Unwelcome Guests

A new month means a new topic for the RPG Blog Carnival. This month, Of Dice and Dragons has made the theme "What Walks into Town". My first thoughts go to that iconic scene from old westerns of the mysterious stranger who pushes his way through a pair of saloon doors. Of course, mayhem and death weren't far behind and this was a great place to start when I shifted genres and starting thinking about it in a fantasy setting.

What follows is a collection of twelve guests that may follow your mysterious strangers PCs into town. Of course, they also make great plot hooks that could draw your the party to town as they seek to answer some or all of the questions these unwelcomed guests raise.

1. Pack of hellhounds. As the sky burns pink and orange with the setting sun, the distant howl of a lone dog can be heard. Other canines pick up the call as the day's light continues to fade. Their foreboding chorus comes from every direction, but always getting closer. Moments after darkness settles over the land the flickering light of flames and the smell of sulfur can be detected. A pack of hellhounds materializes on the fringes of the town, ready to run down anyone foolish enough to be outside. Who has summoned these fell beasts? Why do they appear night after night?

2. A masked murderer. As if from nowhere, a stranger appears on the road leading into town. He is plainly dressed in travelling clothes, and this goes almost unnoticed compared to his most striking feature. Piercing blue eyes peer out from behind a stone mask that bear the unflinching expression of disapproval. He does not speak, but draws a sickle from beneath his heavy cloak to wordlessly cut down any who approach him. Even when wounded, he utters nothing more than an annoyed grunt. He may force his way into one or more buildings and slay its occupants before taking his leave of the town. Who is this man? Is he even human? What is his purpose? Where is he heading? Does his mask, or his sickle, give him supernatural powers?

3. Migrating fey. Twice a year, a host of faeries, sprites, and other fey descend upon the town. The first time they come from the east, causing mischief and mayhem as they make their way westward. Several months later, they appear from the west, apparently returning to where they had originated in the east. The townsfolk have adapted to this annual pilgrimage and incorporated it into their local customs. Charms, wards, and even gifts decorate the town in hopes that the meddlesome creatures will leave the residences, their homes, and their businesses unmolested. Where do the fey come from? Where are they headed? Why do they travel like this so regularly? What does it mean if they do not make their annual migration?

4. An opposing army. An army of men, bearing the heraldry of an opposing lord has made camp just outside of town. Their numbers are sufficient to encircle the town, preventing anyone from arriving or departing without their express approval. Patrols monitor the surrounding terrain. At night, bonfires can be seen from every direction. Why have they come? What are their demands? Why have they not attacked outright?

5. A messiah. A plain looking stranger arrives in town. Although humble and soft spoken, he claims to speak for a divine power. He preaches regularly to the residence of a coming disaster and how only he can save them. Through the use of charisma, guile, and perhaps a touch of spellcraft, he gradually begins to build a flock of faithful devotees. Those who begin to oppose his increasing influence disappear. Does this man truly have the favor of a god? What is he planning for the town and its residence? What is happening to those that disappear?

6. The monarch's army. Soldiers in the regional lord's army march their way into town under banners of the liege's iconography. With practiced formality, the commanding officer makes a declaration to the gathering villagers - as faithful servants of their monarch, the community is expected to provide the appropriate hospitality to his host of fighting men. What this equates to is providing food and boarding in the homes of the residence, as well as tending to their mounts, repairing their equipment, and providing whatever other services they require - at a fraction of the normal cost. Why have the soldiers come? How long will they stay?

7. A raving madman. A dirty and scarred man has collapsed just after enter town. His clothes are in tatters, his hair and face are matted with mud. He mumbles incoherently at no one in particular as his gaze is focused on some far off illusion of horror. Those that take the time to understand him may be able to decipher some of his cryptic rambling, but eventually he turns violent. With a fury born of madness, he strikes out anyone near him with whatever implement he can obtain. His insanity is such that he fights until slain. Who was this man? What was it that drove him mad? What was he uttering and what did it mean?

8. A gift. Every morning, a bouquet of beautiful flowers is waiting on the doorstep of a local villager. The assortment of flora is exotic, certainly not a local variety, and carries a pleasant fragrance. On the night after the third gift is left, the individual targeted disappears from their home without a trace. Attempts to watch a targeted resident or their home has revealed nothing. Who is leaving these bouquets? Where do the flowers coming from? What is happening to the villager when they disappear?

9. A horde of undead. A mass of the walking dead have aimlessly shambled their way into town. With no clear direction or control, they begin to decimate the town as they break down doors, slaughter livestock, and feast on the villagers. The herd is vast and possibly outnumbers the population of the village. Can the villagers escape with their lives in time? Might the zombies be driven off or drawn away from the town? Where did they come from?

10. The murder hobos. A motley group of five men and women drift into town. Their clothing and armor represent an assortment of regional styles and each is visibly armed with an array of weapons. Their first stop is the local tavern. They spend their coin readily and behave as if the establishment was theirs. Anyone who does not please them is swiftly cut down, their corpse scoured for valuables. What are these people doing here? How long do they intend to stay? What trouble may follow them here?

11. A bounty hunter. A large, burly man arrives in town by wagon. Aside from an assortment of weapons and restraints, the wagon carries a steel cage just large enough to fit a man. He says little, but if questioned, will admit to be actively tracking a bounty although he refuses to divulge specifically who or what he is looking for. Is the stranger's quarry somewhere in town? Or is he waiting for his bounty to arrive? What collateral damages will the town suffer if the confrontation occurs here?

