The Boxes of Doom

"The Boxes of Doom" is a series of random tables intended to spark the imagination of GMs to create an adventure of mystery, magic, and horror. The GM should roll 1d6 against the tables below to generate key elements of an adventure, and then use their imaginations to flesh out the resulting storyline. The tables contain references to certain characters and concepts that have been featured in NUELOW Games products or on this blog, such as the Sorceress of Zoom, the Amazons, and the Witchkind.

The idea for this was suggested by a horror short film by Alex Magana, "Do Not Open", which you can watch here. I think you'll find it to be time very well-spent.

What RPG rules mentioned in the post are nominally d20 System, but the post is mostly rules-free and full of ideas.

THE SET-UP

People are vanishing all across the city, and the authorities are stumped. The only common denominator between the disappearances is that the vanished individuals shared certain superficial traits and that scraps of cardboard boxes were found where they were last seen. This is being written off as a coincidence by most in law enforcement, but conspiracy theorists and online armchair detectives are seizing on that.

The truth is that the cardboard scraps are indeed the clue--the boxes are means by which a sinister attacker is causing victims to disappear.

THE BOXES

These mysterious cardboard boxes are being left on doorsteps. If one of the boxes isn't opened within five minutes of its being found, the person who first discovered it or brought it into a home or office must roll a Will save (DC15) or feel a compulsion to open the box; anyone else who enters the room with the box must roll a Will save (DC12) or feel a similar compulsion. When the box is opened, everyone within the room (or 30 feet, if the box is still outside) are drawn into another existence. 

Can the victims be saved? Who is behind this evil scheme? Roll on the following tables to determine the details around which you can build an RPG adventure!

WHO IS BEING TARGETED? (Roll 1d6)

1. Young Women

2. Epidemiologists

3. Astrologers and Mystics

4. Politicians and Their Families

5. Journalists and Their Families

6. The Player Characters and Their Friends and Loved Ones

WHY ARE THEY BEING TARGETED? (Roll 1d6)

1. Revenge for past slights, real or imagined.

2. Their skills (or just their bodies) are demanded by the Sorceress of Zoom

3. Their bodies are needed to serve as vessels for demonic spirits.

4. They are prophesized to save the Enchanted Realm.

5. As #4, but only 1d6 of the victims are the actual prophesized ones. No one knows for sure. 

6. As #4, but they are prophesized to destroy the Enchanted Realm as servants of the Sorceress of Zoom.

WHERE ARE THE VICTIMS BEING TRANSPORTED TO? (Roll 1d6)

1. A barren hellscape where they die from exposure 1d2 days after they vanish.

2. Prison cells in the Flying City of Zoom.

3. Into cages in an abandoned factory.

4. Into cells in a dank torture dungeon.

5. Into a richly appointed series of chambers in a castle in the Enchanted Realm.

6. An extra-dimension city inhabited by the Witchkind and Amazons--and they are as surprised to see the victims as the victims are to be there.

WHO IS TARGETING THEM? (Roll 1d6)

1. A would-be lover of the Sorceress of Zoom who is trying to impress her.

2. Someone they wronged--or who believes they wronged him or her.

3. A cultist hoping to curry favor with the demonic entity he or she worships.

4. A delivery driver who is hoping to unlock secret demonic powers.

5. An extra-dimensional sexual pervert looking for new and unusual victims.

6. The Master of the Enchanted Realm.

WHAT POWERS THE MAGIC OF THE BOX? (Roll 1d6)

1. Secret enchantments known only to a reclusive demonlord.

2. The boxes include matter from a cursed tree. 13 of them exist.

3. Each box houses a demonic spirit that is released into the world when the victim is transported.

4. Tiny dimensional imps native to the City of Zoom that have been enslaved; they are released when the box is activated and the victims are teleported.

5. A spell that is cast on each box that the creator obtained either through theft or as a gift from the Sorceress of Zoom. Each time the creator enchants a box, he or she becomes closer to ending up wherre the victims are being transported to. The creator can use the spell a maximum of 2d6+6 times. He or she is not aware of this limit.

6. Innate magical abilities of the person creating the box, brought out by intense hatred toward the victims. Unknown to anyone but the Master of the Enchanted Realm, the creator of the boxes is part dragon.

HOW CAN THE VICTIMS BE SAVED? (Roll 1d6)

1. The Player Characters must be transported by the boxes. They will then have to free the victims and find their way to a gate back to their world (assuming the victims are even transported to another realm).

