DragonQuest
Rulebook, version 2.19

81. Magical Research and Spell Construction

Magical Research and Spell Construction is concerned with the means whereby Adepts may augment their existing magical knowledge or ability.

Only Adepts may construct and develop new spells. There are two main methods of doing so:

Research: This method is used to rediscover lost wisdom.

Experimentation: This method is used to explore new paths of hitherto undiscovered knowledge.

The one method which may not be used is to simply have an Adept of another College of Magic teach the spells of his College to an Adept desiring to expand his knowledge. Effectively, members of different Colleges are speaking different languages because their magical knowledge is couched in arcane metaphysical terms commonly understood by practitioners of the same College, but not capable of fitting into the same body of thought and experience which makes up any other College. Therefore, while it is possible for the same exact spell to be cast by Adepts of two different Colleges, the means by which the spell is cast and the state of mind of the Adepts will be completely different. Some from of research will always be required to discover a means of casting a spell which is not part of an Adept’s College, even when the spell is perfectly comprehensible to Adepts of some other College.

Whenever the GM or the players desire to add a new spell to DragonQuest, the following procedure is followed:

[Step 1] The individual desiring the addition of the spell to the game writes out the following information:

• The Type of Spell (see 81.1).
• The Target Nature of the spell (see 81.2).
• The Number of Targets affected by the spell (see 81.3).
• The Damage Type (if any) of the spell (see 81.4).
• The possible Resistance of the spell (see 81.5).
• The Special Attributes (if any) of the spell (see 81.6).

Each of these types of information is termed a Special Characteristics. The first five characteristics are listed on the Spell Construction Chart. Beneath each spell characteristic of that chart there is one or more descriptive phrases. When writing out the spell, the player should choose for each characteristic, the one phrase which most closely represents the nature of the spell ignoring those characteristics which do not apply. Detailed discussions of each phrase are provided under the section dealing with the characteristic described by that phrase. Special Attributes are discussed in 81.6. A spell may have any number of special attributes.

[Step 2] The GM refers to the Spell Construction Chart to determine the Base Chance, Experience Multiple, Difficulty Factor and Cost of the spell.

Each item is represented by a column on that chart, and each column contains a list of numbers representing the value of the spell’s component characteristics for purposes of determining these four elements of the spell.

In order to determine any of these elements, the GM selects one number from the span provided opposite each spells characteristics and adds all of the numbers selected together.

Where a span of numbers is provided, the GM should use the highest number in the span if the player creating the spell desires that it work as a talent instead of a spell, or if the particular combination of spell characteristics selected seems overly effective to the GM. The lowest number in the span should be used if the spell is designed to work as a ritual instead of a spell, or if the GM finds the combination selected to be particularly weak or ineffective. Otherwise, a number from the middle of the span which the GM feels provides a proper balance between the overall effectiveness of the spell and its cost should be chosen.

When a number has been chosen for each characteristic that applies to the spell type entry each under Type of Spell, Target Nature, Number of Targets, Damage Type, and Resistance of Spell, the entries are added together to form a single number which, in the cases of Experience Multiple, Difficulty Factor, and Cost equals the element represented by that column. The sum derived for Base Chance is subtracted from 100 to find the Base Chance for the spell. In some cases, it will simply be impossible to make a particular combination of elements into a spell using this process because a negative Base Chance will be derived. The GM should, in such cases, disallow the spell or require that it be performed only as a ritual of a duration equal to at least one hour for every 1% (or fraction) the Base Chance is below 1.

[Step 3] The GM selects a Range and Duration for the spell using existing spell as guidelines.

The spell’s inventor may request extra range or duration from the GM at this point, but the GM should increase the Experience Multiple, Difficulty Factor, and Cost and decrease the Base Chance of the spell by a percentage directly proportional to the increase in range and duration.

When calculating percentage increases, round up to the nearest whole percentage point.

Example (continued): Sinjab’s Transmute Cold Iron Spell might have a Range of 10 feet and an immediate duration. If Sinjab wished to increase the Range by 5 feet (50%), the result would be a decrease of 50% in Base Chance (a BC of 10 would become a BC of 5) and an increase of 50% in Experience Multiple, Difficulty Factor, and Cost. Thus, an Experience Multiple of 215 would become 323, and a Difficulty Factor of 110 would become 1133. The spell’s cost would be increased to 1800 silver pennies.

Note: The GM may wish to round increases up to the nearest increment of 5. All increases are cumulative. Therefore, an increase of 20% in range and 15% in duration would cause a 35% increase in Experience Multiple, Difficulty Factor, and Cost, and a 35% decrease in Base Chance.

