New Blog

As promised, here's a link to my new blog. It's rather bare at the moment, but I'm planning to ramp up content over the next few weeks.

Closure

Well it's been five months since the last real post here, I guess it's time to officially close the doors. What was originally intended to be an extended summer vacation stretched into a long hiatus, and at this point my gaming is not really matching up well with the stated goals of this blog. A few things:

• I have no plans to take down the blog, and I don't think Blogger removes inactive sites, so there's no need to panic if you're using something here as a reference. It should remain for the foreseeable future.
• I'd like to extend a big thank you to the various folk who have followed and commented upon the stuff I've posted here. Feedback from readers was always a big motivator for continuing this project. THANKS!
• I have a vague plan to start a new blog with a broader focus sometime in the near future.  It'll cover traditional RPGs as well as MMOs, computer games, and various other forms of entertainment and media. Once I figure out what I'm doing I'll post up a link here for anyone that might wish to check it out.

That's about it. Thanks for reading! Good gaming!

Mark

The Black Seed

The creation of a fanatical order of dark druids intent on preserving the wilderness at any cost, the Black Seed can be a terribly destructive force. It is a small cylinder carved from some unknown wood, its surface pitted and scarred with bore marks and burls. A ring of gray stone is affixed to one end of the cylinder, and attached to this is a thin black leather thong which allows the cylinder to be worn as an amulet. If examined for magical properties, the Black Seed radiates Epic nature magic. An Epic test of divination magic will identify the power of the object, though it may not reveal the consequences of using this power.

The Black Seed has a singular power, thrice per day its owner can call forth a half-dozen tiny black seeds that trickle forth from the various burls and wormholes in the object. When cast upon the ground these seeds instantly bury themselves and begin to grow at a tremendous rate. Unplanted seeds vanish after one hour.

Each seed sprouts into a creeping weed-like plant that sends forth runners and shoots both above and below ground. These magical plants twist and bind around any cultivated plant they encounter, choking root, stem and branch in twisting, jagged tendrils. A single plant matures in a few hours, covering ten or fifteen square feet. Once mature, the plant blooms and goes to seed in the space of half an hour, each plant producing dozens of seed pods that pop open and spray their seeds up to thirty feet away, beginning the cycle anew.

Once it has cast its seed each mature plant metamorphoses into a secondary phase. Rigid, bamboo-like trunks shoot up from the ground, each sending forth dozens of thorn-lined, angular branches in all directions, creating a nearly impenetrable barrier. These plants are quite tough, requiring a heavy axe blow to sever a branch. Even fire is of little use against them, as it sears the surface but does not penetrate the plant's hard green trunks. This phase of growth culminates in a dense tangle of thorny growth, a dozen feet high, covering a vast area.

These spiky plants mature in the space of a single day, each sending forth dozens of massive blossoms that fill the air with a nauseating stench. Anyone exposed to the smell must make a Great test of toughness or be driven away, overcome by illness. These blossoms last a few hours, then quickly go to seed. Much like the original weed-like plant these seeds spray forth to cover a large area, though they are much less malevolent in nature. Each pod produces a dozen or more seeds of different types, each a species native to the area. These seeds root themselves among the creeping weeds and spiky hedges, then grow at an accelerated rate for one day before reverting to a more natural growth pattern.

A single seed will spread to cover up to a square mile before the potency of its magical growth fades. As the natural plants begin to grow the tangle of weeds and spikes begin to wither and die, collapsing into an organic sludge rich in nutrients. In as little as three days cultivated farmland can become a tangled scrub of wild grasses, underbrush and small trees, well on its way to becoming native forest.

Needle-kin

These foul nature spirits inhabit desolate pine forests in the cold reaches, preying on any living creature that passes through their domain. Each Needle-kin is a about two feet in height, resembling nothing so much as a whipcord thin, fur-less monkey covered in hundreds of dead pine-needles. Their eyes gleam with an evil yellow sheen and they are armed with both fangs and claws. They move through the trees of their domain with unnatural speed and grace, easily keeping pace with their prey.

