From the Dragon's Hoard: The Demon's Throwing Axe of Returning

Countless thousands of years ago, God banished disloyal angels to Earth. Dragons were not happy with this invasion from Beyond and they managed to set aside their differences and racist resentments of each other to drive the angels to yet another dimension. They have been festering there ever since, hating the dragons as much as they hate God and his loyal angels. Soon, the fallen angels had morphed into demons and became dedicated to corrupting the beings of Earth physically and spiritually..

Roughly 45,000 years ago, the demons launched a major offensive, breaking free of the Underworld and pouring forth onto Earth, spreading death and destruction. The dragons once again came together and formed an even rarer alliance with the angels to, once again, drive the demon hoards off the earthly plane.

Among the dragons who battled the demons was a young red dragon named Brigid. She walked away from the Final Battle of the Demon War with the first powerful magic item for her hoard: The Demon's Throwing Axe of Returning

The Demon's Throwing Axe of Returning

This functuons as a +2 axe of returning.  It can be used in melee combat like +2 axe, or thrown at a target at range,

    When thrown, the axe has a range of 10 feet, plus 5 feet per each point of the wielder's Strength bonus. When thrown, it returns to the wielder's hand immediately after making a ranged attack. The wielder must make a Dex check (DC8) to catch it, but if the attempt fails, the axe strikes the wielder for 1d6+2 points of damage, then falls to the ground. If the wielder cannot catch it, it drops to the ground. This weapon is versatile and can be used in various combat scenarios, making it a valuable asset for players.

From the Hoard of the Christmas Dragon: The Naughty-or-Nice Ledger

This massive tome is bound in green-tinted leather with gold-leaf edges and a clasp shaped like a snowflake. The cover bears the words "The List" that shifts between languages to match whatever the viewer can read. The pages are made of vellum that never tears or stains. The pages are covered with names and notations, recorded in an elegant handwriting. The book always falls open to exactly the page needed. A red silk bookmark attached marks the current page. When inspected with a detect magic spell, the book exudes powerful divination magic

The origin of The Naughty-or-Nice Ledger is unclear, but Brigid loves showing it to friends and visitors to her library of magical books. She claims it was given to her by Santa Claus himself, and that it's a backup copy of the list he uses to keep track of good children, bad children, and those who will get a visit from Krampus. Her claim further is that Santa told her to keep the book safe for the day he might need it.

POWERS
The Naughty-or-Nice Ledger is a powerful tool for discerning the moral character and recent actions of any creature.

Constant Effect
The book automatically records the names of any creatures the bearer encounters within 120 feet, along with a brief assessment of their general moral alignment and recent significant actions (within the past year)

Activated Abilities
    Detailed Assessment (Sp): By spending 1 minute concentrating on a specific name in the book, the bearer can learn detailed information about that creature as if casting discern lies, detect thoughts, and legend lore simultaneously (CL 13th). The information appears as handwritten notes in the book, including a summary of the creature's significant good and evil acts over the past year. This ability can be used at will, but only on creatures whose names appear in the book.

    Judgment of Character (Su): Three times per day, the bearer can pronounce judgment on a creature whose name appears in the book and who is within 60 feet. If the creature has performed more evil acts than good acts in the past year (as determined by the DM), they must succeed on a DC 20 Will save or be affected as per bestow curse for 24 hours. If the creature has performed more good acts than evil acts, they instead receive the benefits of bless and aid for 24 hours (no save). Neutral creatures are unaffected.
    Gift of Redemption (Sp): Once per week, the bearer can offer a creature whose name appears in the book a chance at redemption. If the creature accepts (a free action that must be taken willingly), they receive a geas/quest to perform a specific good deed determined by the bearer. Upon completion of this deed, the creature's alignment shifts one step toward good, and they receive a permanent +2 inherent bonus to Wisdom as they gain insight into moral behavior.

