Posts Tagged ‘ 1E AD&D ’

Day 8: Tannenbaum

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.

December 9th, 2017  in RPG No Comments »

Day 7: Archbishop

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.

December 8th, 2017  in RPG No Comments »

Day 6: Red

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

A target bit by a red pestilence zombie must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or become infected. Symptoms manifest 1d3 hours after infection. The infected creature becomes irritable and sensitive to sensory stimuli. The infected creature also gains one level of exhaustion that cannot be removed until the disease is cured. Each hour thereafter, the infected creature must make a DC 15 Constitution save to avoid gaining another level of exhaustion that cannot be removed until the disease is cured. A failed saving throw also temporarily deranges the creature for 1d4 minutes (as per confusion). If the infected creature dies from exhaustion, the creature rises again in 1d4 rounds as a red pestilence zombie.

Lesser restoration does not cure the red pestilence, but greater restoration cast by a good-aligned cleric does. 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.

Medium undead, chaotic evil

Armor Class 12 (natural armor)
Hit Points 45 (6d8+18)
Speed 25 ft.
Ability Scores STR 14 (+2), DEX 10 (+0), CON 17 (+3), INT 8 (-1), WIS 10 (+0), CHA 7 (-2)
Saving Throws Wisdom +2
Damage Resistances cold, electricity, fire
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities charmed, exhausted, poisoned, paralyzed
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages Common
Challenge 2 (450 XP)

Diseased Bite: As a bonus action against a target hit by its claws, a red pestilence zombie can make a diseased bite attack. It makes this attack with advantage. A target damaged by the monster’s diseased bite may contract the red pestilence.

Undead Fortitude: If damage reduces the red pestilence zombie to 0 hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw (DC 5 + the damage taken) unless the damage is radiant or from a critical hit. On a success, the red pestilence zombie drops to 1 hit point instead.

Actions

* Claws: Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8+2) slashing damage.

* Diseased Bite: Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8+2) piercing damage.

December 8th, 2017  in RPG No Comments »

Day 5: Snow

In the distant south, steaming jungles vanish as rocky highlands become dominant and the climate grows cooler until the world turns in little more than sparse evergreen forests, rocks, ice, and snow. Those few clans that scratch out a life from this inhospitable land call it Arktinis, a word that translates into Common meaning something like “home” or “suffering”.

Legends say that once upon a time Arktinis was a warm land full of wild game, sweet water, and abundant berries and nuts. Whether it was a frost giant shaman’s curse or an ice-devil-haunted portal to some frigid hell, winter came to the land, and it hasn’t left since. Arktinis is truly cursed, and few travel far into its interior and return again to tell the tale. Those rare survivors bring back stories of fearsome monsters, such as trolls that breathe fire and giant furred serpents with venom that turns blood to ice. The interior is difficult to navigate, and sources of food and potable water are scarce.

Foraging & Not Getting Lost: In the interior of Arktinis, Wisdom (Survival) checks to forage and to not get lost are made with disadvantage. Should a party become lost due to a failed Wisdom (Survival) check, it takes 1d12 hours before the party’s navigator can repeat the Wilderness (Survival) check in order to get back on course.

Freezing Cold: The temperatures in Arktinis seldom rise above 0 degrees Fahrenheit for long. Whenever the temperature is at or below 0 degrees Fahrenheit, a creature exposed to the cursed cold of Arktinis must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw, made with disadvantage, at the end of each hour to avoid gaining one level of exhaustion. Creatures with resistance or immunity to cold damage automatically succeed on the saving throw, but creatures wearing cold weather gear (thick coats, gloves, and the like) do not. Creatures wearing cold weather gear must still succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw to avoid gaining one level of exhaustion, but they do not suffer disadvantage when doing so.

A creature can be immersed in frigid water for a number of minutes equal to its Constitution score before suffering any ill effects. Each additional minute spent in frigid water requires the creature to succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw, made with disadvantage, or gain one level of exhaustion. Creatures with resistance or immunity to cold damage automatically succeed on the saving throw.