[Step 4] Once all of the spell’s basic characteristics have been determined, the GM should adjudicate the effect of Rank on the spell.

Generally, Rank should increase range and duration (where appropriate), number of targets, Base Chance, and damage, all by a constant increment for each characteristic. The effects of Rank should be determined using existing spells as guidelines.

[Step 5] All of the spell’s characteristics and a description of its effects should be written out by the GM in DragonQuest format and the spell should be assigned a number and code.

All spells researched by a player are considered Special Knowledge Spells (Special Knowledge Rituals, if the player wishes them to function as rituals rather than spells). However, all such spells have an ordinal number for purposes of learning or advancing in Rank one greater than the highest ordinal number given for any Special Knowledge Spell (or ritual, where appropriate) for this College.

The GM should present the player with this written spell description along with a separate statement of the spell’s relative Difficulty Factor and Cost.

Once a spell has been designed, the GM may add it to the game for use by one or more NPCs or, if the spell is being designed for a player character, the player character will have to expend time and resources to develop the spell. Upon being handed the spell design, a player character may decide not to develop the spell at that time, in which case, the spell is returned to the GM who marks on it which character requested the design and files it away for future reference. One week of time is expended by a player character whenever that character’s player requests that a spell be designed. This cost represents the time expended in determining the feasibility of the spell and is automatically assessed whether or not the character proceeds to develop the spell immediately.

Whenever a player character decides to develop a spell, that character must state to the GM whether he will research the spell or experiment in an effort to discover it. If a character is researching the spell, he will require access to a library (his own or one borrowed or rented for the occasion). If he is experimenting, the character will require no such facilities, but the Difficulty Factor of a spell is automatically increased by 25 if the development of the spell is to be by a process of experimentation only, instead of research. In both cases, the Adept developing the spell will require materials whose cost is equal to the Cost of Spell in silver pennies.

A good magical research library will cost about 30,000 gold shillings to develop (less the value of any magical scrolls that the Adept may add to the library as a result of his adventures) and should take between five and ten years to develop. An Adept may use a partially developed research library, but the Difficulty Factor of the spell being researched will be increased by a percentage equal to the percentage difference in efficiency of the partially completed research library and a fully functional library. For example, a research library which was 70% completed would cause an increase of 30% (the difference between 70% efficiency and 100% efficiency) in the Difficulty Factor for any spell researched using that library. It normally costs about 1000 silver pennies per week in bribes to gain regular entry to a Royal Library, Guild Library, or similar facility which would serve as a research library. Penalties for use of such libraries are stringent, however. There are no readily available research libraries open to the public.

Members of the College of Rune Magics who develop a spell by research decrease the Cost and Difficulty Factor of the spell by 20% (after all other modifiers are applied to the spell).

Adepts of the College of Ensorcelments and Enchantments who develop a spell by experimentation decrease the Difficulty Factor (only) by 40% (after all other modifiers are applied to the spell).

Members of the College of Naming Incantations who develop a spell by research decrease the Cost and Difficulty Factor by 25%.

Upon embarking on the development of a spell (through either research or experimentation), a character’s player must announce to the GM how many weeks the character will spend developing the spell. He may take no other action during that period. If the development of the spell during this period is interrupted, the process of development must be performed again from scratch and time spent in unsuccessful development is lost. At the end of the development period, a Development Check is made by the GM to determine if the spell is successfully developed as written. The GM rolls D100. If the resulting number is greater than the Difficulty Factor, the spell is successfully developed and may be used as written by the Adept (who may teach it to others). If the resulting number is less than or equal to the Difficulty Factor, the development is unsuccessful to one degree or another and the GM rolls on the Spell, Talent, and Ritual Development Table (81.9) to determine the effects of the failure. For each week spent in developing a spell the Difficulty Factor for that spell is decreased by 5.

Exception: A spell may never have a Difficulty Factor less than 1.

[Step 6] No Development Check may be made for a spell which has a modified Difficulty Factor greater than 95.

[81.1] Every spell capable of being developed will be of one of ten basic types.

