to the dark lord, it can store one 1st level spell and acts as a ring of protection +1, but at the next full moon, the wielder must save or is cursed to turn evil. Each month they get a new save
45 The Red Gold Ring, was given to border lords to ruin frontier defences. The wielder has +1 damage on all melee attacks on foes that bleed. But at the next solstice
, the wielder must save or is cursed to turn evil. Each quarter solstice they get a new save 2500gp (1000gp if someone knows about curse)
46 Cloak of the Wolf, with this pelt made from a dead werewolf in golf from the curse, can be given to a new victim. The cloak and cowl look mighty but anyone claiming it must save at the next full moon vs curse or they will put it on and become a lycanthrope. When a werewolf dies his brothers make a cloak and dark priests curse it and the items sold or left out for unwary to find 200gp (1500gp to a maniac who wants to be a werewolf)
47 Wyvern Rod, iron sceptre with a wyvern design coiled around and a green or violet crystal on top, the wielder can speak to wyverns in their tongue and has 2d6 charges of a charm wyvern ability for a day. Any wyvern once affected is immune the same charm effect rod
 which can get a tamer in trouble if they don't earn the beasts trust in a day 15000gp
48 Violet Wand holds 3d10 magic missiles but if a non-evil person fires at an evil person the missiles strike the wielder instead. When charges expire crystal cracks and a wizards soul escapes 1500gp (1000gp if properties understood)
49 Viridian Staff holds 2d10 charges one charge can cast burning hands and two charges can cast fireball. When the staff expires the gem cracks and a wraith escapes to attack the wielder and the dark lord gets a glimpse of them, If the staff is deliberately broken the wraith is free also 6000gp (or 3000gp if properties realised) 
50 Iron Crown worn by ancient rulers of men who served past dark lords. The wearer gets +1 INT and can cast comprehend languages three times a day. Anyone reading forbidden lore even mentioning the dark lord attract his gaze and he will arrange for them to find more corrupting lore at least once a month requiring a save to resist reading and turning evil 3000gp to most (1000gp if curse known)
51 Manpiercer is a great juggernaut with a magical balistia able to fire a 4d6 bolt +12 to hit every three rounds 20/40/60. The Juggernaut is AC +5 HD 10 and can also run over enemies for 2d10 damage with wooden roller wheels. The machine is filled with the spirit of malice and acts as a shrine to darkness used by evil priests. Anyone selling one who claims they can be controlled is a liar. When the dark lord slumbers they gather dust in hiding. 10000gp would be fair if it was under control, and they are smart enough to lie
52 Doomhammer a great juggernaut battering ram worshipped by orcs as a petty god with its own priesthood. The great engine is fueled with blood and it has been abandoned but not destroyed. Most gates cannot hold against the machine beasts great iron beak. The Juggernaut is AC +10 HD 30 and tramples victims with its rollers for 3d10 but moves only 3. 10000gp was promised to any who could rid the world of it by a past king (I'm sure the heirs will honour this happily)
53 Battle cart is a small wagon with six black powder barrels all fired at once on a 30-degree arc, good for mass combat and defence or could be wheeled into a dungeon. AC+5 HD 6 Mov 6 with men pulling or 12 with ponies or oxen. Within 30 yards everyone takes 3d6 damage save for half, 31-60 yards everyone takes 3d6 damage save for half and 61-100 save or take a d6. The device usually has a 4-6 man crew and takes 15 minutes for four loaders to ready for a shot.  6000gp with 120gp per volley of shot and powder
54 War mine a black spiked metal sphere used to destroy fortifications or natural features. A suicidal operator lights the short fuse and is killed in use. 8d6 reducing 1 dice per yard save for half. 1200gp operator not included  
55 Iron Hand grenade 2d4 
+1 damage vs elves or demons over 1 area save for half, throw after lighting the fuse and run, on a roll of one to hit explodes in the user's hand 100gp
56 Great Gun of Spite, a swivel-mounted gun attached to a waggon or settlement or ship or wall, fires a 3d6 ball once every 10 minutes with a crew of 2 to fire or move it, 10/20/30 range. Goblins like them but need double the crew and blow up on a 1 to hit roll. Good orc crews don't fumble and fire twice as often 2000gp for the gun 10gp a shot, 
57 Brass Beast Cannon, an ancient weapon shaped like a great bellowing beast, requires 6 oxen to pull it and a crew of 12 to operate. Once per hour the great gun fires a 10d6 cannonball mostly at walls rather than troops 20/40/60 range. It can only fire 12 shots a day or risks exploding. 20,000gp 200gp a shot 
58 War mortar, these crude indirect fire artillery pieces that a spotter can see incoming and a save can avoid the 6d6 damage with poor accuracy over half a mile, each require a wagon to move and another for stone balls fired and a care 6 to operate and 6 more to help move and act as spotters. More effective for buildings, than living targets, orcs working on explosive and gas shells bur maybe next dark lord. For now most crews poorly trained (-4 to hit usually), slow (fire ones per 10 minutes) and have fatal accidents on a roll of 1 to hit. 4000gp for weapon and 50gp a shot not including transport wagons or crew
59 Thunder shouter iron cannon, a older crude siege cannon requiring a waggon to move and a team of six to operate. It does 4d6 damage 10/20/30 once per hour and explodes on a roll of 1 to hit. Once assembles of the wagon aiming and adjusting it is very awkward so mostly iyt is used on gates and walls not live foes. 3000gp for weapon and 50gp a shot
60 Trebuchet the ultimate long range war weapon, often built on site by siege engineers it can hurl an ox or a half ton of rubble damaging walls and harming panicked victims, Burning missiles or plague corpses are alternate ammo. a 40 tonne wooden monstrosity requiring a crew of 70 to move it or half that to fire. 10/20/300 range 10d6 damage indirect fire every 20 minutes. 1500gp and half the crew gather missiles. Smaller ones are more common with range 30/60/100 4d6 damage only and a crew of 10 firings once every 10 minutes for 600gp
61 Necromancers sacrificial dagger +1, a victim murdered in a ritual has soul taken by the dark lord, immediately after the necromancers, next undead making or summoning spell calls undead with a minimum of 5HP per HD 1000gp 2000gp to necromancer
62 Necromancers wand each use in a un sanctified burial place revives a skeleton warrior that will serve the maker as long as they serve the dark lord. Otherwise the skeleton attacks. d100 charges  1500gp +10gp per charge
63 Necromancers rod each use in a un sanctified burial place revives a zombie warrior that will serve the maker as long as they serve the dark lord. Otherwise the zombie attacks. d100 charges  2000gp +20gp per charge
