Spes Magna Games

Come now, a roundel and a fairy song. / Then for the third part of a minute, hence— / Some to kill cankers in the musk-rose buds, / Some war with reremice for their leathern wings / To make my small elves coats, and some keep back / The clamorous owl that nightly hoots and wonders / At our quaint spirits. Sing me now asleep. / Then to your offices and let me rest. — Act II, Scene 2, A Midsummer Night’s Dream

You find yourself in the land of faerie attending a dance in the court of the Faerie Queen. What happened during the dance, and how long were you there?

Of course, take some time to roleplay the dance, the specific event that happens during the dance, and the effects of the difference in time between the land of faerie and the mortal world, especially if time passes differently for each character that attends the party.

The mistletoe, however, is but rarely found upon the robur; and when found, is gathered with rites replete with religious awe. This is done more particularly on the fifth day of the moon, the day which is the beginning of their months and years, as also of their ages, which, with them, are but thirty years. This day they select because the moon, though not yet in the middle of her course, has already considerable power and influence; and they call her by a name which signifies, in their language, the all-healing. Having made all due preparation for the sacrifice and a banquet beneath the trees, they bring thither two white bulls, the horns of which are bound then for the first time. Clad in a white robe the priest ascends the tree, and cuts the mistletoe with a golden sickle, which is received by others in a white cloak. They then immolate the victims, offering up their prayers that God will render this gift of his propitious to those to whom he has so granted it. It is the belief with them that the mistletoe, taken in drink, will impart fecundity to all animals that are barren, and that it is an antidote for all poisons. Such are the religious feelings which we find entertained towards trifling objects among nearly all nations. — Pliny the Elder, The Natural History, Book XVI, Chapter 95

1E Info

Once a year, a druid of at least 9th level can ritually harvest 2-8 uses of consecrated mistletoe. When used as a material component for a druid spell, the druid gains the full and best effects from the spell. For example, a cure wounds spell heals the maximum number of hit points, spell effects are of the broadest area possible, saving throws against the spell are made with a -1 penalty, et cetera.

5E Info

Once a year, the druids of the Circle of the Moon harvest mistletoe in a special ritual that starts at sundown and culminates in the sacrifice of two white bulls. This consecrated mistletoe has powerful effects when used as a material component for a druid spell.At the end of the ritual, make an Intelligence (Religion) check. For every 4 points in your total, you harvest one point of Metamagic, with each point representing a certain amount of consecrated mistletoe. You can use the consecrated mistletoe to cast spells, expending points of Metamagic to affect a spell in a manner similar to the way a sorcerer can twist his or her spells (see pages 101-102, PH).

Tags: 1E AD&D, 5E D&D, monsters, OSR Christmas Calendar, places of power, spells

According to legend, a famous bishop of a distant land earned the love and respect of the people through his unstinting generosity and unwavering commitment to justice. Where the customs and laws of his land were hostile to true law and good, he took bold action to help the downtrodden and oppose tyranny. After his death, new tales told of his benevolence delivered to the needy from beyond the grave.

1E Stats

Silver Sleigh and Reindeer: These figurines of wondrous power, cast from purest silver, depict a tiny sleigh and four reindeer. Upon speaking the command word, they transform into a full-sized sleigh and four clockwork reindeer. The sleigh and reindeer can be used a maximum of 1 day each week, either continually or in any combination of periods totaling 24 hours. At this point, or when he command word is repeated, the sleigh and reindeer return to their original form.

A single reindeer pulls the sleigh at a 12″ movement rate either over ground or flying. Each additional reindeer used for this purpose increases the speed by 12″, for a maximum speed of 48″. A single reindeer has an air maneuverability class of E. Each additional reindeer improves the air maneuverability class by one category (two reindeer equals D, three reindeer equals C, and four reindeer equals B). A reindeer can carry 280 pounds, and the sleigh can carry up to four man-sized creatures with a combined weight of 1,120 pounds. Reduce speeds by -1″ for each additional 14 pounds carried.

The clockwork reindeer can detach from the sleigh in order to fight or obey simple commands (AC 5; MV 12″/12″; HD 6 (27 hp); #AT 1; D 2-12; SD half damage from nonmagical weapons, immune to effects that require a living target; INT semi-; SZ M). A reindeer reduced to 0 hit points cannot be brought back from statuette form for 1 full week.