Creations of the Christmas Dragon: Caroler and Evergreen Armor of the Yule Guardian

 As Brigid the Red fell in love with winter festivals, and, ultimately Christmas, she created an increasing number of magic items that could be used either to celebrate or defend the most wonderful time of the year. Here are two of them, one which is purely her creation and one that was a group effort.

The Caroler

Weapon (longsword)

This elegant longsword appears to be forged from a single piece of ice that never melts. Delicate snowflake patterns are etched along the blade, and when swung through the air, it produces a soft, melodious chiming sound reminiscent of distant sleigh bells.

Brigid created this sword specifically for use by herself (while in human form) or favorite Lesser Beings while requiring extreme measures to defend Christmas from those who would ruin it. It remains one of her favorite creations, because it remembers every Christmas carol sung in its presence and sings

Magical Properties:

• You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls made with this magic weapon.

• The sword deals an additional 1d6 cold damage on a successful hit.

• Winter's Hymn: As a standard action, you can cause the sword to sing a Christmas carol. For the three minutes, all creatures of your choice within 10 feet of you have resistance to fire damage and advantage on saving throws against effects that would cause the frightened condition. Once you use this property, you can't use it again until after the next sunrise.

• Frozen Mercy: When you reduce a creature to 0 hit points or less with this weapon, you can choose to freeze them in a block of ice instead of killing them. The creature is stable and encased in ice (AC 13, 20 hit points, immunity to poison and psychic damage, vulnerability to fire damage). The ice melts after 8 hours or can be broken to free the creature. This allows you to capture foes alive for questioning or redemption.

• The wielder is comfortable in cold weather and suffers no ill effects from natural cold environments.

Evergreen Armor of the Yule Guardian

Armor (breastplate, shoulder guards, arm guards)

This beautiful breastplate, with matching armguards and shoulder guards is the color of evergreen trees. It seems to glisten like fir trees on a frosty morning.

Brigid the Red created this armor and wore it into the battles after which she became known as Brigid the Christmas Dragon. She became involved with a war between druids and early Christians, standing between both sides and convincing them that they should celebrate the winter festivals together and that both Yule and Christmas were embodiments of love and community. Ultimately, it was her transformation into dragon form that forced the communities to listen to her and consider her words. During the joint festivities afterwards, the druids and the Christian magi joined together to enchant Brigid's armor, turning an item that had been strictly cosmetic into one of her most prized possessions. Moreso than any item she owns, the Evergreen Armor of the Yule Guardian reminds her of how special Christmas is.

Magical Properties:

• While wearing this armor, you have an AC of 14 + your Dexterity modifier.

• You may cast spells as if you were not wearing armor..

• Guardian's Gift: The armor has 5 charges. As an action, you can expend 1 charge to touch a creature and restore 2d8 + 2 hit points to it. Alternatively, you can expend 2 charges to cast lesser restoration on a touched creature. The armor regains 1d4 + 1 expended charges daily at dawn.

• Festive Resilience: You have advantage on saving throws against poison and disease, and you have resistance to poison damage.

• Aura of Goodwill: Friendly creatures within 10 feet of you gain a +1 bonus to saving throws against being charmed or frightened. This aura is suppressed if you are unconscious.

• The armor keeps you comfortably warm in cold environments, and small woodland creatures are instinctively drawn to you, sensing your protective nature.

From the Christmas Dragon's Hoard: The Staff of Evergreen

Unlike other items featured in this series of posts, the Staff of Evergreen was not created by Brigid the Red. Instead, it was a gift from a grateful conclave of druids that she saved from Roman troops. Although not strictly a Christmas item, it has become part of Christmas legends in small northern Irish villages and isolated communities in Morocco, because Brigid lent the staff to leaders of the communities when trouble faced them at Christmas time. (Brigid may also tinkered with an enchantment or two to make the staff more "Christmasy"...

 

THE EVERGREEN STAFF
Aura: Strong evocation and transmutation
Slot: None (held item)
Weight: 4 lbs.

This quarterstaff is carved from pine wood that remains forever fresh. Small pinecones dangle from its length on silver chains, and the scent of fresh evergreen follows its bearer. The staff is wrapped in spiraling bands of red ribbon that glow faintly in darkness.