Treacherous Footing: Slippery ice is difficult terrain. When a creature moves onto slippery ice for the first time on a turn, it must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check, made with disadvantage, or fall prone. Thin ice has a weight tolerance of 3d10 x 10 pounds per 20-foot-square area. Whenever the total weight on an area of thin ice exceeds its tolerance, the ice in that area breaks. All creatures on broken ice fall through.

Of course, the monsters native to Arktinis never suffer the negative effects of the region’s curse. Speaking of those monsters, those who die of starvation or exposure in Arktinis may rise again as Evils-That-Devour.

1E Stats
Frequency: Rare
No. Appearing: 1-12
Armor Class: 8
Move: 12″ (see below)
Hit Dice: 1+1
% in Lair: 25%
Treasure Type: B (x1/2), T
No. of Attacks: 3
Damage/Attack: 1-3/1-3/1-6
Special Attacks: Rake for 1-3/1-3, surprise 1-4
Special Defenses: See below
Magic Resistance: Standard
Intelligence: Low
Alignment: Chaotic evil
Size: S (3′ tall)
Psionic Ability: Nil
Attack/Defens Modes: Nil
Level/XP Value: III/52 XP + 2 XP/hp

The horrid evil-that-devours appears as an emaciated, dessicated humanoid creature the size of a young child or halfling. It moves quickly and silently, surprising targets 4 times in 6. It attacks with its claws and fangs. If both claws hit, it rakes with its back claws for two more attacks for 1-3/1-3 points of damage. The evil-that-devours moves across snow and ice at normal speed. It is immune to cold, poison, charm, and sleep.

5E Stats
Small undead, chaotic evil

Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
Hit Points 22 (5d6+5)
Speed 30 ft.
Ability Scores STR 10 (+0), DEX 15 (+2), CON 13 (+1), INT 6 (-2), WIS 12 (+1), CHA 7 (-2)
Skills Stealth +4
Damage Resistances necrotic
Damage Immunities cold, poison
Condition Immunities charmed, exhausted, poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
Languages Common
Challenge 1 (200 XP)

Iceborn: The evil-that-devours treats ice and snow as normal terrain.

Actions

* Claws: Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6+2) slashing damage.

* Fangs: Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d8) piercing damage.

* Voracious: The evil-that devours is always starving. If it hits with its bite, it grapples (escape DC 12) its target. Until this grapple ends, the creature is restrained, and the evil-that-devours cannot use its fangs on another target. The evil-that-devours can use its claws, but it makes melee attacks with disadvantage against a target other than the one it is feeding on.

While attached, at the end of each of its turn as a bonus action, the evil-that-devours cause its target to lose 4 (1d8) hit points due to blood and tissue loss (no attack roll necessary). The evil-that-devours can detach itself by spending 5 feet of its movement.

December 5th, 2017  in RPG No Comments »

December 2: Cinnamon

Since at least 20 centuries before the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, people have used cinnamon. It was a gift fit for a king or even a god. Its sources in places like India were carefully guarded secrets, and cinnamon growers exported this valuable spice via merchants who had no hand in the spice’s growth and harvesting. Wikipedia claims that Herodotus wrote that cinnamon sources were guarded by winged serpents, but Wikipedia errs. It is frankincense that is guarded by winged serpents, as Herodotus makes clear by writing, “For the trees which bear the frankincense are guarded by winged serpents, small in size, and of varied colours, whereof vast numbers hang about every tree.”

Herodotus notes that Arabian merchants cannot say where cinnamon comes from or from what tree the spice originates. “Where the wood grows, and what country produces it, they cannot tell”. Herodotus relates that cinnamon’s origin might be Phrygia. The cinnamon sticks are harvested only after large birds have used those sticks to make their nests. The nests “are fastened with a sort of mud to a sheer face of rock, where no foot of man is able to climb. So the Arabians, to get the cinnamon, use the following artifice. They cut all the oxen and asses and beasts of burden that die in their land into large pieces, which they carry with them into those regions”. The merchants then “withdraw to a distance, and the old birds, swooping down, seize the pieces of meat and fly with them up to their nests; which, not being able to support the weight, break off and fall to the ground. Hereupon the Arabians return and collect the cinnamon, which is afterwards carried from Arabia into other countries.”

