Brigid the Dragon & King Arthur's Coconut Shell

When not looking for human parties to crash or otherwise being entertained by the activities and creativity of lesser beings, the ancient red dragon known as Brigid in her human form spends much of her time creating quirky magic items. She either gives these away as presents, or places in the path of treasure hunters in the hopes they'll be mistaken for important artifacts. This is her latest creation.

 
KING ARTHUR'S COCONUT SHELL
This item consists of two parts, each of which resemble gold-plated half coconut shells. At first glance, they appear to be a pair of odd ashtrays--and they certainly can be used as such--but they are far more than that. When examined using Detect Magic, the half-shells both radiate strong Alteration/Transmuation magic.
   Functions: When each half of "King Arthur's Coconut Shells" are held in one of the user's hands, and then clapped together in a rhythmic fashion, a sound similar to that made by the hooves of a trotting horse. So long as the user keeps making a clip-clop sound with the shells by striking them together, he or she and one other target can travel at a speed of 10 miles/hour across any terrain a horse would be able to traverse. The user must keep a continuous beat or the rate of travel will slow and the pair will come to a stop within two rounds, just as if they had pulled the reigns back on horses.
Neither the user nor the targeted second person become fatigued while under the effects of the "Coconut Shells", but the user must make a Fortitude saving throw (DC13) every hour. If the roll fails to match or exceed 13, the users arms are sore, the beat becomes unsteady and the rate of travel is reduced to 8 miles/hour. If the check fails at the end of the next hour, the rate of travel is reduced to 4 miles/hour. A third failed check means the "horses" need rest, and the pair must take a break of at least an hour.
   Trivia: This magic item was inspired by one of Brigid's favorite movies, "Monte Python and the Holy Grail". She's not sure what she'll do with this creation. For now, she's having fun, in human form, trotting back and forth across the rocky plains near her home in northern Arizona.

On the Twelfth Day of Christmas, the Dragon Gave to Me...

Twelve Drummers Drumming
This gift is a pair of large drumsticks for use with marching drums. They come wrapped with a tag featuring the recipient's name on one side and a note on the other: "Tap these together three times to get the beat going.", both written in a flourish-rich cursive. The wrapping paper and tag are not magical, but the drumsticks radiate strong Summoning and Illusion magic with an undercurrent of Divination.

   Functions: If the recipient of the Twelve Drummers Drumming taps the drumsticks together while outside or in a large open space, such as an auditorium, or out-of-doors, a twelve-member drumline in (more or less) matching uniforms appear out of thin air. The drummers carry a mix of drums--snare drums, tenor drums, tenor quads, bass drums, tabla drums, and even mridangam drums and bongo drums on occasion. The drummers are always led by an exuberant Brigid. (It's most likely just a magical copy, but every so often she shows up in person to join in the fun.) 

   The drumline plays for a maximum 40 minutes. If summoned outside, they march toward a population center or around the immediate area, playing thrilling drum music the whole time, with Brigid cheering and dancing out in front. If summoned indoors, they either stay in one location--if they were summoned in a concert hall, lobby, or similar chamber--or they march throughout the building, visiting every floor within it before heading out the main entrance and marching around the outside of the structure, playing music their instruments the whole time.

   The mix of drums in the drumline remains roughly the same from summoning to summoning, with only the unique drums changing--and with them some of the numbers performed by the musicians as they march. Roll on the following table to see what the variable drum is (and whether or not the real Brigid is performing with the magically created musicians).

1d12 Result                Drums and Dragon

1-3                               Bongo drums

4                                  The real Brigid with a bongo drum

5-7                               Mridangam drums

8                                  The real Brigid with a tenor drum

9-11                             Tabla drums

12                                The real Brigid, with a set of tabla drums on one hip and 

                                    a bongo drum on the other.

   As mentioned above, the drumline plays for up to 40 minutes. It then vanishes as suddenly as it appears. Brigid briefly appears next to the summoner to and says that she is available to provide lessons in playing any type of drums that the character and any friends wish to learn, to entertain them on tabla drums, or to play drums as part of a rock or jazz band the summoner is a member of.
   If the drumline is attacked, they panic and begin to scatter in all directions. Unless blocked from escape, each drummer runs for one minute, then vanishes. The Brigid Look-a-Like is the only one who will stand and fight, but she is struck down immediately by the first successful attack; each drummer has only 2 hit points and any attack directed at them, except an outright Botch, always hits. The bodies of slain drummer members remain for one minute before fading away to nothing.
   The drumline can be summoned 24 different times during the year going from January 1 through December 31. The Brigid Look-a-Like can be called any number of times to entertain, provide drum lessons, or to play with the band. She remains for up to 10 hours or when dismissed.
   The Brigid Look-a-Like only has 2 hit points and behaves as described above if attacked. She will use her drumsticks as weapons, attacking two-handed style as a 1st level Bard/Charismatic Hero, and dealing 1d2 points of damage with each successful hit. Whenever the Brigid Look-a-Like is summoned, the GM should roll 2d12. On a roll of 24, the real Brigid shows up to hang out with the characters. Woe to anyone who attacks her, as she has far more than 2 hit points... and won't hesitate to make the attackers regret their life choices.

 

On the Eleventh Day of Christmas, the Dragon Gave to Me...

