Spes Magna Games

For a great recipe for mulled wine, check this out. To add this magical elixir to your game, read on.

“Come boy, and pour for me a cup
Of old Falernian. Fill it up
With wine, strong, sparkling, bright, and clear;
Our host decrees no water here.
Let dullards drink the Nymph’s pale brew,
The sluggish thin their blood with dew.
For such pale stuff we have no use;
For us the purple grape’s rich juice.
Begone, ye chilling water sprite;
Here burning Bacchus rules tonight!”
— Catullus

While encamped, the party’s cook brews up some mulled wine using a recipe found in an ancient tome. He needs red wine, sugar, an orange, a lemon, one star annise, one cinnamon stick, about a half dozen cloves, and small amount of nutmeg and ginger. The sugar and spices and a small amount of wine are cooked first, enough to melt the sugar and infuse the spices. Then the rest of the wine is heated for just a few minutes. While the mulled wine is poured into mugs, the cook recites a simple blessing in a forgotten tongue.

Those who imbibe the mulled wine are filled with good cheer and a measure of peace of mind.

1E Info

Those who share the mulled wine gain a blessing. Roll 1d6.

5E Info

Those who share the mulled wine gain a blessing. Roll 1d6.

Tags: 1E AD&D, 5E D&D, OSR Christmas Calendar

St. Boniface again spoke to the people, “This little tree, a young child of the forest, shall be your holy tree tonight. It is the wood of peace, for your houses are built of the fir. It is the sign of an endless life, for its leaves are ever green. See how it points upward to heaven. Let this be called the tree of the Christ-child; gather about it, not in the wild wood, but in your own homes; there it will shelter no deeds of blood, but loving gifts and rites of kindness.” — Father William Saunders

1E Effects

A good-aligned cleric of at least 9th level may perform a special ritual during hours of darkness. The ritual requires 10 minutes. During this time, the cleric prays and sings, casting both bless and continual light on a living tree. Once the ritual is complete, the tree glows with soft, multi-colored lights that bathe a 30-foot radius for 12 hours or until the cleric leaves the radius of effect. These lights soothe, protect, and heal those who camp within the radius of effect.

* Soothe: The holy light of the blessed tree suspends baleful physical and mental effects so long as the affected creature remains within the radius of effect. These effects include, but are not limited to, disease, insanity, charm, et cetera.

* Protect: Any opponent must make a saving throw versus magic in order to strike or otherwise attack someone protected by the tree. If the saving throw is not made, the creature may attack another creature not protected by the tree and totally ignore those protected by the spell. If the saving throw is made, the target is subject to normal attack process including dicing for weapons to hit, saving throws, damage. Note that this protection effect does not prevent the operation of area attacks (fireball, ice storm, etc.). During the period of protection afforded by the tree, the cleric who performed the ritual cannot take offensive action without immediately ending this effect for the duration of the ritual. He or she may use non-attack spells or otherwise act in any way which does not violate the prohibition against offensive action, This allows the cleric to heal wounds, for example, or to bless, perform an augury, chant, cast a light in an area (not upon on opponent!), and so on.

* Heal: A creature that rests for at least eight hours in the tree’s radius of effect heals as if a week of continual rest had passed. The creature regains 7 hit points, modified by poor Constitution as applicable. A second consecutive night of rest within the radius of effect heals another 7 hit points, this time modified by poor or exceptional Constitution, as applicable. Regardless of the number of hit points a creature has, four consecutive nights resting within the radius of effect of a blessed tree restores any character to full hit points.

5E Effects

A good-aligned cleric of at least 9th level whose divine domain is Light may cast daylight on a living tree as a special ritual during hours of darkness. Once the ritual is complete, the tree glows with soft, multi-colored lights that bathe a 30-foot radius for 12 hours or until the cleric leaves the radius of effect. These lights soothe, protect, and heal those who camp within the radius of effect.

* Soothe: A creature that completes a short or a long rest within the blessed tree’s radius of effect is cured of the following conditions: charmed, frightened, and exhaustion (up to one level).

* Protect: A creature that is within the blessed tree’s radius of effect when the ritual is completed gains the protection of sanctuary that lasts until the creature leaves the radius of effect or makes an attack or casts a spell that affects an enemey creature.

* Heal: A creature that takes a short rest within the blessed tree’s area of effect can spend one or more Hit Dice at the end of the short rest to regain lost hit points as normal. Add the Wisdom modifier of the cleric who performed the ritual to each Hit Die spent in this way to determine how many hit points are recovered. A creature that completes a long rest within the blessed tree’s area of effect regains all lost hit points as normal. The creature also gains inspiration.

Tags: 1E AD&D, 5E D&D, Catholic, OSR Christmas Calendar, spells

No less a personage than Leo Magnus bore the blessed mitre and valorous crosier into confrontation with the Seeping Horde, that vast army of gnolls that poured out of the east and ravaged the land for decades before their defeat.