64 Necromancers ebon ring from serpent folk in the ancient times before humans, the ring can conjure a dozen 1HD spectral minion once a week for one hour that obey your mental commands. The ring bearer the night after saves and if they fail they are contacted by the elder wizard got Tsath-Thogg-Ark who will visit the user in their dreams. The demon is a second save is failed inflicts a greater curse turning the dreamer turning them Lawful Evil alignment 4000gp 10000gp to a serpent folk wizard or cult
65 The Book of Damned Souls, a primer for necromancers with a spell collection of a 5th level wizards that can be decoded from the poison pages. Every night read save or lose a Point od CON for a month. Full of theory and notes on friendly demons and dragon allies to the necromancer cause in the days of ancient Exilon. The dark lord has been printing copies and helping a ncromantic college thrive under his tutorledge 2000gp but banned by church
66 Necromancers orb used to communicate with a network of evil wizards that were gifts from the dark lord who spies on them all. If touched the dark lord sees you but mostly he won't care. With a turn handling the orb they may message other wizards through their orbs to see who is in. A normal person touching it sees hypnotic lights and if they fail a save stare at the ball for a d6 hours when they get s second save or are cursed with becoming chaotic evil 10000gp to any necromancer or undeath cult and quite a lot of evil customers want it. If the crystal is shattered it releases a hungry wraith bound inside by the dark lord and linked to his will
67 Necromancers staff, made from undead treeant wood with iron strips which meet at the top and hold a violet or green crystal. The staff is +2 and an evil user has protection from good 3 times/day. Once a day it can raise a dozen zombies from available corpses without proper burial by sacrificing a 1HD animal or person. Any touch necromatic spell can be channelled through the staff and added to damage from a successful hit. 3000gp to most people, 4500 to evil people
68 Death Knight Blade, wielded by greatest warrior undead heroes of evil, these +3+6 vs good blades have the following powers: darkness 3 times/day, call lightning once per day, invisible to undead at will, charm undead once per day, ice storm once per week. Each has a name like Soulcutter, Woundmaker, Heartpiercer, Braindasher, Foemaimer. Each belongs to a great deathknight hero who have habit or returning and always know where their blades are. The weapon works for anyone but if a good person draws blood they must save or they are become violent berserker who never let sword leave them and grow to delight in killing with the sword. For an evil user the blade LE spirit advises the user and is in fact a bound devil who escapes if the sword is broken by dragon fire or wizards ray, the demon is free. 10000gp but most sane people would avoid it if they knew what it was, a timebomb
69 Black Iron Crown of The Lich King, allows the wearer to mindlink and see through the eyes of any undead they create while wearing the crown. Enables them to give instructions by remote to minions. For living users it is addictive and the wearer must save each hour of use or suffer the curse of necromancers, obsession with death, immortality and repulsion from life a cancerous weakness. 10000gp to any necromancer or undeath cult and quite a lot of evil customers want it unfortunately and dragonfire is said to destroy it
70 Lich Kings Mace, more like a +4 two-handed d10 maul for a human, +d4 damage on good-aligned victims, on a natural 20 to hit a pulse of ebon energy arcs strike all living in 1 range radius. All victims save or be stunned, under 1HD beings die of shock. Any good person holding takes a d4 damage a round from ebon sparks. Any evil person holding it must save or will devote their life to lichdom as a priest tor wizard and they will kill anyone in their way 10000gp to any necromancer or undeath cult and quite a lot of evil customers want it unfortunately and sending it back to the underworld almost succeeded once
71 Iron ring of the master, +1 ring of protection that drains 1HP each time that single plus makes a difference in success. Older dark lords could reach the minds of luitenants through these but his essence is too diminished to do anymore than sense them in 100 miles now 1500gp to evil or those who don't see problems or 800gp to those who know the risks
72 Dark crystal of the Master, a fragment of a past incarnation of the evil one now a jagged black-violet stone on a black steel chain. The gen can be used to commune with the master once a day at night for ten minutes but you better have something. The master can cast one 1-3rd level spell through the wielder during the communion session. Anyone wearing the gem becomes tainted and gets a save per day or is cursed with becoming evil
73 Curse Arrow of the Dark Lord, +2 arrow if hits victim saves or loses 1HP per ten minutes  for a d12 hours of fevers and halucinations of dark shadows grasping at the victims soul. The victim gets another save after death or becomes a wight. 400gp have a nasty reputation as cruel so assassins all want them. 
74 The Dark Lords Creed, a book of the past dark lords and powers useful to predict him, or find his relics or weaknesses. Sought by his many enemies 1in6 are actually cursed copies that anyone reading for 8 hours must save or is cursed to turn evil, seduced by the evil ones service 2000gp
75 Shadowlords Helmet, summons a d6 shadow mastifs by night once a week who will obey an evil person or just attack any living beings they can catch. One hero would call them shadow hounds then lead them on horseback towards enemies then flee. The wearer can see in nightlight and ignores magical darkness or silence. Silver engraved helm pointy full helm providing +1 protection. Many past wielders died using it a gift for enemies long ago 4000gp breaking it releases a d6 bound shadow masiffs
76 Nightblade, a former gift to mortals from the dark lord, fine silvered steel +2 +3 vs devils and lycanthropes. Drawing blood with the blade awakens a deceitful spirit and the wielder must save of come to love the blade as an extension of their own body. On death the wielder becomes a wight in the service of evil and the sword becomes unholy black metal +3 +d3 damage vs good beings and detects living within 3. The weapons fetch a good price of 4000gp on sight of basic properties but no decent person would knowingly own one
77 Dark Lords Mantle, a suit of evil black plate with a spiked crown, battered and etched in ancient orc runes. Seemingly just a +1 suit, when worn complete the wearer must save, on a success they can pull it off in time with a struggle, with a failure the victim is turned into an orc and cursed with evil alignment 1800gp but orc will pay a bit more
78 Flowers of Malor, jewelled hair piece of ancient elves, corrupted to trick and taint elves. Elves seeing it save or will kill anyone to obtain it for their own elf clan. They will take it home and present it to their leaders to spread the dark lords corruption. Anyone wearing it has +2 CHA and can cast charm person three times a day. 10000gp to elves 5000gp to others