Needle-kin form loose packs, each inhabiting an area of two or three square miles. Any living creature passing through their territory is hunted down and slain with brutal efficiency. Needle-kin hunt both by sight and sound, herding their victims into dead ends and impassible terrain, then attacking in force. They have the following abilities and characteristics:

• Great climbing ability - Needle-kin can traverse trees quickly enough to keep up with a running man.
• Superb endurance - These foul spirit creatures are tireless in their pursuit.
• Great vision and hearing - Their supernatural senses easily detect any prey within their territory. Their senses give them Great tracking ability.
• Good claw and fang attacks - Needle-kin swarm their foes, inflicting bleeding wounds on anyone they strike. A successful bite attack requires the victim to make a Fair test of toughness or be Chilled, reducing movement speed by one rank for three rounds.
• Good toughness - Despite their small size and apparently lack of protection, Needle-kin have tough, bark-like skin. Their partially magical nature grants them Good resistance to magical attacks, though Fire-based magic inflicts an extra rank of damage.
• Flesh-needles - Each Needle-kin can launch the pine needles that cover their skin at foes like tiny missiles. each Flesh-needle inflicts Fair damage when it strikes, and the victim must make a Fair test of will or suffer a round of dizziness and disorientation. Needle-kin can fire up to three such missiles at a single target per round, and have an unlimited supply.

Curse of the Spilled Bag

This annoying curse was originally created by priests of a lost order who were constantly cheated by the local merchants and lords. Unable to compete on the secular side, they chose a form of divine retribution instead.

This curse has a rather subtle effect. Anything carried by the victim has a tendency to slip out of whatever container it is stored in and drop to the ground. The curse's magic conceals any fallen items from the victim as they fall, making it likely they will be long gone before they are missed. The curse activates itself randomly 1d4 times per day. Each activation affects 1d10 like items (coins, foodstuffs, etc.)

The curse is subtle enough that it requires a Superb test of divination magic to reveal its presence. Once detected it requires a Great test of dispelling magic to remove it.

Ripplepedes

These quasi-elemental creatures inhabit the still, dark waters of stagnant lakes and swamps, their nearly invisible centipede-like forms creating scarcely a ripple on the calm surface of the waters they inhabit. Each three-foot long Ripplepede has a slender body lined with thousands of feathery legs. At the head end a cluster of rigid, hooked spines line a circular mouth opening, while the tail ends in a three-pronged, flexible tail. Their transparent, nearly liquid forms skitter and crawl across the surface as they search for the rare metals they consume for sustenance. Ripplepedes are most comfortable in contact with water, but can travel on land for an hour or more with no ill effects. They travel in groups of five to ten individuals, roaming the waterways and shorelines of their habitat in search of food.

Ripplepedes have no interest in living creatures, but are drawn to any source of metal they detect. They can sense any sizable aggregation of metal within 300 feet. Their hooked jaw spines exude a potent solvent that dissolves away metal on contact, leaving a gelatinous goo the creatures suck up with their tube-like mouth. A single Ripplepede can dissolve and consume a pound of metal each round if left undisturbed.

Ripplepedes have the following characteristics:

• Fair toughness - Their quasi-elemental nature makes these creatures somewhat resilient. They gain a one rank bonus to defense versus mundane weapons, but magical weapons quickly disrupt their rather delicate bodies.
• Ripplepedes swim at Superb speed, but on land they crawl along at Poor speed.
• Ripplepedes are almost transparent, giving them Superb stealth in water, Great stealth on land.
• If disrupted in contact with a sizable body of water, Ripplepedes regenerate to full health within one day.
• Ripplepedes consume metal by touch, dissolving and consuming about one pound of any metal, iron, gold, silver, etc. each round. Treat this attack as Great strength acid for purposes of determining resistance, though it does not affect any other substances.
• Ripplepedes have little in the way of combat capabilities. They can strike at foes with their three-pronged tails with Fair accuracy inflicting Average damage, but they prefer to avoid combat. If discovered on land they will flee toward the nearest body of water and use their superior swimming ability to evade any pursuit.