Eleven Pipers Piping
This gift is a gold lapel pin that resembles a bagpipe. It is received in a small jewelry box, wrapped with a red bow with a gift tag with the recipient's name written on it on one side and the phrase "Touch and say 'The pipes, the pipes are calling'" in a flourish-rich handwriting. If examined with detect magic, it radiates a strong mix of Illusion and Summoning magic, with a hint of Divination.

 
   Functions: If the person who is gifted this item follows the instructions on the tag, he or she hears faint music... maybe hornpipes? Maybe recorders? Maybe bagpipes? 

   The following round, if the character is in a large area or somewhere outdoors, a marching band of 11 men and women in matching (more or less) uniforms blinks into existence. If the character thought of a particular composer or band or piece of music while summoning the musicians, they immediately play music to match what the character was thinking of. If nothing is specified, they play Christmas music with the occasional tune from the obscure musical Dance Crazy mixed in. 

   The band plays for 40 minutes. If summoned outside, they march toward a population center or around the immediate area, playing music the whole time. If summoned in doors, they either stay in one location--if they were summoned in a concert hall or similar chamber--or they march throughout the building, visiting every floor within it before heading out the main entrance and marching around the outside of the structure, playing music their instruments the whole time.

   The instruments carried by the band vary from summoning to summoning, and they are determined by rolling against the following table. (As you can see, there is also a 50 percent chance that the band will be led by a musician who appears to be Brigid the Dragon in human form. It is not, however, her.)

1d12 Result        Instruments Played

1                          Bagpipes

2                          Bagpipes, band led by look-a-like of Brigid

3                          Hornpipes

4                          Hornpipes, band led by look-a-like of Brigid

5                          Recorders

6                          Recorders, band led by look-a-like of Brigid

7                          Fujaras

8                          Fujaras, band led by look-a-like of Brigid

9                          Bagpipes and Recorders

10                        Bagpipes and Recorders, band led by look-a-like of Brigid

11                        Bagpipes and Fujaras

12                        Bagpipes and Fujaras, band led by look-a-like of Brigid

   As mentioned above, the band plays for up to 40 minutes before fading away, with the music fading as well. The leader of the band briefly appears next to the summoner to and says that he or she is available to provide lessons in playing any wind instrument that the character and any friends wish to learn.

   If the band is attacked, they panic and begin to scatter in all directions. Unless blocked from escape, each band member runs for one minute, then vanishes. The Brigid Look-a-Like is the only one who will stand and fight, but she is struck down immediately by the first successful attack; each member of the band has only 2 hit points and any attack directed at them, except an outright Botch, always hits. The bodies of slain band members remain for one minute before fading away to nothing.

   The full band can be summoned eleven different times during the year going from January 1 through December 31. The Brigid Look-a-Like or other band leaders can be called any number of times to entertain the summoner and guests, or to provide lessons, with whatever instrument wind instrument is specified. The band leader remains for up to 10 hours or when dismissed.

   Whichever band leader is summoned (be it a random one, or the Brigid Look-a-Like), the musician only has 2 hit points and behaves as described above if attacked. If unable to run away, the summoned character will use its instrument as a weapon, attacks as a 1st level Bard/Charismatic Hero, and deals 1d2 points of damage with each successful hit. 

   Whenever the Brigid Look-a-Like is summoned, the GM should roll 2d12. On a roll of 24, the real Brigid shows up to give music lessons and hang out with the characters. Woe to anyone who attacks her, as she will not flee and she has far more than 2 hit points.

   If the lapel pin of Eleven Pipers Piping is regifted or stolen, it loses all magical properties.

On the Tenth Day of Christmas, the Dragon Gave to Me..

Ten Lords-a-Leaping
This gift is presented inside a handmade card that has a colored drawing of a red Chinese dragon spiraling around a Christmas tree with a large star on top. On the inside of the card is a note written in a flourish-rich cursive that says: "Keep this coin near at all times. When faced with overwhelming odds, hold it and say, "Bring the fury!"

   The coin being referenced is also inside the card; it appears to be an ancient Chinese coin with a dragon on one side and curious runes of an unknown origin on the other. The card is pretty, but not magical, while the coin radiates a mixture of Illusion, Divination, and Summoning magic.

    Functions: If the recipient of the dragon's gift says "Bring the Fury!" while holding the coin in combat or otherwise facing danger, as many as ten top Chinese martial artists appear--collectively, the Lords of Wushu. Some of the Lords are armed with traditional weapons--such as staves, nunchucks, and swords--but others are ready to use their deadliest weapon: Their body and their superior Kung Fu Wushu. After spending a round striking poses, they leap into action, either attacking the foes of the person who summoned them, or setting about helping with stopping whatever disaster in unfolding.

   If called to assist in combat, between 1 and 10 Lords appear, their number matching the number of foes faced by the summoner and his or her allies. When they first arrive, all those hostile to the summoner and allies must make Will saves (DC18) or be so startled by the sudden appearance of Chinese men in colorful clothing that they lose all actions for the rest of the round. They must reroll their initiatives on the round that follows (while the summoner and allies retain their already established place in the combat order).

   The Lords spend the first round they are present striking dramatic poses and looking about with threatening glares and grunts. On the summoner's initiative, they spring into action with jubilantly savage war cries, each rushing to confront a foe or to perform whatever urgent tasks will help save the summoner, his or her allies, and any innocent bystanders.