The Evergreen Staff functions as a +2 quarterstaff and grants the bearer a +4 competency bonus to Survival skill checks in cold or winter environments. The bearer is also unaffected by temperatures as low as -50 degrees. allows use of the following spells at12th-level effectiveness. Additionally, the bearer can cause the following spell-like effects by expending the staff's charges:

* Entangle (1 charge, but manifests as animated garland and ribbon)
* Spike growth (1 charge, craggy ice and upside-down icicles spread in the direction 

        the staff is pointed)
* Plant growth (2 charges, causes evergreen trees to sprout)
* Wall of thorns (3 charges, creates a wall of holly bushes with red berries)
* Control weather (4 charges, can only create gentle snowfall)

The staff has 10 charges and regains 1d6+4 charges daily at dawn, up to the staff's maximum of 10. If the bearer expends the staff's last charge, roll d20. On a 1, the staff transforms into a normal evergreen tree sapling that must grow for one year before it can be harvested and reforged into the staff (requiring the original construction process, which is now known only to Brigid)..
Additionally, the bearer gains a +4 competence bonus on Survival checks in cold or winter environments and can survive comfortably in temperatures as low as -50°F without protection.fdsa

Creations of the Christmas Dragon: Bells of Joyous Summoning

One of the items that Brigid works one when she's grown born with everything else, is the bells of joyous summoning. It's designed to help gather companions for a celebration if the user find themselves alone of foreign lands.

Bells of Joyous Summoning

Aura: Moderate conjuration

Construction Requirements: Craft Wondrous Item, summon monster V, good hope, calm emotions, detect evil, detect good, bless

Slot: None (held item)

Weight: 1 lb.

This set of nine silver sleigh bells hangs from a leather handle adorned with holly sprigs. Each bell produces a different crystalline tone, and together they create harmonious melodies that seem to echo longer than they should. The tunes played vary depending on the angle or how fast or how hard it is shaken by the user.

As a standard action, the bearer can ring the bells in specific patterns to produce the following effects:

Carol of Companionship: Duplicates summon monster V, but the summoned creature appears wreathed in festive lights and tinsel. The creature is particularly cheerful and gains a +2 morale bonus on all rolls. This ability can be used three times per day.

Chime of Cheer: Duplicates good hope affecting all allies within 30 feet who can hear the bells. This ability can be used twice per day.

Peal of Peace: Duplicates calm emotions in a 30-foot radius. Affected creatures see visions of peaceful winter scenes and warm hearths. This ability can be used twice per day.

Ring of Revelation: Duplicates detect evil or detect good (bearer's choice) for 10 minutes. Evil creatures detected appear to have a shadowy, coal-like aura, while good creatures glow with warm candlelight. This ability can be used at will.

The bells cannot be silenced by mundane means, though silence spells work normally. If all nine bells are rung simultaneously (a full-round action), they produce a magnificent sound that can be heard up to one mile away and grants all allies within 60 feet the effects of bless for 10 minutes. This ability can be used once per day.

Creations of the Christmas Dragon: Mistletoe Crown of Amorous Enchantment

Brigid has always felt sorry for those who love and who has that love betrayed or turned against them through deceit. Over her long life, she has created several gifts to mortals to help them avoid such romantic traps of pain. One of such items is Christmas themed, and Brigid has been known to wear one into areas that are hostile to Christmas, or to use it as part of an effort to restore a person's belief in the magic of Christmas.

Mistletoe Crown of Amorous Enchantment

Construction Requirements: Craft (Wondrous Item, charm person, break enchantment, neutralize poison, remove curse, remove disease, discern lies, sanctuary, bless, living mistletoe plants, ribbons

Aura: Moderate enchantment
CL: 10th
Slot: Head
Weight: —

This delicate circlet appears to be woven from living mistletoe vines. Small red ribbons are tied throughout, and the crown adjusts to fit any wearer's head comfortably. The mistletoe never wilts or dies.

