Biweekly Item-Collector’s Rod

Obtained from an Anthropterist, a Collector’s Rod can be used to shrink and grow a target as an action. The action involves fixing the target in the center of the lens and utter a control phrase, such as “I’d like you better half your size” or “a little bigger, if you please.” Thus, it requires line of sight and cannot be used when silenced. It has a range of 20′. If it suspects anything, a living target may make a DC 16 Dexterity save to escape the scope of the lens before the phrase is completed to avoid its effect.

The minimum size to which a target can be shrunk is 1/25th, the maximum to which it can be grown is double.

When a living target’s size is changed, it makes a Constitution save with DC of 10 +1 for each 10% change. On a failed save, the target falls unconscious.

When used by a non-fey, the user becomes burdened with invisible, intangible weight equal to the change in the target’s weight. This weight only increases again when the change is reversed.

Upon use, it attunes to the user and cannot be gotten rid of (along with the weight) except by giving it to a fey who willingly receives it, likely also expecting some other gift or favor in return to taking the burden. Once the rod is unattuned, the burden is removed and all the things changed by the user with it return to their normal size.

If you liked this item, you can find the methodology used to develop it in my document on items that are puzzling to use: A Blessing and a Curse.

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ToM Session 05: Asked and Answered

In the early morning of December 15, YV 540, Doane rides the train he’s stowed away on all the way to the Vardorborg, capital of Vardor, arriving near sunset that day. He hopes to rescue his friends in a prison car a few cars up. The party is:

• Doane Six (ByW): Level 2 Nekolyn Monk
• Lamila (BiW): Level 2 Half-Orc, Half-Elf Fighter
  • Benquil: Level 2 Spider Monkey Animal Companion
• Lucifer “Lucy” Underfoot (RiH): Level 2 Halfling Bard

When the train arrives in the station, Doane carefully disembarks, seeing that the car with his companions had been cordoned off and blocked from view with tall curtain barriers. The top of a truck backed up near it can be seen, though.

ToM Session 04: Theft and Abduction

Monday, December 14th, 540 YV, with their potions prepared and the distraction scheduled, the three most effective recruits of the magic ban resistance group prepare to scale Hilbrent’s Tower in search of information that might convince the people to rise up against the magic ban. They are:

• Doane Six (ByW): Level 2 Nekolyn Monk
• Lamila (BiW): Level 2 Half-Orc, Half-Elf Fighter
  • Benquil: Level 2 Spider Monkey Animal Companion
• Lucifer “Lucy” Underfoot (RiH): Level 2 Halfling Bard

They quaff their potions, their skin turning grey and stoney, and begin to climb. They quickly make their way to the top of the tower, finding it flat and open with a single hatch leading down into the building interior. It is locked and Lucy quickly picks the lock (having forseen this need and temporarily learned lock picking from a skilled operator with his Emulate ability). They descend the ladder to the floor below and find it is a massive bedroom surrounded with other living amenities, but seemingly long unused and currently cluttered with crates and piles of things apparently in long-term storage.

The Sleeping Satyr

The Sleeping Satyr is on the Northeast edge of the Blood Wood near satyr lands, almost directly South of Gilded Falls, about 58 miles 30 degrees South of East from Timberford as the crow flies.

Removing the Heavy Yoke

On Monday, April 14th, Year 4, five Citadel House adventurers, including a new arrival (Osiris) and Aronis who has been suffering from a curse of nearly 200 pounds burden, gather to travel to the fey forest in search of a cure for Aronis. They hire an ox to carry Aronis, load on 10 days of food each, expecting to go at least to the Sleeping Satyr (a fey tavern on the edge of the Blood Wood) some 50-60 miles away through satyr lands. They are:

• Verdis (HuS): Level 7 Human Fighter (who has been there before)
  • Phineas: Talking rock companion
• Aronis (WaB): Level 3 Human Magic-user (who must be cured)
• Sylviana (CooB): Level 1 Satyr Thief (who is familiar with satyr lands and the Sleeping Satyr)
• Conan (MiM): Level 1 Elf Magic-user (Fire and Wind)
• Osiris (CoB): Level 1 Elf Magic-user (Life and Death)

Their journey to the Sleeping Satyr is relatively uneventful, with Verdis well received in the village nearest the Vale. Along the way, they are joined by a pair of satyrs at the invitation of Sylviana who are eager to visit the fey tavern, having been told that the Vale folk will be picking up the tab. They arrive around 3 in the afternoon on Wednesday the 16th.