2. The Sorceress of Zoom knows how to recover the victims. She will do so, and restore them all to life and into the Player Characters' care, so long as they catch and deliver the creator of the boxes to her.

3. The Player Characters must journey to the Enchanted Realm and secure the help of its Sorcerer Supreme.

4. The Player Characters must find the creator of the boxes and force him or her to reverse the magic.

5. As #4, except the creator of the boxes doesn't know how to reverse the magic. The Player Characters must either reverse engineer the spells themselves, or seek the help of another expert in magic. Roll on WHO IS TARGETING THEM? to see who the characters need to seek out.

6. There is no way to save the victims; the Player Characters can only avenge them and prevent others from becoming victims.

 

Doppelganger Eggs

This material was inspired by Dylan Clark's horror short film "Hatched" (2021). You can watch it at the Terror Titans blog by clicking here. (Ideally, you came here from that post, as even the title of this one may be a little bit of a spoiler.)

   The game mechanics attached are for the OGL Modern variation of the d20 System, but it should be easily adaptable to most other RPGs that are out there.

DOPPLEGANGER EGGS

Doppelganger Eggs are one-shot magic items that were developed in ancient times by Atlantean Biomancers, and the art of creating them is now only known to the secretive Witchkind and a tribe of equally secretive doppelgangers (creatures capable of assuming the form of any humanoid creature they kill, as well as absorbing their most ingrained personality traits and skills) who work with them. By performing a complex ritual, a doppelganger is put into the egg. When the egg is cracked or hatches when the magic wears off, the doppelganger swiftly returns to his original size. It can then infiltrate the household into which the egg was smuggled (usually among other food items).

   The Atlanteans would use the eggs to unleash assassins and infiltrators on unsuspecting enemies, and that is how they are used in modern-times as well. 

Creating Doppelganger Eggs

Doppelganger Eggs are created using any eggs laid by a non-magical bird or reptile and a willing doppelganger. Two beings with knowledge of how to create Doppelganger Eggs and the ability to cast 5th-level spells and knowledge of the Transmutation and Necromantic magic schools must work together to create the Doppelganger Egg. Usually, the two spellcasters and the Doppelganger are long-time associates, if not actually friends, so all those involved trust each other to do the best possible job and to take care of each other if a client/customer tries to betray them or welch on a deal.

   The ritual must be performed in a specially constructed location with a permanent enchantment area used exclusively for the creation of Doppelganger Eggs and a small number of related magic items. Over the course of three hours of intensive spellcraft, a doppelganger and an egg are merge. By the end of the process, the egg is undetectable from similar eggs, except that it radiates a faint aura of necromantic magic if such is detected for. Up to four Doppelganger Eggs can be created at one time, and the ritual is prolonged by one hour for each Egg in addition to the first one. The makers of the Eggs can perform their ritual once per day, as it drains them to the point where they must have a full night rest before they can cast magic or perform rituals again.

   Doppelgangers that work with the Witchkind conform to the standard statistics in the rule book.

Acquiring Doppelganger Eggs

To acquire one or or more Doppelganger Egg, a character must first gain the trust of the Witchkind, and then they must be able to locate a very secretive group of artificers in their society since what they do is not exactly looked upon kindly by any authorities.

   Each Doppelganger is made to order. Upon making contact, those interested in gaining one or more Egg must provide a general description of what they want to achieve with the Egg, so the Doppelganger knows who to kill and/or replace and what to do once that has been done. A mission can be a straight-forward assassination or it can be a long-term infiltration. For a relatively simple mission, the cost to acquire an Egg requires a DC18 Wealth check (with the check increasing in difficulty by +4 for each additional Egg being ordered) with the base Wealth check being perhaps as high as DC28 for a complicated, long-term intelligence gathering mission). The price can be raised or lowered if the purchaser wants to impose specific restrictions or demands upon the Doppelgangers that aren't directly related to the mission at had (such as demanding that the location and/or assumed identity must be vacated as soon as the mission is complete). The price also increases if the purchaser wants the Witchkind and the Dopplegangers to handle the placement of the Eggs.

Using Doppelganger Eggs

Doppelganger Eggs are usually placed among innocent groceries that are brought into a household or other place where a target lives. As soon as the Egg is cracked or 48 hours pass (the duration of the magic), the Doppelganger bursts forth and swiftly returns to its full size. Any characters who witness this even must roll successful Wisdom checks (DC14) or be so startled that they will not be able to take action that round the Doppelganger appears, and the Doppelganger automatically gains initiative the following round. 

