History: The alchemist Zintaer Lubar developed the bowl in simpler times, before the chaos wars. It is said that Zintaer had serious difficulty walking, after an accident with a horse cart in his 8th year. He made the bowl to make travelling easier.
Description: This is a one of a kind and very precious bowl. It not only has magical properties, but it is also made out of pure gold. The bowl is decorated with carvings which may be some sort of runic instruction, but in a little known alphabet/language.
Use: The alchemist must fill the bowl with exactly the right combination of chemicals / herbs /essential oils to be teleported from one location to another. The alchemist must then place his left hand under the bowl and right hand inside the bowl. He will then be teleported to the predefined location. If the recipe is not correct, the “caster” or “user” will appear in a random location, to be determined by the GM.
During the chaos wars Zintaer, at this time a man of some years, used the bowl to flee the Orcish army of the red bitch. Unfortunately in his haste, he mixed the wrong ingredients and the bowl and so the alchemist and the bowl have been lost ever since.
Notes:
If the “user” puts water in the bowl and then drinks the water, he will be transported to Zintaer’s underground hideout.
Brimstone will teleport the user directly to the centre of Gaea (as in the centre of the earth). If Brimstone is placed in the bowl, the user does not have to place his right hand inside the bowl and left hand under the bowl to activate it, it will automatically transport him the moment the brimstone is placed in the bowl.
History: The skull once perched on the shoulders of a learned scholar who traveller far and wide in his quest for knowledge. His high intelligence and perfect memory led to his head being a great store of information, be it trivial, worthwhile, vague or arcane in nature. He became the man of the hour, sought after in court and petitioned by other seekers of knowledge, who would travel great distances to speak with him. As his fame grew, so did his ego. Eventually he believed himself to be of such importance that the world would be greatly disadvantaged were he to die. As a result of this belief, he met with sorcerers and alchemists of great power and made specific arrangements. The scholar lived to be quite eccentric in his old age, given to bouts of rambling. When the scholar was on his deathbed, these same enchanters gathered and performed a ghastly ritual, the details of which are too grim to repeat in this text. Suffice is to say that the result was the sages skull.
Description: The skull is encased in a thin layer of pewter, the entire surface of which is marked with runes and arcane symbols. Its eye sockets are plugged with jade and its jaw is hinged with copper joints, will allow it to speak. The skull contains all the information that the scholar once knew. Unfortunately the process of creating the skull also resulted in the scholars by then huge ego and very eccentric personality.
Usage: The skull can be used once a week. It has a 85% chance of knowing the answer of any question asked of it. It has no senses so will be unable to, for example: identify a potion by taste, name an animal by sight or give directions by the position of the stars. A detailed description of anything to be identified in this manner may work, depending in the describer’s ability to draw a picture with words. (A speak own language check should suffice, although GM’s discretion may be exercised here). It understands most major languages. (Once again, the GM should identify whether a characters language is in much use).
The scholars eccentric personality and ego will shine through at every opportunity. It can take offence at certain questions and give vague answers. It can ramble on and provide information, which is of no practical use. It cannot lie and must answer questions posed to it. If it does not know the answer, it will tell a similar story and very rarely, will state that it hasn’t a clue. A favourite game it plays is to ignore any questions posed to it unless they are addressed in a certain manner (GM’s discretion, maybe something like “O most sage skull, what…”)
As mentioned above, the skull can be asked a question once per week. If no question is asked the skull will suddenly volunteer some sort of information on its own, once a week has passed since it last spoke. This could have al sorts of consequences.
Thus, although the skull has its advantages, it also has its disadvantages. Its caustic personality usually means that it does not stay in one persons possession for long. Some of the more proficient owners of the skull have mastered the are of asking questions with a simple yes/no answer.
This article was first published on XIII August MMII
An unique object of great power. See also The Rod Of Oration and The Crook of Ruling.
