1% Inspiration

The perspiration is yet to start:

The sage abilities discussed on this page, not included in the teaser above, finally establish once and for all my method for characters making magic items in the game.  It's not merely an issue of spending a lot of money and buying the place where the fabrication takes place, but with deliberately seeking out certain studies early in the game that permits item creation by potentially 7th or 8th level — although to do so this early would require more than one character to likewise make plans.

I've said before that the goal with creating magic items and invoking similar profound magical effects is not to throw thousands of gold pieces at the problem and then roll dice, but to spend much time, so that only so many items can be created before the character becomes too old to adventure.  It should be supposed that yes, a player character CAN make a vorpal blade or a +5 holy sword themselves ... but that the time scale on these items should be ten years.

This includes an understanding that such items are so rare that no, the player cannot go out and adventure for such things in the space of a few months.  Ten years of game time describes how long a character ought to adventure in order to achieve a level to where they could conceivably take a holy avenger out of the hands of the 22nd level paladin wielding it.  It's not my feeling that a weapon of this kind should be found stuck in a rock at the end of a platform in a deep dungeon ... unless the nature fo the rock, the dungeon and the time it took to get here made the character pay the necessary cost to even see the thing.  Just cause we're here, and can touch it, doesn't mean the rock will let it go.

Anyway.  There's no rush to actually detail the sage abilities; I haven't any characters yet who have chosen these paths.  Study "flowers & sprigs"?  Who knew?

It helps, however, to know they're there, and how the path to reach them works.

So Many Adventures

An artifact is a unique item, constructed through the intensive application of magic; this process has often been perverse, using black magic to achieve the aim – to produce an article of such phenomenal power that it enables it's possessor to achieve dominance over regions and thousands of followers. Artifacts are, however, more dangerously potent than intended; the natural magic that exists in the vicinity of an artifact may be warped, producing unexpected consequences and reactions when the item's chief powers are employed. These consequences are known as "malevolent effects." Occasionally, these can be so virulent that an artifact's possessor must seriously question if the chief powers are worth using, given the potentially unfortunate results.

Artifacts are immune to various magic. Immunities defy attempts to magically search for these items, even the use of divination. Ordinary attempts to dispel magic are insufficient; even a rod of cancellation cannot affect an artifact's magic. Artifacts must be melted down, dropped into, buried beneath, broken again or immersed under very unusual circumstances, most likely in places that do not exist upon the Prime Material Plane. Often, only one precise method of destruction will be effective.

The list shown indicates a partial list of artifacts that might potentially exist in the game world.

Axe of the Dwarvish Lords: forged in the blood of Ymir, the axe is believed to be in the possession of the Altslok Royal Family.

Baba Yaga's Hut: a small, circular, thatched portable structure, made reportedly during the height of the Kiyevan Empire, reportedly lost when Moskva was overrun by the Mongols. Varying reports put the possession of the hut in the hands of the Mongols, the Chinese, Moskva and Khorezm.

Codex of the Infinite Planes: believed to have been written two centuries after the epic of Ramayana, the book is said to be in possession of the Moghul Emperor, though some believe it was surrendered to Tibet. The book's pages have the keys to instant physical transference to any plane or place of existence.

Crown of Might: fabricated during the time of Charlemagne, the crown grants the adoration of a people to their leader; last publicly seen upon the head of Joan of Arc; now believed to be in the possession of the French King.

Crystal of the Ebon Flame: an immense gemstone of phenomenal power, said to have been purchased from the Arabs by Mansa Musa in the 14th century. Most believe that it is still in the possession of the Malinese Empire.

Cup and Talisman of Al'Akbar: holy relics of the Islamic descendents of Fatima, forged in the time of Mohammed and believed to still be a set, despite having both been lost during the Crusades. Some disagreement exists as to whether they are located in Constantinople, Damascus, Alexandria or Baghdad. Some believe the Cup actually resides in Britain.

Eye of Vecna: Vecna was a powerful wizard during the height of Kampuchea, who ultimately became a famous arch-lich. The death of the creature Vecna is certain; but the eye was irrevocably lost. Last seen in the 11th century, in the hands of a Toungoo king.

Hand of Vecna: Chopped from the hand of the arch-lich Vecna while still alive by Wuxia adventurers in the 10th century, possessed by the Chinese Song chao court until smuggled away and hidden from the Mongol conquerors in 1279. Present whereabouts unknown.

