Spes Magna Games

Better with the blogposting and what not this week, so hurray for me. Still, nowhere near as productive as I ought to be, so boo for me as well.

Jethro Tull doesn’t quite qualify as prog rock. I’m not sure what Jethro Tull qualifies as. The band has drifted in and out of different styles over its decades of musical output. Yesterday, driving to a tutoring gig, I listened again to some Jethro Tull’s greatest hits. There are these words from Tull’s fourteenth studio album’s sort-of title track:

“I see a dark sail on the horizon / Set under a black cloud that hides the sun. / Bring me my broadsword and clear understanding. / Bring me my cross of gold as a talisman.”

And so we have another magic item.

A Sword of Clear Understanding performs as a +1 weapon. When carried or wielded, the sword increases its bearer’s wisdom. The overall increase equals 4 points if the bearer’s wisdom is 6 or less, by 2 points if at 7-13, and by 1 point if wisdom is 14 or higher. Furthermore, the bearer enables non-thief characters to read languages as if he or she were a 4th-level thief. If carried by a thief of sufficient level to read languages, he or she increases the normal chance by 10 percent.

70% of these swords are broadswords, 20% are longswords, 5% are short (small) swords, 4% are bastard swords, and 1% are two-handed swords.

Tags: AD&D, magic items, prog rock, ThursdAD&D

Well, I’ve not done a very good job keeping up with this blog, my writing, et cetera, over the past two or so weeks. Not sure why. No excuses. Here I go again.

First up is a magic item inspired by The Moody Blues, probably the first prog rock band. The song is “Candle of Life” from To Our Children’s Children’s Children.

“Something you can’t hide says you’re lonely. / Hidden deep inside of you, only / It’s there for you to see. Take a look and be. / Burn slowly, the candle of life.”

Candle of Life: A candle of life is a magical taper that bolsters the life force of the one who lights it. The candle illuminates a 15-foot radius, and it will burn for 4 hours. It is possible to extinguish the candle by typical means, but it can be placed in a lantern or otherwise sheltered to protect it from drafts, et cetera. While the candle burns, the one who lit it must remain within the its radius of illumination to gain the following benefits. The user regenerates 1 hit point per turn so long as he or she is not dead. The user gains a +4 bonus to saving throws against disease, death magic, energy drain, poison, and aging. If one of these effects would not allow a saving throw, the candle‘s user is entitled to a saving throw, but with no special bonus.

Next up, how about a new monster by a talented artist? Visit this site and check out a few creatures created by Lukaz Jaskolski. The monster below is inspired by his bug horror entitled “Predator Creature 1”. Enjoy!

Mortid
Frequency: Rare
No. Appearing: 1-6
Armor Class: 2
Move: 15″
Hit Dice: 8+8
% in Lair: 40%
Treasure Type: J-N, Q (x2)
No. of Attacks: 5
Damage/Attack: 1-6/1-6/2-5/2-5/1-4
Special Attacks: See below
Special Defenses: See below
Magic Resistance: Standard
Intelligence: Average
Alignment: Chaotic evil
Size: M
Psionic Ability: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil
Level/XP Value: VII/2,200 + 12/hp

The mortid is a horrific undead creature with a thick carapace and a skull-like visage. It scuttles about on four legs, and it attacks with its four claw-like appendages and its jagged teeth. Like most undead, the mortid hates the living, especially all types of elves.

This monster is stealthy and expert at camoflauge. It surprises prey on a roll of 1-4 (out of 6). The mortid can leap 3″ upon prey in order to attack. Its upper limbs strike with scimitar-like blades. Its lower striking appendages are blunter but still effective weapons. The mortid’s bite is not especially strong, but it has a powerful negative force that drains 1 life energy level from the victim, complete with corresponding losses in hit dice, ability level, attack level, et cetera.

The mortid is affected only by magical weapons. It regenerates at a rate of 3 hit points per melee round, but is destroyed if brought to 0 hit points. Sleep, charm, and hold spells do not affect the mortid. Neither does poison or paralysis, and it takes only half damage from spells based on cold or electricity.