Flockhand

This artifact is a left-handed glove made from the finest maroon silk sewn with hundreds of feathers from various species of birds and trimmed with rows of tiny seed pearls. The glove is sized for a fairly small human hand, and extends well past the wearer's wrist over the forearm when donned. If examined for magical properties, it radiates Great nature and enchantment magic. A Great test of divination will reveal the item's powers.

When worn Flockhand allows its owner to command any sort of avian creatures with a simple command word. When activated any bird within a 100 yard radius immediately comes to the wearer and begins circling as part of a great flock overhead. This flock can be directed by pointing or gesturing with Flockhand. The birds will move as desired as swiftly as possible. Flockhand's owner can command the creatures to attack if desired but the default behavior is to swarm and swirl around any creature they encounter, obscuring vision, panicking beasts and confusing intelligent foes. Flockhand's power can be invoked at will, and lasts so long as concentration is maintained. Birds fall to the ground after 10 minutes of continuous control, exhausted.

If Flockhand is used to incite birds to violence, they attack with beak and claws as natural creatures. The GM will have to make a determination as to the effectiveness of the assault based on the types of birds in the flock.

The Staff of Limbs

This rather plain staff appears to be nothing more than a convenient piece of wood cut as a temporary staff by some traveler in need. Each end of its bark-covered length has been carefully trimmed and is slightly rounded by wear. The item's only decorative element is a strip of sweat-stained leather wrapped around the shaft, forming a convenient grip. Despite its plain appearance the Staff radiates Superb alteration and nature magic, and a Great test of divination magic will reveal its enchantment.

The Staff of Limbs can be used as a weapon in combat, serving as a quarterstaff and providing a one rank bonus to both accuracy and defense as it naturally flexes and twists in the bearer's hands to block and strike. The Staff's enchantment gives it Superb toughness, making it very difficult to damage or break.

Six times per day the Staff's wielder can call forth a fence of dead, twisted branches which surround a single target, trapping it within their grasp. This wall has Superb strength and is a permanent creation. The wall is susceptible to both fire and force. If set alight it burns with fierce heat for three rounds, causing Good fire damage each round. It requires three Superb tests of strength to batter an opening through the wall.

Twice per day the Staff's owner can speak a command word and plant it in the ground, immediately causing the staff to sprout into a mighty oak, 60 feet tall and 40 feet in diameter. A series of natural hand and footholds lead up into the tree's branches, where a natural platform large enough to hold six people comfortably sprouts hangs in the greenery. This tree remains in place until the Staff's owner speaks a second command word, instantly reverting the item to its normal form.

The Dead Mothers

These undead apparitions appear when a woman dies in childbirth, but her infant survives. They are shadowy female forms with long dark hair, usually dressed in fine robes or gowns of brocaded silk or wool. They only appear during the nighttime hours, moving gracefully from shadow to shadow. They could almost pass for human except for their faces, which are no more than blank white ovoids, pierced only by shadowed black pits where their eyes would be. Each Dead Mother carries a short wand or rod woven from reeds and twigs.

Dead Mothers are driven by one purpose, to find a child to accompany them into the afterlife. They prowl the edges of civilization, peering through windows and creeping into unguarded halls and rooms, looking for a newborn child to steal. Should they find such a child, they begin to stroke it with their reed wand, pulling the infant into their own shadowy realm. The Dead Mother must carry out this minor ritual on three successive nights to successfully claim the child as their own.