Heward's Mystical Organ: publicly visible at the Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Mary in Cologne; playing the organ is restricted to a solemn brotherhood.

Horn of Change: of ancient origin prior to the Roman Empire, variously ascribed as a creation of Archimedes, Pythagoreas or Frontinus. Lost in Dacia in the 2nd century AD, reappeared in the time of the Khazars. Believed to be in possession of Caspian pirates.

Invulnerable Coat of Arnd: resplendent armor made in the 13th century for the Nagus of the Zagwe empire of Ethiopia, Gebre Mesqel Lalibela. Rumoured to have been made a gift to the Portuguese Empire in 1508 in exchange for protection from the Ottomans.

Iron Flask of Tuerny the Merciless: created during the golden age of the Goryeo dynasty of Korea, circa 1050, the flask came into possession of Kublai Khan, the artifact was lost when the Mongol invasion fleet of Japan was destroyed by a typhoon in 1281.

Jacinth of Inestimable Beauty: certainly not of Earthly origin, the jewel was unearthed on the isle of Mauritius in 1602 and presently resides in the possession of an unknown Rajah of India.

Johydee's Mask: created by the Japanese Emperor Go-Fukakusa for the Lady Nijo in the late 13th century and now rumored to be possessed by one of the women of Japan. As the mask brings about a change of gender, it is unknown if Lady Nijo was truly a woman, or of what true gender is the present holder.

Kuroth's Quill: obtained by the 8th century Chinese poet Li Bai, as a gift from a demon. The pen has since acquired a reputation of having hundreds upon hundreds of owners, some for only a few days, before being either lost or stolen. It's last known location was Siam, when an English seaman was murdered for it in 1647.

Mace of Cuthbert: a holy weapon blessed by the Christian god, not discovered until St. Cuthbert's sarcophagus was opened 11 years after his death. In the possession of the Bishops of Durham until the Norman Conquest. Believed to be in the possession of the Jesuit missionary Gabriel Lalemont in New France.

Machine of Lum the Mad: a complex, technological machine of unknown origin, with its own power source, first discovered after a meteor crash in Guinea. There it remained for three centuries, where it was worshipped as a fetish by local tribes. It disappeared inexplicably some 30 years ago.

Mighty Servant of Leuk-O: a crystalline golem built of gems during the War of the Eight Princes during the Jin dynasty in China (4th century). The golem was buried in Gansu in the 5th century, but could not be found when Emperor Wen of the Sui dynasty sought to unearth it. The present whereabouts of the servant is unknown.

Orb of Dragonkind: these orbs, differently coloured, used to control dragons, have not been seen by any source in the last two hundred years. It is believed they are accounted for by dragonkind.

Orb of Might: fabricated during the time of Charlemagne, the orb grants religious fealty and blessings. Lost to the Normans in the 13th century, recovered by Julian II. Rumoured to be in the hands of the Vatican.

Queen Ehlissa's Marvelous Nightingale: a jeweled songbird capable of weaving a terrifying charm spell, originally possessed by Ehlissa, the Queen who led the first wave of Belgae people to Ireland. She ruled for centuries before the second wave, the Euerni, came from Belgica in the 6th century BC, deposed her. The queen and the nightengale are a myth, and both are believed to have originated from another plane of existence.

Recorder of Ye'Cind: created by a musician of Fukien during the Tang dynasty. The item passed into the hands of the Oirot after the arrival of the Mongols, and thence became a possession of the Kokand Khan.

Ring of Gaxx: believed to have been made by the Zimbabweans in the 3rd century, the ring has been fought over for a millennia between the Zulu, Swahili and Bantu peoples. Various reports place the present ring in Zanzibar, Sheba and Persia, but no one can be certain.

Rod of Seven Parts: created by Irenaeus for use by Theodora, Queen of Byzantium, the rod remained as part of the treasure of Constantinople until the city was plundered by Venice in 1204; thereafter, seven captains each took a part of the rod, agreeing to assemble the item in times of war; but each went their own way. Only two parts are today accounted for, one in Bologna and the other in Turin.