   The Doppelganger suffers a -2 penalty to all skill checks, saving throws, and attack rolls for the first six rounds after emerging from the Egg, due to the physical and mental shock of recovery. As such, it will initially try to retreat if it isn't catching potential victims completely unaware.

What happens if you say 'Bloody Mary' three times?

The urban legend is that if you say Bloody Mary by candlelight in front of a mirror three times, she appears. But what happens when she does? Use the random tables below to find out, if the PCs in your game decide they want to tempt Fate during the Halloween Season. (The table can either be used every time it's done, or used to decide a constant result.)

We've tried to make this as general a game supplement as possible. GMs will have to interpret what's here in the context of whatever RPG system they will be using this content in.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU SAY "BLOODY MARY"? (Roll 1d6)

   1. A ghoul with 10 times the normal amount of hit points materializes and attacks the foolish person who summoned it, as well as anyone who tries to intervene. After the summoner is dead, the monster disappears, taking the summoner's tongue with it.

   2. An angry ghost manifests and attacks the foolish person who summon it, as well as anyone who tries to intervene. After the summoner is dead, the ghost will grant one person present (who is still alive) a wish.

   3. A powerful demon appears. It demands that anyone present answer three questions truthfully; they will be questions relating to some dark secret the person harbors, often something they wouldn't want others present to know. In return, it will reveal three secrets kept by a single other person the summoner asks about. If anyone lies to the demon, it attacks the summoner and anyone who tries to intervene. After three rounds of combat, it returns to the mirror and drags the summoner to Hell.

   4. The candles are suddenly and mysterious extinguished, but otherwise nothing seems to happen. In truth, the summoner has been magically replaced by an evil doppelganger that sets about destroying everything the summoner loves, even to the point of murdering his or her friends or family. The summoner is trapped in a mirror-space between dimensions, but can be freed if the ritual is performed again. This is only a temporary fix, though: The evil doppleganger must be captured and killed in front of a mirror before 13 hours have passed. Otherwise, the summoner shatters into a million tiny mirror shards and is dead forever.

   5. A Bloody Mary cocktail (complete with a celery stalk standing in it) appears in a skull-shaped glass. The glass dissolves into vapor once the drink has been consumed. Roll again on "HOW WAS THE BLOODY MARY?" below.

   6. Roll on "IT SEEMS LIKE NOTHING HAPPENED, BUT..." below.

HOW WAS THE BLOODY MARY?

(This table can also be used if characters are just ordering the cocktail.)

   1-2. It's as if the Goddess of Cocktails made it herself. Perfection!

   3-4. It's okay. You've had better.

   5. It's what you imagine fermented menstrual blood from a leprous witch with a yeast infection would taste like.

   6. It tastes great, but those who drink it start feeling sick soon after. The illness lasts for 1d6+6 hours.

IT SEEMS LIKE NOTHING HAPPENED, BUT... (Roll 1d6)

   1. A massive curse has been unleashed within a 1,000-mile radius of where the ritual has been performed: Zombies are animated and killing the living, making more zombies. To stop the world from being overrun by zombies, the PCs will need to find Bloody Mary's body and put her to rest once and for all.

   2. The summoner is stalked by a shadowy figure which he or she sees peeking through windows or lurking behind him or her in reflections...but the figure can never be caught or spotted by others. There always seems to be someone moving around in the next room from the summoner, or just around the corner, but no one is ever there when it is checked. The stress disrupts the summoner's sleep, ability to concentrate and function normally. Eventually, the summoner begins to lose his or her mind. The curse can be reversed by the character performing the ritual again, causing the shadowy figure to manifest and attack. The shadowy figure has the same stats as the summoner. No one other than the summoner can hurt or be hurt by the shadowy figure.

   3. The summoner becomes a magnet for maniacs that become obsessed with him or her, believing that they are destined to be soulmates. 1d6+2 of these "admirers" begin stalking the summoner threatening those he or she really loves, trying to drive wedges between the summoner and them, and otherwise trying to force the summoner to love them and only them. The "admirers" will eventually try to kill those the summoner really cares (and even casual encounters the summoner may have) about and even the summoner. This curse continues until either the summoner or the "admirers" are dead.