Dead Mothers are immune to all physical attack. They can be driven away for one night by exorcism magic or ritual (requiring a Great test of such magic to succeed). Anyone seeing a Dead Mother must make a Great test of will or be fascinated by the creature's graceful, almost dance-like, movements. Males suffer a one rank penalty to this test. When in the presence of a vulnerable infant, any female blood-ancestor of the child is immune to this fascination effect and can drive off the Dead Mother for the night simply by gazing upon their blank, white face.

Infants that are exposed to the midnight light of a full moon become immune to the appetites of Dead Mothers, and for this reason children born before midnight on such a night are considered blessed. Parents often invite a newborn's grandmothers to stay with them until the child can be properly protected to assist with guarding the infant from the depredations of these sorrowful undead.

The Planter of Endless Growth

This rather plain planter is made from terracotta clay. It is approximately two feet in diameter and a foot and a half in height. A relief pattern of leaves, branches and vines, highlighted with various earth-tone glazes, covers the entire exterior. The Planter's rim and base are further adorned with a coiled rim covered in gold leaf. If examined for magical properties the Planter radiates Superb alteration magic. A Great test of divination will reveal the item's sole enchantment.

To activate the Planter's power, it must be filled with fresh soil, which has been drenched with a pint of freshly drawn blood (the equivalent of an Average wound). A single mundane seed of any type is then placed within the planter and a command word spoken. When this process is complete the seed instantly sprouts and begins growing at a fantastic rate. A typical annual plant (flowers, vegetables, etc.) grow to full maturity in a few rounds, a tree or shrub takes six or seven. Once matured, the plant blossoms and produces fruit in a single round. The plant remains in this state for one hour, after which it shrivels and turns to gray dust, consuming the soil used to activate the Planter as well.

Any produce harvested from the resulting plant is wholesome and nutritious, providing the equivalent of a full meal. Once harvested the produce is subject to the normal effects of time. Delicate fruits or vegetables last a few days, more robust items lasting a few weeks.

The Blade of a Thousand Edges

When first discovered this weapon appears to be some sort of club or baton. When in its passive state the Blade resembles a shaft made from a thousand or more layers of variegated metals, iron, steel, copper, and bronze. This shaft is firmly welded to a basket-shaped steel guard and thin, leather-padded hilt. A small bloodstone decorates of the pommel of the otherwise rather plain weapon. If checked for magical properties the Blade radiates Great animation and combat magic. A Superb test of divination is required to determine the process required to activate the weapon.

The Blade is useless until its powers are activated by a brief ritual, which involves the item's owner speaking a command word and holding the weapon's bloodstone pommel against their own flesh. The Blade will drain an Average wound's worth of blood from the wielder, then spring to life. The metallic layers that form the striking portion of the blade unbind and spring apart, forming a snake-like blade of spinning, shimmering, razor-sharp blades held together by flickering threads of deep red light. From command word to fully active Blade takes a full round.

Once active the Blade can be wielded as a normal weapon, but it strikes with a will of its own, twisting, spinning, extending and contracting like an enraged serpent. The Blade has the following characteristics in battle:

• Great bonuses to accuracy and damage.
• Any blow struck by the Blade causes Fair bleeding damage.
• The swirling lash-like blade automatically parries up to two blows per round. Parried blows suffer a three rank penalty on their accuracy.
• Any mundane weapon parried by the Blade has a Good chance of being sliced apart by the contact, it's fragments and pieces incorporated into the Blade's own matrix.

