Town Scrier

Assorted Dungeon Oddments: part 1

Thou hast stray'd too far along Merchants Row. There, betwixt moon-cursers and guttersnipes, a curious peddler proffers assorted oddments before thine eyes. Dirty, gnarled hands hold a trinket aloft, as the peddler weaves a tale of its providence...

Still life with keys and lantern by Henri Charles Gurard, 1856
Still life with keys and lantern by Henri Charles Gurard, 1856

Below are nine adventuring items I've written for my upcoming adventure. In part 1: three lanterns, three ropes and three standard rations, all of mysterious origin.

Inspired somewhat by a scene in The White Company, where Alleyne is deceived by a blind beggar into purchasing a supposed holy relic.

Miner's Lantern

Description:

Well-worn skullcap fashioned from bronze, with a small lantern affixed to the front with corroded lead rivets. A clam shell reflector helps direct the light. Can only hold half an oil flask (lasts for two hours).

Blessing or Blight (Roll a 1D20):

Blessing (20): The wearer adds +1 to detect new construction, sliding walls, or sloping passages when searching.
Blight (1): A canary can be heard chirping incessantly when lit, alerting all creatures in a 60' radius.

Skull Lantern

Description:

Human skull with a lens protruding from one eye socket. Oil is added through a brass screw cap on the base. An eyepatch serves as a shutter. A frayed rope affixed to the temples acts as a carry handle. Written on the crown: ‘though I was dim in life, may I be bright in death’.

Blessing or Blight (Roll a 1D20):

Blessing (20): When this lantern shines upon the dead, their shadows reveal their final moments.
Blight (1): The lantern fears the dark and whimpers when unlit.

Toy Lantern

Description:

Primitive toy lantern. The brass side etched with a starry scene, now black with tarnish. Tiny perforated holes project stars onto the walls. The base has a wind-up music box mechanism which at one time played a bittersweet tune.

Blessing or Blight (Roll a 1D20):

Blessing (20): When an injured ally rests, this lantern will heal an extra 1d3 hit points as their dreams fill with the bittersweet melody.
Blight (1): The silent melody drives all fey creatures into a fit of rage, causing them to attack on sight.

Sacred Tether

Description:

50ft long rope of ruddy brown and blonde braided hair. The locks are interwoven with prayer beads and holy charms. If severed, the larger half will regrow to its original size at a foot a week.

Blessing or Blight (Roll a 1D20):

Blessing (20): Can be wielded by clerics like a holy symbol.
Blight (1): Cannot be use by Unlawful Characters.

Luminstrand

Description:

50ft Silver chain of faery-origin, faintly glimmers with an ethereal glow. Can be tethered to beams of light as if being tied around a branch.

Blessing or Blight (Roll a 1D20):

Blessing (20): Glows bright as a torch during twilight hours.
Blight (1): After 1D6+1 uses, the chain's light flickers like a dying ember. It can no longer tether to moonbeams, and its glow is useless in dark places.

Merrin's Wondrous Kerchief

Description:

50ft length of coloured kerchiefs tied end-to-end, once owned by the great harlequin, Merrin. Does not take up inventory space, instead the wielder summons the length by drawing it from such places as a sleeve, their mouth, or behind a companion's ear. Only one kerchief need be stowed back.

Blessing or Blight (Roll a 1D20):

Blessing (20): The length of kerchiefs that are summoned are always the right length needed for the job, no matter how long.
Blight (1): The kerchief is incredibly vain. The wielder must fully commit to the comedy routine for it to appear.

Dwarven Rock Candy

Description:

Small pouch of Dwarven confectionery. Savoury and salty to the taste, they are treated as 7 days' worth of standard rations.

Blessing or Blight (Roll a 1D20):

Blessing (20): The consumer gains Dwarven resilience. All saves for the duration of the day are rolled as if they were a dwarf.
Blight (1): They smell like death. All reaction rolls take a -2 penalty.

Jar of Slaked Eggs

Description:

A clay jar holds a dozen eggs of assorted colours, submerged in lime water. Treated as standard rations (12 days worth).

Blessing or Blight (Roll a 1D20):

Blessing (20): Each egg is wondrously filling, sustaining the consumer for a full day.
Blight (1): Upon eating an egg, the consumer is slowly filled with an insatiable hunger that never fades.

Stardew

Description:

White, scale-like crumbs that appears overnight like frost on the ground. Collected in a small pouch. Sweeter than honey, smoother than milk, and cooler than ice. Treated as 7 days' worth of standard rations.

Blessing or Blight (Roll a 1D20):

Blessing (20): The consumer will always wake the next day feeling fully rested. Healing bonus will always be received, no matter where they rest.
Blight (1): All other food now tastes like ash.

What is the cost?

Roll a 1D6:

  1. A finger.
  2. A secret told to no one else.
  3. Your most treasured memory.
  4. 1D6 weeks of servitude.
  5. Renouncement of your Deity.
  6. It's free... (roll again below for the true cost.)

The true cost (1D6):

  1. A powerful patron is the rightful owner and seeks revenge against those who wield their stolen possession.
  2. With every use the wielder must save vs spells or reduce a random stat by 1.
  3. Such relics break the equilibrium of law and chaos. Your alignment is switched.
  4. The peddler requires a favour to be repaid sometime in the future...
  5. Such unnatural oddments sow the seeds of chaos. Wandering monster checks are doubled whenever the item is used.
  6. Whilst in your inventory, you no longer dream. At night you lay stiff and cold as a corpse, waking without rest or ease.

#B/X #OSE #adventure gear #d&d #items #lantern #oddments #peddlar #rations #rope