   4. The summoner (and any other characters within a 30-foot radius when the ritual is performed) are transported into the world that exists beyond the mirror and in-between moments. Everything initially seems normal, but the summoner and others brought into the weird realm soon realize they are in a place where time does not appear to pass and monsters lurk everywhere. They must find their way to Bloody Mary's lair and force her to let them go home.

   5-6. A long-time friend of the summoner is brutally murdered and witnesses claim they saw the summoner casually leave the site, covered in blood. There is no other evidence, but 1d6 days later, someone else in the summoner's life is murdered. Bloody Mary reveals herself to the summoner, appearing like a haggard version of him or her, and states that people around the summoner will continue to die until he or she kills him-or herself. The only other option is to catch Bloody Mary between two mirrors and causing her reflections to implode.

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For a great bit of Bloody Mary inspiration, click here to check out the short film starring Katy Ford (seen in the image at the top of this post) over at Terror Titans.

RPG Campaign Scenario Idea: To Where the Sun Rests

The other day, I remembered the Scottish band Goodbye Mr. Mackenzie, a group that should have been much, MUCH bigger than they were (but I digress)... and when listening to the song that bears their name, an idea for a fantasy adventure scenario came to mind. (The main requirements for making it work is that the game world must have actual gods and other supernatural beings, and it must not be govern by real-world physics and such.

This material is far broader than what's usually posted here at the blog. It is, literally, just an idea that popped into my head, but it's for an entire campaign. If just one person out sees this as a seed for something they can create, I consider it time well spent. (The idea isn't quite suitable for my current D&D campaign, but perhaps in some future one...)

TO WHERE THE SUN RESTS

An Adventure/Campaign Idea for Fantasy RPG Settings

The Beginning

The Player Characters (PCs) are traveling through a remote part of the world when they come upon a town that is completely devoid of any life. It looks like everyone packed up their belongings, loaded them onto wagons that headed in the direction of a massive mountain range that the sun descends behind to recharge every night before it flows through the underworld to rise into the sky again for its daily journey. The gods have commanded those mountains to be off-limits to mortals, and all the religions of the world hold to that commandment.

   Searching the town may allow the PCs to find a few overlooked gold pieces and other minor valuables, but everywhere they look confirms that the citizens packed up and left, seemingly voluntarily. The answer to why all citizens in unison decided to abandon a perfectly safe and sound and seemingly prosperous town seems as if it can only be learned from the people themselves.

The Middle

The PCs can easily track the townsfolk and catch up with them; they are traveling in a massive caravan, moving slowly toward the Forbidden Mountains. Men, women, children; peasants, craftsmen, nobles; all are traveling together, working together, moving their entire community across the plains to Where the Sun Rests.

   All of the town's respected leaders began having dreams and visions a year ago, the priests foremost among them. They where instructed to lead the community to the Forbidden Mountains where their grand destiny would be revealed. A few weeks later, all the citizens were having the same dreams, and so they united in a common cause, packed up all their belongings and followed what everyone agreed had to be messages from the gods.

   The PCs can choose to join the caravan--they will be asked and invited to do so because the townsfolk will welcome the added protection as they head toward the unknown. The PCs can also form advanced scouting parties and clear out threats ahead of the group of hundreds of non-combatants that need protecting.

   The journey to the Forbidden Mountains will take many months, if not years. How frequently something exciting happens along the way is up to the GM. Time can also just pass. Soon after joining the trek, however, the PCs begin to have the same dreams that are driving the NPCs--strange, hazy images of figures beckoning them and moving toward the Forbidden Mountains. Sometimes, whispering voices say that a new world and a new destiny await beyond the mountains where the sun rests. The PCs are informed that they are among the chosen few and that a great honor has been bestowed upon them.

   Any priests, clerics, or other PCs who communicate with divine beings on a regular basis get mixed messages. Some dreams and visions guide them toward the mountains, but others direct them to turn back and to attempt to encourage the townsfolk to do the same. They similarly get mixed messages if they use their "direct channel" to whatever entity they normally communicate with.

The End

The caravan reaches the Forbidden Mountains where they witness any manner of wondrous things. Things get more dangerous and fantastic as they (or maybe just a scouting party with the PCs) head up a pass. Eventually, they reach the place where the Sun Rests but any mortals who get too close are killed instantly by the heat and supernatural energies. Eventually, gods/avatars appear, alternatively urging the group to turn back or to move forward.