12. An oracle of death. A vagabond has found her way to the town. She offers to read palms and tell fortunes in exchange for a bit of coin before continuing on her travels. Her insights into the future typically portray a tragic or peculiar incident that will result in the customer's death. Within 48 hours, the events she described are coming to pass. Why is she predicting so many people will die? Is this woman causing the deaths she is foretelling? Has something else sinister befallen the town?

20 Cursed Weapon Qualities

Originally posted: Wednesday, September 9, 21015

I recently stumbled upon the RPG Blog Carnival and was intrigued by this month's topic: Curses! Cursed Items, Spells, Campaign Stories (hosted at Roleplaying Tips). It's a fun topic from the game master's perspective so I thought I'd take part.

 

The intrinsic value of a magic item comes down to balancing its benefits against its costs. Cursed items that hinder or, worse, try to kill a character don't have much value and it's an easy call for the party to ditch it at their earliest convenience. However, to me, the best cursed items are ones that have a beneficial aspect to them as well. Suddenly, the players need to determine if they can deal with the difficulties of carrying the item with them (at least temporarily) in order to benefit from that item's more benevolent features.

 

As part of a creative exercise, I've created a list of 20 qualities that a GM might give a magic weapon that could render it cursed. Since they come from a brainstorming session, these qualities should be functional, but some may need a little refining to achieve better game balance and clarity. Not every quality is entirely negative, but all have some sort of cost associated with them. In some cases, it may be more dramatic to withhold the malevolent effects of the curse from the players, especially in the case where the effect is not immediately evident.

Arcane Beacon. All spell attacks made against you have advantage.
 

Bloodied. While you are holding this weapon, if you do not deal damage to a living creature before the end of your turn, you use this weapon to deal damage to yourself equal to it's average damage value. Do not apply your Strength modifier or other damage dice to this damage.

 

Blinding. A blinding weapon is made of highly polished metal that is exceptional at reflecting light. Its effects can only occur in areas of bright light. When you confirm a critical hit with this weapon, you may choose to deal normal damage and blind your opponent for 1d4 rounds. However, if your attack roll is ever a natural 1, you automatically blind yourself for 1d4 rounds.

Booming. This weapon issues a thunderous boom when it strikes true. When you score a critical hit with an attack from this weapon, the target and all creatures adjacent to it are deafened for 1d4 rounds.

 

Clumsy. If you miss with an attack with this weapon, you must succeed at a DC 12 Dexterity (acrobatics) check or fall prone.

 

Decapitating. All attacks that threaten a critical hit against you are automatically confirmed. If you die as a result of a critical hit, the blow removes your head.

 

Dulled. This weapon only deals bludgeoning damage equal to your Strength modifier.

 

Electrified. When drawn, veins of energy begin to dance along the blade and hilt as this weapon crackles with electricity. When you hit with an attack using this magic weapon, the target takes an extra 1d6 lightning damage. In addition, while you hold the sword, you take 3 points of lightning damage each round.

 

Exhausting. This weapon requires significantly more effort to wield in battle, although its blow tend to be much more devastating. All hits with this weapon threaten critical hits, but if you miss with an attack with this weapon, you gain 1 level of exhaustion.

 

Gaseous. This weapon carries with it an aura of noxious fumes. A powerful strike causes it to expel a poisonous gas cloud. When you hit with an attack with this weapon, the target must succeed at a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 1 round. If you ever roll a natural 1, you accidently inhale the fumes and are poisoned for 1d4 rounds.

 

Isolating. While you are holding this weapon, allies cannot approach within 10 feet of you. Any ally that is already within 10 feet of you when you pick up the weapon cannot move any closer.

 

Leeching. This weapon draws upon the life force of your allies to keep you safe. When you suffer hit point damage, you take no damage; instead, the closest ally within 30 feet of you takes an amount of necrotic damage equal to the damage you would have sustained. This damage cannot be reduced in any way. If there is no ally within 30 feet of you at the time you take the damage, you suffer the damage normally.

 

Lodestone. For each attack you make with any weapon other than this one, your speed is reduced by 5 feet. This reduction disappears once you make an attack with this weapon against a target that is within your reach.

 

Merciless. You have advantage on attacks made against any creature with less than one half of its maximum hit points, but attacks against you gain advantage if you have less than one half your maximum hit points.

 

Murderous. If you miss with an attack with this weapon, you strike yourself and deal damage as normal. On a roll of a natural 1, you score a critical hit against yourself.

 

Offensive. There is something about you having this weapon that other creatures find insulting or offensive. Creatures of one specific type (i.e. beast, fey, fiend, undead, etc.) chose to attack you over other targets.

 

Seppuku. At the end of any combat in which you did not adhere to the weapon’s honor, you must succeed at a DC 15 Charisma saving throw or impale yourself upon this weapon. If you fail the saving throw, you deal maximum critical damage to yourself. Roll on the table below do determine the weapon’s honor.

 

1 – Deliver the killing blow to at least one creature.

2 – Do not make an attack with advantage.

3 – All allies are alive at the end of combat (they may be unconscious).

4 – Do not attack a non-spellcaster so long as an enemy spellcaster is present.

 

Spell Loathing. When you are affected by a spell (even if you passed the saving throw), you have disadvantage on your attacks for a number of rounds equal to the level of the spell slot that was used to cast the spell.

 

Vengeful. Each time you deliver the killing blow to a living creature while attuned to it, you suffer a cumulative 1 point of psychic damage.

 

Xenophobic. You have disadvantage when attacking creatures of a specific type (i.e. beast, fey, fiend, undead, etc.). In addition, you become frightened of any creature of that type that causes damage to you.