Army of Clay

This artifact is a collection of small clay figures, each about three inches high. The figures are primitive, but bear a certain elegance of design the belies their crude form. Each is coated with layers of brightly colored powdery glaze, chiefly blue, green and red. There are several types of figures in the collection:

• Swordsmen - These figures are depicted wearing heavy green armor and helmet and wielding a stabbing sword and tall rectangular shield. Each figure's shield bears the faint red outline of a spread-winged bird of prey. There are 18 of these figures in the collection.
• Spearmen - These figures wear lighter blue armor and wield a heavy two-handed spear. They also wear cloaks decorated with the same red bird of prey device as the Swordsmen's shields. There are 18 Spearmen in the collection.
• Archers - These figures wear the same armor and cloak as the Spearmen, but wield a short recurve bow and have a long knife at their belt. A quiver of arrows hangs from their shoulder. There are nine Archers in the Army.
• Charioteers - There are only three of these figures in the Army. Each depicts a chariot pulled by a pair of white-glazed horses fitted with red barding. A driver tends the reigns while a second javelin wielding figure stands behind him in the chariot. Both are wearing lightweight armor and cloaks similar to that worn by the Spearmen.

The entire Army is contained with a shallow chest of black oak fitted with bronze hinges. The interior is lined with a thick layer of padded leather, which holds the figures securely when the lid is closed. A simple latch holds the chest closed. The figures radiate Epic alteration, combat and animation magic. A Superb test of divination will reveal their purpose, but an Epic test of research in ritual magic is required to unlock the process required to active the Army.

The Army is a terrible weapon of war. When the proper ritual is performed each figure comes to life, slowly growing until they reach their full height of about 15 feet, a process that takes several minutes. Once fully grown their commander can indicate their foe which sets the Army on it's inexorable path. The army moves as a unit, each figure assuming a position within the ranks and striding toward the target at a steady pace with military precision. As they approach they change formation to suit the terrain and tactical situation. Once set upon their course the Army marches until they engage the targeted foe, fighting until either their foe is destroyed or they are shattered.

Each figure in the Army is a terrible engine of destruction, fighting with Epic skill. The Archers and chariot-riding Javelineers fire and hurl magical missiles that can crack stone walls with ease. Each figure has Epic toughness and armor and Great resistance to mundane weapons. The figures are immune to fire- and cold-based attacks. Figures continue to attack so long as they have limbs to strike with. Should a figure be rendered inert it will shrink to its original three inch height. All figures revert to their small size once the battle is won or all figures are destroyed. Any figure, or portion thereof, returned to the containing chest, will regenerate into a complete figure in one month's time.

Activating the Army is a Great test of ritual magic. It requires the ritualist to sacrifice the life of a blood relative and douse the Army in their blood. This ritual can be carried out once per moon at most.

Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/blake_lennon/ / CC BY-NC 2.0

The Eye of Achra

This legendary artifact is a perfectly sculpted human-sized eye carved from a piece of white opal. The Eye's iris and pupil are represented by a curious circular flaw in the stone, black within green. The craftsmanship of the Eye is exquisite, and a knowledgeable jeweler could identify the work as Dwarven in origins. Legend says the Eye grants anyone brave enough to place it within an empty eye socket perfect vision and a penetrating gaze, but there are darker stories that tell tales of madness and woe that have befallen anyone that has tried to wear this artifact.

The Eye is a fairly potent magical object. If examined for magical properties it radiates Superb alteration and illusion magic. A Great test of divination will reveal the item's enchantments:

• When the Eye is placed within the empty eye socket of a human-sized creature it instantly bonds to flesh. After attuning itself to the wearer for about a week, the Eye's powers come to life.
• The Eye provides perfect vision to the wearer, fully replacing their missing eye and even removing any sight defects previously suffered (such as near- or far-sightedness).
• The wearer gains dark vision. Under normal nighttime conditions they see as if it were day. The Eye allows vision even total or magical darkness, though these conditions reduce visibility to that of a bright moonlit night.
• The Eye's wearer can see hidden or secret objects, even those concealed by magical means. Using this power requires concentration. The wearer can scan a ten foot square space each round.
• The Eye allows its wearer to focus on very distant objects or tiny details, bringing them into perfect focus and clarity. Focusing like this requires unbroken concentration, and each round spent focused on an object brings it into greater clarity. Breaking off this power requires one round of recovery to bring the Eye's vision back to normal.