79 Chest of Teeth, a stout chest with 75+d100 necklaces inside made from from teeth, many unidentifiable and some with runes or human hair woven cord. Each necklace seems of approximate same value and in the past many such chests have been found. Chests of ears or finger necklaces was found before. Wearing one gives wearer +1 CHA to evil beings and -1 to good beings. The dark lord gave these to barbarian warlords who divided them amongst their kin and aid in their corruption. The chests mysteriously vanish a few days after being emptied. Each necklace sells for 100gp or more
80 Sceptre of Wrath a +2 Mace that an evil user can cast hold person three time a day, used by evil wight priests who ride undead wyverns. Wielder saves or his whispers of the dark lord and when life near death the dark lord will reach out to them offering aid which includes severing the wielders relation to their god 4000gp
81 Halfling Marsh Weed, comes in pouches for 4+d8 days, induces mild euphoria making user quiet and happy and eat only half as much and march a full day 30gp with a clay pipe
82 Entwater, fluid collected in hollows inside of a treeant for months, drinking it ads +1 Con +1 Str and d3+1 inches. It also makes you +2 save vs any dark lord items or relics, only usable once per person, and needs to be consumed in a d6 months with treants in a ritual if they like you. How any got to market was probably by theft 3000gp potion
83 Elfblade, shortsword glows if orc or goblin within 3 range and +1 2000gp
84 Moon Arrows, +1 silver arrows +d4 vs undead and lycanthropes, made by the elves come in quiver with a dozen 1000gp
85 Light of Vulnavia, bottle of liquid light usable as hole water and protection from evil 1 radius as long as light can touch. Light overcomes all magical darkness in area and shadow or darkness beings or undead take a d3 per round in it's light. Crystal bottle may smash bathing all in 3 radius the effects of the light for a final round as the light is lost to the world forever. 3000gp
86 Iron talisman made from a nail, belt buckle or horseshoe provides protection from evil to the wearer for an hour a day when rubbed and worried. 1500gp
87 Mithril elvish chain, +3 and no encumbrance, 7000gp
88 Curse Eater Fetish, made by wild folk, the idol tricks a curse or evil relic to transferring the evil magic to the idol. Then the idol should be burned or buried or thrown in the sea tied to stones. Ugly wooden idols with hair and stone inserts 600gp
89 Circlet of Sirilon, simple white gold circlet gifted to humans that aided and served elves in ancient wars with the dark lord. Some have resurfaced.+2 protection and a good character can cast light three times/day and cure light woulds three times/day. Each full moon the wearer saves or becomes cursed with good alignment 6000gp  
90 Wolfbane, a silver +2 battleaxe, +4 vs werewolves and detects werewolves in even in human form within 1 range. No effect vs other lycanthropes. 3500gp
91 Starlight Medalion, belonged to a star in the dawn age and only usable by a lawful good being. An evil or chaos touching it takes a d4 per round. Under a full moon once a month you may commune with the star spirit. Each has a separate name written in the angelic LG language on their medalion. The wearer can cast Invisibility to undead three times/day, Create Food and water three times/day. 6000gp
92 Heartstone, shining jewel kept in a lead box that magically hides it from detection. It casts a light 3 radius when opened and all in sight are cursed if they fail a save to more obsessed with alignment and impossible standards of planar perfection. If they are nuetral or non aligned they can roll a random new alignment. The light dims after this effect, the lid closes and the box vanishes. This was created by the spirit of malice to create more conflict in the cosmos 2000gp to those who know what it is, usually some idiot opens it, becomes more fanatic and the stone and box move on
93 Angels Trumpet, a 2 metre long trumpet of brass with runes of law and good. When called it summons a minor fiery cherebim to smite all who are not living to the impossible standards of heaven.If LG you are spread, if evil you are slain, if any other alignment save to think pure thoughs or be destryed. The angel may scan those bowing with ESP for impure thoughts and the mortal may make a save to think pure enough. After it takes the trumpet, 3000gp evil people would destroy but it takes dragonfire
94 Harp of Calmoron, silver harp of the star spirits left on the world as the gift of music. Play the music the owner most desires which often depends on alignment. If Lawful Good or a bard you can cast Comprehend Languages 
three times/day. 10000gp but even divine beings want this thing that all beings find pleasurable 
95 Splinter of Woe, a broken adamantium spike that is shaped like a crude shortsword +4. The blade once tasted blood for the first time in a day screams for a round and animals or normal creatures under 1d8 HD save or flee for a d4 rounds. If it slays the material form of a outer planar being it cannot reform for 30 years 10000gp
96 Sickle of Chaos, adamantium sickle +2 or +4 if a mutant and chaotic. If the mutant wielder kills a mutant they may swap a mutation with the corpse if it fails a saving throw. Mutations must be of same type minor or major. A mutant hero can use this to purge weak mutations and get better ones. Non mutant wielders make a saving throw a month or get a minor mutation a month and if they get more than their level they morph into a mindless shoggoth 10000gp to a mutant ("haha will never happen" sez a merchant) or 2000gp to most people
97 Seed of Alloril, from the first oak tree blessed by old gods and faeries, if planted becomes a full grown oak tree overnight 60 foot tall. Each night a patch of younger 30 foot high trees will grow and over seven days becomes a circular forest a furlong wide (600 yards or metres). Faeiries used these to plant forests in the dawn age. Killing the first tree at any time stops the process. Animals and possibly faeries or a treant will occupy the woods. Druids will sanctify this wood promptly. 5000gp  
98 Stone Witchblade, +2 stone dagger, a splinter of stone broken from a holy place by a prehistoric witch and bathed in blood of a demon. If a 1HD talking being is sacrificed in a ten minute ritual a minor demon is summoned. The first demon is a quasit that offer to make a soul pact and if rejected seeks revenge. Later demons are more stupid more agressive types that the summoner must bargain with. The demons desire permission to be released into the world to do as they please after one service. The dark lord would have witches summon demons all day long 10000gp 
99 Stormkettle, a five gallon cauldron with a lid for cooking if a sheep wool, a bat and a newt are placed in and it is boiled on a fire in a 3 hour ritual the local sky spirit must save or unleash a dangerous storm till dawn. The knowledge of the kettle is a secret of witches and requires three to operate the procedure 5000gp
100 Bone Whistle, if blown near navigable water, at nightfall a ferryman in robes in a small one passenger skiff and offer a ride. Anyone placed in the skiff is feried away to another world as determined by the boatman, often fairyland or hell or whatever. The ferryman demands a coin and the whistle. 10000gp