The wearer gains the following benefits:

Aura of Affection: The wearer radiates an aura of warmth and goodwill. All Charisma-based skill checks gain a +4 competence bonus. Additionally, the wearer can cast charm person at will as a spell-like ability (DC15).

Kiss of True Love: Once per day, the wearer can bestow a kiss upon a willing creature (or be kissed by one). This kiss functions as break enchantment, neutralize poison, remove curse, or remove disease (wearer's choice). The kiss leaves a faint shimmer of golden light on the recipient's lips for 1 minute.

Romantic Revelation: Three times per day, the wearer can cast discern lies, but the spell specifically reveals the truth about romantic feelings, affections, and relationship bonds. Creatures affected by this ability see the mistletoe crown glow brightly.

Peaceful Presence: The wearer can cast sanctuary on themselves three times per day. While this effect is active, the mistletoe berries glow with soft white light.

Festive Blessing: Once per week, the wearer can conduct a marriage ceremony or commitment ritual that grants the participants a permanent +1 luck bonus on saving throws when they are within 30 feet of each other. This is a supernatural effect that can be dispelled but otherwise lasts until the bond is broken. The wearer can maintain up to 10 such bonds at a time.

The crown also grants immunity to all charm effects, as the wearer's heart is protected by the pure magic of the mistletoe.

RPG-a-Day Month #4 -- Message

From the Dragon's Treasure Vaults: 
The Message Bottles

The Message Bottles are four identical empty wine bottles with corks, appearing like little more than trash (or, if you're environmentally conscious, ready for the recycling bin), but if viewed through a detect magic spell, they radiate strong Conjuration magic with an undertone of Transmutation magic). 

   If attempts are made to break one of them, they fail. In fact, the bottles are so sturdy they can be used as clubs or to keep doors open by jamming them between the door and frame.

   Functions: If the possessor of one bottle makes a Willpower save (DC9) as a standard action to clearly picture a known possessor of another of the bottles in their mind, he or she can uncork the bottle and speak into it to transmit a message; the message is transmitted the moment the character recorks the bottle. The other person will hear it when they uncork their bottle. The message can be up to 1 minute long. Another message cannot be sent until the first one is received/heard. The bottle can be used up to six times in a day.

   If the character fails the Willpower save, he or she realizes that the mental focus just isn't there at the moment. The character can try again the following round, but even the failed attempt counts as one of the daily uses.

   If the bottle is no longer in the possession of the person the message is for, it is still sent and heard, but no reply can be made unless the new possessor knows someone else who has one of the four bottles.

   The possessor of any one of the bottles can unerringly teleport or gate to the other possessor and bottle's location. (If the character doesn't know who has one of the bottles, the spell takes him or her to the nearest one, aside from the one he or she already possesses.)

   If a Message Bottle is used as a weapon, it deals 1d3+Strength bonus in blunt damage.

History of the Message Bottles: In 1,204 BC, Brigid the Red (an ancient dragon who is also known as the Christmas Dragon) was in Egypt, establishing a new residence/lair when she noticed humans had made another advancement in glass-creation techniques: They were now making containers that were semi-viable for transporting and liquid and other substances. Shortly afterwards, she created her first iteration of the Message Bottles--a matched pair of which she gave one to the Pharoh so he could reach her whenever a situation dire enogh to warrent her assistance arose. 

   Nearly 1,100 years later, she observed that the Romans had perfected a method to make glass bottles, and she returned to her old idea of the Message Bottles. This time, she created four. She kept one and gave the others to her favorite humans. When they passed, she reclaimed the bottles and gave them to others.

   As glassblowing techniques improved and bottle-shapes changed, Brigid updated her creation with a new version, destroying all but one of the older sets. Even though this made the item useless, she kept it for nostalgia purposes. Her reason for the updates was to make the Message Bottles look as uninteresting as possible, so they would not be stolen from the person she gave them, nor even be suspected to be magical items. Her latest upgrade took place in 1846, in France, and those are still in use today.