1. Spells of Transmutation. All spells which alter the molecular structure of substances, change them from one shape into another, alter their density, and so forth, can be considered Spell of Transmutation, unless subsumed under another type.
2. Spell of Enchantment. All spells that raise Undead, control, charm, enchant, allow communication with, bind, effect luck of, increase resistance of, create blight, blessing or rotting, cause disease or curse, animate, or enhance an existing enchantment on an object, entity, or substance. Many spells under this heading could also be considered Spells of Transmutation.
3. Spells of Creation (Fire). All spells involving the conjuration or creation of physical objects or of energy and involve the element of fire.
4. Spells of Creation (Air). All spells involving the conjuration or creation of physical objects or of energy and involve the element of air.
5. Spells of Creation (Earth). All spells involving the conjuration or creation of physical objects or of energy and involve the element of earth.
6. Spells of Creation (Water). All spells involving the conjuration or creation of physical objects or of energy and involve the element of water.
7. Spells of Perception. All spells involving illusions, obscurements, the creation of mental responses to magic (via Spell of Agony or similar device), the creation of darkness or light, the detection of auras or other hidden things, enhancement or dulling of senses, or prediction of the future.
8. Spells of Summoning. All spells involving the calling or summoning of beings of this dimension or any other dimension.
9. Spells of Restoration. All healing, regeneration, raising from the dead, and other types of damage repair.
10. Spells of Locomotion. All spells involving the propelling or levitating of individuals, objects, or substances by the Adept.

These 10 types are general divisions and any given spell may arguably be of more than one type. In general, the GM will readily perceive that the thrust of a spell places it within one of the 10 classifications more than any other. Where such is not the case, the GM should always place the spell within the type of classification least advantageous to the spell’s designer (in terms of Base Chance, Experience Multiple, Difficulty Factor, and Cost). If the spell’s designer writes up the spell under one type of classification, that never prevents the GM from using a different type classification which he feels is more appropriate.

[81.2] Every spell that is capable of being developed will affect one of 11 possible targets.

1. Flora. All spells affecting only plants.
2. Lesser Entities. All spells affecting small animals, fish, birds, insects, and such.
3. Greater Entities. All spells designed to affect non-fantastical, non-sentient large animals, fish, and birds.
4. Sentient Entities. All spells designed to affect sentient entities (including player characters and NPCs), but which excludes fantastical entities.
5. Lesser Enchanted Entities. All spells designed to affect fantastical monsters of small size, lesser undead of any non-sentient type, and elementals.
6. Greater Enchanted Entities. All spells designed to affect large fantastical monsters, greater undead, dragons, summonables (other than elementals), large aquatics (whales, kraken, and the like), and large avians.
7. Small Inanimate Object. Any object of roughly the size of: small box, pouch, flask, and so on.
8. Medium Inanimate Object. Any object the size of a chair, small table, or crib.
9. Large Inanimate Object. Any object the size of a bed, dinner table, or other large piece of furniture.
10. Cold Iron Object. All spells designed specifically to affect objects made of cold iron (other than those spells that are used to enchant weapons).
11. Any Unrestricted Target. Any spell designated to affect any target or designed to affect a number of different target classes. The only exceptions are those spells which include as targets Greater Enchanted Entities or Cold Iron Objects. In such cases, the highest possible numbers are used for Base Chance, Experience Multiple, Difficulty Factor, and Cost.

[81.3] Every spell capable of being developed will affect only a limited number of targets.

1. Single Target. Spells that affect only a single target other than the caster.
2. Multiple Targets. Spells that affect a finite number of targets in excess of one.
3. Area Spell. Spells that affect all targets within a given area or range, or affect all such targets except the caster.
4. Caster Only. spells that affect only the caster of the spell.

[81.4] Some spells capable of being developed are distinguished by the type of damage that they either inflict or heal.

There are four types of damage a spell developed during the course of one game can inflict or heal:

1. Light Damage. Spells that inflict or heal less than 6 points of damage on the average (with 5 being considered the average roll on D10).
2. Heavy Damage. Spells that inflict or heal 7 to 12 points of damage on the average (with 5 being considered the average roll on D10, and 10 being considered the average roll on 2D10).
3. Killing Damage. Spells that inflict or heal greater than 13 points of damage on the average, or that are specifically described as usually inflicting or curing terminal results on the victim.
4. No Damage.

Not all spells cause or heal damage. Those spells that are not specifically designed to kill, heal, or damage a victim directly have no Damage Characteristic. When constructing such a spell, the designer and the GM ignore that characteristic. All damage referred to relates to damage done or healed by the spell unranked against the undefined target. Spells that inflict damage on all targets within an area or heal all targets within the area are classified according to the damage they could do to or remove from any one target within that area (not according to the damage it could do cumulatively). When constructing a spell, no allowance is made for how much of the damage inflicted by the spell might be absorbed by armor or other forms of protection.