Sunday, 7 June 2020

Spells & Summoning monsters




































Magic Spell Research Speculation Stuff
Me and a friend did 12th level wizards and hoping to pad out the higher levels with content as what I have only really good for about that high maybe 14th. Considered having some skills with fx that kick in at 10th or perhaps unlock stranger skills. Part of me thinks might revise magic to be a bit more different to dnd ip. I like spells in dcc that lets a basic spell get more powerful so burning hands can burn an army eventually. I like some Lamentations spells and enhanced simplicity. I dislike all those hugely detailed spell descriptions that talk about some wizard. Long ago I had a system that had basic combat spells that you chose what the missile was with your version of the spell. I like summoning spells to do this too. Had an ant wizard in one game only called ants. Or a wizard that summons only lame 1HD clone copies of themself. Aso don't really like the Summon Monsters I, II, III, etc

So I like spells that stay useful a long career. Magic missile and charm person in older dnd both stay useful at a high level. Having lots of custom variant spells makes magic people vary more if their summonings and magic zaps have distinct appearances. Reskinning a web to being slime and purple worms might not be a big deal. Even go as far as everyone makes a little paper a6 spellbook to describes vis fx of your versions of the spell??? Some kids like describing spells too hard and using to hijack narrative (ok it can be done well).

Anyway I'm playing with ideas for summoning but none of this set in stone yet
Must avoid rewriting all spells and monsters.
Watching LOTR with friend who informs me one elf makes many orcs

Summoning and Monster Making Magic
So summoning I have played with a bit

I like the idea of more spells to make monsters to populate dungeons
-monsters not necessarily obedient but you can tame or deceive them
-or lock them up in your dungeon to run feral after you die
-make orc spell Lv1=murder an elf becomes a near ageless sterile mockery of elf kind
-make orc spell Lv2=use fresh human corpse disproportionately from male soldiers
-make orc Lv3=make orc from mud but these are sexless bigger brutes d12HD
(modern orcs breed and live longer and most wary of wizards stuff and dark lords)
-make abhuman Lv4 spells fuse human and animal via arcane surgery easiest to make
-loved alchemist art from medieval times of dragons being grown in vats
-jack Vance had quite a bit of this like the AD&D clone spell
-i guess lonely wizards will make cat women and other creepy stuff
-i like spells with some risk so lots of making undead spells risk they will betray you
-golems are slow and expensive to make but less horrible than undead
-alchemists make golems, slime monsters, simulacra, homunculi, even draconic monsters
-safer higher level spells don't have these problems
-perhaps a spell to control summoned beings but I guess charm could

Common Spells
Summoning Creature 1st Lv Spell
-1HD per caster level for one turn per level or dies/vanishes/melts/fades at zero
Summoning Circle 3rd Lv Spell
-1HD critters per caster level for around per level, minimum of 4 creatures
-create lots of figures to strategically tie up the battlefield
Summon Monster 4th Lv Spell - 1HD/Lv
-creatures with multiple attacks or other non-magic advantages
Conjure Planar Thrall 5th Lv Spell
-8hd elemental or lesser demon or devil or angel or faerie
Conjure Planar Power 6th Lv Spell
-16hd elemental or major demon or devil or angel or faerie
Conjure Planar Throne 7th Lv Spell
-nobility of hell/demons/elemental lords/efreeti
Gateway 7th Lv Spell
-open portal to another world or close one

Wizard Summoning
-instantly calls being or beings to point in the range
-from another world or creates from elemental, ectoplasmic, shadow or spectral material
-creatures obey orders and mental suggestions but do have morale scores or own will
-creatures bit thick and naive and without orders stand around confused
-sometimes 1in20 chance a creature survives the spell expiry and flees a wild monster who hates and fears who called it into being

Druid Summoning
-basic spell calls whatever animals or giant animals available
-basic spell calls beast with one attack like wolf, goat or deer
-monster summoning is for animals with multiple attacks like bears or lions
-later spells call magical wilderness beings from faerie land and elementals
-creatures hang around for hours but take a d6 rounds to arrive
-could be recruited as a follower if treated well after the battle
-animal intelligence but not stupid or suicidal but protect and aid druid
-mostly summon animals most with one bite attack like wolves
-high-level spell sylvan or faerie or elementals later usually intelligent
-when animals die their children starve
-druid could charm or befriend animals if like them or reward them
-nice to not just eat them or use a cannon fodder and first aid or feed them after

Cleric Summoning
-each cult has spells to summon beings of the cult Horus priests know summon hawk
-sent by god arrive from sky or a pit or portal, fanatic service to god through the summoner
-summons is instant and creatures vanish back to the gods household
-don't strictly obey you but will fight to death versus enemies then vanish
-low level spells summon a npc character or basic beast with 1 attack
-higher level monster summoning spell calls cult spirits and beasts usually intelligent
-planar summonings call divine servants basically magic monsters angels or devils
-some beings are spirits that coalesce a body from local matter
-beings slain return to the divine source to be reborn again serving the god

Alchemist might mix some potions and charge with a philosophers stone or plant some dragon teeth on the fly for a summoning. Some alchemy might require prep time and money as well as magical energy-infused during a ritual. Mostly they make constructs like golems.