The Eye bears a subtle curse, one hidden by the illusion enchantments placed upon the item. A Legendary test of divination will reveal the presence of the curse, but its nature is impossible to detect by magical means. One month after the Eye becomes active the wearer will begin to suffer from the effects of the curse, which manifests itself once or twice per day. The curse causes a subtle shift in the faces and features of those around the wearer. A simple smile becomes a sly look, a greeting between two friends becomes a whispered plot, a passing look becomes a threatening gaze. The curse most often affects the appearance of the wearer's closest companions, but if none are present, even total strangers may be affected. These alterations are illusion only, though the GM should present them to the wearer as fact.

The Dividing Coin

This object appears to be nothing more than a simple gold coin, its markings and features eroded by time and constant use. An assay will show it to be made from the purest gold. A careful examination of its markings will show the faint outline of a face on one side, and a wheel-like icon on the other. Magical examination will reveal the Coin is enchanted with Superb quality alteration magic. A Superb divination will reveal the command word required to activate the Coin's magic.

When the command word is spoken, the Coin duplicates itself, creating a second gold coin of equal value. This coin is of equal quality to the original, though the minor flaws and nicks on each coin's surface are slightly different. This command word can be used once per hour, creating up to 24 new coins each day.

Any created coins that remain in the possession of the original's owner vanish at midnight. Coins traded or given away have a 5% chance of becoming coins of lesser value each night at midnight. Gold become silver, silver become copper, and copper become lead slugs. This chance is additive across all coins in a single person's possession, and affects all owned duplicates. For example if someone owns ten duplicate gold coins there is a 50% chance they will all become silver each night at midnight. The original coin is never affected by this.

Vortex of Souls

This legendary artifact is made from the spiraling, horn of some long-extinct sea creature. It's twisted, white length is encrusted with barnacles and coralline growths, each carefully preserved beneath a layer of polished gold leaf. The horn rests upon a framework of polished black steel formed and shaped into a twisted maze of branches and vines that wrap securely around its length. The horn's hollow interior is sealed with a thick, hinged cap made from the same material as the supporting frame. The device radiates Legendary abjuration and protection magic. An Epic test of divination will reveal an extra-dimensional rift contained within the artifact.

The Vortex contains an alternate reality, a dimensionless place where physical matter does not exist and all forms of energy are negated by the very nature of this bizarre realm. The Vortex was originally created as a sort of extra-dimensional prison. Any living creature drawn into the Vortex loses all material form, reduced to little more than a floating consciousness lost in a void of pure white nothingness. The Vortex negates all magical, divine, mental or physical energies within its bounds, making escape from within impossible.

Should the Vortex's seal be opened without proper preparation, any sentient creature within 100 feet will be drawn into the void. A Legendary test of will must be made each round to avoid this effect. All held or carried items are drawn into the void along with the creature, instantly becoming insubstantial and powerless. Left unattended the Vortex will reseal itself in 1d10 days.

The enchantments surrounding the Vortex negate all attempts at divining its operating principles. Only research into the device's history will reveal the mechanism required to protect oneself against the Vortex's effect. When it was first created, a number of medallions were fashioned that provided a defense against the Vortex. Discovering the existence and appearance of these medallions requires a Legendary test of historic lore. Researching the location of each medallion requires three Epic tests of research. Of course the researcher must have access to appropriate materials and references to carry out this research. There are no fewer than three, but no more than seven of these medallions. Any sentient being wearing a medallion is immune to the Vortex's effect.

It is rumored that several medallion wearers can open the Vortex and call forth one of the banished, a ritual requiring exacting knowledge of the desired target. There is, of course, a chance that this summoning will allow 1d4 other entities to escape the Vortex. Anyone returned from the Vortex reappears in exactly the same physical state as they departed.

The GM should determine a single method by which the Vortex of Souls can be destroyed. They should also determine what happens to the contained souls when the container is shattered.

