Earlier today I was tagged in by Eldritch Fields for a blog bandwagon concerning Masks, so I decided to whip up a quick d100 Table with some ideas for Magic Items that fit that theme. These sorts of Wearable Wonders are rather rare in my games, so hopefully now that I’ve ruminated on them for a bit that will change!
I hereby tag in Cascade Fault to make a Mask and keep them coming!
Here we have another hundred Magical Items, this time focusing on those Bracers and Bracelets that might be masquerading among the Jewelry in a hard-earned Hoard. My hope is that you find something interesting to adorn those Characters wrists with a little more Wonder!
The Magical Item Generator has also been updated with these entries.
Another Table of Magical Wonders (to be dutifully added to the Generator eventually!) This one focuses on Belts, Girdles, Sashes, or other Straps like Baldrics and Bandoliers. I’m sure I’ll eventually get to other articles and accessories as time and inspiration permits.
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himsical Wonders needn’t always be intended for those who’ve Grown Up. Here are one Hundred Magical Toys & Trinkets aimed at a younger audience, though I’m certain the average Adult Adventurer might find some ways to use a few of these creatively! I will definitely need to remember to add these into the Magic Item Generator eventually.
With a little bit of digital elbow grease, I’ve finally managed to create a Generator that produces Magical Items from the dozens of d100 Tables I’ve created on this topic. It’s embedded below, give it a click to generate additional Wonders and Enchanted Treasures:
It seems only natural that a Setting with various Magical Plants & Herbs might also have some Tantalizing Teas. Most of these I imagine work a bit more like Magical Potions (and I suppose in a pinch, most entries here could augment those lists) but are perhaps not as fragile when being transported in those Dangerous Places and therefore much less encumbering. They do usually require some additional preparation (Brewing) first however, so may not be as convenient in a pinch.
While I was gathering subjects for my prior Magic Tools post, I combed the more conventional Equipment Lists for some ideas for which additional items might benefit from a little Wonder. When I saw the Lantern, I knew that these would likely deserve their very own d100 Table, because I suspected my furtling would find fertile fields for all kinds of ideas for those.
So here we have Hundred ideas for Magical Lamps & Lanterns, perhaps some are even worth hanging onto even after such things as Continual Light gradually begin to diminish their necessity. I remarkably was able to resist the urge to cram the list with a jumble of Djinni, but should you need a few ideas for those, there’s always my Encounter Activities.
Here are some ideas for Magical Qualities that can be incorporated into some of the various Tools and Implements that might find their way into a Character’s Equipment. While Wonders are usually confined to Weapons & Armor for dealing with challenges associated with Combat, sometimes having the Right Tool at hand for a specific task is more interesting, especially if the tool in question has these sorts of unconventional features and benefits.
Another Magic Item table, but this one is focused a bit more on those objects of a more Sacred Significance. Some of these are said to grant powerful boons when venerated or carried by the faithful and each one is likely to be associated with extraordinary. Many of these consist of portions of the physical remains of Saints or other personages important to a given faith. It’s possible that a few of these might have made the pilgrimage to a position on this table from Characters that were present in campaigns and games ages ago.
Since I’m always a bit pressed for real estate in these tables (because I like to keep them on a single page when I can), these entries are a little terse. Some elaborations might need to remain up to the Referee or tied more closely to a given Setting’s Cosmological implications. I have at least endeavored to provide some potentially useful Names for Saints and such to save a bit of time, and where I could manage I did sneak in a skosh of descriptive text.
More Fodder for Fighters, here’s a table I tapped away to provide some Details and Deeds that might speak to the History of any Swords they might come across in their Adventures. Sometimes embellishing a Blade with a few particulars in this way makes it much more Memorable and can even create a bit of intrigue or speak to the larger Setting. A Referee might decide to only add these to Swords of the Enchanted variety, but sometimes a little decoration like this goes a long way to differentiate even more standard treasures and takings.