Ideas On Summoning & Creating Monsters
If the plan is to make spells more customisable then I need to
Rough Guide for summoning and creating spells
Roughly a HD/Lv and conditions
Ive considered some extra magic skills such as
-improve average HP per dice from 4 to 5 possibly stack four times to 8hp per HD
-better minimum average on spells that summon random amounts of critter
-i guess familiar might concentrate for you to maintain a spell or command summoned things

1 LV = D8 HD on average but you could
swap a d8 HD for d4x2 HD eg two kobolds or rats instead of a orc
swap 3 d8 HD for d6x4 HD eg four goblin or bandit or dogs instead of three orcs
swap 3 d8 HD for d12x2 HD eg abhuman, dwarf, barbarian  instead of three orcs

Basic HD & HP     Common Critters

d4 or 2hp               Rat, Kobold
d6 or 3hp               Goblin, Dog, Human Guard
d8 or 4hp               Orc, Dwarf, Hobgoblin, Skeleton
2d8 or 8hp             Abhuman beast folk (lizard or hyena), wolf, Zombie
3d8 or 12hp           Bugbear, Wild Boar
4d8 or 16hp           Ogre, Dire wolf, Bull
5d8 or 20hp           Carrion Worm (-2 for lots of magic attacks)
6d8 0r 24hp
7d8 or 28hp           Lion (-2 for extra attacks)
8d8 or 32hp           Hill Giant, Grizzly Bear (-2 for extra attacks)
9d8 or 36hp
10d8 or 40hp
More intelligent creatures -2
Creatures with 3 attacks -2
Some magical or special abilities -1
Many magical abilities or spellcaster -2
Undead have dangerous powers but also liabilities like clerics
Spectral Minions are perfect as can be any level or in group and fade on "death"

Other Thoughts
Most basic summoned creatures are not bright
-wizard summoning drawn from other dimensions or created instantly
-priest summoning calls cult beings that are fanatics that might not do as you wish
-druid summon actual local animals or giant ones whatever is near might come

Higher-level summoned beings are supernatural and often genius intellects

These lists are just tooling around and preferring the above systems. This was an older version of the idea which I gave up on but useful notes and ideas on this stuff.

All this starts to feed into my monster book project which aims to reduce IP monsters.
Possibly a future rewrite will significantly rename monsters and spells.

Golems Making Spells Per Level

0 doll, animated tool
1 grass golem , scarecrow, jack o lantern, iron cobra
2 wood golem, silver statue, necrophidius
3 crystal Statue, Jade statue
4 gargoyle, guardian warrior, iron statue, caryatid column
5 Bone golem, obsidian golem, mud golem, rock statue, steel statue, gargoyle
6 Flesh golem, mud golem
7 clay golem, amber golem
8 stone golem, silver golem
9 rock golem, iron golem, bronze golem, juggernaut

Undead Making Spells Per Level

0 zombie rat, crawling hand
1 Skeleton, spectral minion, malice, corpse worm
2 Ghoul, flying skull, poltergeist, haunt, shade,
3 Sheet phantom, Huecuva, Coffer Corpse, shadow, ghostly horde, topi, juju zombie
4 Sheet Ghoul, Son of Kyuss, penanggalan, Wyrd, ghast, wight, agarat
5 Mummy, wraith, banshee, ghoul elder, draugr
6 Revenant, Apparition, Nosferatu, Greater Wyrd, spectre, dusunu, grey philosopher, sacrol, mesmer
7 skeleton warrior, ghost, groaning spirit, vampire, darkhood, phantom
8 Death Knight, crimson death
9 Iich (18HD) Colossus (20HD)


Elementalist Making Spells Per Level
0 1
2 fire snake, giant strider, hoar fox
3 ice lizard, water weird, fire bat
4 Fire Lizard, lava child, mephit, fire toad
5
6 Winter Wolf
7 Fire lizard, Salamander
8 Efreeit, Medeum fire elemental
9 Efreeti Viier, huge fire elemental

Darkness 
Making Spells Per Level
0
1 shade
2
3 Shadow
4 Shadow mastiff
5 Wraith
6 Shadow Demon, nightmare, ebon tiger, shadow dragon
7 Soul Eater, Bhutr, terithan
8 Randara, night hag,
9 blackball, nightwing,

Faerie Making Spells Per Level

0
1 Elf, Faerie
2 Pixie, sprite, atomie, grig, brownie, leprechaun
3 Wychlamp, buckawn, swanmay
4 Elf cat, dryad,
5 Shargugh,
6 Wyrdglow, Satyr, korred, nymph, siren, sylph, niad, oread
7 Faedorne
8 Treant, willowisp
9