   Eventually, PCs and NPCs who have close relationships with divine or other supernatural entities are brought into the presence of such beings. Here, they learn that the world has a very good likelhood of being destroyed as a side effect of a massive battle that's unfolding on other planes, between gods and demons and super-powerful beings. The citizens of the town were chosen by some of the gods to be evacuated to another world so at least some of this one will live on, but other entities either want everyone to die, or want some of the mortals from this world to have a chance to defend it and possible save it.

   The PCs have one of two choices: They can either join with the townsfolk and be evacuated and, quite literally, explore new horizons; or they and a select few of the people from the town, can stay behind and try to prevent the destruction of the current world and thus possibly save billions of lives.

--

I hope you at least found the preceding interesting enough a read to not feel like you wasted your time. Maybe I'll do a follow-up post with some NUELOW Games-style random story outline generators to flesh this out. I will have to see if anyone is interested in seeing more.

Meanwhile, here's the song that inspired the above. Enjoy!

Amazonian Artifacts: Death's Embrace

This post is the latest in our d20 Amazons post series. You can read the first one here, and you can see all of them by clicking on the "Amazons" tag at the bottom of this post.

   Although written with the d20 System in mind, these rules are easily adaptable to other, similar roleplaying games.

THE THREE PARTS OF DEATH'S EMBRACE
The exact origin of the three artifacts (which some Amazon historians refer to collectively as Death's Embrace) are unknown. Some say they were created in response to amorous fairy creatures in the British Isles and vampires in the Balkan mountains. Others say they were a gift from Athena to an Amazon who had caught the eye of Zeus.

Each of the three artifacts that make up Death's Embrace provide the wearer with magical benefits or protections, but when worn together by an Amazon, they resonate with each other to provide a collective enhancement.

   Each of the three items radiate faint magic of an indeterminate type, but that magic seems to grow more powerful if the items are brought together.

THE CUPS OF SWORDS

This piece of equipment is worn on the character's chest, but it does not provide any bonus to AC or DR. The Cups of Swords consists of two, felt-lined metal cups, linked by a small chain that is worn across the wearer's chest and fastened around her by two lengths of adjustable chain and a clasp. A 10-inch long blade projects from each cup.

   Benefits: The Cups of Swords grants the wearer a +2 bonus to all d20 rolls (attacks, attribute checks, skill checks, and saving throws) when grappling. Unless otherwise specifically stated, any successful pin means the opponent has been pulled close to the character's chest and impaled by the cups of swords, suffering 2d8+2 points of damage each round the pin is maintained.

   The Cups of Swords is considered a +2 weapon. The blades are made of magically-strengthened silver. The 2d8+2 stated above includes the bonus.

   Drawbacks: None, except the Cups of Swords and its fastening chain must be in contact with the wearer's skin or the +2 bonus to d20 rolls while grappling is lost.

THE MASK OF REVEALING CONCEALMENT

This dark green mask covers the upper-half of the wearer's face and flares to upward-facing points on either side. 

   Benefits: When held to the wearer's face, it attaches magically to his or her skin. As long as the wearer is alive, the mask can only be removed willingly by the wearer, or through the use of dispel magic, cast at 20th level or higher. (The mask could also be torn from the wearer's face with a successful Strength attribute check [DC22], but that would tear both skin and flesh from the wearer that w but see Drawbacks for what happens if such a violent act is undertaken.)

   When the mask is worn, it provides  +1 bonus to all Bluff, Hide, Move Silently, Search, Sense Motive, and Spot skill checks.

   In addition, the wearer may spot beings who possesses shapeshifting abilities by merely looking at them. The wearer must specify a target, take a standard action to look at it, and make a Will saving throw (DC11). If the save is successful, the character will see a faint, multicolored glow around the target indicating that it is a shapeshifter. The wearer doesn't know what type of being the target is, whether the form it is wearing is its natural form or not, or anything other than it has the natural ability to change between one or more forms.

   Drawbacks: Once applied to a wearer's face, the mask can only be removed if the wearer wishes to remove it and takes a standard action and makes a successful Will save (DC8). The mask can also be ripped or cut from an unwilling wearer's face. This causes 5 hit points of damage and leaves the one-time wearer with a scarred and disfigured face, as well as a 25% chance of suffering damage to his or eyes that causes blindness. This brutal act gives the character a -2 modifier on Charisma-based skill checks if his or her face isn't covered when interacting with NPCs.