   

   The Lords are fearless and loud in their rush into combat, drawing as much attention away from the summoner and his or her allies as they possibly can. Their attack rolls always succeed (except in cases where some magical effect or ability states that an attack fails) and each hit deals 2d6+4 points of fire damage. Further, they always make successful saving throws and combat-related skill checks and have AC/DC ratings of 15. However, each Lord only has 10 hit points, so they either take their foes down quickly, or they go down. 

   If the Lords are summoned to assist in non-combat situations, they act with complete and total courage and lay down their lives without hesitation if it saves the summoner, his or her friends, and any innocent bystanders. They won't sacrifice themselves needlessly, but if their life can be traded to save others, they never hesitate. After all, they're not real... and they know it. When assisting in non-combat situations, the Lords have whatever skills are needed for the task ahead of them.

   The bodies of fallen Lords remain for the duration of combat, but ten rounds after the battle is over or the danger has passed, the bodies dissolve into smoke that quickly dissipates. If someone touches one of the bodies or tries to take its weapons or other equipment, the body and all items burst into flame and vanish, dealing 2d6 points of fire damage to anyone in melee range.

   When the owner needs an attractive and lethal date for any purpose, all he or she has to do is focus on the invitation or reservation and his or her companion will appear, dressed appropriately for whatever the event is. The owner of the coin can also summon a date for a friend or close associate instead of for him- or herself.

   This magically created companion is a perfect date for the owner (or whoever the companion is there to escort); he can carry on intelligent and informed conversations about any topic. He also has perfect manners and timing when it comes to interacting with other guests at events and subtly always making sure his date is perceived in the best possible light by way of his behavior.
   In addition to being great eye candy and perfect socially, the magical companion has the ability to defend the owner and those he or she is friendly with from attacks or other forms of violence. She can only be injured by magic or by enchanted weapons with at least a +2 bonus. She has 100 hit points and has all the class abilities and the attack rolls, saving throws and DC/AC of a 10th-level Monk (fantasy OGL d20 System) or Fast Hero (OGL d20 Modern). The companion is also proficient with all weapons, is an expert in all martial arts and unarmed combat styles, and has a talent for turning just about any item he can place his hands on into a weapon.

   The summoned date remains in the company of the person he is escorting for 20 hours, until released, or until destroyed through damage suffered in combat. Each time, the date is a different Lord of Wushu.
   The Ten Lords can be summoned once per day while the coin is in the possession of the person it was gifted to. They can only be summoned individually a maximum of ten times during a year during a year lasting from January 1 through December 31.

   The person who first received the coin can regift it as a Christmas or birthday present to someone they love, or someone they have stood side-by-side in combat. If it is sold, given with an expectation of reward, or taken under any circumstance other than those described above, it immediately becomes just an odd Chinese coin with no magical qualities.
   Trivia: Each of the Ten Lords of Wushu are based on actual martial arts masters that Brigid has met and befriended during her many trips to China and Taiwan. Most have been dead for centuries, but Brigid still summons a magic replica of one of them when she feels like practicing unarmed combat with her human form.

   In centuries past, the Lords were far more sedate and deliberate in the way they entered combat. With the arrival of the Hong Kong karate-themed movies in the 1960s and 1970s ("chop-socky flicks"), Brigid recalibrated her creation to mimic the outrageously surreal worlds of those films. She did this because she felt it would be more disorienting to foes in combat with the summoner, but also because she thought the cartoonish behavior was hilarious.

On the Ninth Day of Christmas, the Dragon Gave to Me...

Nine Ladies Dancing
This gift is a well-read theatre program either from the early 1930s, late 1960s, or mid 1980s, but always for Dance Crazy: The Musical. It might be worth a few dollars to hardcore memorabilia collectors, but the condition isn't one that would attract the attention of museums. Inside the program is a note written in flourish-rich cursive style, on stationary from The Frederick Hotel on West Broadway dating from the same period as the program, that reads: "Bring this to a stage or an open space, wave it over your head and shout, 'The show must go on!'" If examined with detect magic, both the program booklet and the letter inside it radiate a mixture of Illusion, Divination, and Summoning magic.

   Function: When the owner of the program booklet follows the instructions on the note, a chorus line of nine dancers in golden leotards and top hats and they perform a song and dance from Dance Crazy: The Musical. Music is provided by an unseen orchestra.

    When they are done with the number, one of the dancers lets the owner know that they would all like to get to know him or her better, and each of them would be honored to join the owner at an event, a party, or just for dinner.They then dissolve into quickly dispersed wisps of smoke until summoned again.

   When the owner needs an attractive date for any purpose, all he has to do is focus on the invitation or reservation and his or her companion will appear, dressed appropriately for whatever the event is. This magically created companion is a perfect date for the owner; she can carry on intelligent and informed conversations about any topic that the owner wants to talk about. She will also have perfect manners and timing when it comes to interacting with other guests at events and subtly always making sure the owner is perceived in the best possible light by way of her behavior.

   In addition to being great eye candy and perfect socially, the magical companion has the ability to defend the owner and those he or she is friendly with from attacks or other forms of violence. She can only be injured by magic or by enchanted weapons with at least a +2 bonus. She has 100 hit points and has all the class abilities and the attack rolls, saving throws and DC/AC of a 10th-level Bard (fantasy OGL d20 System) or Charismatic Hero (OGL d20 Modern). The companion is also proficient with all weapons, is an expert in all martial arts and unarmed combat styles, and a talent for turning just about any item she can place her hands on into a weapon.

