[New Monster] Merrow

Merrow

‘We can cross the river soon,’ Ollmhi told Murgi.

‘How do you figure, the river is very wide an swift, it looks dangerous,’ the thief replied.

‘The merrow spoke to Ulonia the river goddess and she said they could help us,’ the priestess said.

‘At what price?’ Murgi inquired.

‘A dance, tomorrow night, in a gazebo across the river near the bank,’ Olmhi answered.

‘Seems a reasonable price to pay. These merrow can dance on land?’ he asked.

‘We shall see, we each get a partner to dance with, better loosen up your legs,’ Olmhi replied with a smile.

‘What?! Me? Dance?’ the thief exclaimed.

‘Yes, so you had better practice and be ready,’ the priestess said while the thief sat on a log and slumped over as a raft slowly made its way toward the river bank near them.

Merrow: AC 4 [+15], HD 3 (13hp), Att 1 claw (1d4) or bite (1d4), THAC0 16 [+3], MV 60’ (20’)/ 120′ (40′) swimming SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16 (2), ML 10, AL Varies, XP 75, NA 1d4 (1d12), TT Bx2 ▶ Aquatic life: Except for each equinox (a 24 hour period each time) or if sent on a mission for a river deity (maximum three days) a merrow MUST stay near water and cannot be out of it for more than an hour without losing 1d4 hit points per turn (ten minutes). ▶Various alignments: all merrow serve river deities or spirits and are aligned as the ones they follow. They usual do not infight when on a mission, however.

Merrow possess a rubbery green skin splotched with brown brown and black patterns to offer superb camouflage in murky waters (+2 for initiative/surprise). Acting as emissaries and messengers for freshwater deities of rivers, lakes and sometimes really big ponds. Their heads are more human-like than fish and they speak the language of underwater creatures as well as the common tongue. On days (and evenings) of the equinox they may transform to humans with a Charisma of 16 and walk on dry land until the equninox is over. These creatures may also be away from water for up to three days when on a mission from their deities. In human form merrow sometimes carry a dagger, short sword or spear as a weapon. 25% of these creatures know druidic magic, usually linked to air or water.

[New Spell] Note Sung onto Parchment

Note Sung onto Parchment

‘Do you read this?’ Krozik the dwarf asked Bakra-do.

‘I can read it if that is what you mean,’ the mercenary responded as he squinted at the words on the light gray stone.

‘Is this the entrance to the treasure-tomb? Does it say?’ asked the anxious dwarf who was already imagining piles of coins and jewels.

‘No, it actually says that this is a dead end and that the treasure-tomb is the next small cave…’ replied Bakra-do, yet before he could finish the dwarf scampered off.

‘…and has been pilfered. He will find out,’ finished the mercenary.

Some time later a loud groan that was a mix of anger and frustration could be heard.

Note Sung onto Parchment (Illusionist)

Level 1

Range: Touch.

Duration: One month per level of caster.

The casting illusionist may actually sing the message onto any surface, not just parchment for any legible surface will suffice. The caster may transfer up to two hundred words per level onto a surface in the desired language that will appear as legible print. When the spell lapses the words slowly fade away, until then they are weatherproof.

[New Magic Item] Cloak of the ‘Cube

Cloak of the ‘Cube

The seemingly endless horde of small spiders rushed at Zorvab the Axebringer and his strange cloak seemed to devour them all.

‘Handy cloak, good thing Valance isn’t here to witness its use though,’ exclaimed the illusionist known only as the Scholar of Wexos.

‘Valance? The Spider priest?’ Zorvab inquired as the stream of spiders dwindled down to a trickle.

‘Aye, the same,’ replied the spellcaster.

‘Apologies to your friend, but if he was here he might have a better solution, I have no choice but to don this cloak during such encounters,’ the fighter said.

From the Web Between the Worlds the Spider God glared at Zorvab, the curse upon the human so easily foiled.

Originally a magical accident, eventually a magic-user realized how to duplicate this strange enchanted cloak. Friend or foe, it doesn’t discriminate when in use.

Benefit: This strange green enchanted hooded cloak is activated simply by wearing it, otherwise it is inert. In addition to an AC boost of +2 this cloak also acts as if one was wearing a monster known as a gelatinous cube for anyone touching it for a moment takes 1d4 points of acidic damage and an additional 1d4 point of damage each subsequent round of exposure as the cloak seeks to dissolve anyone (except the wearer, who is immune to this effect) that touches it. In particular swarms of insects, rats and other vermin seem drawn to this cloak and are absorbed by it and for every ten points of damage dealt the cloak gives the weaer a ‘boost’ of two temporary hit points that may go over the normal hit points the wearer has up to a factor of x2. These temporary hit points wear off after 1d4 hours or when the cloak is next removed.