Biweekly Monster-Cuirm-Cogaidh Spirit

Luath Draoid na Roinn was the second and last king of the gnomes. He was known as “the Sharing (na Roinn)” for having taught his father’s secret magics to a number of trusted champions, known as Cuirm-Cogaidh (warlock-knights). These champions allowed him to overcome the external forces that threatened to overthrow his kingdom.

As part of the rituals Luath required of those deemed worthy of learning his magics, the Cuirm-Cogaidh entered an oath bound with power to always serve Luath Draoid. Not even Luath himself could have known the implications of this oath.

Many of the warlock-knights died to find their oath unsatisfied, even centuries after Luath was laid in a tomb. They are now restless spirits who will fight to prevent him being raised to again command them.

Ancient Evils

On Monday, April 7, Year 4, three Citadel House adventurers head north, seeking out seemingly missing surveyors who were evaluating land for a new settlement about a day’s walk North toward Gnomish lands. They are:

• Agon (HuS): Level 2 Elf Magic-user (Fear and Stealth)
• Cripis (CoB): Level 2 Halfling Fighter
• Conan (MiM): Level 1 Elf Magic-user (Fire and Wind)

With 5 days of food, they set out, taking the road to Confluence and from there choosing to follow the river where the new settlement will be located. The weather is nice, and despite Cripis’ short legs, they make good time, camping 10 miles up river from Confluence. They assume it can’t be far to the surveyors’ camp and agree to continue two hours (3 miles) further up river in the morning before leaving it to search the surrounding woods for them.

The Servant’s Journal

This entry is inspired by the April Blog Carnival topic over on HereticWerks, which is Journals, Grimoires, & Spell-Books. You should check it out and consider participating. I’ll be addressing a journal today:

Written by an unnamed servant close to one of the ancient Cuirm-Cogaidh in period of the fall of kings, it documents day to day activities. This includes scrupulous detail about his master’s travels like locations, supplies, and times, among other activities. It is written in ancient gnomish and not very well. It is apparent the servant had some education, but was not an official record keeper for his master’s activities.

The Servant’s Journal is a record that will be recognized by name among scholars of gnomish history in the kings and post-kings period.

Learn more about the RPG Blog Carnival over at Roleplaying Tips.

Biweekly Item-Disco Diamond

An unusual gem that Torren found in a merchant’s pocket. Authorities took it to be a sign he should go to Haven and he was sent through the portal before embarking on the hi-jinks he led there. By the end of that misadventure, the diamond had changed hands to be in the possession of Sylviana, who “traded” her dagger for it.

ToM Session 03: Personalized Potion Service

Friday, December 4th, 540 YV, the group of magic ban rebels has relocated to a manor nearer the heart of the city (Gollant), abandoned and hopefully not to be visited for a while. The three members of the party (one of four teams in the rebel group) are:

• Doane Six (ByW): Level 1 Nekolyn Monk
• Lamila (BiW): Level 1 Half-Orc, Half-Elf Fighter
  • Benquil: Level 1 Spider Monkey Animal Companion
• Lucifer “Lucy” Underfoot (RiH): Level 1 Halfling Bard

Now settled into the abandoned manor, the party turns its attention to infiltrating the Temple of Hilbrent. With an inventor presentation on the 8th floor in two weeks, that seems the best moment to attempt to infiltrate the upper stories (9 and 10), where and information good to them would be hidden. They decide that while another team attempts to get an entry into the presentation, they will focus on plans to climb the tower exterior.