   The summoned date remains with the owner for 20 hours, until released, or until destroyed through damage suffered in combat. Each time, the date is a different dancer. 

   If the GM feels so inclined, the following random table can be used to determine if the magical date bears a striking resemblance to someone famous.

d12 Roll    Who the Date Resembles

1-6              No one recognizable but is still a knock-out.

7                 Bunty Bailey

8                 Cyd Charrise

9                 Paulette Goddard

10               Bessie Love

11               Virginia Mayo

12               Barbara Stanwyck

              

   The chorus line can be summoned an unlimited amount of time. However, the individual dancers can only be summoned nine times during a year lasting from January 1 through December 31. If the summoned dancer resembles a real person, they appear as they did during the height of their dance careers. 

   Trivia: Dance Crazy: The Musical was the brain-child of a pair of ancient dragons--gold dragon who goes by the name of Robin among humans, and the red dragon Brigid. They have tried staging it several times since they collaborated on it in the late 1920s/early 1930s, but each time it has been a flop. Interestingly, although it was made in the hopes it would appeal to humans, Robin has informed Brigid that the show has become very popular with dragons and that it is constantly being staged on the various elemental planes where they now mostly make their homes.

On the Eighth Day of Christmas, the Dragon Gave to Me...

Eight Maids-a-Milking
This item consists of a wooden base that features a drawer on one side and a brass plate on the other. On the base are mounted somewhat crudely made figurines of four grown country women and four country girls. They are gathered around, what in scale to them, is an item that looks like a cross between a giant tea pot and a coffee pot. The figurines serve as a holder for the tea/coffee pot, which can be lifted off the base, its lid removed, and up to three cups of liquid can be poured into and served from it. If examined with a detect magic spell active, all parts of the Eight Maids-a-Milking radiate Summoning magic; the magic is stronger during the early morning hours, waning and waxing in intensity as a day moves through the hours.

   Function: Every day, just after the sun clears the horizon, the tea/coffee pot (hereafter "dispenser") fills with three cups of milk. If the Eight Maids-a-Milking is left to its own devices, the type of milk is random. The brass plate displays the kind of milk that has been created in whatever language the owner of the item is primarily literate in.

   GMs should roll on the following table to determine the kind of milk in the dispenser. Any milk left in it after sundown evaporates without a trace, leaving the dispenser dry and clean.

1d12    Type of Milk

1          Cow milk

2          Donkey milk

3          Goat milk

4          Yak milk

5           Reindeer milk

6           Sheep milk

7           Almond milk (unsweetened)

8           Oat milk (unsweetened)

9           Cashew mile (unsweetened)

10         Soy milk 

11         Coconut/Almond milk mix (unsweetened)

12         Chocolate almond milk (unsweetened)

   Any character that drinks at least one cup of milk created by the Eight Maids-a-Milking gains a +1 bonus to Fortitude saves for the following 12 hours. 

   The owner of Eight Maids-a-Milking can control the kind of milk that the dispenser fills with by placing a handwritten note in the drawer on the base before sundown on the prior day. The owner can also keep the dispenser from filling by either leaving the drawer empty and open or by not placing the dispenser on the base among the maid figurines.

 

   The Eight Maids-a-Milking is one of the few items that Brigid has created that the person she gave it to can give to someone else without the item losing its enchantments. In fact, if the owner gives it a person or family in need, he or she is guaranteed a visit from Brigid with another gift during the following Christmas Season. 

   If the owner of the Eight Maids-a-Milking tries to sell it, or gain some other form of personal benefit, it immediately loses all magic once a deal is made.

   Trivia: Originally, this magic item only created four different kinds of milk (cow milk, goat milk, reindeer milk, and yak milk), but Brigid has improved upon the item to expand selections, as well as to appeal to a broader swath of humans and their changing preferences. When Brigid drinks milk in human form, she prefers donkey or yak milk.

On the Seventh Day of Christmas, the Dragon Gave to Me...

Seven Swans-a-Swimming
At first glance, the seventh of the dragon's 12 Days of Christmas gifts has no connection to the lyrics of the famous song. It appears to be seven large marbles that shimmer with constant blue-green swirls within them. They are given in a red felt pouch with a golden drawstring. Each marble radiates a mixture of summoning and transmutation magic if they are inspected with a detect magic spell. The pouch raidiates very faint summoning magic. On the outside bottom of the pouch, the following phrase in High Dragon, embroidered with fine golden thread, reads, "Best Used When Halfway to Christmas Time".

   When the marbles are examined closely, however, the "shimmering" is actually a tiny animated scene of a swan gliding across a body of water under a clear blue sky, with a forest on the far shore. Shaking or rolling a marble causes them to glow brighter while the scene of the swan dissolves into swirling blue and green colors. As the image reforms, the glow fades. Is this all there is to this gift? Of course not!

   Functions: When thrown into a stream, river, pond, lake, or ocean--or even an Olympic-size pool-- the marble turns into a large, inflatable rubber swan of the type that kids, or those young at heart, ride and play on while in the water. It rapidly inflates and then floats unerringly in the water; it only capsizes if those riding on it wishes and then rights itself immediately. It is always easy to mount by the person who summoned it, and it remains as stable as they want it to be.

   Each marble summons one swan. The swan lasts for 12 hours or until the person who summoned it is done playing in the water or on beach or is otherwise safely back on solid ground. (In extreme circumstances, a swan can thus be used as a life raft... for a time at least. When the swan's usefulness comes to an end, it dissolves into water.

