The Vault: Rare and unusal stuff for the taking

[squeen]

A few simple ones that are fun.

PIOUS SHIELD
(I worry I didn't invent this one, but found it somewhere I can't recall. I'm not sure though...)
A Shield +1 depicting rows of saints in a procession (like the cover of Axis: Bold as Love kinda). When demons or devils are within 60', the saints animate and chant scripture or sing hymns quietly. The saints get louder and louder as the entities get closer, during melee combat it's as if there is a 30-piece choir right next to you.

HUMMINGBIRD SWORD
A sabre +1 made from a clear, glasslike material. There appears to be a little green & yellow hummingbird trapped "inside" the sword. It flies around, occasionally tapping on the inside of the glass, asking to be let out. For 10 mins per day, the user can release the hummingbird from the sword and command it to find something. This must be a generic item or type of item ("Find me a pile of gold" is okay, "find me the Arkenstone" is not). The hummingbird will fly towards the nearest example of this at top speed, but 25% of the time it actually seeks out the nearest sugary food!

The shield is interesting --- the net game effect of the noise would be interesting and maybe too large a price to pay for a measly +1. Maybe evryone on your side should get a +1 to-hit like chant?

If it were my players, that hummingbird would get massively over-used and abused.

I like the one-side version of the portal door the best.

Good stuff!

 

[TerribleSorcery]

oh yeah, that's why you need to start putting nests of giant bees in the dungeon, so the hummingbird leads the group right there 25% of the time!!

Also, think about it this way. Hummingbirds are pretty fast, and it wouldn't stop for anything. Fly right past pit traps, orc packs, laser-grids, through portcullises, whatever. Very few adventures go well when the PCs start running full-tilt through the dungeon - I envision it causing just as many problems as it solves. You could also put a distance limit on it (probably wise now that I think about it).

EDIT - and Re: the shield - I thought the warning when demons were about was a good advantage. Although of course the noise will cause problems too. Maybe it is too harsh a tradeoff. Could add some other kind of paladin-type power, or just tone down the volume a little bit so it doesn't draw the whole dungeon down on your head!

 

[squeen]

...or just tone down the volume a little bit so it doesn't draw the whole dungeon down on your head!

That's the best part!

RE: Hummingbird --- my player would argue themselves blue telling me what it aught to be able to do.

 

[squeen]

One more thought on the hummingbird --- how about a less useful container? Not a sword (+1) but an exotic cage or something else bulky.

 

[TerribleSorcery]

Yeah that might be more thematic - I just like swords a lot!! In this case, I thought of the name 'hummingbird sword' first. Then the ability came later. It would actually make more sense in a magical cage or something.

No, I remember why I did it. It is just a reskin of an intelligent sword ability from the DMG - one of the detection abilities is 'locate object, 120' range.' So the hummingbird is doing the locating of the object for you! See, it totally fits in a sword.

By the way - I'm putting your Ring of Chivalrous Conduct in a dungeon I'm writing up right now

TRIPLE EDIT - This is my favourite thread on tenfootpole. If nothing else, we should keep this one going. All your magic items are so odd and different from anything I would ever think of.

 

[squeen]

By the way - I'm putting your Ring of Chivalrous Conduct in a dungeon I'm writing up right now

Hot damn! I hope it's good for a laugh or two and some awkward questing.

"I'm a gonna hit you in the head with my sword now!" (Hillbilly speech-pattern optional)

TRIPLE EDIT - This is my favourite thread on tenfootpole. If nothing else, we should keep this one going. All your magic items are so odd and different from anything I would ever think of.

Heck yeah.

 

[TerribleSorcery]

After getting into it with people on forums, blogs and comment sections I come over here to refresh myself. D&D is good. I am content.

