Sickle Swords of the Exiles
These weapons are cast of copper or bronze and usually heavily stained or tarnished by the ages. Often they have various runes or hieroglyphs inscribed on the blades. These slashing weapons have always been associated with a people known as “the exiles,” though who these exiles were, where they came from, or what happened to them is a mystery.
The sickle swords of the exiles function as +2 long swords and are 75% likely to also possess a minor power. This power is not always beneficial. Some possible powers include:
- Double damage vs. poisonous creatures
- Glow (as per light spell) 3 times/day
- Walk on water for 1 turn 1 time/day
- Know Direction 3 times/day
- On to-hit roll of 20 damage caused (excluding +2 bonus) is healed in wielder
- Wielder gains 60′ infravision when holding sickle sword
- Cause fear to all within 10′ of the wielder when drawn
- On to-hit roll of 1 cause 1d4 points of electrical damage to wielder
- +2 reaction penalty when drawn
- Requires save vs. magic to draw
- Constantly emits low hum (-1 penalty to surprise rolls)
- Specific monster gains +1 to-hit vs. wielder due to racial hatred of the sword
Locklar looked down at the rotting body at his feet. “What the hades just happened?”
Emma poked at the putrid flesh with her spear. “One second he was trying to get rid of those skeletons, the next, he…he looked like…that.”
“I didn’t want to attack him,” Locklar said. “But I had no choice. You all saw.”
“Yeah, we saw,” Emma said, putting a hand on his arm. “But we don’t know what it was.”
Scepter of Turning Undead
In the hands of a cleric or paladin, this scepter carved from bone grants a +2 bonus to attempts to turn undead. When used by others, it grants the ability to turn undead as a cleric four levels lower than the user’s current level. In addition, holding the scepter grants immunity to the special attacks of undead, such as a mummy’s rotting touch, a vampire’s charm, a ghoul’s paralyzing touch, or the feared level drain. It does not, however, protect from physical damage from melee attacks or from standard magic such as that used by spell-casting undead like vampires and liches.
These benefits do not come without risk, however. If an attempt to turn undead fails, the character must immediately roll again on the turning table and turn into the form of undead their roll specifies. (Example: if they normally need a 7 to turn a zombie and a 10 to turn a wight, a roll of 7 indicates that they have turned into a zombie and a roll of 9 indicates that they have turned into a wight.) This effect lasts for 2d6 turns. Those who turn into intelligent undead retain their mental capabilities but may be overcome by the undead’s instincts.
A roll higher than the highest required turning number indicates that the character has saved against turning into undead (Example: if the most powerful type of undead a cleric can turn is a mummy with a roll of 11 or better and the character rolls a 12, he avoids turning into undead.)
“Turning undead” has a whole new meaning if you find this item. Inspired by this thread at OD&D Discussion.
“I see you’ve traded in your spear for a short staff,” Mortigan observed.
Locklar pretended not to hear, but the magic-user was undeterred.
“Needed a walking stick?”
Locklar just kept walking, the feathers attached to the top of the five-foot pole waving in the breeze.
“Back been bothering you?”
Locklar sighed and turned to his companion. “Just keep wheedling, spell slinger.”
Mortigan nearly offered a snappy comeback, but decided against it. Best not to take chances, he decided.
Repeating Blowgun
When blown through forcefully, a magical dart is fired from this long, narrow wooden tube. A normal to-hit roll is required, with standard missile adjustments applied. A hit causes 1d4 points of damage. Two darts may be fired per round for a number of rounds equal to half the user’s constitution (rounded up). After that, only one dart may be fired per round until the user has rested (no firing) for five minutes.
The weapon’s ranges are dependent upon its length:
Length Short Med Long 4′ 20′ 40′ 60′ 5′ 30′ 60′ 90′ 6′ 40′ 80′ 120′ 10% of these weapons deliver a paralyzing poison (1 turn duration, save allowed) on a natural to-hit rol of ‘20.’
Locklar looked at the small gold disk with an emerald mounted in the center, then handed it over to the foul-smelling robed figure.
“Thank-you, my son,” the old man said to him. “May the Mother Earth be kind to you.” The man then turned and hurried off.
Locklar looked after him, frowning.
“He sure was in a hurry to buy that and get out of here,” he observed. He checked the coins the man had given. “His platinum looks fine, though.”
He looked again as the man all but ran out the front gate of the city into the woodlands beyond.
“Are you sure that thing wasn’t magical?” he asked Mortigan.
The mage shrugged. “Arthena checked all the loot from that troll lair.”