   One very practical function of each of the Seven Swans-a-Swimming is that each one can detect a person in the water who is at risk of drowning within 100 yards of its present location. The swan makes it very easy for the at-risk person to climb onto it, or just cling to it, and then heads for the nearest solid ground and help. The swan might even emit loud screeches to attract attention of nearby people to provide assistance.

   The size and appearance of the Seven Swans-a-Swimming varies in a totally random fashion. 

   Trivia: Until 1935, Brigid made the Seven Swans-a-Swimming to be larger, more lethal versions of the Six Geese-a-Laying (but without the added benefit of free eggs). Once she got wind of the idea of Christmas in July, she reinvented the seventh gift to serve as a promotion of this second Christmas!

There's a New Year coming...

... and one of the benefits to being a dragon who has perfected shapeshifting into a human form is that you can use magic portals to follow the arrival of 2025 and attend dozens of parties along the way.

From the tiny island nation of Kiribati, the very first place humans flip the calendar to 2025, all the way to Baker Island, the very last place where the new year begins, and home to a very small, secret community of Witchkind, Brigid goes from celebration to celebration, joyously bringing in the new year along with her favorite lesser beings--humanity! (Although her mood to party is nowhere as intense as what will come for the Lunar New Year, which is what dragons observe.)

At each party she attends, Brigid picks one human to give a present to. It is the very last thing she does before she moves on to the next one, and the beneficiaries of her gift often chalk it up to a gag or a distortion of reality through a drunken haze.

The gift is a delicate chain necklace that sometimes has a piece of jewelry on it. Brigid gives it to the subject of her largess with the comment, "You deserve to have a great year. Wear this always and it will make a difference. And if you're ever in danger or otherwise in serious need of help, break the chain and I'll be there in a flash. But you can only do this once, so choose the moment carefully." 

THE DRAGON'S NEW YEAR BLESSING

This is a delicate chain necklace that appears to be made out of silver, gold, or platinum. Sometimes, a small amulet resembling a dragon's head hangs upon it. Both the chain and the amulet radiate a curious mixture of abjuration, divination, and summoning magic.

   Functions: When worn by the person Brigid the Dragon gave it to, the dragon's new year blessing provides a +1 enchantment bonus to all skill checks and saving throws from the first second of January 1st through the very last moment of December 31st during the year it is received. When the new year comes, all magic is drained from the necklace, leaving it just a simple piece of understated jewelry.

   For a person who finds him- or herself in a life-or-death situation or otherwise attempting to deal with a disastrous outcome, the dragon's new year blessing has a function that's even more powerful. 

   If the person it was gifted breaks the chain necklace while wearing it (DC3 Strength Check), it becomes red hot for a moment, then seems to dissolve into the thin air. At the end of the following round, Brigid appears in her human form. She quickly appraises the situation, asks the character what he or she needs (assuming it isn't immediately clear) and then takes action. If she can resolve the situation without abandoning her human form, she will... but if the danger is serious enough, she takes her true, massive form. What follows will be the nightmarish destruction that happens whenever an ancient red dragon reveals its true self to mortals who are endangering things it cares about.

   Once the danger has passed, Brigid returns to her human form, chats briefly with the character and his or allies, promises she'll show up for any Christmas and/or New Year parties they may host, then says goodbye and vanishes as suddenly as she appeared. (If she is asked about the status of the dragon's new year blessing, Brigid will say that the magic in it is spent.)

   Special: The dragon's new year blessing only provides benefit to the person Brigid gave it to; it is just a simple piece of jewelry on anyone else... except if it is stolen or looted. Then, whoever wears it is subject to a curse that inflicts -4 to all attack rolls, saving throws, and skill checks for the remainder of the year unless subjected to remove curse with a 20th-level caster effectiveness..

Brigid the Dragon, celebrating the New Year's Eve with friends.

Brigid the Dragon in the process of abandoning her human form.
She warned them not to make her angry...

On the Sixth Day of Christmas, the Dragon Gave to Me...

Six Geese-a-Laying
One of the bulkier gifts the Dragon Who Loves Christmas might bestow upon someone is the Six Geese-a-Laying. It consists of six carefully crafted woodcarvings of geese. They are made from basswood, but then either glazed or painted through some unusual method that no mortal has been able to determine. (The coloring of the wood is part of the enchantment process.) If subjected to detect magic, all six statues radiate a moderate aura of divination magic with hints of summoning and transmutation magic mixed in. The magic is equally strong on each of the carving and it does not change in intensity if they are close together or many miles apart.

   Functions: When any one of the Six Geese-a-Laying carvings is placed within the boundaries of what the owner considers his or her domicile (including any yard, gardens, or outbuildings around it) it becomes a magical alarm and defense. If someone who has hostile intent toward the owner and his or her belongings comes within a 20-foot radius of one of the Geese, it starts honking loudly--so loudly anyone within 500 feet can hear it and individuals close to the carving must roll a successful Fortitude saving throw (DC18) or become confused for one round and be deafened for 1d6+6 hours.