So, to sum up, somewhere cinnamon trees grow. The location of those trees is a secret guarded by cinnamon growers. Cinnamon sticks are presumably cut and left to dry during the harvest season. At this time, large birds take the sticks to build nests on sheer cliffs. The middlemen cinnamon merchants lay out fresh meat beneath the cliffs. The large birds swoops down, carry the meat back to their nests, but the nests cannot support the meat’s weight. The nests fall and break, and the merchants collect the cinnamon sticks.

No wonder cinnamon was so valuable!

Pliny the Elder says in The Natural History that cinnamon cost 10 denarii per pound, but that price is controlled by a single monarch who restricts the supply in order to inflate the price, which once caused cinnamon to sell for 1500 denarii per pound, although this extreme inflation may have been the work of barbarians who burned the cinnamon forests or due to “the south winds that prevail in these parts [that] are sometimes so hot as to set the forests on fire.”

Fixing the relative value of ancient units of currency is tricky. During the period of the Roman Republic (approximately 509-27 B.C.), a legionary was paid about 0.3 to 0.6 denarius per day, but he probably had pay for his own food. In other words, using Pliny’s lowball price for cinnamon, one pound of the spice would cost about a legionary’s entire month’s pay. The 1E DMG sets the salary for a heavy footman as 2 gp a month; therefore, a pound of cinnamon costs 2 gp, which is what the 5E PH sets the price at on the Trade Goods table.

Unfortunately, inflation has ruined the cinnamon market in 5E. Maintaining a modest lifestyle costs 2 gp per day, which is twice what an unskilled worker made per month in 1E. According to the 5E PH, soldiers are among those who live modest lifestyles. This means a soldier makes 60 gp per month, which is 30 times what he made in 1E. It only seems fair in keeping with cinnamon’s history that the spice’s price should increase as well. In 1E, a pound of cinnamon costs 2 gp. In 5E, due to edition inflation, that same pound of cinnamon costs 60 gp.

Also, about those birds: Here’s the cinnamologus for you to use.

1E Stats
Frequency: Rare
No. Appearing: 2-12
Armor Class: 7
Move: 6″//24″
Hit Dice: 3
% in Lair: 75%
Treasure Type: Nil
No. of Attacks: 3
Damage/Attack: 1-4/1-4/2-8
Special Attacks: Dive attack
Special Defenses: Eyesight
Magic Resistance: Standard
Intelligence: Animal
Alignment: Neutral
Size: M (4′ tall, 12′ wingspan)
Psionic Ability: Nil
Attack/Defens Modes: Nil
Level/XP Value: III/65 XP + 3 XP/hp

Cinnamologi build their nests out of cinnanom sticks, adhering these nests to cliff walls with a mixture of mud and grass. Their eyesight is such that they are never surprised unless encountered in their lair or at night. If they attack by diving 50 or more feet, they add +4 to hit probability, do double claw damage (2-8/2-8), but get no beak attack. They can carry up to 1000 gold pieces at half speed.

Cinnamologi are aggressive raptors that prey on a variety of animals smaller than they. These birds also scavenge carrion. If a nest holds young (25%) or eggs (50%), cinnamologi attack any creature that approaches too close. There will be 1-4 young or eggs per nest, and one nest per pair of cinnamologi. The nest of cinnamologus weighs about 500 pounds, and roughly half of that weight is cinnamon sticks.

5E Stats
Medium beast, unaligned

Armor Class 13
Hit Points 55 (10d8+10)
Speed 15 ft., fly 60 ft.
Ability Scores STR 12 (+1), DEX 17 (+3), CON 12 (+1), INT 2 (-4), WIS 14 (+2), CHA 8 (-1)
Skills Perception +4
Senses passive Perception 14
Languages
Challenge 1 (200 XP)

Keen Sight: The cinnamologus has advantage of Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.

Dive: If the cinnamologus moves at least 50 ft. in a straight line toward a target and then hits it with its talons attack on the same turn, the target takes an extra 8 (2d6+1) slashing damage. If the target is a creature not larger than the cinnamologus, the target must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.

Actions

* Multiattack: The cinnamologus makes two attacks: one with its talons and one with its beak.

* Talons: Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (2d6+1) slashing damage.

* Beak: Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d8+1) slashing damage.

December 2nd, 2017  in RPG No Comments »