Arthena looked up suddenly. “No…” she said slowly. “You told me you would. You said I–what was it again?–’was having trouble detecting the more sophisticated dweomers.’”
Locklar looked from one to other, then at the gate the man had just passed through. “So neither of you tried to detect magic on any of that stuff before we sold it for ale money?”
Amulet of the Elements
These circular golden talismans are each set with a small gemstone. When worn around the neck, each provides special abilities and protections as well as vulnerabilities:
Air (Diamond): Feather fall without damage from heights 10′ or greater up to 3 times/day, Save at +2 vs. attacks or effects involving air or fire, Save at -2 vs. attacks or effects involving water. Earth (Emerald): Assume tree shape (as druid spell) for 1 hour 3 times/day, Save at +2 vs. attacks or effects involving earth or water, Save at -2 vs. attacks or effects involving air. Water (Sapphire): Water breathing, Save at +2 vs. attacks or effects involving water or fire, Save at -2 vs. attacks or effects involving earth. Fire (Ruby): Produce flame (as per druid spell) for 5 rounds 3 times/day, Save at 2 vs attacks or effects involving fire or air, Save at -2 vs. attacks or effects involving water.
Emma giggled and grabbed Arthena’s arm, pulling her closer. “So,” she began conspiratorially, “Mortigan mentioned that you had dinner with the Duke last night.”
Arthena smiled. “Yes. It was a wonderful meal.”
Emma pulled her closer still. “And he added that you didn’t return until late. Very late.”
Arthena’s face reddened slightly. “That sorcerer talks too much for his own good.”
Emma giggled again. “I knew it!” she exclaimed. “You must tell me everything!”
Arthena looked around. No one else was in the room, but she shook her head. “Let’s go outside,” she said. “Something is bugging me about this room.”
Scarab of Hearkening
These objects are usually made of stone or metal, usually shaped into the likeness of a beetle. An item “paired” with the scarab of hearkening, often a ring or an amulet of some sort, allows whatever sound is made within the presence of the scarab to be mentally heard by whoever has the paired item. It operates reliably up to 50 miles, with a cumulative 10% chance of failure for every additional 50 miles.
When someone with the “paired” item focuses a crystal ball on the scarab, the range is 5000 miles with no chance of failure. Using the crystal ball to listen to the scarab does not count against the daily use limit of the crystal ball.
It is entirely possible that other scrying devices work with the scarab of hearkening in a similar manner.
“Say,” muttered the half-drunk pirate captain. “When did your ear grow back?”
“My what?” asked the person who looked an awful lot like Dirty Mikey.
“Your ear,” said, the pirate captain, rising to his feet and drawing a dagger. “The ear I cut off last summer after you put us aground for a week.”
The person who looked like Dirty Mikey stepped back, but the pirate captain grabbed his wrist tightly.
“Swab the deck!” squawked the parrot on the railing. “Bloody mess! Bloody mess! SQUAWK! Swab the deck…”
Mask of Dissemblance
When first found, this item appears to be a medium-sized sack with two holes cut into it. The holes are eye holes, and if the sack is put over one’s head, it takes on the appearance of any person that the wearer wishes. The accuracy of the disguise, however, is limited to the wearer’s knowledge of the subject, so unless the subject is very well known to the wearer of the mask, others who know the subject may be allowed a saving throw vs. magic to notice that something is amiss.
Only the head is disguised by the mask. This includes the hair and even the voice of the subject. Clothing and the rest of the body are unaffected.
“Look!” shouted the brigand leader, laughing. “The mighty warrior has brought his sword and his…umbrella!”
Collapsible Shield
This item is not magical, though its origin is clearly not of this world. It appears to be an umbrella or parasol of some sort, oftentimes painted in garish colors. Its material is as thin and flexible as linen but as strong as steel, and when opened is impervious to damage. A hinge on the handle allows it to be folded back and used as a normal medium shield. Opening or closing the device takes one round. It weighs 2 pounds.
“You’re, um, going to drink that?” Arthena asked, mortified.
Mortigan turned a page in his spellbook and shrugged. “Of course.” And he took a drink.
Arthena made a face. “Didn’t I just see you scoop that out of the canal?”
“Mmm-hmm,” the mage said absently, peering at his tome.
“The same canal where half the city dumps, well, everything?”
“The same,” he confirmed, not looking up from his spells. “Care for a taste?”
Wand of Fine Wine
This wand, when stirred in up to one gallon of liquid for one minute, transforms it to pure fine wine. Even fluids such as poison, acid, and magical potions are so affected. The wand requires no charges, and its effects are permanent.