   If the trespassing intruder doesn't retreat the following round, the carving animates and attacks. It is treated like a 5th level Warrior with no Strength or Size modifiers to attack and damage rolls; it attacks twice each round, inflicting 1d4+2 piercing damage with its beak and 2d4+2 bludgeoning damage with its wings; it can only be damaged by spells, spell-like attacks, or enchanted weapons with a +2 or better bonus; each construct has 35 hit points. If reduced to 0 or lower, the construct crumbles to moldy sawdust and wood splinters. Once destroyed, all magic is dispersed from the construct.

   One, all, or just some of the Six Geese-a-Laying can be deployed to provide security for the owners domicile and surrounding area. Each carving functions as described above, and no power or function is lost if one or more are destroyed. 

   One quirky aspect to the Six Geese-a-Laying (and Brigid's favorite) is that every day 1d6 of the Geese actually produce an egg. The eggs appear under the carvings that "lay" shortly before sunrise. The eggs appear to be normal goose eggs in every way, despite their obviously arcane origins. A person who eats a meal that incorporates one or more of these magical goose eggs gains a +1 bonus to melee attacks and Intimidation skill checks.

 

 

   Although the Six Geese-a-Laying are created as one unit, they can be split up and used by several people. The person originally gifted with them can give any number of the Six Geese-a-Laying away as a gift to others without any of them losing their enchantments. The gifted geese become attuned to the recipient's domicile, just as they were to the original owner. (The carvings must be given without expectation of any compensation. If the owner expects anything from the recipient other than he or she being a little safer as a result of the gift. If one of the Six Geese-a-Laying is regifted with any selfish agendas, all of the carvings immediately lose their enchantment and crumble into moldy debris.

   Trivia: Brigid made the Six Geese-a-Laying to mimic aspects of standard alarms and defenses that dragons place their "lairs" and treasures. As for the eggs... goose eggs are one of Brigid's favorite things to eat when in human form.

On the Fifth Day of Christmas, the Dragon Gave to Me...

Five Gold Rings
The Five Gold Rings is among the rarest of Christmas gifts: It is intended to be re-gifted. In fact, the person to whom Brigid the Christmas Dragon gives the Five Gold Rings will benefit if he or she chooses to give most the gold rings to others.

   The Five Gold Rings are each different in appearance, with four being slender and delicate and one being hefty. This larger ring is decorated with a representation of a red dragon's head and the phrase "Christmas Blessings" in a long-lost language that can only be deciphered through the use of a read magic spell. If the rings are subjected to a detect magic spell, they are found to radiate abjuration magic with a slight accent of divination magic. 

   Function: When the Five Gold Rings are first given to a character, each functions as a +1 ring of protection. Each time the recipient gives one of the slender rings away to another person as a gift, the hefty ring with the dragon's head gains an additional +1 bonus to its enchantment. Once all four of the other rings have been regifted, the fifth ring is a +5 ring of protection. The other rings remain +1 rings of protection.

    If the character to whom the Five Gold Rings is gifted give away rings with conditions attached or expectations, or tries to sell any of them, all rings immediately lose their enchantments. The slender rings can be sold to jewelers for base values of $25+2d10, while the heavier, ornate ring can be sold for $50+2d10. The ornate ring can be sold to a character who has knowledge of dragon magic and dragon society for a base value of $200.

On the Fourth Day of Christmas, the Dragon Gave to Me...

Four Calling Birds
This piece of artwork is perfect for mantlepieces, coffee tables, or shelving units that aren't completely filled with books. It consists of four blackbird statuettes made from carefully shaped obsidian that are mounted on a slab of polished marble. If subjected to detect magic, the item radiates moderate illusion magic.

   Function: When placed inside the home or place of work of the owner of the Four Calling Birds, if he or she, or any person there with permission, says the word "Sing", the sculpture starts playing the speaker's favorite genre of music at a soft volume. By saying "Louder" or "Quieter", the character can adjust the volume up or down. The music continues until the character leaves the location or he or she says "Silence".

   The user of the Four Calling Birds can direct it to play music by a specific composer, band, rock group, singer--any music performed by any human, anywhere on Earth, at any time. The user must say "Sing and Play Falco".  The music doesn't even have to exist as a recording anywhere, nor does the performers of it need to be well-known. Any music that has been performed anywhere by anyone can be channeled through the magic of the Four Calling Birds.

   If the music exists (or existed at one time) as recordings, the user can specify collections by title, or series of albums and performances by mentioned specific years, such as "Sing and play music composed by Mike Oldfield from 1985 through 2015." In this example, the selection will be random, but it will all be performed by Mike Oldfield together with supporting vocalists and musicians. Also, when genres or a broad selection of a particular band or artist is played, any Christmas music that falls under those parameters is mixed in among the rest, no matter what time of year it is.

   If a user asks the Four Calling Birds to play Christmas music, the recording you can hear by clicking below is always in the mix somewhere. It also happens to be "Brigid's Happy Christmas Theme" if the film version of The Dragon Who Loves Christmas ever gets made!

On the Third Day of Christmas, the Dragon Gave to Me...

Three French Hens
This is one of twelve magic items that Brigid, the Dragon Who Loves Christmas, has invented after being inspired by "The Twelve Days of Christmas song. It is one of the more powerful ones, but it also leaves those upon whom it is gifted a little confused when they initially are gifted with it.

Brigid, the Dragon Who Loves Christmas, also loves kindhearted humans.
She gets enjoyment out of creating magic items and giving them as gifts.

   The Three French Hens is a finely crafted feather duster with an ornate dowel handle made from stained hard wood and a brush consisting of cockatrice feathers. When first acquired, it radiates a strong auras of summoning and transmutation magic with a hint of divination magic present also.