Storm Scream

This heavy dagger has an 18-inch long, single-edged blade with a slightly curved tip. The blade's pale, silvery-blue metal is etched with a pattern of overlapping clouds and lightning that runs from haft to tip. A swirling guard of the same silvery-blue metal provides the wielder with some hand protection, while a grip of gray leather provides a firm grip. The dagger's pommel is decorated with a polished sapphire that contains an endless cascade of tiny sparkling bolts of energy. When not in use the blade is protected by a simple scabbard, also of gray leather, inscribed with the same clouds and lightning pattern as the weapon's blade. When drawn the weapon emits a continuous howling shriek, like strong wind blowing through a narrow crevice or crack.

Storm Scream radiates Epic evocation and weather magic. It's scabbard radiates Superb protective magic. A Great test of divination will reveal the two item's enchantments. Storm Scream's scabbard provides its wearer with complete protection from the dagger's effects. The dagger itself has no intrinsic combat bonuses, but any creature that touches the weapon is subject to the effects of the weapon's primary enchantment. To determine the exact effect use the table below:

1	Drench	The target is soaked from head to toe with gallons of chilly water, as if they had stood in a torrential downpour for five minutes. Any open flame they were carrying is instantly doused and they are chilled by the cold water (suffering a one rank penalty to all actions if outdoors in cold weather). Any cold attack used against the target within the next five rounds does an additional one rank of damage.
2	Haze	The target's vision is clouded by a misty haze, like dense fog. All skill checks and combat actions suffer a one rank penalty. Subsequent Haze results are cumulative. The effect lasts ten rounds.
3	Frost	The target is struck with a bolt of pure cold, that coats all items and gear with an icy glaze. This effect does Good damage and there is a Fair chance the target will drop anything carried due to the slick icy coating. The icing effect lasts five rounds.
4	Maelstrom	The target is surrounded by a twister of howling wind, that knocks them off balance and deafens them for five rounds. Any physical maneuver suffers a one rank penalty and only the loudest shouting will penetrate the howling noise.
5	Scorch	The target is scorched by the light of the sun, suffering serious sunburn. This effect causes Average damage, but severe discomfort for three to four days afterwards. Any creature affected by sunlight struck by this effect suffers the equivalent of a full day's exposure to the sun in an instant.
6	Thunderbolt	The target is jolted with a burst of electrical energy that inflicts Great damage and stuns them for 1d4 rounds.

The effects of Storm Scream can affect any number of targets in a round. All that is required is a touch.

WebUrbanist Does It Again

With another great collection of architecture. This time it's home-brewed castles!

The Blue Glow

No one is quite sure what the Blue Glow is, magical remnant, extra-dimensional being, or time-space anomaly. It appears and disappears with no apparent pattern, showing up for a few minutes on one occasion, shadowing someone for days on another.

The Blue Glow appears to be nothing more than its name implies, a faint blue glow radiating from some hidden light source. The Glow varies in both size and shape, appearing as a single palm-sized area to several dozen glowing patches scattered over a hundred foot radius area. The source of the Glow is always obscured by some mundane object, the corner of a building, a tree or stone, or a piece of furniture. When it first appears the Glow is very faint, gradually gaining intensity as it remains undisturbed. If approached the Glow fades away, often reappearing in second spot even as the first fades.

The Glow's elusive nature make its characteristics very difficult to determine, an Epic test of divination magic may reveal the... whatever it is, radiates a sort of anti-magic, causing even a potent divination spell to quickly collapse upon itself. The Glow appears to have no physical manifestation, and whatever controls its form and function detects and avoids even the most potent forms of magical scrying. No one has ever seen whatever source produces the Glow, leading some to speculate that no such source exists. Magical defenses, such as warding circles and protection spells, seem to have no effect on the Glow. The only true defense seems to be rigorous observation of the surrounding area.

