Spes Magna Games

The Oneiric Order serves the deity of dreams in both the waking world as well as in the shadowy realm of Morpheus. The order’s clerics and paladins make use of dream candles to communicate with each other over vast distances. Some say that more powerful dream candles can alter reality and reveal secrets.

1E Stats

When lit, a dream candle sheds light as normal for a candle and burns for up to 8 hours. The one who lights the candle must sleep in the candle’s light for not less than 8 hours. While sleeping, the one who lit the candle may dream in such as way to shape reality, causing one of the following effects 1-4 hours after the dreamer awakens:

* Full recovery an individual’s lost hit points.
* Restoration of a lost body part. Restoring a lost head does not restore life as well.
* Learn the location of some object or creature not heavily guarded by magical wards and protections.
* Discovery of a means of ingress or egress.
* Location of a safe path through a wilderness.
* Approximate strength of enemy forces. Note that creatures with 7+ or more Hit Dice may make a saving throw versus spell to avoid detection.

No single creature can use a dream candle more than once per week. Attempting to do so not only fails automatically, but ages the user 1-10 years.

5E Stats

Dream Candle
Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement)

This magic of this candle, dedicated to the deity of dreams, activates when the candle is lit, which requires an action. After burning for 8 hours, the candle is destroyed. You can snuff it out early for use at a later time. Deduct the the time it burned in increments of 10 minutes from the candle’s total burning time.

When lit, the candle sheds dim light in a 10-foot radius. The attuned creature rests (short or long) within the light of candle. Its magic shapes a creature’s dreams. Choose a creature known to you. The target must be on the same plane of existence as you. Creatures that don’t sleep, such as elves, can’t be contacted by means of a dream candle. You enter a trance state, acting as a messenger. While in the trance, you are dimly aware of your surroundings; you make Wisdom (Perception) checks with disadvantage. Also, you cannot take actions or move.

If your target is asleep, you appear in the target’s dreams and can converse with the target as long as it remains asleep, but for no longer than the candle burns. You can also shape the environment of the dream, creating landscapes, objects, and other images. You can emerge from the trance at any time, ending the effect early. The target recalls the dream perfectly upon waking. If the target is awake when you activate the candle, you know it, and can either end the trance or wait for the target to fall asleep, at which point you appear in the target’s dreams.

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

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

Shown in the pictures above are the front and back of a beautiful chasuble made by Geneviève Gomi of Maris Stella Vestments. I read about these remarkable garments on New Liturgical Movement’s site, specifically this post right here.

A chasuble is a liturgical vestment worn over other vestments. It is something like a poncho. It’s an oval-shaped (or nearly so) piece of cloth with a round hole for the priest’s head to pass through. It tends to fall below the knees all around. It originated as a adaptation of common garb worn all over the Roman Empire in the first few centuries of Christianity. Originally, the priest at the altar would have been dressed very much the lay people in attendance at the Mass. In some way, the idea of reserving a special outer garment arose, possibly for no more reason than it was easier to keep one clean if it wasn’t worn every day like normal clothing. As you can see from the pictures, chasubles today are no longer common articles of clothing, but can be works of art embroidered with ornate designs and images symbolic of religious doctrines, such as the use of the phoenix as a symbol for the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

My aims here, however, are significantly more modest. I’m just using a wonderful picture as inspiration for fantasy gaming.

The Phoenix Chasuble: This remarkable relic was created for the first bishop of Acqui Terme, who wore it on certain sacred days, including the day in which the bishop faced down an army of marauders at the city gates. The bishop’s words and courage so impressed the war-like chiefs of that horde that they ordered that Acqui Terme remain unharmed. For more than the past two centuries, the Phoenix Chasuble has remained in the cathedral vestry, handed down from one bishop to the next. The full powers of the Phoenix Chasuble are perhaps unknown. The wearer gains complete immunity to fire, even magical flame. He also enjoys a +4 bonus to saving throws against magic. Once per day each, the wearer can use the following magical abilities: Continual Light, Detect Invisibility, Dispel Evil, Fireball, Fly, Protection from Evil 10-Foot Radius, and Wall of Fire. The wearer can communicate with any type of fire elemental while wearing the Phoenix Chasuble. Once per week upon command, the Phoenix Chasuble causes its wearer to burst in flames. The wearer’s melee attacks inflict an additional 1d6 points of fire damage. Any creature striking the wearer in melee combat likewise suffers 1d6 points of fire damage. Usable By: Lawful Clerics only.

Tags: Catholic, magic items, Swords & Wizardry

Galgenbaum is ruled by five Mayor-Justices, each one serving for life and holding jurisdiction over part of the town, and all five meeting to decide matters that affect more than a single jurisdiction or the entire town. When a Mayor-Justice dies in office or is no longer able to perform his or her duties due to ill health, a new Mayor-Justice is carefully chosen from the Rechtsanwälte, the guild of lawyers. The selectee must be approved by the unanimous consent of the Mayor-Justices. Each Mayor-Justice possesses a magical gavel and sounding board. When a Mayor-Justice takes the oaths of office, the other Mayor-Justices invest the new justice with the gavel and sounding board. This ceremonial process links the Mayor-Justice with the gavel and sounding board. Their powers function only for the Mayor-Justice to whom they have been entrusted.

When a Mayor-Justices strikes the sounding board with the gavel, the magic takes effect on all who hear the gavel’s raps. Mayor-Justices are immune to these effects, which vary depending on the number of raps of the gavel. A Mayor-Justice may choose to exempt certain persons present from the effects. Typically this courtesy is limited to the bailiffs present in the court.

One Rap: All those affected are subjected to a Hold Person effect. After one minute, a saving throw can be attempted to move normally.

Two Raps: Those affected must stand up and remain relatively motionless. After one round, a saving throw can be attempted in order to move normally.

Three Raps: Those affected must sit down. After sitting down for one round, a saving throw can be attempted in order to stand and move about normally.

Should a gavel and its sounding board fall into unauthorized hands, the magical powers still function, but the user cannot exempt anyone from those effects. This includes the unauthorized user himself. Furthermore, the gavel and sounding board are invested to a particular Mayor-Justice, who becomes instantly aware of the items’ misuse. The Mayor-Justice even knows the general direction and distance to the gavel and sounding board. The closer the Mayor-Justice is to the items, the more precise is his or her knowledge of their location.

Tags: magic items, place of power, Swords & Wizardry

But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, and went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. (The Gospel According to St. Luke 10:34-35)

Samaritan’s Salve, most often found in small jars no more than three inches in diameter and an inch deep, appears to be nothing more than common medicinal ointment sold by apothecaries in most towns. When applied to the injuries of a stranger or an enemy, the Salve’s marvelous, full properties are revealed.

With a stranger or enemy, applied to the poisoned or infected wound, or when administered internally, one application immediately negates any poison or disease. A single application also heals 1d4+8 points of damage. When applied to an ally, the Salve permits a new saving throw against poison or disease, and its healing effects are halved. A jar of Samaritan’s Salve usually has five applications, and 1d3 jars may be found.

Tags: Catholic, magic items, Swords & Wizardry