   Functions: To activate the Three French Hens, the character must be inside a place of residence or business. He or she then swipes its feathers once over a flat surface that might accumulate dust. The feather duster then disappears and three young women in French maid outfits, carrying a variety of housekeeping and cleaning items, appear in the room. They greet the character in French and then go about cleaning the home, office, or business.

   It takes the maids ten minutes to clean each room in the residence or commercial space, no matter how messy, filthy, or large it is. Each hallway and stairway takes five minutes. The maids leave each area they access exceptionally clean with everything organized and in its proper places. Whatever dust, dirt, debris (or worse) that the maids clean and sweep away is transmuted into magical energy and used to power the enchantments on the Three French Hens.

   The maids clean the entire residence or business area, but not the entire building if it contains multiple homes or business spaces operated by others. Once their work is done, the three maids vanish as suddenly as they appeared, and the Three French Hens reappears on the surface it was being used upon to trigger the summoning.

  The physical appearance of the French maids vary from summoning to summoning. Here are some examples:

 
 

 

   While the three maids are cleaning, they are constantly talking to each other in French. Some of the conversation is about their latest dates, but some of it is about celebrity scandals that are unfolding or some politician's transgression against his or her self-declared morals. (This constant chatter is where the name of the item is drawn from; Brigid thought it was an amusing idiomatic pun. Another joke that Brigid has built into the item is that there's a small chance that one of the magical maids bears a strong resemblance to her human form. Whenever the item is used, one of the Three French Hens looks like Brigid if 30 is rolled on 3d10.)

   If the owner and user of the Three French Hens knows French, he or she will be able to ask the maids one question per Charisma bonus point. They will chatter and gossip about the topic for 1d6+2 minutes before providing an answer. The quality of the answer varies randomly according to a random d6 roll.

Roll    Three French Hens Answer

1          Completely accurate.

2          Somewhat accurate but with random rumor added.

3          Somewhat accurate but with false sexual aspect added.

4          Completely inaccurate and very salacious.

5          Completely inaccurate and so ridiculous it is obviously not true.

6          Completely accurate.

   The summoned maids clean the domicile or commercial space they've been summoned into without question or hesitation, be it picking up the aftermath of a rave or cleaning up the site of a gory mass murder. Their cleaning and straightening methods are marked with the sort of precision that a dragon inventories his or her hoard.

   The maids will never initiate combat. If even one of them is attacked, all three vanish. The attacker is subjected to a curse that inflicts a -3 to all skill checks and attack rolls until the attacker finds a dragon to cast remove curse on him or her.

   During a 12-month period that goes from February 1 through January 31 (roughly, with about a two-week window of variance from the third week of January through the first week of February), the Three French Hens can typically be used a total of 12 times. Whether the owner uses the item once a day or once a month, it stops working after its 12th use. However, on December 25, it becomes active again and is recharged with 12 more uses/charges. (The item never has more than 12 charges. Even if charges remain on December 24, the number resets to 12.)

   

Brigid always needs to call upon the Three French Hens on Christmas Day.

 

On the Second Day of Christmas, the Dragon Gave to Me...

Two Turtle Doves

This pair of small silver lapel pins are identical representation of a dove in flight. If detect magic is used on them, they radiate abjuration and summoning magic. The two turtle doves is treated as one item, but the two pins that it consists of it is intended to be used by two different individuals.

   Function: When worn on a character's collar or lapel, it grants a +1 bonus to all Bargain, Bluff, and Diplomacy skill checks, as the item's enchantment makes the wearer seem inherently more likable.
   Perhaps an even more important function of two turtle doves is that it provides a magical link between the person to whom two turtle doves was gifted by Brigid and a person that is given one of the two pins to wear. The two characters can, by taking a full round action and picturing the other person in his or her mind, get a sense of how that person is physically and mentally--whether they are injured, scared, sleeping, unconscious, and so on. On the round immediately following, the character may take a second full round action to cause him- or herself to be magically transported to a safe location within line-of-sight of the other wearer of a turtle dove pin. If it is not possible to appear in a safe location within line-of-sight, the character appears as closely as possible. A successful Listen or Search skill check (DC dependent on location) will give him or her enough clues to discern where the one they've come to help is.

   Trivia: Brigid created this item to partially mimic a dragon's ability to locate things they are very familiar with and very fond of (a particular coin, a favorite magic sword, a loyal friend, and so on).

"Friends look out for each other. Friends are the greatest treasure!"

On the First Day of Christmas, the Dragon Gave to Me...

A Partridge in a Pear Tree

This item is five inches tall and two inches wide at the top. It is a glass figurine of a tree attached to a shallow silver dish that's just slightly over two inches in diameter. 

   The glass tree a lightly leafed tree with tiny yellow drop-shaped objects hanging from its branches. A representation of a partridge sits in the crown of the tree.

   If detect magic is used on the item, it radiates summoning and protection magic.

   Functions: Once per day, at Sunrise, a perfectly ripe pear appears on the silver plate. It can be cut into up to four sections, and each person who eats their part of the pear gains 1d4 bonus hit points above and beyond the character's normal maximum (or heals that number of points if already injured). The bonus points go away at Sundown.