Sceptre of Might: fabricated during the time of Charlemagne, the sceptre grants the power to wage war. Carried in the Crusades, lost in Syria, recovered, lost in Armenia, recovered by the Byzantines, plundered by the Venetians, stolen by the Genoese, stolen again by the Venetians and given as tribute to the Holy Roman Emperor Charles the Great in 1524. Reportedly lost during the Thirty Years War.

Sword of Kas: created by the arch-lich Vecna after the wizard's undeath, whomsoever afterwards held the sword became a slave vassal of the arch-lich; a +6 unholy sword, it led revolts in Siam, Burma, Assam, Nepal, Kashmir and Afghanistan, by which time the arch-lich was long destroyed. According to legend, the sword was cast into the Caspian Sea to ensure that it could never fall into the hands of evil again.

Teeth of Dahlver-Nar: A set of 32 teeth obtained by the Witch of Endor in the 11th century BCE, supposedly collected from the mouth of an ancient beast found in the desert near Palmyra. The teeth have long since been scattered to the four winds; it is believed that the Jesuit Order holds four of the teeth and that the Freemasons control six others. One tooth is on display in the Kremlin, visibly encased in a gold block on the floor before the Czar's feet.

Throne of the Gods: According to legend, the ruling throne of the Earth, located inside an unknown mountain on an uncertain continent. Some believe the throne itself is a myth; hundreds have spent their whole lives searching for it without success.

Wand of Orcus: Wrested from the hand of Orcus by the hero Galahad following his ascension into heaven, following a great battle presaging the War in Heaven. During the battle, the wand was lost, and is now said to be floating in the eternal Astral Plane, where it is destined to be discovered by chance by one who shall reign hell upon Earth.

See Artifacts (study)

Why You Should Draw from the Deck of Many Things

Because Ozymandias, or Simon Jester (name that book), has written two posts on the Deck of Many Things (here and here), now I feel compelled.  For those not familiar with the deck, or have no copy of it, you can see it on this link, page 142.  On the right, you'll find a screen shot of the deck (the notes are from whomever put it on the web). Follow the link for the descriptions.

All told, there are 22 cards.  Gygax and party are playing off the Tarot Arcana, which I posted just a couple days ago, but the names are, well, "creative."  The names don't matter.

Let's break this down a moment, because the most important thing when making a decision like this is to know the odds.

There are 6 very good possibilities: the sun, the moon, the star, the throne, the jester and the fates.  Arguably, depending on the DM, the two wishes may bite you on the ass, but then you should quit playing with assholes.

There are 5 okay possibilities: the comet, the key, the knight, the gem and the vizier.  These are all positive but, when compared with the six above, they're so-so.  Which would you prefer?  A magic item and 50,000 x.p. or a magic item and a treasure map?

There are 6 cards that will make you go ouch: the talons, the ruin, the euryale, the rogue, the balance and the idiot.  True, the "ouch" is relative, depending on what magic items you have and how much property you can lose.  And hey, you'll survive with 4 less intelligence.

Arguably, you can include the void here, as well.  I mean, what's a soul?  It really depends on how the DM plays it.  Chances are, your DM never brought up your soul before, so why does it suddenly matter now?

And equally arguably, the fool only makes you lose 10,000 x.p.;  AND then you get the same odds as before.  Slightly if your DM discards the fool card from the pack as dictated.

That leaves only 3 truly bad cards: the flames, the skull and the donjon.  Everything else you recover from.

Out of 22 cards, half are perfectly good.  8 hurt, but you're basically fine.  There are only 3 bad cards.  That's only a 13.6% chance of pulling a truly bad card.  And what happens?  You maybe die and you maybe don't.  Ultimately, a devil is just a monster you fight.  The card implies that death might be defeated ~ and hey, what does that mean exactly, hm?  None of us actually defeat death, but it takes a long time to lose.  And however we might get imprisoned, we've got these great adventurers who just love rescuing people from prison.

With these odds, you'd be NUTS not to play.  If gambling worked on these odds, Las Vegas would be a flat empty plain in Nevada.

The Phenomenon

It is possible I ruined my offline campaign Saturday.  Yet it was far too tempting to put into place a magic item of extraordinary potential . . . a considerable gift, given that the players did not have to fight to get it.  Rather, I granted the thing to the party because they befriended a sphinx at the point where the creature had -8 hit points, rather than killing it or fleeing it.  The party showed courage, they showed respect, they showed themselves willing to risk their own lives in order to emotionally support an NPC.