   Since 1862, every president of the United States of America has had one of the bottles while in office. The actress Bessie Love (who secretly fought evil and collected magical artifacts both during and after her film career came to a close, and whom Brigid considered a good friend) also had one of the bottles, from 1921 until her death in 1986.

For more about Brigid, see posts here at this blog. If you want to support our efforts, buy a copy of Gifts from the Christmas Dragon, which describes 18 more of Brigid's magical creations, as well as a short story.

--

Here's a song that helped inspire today's post. Enjoy!

From the Dragon's Treasure Vaults: The Obsidian Mirror

The ancient red dragon known as Brigid among "lesser beings" has been collecting unusual and one-of-a-kind magic items and artifacts since before the dawn of human civilization. This is one of them, as viewed through the lens of the d20 System.

The Obsidian Mirror is a full-length mirror that is on a stand that allows it to be tilted or turned so its reflective surface is pointing away from any potential viewers. The mirror's frame and back is made of silver. There  are a line of symbols on the back surface that seem to shift and morph into other symbols if they are looked at directly. On the mirror's front, the frame around the reflective surface is molded to look like a tangle of tentacles that emerge from a starburst at the center of the frame's top.

   The strangest aspect of the Obsidian Mirror is its reflective surface, which is typically made from highly polished speculum metal or glass with a thin coating of silver, but is instead highly polished obsidian; the aspect from which it has been named.

   While the Obsidian Mirror does indeed capture the scene before it, the reflected beings appear like shadows--shadows that don't always move in sync with the creature in front of the mirror.

 

   Functions: If the Obsidian Mirror is inspected using detect magic, it exudes powerful divination magic. 

   If a character stands in front of the mirror, stares at his or her own shadowy reflection for one round, followed by a successful Willpower saving throw (DC18), the mirror suddenly shows a crystal clear reflection of the character at some other location, engaging in some important activity (fighting a Big Evil Bad Guy, moving through a maze of traps, scaling the wall of a mighty fortress, and so on). There is enough visible in the scene to give the character a hint as to where the location is and/or who the opposition is. As the vision fades back into strangely animated shadows, the character is filled with a sense of purpose--that what was shown in the Obsidian Mirror is part of an important destiny the character is to fulfill. Only the character to whom the vision relates can see it in the mirror.

   If the Willpower save to view the vision fails, the character is struck with the effect of a confusion spell, cast at 12th level (no saving throw). 

   The only way to decipher the runes on the back of the Obsidian Mirror are to stare at them for a full round, immediately followed by a Fortitude saving throw (DC15). If successful, the shifting symbols are suddenly a legible phrase in the character's native language: "Gaze into the shadows and see not what is, but what could be and what should be."

   If the Fortitude saving throw is failed, the character is struck with a headache so severe his orher vision blurs and he or she feels sick. All actions are taken at a -4 penalty, including Reflex and Willpower saving throws.

   History of the Obsidian Mirror: In a time before time, the world was controlled by dragons. The Elder Gods had created them with the intent of feeding off their worship; however, it turned out that dragons worship only themselves. Worse, the chromatic dragons (black, blue, green, red, and white) were constantly at war with each other, as well as the metallic dragons (copper, gold, silver). When the gods tried to bring their creations in line, the dragons united and destroyed them. (Ever since, the dragons have had a fragile peace between their various breeds, with the black and silver dragons being the primary keepers of the peace.)

   At the time, Brigid was a very young dragon. She found the Obsidian Mirror when she was exploring the ruins of the Elder God of Destiny and Time. It was the first major magic item she added to her hoard and it remains an object of jealousy among other surviving ancient dragons.

   Even Brigid does not know who created the mirror, but she has always assumed it is the work of the elder god itself.

THE CROSSROADS - Fiction by L.L. Hundal & Steve Miller

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The Dragon's Throne

Located in Brigid the Red's home in Virginia, the Dragon's Throne did not belong to a dragon until Brigid took it after incinerating its co-creator with a blast of her fiery breath.

