Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Blade of the Keytar

http://www.waveformula.com/custom/ms1/index.html
Mythic weapons once welded by the Battle Bards of Shanana , the blakeytar is a powerful weapon in the hands of a trained bard. The musical spells played by the bard on the 'key' side of the weapon are channeled down the blade (providing a bonus to casting and effect), resulting in some truly devastating awesomeness. 


However, they are very rare, even among the Elven people, and virtually unheard of beyond the Morning Wood.

Thursday, May 22, 2014

Mask of Vulcan

The misnamed Mask of Vulcan is actually an over-sized, metal helmet that makes the wearer completely invulnerable to all forms of physical and (direct) magical damage.

However, the helmet is extremely large, heavy and ungainly. It is not padded and being completely invulnerable (cannot be drilled or heated), there is no way to equipped it with a practical chin strap. It sits square on the wearer's shoulders but the helmet does not bestow any added strength and its very heavy weight (approx 100lbs) makes it very difficult for most normal people to wear for an extended time, much less exert themselves or run. Tripping, falling or being bowled over is also still very much a concern, at which time there is 90% chance the helm will fall off. 

The eye slits are small and the ventilation holes in are very small, causing the helmet to heat up rapidly when worn, as well as severely limiting the wearer's sight and hearing. The ventilation holes also make the wearer vulnerable to (non damaging) gaseous attacks and suffocation. 

But otherwise the whole, total invulnerablity thing is still really cool. 

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Ring of Herculean Might

The wearer of this ring is temporarily gifted with the strength of ten ordinary men. To activate its power, the ring must be placed on the hand and then held aloft for ten seconds. During that time, it is struck by multiple bolts of lightning that do no damage to the wearer, but will do standards Lightning damage (as per equivalent spell) to anyone unfortunate enough to be touching the wearer at the time.
That this exits, and that I do not own one, saddens me greatly. 

If the wearer takes any damage during the ten seconds that it takes the ring to activate, then the process fails and everyone except the wearer in a ten foot radius will take standard lightning damage. The ring cannot be used again for a twenty four hour period.  

Wearing the ring for more than a few minutes causes any user, regardless of race or class to first become short tempered, then ​progressively more angry until it builds into a berserker rage where they will murderously attack anyone in the vicinity, including loved ones.  The wearer is usually fine for about ten minutes, but for every ten minutes the ring is worn there is a ten percent chance (cumulative) of the wearer going berserk.

Once that happens, the character can only be stopped by death, unconsciousness or by the removal of the ring. They are immune to all spells of charm and sleep during this time. 

Malificent Concept Art

http://conceptartworld.com/?p=33605
If you can't find use for a thorn forest and a horned witch in your game, you are just not trying, sir!

Sunday, May 18, 2014

Knuckle Duster Knives and Swords

Taking a break from the current collection of retro-cartoon Loot, I've recently started watching 'Boardwalk Empire' and was immedicately struck by one character's (a WWI vet) choice of weaponry.

These particular pieces of violence would fit well into any game with a touch of grit. FYI, the knub on the pommel-end is known as the skull-crusher and is used primarly for 'crackin' walknuts'.

Also available as a sword..

or for a more fantasy style campaign...
Image Source

The Twin Rings of Wonder

This set of dual magical rings requires each ring to be worn by a separate person. They have no power if attempted to use singularly. It is thought that a single user attempting to use both rings the same time can cause a dangerous magical feedback effect resulting in some unpleasent side effects. 

When pressed together and the correct incantation is spoken by both wearers, the rings bestow a separate magical power to each welder.

The most famous set of rings is known to allow one user to poly-morph into any known animal (HD or Level limits are recommended); while the second user takes on the form of a water-elemental.

IMAGE SOURCE
The wearer of the water-elemental ring is able to chose to take on a purely liquid, a gaseous vapour or a solid form made of ice (an ice bucket, for example).

The welder of each ring must state what form they are choosing as part of the incantation and the form may not be altered once the effect has taken place (you chose to be a pterodactyl, you're a pterodactyl until you chose to transform back, or the effect wears off). The rings are useable only once per day and the effect lasts up to one hour.

Other Wonder Rings pairs with different effects are thought to exist, but their powers are as yet, unknown.  

Saturday, May 17, 2014

Thing Ring of Rockskin

This artifact is made of two rings each containing half the essence of rock golem. The rings are worn on opposite hands and when put together and the secret incantation is spoken, the wearer will be encased by rocks that fly towards the wearer and form a near impenetrable armour that also grants superhuman strength. The rings can be used for up to one hour a day.

The armour will block the effects of any other armour and magical items that the wearer might already have on, plus the superhuman strength bestowed by the effect usually means that once encased in the armour cannot use regular weaponry without destroying it after 1d4 uses.

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

The Flying Monkey Rule

Regardless of genre, any adventure involving a witch where the characters are travelling by road they have a (10% per day, accumulative) random chance of being attacked, harrassed or kidnapped by Flying Monkeys.

Cookie Monster will demonstrate...

I have no idea what book this is,

.. but it has some great gothic art illustrations.