Usable by: Anyone.

[New Magic Item] Conversation Coins

Conversation Coins

The half-ogre barkeep watched the newcomers with interest, three sat hunched over a bowl of water while one stood guard as one of the sitting men whispered into the bowl.

‘Are you guys going to buy something more to drink than water in a bowl?’ the barkeep asked.

The standing man glared until he saw the half-ogre stand to his full seven foot height.

‘Four ales?’ the standing man asked.

‘That’s a great start,’ the barkeep said, leery of what the other three were up to in his establishment.

Difficult to find, these coins have no mouths on the faces on the face of the coin. They do radiate magic and are coveted by devious magic-users to give to their henchmen to report back to them with.

Benefit: These coins are often found in pouches of 1d12+2 and the coins are used thusly:

1. Thrown into non-running water will allow a message to be sent to a single person at any distance as long as it is on the same plane and they have met before. Dialogue is out loud.
2. Allows for this communication to be two-way, still, must be spoken.
3. Brings in a visual element, so that the two parties may see each other.

Using any more has no additional effects. Once submerged the coins are inert for 1d4 days while they recharge.

Usable by: Anyone.

[New Magic Item] Enchanted Skull Bottle

Enchanted Skull Bottles

Jaundo watched Uzeb the Wise drink from his red glass skull bottle and put his hands in the campfire seemingly unharmed. The fighter tried the same and shrieked in pain.

‘Why doesn’t this work for me?’ aske the frustrated Jaundo.

‘First, you have the wrong liquid in your bottle, ale won’t do, and second, your skull bottle is blue,’ explained the magic-user.

‘Wizards!’ exclaimed Jaundo.

An enchanted glass bottle in the shape of a skull with a stem that will hold a cork or similar stopper. There are rumored to be four different colors of these ‘out in the wild’.

Benefit: Often used to hold potables while looking chic, these bottles will hold roughly two quarts (about eight uses when full) of liquid. Any liquid poured inside one of these skulls will not sour, ever. No two (or more) of the same color will work as below within a mile of each other. If pure spring water is poured into one the liquid is enchanted as follows:

• Clear: imbiber is unaffected by poison gasses or other noxious fumes, may levitate 10′ per level (10′ minimum) for up to ten minutes.
• Red: Fire resistance, 100% resistant to normal fires, 50% damage from magical fire, may cast Wall of Fire spell once per day as 6^th level caster.
• Blue: Cannot drown, will be ignored by all underwater predators as if unappetizing or poisonous.
• Amber: Know the value of all gems and precious minerals, summon 1 4HD earth elemental once per day.
• Green: travel unhindered and untouched through even the densest vegetation for five hours, summon 6HD treant .
• Black: See in darkness as if dim light for 1d6+2 hours, summon 1d4 shadows once per day.

Usable by: Anyone.

[New Spell] Shimmering Shields

Shimmering Shields

From a distance the sudden illumination of the elven shields looked like shooting stars zig-zagging their way to the ground.

To the goblin warband engaged in combat with the elves it was a furious struggle to avoid the blinding light that weakened the small monsters.

Shimmering Shields (Illusionist)

Level 2

Range: 30’+5’/level.

Duration: One round per level in combat or one turn per level out of combat.

When cast the illusionist may choose one shield per level within range of the spell and that shield(s) will project light from the ‘face’ of the shield that is bright enough to illuminate an area or blind a disrupt a combatant, making those not sensitive to bright light to be -1 to Hit and Damage in combat and those that are affected by bright light to be -3 to Hit and Damage in combat until the spell expires, at which time the light(s) goes out and the shield no longer affects those facing it.

[New Magic Item] Vake’s Wooden Sword

Vake’s Wooden Sword

The human turned the point of the wooden sword at the vampire just before the undead could latch onto one of the dwarves. The creature turned to Bakra-do and hissed. The mercenary shrugged and pushed his thumb forward on the handle to the hilt of the blade, suddenly a stream of splinters flew towards the vampire’s heart. The creature cried out then fell paralyzed to the ground.

‘Everyone else overlooked the sword as useless in the treasure, it had become a game,’ the vampire said as it struggled to move.

‘The game is over then,’ Bakrado said as he plunged the wooden blade deep into the vampire’s heart, the creature screamed a mournful wail before it died.

A wide-bladed wooden sword of oak and willow, Vake’s sword is often underestimated. Rumored to have been made for an elven prince with an aversion to iron and steel.

Benefit: This enchanted longsword deals 1d6+2 magical damage to when used as a sword and once per day may issue a torrent of splinters up to 35′ that deals 1d8 +1 damage. All damage caused by this blade is magical in nature and will even harm lycanthropes and other creatures harmed by magical/silver weapons. Will ‘stake’ a vampire’s heart on a natural To Hit roll of 18-20, paralyzing the creature for 1d4 rounds.