Holy water splashed upon the mortid causes 2-7 hit points of damage per vial-full that strikes the monster. A cleric can turn the mortid as if it were a vampire.

Any elf drained of all life energy by the mortid becomes a half-strength mortid under the control of its slayer. This transformation takes place 1 day after the elf is buried, but only if the elf is buried. If the mortid which slew the elf is itself killed, the mortids created by it become free-willed monsters.

Tags: AD&D, magic items, monsters, prog rock, ThursdAD&D

When a sieve is shaken, the refuse remains; so a man’s filth remains in his thoughts. The kiln tests the potter’s vessels; so the test of just men is in tribulation. The fruit discloses the cultivation of a tree; so the expression of a thought discloses the cultivation of a man’s mind. Do not praise a man before you hear him speak, for this is the test of men. (Sirach 27:4-7)

Okay, got to be honest. This time the magic item doesn’t really have much at all to do with the quote, which was part of the first reading at Mass this past Sunday. Once the idea presented below got stuck in my head, it wouldn’t let go.

Sieve of Sirach
Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement)

This leaf-shaped wondrous item is a bit longer than a human’s hand and made of silver. While holding the sieve, a monster capable of incorporeal movement cannot move through creatures and objects in a 15-foot square area around you. This effect does not prevent normal movement. Also while holding the sieve, you have advantage on saving throws against the incorporeal monsters’s attacks and magical powers.

The sieve can be used as a weapon. You can use the Attack action to make a melee spell attack with the sieve against an incorporeal creature. Your attack bonus with the sieve equals your Wisdom modifier + your proficiency bonus + 1. An incorporeal creature hit by the sieve takes 3d6 radiant damage. If the target has 25 hit points or fewer after taking this damage, it must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be destroyed.

If the creature is destroyed, a fine powder remains in the sieve. You can use an action once per day to sift this powder to find 1-4 smoky crystals called ghost stones. A ghost stone sheds bright light in a 20-foot radius and dim light for an additional 20 feet when within 60 feet of any undead or fiend. This glow lasts for 1 minute and then the ghost stone dissolves into mist. Also, an unactivated ghost stone retains its power for 1 hour, at which time it dissolves into mist.

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

In that day I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and I will clothe him with your robe, and will bind your belt on him, and will commit your authority to his hand; and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. And I will place on his shoulders the key of the house of David; he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open. (Isaiah 22:20-23)

And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” (The Gospel According to St. Matthew 16:18-19)

Key of Eliakim: This heavy iron key weighs 1 pound and is worn about the neck, suspended from a heavy leathern cord. The key of Eliakim functions once per round upon command. When found, it has 41-50 charges. For each week that none of the devices powers are used, the key regains 1-4 charges. This is the only known means of recharging the key. The device has these functions:

1. Knock: This ability functions as the spell of the same name cast by a 5th-level magic-user. This drains 1 charge.
2. Wizard Lock: This ability also function as the spell of the same name cast by a 5th-level magic-user. This too drains 1 charge.
3. Hold Monster: For 2 charges, the user duplicates the spell of the same name as if cast by an 11th-level magic-user. This costs 2 charges.
4. Dispel Evil: This ability functions as the spell of the same cast cast by an 11th-level cleric. This costs 2 charges.
5. Plane Shift: For 3 charges, the user duplicates the spell of the same name as if cast by an 11th-level cleric, but this power can only shift creatures to one of the Upper Planes or back to the Material Plane. This ability costs 3 charges.

The key of Eliakim only works for a good-aligned creature who is dedicated to one of the good deities of the Upper Planes. A neutral creature cannot get the key to function. An evil creature who attempts to use the key will lose 2,000-8,000 experience points and make a saving throw versus spells or suffer 5-30 hit points of damage that cannot be healed by magical means.

Nota Bene: In other news, all Spes Magna OGL OSR products are currently on sale. You can peruse the catalog by clicking here.

Tags: AD&D, Catholic, magic items

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