Spes Magna Games

And entering into the house, they found the child with Mary his mother, and falling down they adored him; and opening their treasures, they offered him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. (Gospel According to St. Matthew 2:11)

Certain materials, specially prepared and blessed or enchanted, increase the potency of spells. Gold, frankincense, and myrrh are among these materials.

Gold Tola of Command
Wondrous item, uncommon (requires attunement by a spellcaster)

This small ingot of gold weighs 1 pound and has is worth 50 gold pieces considering the value of the metal alone. The ingot has 5 plus 1d4 charges. If the ingot is used as a material component when casting an enchantment spell, you expend a number of charges equal to the spell slot used to cast the spell. This lowers the monetary value of the ingot by 5 gold pieces. Saving throws made against the spell are made with disadvantage for the affected spell’s duration.

Frankincense of Meditation
Wondrous Item, rare (requires attunement by a cleric or paladin)

This small, rectangular block of frankincense aids in preparing and casting of spells. There is enough of it for one use. When you regain expended spell slots during a long rest while inhaling the fragrant smoke from the burning frankincense, choose a number of levels of spells equal to your spellcasting ability modifier. These spells are blessed. Saving throws against a blessed spell’s effects are made with disadvantage for the duration of the affected spell. For 1 minute after casting a blessed spell, when you make an attack roll or saving throw, roll 1d4 and add the number rolled to your attack roll or saving throw.

Myrrh of Shroudlands
Wondrous Item, very rare (requires attunement by a spellcaster)

The small box or vial that contains 1d4+1 uses of this fragrant resin. The resin has three uses:

Touch of Unlife. You expend a use of the resin as a material component when casting a necromancy spell. Saving throws against that necromancy spell are made with disadvantage. Starting at the end of your turn during which you cast the spell, you have resistance to cold and necrotic damage, and you are immune to poison damage and the poisoned condition, lasting for a number of rounds equal to twice the level of the spell.

Turn Undead. You use an action to apply a use of the resin to your holy symbol. When you present your holy symbol and speak a prayer censuring the undead, each undead that can see or hear you within 45 feet of you must makea Wisdom saving throw with disadvantage to avoid being turned. The applied resin lasts for one turn attempt.

Undead Bane. You use an action to apply a use of the resin to a piercing or slashing weapon. An undead creature damaged by the weapon must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking an extra 6d10 piercing or slashing damage on a failed save, or half as much extra damage on a successful one. The type of extra damage — piercing or slashing — matches the weapon’s type of damage. Once the weapon deals extra damage to an undead, the applied resin becomes inert.

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

Put off, O Jerusalem, the garment of thy mourning and affliction: and put on the beauty and honour of that everlasting glory which thou hast from God. (Prophecy of Baruch 5:1)

Garment of Mourning and Affliction
Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement)

Once you are attuned to this set of fine clothes, you are granted advantage on saving throws to resist poison, disease, and fear; therefore, you may conclude the garment is a blessing, but it is not. The garment functions as described above 1d4+1 times before its true nature is revealed, cursing you with baleful effects that impose disadvantage on saving throws against the effects of poison, disease, and fear. Furthermore, you have vulnerability to poison damage as long as the curse persists. You cannot voluntarily end attunement to the garment once the curse is in effect unless the curse is first broken with the remove curse spell.

Garment of Beauty and Honor
Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement)

This set of fine clothes grants advantage on Charisma (Persuasion) checks and on saving throws against charm and fear. The garment has 6 charges for the following properties. The garment regains 1d3 expended charges daily at dawn. If you expend the last charge, roll a d20. On a 1, the garment retains its power to grant advantage on Charisma (Persuasion) checks, but it loses all other properties. On a 20, the garment regains 1 expended charge.

* Charming Ways. While wearing the garment, you can use an action to expend 1 charge and cast charm person (Wisdom save DC 15).

* Calming Influence. While wearing the garment, you can use an action to expend 2 charges and cast calm emotions (Charisma save DC 15).

* Commanding Presence. While wearing the garment, you can use an action to expend 2 charges and cast command (Wisdom save DC 15).

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

One of the many cool things about being Catholic is that once a year you get to eat food out of a shoe. That day is today, the feast day of St. Nicholas of Myra, who was born some time around the late 3rd century in Asia Minor. Nicholas was imprisoned for being a Christian under Diocletian, but gained his freedom after Constantine legalized Christianity (Nota Bene: Not made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire, as far too many people wrongly claim.)

Nicholas had a reputation for covert generosity, allegedly sneaking around Myra at night, chucking bags of gold through the windows of poor fathers faced with the prospect of having to sell off their daughters into slavery. Supposedly, one such bag of gold landed in a shoe, and thus the Catholic tradition of eating chocolate coins out of shoes today.

Shoes of Plenty
Wondrous item, rare

These normal-seeming shoes possess a remarkable power. When unworn and left in an unobserved place for a long rest, they magically fill with fresh fruit, nuts, and 1d6 gold pieces. The quantity of fruit and nuts is equivalent to one meal for one person.

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

Behold I will bring them from the north country, and will gather them from the ends of the earth: and among them shall be the blind, and the lame, the woman with child, and she that is bringing forth, together, a great company of them returning hither. They shall come with weeping: and I will bring them back in mercy: and I will bring them through the torrents of waters in a right way, and they shall not stumble in it: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn. (Prophecy Of Jeremias 31:8-9)

Safer Route
2nd-level divination (ritual)

Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M (an iron needle and a bit of magnetite)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 day

You touch a willing creature, granting it a heightened ability to navigate through and survive in the wilderness. For the spell’s duration, the target makes all ability checks and skill checks with advantage so long as those checks deal with overcoming or avoiding hazards presented by terrain, weather, and becoming lost. The target also makes Wisdom (Survival) checks with advantage when foraging for food and water, and, when successful, the target increases the amount of food (in pounds) and water (in gallons) by the target’s proficiency modifier (1d6 + the target’s Wisdom modifier + the target’s proficiency modifier, to be precise).

Tags: 5E D&D, Catholic, spells

And James and John the sons of Zebedee, come to him, saying: Master, we desire that whatsoever we shall ask, thou wouldst do it for us: But he said to them: What would you that I should do for you? And they said: Grant to us, that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory. (The Gospel According to St. Mark 10:35-37)

Guard of Glory
3rd-level abjuration

Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 19 feet
Components: V, S, M (a vial of holy water)
Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes

You sprinkle yourself and one or two willing creatures with holy water while chanting words of consecration. For the duration of the spell, you and the spell’s targets gain certain protections:

* Aberrations, celestials, elementals, fey, fiends, and undead have disadvantage on attack rolls against the target. The target also can’t be charmed, frightened, or possessed by these creatures.

* When making a saving throw, a creature affected by this spell rolls with advantage.

* All affected creatures have resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.

The spell’s targets must remain within 10 feet of you to enjoy the benefits of this spell. At least one of the spell’s targets must remain within 10 feet of you for you to enjoy the benefits of this spell.

Tags: 5E D&D, Catholic, spells