Specialisations For Summoners
1 Ooze - family of low HD basic oozes, better ones 
2 Worms  - disgusting
3 Ants - basic then flying or chemical attack versions 
4 Insect - beetles then with flying ones or preying mantis
5 Arachnids - with venom, webs, or extra attacks with better spells (scorpions and spiders)
6 Crabs - and crustaceans then bigger ones with extra attacks or hermit crabs spells
7 Cephalopods - amphibious versions ok short term but squids, ammonites, octopi
8 Slugs - basic the acid spitters and flail snails 
9 Isopods or Trilobites - basically bugs amphibious versions
10 Centipedes - lower HD but poison for size?
11 Fish- inappropriate in some places
12 Frogs - huge to gigantic forms and some magical types of frogs
13 Lizards - fancy types with more attacks and abilities later
14 Dinosaurs - all sizes and shapes some with more attacks or armour
15 Snakes - various sizes with deadly venom or constrictors or hydra at high level
16 Draconic - smaller drakes working up to dragons but mostly 
17 Synapsids - mammal-like reptiles before dinosaurs, so mostly dimetrodon's
18 Newts - huge to gigantic forms and including salamanders, olm &  axolotl
19 Plant - various mobile plants and vegepygmies
20 Fungus - various mobile fungus and mushroom folk
21 Canines - like wolves and dogs or dire wolves
22 Hyena - plus prehistoric versions
23 Swine including wild boar or prehistoric terror pigs
24 Marsuipials - possums, wombats, thylacene, koala, kangaroo, tasmanian devil
25 Ursinoids - various types of bears
26 Cetaceans - including amphibious and land based ancestors or whales and dolphins
27 Rodents - rats, mice and similar critters possibly beavers
28 Felines - cats, bobcat, lynx, panther, cheetah, lions, tigers, sabretoothed cats
29 Flightless birds - including prehistoric terror birds, moa, emus, ostriches, cassowary
30 Other birds but possibly specialize in raptors, ducks, flamingoes, etc
31 Various herd beast - goats, bison, ibex, deer, cattle, ibex, gazelle, 
32 Bats - winged mammals but flightless predatory versions exist
33 Primates - apes and monkeys and lemurs
34 Lagomorphs - rabbits and hares
35 Armadillos - prehistoric ones like glyptodons
36 Sloths - including prehistoric aquatic, burrowing and giant ones 
37 Weasels - nasty
38 Elephants - possibly woolly and midget jungle types
39 Rhino - possibly woolly and midget jungle types
40 Moles - giant carnivorous ones
41 Spectral phalanx spear warrior spirits
42 Spectral savage hairy warrior wild folk spirits from the Forrest
43 Spectral barbarian warriors from the long-gone tribe who long to fight
44 Spectral missile troops like archers
45 Spectral weapons and weapons
46 Spectral minion warriors from beyond called to battle
47 Spectral savage gibbering pygmies
48 Spectral degenerate mutant hordes
49 Spectral templar warriors
50 Spectral hound
51 Hags - from lesser hedge hags to powerful night hags
52 Centaurs
53 Corporal Undead from netherworld mostly skeletons and zombies
54 Non Corporal Undead from netherworld mostly spectral minions
55 Chimera
56 Slaad
57 Shedu
58 Lamia
59 Sphynx
60 Naga
61 Goblinoids - goblins then hobgoblins and bugbears
62 Orcs - some with fancier equipment and levels
63 Giants - cyclops, ogres and various giants
64 Kobolds - two for one HD deal 
65 Trolls - with hedge and barn trolls up to gigantic ones
66 Dwarves - summon fighting dwarfkind
67 Elves - summon fighting elfkind
68 Gnomes - summon fighting gnomekind
69 Halflings - summon halflingkind
70 Changeling spirit folk, planar hybrids and fey folk
71 Plant abhumans - tree folk
72 Fungus abhumans - mushroom folk
73 Worm abhumans - centipedes, maggots, grubs
74 Fish Abhumans - shark, eel, crab, catfish, carp, salmon
75 Arachnid Abhumans, spider, scorpion, tick
76 Insectoid Abhumans - mantis, ant, bee, wasp, beetle, moth, fly
77 Bird Abhumans - crow, vulture, owl, eagle, hawk, ibis, rooster
78 Mammal Abhumans - dog, lion, bear, walk, stag folk
79 Reptilian Abhumans - lizardfolk and others, some huge 
80 Elemental Abhumans - specialise in specific elemental types
81 Fire elementals  
82 Earth elementals 
83 Air elementals 
84 Water elementals 
85 Ice elementals
86 Lightning elementals
87 Crystal elementals
88 Vapour elementals
89 Metal elementals
90 Flesh elementals 
91 Faeries - chaos C call halflings, goblins, gnomes, elves, nymphs, dryad
92 Daemons - chaos C call elder spirits of the aether between worlds 
93 Celestials - law L Archons, 
ultraterrestrials and agents of cosmic law
94 Plutonians - law L netherworld spirits of the dead called as spectral beings
95 Elysians - G heroic and virtuous spirits from a place of rest and reward for the dead
96 Arcadians - CG wild folk, magical animals and nature spirits
97 Diabolics - LE  lawful evil, hells cultists & devils who imprison those damned by gods
98 Angelics - LG heaven totem animal or puritanical fanatics then angels
99 Demonics - CE cultists and abyssal hordes dwelling on fragments of creation 
100 Cthonics - E darkness & nightmare beings from beyond outer void 

forgive my not quite Gygaxian alignment and cosmology
daemons and faeries can be good or evil or indifferent or alien
i like idea a summoner calling spectral warriors called from ancient dead as a thing

Monday, 10 February 2020

Fetish Charm Magic






































Ruin your game economics with this wonderous lo-fi DIY magic system using proficiency/skill/attribute roll resolutions.

In my games, I have a skill for making fetish objects

A fetish is often a figurine but could be a lump of quartz wrapped in hair or a shrunken head, a magic rune or more. Civilised people might use a paper charm with a wax seal instead. Medallions and jewellery are common, some are worked into designs of a weapon or items or artworks to make reusable charms. Many shatter or break when depleted so some pay 10x more for artwork quality rechargeable ones. Priests will evoke gods or spirits in creation.  Wizard might prefer a charm dedicated to a demon or elemental power. Fetish crafting is more common in tribal or common people and some users in cities might risk the charge of witchcraft. Most villages have someone who can make one or maybe a d3 in a town. Would be the cheapest most common items.

Currently, I have a magic skill called craft fetish but this will become Fetish Lore
Might expand to potions poisons black powder skills too. Candle magic?
Could rune magic just be like this?

My First Fetish Skill by Alignment

Bless fetish if good or lawful
Curse fetish if evil or chaotic

Alarm fetish if neutral or balanced

You may spend further skill slots in additional fetish types to get more fetish skills. It is possible to do this without being a spell caster but it is a magical skill.

Making a fetish requires a material prop object often a tiny figurine or medallion or token or possibly a tool or weapon or clothing. Tattoos could be possible,

Can sacrifice a unit of power in the creation of a condition often to make them last longer
-target or ignore species, alignment, tribe, element or any distinction
-protects only vs one thing like acid, a certain spell, poison so activated less often  

-Wards and conditions specialising against humans and orcs are rare as they are youngest races but elves and humans are developing them in secret
Fetish crafter makes a skill roll to succeed after spending money and time creating object

Fetishes show as magic if detected
Fetishes can be damaged or disarmed like a trap if detected
Thieves can detect and disarm fetishes with lucky charms, magnets, metal discs and crystals in their kits as any trap

You could stack effects of fetishes -  carry a cursed fetish while being hit by the enemy with fetish but cant stack same benefits from two different items.

I could imagine a type of rogue specialising in fetishes and reading scrolls and healing or a monk might be good too. Humanoid leaders and spell casters knowing a few can make a war band more dangerous with preparation. Possibly the effort invested might not help by enough. Having guys watching your wagons making these could be handy. A barbarian warrior might like some of these as a higher level or a dwarf or halfling.

You need other skills in craft or art to make attractive more valuable or rechargeable items.

Fetish Cost and Time

1-4th level First Order Charm 1sp materials often sell for a gp one day
5-8 level Second 
Order Charm 1gp materials often sell for 20-40gp takes two days
11-12 level Third 
Order Charm 20gp material often sell for 100gp takes three days
13-16 level Fourth 
Order Charm 100gp material often sell for 200gp takes four days
17-20 level Fifth 
Order Charm 250gp material often sell for 350-500gp takes 5 days

Rechargeable Fetish Charms

Some have fetishes incorporated into building or item so shaman can just recharge it, costs same time and materials but for the original object must have been made for cost of a standard fetish but x10 the materiel costs.