Extremely rare – One of a kind. POW 30 AP 17
History: The Staff of Kings comes in two parts (a Rod and a Crook), which fit into each other – see Rod of Oration and Crock of Ruling. Legend states that the staff belonged to a king of a long forgotten civilisation. During his rule, he conquered many nations. He is said to have remained invulnerable to attack as long as the staff was in his possession. The king eventually died of old age without naming an heir to his empire. A civil was ensued in which the staffs two pieces were separated and subsequently lost.
The bottom half of the staff (The Rod of Oration) has appeared from time to time. Most recently, scholars have speculated that it is in the possession of a powerful orcish warlord. The top half of the staff (The Crook of Ruling) has never been traced. Scholars are in two schools. Some say it was destroyed while others state that it still exists, but is well hidden.
Some legends state that the staff was created by the kinds court wizards. In reality, the king feared sorcery but was very devout. The staff was a reward from his gods, for building temples in all the lands he conquered and thereby spreading their worship.
Further legends tell of how the staff is the key to finding the ancient empire whence it came.
Description: The staff is 1.2 metres in length and resembles a shepherds crook. It is made of bronze and is covered in raised hieroglyphs. The hieroglyphs are in an ancient, forgotten language. Should the two halves ever be reunited, the result will be no more than a fancy walking stick, unless the activation word of power is spoken. This word is coded into the hieroglyphs and would take considerable study and hands on knowledge of a language, which has been dead for millennia.
Should the activation word ever be deciphered and spoken while the staff is whole, the following will result:
Anyone holding the staff will become invulnerable to all but the most powerful of magical attacks. (The staff will boost their POW with its own POW.) Weapons, which have been magically enhanced, will only be able to do their normal damage, non-magical damage.
•The holder of the staff will also be covered in a faint bronze aura, which for game play, can be considered as an additional 2 AP in each hit location.
These effects will depart as soon as the staff is released. A further word of power is required to separate the staff back into its two halves. This word can also be deciphered from the hieroglyphs upon the staff in the same way as the activation word.
History: The Crook of Ruling is part of a two piece set. (See Rod of Oration). In ancient times, the Crook belonged to a king from a long since disappeared kingdom. The king was a military genius who conquered all his kingdom’s neighbours and launched successful campaigns against powerful nations from across the sea.
Description: The Crook is made of bronze and resembles the traditional Egyptian Pharaohs crook in most ways. It measures 70 centimetres in a straight line from base to tip, the curved part taking up one third of its entire length. It has a diameter of 5 centimetres, which narrows to 4 centimetres at the base, as if the Crook were to be fitted into something. The Crook is covered in raised hieroglyphs and is surprisingly light for its size.
The Crook is more a symbol of rulership than anything else. It is magical though and bestows a calm upon the holder, allowing them to clear their thoughts and concentrate on a task at hand. Treat as a 5% bonus on all intelligence based skill rolls.
History: The Rod of Oration is part of a two piece set. (See Crook of Ruling). In ancient times, the Rod belonged to a king from a long since disappeared kingdom. The king was a military genius who conquered all his kingdom’s neighbours and launched successful campaigns against powerful nations from across the sea. His armies became so vast that he was unable to address them all at one time. In exasperation, he turned to his court wizards to create something to help him address his people. Their reply was the Rod or Oration.
Description: The Rod is made of bronze and is 50 centimetres long, with a diameter of 5 centimetres. It has raised hieroglyphs all over its surface. These hieroglyphs spell out command words in a lost language. For its size, it is surprisingly light. One end is hollow, as if something was meant to fit into it. The Rod has two charges, which are replenished daily, but do not accumulate – thus it can be used up to 2 times a day.
Should someone hold the rod when making an orate roll, their base chance of success will increase by 15%. Thus if a character with an Orate of 10% holds the rod when making an orate roll, he will have to roll less than or equal to 25 (10 +15) on D100 to succeed. Orate rolls made with the assistance of the Rod do not allow the character to make a mark in their Orate check box.
The Rod has other drawbacks. Characters who use it regularly (more than once a week) will become addicted to it over time. They will try to orate (with the Rods help) whenever there is an opportunity. Glib loudmouths are not always welcome everywhere and interesting events could result. Its second major drawback is that as much as it helps a character orate, it will also make their fumble so much worse if they fumble. Fumbles are on the characters normal Orate %, not on the rod-adjusted %. EG: A character who fumbles a normal Orate may get booed, but a character who fumbles while using the Rod may get stoned.