In many campaigns, as we discussed last week, I would be giving the party experience equivalent to the value of the sphinx.  There's a number of reasons why it would be impossible to define what that experience would be . . . but it doesn't matter.  As I said last week, I give parties more than X.P.

Sorry I couldn't use this as an example for those discussions - but the party didn't know about it and I couldn't write about it here.

I gave the party this:

Upper Deck

Lower Deck

Back in March, I wrote a post that made reference to "a phenomenon such as has never been seen in the world since that day."  This is it.  It is an Air Ship.  It has no sails, no rudder.  It floats on four brass - yes, that's correct, brass metal - balloons that inflate or deflate by virtue of the will of the pilot.  It moves indifferently to the wind or the air itself.  The balloons, see, do not inflate with 'air' . . . they inflate with magic.  The object is something on the order of 44 centuries old.

A pilot stands at the wheel, shown as a small blue circle on the upper deck, under a tarp (that in this case was added by some hapless astronomers 9 centuries before the party finds it (all the furniture shown was also added by these same fellows).  Taking hold of the wheel, if the pilot wishes the Air Ship to move, the ship will drain the pilot of one energy level.  This drain is not permanent . . . it will return.  Unfortunately, I cannot tell the reader at this time, as the party does not know how long the drain lasts.  Turns out it is at least 48 hours.  That's as long as the party has had in game time to play with the thing.

Once the pilot has sacrificed the level - an operation that requires 30 combat rounds, or five minutes - then the pilot can cause the ship to move in any direction, vertically or horizontally, so long as it does not encounter an obstruction.  The ship moves quickly in terms of combat and decently in terms of long distance travel, but it will not outrun a horse - the speed is 50 miles over 24 hours or 7 combat hexes per round (5 feet/hex).  It will not outrun a hippogriff cavalry or a giant eagle.

The party has not attempted to change the ship from a level aspect, but it was designed to operate as a platform - low to the ground, high in the air, whatever was needed.  It will float on water and can be made to sink below water, if the user wishes - though that has consequences for whatever is carried, obviously.  The party has taken it to 3000 feet (with some discussion about medieval people being able to tell what that even is, much less having the willpower not to freak out once the thing climbs fifty feet above the ground), getting the feeling that the ship could be taken to the moon if they so wished (would take 10 years).

A single pilot can manage the craft for no more than 8 hours before becoming fatigued and needing sleep.  Another pilot can take over, however, at any point, for the one level drained is good for 24 hours of continuous ship travel.  Thus, three or four pilots can keep the ship going around the clock.

Sitting on the ground, the deck is approximately 25 feet above the ground.  It is thus difficult to unload or load large objects when 'docked' on dry land.  On water, it can be settled to a level where the deck is 9 feet above the surface, before water would begin to pour in the windows on the lower deck (not shown).  There are shutters that can be closed in bad weather, that would seep water but which could be easily drained by simply lifting the ship.  When sunk into the water to make the main deck accessible, a pilot must man the wheel . . . otherwise, the ship will 'bob' up to the surface.

I said that the ship is not affected by wind - this is not true of the occupants, who would experience wind across the deck of the ship as though they were standing on the ground.  Thus there is a very real danger of being blown off in a high wind.  The deck is very stable, however, so that animals can comfortably rest or walk upon the deck and there is no danger of motion sickness.

I'm sure there are other details I covered, but I cannot remember them now . . . please feel free to ask any questions and I will answer as needed.

Why am I worried that this might break the campaign?  Because surely the players will be tempted to retreat from the world.  Already it has been discussed how others will likely want to steal it.  The party is already aware of the dangers of bringing it near a civilized area.  At the moment, the party is 7th level and they feel distinctly weak to be in possession of such an object.  I fear that they will feel a strong inclination not to leave it behind in order to investigate a dungeon or become involved in any local place.  I worry that the ship will become the whole campaign.

Still, there are benefits.  I expect much more of my world will become part of the regular campaign, as these players can now go anywhere.  I am glad I have made so much of my world to this point.  I remind the reader that these are the players who are returning holy relics to unknown parts of my world - so this is also a means to the end of their quest.

I've never created anything like this before.  I conceived of it about six months ago and finally, after what felt like a long wait, I was able to present it.

The party is very excited.