Besides adding to the economy of one use petty magic and traps the duties of a practitioner might be to recharge fetishes around dungeon and boss guys weapons monthly.  Shamans might have assistants doing nothing but working on fetishes, another on potions etc. Now you can have lots of fetish weapons or shields for players to carry about burdening them. Plus players will be "searching to spot fetishes" every room. Raiders might all have fetish items, guards of all sorts maybe 10% of a factions warriors and most elites have one.

Foes could have fetish crafted swords and get a +3 in the first strike. Or a thief carries a +5 one use dagger and puts poison on it for a special foe. It is cheaper to have 5 +1 fetish than one +5 charm. Lots of +1 sling stones might be handy. Making a one use +1 arrow or sling stone should be far easier than a permanently +1 weapon and this might be where they come from. +1 hit and damage would be two separate projects. Anything made into a fetish has artistic embellishments and looks fancy.

A war fetish carved into a bone arrow or painted sling stone can make a +1 hit and damage one-use magic ammo taking maker 2 days plus 2sp + ammo cost. You could earn a good living making these as a fletcher or make many more normal ones which in war would be more useful. A Sword with a +3 rechargeable blood fetish would be three days to make and cost 1000gp for the fetish crafting and 300 for the sword quality. It could be recharged by some guy in village (lv 9-12) for 100gp in 3 days. So economics on these not as good as spells or traditional magic items in long run but easier to learn.

Could let a commoner drive off a magic beast. A crafted fetish weapon might have three separate +1 fetish charms built in that could be reset in 3 days if shaman not too busy. A fetish maker will be reluctant to recharge a fetish with a condition contrary to their alignment. 


1 Alarm Fetish
-Each 4 Lv of creator gives fetish a 10-foot cube area to protect
-Set minimum size to set off an alarm when created from small, medium or large
-If left to watch area and triggered will either send a whisper to caster or scream one round
-Each activation uses reduces the cube area affected till item has no power
-Conditions include to not react to non-tribe members, non-residents or certain alignments
-Placed on doors, secret doors, chests, treasures, sleeping children

2 Animus Fetish
-Each 4 Lv of creator lets fetish bearer halt HP through blood then loses a use
-Conditions might be to only benefit certain faction or species
-A fetish owner might put in unconscious person's hand to halt their blood loss
-Pendant or a scar or a miniature figurine

3 Bad Fetish
-Calls malignant spirit that activate traps, alarms, levers, buttons, drop, push, grab
-10 foot square trigger per four levels, loses 10 foot square each activation till depleted
-each activation reduces size of the defended area until none left
-Makes traps more discriminating and deadlier but trap experts know the signs
-Could leave with a crossbow or several muskets and fire possibly multiple weapons
-Multiple actions could all be used at once or in sequence like shut door dire bolt
-Day per plus to make and a blood sacrifice a medium creature
-Conditions to react only to a certain faction or ignore a group like the makers


4 Bless Fetish

-Each 4 Lv of creator gives fetish a +1 on a specific stat save or attack roll once
-Conditions include vs certain species (humans) or threat (fire) or alignment (C ot CE)
-Can use all pluses at once or as you please one at a time
-Carried on user to benefit, the standard fetish type



5 Bone Fetish
-Each 4 Lv of creator gives fetish a +1 weapon damage
-Each time you damage a foe weapon loses a plus until all consumed
-Placed on weapons mostly, exhausted very quickly
-Conditions include vs specific alignment or nationality
-Day per plus to make and a blood sacrifice a medium creature


6 Blood Fetish
-Each 4 Lv of creator gives fetish a +1 chance of a critical
-Once damage a foe a use is lost and loses a +1 in effect
-Will let someone with no critical hit chance critical on a natural 20
-Will allow those with a critical hit chance to increase their chances
-Conditions specialised on a certain foe like undead, spiders, reptiles to make the last longer
-Placed on weapons mostly 
-Day per plus to make and a blood sacrifice a medium creature

7 Border Fetish

-When line 20 foot per level is crossed intruders get a wandering monster chance roll
-Each actual encounter reduces the power of fetish by 20 foot
-Mark a line or leave a thread to make, can then hide
-Set with an alarm fetish so increases the chance of a monster

-Condition to nationality, race, tribe, family help it last longer 

8 Curse Fetish

-Each 4 Lv of creator gives fetish a -1 on a specific stat save or attack roll once
-Conditions include effect only non tribe members so they can move object
-Can use all pluses at once or as you please one at a time, set by creator
-left out with treasure or put inside valuables to curse enemies


9 Fertility Fetish
-10 foot radius area per 4 levels increases fertility, growth and lactation in area
-Can use to blight area instead and render enemy impotent; infertile or as a contraceptive
-Cover a garden or person's bed or animals pen increasing natural growth by d20% 
-Condition to effect certain species or person 
-Each year loses 10 foot radius until depleted

10 Flesh Fetish
-extra +1 HP per 5HD, when HP lost fetish shatters into fragments
-Conditions include vs certain attacks like arrows or fire or vs certain species
-a medium creature sacrifice is required

11 Harm Fetish
-Inflicts 1 HP damage per 4 levels on contact once made with a bang and a flash
-Once damage done fetish turns to ash often with a spark flash or cracks and smoke
-Usually left on fancy knickknacks around as a trap that locals warned about
-Used as alignment tester or alarm, on sling stones, can damage melee weapons
-Conditions include 
target species or alignment or type of elemental damage
-Day per plus to make and a blood sacrifice a medium creature 


12 Medicine Fetish
-10-foot cube and heals 1HP per 4 levels on healing from nights rest
-Often burned in a fire, broken or consumed in the rest
-Can use it to make it cause harm instead so all in the area lose HP over a nights rest
-Power is depleted after a single rest, around fetish over 8 hours
-Condition to only heal certain alignment or species
-Often carried by a healer or used assistant in an emergency, candles common