Secret: The real secret of the Rod is in the hieroglyphs. If the activation word can ever be deciphered and spoken, it will immediately boost the speakers Orate by 70% and will allow the speakers words to be heard for a radius of 2.215 kilometres (1 Roman League). The speakers words will be heard as they are spoken – a whisper will be a whisper and a shout a shout.
Also encountered as Bazzats Best Bezzle, Bazzats Bilious Beer, Bazzats Berserk Barrel, and Bazzats Bitter Bevvy
Rare POT 2d12 (per barrel)
History: Bazzat was an infamous orcish brew master. It is reasonable common knowledge that orcish beer can make guzzlers do some strange things. Most orcish beer differs greatly from barrel to barrel, depending what ingredients were available to the brewer at the time of brewing. Bazzat was an orc of exceptional intelligence. While experimenting on new brews, he stumbled across a recipe, which contained certain herbs known to have magical properties, which was to become his masterpiece. A beer that would make the drinker invincible. He committed this recipe to memory.
Unfortunately, orcish brewing techniques being what they are, the recipe was not always duplicated exactly, resulting in some interesting side effects. The net results was that Bazzat was beaten to death by an enraged chieftain, after his army of veterans was forced to join battle sick from one of Bazzats kegs and were subsequently slaughtered. The recipe supposedly dies with him although his apprentices often tired to duplicate it. Kegs of Bazzats original brews are still to be found and drunk, if one dares.
Description: Imbibers of Bazzats Battle Brew must resist their CON vs. the brews POT, per mug quaffed. (The brew being active). A successful resist will allow the drinker to roll on the success table below. A critical success (01) will result in the imbiber going berserk. (The original brew resulted in an immediate berserk rage, but the process was never duplicated). A failure to resist will allow imbiber to roll on the failure table below. A critical fumble (00) will result in the imbiber dropping dead on the spot. (Subject to standard divine intervention rules, nyar nyar snigger.)
Note: Imbibers should resist once for every mug quaffed and roll on one of the below tables for every mug, bar for critical successes or fumbles. The brew takes up to an hour before any effects are felt.
Success Table
D100
RESULT
Critical (01)
Berserk rage. *
02 – 10
Attack fury, +10 to primary weapon attack %, -5 to primary weapon/shield parry %. Effect lasts for 1 hour.
11 – 18
Thick skin, +3 to AP in all areas, -2 to MR. Effect lasts for 1 hour.
19 – 27
Feel great but still drunk, +5 to global HP, -5% to dodge. HP bonus stays, Effect to dodge wears off in 2 hours.
28 – 40
Alert, +10 to current fatigue. Will sleep for 5 hours once effects wear off (1d4 hours).
41 – 55
Projectile vomit, enemies within melee range must dodge or take 1d4 damage from acid vomit. Unable to use weapons while vomiting. Will vomit 1d6 times.
56 – 70
Clever tongue, able to throw the best insults and demoralise opponents. (Use current fast talk +35%) Demoralised foes will only attack once every second round – effects not cumulative. A fumbled roll will demoralise the imbibers comrades. Brews effects last 1 hour.
71 – 85
Animal instincts, weapon attacks are forgotten. Attack with fists, feet, head and claws and teeth. All natural attacks at +20%. No shield or weapon parry. Effects last 1 hour.
86 – 90
Fast man, brew lends super speed. Moves at twice normal MR and attacks at twice normal attack %. Damage is halved. (Divide damage by 2). Effects last ½ hour.
91 – 95
Blind rage, lash out blindly at friend or foe. Double his primary weapon attack and double normal damage.
96 – 99
Strong man, become super strong. All damage is doubled, but actions slowed. Attack, move and parry at ½ normal rate.