The SCP Wiki is a great source for gaming ideas. Despite its high-tech feel, many of the entries are perfectly adaptable to fantasy games. Here are two for you all:

SHADOW NAIL
https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/scp-272

An old rusty nail. When hammered into the ground in someone's shadow, it restricts their shadow's movement. They can only move as far as their shadow is still under the nail at some point. The victim can't pull up the nail, but anyone else can. If the light source is moved, the victim is pulled by an invisible force so their shadow remains under the nail. This can cause harm if the light source is moved fast enough (up to the equivalent to falling damage).


VASE of INTERDIMENSIONAL COMMERCE
https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/scp-702

A red ceramic vase that contains a conduit to the Plane of Air. When the vase is touched, it summons an air elemental who represents Yan-C-Bin, the prince of Evil Elemental Air (or maybe a Djinn emir, or whatever you want). This elemental can speak and greets the user immediately, asking what they have to trade.

The elemental usually assumes that whatever the user is holding in their hand at the time is for trade, but will wait 1d4 rounds for an item if the user isn't carrying one or changes their mind. This whole time it will voice complaints like "I came to trade! What do you have?" or "My patience wears thin, solid entity!"
If no item for trade is produced after the waiting period, the elemental will strike the offender by surprise (12 HD air elemental, 2d8 damage, or by your system) and then return into the vase until summoned again. If may also attack if pestered repeatedly with bogus or uninteresting trades, but only ever attacks for one round before leaving.

Once an item is offered, the elemental will:
a) decline the trade peacefully if it doesn't want the item or already has one, sometimes with a cryptic comment or hint, then depart.
b) accept the trade. The elemental will depart back into the vase with the item, returning in another 1d4 rounds with an item of similar value which is somehow related (in the elemental's mind at least).
For especially rare, expensive, dangerous or anomalous items, the elemental may pause to consider the trade for some time - usually emitting a low humming for the duration.

How Trades Work
This will require a lot of quick thinking on the DM's part. There are plenty of examples in the link.
Items that shouldn't actually be able to fit through the vase opening can still be traded both ways. It's a planar gateway.
Maybe you offer it a plain longsword, and you get back a random weapon, or a few steel ingots? As long as the DM is consistent with the way the elemental thinks, the players can learn how trading works and try to get something cool.
Trading magic items would be fun. Maybe you give it your flametongue sword and it gives you back a ring of fire resistance or another fire-related item. Or perhaps it goes in the opposite direction and gives you a frost brand instead. The possibilities are endless!!

 

[TerribleSorcery]

One more:

HEALING LOCKET
https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/scp-427

A silver locket carved with ancient runes. Opening it up reveals a glowing light inside. Anyone this light touches is healed rapidly: 1d6 hp in the first and second round of exposure, 2d6 on the third and fourth, 3d6 on the fifth and subsequent rounds. Severed limbs can be regenerated starting on the fifth round. Ability damage can be restored at 1 point per round, starting on the first.

Those exposed to the locket's energies can be mutated by them. Every hit point healed, limb regenerated or ability point recovered by the locket in a character's lifetime adds to cumulative % chance of a mutation. Roll for mutation after each round of exposure.
-every hp healed adds 1% chance to mutate.
-rolled healing over & above a character's hp total adds 1% for every 2 points.
-regenerated limb adds 10% chance.
-each ability point restored adds a 3% chance.
When a mutation is rolled, the chance resets. Roll on your favourite mutation table, don't make me look one up for you. If the chance to mutate ever reaches 100%, the character is transformed into a hideous abomination of warped flesh. Roll 2d4 mutations right now, add 1d6 HD and they go utterly berserk!

(this one is fun but very dickish, and probably needs to be calibrated a little bit. Likely not suited for everyone's game, but what a cool tradeoff)

 

[squeen]

Naw. Mutation is fun!

 

[Two orcs]

HEALING LOCKET
https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/scp-427

I'd lean into the locket more. Let's say it contains a distinctive image of a monster or person - the mutations are parts of your body being replaced with the person or monster. Once totally mutated you have become a copy (or when your head is replaced so is your mind, perhaps you become a clone of some narcissistic white wizard). Or it's a change thing and the image changes so you healed injuries show up on the image in the locked but your flesh is replaced.