The Blue Glow has a singular unique property. If it remains in the vicinity (approximately 30 feet) of any magical effect for more than an hour it consumes one rank of magical energy from each device or source. All sources of magical energy are affected by this draining effect. In the case of items with charges or use limits, the Blue Glow reduces or permanently destroys a portion of the stored charge. In the case of permanently enchanted items, the draining effect is temporary, lasting one week per rank of energy drained. Note that living creatures can also be affected, causing magic using creatures or spell casters to temporarily lose access to their magical powers.

The Glow will remain in the vicinity of magical energy sources until it has drained 2d10 ranks of magical energy, then it will vanish, reappearing in a new location in 2d10 weeks.

The Blastirab

The Blastirab is a dangerous inhabitant of sandy beaches and shallow bays. In general form it resembles a gigantic, hulking crab, a many-legged monstrosity complete with heavy nipping claws. The creatures range in size from six-inch hatchlings to twelve-foot wide terrors. They are fearless predators, attacking any living creature that strays near their sandy burrows with claws and jets of sandy, gooey water they spit from their strangely tube-like mouths.

As mentioned Blastirabs live in sandy coastal areas, preferring warm waters to cold. They dig burrows lined with sticky sand just below the tide-line, using them as hiding places for their ambush hunting tactics. Blastirabs have well developed gills paired with primitive lungs that allow them to survive out of the water for several hours at a stretch. Blastirabs have few natural enemies, though their tasty flesh makes them a target for well organized humanoid hunting parties.

Blastirabs have the following characteristics:

• Superb armor plating. The creature's thick shell makes it a very tough nut to crack. This plating covers the creature's entire body. It can even retract its stalk-like eyes beneath its tough carapace.
• Good ambush skill. When hidden away in its den the Blastirab is very difficult to spot. Its shell is often covered with barnacles and sea growth that make it look like nothing more than a rock or coral outcropping.
• Great claw attack. The creature can attack a single target with its heavy paired claws. Any creature hit with both claws in a single round will automatically be crushed and torn in each subsequent round.
• Sand Spit. The Blastirab can spit forth a mixture of sea water, sand and sticky saliva in a narrow jet 30 feet long with Great accuracy. Any target struck by this jet takes Fair damage, is blinded for 1d4 rounds, and must make a Good balance check or be knocked off their feet. The sticky goo clings to the target, slowing movement by one rank with each application. The Blastirab can spit forth this jet once every three rounds and can target anyone within range, it's long tubular mouth giving it a great deal of control.

With apologies to friends who can't type "blasting crabs" in IM.

Encasing Brooch

This jeweled brooch is rectangular in shape. It's gridded form consists of 12 square-cut diamond arranged in a three by four matrix, held together with a frame made from petrified wood. When discovered the Brooch will invariably be clinging to a scrap of cloth or leather, its magical fasteners holding it in place until released with a command word.

The Brooch radiates Superb alteration and protection magic. A Great test of divination magic will reveal its magical characteristics:

• As mentioned the Brooch will magically fasten itself to any piece of clothing with a touch and a word of command. It will remained fastened until released by another command word.
• When a second command word is spoken the Brooch will shoot forth a beam of pure white light that divides and expands in a series of geometric twists and reflections, creating a large scale representation of the Brooch itself. After one round this light image solidifies into a four foot by six foot grid-like construct of petrified wood made up of 12 cells. Each cell is about a one and a half foot cube, framed with wood and faced front and rear with a thin slab of clear diamond.
• With a command word and a touch, any of the panels can be opened, revealing the contents of the cubic storage area behind it. Items can be freely added or removed from these storage areas so long as space permits.
• The construct will remain in place until a sealing command word is spoken, which causes it to vanish back into an array of light and motion, eventually shooting back into the Brooch as a single beam of white light.

Any item placed within a storage space is held secure and safe. Objects within the cubes experience no sense of movement or passage of time and all natural and magical processes cease within the Brooch's confines.