THE DRAGON'S THRONE

Carved from a large block of obsidian to appear like a crouching black dragon, the seat is the creature's back haunches and the back being its body and neck. The armrests are his front legs. The head of the carved dragon appears to be looking over the person sitting on the throne's left shoulder, and it has been enhanced with red gems for eyes and a selection of wolf and snake fangs to serve as teeth in its open maw. It is an amazing piece of art.

   The Dragon's Throne is the work of French sculptor Camille Claudel, done as a commission for the spellcasting illusionists and would-be dragon-impersonator Phillipe Garraud. He used his skills as an illusionist to make Claudel forget she created the Dragon's Throne, and then he spent almost two years, from 1914 through early 1916 enchanting it so it. The Throne was created to be the centerpiece of a scam which Garraud hoped would make him to owner of a vanished dragon's hoard. 

   Firepit was an isolated town deep in the Ozarks that had been officially founded in 1822, even before the region had been officially opened for settlement by the U.S. federal government. Local legends claimed that the founding families (who still lived in the town) had been brought there by a dragon who charged them with watching over its hoard until it returned at some point in the future. Garraurd knew that dragons were more than legend, so he also assumed the existence of an absent dragon's hoard was also real. His arcane studies had led him to be certain that what dragons remained on Earth had gathered in Australia, so whatever the leading families of Firepit had been guarding, it would never be claimed... well, not by its rightful owner. By Garraurd, however... 

   In the summer of 1916, after making a show of surreptitiously moving into the long-empty, but still meticulously maintained by the townsfolk, house that had been the dragon's residence. When the local authorities came to confront him, he used the magic of the chair (and his own spells) to convince everyone that he was the dragon returned. He then instructed the mayor and the police chief to recruit other townsfolk to relocate the treasure they were guarding to another location.

   As the citizens of Firepit distributed gold, gems, and strange artifacts (even some things that appeared to be junk), the real dragon returned, Brigid the Red. First, she killed Garraud in a fit of rage, then she decided to let the townsfolk have the gold and gems and assisted them in relocating to wealthy lives in Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia. She reclaimed the magical artifacts and other items she cared about, ultimately spreading them out between her dozen or so active lairs and treasure hoards. She claimed the Dragon's Throne and gave this unique item a prominent place in her Virginia mansion, often sitting in it when receiving guests in her human form.

Functions

   * When sitting in the Throne, a person gains the ability to cast any illusion or enchantment spell levels 1 to 3 that he or she has at least theoretical knowledge of. The character can cast a number spells equal to his or her Intelligence plus Wisdom attribute bonuses per day.

   * Any spells the character seated on the Throne knows and can cast function at 1 level above the character's actual caster level, while Illusion and Enchantment spells function at 2 levels above the character's actual caster level.

   * While seated on the Throne, a character gains a +4 enchantment bonus to all Charisma-based skill checks.

The Dragon's Throne is not an artifact, just a powerful and one-of-a-kind magic item.

The Sword of Traveling and the Chain Reaction

Among the many unique magic treasures in her hoard, the Sword of Traveling is one of Brigid the Dragon's favorites. She uses it equally for fighting and for fun, and when she has time to plan, she often wears the magical armor known as Chain Reaction. (This is, of course, when she is in her human form. When she takes on her natural, massive body of an ancient red dragon, a wasteland of terror, regrets, and ash is created if her foes don't back down.)

THE SWORD OF TRAVELING

This powerful and unusual magic item was first recorded as existing in 1481 when it was used in a failed attempt to assassinate King John of Denmark. It remained in the possession of this royal house through its ups and downs over the several decades until King Christian IV gave it as a gift to Brigid in 1601 in appreciation of her many varied skills and talents and a thank-you for watching over him from the age of 3 until he became an adult. The Danish royals knew the sword was magical, and could be quite deadly, but they never had an inkling of its full power.

    If examined with detect magic, the Sword of Traveling radiates strong transmutation and conjuration magic, with a strong undercurrent of divination.