00
Uncontrollable drunkenness, this confused state will have the imbiber stumbling around in battle. All rolls to be made at ¼ normal %. A hit, which draws blood, will shake the imbiber from his stupor. Re roll on table if this happens. 04 – 02 Sleepy, must resist CON vs. Brews POT every turn or fall into a deep sleep for 1d6 hours.
Failure Table
D100
RESULT
Fumble (00)
Instant death.
99 – 80
Too sick to fight, all rolls at ½ normal %.
79 – 70
Really sick, vomit over self. Take 1d4 points damage per area vomited on (missile hit location table), vomit 1d6 times.
69 – 60
Dodgy aphrodisiac, really attracted to nearest orc (or human if drinker is orc).
59 – 45
Poisoned, lose 1d8 global hit points.
44-35
Feet will not respond to commands, imbiber can only move by shuffling around on knees and must fight from that position (use standard rules for fighting from the ground).
34 – 25
Unbearably weak, loose 1d12 fatigue points and STR halved. Check STR limits to weapon use. Effect wears off in 1 hour.
24 – 20
Vision blurred, cannot see to attack or parry properly. All attack/parry rolls at – 10 and 50% chance of attacking comrades.
19 – 15
19 – 15 Clumsy, continually drop items of equipment/trip over own feet.
14 – 10
Battle master, imbiber thinks he/she is the greatest warrior ever. Will insult comrades and try to direct the battle. Good chance of being stuck in the back by an offended comrade.
09 – 05
Endo parasite, something was living in the mug you just quaffed. This parasite will slowly whittle away at its victims health, eating him from inside. Loose 2 global HP immediately and 1 per day thereafter. Also loose 1 point of CON per week or part thereof until victim dies or parasite removed.
04 – 02
Sleepy, must resist CON vs. Brews POT every turn or fall into a deep sleep for 1d6 hours.
01
Battle lust, all attacks at +20 no parry allowed. Drinker will be stuck in a battle rage and will attack anything moving, friend or foe until effect wears off (1 hour) or he is subdued and calmed down by his comrades (Rolled in snow, water thrown over him etc).
GMs Note: Please modify this table as it suits you. It is designed specifically for orc and human drinkers, so feel free to make changes for other species.
Guarantee: Bazzats Battle Brew is guaranteed to make the imbiber drunk and result in a raging hangover.
Caution: Beware of imitations, such and Danukz Deadly Dram and Gurdoks Grotesque Grog. Be specifically weary of Nimgos Nefarious Nectar – even cave trolls have thought twice before guzzling this baleful booze. Quaffers of Bazzats beer should also be aware of the healing properties of Brodoc Brothers Bottled Black Bull ™.
This article was originally published on XII August XXII
Very powerful artifacts which can be interesting and deadly. Very rare. POT 14, Charges 1D4
History: Salgrin was a powerful alchemist whose enchanted artefacts became legendary in his own time. Perhaps some of the most bizarre items he created were his transmuting snakes. Due to their dangerous nature, not many were demanded and all record of how many he actually created has long since been lost in the mists of time.
Description: The snakes appear as a highly ornate golden arm torque, made of two snakes loosely intertwined so that a head appears at each end. The torque is about 15 centimetres in length and gives the appearance of the snakes coiling around the upper arm. The snakes are relatively lose, allowing the torque to be bent to fit anything form a SIZ 5 to a SIZ 18 arm. When properly fitted, the fangs of each head will push against the skin near the elbow and shoulder. The eyes in each head can be of ruby, emerald or sapphire – they will not be mixed, i.e. if one head has ruby eyes, so will the other. (See below). Snakes with other kind of gems as eyes have been rumoured to exist, but whether these rumours are true and what effect the snake has is unknown.
Usage: The snakes are a combination of the fine craft, alchemy and powerful enchantments. Normally they appear as an item of exquisite jewellery, but when worn, they quickly change. To be activated, the torque must be worn in such a manner that most of its inner side is in contact with skin, the fangs must specifically be touching flesh. Wearing the torque over armour or in such a manner that it is not tight against the flesh will not activate it
When donned, the torque will remain inactive for up to an hour, after which the snakes will appear to come alive. The first sign of their activation will be that they constrict the arm coiling so tight that the wearer will be unable to remove them. Once this has occurred, causing the veins to rise under the skin, needles protrude from the fangs, easily penetrating the skin and injecting the alchemist’s toxin into the bloodstream. Once this process complete, the needles will retract and the snakes will loosen their grip, returning to their inanimate state.