   Whoever removes the Mask of Revealing Concealment from its wearer through brutal means is cursed, since the Amazons still retain a favored status among the now-remote Olympians. The brutalizer suffers a -4 penalty to all attack rolls, saving throws, and skill checks until the mask is returned to the reigning Queen of the Amazon and the character has gained the forgiveness of the person he mutilated.

THE NECKLACE OF SAFETY

This large necklace consists of 20 unevenly shaped strips of silver and platinum on a pair of linked silver chains.

   Benefits: The wearer gains a +2 enhancement bonus to AC/DR and saving throws made to resist mind-altering drugs and environmental effects, as well as mind-affecting magic and spell-like abilities. (When appropriate, these bonuses stack with those gained from the Cups of Swords.)

   Drawbacks: This bonus does not stack with any bonuses gained from enchantments on items that must be worn or carried by the wearer.

COMBINED MAGIC OF DEATH'S EMBRACE

When all three items are worn together, Death's Embrace, the wearer enjoys the following benefits:

   *All bonuses to saving throws, skill checks, and AC/DR increase to +4. (Those from the Cups of Swords and others stack when appropriate.)

   *The Cups of Swords is considered a weapon of +4 enchantment.

   * The wearer inflicts a minimum of 2 points of damage with any melee or unarmed attack that is successful (regardless of damage reduction or immunities).

--

All text in this post is presented under the Open Game License and may be reproduced in accordance with its terms. Copyright 2021 by Steve Miller.

RPG-a-Day #9: The Medium

In response to today's RPG-a-Day keyword, an idea presented itself that we may already have covered in other products--sort of like the time when we accidentally re-did our idea for a magic Pho shop but with a few added menu items because we forgot we'd already had and done that idea--but here's a d20 System feat and a talent tree intended to model the idea of medium or spirit channeler who uses those talents as an adventurer or some stripe of action hero.

As with many posts here at the NUELOW Games blog, this post contains strictly first draft stuff. It flowed literally from Steve Miller's brain, through his fingers and the keyboard, and onto the blog. Any opinions or feedback you care to over are welcomed!

(All text from this point forward in the post is released under the Open Game License and may be reproduced in accordance with its terms. Copyright 2021 Steve Miller.)

THE MEDIUM
The Medium is a character who channels sprits of the dead, accessing their skills and knowledge as he or she needs it. The Medium is never possessed by the spirit, but is instead guided by it. Characters become Mediums in one of two ways, but they basically function the same and gain their abilities through the same feat and talents.

First Type of Medium

This Medium is born. For his or her entire life, there have been "invisible friends" and whispers on the winds that have been lending help and encouragement during hard times, and cheering the character on during times of success and joy. These voices and invisible friends are beings who followed the character into this world at birth, and they have been watching over him or her ever since. As the character has grown, the bonds with the spirits have persisted and perhaps even grown stronger. This Medium is a character who possesses the Medium Beginning Occupation.

Second Type of Medium

This type of Medium arises from a near-death experience. As a hero's soul returned to his or her body from beyond the edge of death, someone or something entered this plane, too. This spirit (or perhaps even several spirits) now exists to help and support the hero. This helpful spirit is represented by the Spirit Guide feat.

NEW STARTING OCCUPATION: MEDIUM

For as long as you can remember, the spirits have been your constant companions and friends. Now, they help you as you embark upon a life of daring and danger.

Medium

Mediums include professions such as clergy, psychics, sideshow performer, investigator, and life coach.

   Prerequisite: Age 15+, Wisdom 12

   Starting Skills: Pick two of the following skills as permanent class skills. If the skill selected is already a class skill, the character gains a +1 competency bonus on checks while using that skill. Decipher Script, Gather Information, Knowledge (arcane lore, history, theology and philosophy), Sense Motive, or add a new Speak Language.

   Starting Feat: You gain Spirit Guide as a bonus starting feat.
   Special: You add the following feats to those you can gain when advancing in levels in your character class. Danger Sense, Foresight, Fortune Telling, Selfless, 

NEW FEAT: SPIRIT GUIDE

A bodiless being--a kind soul, a nature spirit, or some being entirely--watches over the hero and help and supports him when needed.

Spirit Guide

You can call upon a helpful spirit (or spirits) in times of need.

   Prerequisite: Medium starting profession or near-death experience (must have fallen below -1 hit points).