    Functions: Most basically, the Sword of Traveling seems like it is a vorpal sword. Like the more common necromatic creation, the Sword of Traveling provides the wielder with a +5 bonus to-hit and +5 bonus to damage. If the wielder rolls a natural 20 on his or her attack roll, the target's head (or equivalent) is cut clean off with death being instantaneous.

    The sword's true power, however, is hinted at in its name. Further hints, and even instructions in its use, can be found on blade and hilt. presence of a triangle engraved both on the hilt and on both sides of the blade, near the tip, Just above the hilt, there is an engraving in Atlantean that is wrapped around the blade that reads: "A focused mind and thrusts at the center and three points will bring the deserving wielder to the desired place". 

    If a wielder follows the instructions--clearing his or her mind and picturing a place he or she wants to go to, then makes four sword thrusts in the order and pattern described--and then a rift will be carved open in the fabric of space and time, providing direct access to the location the wielder envisioned. The portal remains open for one minute, until up to eight beings have passed through it, or until the wield closes it by thrusting the sword one more time at the center of the rift.

    Game mechanic-wise, the character must make several rolls to use the Sword of Traveling.

    First, the character must clear his or her mind and focus on making a mental image of the place to open a magical portal to.

    Second, the character must make four attack rolls, striking the air (or even a solid surface) in the pattern mentioned above. The best d20 roll of the four determines how close to the intended destination that the magic portal deposits those who enter it. See the following table for details: 

Best d20 Roll (of four)               Result

1-3                                                Failure. The portal doesn't even open.

4-7                                                Characters arrive 100+2d20 miles 

                                                     from the desired destination.   

7-11                                              Characters arrive 10+2d20 miles 

                                                     from the desired destination.

12-15                                            Characters arrive within sight

                                                     of their desired destination

16-20                                            Characters arrive exactly at

                                                     their desired destination.                                              

For purposes of determining where the characters arrive through the portal, the unmodified d20 die is used.

THE CHAIN REACTION

The Chain Reaction is a set of enchanted armor that is of the styling that is often derisively referred to as a "chainmail bikini". In the case of this armor, however, it is more literally chainmail that most armors, as it is made of hundreds of intertwined chains of varying sizes, lengths and delicateness, with segments of chains dangling from both the top and bottom pieces of the armor. If inspected with detect magic, the Chain Reaction radiates strong abjuration magic.

    The Chain Reaction is a one-of-a-kind item that Brigid herself created to show off her human form while making it so she could wield magic while in metal armor and add some surprises to those who face her in combat: 

    Function: The Chain Reaction is a +2 set of armor that can be worn by arcane spellcasters without penalty to their spellcasting abilities The seemingly ornamental dangling chains on the armor will, as combat rages, lash out at foes within melee range, primarily attacking the foe who either first struck the wearer, or the one who is perceived as the greatest threat.

   The Chains attack with the wearer's ranged attack value and deal 1d4+2 points of damage when striking a target. When struck, the target must roll a Dexterity attribute check (DC14) or the chain wraps around part of his body. 1d4 chains attack each target per round, on the wearer's initiative.

   On the round following being gripped by a chain, the target must roll a Balance skill check or a Dexterity attribute check (or be yanked off his feet and pulled toward the armor's wearer, suffering an additional 1d2+2 points of damage. Targets can attempt to break free from the chains either by striking them with a weapon of at least +1 enchantment (AC/DR20), or by making a successful Strength attrubute check (DC19). The wearer can release and retract the chains at any time.

The Ring of Darius

One of the more infamous artifacts in existence is the Ring of Darius, as the historical record actually confirms the accuracy of the tales that are told about it. Since ca. the year 50BC, only one individual who have claimed the Ring as theirs and not died a violent or unnatural death after having done so.

THE RING OF DARIUS

This is a bulky gold ring that is filigreed with overlapping Celtic symbols that represent humans drawing power from their native lands. The most remarkable thing about the item, however, is the large, deep red diamond, a shade so dark and intense that both its size and hue make it one of a kind among an already extremely rare type of diamond. The Ring of Darius has been described as priceless, and it is.