Usable by: Anyone who can wield a sword.

[New Magic Item] Witch’s Ring

Witch’s Ring

Zalto Seven-Eyes entered the fray on the hilltop, a flaming sword in one hand and a blade of ice in the other.

‘Nope,’ Inglox said aloud and muttered a word. Suddenly a broom was in his hand. Without further adieu the dwarf mounted the broom and flew off into the night.

‘Loyal friends,’ Zalto said sarcastically as Bakra-do groaned and drew his two short swords.

‘Have faith in Inglox,’ Krozik muttered to the bounty hunter.

‘Him? I am already wondering about you,’ Bakra-do replied. Krozik frownd. Zalto laughed.

Without warning a large midnight blue panther pounced on Zalto Seven-Eyes, catching him completely unaware, Krozik and Bakra-do rushed in and were joined by Inglox.

‘I stand corrected, drinks are on me,’ Bakra-do said just before he plunged both blades into the evil warlord.

Serpent shaped silver ring with emerald eyes. Very handy to have and very difficult to keep a hold of.

Benefit: Once per day this ring may be used to conjure a Broom of Flying that will be disappear after one hour or turn an ordinary housecat into a big cat (panther, tiger, leopard, lion, etc) or a big cat into a dire/sabre toothed tiger for one hour that has maximum HD and follow’s the orders of the one who summoned it. The wearer of this ring cannot cross a barrier of salt and will catch the notice of any witches or hags in the area which will attack the ring’s wearer first and attempt to retrieve the ring at any cost.

Usable by: Anyone.

[New Magic Item] Off the Trail Amulet

Off the Trail Amulet

The mercenary Bakra-do was curious (and a bit doubtful) about the odd talisman that the dwarf Inglox was holding in his hand as the trio, for Krozik was also there, hustling along and looking back over his shoulder.

‘We can rest now that we are out of sight, I will awaken the magic in this amulet and we can seek shelter in a hidden cave nearby,’ Inglox said as he motioned towards a nearby hillside.

‘I hear the baying of the hounds, it draws nearer,’ Bakra-do said.

‘Relax, this will work, Krozik, find the cave will you? It is very close,’ Inglox asked. Krozik nodded and headed towards a pile of rocks at the base of the hill. Inglox followed and stabbed himself in one arm, careful to catch the blood as he winced.

Krozik revealed a crawlspace into a good sized cave that had obviously been used as a hideout before. Bakra-do was impressed.

‘Let’s just hope that this wizard doesn’t think to summon hellhounds when the trail goes cold,’ Inglox said.

‘What?!’ the mercenary exclaimed as the dwarves smiled awkwardly.

Set within this amulet is a strange blood-red stone with golden flecks in it. There is one sharp point on one side of the talisman rumored to be the tooth of a hellhound.

Benefit: Once per day this amulet may be used to throw those following the magic item’s bearer by scent ‘off the trail’ for a length of time. While this works against terrestrial trackers perfectly extra-planar creatures that are adept at hunting by scent are 75% likely to foil this talisman and betray it’s owner. To instigate the magic one must prick or stab themselves with the sharp end of the amulet dealing 1d4 points of damage. From the point that the this happens magic radiates out 100′ dispersing the scent of the talisman’s bearer for 1d4 hours, making tracking impossible for most creatures unless the person leaves the area in which case the trail may be picked up again.

Usable by: Anyone.

[New Spell] Lightning Burst

Lightning Burst

The ancient dwarven temple on the mountainside was suddenly assaulted by a multitude of thunderbolts and near deafening thunder.

‘Run, the gods are unhappy!’ Krozik the dwarf shouted.

Not needing to be told twice Inglox, another dwarf, maybe a little less surly than Krozik, dropped the small harp he was holding and began running in circles seeking cover.

Deep laughter followed the lightning as a figure stepped from the shadows, revealing himself to be…human.

Krozik stopped in his tracks and shook his fist at the hooded man.

‘Your faces! Just like that hobgoblin warband I saw three days ago,’ Zibni the illusionist said.

‘Where were they headed?’ Inglox asked of the sometimes ally of the dwarves.

‘Oh, yeah. This way, we had better prepare for them,’ the illusionist replied as the dwarves scowled.

Lightning Burst (Illusionist)

Level 3

Range: 45’+5’/level.

Duration: Instantaneous.

This odd cosmetic spell allows the caster to produce an impressive series of several bursts of lightning bolts with accompanying thunder. While the lightning does no real damage it does cause Awe in all creatures under 5HD who must make a Save vs Spells with a -1 modifier or flee the area looking for cover. Often used by flasy deities or sly spellcastes wanting to make an impressive entrance.