Acquiring enchanted Body Art seems like a fantastic opportunity for Foreground Growth or Improvements to a Character obtained in Play. I imagine quite a bit of Adventuring might be required to locate the highly specialized Arcane Artists who can preform this delicate work. Charging steep Prices or only deigning to design one as a reward for Services Rendered. The Process could potentially also involve some sourcing of unusual or difficult or dangerous to acquire Reagents/Ingredients for use in the Pigments or as Needles. The resulting piece is likely brilliant to behold in terms of craftsmanship but these can also impart Magical Gifts to those whose skin they stain. I’ve always been a fan of granting Classes a little bit of limited Spell-Casting or Unconventional Abilities this way, and this kind of non-item-based Magical Augmentation can’t be as easily Removed via Ravenous Rust Monster.
How would these Magic Tattoos work in Play? My current line of thinking is to use them in conjunction with a Usage Die Mechanic (since the energy contained within them is less quantifiable), perhaps set it starting at d8, d6 (or even d4 for some of the more powerful ones, or more generous for the less), on each “Use” or “Activation” there’s a chance (on a roll of 1 or 2) the Incantations embedded alongside the Ink might begin to fade or become lose potency. Once the Magic depletes completely, the Tattoo vanishes! I’d recommend the Restriction that one set of Skin can never receive the same Tattoo Twice, in order to keep these a little more unique and special.
Here are a Hundred Ideas for these, along with some suggestions for “Flash” or descriptive designs.
Another quick Single-Use Magic Item Table! This time we tackle some Special Substances that aren’t administered by drinking like Potions but applied externally. I would imagine that this process might take some Time, and therefore not necessarily be something one would want to do in the heat of Battle, but perhaps more suited to before or after, or during a Rest. Like my prior table on Incense, having these kinds of highly specific, but limited in use Wonders available to Players can really sometimes result in some pretty creative Problem Solving or Reward prior decisions in fun ways.
Today we have another Magical Item Table, this time tackling Arrows and Ammunition (and I suppose Sling Bullets with some light re-skinning, though I haven’t given up on a separate table dedicated to those just yet.) Generally, we treat these as Single Use Items that are spent when shot, but in some games a Damage Roll of 1 or 2 means that it can be Recovered after the battle (easier to track, simply don’t mark off the expenditure of Ammunition until after Damage is rolled!) It’s possible there might be a bit of overlap with my prior Table on Magic Bows, which I purposefully neglected to review prior to populating this one.
How many Arrows or Quarrels are discovered in a Treasure Hoard? Well, the B/X Treasure tables provide a range, some sheafs are 2d6, some 3d10, and other stingier ones might only be a single d6. Particularly puissant Projectiles (such as those of Slaying) sometimes show up all by their lonesome, so I suppose this might be a bit dependent on Referee discretion. I’d be inclined to be a little more generous with the ones that are perhaps a little less reliable in terms of this Table.
Many of my Tables seem to revolve around Plants in some way, but I noticed that I didn’t have one devoted specifically to the potential Magical Effects of some of the Fruits or Berries of these. Since these are usually “Single-Use” Items they can definitely be an interesting Resource to plant in some of those Wildernesses (and maybe even some more atypical Dungeons!) As with most of these Tables, I often like to include Properties that might serve as specific Solutions for hereto Unknown Problems/Challenges. It’s awfully fun to see what Creative Applications the Players might come up with, but as always, feel free to season these to taste for your table.
I needed quite a bit of space in the entries for the effects, but should a Name be needed, I can see these being quite useful with my Magical Plant & Herb Generator, as well as my Fantasy Tree Generator. At some point in the future, I can even see these effects being combined with entries from other, related Tables in one of my Perchance Generators to cut down on the need to toss and tabulate those d10s so much.
Fruit with Magical Properties like this has a lot of folkloric resonance to me, but unfortunately, I couldn’t wait until another Fairy Tale Friday to publish this one!
Occasionally, the Player Characters might come into possession of something infused with Mighty Magic, but also quite Cursed, Harmful, or Inconvenient in some way. They might then decide to try and figure out a way to Destroy or rid themselves of it. Here’s a list of some ideas for how to handle this situation, many involving some legwork on their part. I tried to avoid the “Cast it into a Forebodingly Named Volcano” trope, figuring that everyone was fairly aware of or perhaps a bit bored with that timeworm method.
There may be a bit of overlap between this Table and some of my others and I suppose one could even string together quite a Journey around gathering information concerning what needs to be done, and then discrete steps to insure its success (qq.v Methods for Magical Item Identification, Rumored Cures for Curses/Energy Drain, or even Whimsical Wants for Fickle Fey.)