 

[Two orcs]

Another possibility: the locket starts out empty but as wounds are healed a portrait is gradually painted of a horrible Wound Man who when fully formed emerges from the locket. He thrives on wounds, his own or others'. If a Wound Man got ahold of the locket it would use it to quickly create an army of like monsters.

 

[TerribleSorcery]

Yessss very cool idea!

 

[Two orcs]

The Arrow of Time+3, +6 vs. Displacers
Carve an arrow from lightning struck sand. Place in the mouth of a giant clam till covered in pearl. Chuck the clam into a volcano and you will find the arrow is suddenly wounding you, shortly before being pulled back into the clam. The clam burns up but the arrow floats to the shore of the crater.

When you indent to shoot a target, the arrow is already in the target, wounding it. You must then make the shot in reverse (roll to hit) as the arrow returns to you with its back first. You will always win initiative with this. If you fail to make the shot the arrow returns but the target is no longer wounded by the arrow and you suffer the same injury as a punishment for time paradox.

This arrow, if held fletching out, also functions as a wand. It can cast 1st level spells causing an effect instantly, you must then perform the casting later in the round to catch the backwards-travelling spell or suffer paradoxical punishment as above if you are disrupted or neglect casting. Example: you can instantly wound somone within range for 1d6+1 damage just thinking about it, you must then cast magic missile in reverse and catch the magic missile which travels backwards from the target to yourself. If you fail the damage is undone to the target and you suffer the damage instead. You may only cast spells you have memorized this way.

 

[squeen]

This is awesome. You must have watched TENET recently!

 

[Two orcs]

No, this is based on a spell (time reverse magic missile) I wrote before I started running my campaign in 2018 or so. I was reminded of it recently looking through my old harddrives.

 

[TerribleSorcery]

daaaamn that is trippy!!!!

 

[Two orcs]

Mitre of the Squid
A rubbery hat made from a large squid, fastened by tying its arms under your chin. The body of the squid usually hangs limp but if the wearer wants anything he drinks or inhales fills the body of the squid instead of his own lungs or stomach. This extra weight does not encumber and it may be exhaled or spat out at high pressure up to 10' (solid objects are likely to break the wearer's teeth on the way out). The maximum volume of the mitre is 5 gallons. Removing the mitre allows its use as a regular sack with a narrow opening, though the full weight of liquid carried counts.

Spewing liquid you may hit every creature in a cone 10' long and 10' wide, though they get a Save vs. Breath to avoid. You may also aim a jet at a single creature (same save) or blow a puff of air to extinguish a torch at the same distance. Spewing military oil 5 gallons is enough to drench 20 creatures. If hit then lit they suffer 1d8 damage for 2 rounds, if spewed through a flame they only suffer 1d8 damage as some of the fuel is consumed on the way there.

 

[Two orcs]

Angry Apiary
A hefty wooden backpack incorporating a society of adventurous honey bees (weight 50lbs). During flowering seasons they produce 1 pound of honey per week. Being around the hive for a week means suffering stings, regaining no hit points from rest during this time. After this, as long as you remain near the hive at least a day a week the bees regard you as a friend and you suffer no more stings and you gain a +1 Save vs Poison as your body is used to it.

If roused by shaking or banging on the backpack a furious 2HD insect swarm will emerge to attack anyone they are not friendly with within 60'. The swarm regain no hit points if you steal their honey.

Smoke will render the bees inert, they hide in their hive.

 

[squeen]

Mitre of the Squid
A rubbery hat made from a large squid, fastened by tying its arms under your chin.

I am going to use this one! The broken teeth are the best part---but how does a solid object get in there?

 

[Two orcs]

I am going to use this one! The broken teeth are the best part---but how does a solid object get in there?

Anything the wearer drinks or inhales!