5E Stats

Silver Sleigh and Reindeer
Wondrous item, very rare

Upon command, this set of silver figurines of wondrous power becomes a full-sized sleigh pulled by four clockwork reindeer. They can be used for up to 24 hours in a one week period. Each reindeer has a carrying capacity of 280 pounds, which means the team can move up to 5,600 pounds when the sleigh is full (see page 155, PH). The reindeer pull the sleigh at a speed of 30 feet, plus 15 feet for each additional reindeer after the first (for a maximum speed of 75 feet either over ground or flying). The clockwork reindeer can detach from the sleigh upon command in order to fight. If a clockwork reindeer is reduced to 0 hit points, it immediately reverts to figurine form and cannot be used again for one week.

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

As I continue to chug along getting caught up with the OSR Christmas Calendar, here’re two days in one post. First for 5E, a new cleric spell drawing inspiration from the colors associated with different liturgies. After that, a new helpful monster for 1E.

Guardian Light
2nd-level evocation

Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 120 feet
Components: V, S, M (a bit of blessed wax)
Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes

You create a torch-sized light within range, making it appear as a torch, lantern, or glowing orb that hovers in the air for the duration. Regardless of appearance, the light sheds bright light in a 10-foot radius and dim light for an additional 10 feet. As a bonus action, you can move the light up to 60 feet to a new spot within range. When you cast spell, choose what color the lights shed. Each color has a different protective effect.

* White: Creatures within the radius of bright light have resistance to poison damage and make saving throws against poison with advantage. Creatures within the radius of dim light make saving throws against poison with advantage.

* Red: Creatures within the radius of bright light have resistance to fire damage and make saving throws against fire-based effects with advantage. Creatures within the radius of dim light make saving throws against fire-based effects with advantage.

* Green: Creatures within the radius of bright light are immune to being frightened. Creatures within the radius of dim light make saving throws against being frightened with advantage.

* Violet: Creatures within the radius of bright light are immune to being charmed. Creatures within the radius of dim light make saving throws against being charmed with advantage.

* Black: Creatures within the radius of bright light have resistance to necrotic damage and make saving throws against necrotic damage with advantage. Creatures within the radius of dim light make saving throws against necrotic damage with advantage.

* Rose: Creatures within the radius of bright light are immune to being paralyzed. Creatures within the radius of dim light make saving throws against being paralyzed with advantage.

* Gold: Creatures within the radius of bright light are immune to being exhausted. Creatures within the radius of dim light make saving throws against being exhausted with advantage.

At Higher Levels: When this spell is cast using a spell slot of a higher level, you create one additional light for each slot level above 2nd. The lights can be of different colors. A light must be within 40 feet of another light created by this spell, and a light winks out if it exceeds the spell’s range.

Hearth Elemental

Hearth elementals are minor elementals from the Plane of Fire. Benevolent and territorial in nature, a single hearth elemental might be summoned by means of a special monster summoning I or similar form of magic. Regardless, a hearth elemental must be summoned and bound to a small fire, such as a campfire or a cooking fire in a home. The hearth elemental remains bound to the fire so long as the fire is maintained, for the hearth elemental consumes the fire’s fuel. In most cases, however, a hearth elemental returns to the Plane of Fire after several hours, although it is rumored that some temples of Yondalla are continually protected by hearth elementals.

Frequency: Rare
No. Appearing: 1
Armor Class: 5
Move: 9″
Hit Dice: 3+3
% in Lair: Nil
Treasure Type: Nil
No. of Attacks: 1
Damage/Attack: 1-8
Special Attacks: See below
Special Defenses: +1 or better weapon to hit
Magic Resistance: Standard
Intelligence: Low
Alignment: Neutral good
Size: S
Psionic Ability: Nil
Attack/Defens Modes: Nil
Level/XP Value: III/110 XP + 4 XP/hp

Hearth elementals appear as crackling fires that constantly shift in outline, appearing humanoid one moment, serpentine the next, or maybe resembling some sort of quadreped for a time. They are normally gentle creatures, eschewing violence, but when summoned and bound to a fire, they become protective of their summoner and his or her allies. Heart elementals set fire to any inflammable material they touch. Against fire-using opponents, they score -1 point of damage. Hearth elementals are checked by water, being unable to pass over non-inflammable liquids.

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

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