Here’s a rather unusual Table that I put together concerning Magic Beans. It’s been a little while since I’ve done something a little more whimsical, or food related (like my infamous Garlic table) and while musing on other “Single Use” Magic Items, my mind kept returning to Fairy Tales.
A Bag of Beans will usually contain multiple beans. I generally default to 3d6, with any doubles adding and rolling again, but you are welcome to season the amount to taste for your tables. Some of the effects might be pretty potent and require a little stinginess. You use a Bean once, and it’s done.
This d100 Table is rendered in categories should a specific type be required. My hope is that these should be mostly self-evident: Swallow Beans are consumed, Sling Beans are hurled at a someone/something (either by hand or with the namesake Missile Weapon), Sow Beans need to be Planted, and Store Beans placed somewhere.
The main category that might be a little unusual is the Swindle one. These are benefits that are gained if the otherwise mundane Bag of Beans is traded/bartered with another for something of great value to the other Party. The Swindler gains a wonderful Boon if successful. Usually, the Bilked is left just with a bag of Normal Beans as part of the transaction, but every so often that process could imbue them with Magic all their own (2-in-6, roll on the table to determine which properties they gain.)
Another Random Table devoted to those marvelous Magical Items. This time we have One Hundred Magical Axes. Just like with my other magic item tables, these can be used to embellish that bog-standard bonus in order to make for a more intriguing and wonderous weapon should it be needed. As always, feel free to season some of these to taste in terms of potency, duration, or frequency of use.
Who doesn’t love a good Magical Ring? Compact and convenient (for those with Fingers or other places to wear them), here are a hundred additional ideas to make this Treasures more than mere Trinkets. I am always eager to embellish them a little bit. If you enjoy this too, there might be some inspiring ideas for this in my Jewelry Generator or even on my table for Magic Item Tells.
Magical Potions and Dweomered Draughts are a time-honored tradition in these games. I like to provide some minor Clues to their Function to occasionally reward the very brave that dare to take a sip to test them (or the Hapless Hireling convinced to Guinea Pig).
Here are a hundred ideas for some hints for some common and not so common Elixirs. These, coupled with consistent Potion Colors, Smells, and even Flavors, can sometimes make this process a bit of a game in itself for when a suitable Specialist or amenable Alchemist is unavailable. I usually make the effects of these tentative tastes very temporary, and relatively benign. I suppose if one squints, this table could also be repurposed for the side-effects of drugs or other intoxicants as well.
Our rulesets for some versions of the game often appear to omit certain aspects when compared to their descendants. One item periodically perceived as “Missing” from OSE and B/X is a quick and convenient way to instantaneously identify the functions of recovered Magical Items.
The methods outlined within the text seem to circumscribe this process to either Experimentation or saving up to pay the exorbitant prices of Sages, Seers, and other such Specialists (a lovely money-sink in itself). The “Retainer Test Subject” approach seldom seems appealing to players, since the “Guinea Pig” often clamors to keep it (and why should they not? They assumed the risk!). Later versions, obviously informed by experiences with how these options tended to play out, mostly do away with these methods altogether by providing a convenient and often abecedarian Spell to perform the duty of discerning dweomers. Some of these, like Analyze from BECMI still preserve a percentile chance of failure and often fail to reveal an item’s secrets with complete precision. But the implications this still seems to create in me is a world where Magical Things are relatively humdrum or commonplace, so run-of-the-mill in fact that even a Minor Medium can avail themselves of a lower circle incantation to divine their purposes and suss out their secrets.
I like to lean into the rarity and wonder of any persistent Magical Creations that appear in my games. It adds mountains to their mystique and makes them much more memorable. So, this table offers another path: One Hundred Hooks to perform this appraisal process through play.
If you prefer the convenience of abstracting or expediting this process, then I’m afraid this table may not seem immediately useful to you. I suppose these could also find use as other Random Rumors tied to information gathering though. When players pose unexpected questions, it’s often quite handy to have some convenient concept on where they can obtain elucidation should the Referee be caught unawares (we all know this only ever happens so seldomly as to be almost unworthy of mention 😊). Information is such powerful paraphernalia in these games, and sometimes even the knowledge of “where to find an answer” is immensely valuable.