   When the item is placed where the person to whom the partridge in a pear tree was gifted is residing (either temporarily or permanently), it starts making loud squawking noises whenever someone that has harmful intents toward the character and his or her property (including theft). The noise is loud enough that any sleeping characters are awakened and anyone just outside the dwelling or anywhere within it will hear.

Brigid, the Dragon Who Loves Christmas posing as human.
Click here for a little information about her.

This post is part of a series describing twelve magic items created by an ancient red dragon who loves Christmas. Click here for background and context.

The Twelve Days of the Christmas Dragon

Brigit is what an ancient red dragon calls herself when she assumes human form to interact with mortals. Although she spends most of her time in her isolated dwelling in the mountains of northern Arizona, every December and January, she travels the Earth non-stop to visit as many places and share her love of Christmas with as many people as possible. 

The Dragon Who Loves Christmas with her treasure hoard.

Unlike most of her kind, Brigit is fond of humanity and their ever-changing ways and seemingly boundless creativity. She has always enjoyed taking part in their Winter Festivals, and has loved Christmas since villagers invited her share their celebration early in the 9th century A.D. If she visits a town or attends a dinner or party where the Christmas spirit is in the air, things become so magical and festive that those who were present will tell stories about it for years. There will likewise be talk if she comes to a town or enters a home where the spirit of Christmas is being violated with cruelty and selfishness. When encountering such, Brigit first tries to convince the wrong-doers to mend their behavior and outlooks. When that fails, which it almost always does, because Brigit's human form is that of a cute and unimposing young woman with messy red hair and lots of freckles, she reveals her true self and brings a level of terror and destruction to that time and place such as only a red dragon is capable of.

"You better watch out. You better be nice. You won't like me when I'm angry."

Centuries ago, a rhyming game played by human children at Christmas time inspired Brigid to create a set of 12 magic items that reflect the game. As with almost everything Christmas related, her source of inspiration has morphed and changed over time and it is now the Christmas carol known as "The Twelve Days of Christmas".

Brigid makes one or more of the items every month during the year, and, at Christmas time. She gives them out as presents to mortals that were either particularly generous to her or selflessly sacrificing to promote the well-being of others, or to individuals she feels could benefit from and deserve the help the magic item can provide.

Click on the links below to read descriptions and RPG mechanics for each of Brigid's "Twelve Days of Christmas"-themed magic items.

 

THE TWELVE MAGIC ITEMS OF CHRISTMAS

First Day           Second Day           Third Day

Fourth Day        Fifth Day               Sixth Day

Seventh Day      Eighth Day            Ninth Day

Tenth Day          Eleventh Day        Twelfth Day

NUELOW at Christmas: Day Twenty

THE SIX ARTIFACTS OF SANTA CLAUS

For a number of centuries, a set of related magical items believed to be the property of Santa Claus has been changing hands and drifting through the underground market for supernatural items. Only rarely have they been collected in one place, and it is the goal of many collectors to own all six items in the set. Some, like Brigid the Christmas Dragon, want to acquire them so they can return them to Santa as a present, but most want the bragging rights.

   Below, we present the Six Artifacts of Santa Claus as viewed through the lense of the d20 Game System. (The descriptions of the six items are released under the Open Game License and may be reproduced in accordance with its term.)

Giant Candy Cane of Peacemaking: This giant candy cane functions like a great hammer and deals 1d12 non-lethal bludgeoning damage. There are no bonuses to hit or damage rolls, but a target that is struck must make a successful Wisdom saving throw (DC22) or be frozen in place. The target is aware of everything happening around them, but unable to move in any way other than to breathe. The target is held in place until the wielder of the candy cane releases him or her from the enchantment (with a standard action), until dispel magic with a 20th level effectiveness is cast on the target, or until 12 hours have passed from the moment the target failed the Wisdom saving throw.

Santa’s Bag of Christmas Gifts: This is a bag of holding with 600 lbs. of weight available. Gifts can be taking out of the bag as a free action. The gift is always something the person it is intended for wants or needs.

Santa’s Boots: These heavy black boots paradoxically provide the wearer a +4 bonus to Stealth skill checks, at will the wearer can choose to leave no tracks in snow. The boots resize to fit whoever puts them on.

Santa's Hat: This red, fur-lined bobble hat appears like one of the most iconic symbols of Christmas. It grants the wearer the ability to unerringly identify the current location of a being whose true name is known to him or her, as well as the place that being considers its home.

Santa's Overcoat: This red long coat provides the wearer immunity to natural cold temperatures or from getting cold from being wet. When fully buttoned, Santa's Overcoat also grants a +2 bonus to AC/DR, +1 bonus to most saving throws, and a +4 bonus to saving throws made to resist air- water- and cold-based spell-effects and spell-like abilities.

   Santa's Overcoat is made for a tall, broad-shouldered, corpulent man, but it adjusted slightly if a smaller person wears it... but it still appears to be ill-fitting on anyone but Santa himself.

THE TRUTH ABOUT THE ITEMS

In reality, the six items described in this article were actually made by Brigid the Christmas Dragon because she wanted to fill in for Santa Claus if he ever needed help. The items were stolen from her original lair in France, on Christmas Eve of 1792 when it was penetrated by revolutionaries as the Reign of Terror was taking shape. She has been trying to recover them ever since, not because she necessarily wants to give them to Santa, but because she thinks he will laugh at them if her creations were ever put side by side with the spectacularly wondrous magical items he uses to deliver gifts and happiness all around the world.