For the Adventurer who has everything

 Dyson Logos #Dicember2021 Prompt: Presents!

Barrel of Hiding: This nondescript barrel can hide human or smaller sized creature plus a light load that they are carrying. The barrel offers protection against mind reading, remote viewing, and invisibility to anything within the barrel. The barrel's weight is unaffected by this magic.

Companion Chest: This large locking chest has four doglike legs and moves 90' (30'). It can carry 2,000 coins unencumbered or up to 4,000 coins at half speed. It has a moral of 6 and will run full speed in a random direction for 2d6 turns if targeted by an attack or trap.

Gibberer's Stole: A white and green stole embroidered with golden writing. Read Magic or Read Languages will reveal the writing to be magical but incomprehensible. Whenever the wearer speaks there is a 2-in-6 chance that they speak gibberish and cast a random spell on themselves or the closest eligible target. Area spells are always centered on themselves. Can only be removed with Dispel Curse.

Minotaur Ring: If pierced through the nose the wearer grows bull horns and a d6 gore attack.

Witch's Bridle: If worn the wearer turns into a riding horse retaining their intelligence but losing the ability to speak. The wearer is unable to remove the bridle themselves.

 Thurible of the Unseen: This silver thurible is decorated with eyes fashioned from onyx. Placing a gem worth at least 100gp in it will cast Detect Magic or Find Traps.

Buy two Magic Swords and get a Magic Shield FREE!

I started this blog because I'm working on a module, a module that could possibly never see the light of day because I am a perfectionist. There are things in it though that should get out into the world and today's #DICEMBER2021 idea spark is BLADES, the perfect excuse to drop some loot on you.

 

Bounty Blade: A long sword with a broad cross-hilt that can be held with one or two hands. The pommel has an empty setting below the grip where a gemstone is missing. +1 sword. The wielder may request that a bounty be paid in a single gem worth 500gp per HD of the target the bounty is being placed on. That gem is then set into the pommel and the wielder can locate the target's direction but not distance as an action. Additionally, the wielder gains +3 against the named target. The bounty lasts 30 days and 30 nights, after which if the contract is not fulfilled the gem magically returns to the person who originally placed the bounty. If the bounty is completed, the gem falls out of the pommel and is the wielder's to keep.

Necromancer’s Cleaver: A thick butcher’s knife with a rust red blade and sickly matte green handle like old copper. +1 dagger. When used to amputate an appendage it immediately becomes undead under the command of the being from which it was amputated. HD 1-1 (3hp) AC 7 ATK 1x1d6 THAC0 20 MV 120’ SV NH.  The hand has normal undead resistances but cannot be turned as long as its owner is alive.

Target Targe: A wooden shield covered in burlap with a red and white target emblazoned on it. +2 vs. Missiles. All missile attacks made vs. targets within 15’ of the wielder instead target the wielder.

Going Berserk

Dyson Logos #DICEMBER2021 

I wanted to explore Barbarians more after listening to an episode on them @ The Wandering DMs on my way to work this week. Today's topic is RAGE so its the perfect time to dig in!

What informs the Barbarian?

1. Cuchulainn (Irish Mythology): Maybe the original Incredible Hulk?

2. Hercules: Kills is family in a divine rage

3. Achilles: In The Iliad he kills basically everybody

4. Odin (The Furious One) and the Beserkers (Bear-shirts) of the Norse

5. Shakespear: Hamlet in Hamlet and Romeo in Romeo and Juliet

6. Comics: Obviously the Hulk, but Batman, Thor, & Wolverine are also prone to murderous episodes

 

What is super interesting as I go through the examples, they are all BAD things.  The rage that seems to inform D&D's Barbarian is not a strength, it is a weakness of the hero/protagonist. To the point that a proneness to raging is used AGAINST people. Often it is a tactic in fiction to drive your enemy INTO a rage to take advantage of their blind fury.

 

 Spell:

 

Berserker's Rage (MU 1)

Duration:  3 Turns

Range: 60'

This spell causes 1 creature with 4 HD or less to fly into a berserk rage. In this rage the target has a morale of 12, deals double damage, takes double damage, and will not die as long as the spell is in effect. The target will attack hostile targets first but in the absence of hostile targets it must succeed save vs. spells each round or attack non-hostile or friendly targets.

Magic Item:

Berserker's Rönd: A circular wood shield painted yellow with the blue motif of a bear head. It is shod and studded with iron. Around its rim it is worn and gnawed upon. Biting the Berserker's Rönd will cause the user to fly into a Berserk rage for 3 turns dealing double damage, taking double damage, and unable to die until the effect ends. This state ends if there is nothing to kill within line of sight. The user will target hostile targets first, however when there are no more hostile targets the user must succeed save vs. spells each turn to not attack non-hostile or friendly targets.

 

Three Magic Swords

I started this blog with the intention of sharing what I create, but I have been unsuccessful sharing because I'm uncomfortable putting unfinished product out into the aether. I am currently working on an adventure module for B/X called "Rahonawud" and my intention (I think) was to finish it and then post it. However, who knows if I will ever "finish" it. So, in the spirit of sharing I am going to start posting the parts that ARE done and could maybe find a home in YOUR game!

Bows and spears hunt, axes hew wood, hammers flatten steel, sickles harvest wheat, and swords kill. It is the sword's singular murderous purpose that makes it unique among weapons.

Intelligent magic swords share, or even surpass, the legends of their wielders. They are all vain, fickle, selfish, and jealous. They will not suffer being swung by the incompetent.

Rules for Magic Swords

• Owners of magic swords may only use the magic sword and no other weapon or risk the sword betraying them.
• Magic swords all seem to know (or at least know of) one another and most hate each other. There is only a 1-in-6 chance that two swords will tolerate each other enough to be in the same party.
• Special Purpose and Alignment Powers have been removed.
• All swords communicate verbally in a shared language with the wielder.
• Control checks are removed, but a sword that is displeased with its wielder may force a save vs. death once per day. If the wielder fails the sword becomes a -2 cursed sword until the following day (or until the sword decides it is no longer irked with its wielder).

Example Swords from “Rahonawud”

Peacock Blade: Named Fendoric the Proud, this +2 sword insists its wielder fight with one hand behind their back. If the wielder uses their offhand for anything in combat Fendoric will instead impose a -2 penalty on the wielder for the duration of the encounter. Fendoric also loudly and relentlessly taunts enemies in a surprising number of languages. Intelligent enemies gain +1 moral. Once per day the wielder may reflect a spell back on its caster.

Greedy Steel: Cobe the Conquer turned himself into a +1 sword that is obsessed with treasure. When within 300’ of a horde worth at least 2,000gp (treasure types A, B, D, E, F, G, H, I) the sword automatically senses its existence and direction. The wielder deals double damage while both within 300’ of the treasure and intending to acquire/keep it. If the wielder abandons the horde Cobe will loudly protest by berating the wielder which has a 4-in-6 chance of drawing a wandering monster each turn. The wielder may consume up to 6 gp each day to heal 6 hp.

Blue Murder: This +1 sword only speaks in incomprehensible hushed whispers and is a +3 sword when attacking unaware creatures. The wielder gains infravision and acts as if under the effects of elven cloak and boots as long as nobody is aware of their presence. The wielder may be targeted by Detect Evil and Dispel Evil. Once per day the wielder may cast Animate Dead on a creature killed by Blue Murder.