RPG Thinktank – Unique / Legendary Magic Items

In this week’s brainstorming session we are looking at unique or legendary magic items

Never mind the +1 swords or the potions of healing, we want magic items which are truly unique. Maybe they are items of legend, given to man by the gods or maybe they are strange devices created by a mad magician for unknown reasons. It doesn’t matter, as long as they are magical and one of a kind.

#RPG


Here are the Team’s ideas:

Jaye – The Ugly Stick

Some mages are just horrible people. The arch-witch Rubrae became increasingly bitter as she aged but elves with which she lived seemed to be always beautiful and handsome. Unable to mentally cope with her mortality, she created a wand that would allow her to sap the beauty of another to restore her own appearance. At first she used it subtly and carefully so that no-one would notice. Eventually she grew too greedy and nearly killed an elven princess. The wood elves promptly executed her, but her wand remains in the elven archives.

The Ugly Stick appears as a perfectly straight, plain whitewood wand when not touched. When held, it distorts and discolours to mimic the physical imperfections of whomever holds it.

Plot Hooks
  • The characters must steal it for a vain person
  • Why haven’t the elves destroyed it?
  • What happened to the princess?
Mechanics for the 6d6 RPG:

Allows for any appearance based life advantage to be stolen. The target losses the life advantage to the attack and the wand user gains a status effect advantage of the same name. Degrees of success on the plus four scale above the CP of the targeted advantage increase the time for which the advantage is stolen.


Patrick – Frozen Time

There is a place, in the north, where the temperature drops to such a point where time itself freezes. This is the home of the old gods of the Wolf Cult.

Occasionally a wizard of a particular sect can reach this far northern place and chip of a block of frozen time. The piece must be very large, as the melting point of time is very low. After carting the block back to civilised lands the wizard should have approximately a day’s worth of time, a lump about the size of a large Jam jar. this is sealed in a special container and can be released any time the wizard wants just a little bit more time. Understandably this is a very valuable resource.

Plot Hooks
  • The characters are hired to guard a valuable shipment of frozen time, unfortunately an accident causes the cart to crash and the adventurers are cast adrift in a sea of liquid time.
  • Global warming causing an increase in timebergs
  • The characters need to go back in time to warn a town of a coming disaster
Mechanics for the 6d6 RPG:

A tiny amount of time is useful in combat to grant temporary potential to a player. Large amounts gives the character a scene or even a session to perform narrative actions.


Alex – Lin Bareil (The Spell Engine)

Created by a mage 400 years ago, the Lin Bareil, or Spell Engine in the language of it’s maker, is a drum the size of a wine barrel consisting of a number of spinning rings marked with the runes of magic. one spins the rings until the desired runes line up, channeling the flow of mana and casting the spell. It is said that the device was a proof of concept, that it was the first step towards a great artifice, but soon after making the Lin Bareil the mage vanished. The rumour is that he was killed by The Sorcerer King, or perhaps abducted to finish his work under supervision.

Plot Hooks
  • The characters can find the Lin Bareil and make use of it or a foe can be making use of the Lin Bareil
  • The characters discover the plans for the device and must quest for the parts to build a replica
  • Abandoned lair of the Sorcerer King contains the Lin Bareil Kor, a massive, room sized version. The characters must take control of it or prevent others controlling it.

Chris – The Seven Soul Spheres of Jamba

The Council of Jamba, rulers of the Kilnstone and the Great Delta, considered themselves the wise and just. They gloried in taking days to decide even the simplest issue, considering how deep philosophical questions applied to the practical issues of ruling a million people. To aid them in their considerations they commissions seven magical spheres, each tuned to a different aspect of people’s personality. These used the spheres when pondering on issues which enable them to see the question for other people’s point of view.

Unfortunately, in their wisdom, they did not limit the spheres to only pleasant, constructive personality types. The spheres led to arguments, which in time led to open civil war and the society collapsed. The spheres were lost and scattered in the chaos of war but occasionally individual spheres resurface, often in the most unlikely of places.

The spheres appear to be normal pearls though they radiate magic if examined carefully but it is impossible to tell what personality aspect the pearl is linked to without using them.

Plot Hooks
  • A previously pleasant individual has unwittingly acquired a sphere tied to the Self or similar soul advantage and undergone a personality shift. The characters must take the sphere from them without harming the user.
Mechanics for the 6d6 RPG

Each sphere acts as a specific Soul advantage with the Free keyword. However, if the possessor of the sphere attempts to use other Soul advantages (even if the sphere is not being used in the action) the sphere acts as a Hazard advantage and opposes the action.