The toxin has a POT of 14 and must be resisted like a poison. Should the wearer fail his or her resistance roll, the toxin will poison them as per the Rune Quest poison rules. (I.E. 14 points of damage to global hit points). Should the character successfully resist the following effects will occur, depending on what type of snake “bit” them.
Ruby Eyes: STR enhanced by 1D3. Side Effect: As the alchemists brew burns its way through their veins, the character convulses and is overtaken by an unbearable pain and nausea. They may pass out and or vomit as the potent brew warps their muscles. Resist vs. POT again and if roll fails, loose 1 CON point. The character will also have his/her fatigue points reduced to 1 and must rest up o recover from the ordeal. (Remember to adjust stats to reflect new STR). This process is instantaneous.
Emerald Eyes: Shapechange into a Lizard Man. (Use Shapechange Sorcery Rules). Side Effect: As the alchemists brew burns its way through their veins, the character convulses and is overtaken by an unbearable pain and nausea. They may pass out and or vomit as the potent brew warps their very being and scales push through their skin. Resist vs. POT again and if roll fails, loose 1 CON point. The character will also have his/her fatigue points reduced to 1 and must rest up o recover from the ordeal. (Remember to adjust stats to reflect new STR). this process may take a few hours to run its course. Note: One of the strongest rumours evidencing other types of snake revolves around one with jade eyes that turned someone into a dragon or ogre, depending on who tells the story.
Sapphire Eyes: Stone skin. Increase characters hit points in each hit location by 1 point. Global hit points do not change. The characters skin becomes leathery to form a type of natural armour. This process takes up to a week to complete. Side Effects: As the effect of this snake is more gradual, most of the severe side effects associated with the other two snakes are avoided. Characters may feel nausea and temporarily loose up to 1D6 Hit Points. Once the process is complete however, the characters Fatigue pints will be reduced by 1D4 to reflect the extra weight they now carry around. Any tight fitting clothes and armour would also have to be replaced or adjusted.
Note: Other snakes may well exist, their effects beneficial or deadly, on GM’s discretion. No one has been able to replicate Salgrin’s potent brews although many have tried, with sometimes disastrous results. Thus, when the charges on a snake are finished, they are finished for good. What is left is a nice piece of ornamental jewellers which occasionally “bites” the wearer. A critical success Devise roll will allow an appraiser to access the cavity in which the potions were kept.
This article was first published on XIII July MMII
Religious talismans from the cult of the vulture god – Azun ka Nut.
Rarity: Very rare.
History: The mystery bowls of Azun ka Nut were used for religious ceremonies. Azun is a benevolent vulture god, but also a bit of a deceiver. All is never what it seams with Azun.
Description: These two ancient bowls are ceramic, set into a beaten tin outer shell. The lips of each bowl are purely of tin and thicker on the inside, so as to hold the ceramic portion in place. Each lip is inlaid with copper hieroglyphs on the inside and outside. The ceramic of one bowl is stained red with ochre while the other is stained blue with lapis lazuli. They are both 7 centimetres in height, the tin lip being 2 centimetres wide and have a top diameter of 15 centimetres. (Base diameter is 7 centimetres).
The bowls are of ancient origin and, for their age, are well crafted. What is more interesting is what they do. When placed outdoors over night, they will gradually fill with liquid until the whole ceramic portion is filled to the tin hieroglyph inlaid lip. This process will take the whole night.
The red bowl looks to be filled with blood, the blue bowl with water. The nasty bit is that these are illusions, and the reverse is true. Drinkers from the red bowl will only taste cool refreshing water, while the liquid in the blue bowl, when tasted, will be warm blood, which is quite refreshing to certain creatures, but not most adventurers choice of drink.
This article was originally published on XIII August MMII