1E Stats

The blessed mitre appears as a fine example of craftsmanship suitable for a high-ranking cleric of a good-aligned faith. It is adorned with nine amethysts and a single ruby, all flawless and set in platinum. Each amethyst can store a single cleric spell of up to 2nd level. The ruby can store a single cleric spell up to 4th level. The wearer decides which spells to store in the gems when preparing spells for the day. Stored spells count against the wearer’s spells per day, but a stored spell can be cast with a simple command word (activation time 1 segment). No other components are required, and releasing a spell from the mitre cannot be disrupted by damage or similar means.

The valorous crosier is made from enchanted silver and a marvelous wood native to the Upper Planes. It functions as a +1 footman’s mace. The wielder is immune to fear-based effects and receives a +1 bonus on saving throws against attacks or effects from evil creatures. Once per day, the wielder can grant heroic courage to up to four allies within 30 feet. Affected allies become immune to fear-based effects and enjoy a +1 on “to hit” and damage rolls for one turn.

Both the blessed mitre and the valorous crosier function only when used by a good-aligned cleric or a paladin. An evil creature that attempts to use either suffers 2-20 points of damage and must make a saving throw against magic or commit suicide.

5E Stats

Blessed Mitre
Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement by a divine spellcaster of good alignment)

The nine gemstones affixed to the blessed mitre store divine spells cast into them, holding them until the attuned wearer uses them. Each of the nine amethysts can hold up to a 2nd-level spell. The ruby can store up to a 4th-level spell. The spells are cast into the blessed mitre by wearing it as the spells are cast. While wearing the blessed mitre, you can with a command word cast any spell that you have stored in it. The spell uses your slot level, spell save DC, spell attack bonus, and spellcasting ability.

Valorous Crosier
Weapon (mace), very rare (requires attunement by a creature of good alignment)

You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon. While wielding it, you are immune to effects that cause the frightened condition. You make saving throws against attacks and effects from evil creatures with advantage. Once per long rest upon command, up to four allies who are within 30 feet of you are affected by heroism. This effect lasts for 1 minute with no need for concentration.

An evil-aligned creature that tries to use either the blessed mitre or valorous crosier takes 6d6 radiant damage for each attempt.

Tags: 1E AD&D, 5E D&D, Catholic, magic items

The red pestilence originates in twisted alchemical laboratories overseen by thralls of Orcus. On the Material Plane, certain of Blood Lord’s most favored servants have the ability to animate a zombie infected with the red pestilence. Such a zombie is no mindless slave to spell’s caster. Instead, demonic intelligence motivates this zombie to spread the red pestilence.

1E Stats

A living creature of the same type as the zombie was in life may contract the red pestilence from the zombie’s bite. The base chance of contracting the red pestilence is 10%, plus a cumulative 2% per hit point of damage inflicted by the zombie’s bite. Other modifiers related to the chance of contracting a disease also apply (see page 13, DMG).

The red pestilence is a magical malady that affects the brain/nervous system. It is always chronic and terminal. Each hour, the victim loses 1 point each of Intelligence and Dexterity (no saving throw). If either score reaches 0, the victim dies, and rises again in 1d4 rounds as a red pestilence zombie. Also each hour, the victim must make a saving throw against spell or become mad for 5d12 minutes (treat as confusion, rolling to determine effect every minute). An infected victim may expose others to the red pestilence, especially during violent fits of madness, as determined by the DM.

A good-aligned cleric may cure a victim of the red pestilence by casting both cure disease and remove curse on the victim prior to the victim’s death. Lost points of Intelligence and Dexterity are not restored by this means. A victim who dies from the red pestilence cannot be restored to life except by extraordinary means since the victim’s soul becomes imprisoned by Orcus in the Abyss.

Frequency: Very rare
No. Appearing: 1-8
Armor Class: 6
Move: 9″
Hit Dice: 4
% in Lair: Nil
Treasure Type: Nil
No. of Attacks: 2
Damage/Attack: 1-6/1-6
Special Attacks: Diseased bite (1-8)
Special Defenses: See below
Magic Resistance: Standard
Intelligence: Low
Alignment: Chaotic evil
Size: M
Psionic Ability: Nil
Attack/Defens Modes: Nil
Level/XP Value: IV/175 XP + 4 XP/hp

A red pestilence zombie is faster, stronger, and smarter than a normal zombie. It attacks with its clawed hands. If both claw attacks hit the same target, the red pestilence zombie makes a bite attack with a +4 “to-hit” bonus. The bite inflicts 1-8 points of damage and exposes the victim to the red pestilence as described above.

A red pestilence zombie can be turned as if it were a wight. It is immune to poison. Sleep, charm, and hold spells do not affect this monster. It takes half damage from cold, electricity, and fire. Holy water vials score 4-10 hit points of damage for each one which strikes.

5E Stats