   Benefit: Specify a skill that the hero either has at least 1 rank in, or which can be used untrained. Gain a +4 bonus to all skill checks for the duration of the encounter or time period during which you are using the that skill, as your Spirit Guide lets you tap into its expertise. Your spirit guide will aid you a number of times per day equal to the hero's Wisdom bonus.

   Special: Once per day, you may call upon your Spirit Guide to allow you to create spell effects identical to one of the following spells: Daze, Mage Hand, Message, Prestidigitation, or Resistance. The spell effect as if from a spell by caster of the hero's character level.

   This feat is a prerequisite for the talents from the Guiding Spirits Talent Tree.

NEW TALENT TREE: GUIDING SPIRITS

While the Spirit Guide feat represents a hero's main spirit guide, the talents on this tree represent other spirits that are helpful to the hero and that share their power and knowledge with him or her.

   Spirit of Defense: You gain a +4 bonus to DR/AC for the duration of a number of combat encounters each day equal to your Wisdom bonus.

     Prerequisite: Spirit Guide feat

   Spirit of Might: You gain a +4 bonus to damage and attack rolls for the duration of a number of combat encounters each day equal to the hero's Wisdom bonus +2. This bonus stacks will all other, regardless of source.

     Prerequisite: Spirit Guide feat

   Spirit of Magic: You may cast a number of 0- 1st-, or 2nd-level spells from the Divination school equal to your Wisdom bonus each day. These spells are added to any amount of spells you can cast from class benefits, feats. or other traits. 

  Prerequisite: Spirit Guide feat

 

RPG-a-Day #5: Throne

Continuing with the RPG-a-Day Challenge... while detailing another trophy from the Love Collection.

THE THRONE OF JUDGE MARSTON THE MERRY

In late 1927, silent movie star Bessie Love, in her secret life as a warrior against supernatural evils, squared off against and defeated a cult leader who not only trying to recruit Hollywood studio bosses to his twisted cause, but also tried to eliminate Bessie before she became a threat to his goals--and that was his mistake. From the ruins of his hideout, Bessie and an ally salvaged the ridiculously high-backed upholstered chair he had sat in while commanding his followers. Due to the presence of arcane symbols subtly included in the design of upholstery, Bessie was certain the chair held powerful magic. Although it radiates very faint magic, 

   Bessie was not able to discern the chair's purpose until after she had moved to England, where an occult historian recognized the chair as the creation of Judge Edward Marston, a judge from a rural part of Northern England who lived from 1802 to 1873. He held his judgeship from 1844 through 1860. Common history records him as a fair-minded man who put the law ahead of such things as wealth or accidents of birth and the social status and clout that came with it, as well as a man who enjoyed parties--both hosting and attending. Secret histories record him as a skilled artificer, who created, among other things, objects to help him excel as a lawyer and judge. Few details are known about his creations, and even fewer are known to still exist. (Aside from the chair, Marston is known to have created a magic gavel and judge wig, the purpose of either of which is unknown.)

   The Throne of Judge Marston the Merry was so nicknamed by close friends. Marston first created it when he was named judge, and he always sat in it while presiding over his court and passing. After he retired, he reupholstered the chair, and it then sat at the head of the banquet table in his manor's great hall--and just as he had presided over his court from it, he spent the rest of his life celebrating with his friends from it. 

   Marston died childless and his will divided his holdings and property among 12 different families of close friends or individuals he thought worthy. It is unknown how the Throne of Judge Marston the Merry ended up in the United States, let alone in Hollywood.

   Bessie Love initially had kept the Throne with most of the artifacts and magical souvenirs she collected during her adventures, but once it had been determined it was basically harmless, she moved it to her dining room.

Powers of the Throne of Judge Marston the Merry

When a character is seated in the throne, he or she gains a +10 bonus to Sense Motive skill checks, as well as a +10 bonus to Fortitude saves made to resist all resist all toxins and poisons.

Drawbacks of the Throne of Judge Marston the Merry

None.

Bessie Love, seated in the Throne of Judge Marston the Merry

After the Throne of Judge Marston the Merry became a fixture in Bessie Love's dining room, the small-framed Bessie delighted in having drinking contests with men and women who should be able to keep their liquor far better than she (because, as the saying goes, if you're not cheating, you're not trying). She would also tend to question suspicious characters in that room, while seated in the chair.

   After Bessie Love's death in 1987, the Throne of Marston the Merry returned to the United States and it presently stands in the study of a New York City-based mystic who is known as the Sorcerer Supreme.