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

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

While it’s never been a thing in my home, in other homes folks wake up Christmas Day to discover oranges in their stockings. There are competing ideas about how this custom arose. Probably most of those ideas are true. One idea about Christmas stocking oranges hinges on the fact that oranges can be segmented and shared. It’s like each orange peel holds several little juicy presents.

1E Stats

Some druids know a special ritual. By spending about an hour preparing the proper symbols and materials while chanting hymns to the sun and the trees, the druid infuses the energy of a cure light wounds into a fresh-picked orange. For one day, the orange retains healing power, which is activated when the orange is peeled and segmented (taking one round). The orange will have d4+8 segments. When consumed, a segment restores 2 hit points. Segments must be consumed within 1 turn of peeling. After that, the healing power fades. The ritual can be performed once per day.

5E Stats

Some druids above 2nd-level can cast cure wounds as a special ritual. By spending about an hour preparing the proper symbols and materials while chanting hymns to the sun and the trees, the druid casts the energy of a cure wounds spell into a fresh-picked orange. For one day, the orange retains healing power, which is activated when the orange is peeled (as an action) and segmented (another action). The orange will have d4+8 segments. When consumed, a segment restores hit points equal to the druid’s Wisdom modifier plus the spell slot level of the cure wounds used in the ritual. Segments must be consumed within 10 minutes of peeling. After that, the healing power fades. The ritual can be performed once per day.

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

Illness over the weekend that lingered into the work week derailed my train heading toward Caught Up Station. Fortunately, I’m now on Christmas vacation. As I quip to my French-major wife, say, “La vee.”

“La vee,” she’ll dutifully reply.

Here’s day ten on day sixteen.

Guiding Light
1st-level divination (ritual)

Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 120 feet
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 10 minutes

You touch one object small enough to be carried in one hand. Until the spell ends, the object sheds dim light in a 20-foot-radius. The light can be colored as you like. Completely covering the object with something opaque blocks the light and prevents the light’s divinatory powers from functioning. The creature carrying the light makes Intelligence (Investigation), Wisdom (Insight), Wisdom (Perception), and Wisdom (Survival) checks with advantage. The spell ends if you cast it again or dismiss it as an action.

Tags: 5E D&D, OSR Christmas Calendar, spells

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.

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