Functions

When worn by the rightful owner of the ring, in the proper place, possessing and wearing the Ring of Darius provides powerful benefits. When worn by someone who come to have the ring through dishonest or violent means, it is an almost-guaranteed death sentence.

On the Hand of the Rightful Owner

When worn by its rightful owner--someone of Darius' bloodline, or someone who has come by the ring via legitimate means, such as purchasing or having it gifted by a rightful owner--the ring functions as a ring of protection +2. It also grants the wearer a +2 bonus to three crucial skill rolls per day. (The player can choose which rolls, unless the GM wants to reserve determining what's crucial for him- or herself.)

  When worn by its rightful owner in the lands that used to be home to the Gauls--currently claimed by the modern-day nations of France, Belgium, and Luxembourg-- the ring functions as a ring of protection +4. Further, it provides a +1 bonus to all skill checks and attack rolls made by the wearer.

   Unfortunately, its method of creation (assistance from a demon) left the ring with a curse: Whenever a character sees the ring for the first time, he or she must roll a Willpower saving throw (DC13). If the saving throw fails, the character becomes obsessed with the idea of possessing the ring. If the owner isn't willing to part with the ring when asked nicely or offered compensation, the obsessed character starts making plans to have the ring stolen and its (unworthy) possessor killed. Once the obsessed character gains possession of the ring, the cycle stars all over again. 

On the Hand of Someone who Acquires the Ring through Theft or Violence

There is no benefit from the ring to a character who acquires it through theft or murder, although the ring appears provide all the benefits described above. The wearer also becomes increasingly convinced that the ring has boosted all of his or her abilities and talents. Eventually, he or she becomes so arrogant and self-assured that a confrontation that will end badly is a sure thing.

Art by Harold DeLay

A Brief History of the Ring of Darius

The item now known as the Ring of Darius was made by a Circle of Druids, intended to provide magical assistance to a hero who would lead the Gauls into final battle against the Romans and drive the invaders from their lands. 

    Before they could give the ring to a hero of the stature who could save their nation and tribes, the Romans attacked the area, killing all the druids. One of them, as she lay dying, gave the ring to her son, Darius, telling him that the powerful ring would help him restore freedom to their lands and people.

    This was not to be, however. Darius was captured by the invaders and sent to Rome as a slave. He did his best to keep the ring that could restore his people, but, eventually, his captures spotted it. Darius became the first person to be killed over a greedy need for the right, but dozens (possibly even hundreds) more would follow. Darius' ghost has also cursed the ring, intensifying its negative qualities, a fact confirmed by psychic Edward Kelley in 1588 after he came into possession of the ring. Although he tried to keep others from becoming aware of the item, he fell victim to its curse in 1597, after narrowly escaping ring-caused doom on two previous occasions.

     Since 1939, the ring has been in the possession of the ancient red dragon know as Brigid. Aware of the ring's curse, she, like Kelley, has been careful about letting anyone--especially other dragons--know that she has acquired the ring. She keeps it secured in a hidden compartment under the fourth (from the top) back step leading out of her Arizona mansion/lair. Whenever she gets wind of someone seeking to loot one of her treasure hoards (of which she has 15, spread across the globe), she grabs the ring and places it in a prominent spot so it's one of the first extremely valuable items the thieves will find. Brigid then keeps track of the thieves and recovers the ring and any other unique items she baited them with, once they have met their predictable ends for stealing the Ring of Darius.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The preceding article was inspired by "The Ring of Darius", an unusual comics series that appeared in issues 1, 4-5 of Lucky Comics , an anthology titled published by Consolidated Magazines in 1945-1946. This unusual series will be collected in its entirety for the first time in a forthcoming comics/rpg hybrid product from NUELOW Games. 

   The paragraph "On the Hand of the Rightful Owner" is Open Game Content, and it is presented under this license. "The Ring of Darius" is Copyright 2025 by Steve Miller