13 Nightmare Fetish
-Each 4 Lv of creator makes 10-foot diameter area
-Everyone trying to rest or sleep has terrible dreams and cannot rest properly
-Each sleeping person in an area saves to rest properly, otherwise wastes 8 hours
-Each successful nightmare reduces the power by 10-foot radius until none
-Conditions often to target non-tribe members or a species or gender or alignment 
-Placed as tests, to keep faithful awake, or make enemies unable to recover curse places

14 Morale Fetish

-10-foot radius area & +1 Morale per 4 levels increases or decreases morale in zone
-Each morale roll affected by fetish loses 10-foot radius until depleted
-Conditions like only effect makers faction or based on species or alignment
-Often placed on banners, thrones, altars, boss rooms, treasury doors, gates


15  Pain Fetish
-Each 4 Lv of creator gives fetish a +1 hit roll
-Each time damages a foe a +1 in lost until all depleted
-Conditions include vs certain foes such as magic creatures, undead, elves, any evil-aligned
-Placed on weapons mostly 

16 Shield Fetish

-Each 4 Lv of creator gives fetish a +1 on AC vs one successful hit
-Once damage get though one use is lost and loses a +1 in effect
-Conditions such as melee or missile only or only vs unseen attackers make last longer
-Placed on armour or shields or items of clothing or jewellery


17 Spirit Fetish
-Each 4 Lv of creator gives fetish a 10 yards area where spirits become visible at night
-they are luminous and transparent as spirits but some can manifest bodies
-
Each spirit revealed in a day reduces the radius by 10 yards until depleted
-Conditions such as reveal only evil spirits or spirits possessing someone or in disguise help make the wards last longer. Common spirits shun attention, some don't care
-Placed on sticks placed around area warded with fetish in middle

18 Target Fetish

-Each 4 Lv of creator gives fetish a +1 to be hit by enemies
-Once damage hurts carrier one use is used and loses a +1 in effect until depleted
-Can include condition such as melee or missile or magic
-Placed on tempting treasures so enemies take them from treasure piles

19 Vermin Fetish
-10-foot radius area per 4 levels attracts or repels vermin as per makers preference
-Vermin include: rats, fleas, weevils, ants, mould, fungi, slime, maggots, flies, worms
-Each month radius drops by 10 foot until depleted
-Plant in enemy food supplies or wells but some creatures might think this is more food
-Condition to molest or protect certain goods or a person 


20 Ward Fetish

-Vs one creature type undead, demon, lycanthrope, mammal, elemental, elves, goblinoids, devils, witches, goblinoids, elves, sylvan, plant, dragon, reptile, bird, amphibian, etc 
-Each 4 Lv of creator protects 10 cubic foot of dwelling or just a doorway
-Each time an undead attempts to cross thresh hold they save or flee for a turn
-Each successful success reduces the power by 10 foot cube until none
-Fetish lasts for a year, some towns make an event to renew them in homes
-Conditions include a specific type of creature of the type to make them last longer


Examples

d12 Common Enemy Fetish (for low to mid-level warriors)

1 +1 Bless charm coin on DEX save one use
2 +1 Bless charm on a leather thong for CON save one use
3 +1 Bless charm on holy symbol for Will save one use
4 +1 Blood charm improved chance of a critical hit by one or 1 in 20 otherwise
5 Ring +1 Bless random stat, charm can be recharged by the creator
6 +1 Bless charm on a ring to hit one use
7 +1 Bless charm on a weapon to hit charm can be recharged by the creator
8 +2 Bless charm on a weapon to hit charm can be recharged by the creator
9 +1 Defence charm on shield or armour  

10 +1 Attack charm on shield or armour
11 +2 Target fetish on a lead wrapped tooth, attracts missile attacks
12 Curse fetish from an enemy -2 on next Wis save

 d12 Dungeon Boss Fancy Fetishes
-sub-boss and level boss=1 dungeon boss or big boss=2 Superbad boss=3
1 Helmet with a +1 defence fetish and fancy brush on top
2 Dagger with a +1 war fetish and poisoned
3 Knuckle duster, silver with +2 war fetish vs magical beings only
4 Woven hair charm wrapped around weapon acts as a +2 blood fetish
5 Fertility charm cursed used as contraception or curse
6 Evil god faced coin +2 Blood or Pain Charm
7 Alarm fetish idol screams to warn if humans in the area
8 Banner with +2 Morale over 20-foot radius for helping boss minions better

9 Medicine fetish +2 to use in emergencies
10 Crown with fertility fetish and Morale fetish of the rechargeable type
11 Fancy Hat has a Bless Fetish +3 for Wis saves 

12 Concealed Knife has +2 Pain 

d20 Common Dungeon Room Fetishes

1 Alarm fetish under floor of room entry screams for a round if passed
2 Alarm fetish on lid of container contact a  local spell caster
3 Medicine fetish cursed and hidden causes anyone resting 8 hours here to lose 2HP
4 Curse fetish -3 on hit roll once, gold leaf coated acorn
5 Charm fetish +1 CHA roll on a coin one use
6 Blood fetish +1 on an arrow head
7 Nightmare Fetish with 20 foot radius, evil idol hidden in recent plaster of wall
8 Undead Ward Fetish with 20 cubic feet covering entrance in a zombie doll
9 Border Fetish made from human leg bones covering a 20 foot line
10 Border Fetish and Alarm fetish form 
painted totem pole ignores ignore locals
11 Vermin ward to repel and protect goods or placed by enemies as sabotaged
12 Fertility Fetish protecting a plant or fungus or a bed or can be reversed to sterilise

13 Morale fetish and Border fetish that might call wandering monsters set vs outsiders
14 Room seems like a good place to hide and secure has a bad medicine fetish and a nightmare fetish making it a bad place to rest. Shutting selves in with deadbolt sends a alarm to fetish crafting boss who can arrive with helpers to barricade party in room
15 Harm fetish in doorstep or door handle explodes of anyone good touches 1hp
16 Bad fetish slams and locks door, then releases gas, first person clutching at door during save gets CON -2 save
17 Fancy carved wooden spoon with a vermin fetish to attract food destroying critters
18 Poisoned trap with curse fetish barb -2 CON save once
19 Trap that inflicts damage like a scythe or deadfall has a bon fetish and does +1 damage
20 Spirit wards in room of carved bones, 20 yard area make stranger spirits visible

suggestions welcome