[81.5] There are four classes of resistance possible versus spells.

1. Active Resistance Only. Spells that may be resisted only actively, not passively.
2. Passive Resistance Only. Spells that may be resisted only passively, not actively.
3. Active and Passive Resistance. Spells that may be resisted both actively and passively.
4. No Resistance. Spells that cannot be resisted (including illusion-type spells that must be disbelieved instead).

Exception: Spells that affect only the caster and that can not be resisted are considered to have no Resistance Characteristic, and no numbers are added to Base Chance, Experience Multiple, Difficulty Factor, or Cost for such spells.

[81.6] Some spells will have special attributes not covered in the Spell, Ritual, and Talent Construction Chart.

These special attributes include the following:

1. The spell is designed to work as a talent rather than a spell.
2. The spell is designed to work as a ritual rather than a spell.
3. The spell is designed to affect the climate or weather in an area, or to create earthquakes, tremors, volcanic eruptions, openings to the center of the earth, or the like, or to summon celestial bodies, or make major alterations in the earth or stars.
4. The spell involves a major curse or other doom of a significant (and probably deadly) nature.
5. The spell involves some means of dissipating or countering other magic already in effect.

In the cases of paragraphs 1, 3, 4, and 5 preceding, the maximum number should be used for each spell characteristic to reflect the presence of one of these factors. If more than one of these factors is present, half the difference between the higher and lowest number in each span should be added to the highest number in the span for each of the special characteristics which apply. In the case of 2. above, the minimum number in the span should be used. If 2 is used in conjunction with 3, 4, or 5, half the difference between the highest and lowest number in each span is added to the lowest number in the span for each of the special characteristics that apply. The GM may wish to add other special characteristics in addition to the 5 mentioned. Any such added characteristics should be treated the same as special characteristics 1 through 5 insofar as they affect the numbers on the Spell, Talent, and Ritual Construction Chart.

[81.7] The GM must roll on the Spell, Talent, and Ritual Development Table whenever a spell is improperly developed.

A spell is improperly developed whenever the GM rolls a number less than or equal to the Difficulty Factor for that spell on D100 as part of a Development Check (see the introduction to this Section for the procedure employed). An improperly developed spell may still be used in most cases, but improper development can result in a variety of (more or less) adverse consequences relating to the spell’s implementation. These may include increases or decreases in the spell’s characteristics, increased development cost, an alteration in the spell’s primary effect, the creation of side effects attendant upon the casting of the spell, or automatic backfire whenever the spell is cast.

The GM should never tell the developer of the spell anything about the spell except whether the spell has been developed or not, until such time as the developer attempts to cast the spell, increase his Rank with it, teach it to others, or otherwise employ it in such a way that any alteration from its written form would become clear to the developer. The GM should, however, note any changes in the way the developed spell actually works (as opposed to the way it was supposed to work). The developer may, if the GM desires, be told there is a chance the spell has been improperly developed, or the GM may choose to notify the developer that the development has failed totally (and no usable spell has been developed), or that it has succeeded to an unspecified extent. GM’s who desire to keep as much information about the spell secret for as long as possible may wish to routinely roll D100 (ignoring the result) after each Development Check, whether or not it is necessary to roll on the Spell, Talent, and Ritual Construction Chart. This procedure should keep the developer guessing as to just what is happening to his spell.

In some cases, a roll on the Development Table will result in several aspects of the spell’s functioning being altered or in the GM having a choice as to what aspects of the spell’s functioning will be altered. In such cases, the GM is the sole determiner of how the altered spell will work. In other cases, it may be impossible for a spell of a particular type to be affected by the results of a roll on the Development Table. In such cases, the spell is considered to have been successfully developed as written. There is no effect on the spell due to improper development.

The actual procedure used to determine the effects of an improper development on a spell are as follows: The GM rolls D100 and consults the Development Table. The passage indicated describes the effect on the spell resulting from improper development. This dice roll result is modified by subtracting from it a number equal to the number of weeks spent on developing the spell.

[81.8] Spell, Talent, and Ritual Construction Chart

*This number is subtracted from the total for the spell.

Range and Duration are determined by the GM. He may use existing spells as guidelines for establishing proper Range and Duration and should charge more to BC, EXM, and Cost if a player desires exceptional Duration or Range for his spell.

[81.9] Spell, Talent, and Ritual Development Table

The word spell in this table refers to spells, talents, and rituals.

82. Magical Rocks, Stones and Gems

This section lists those rocks, stones, and gems which are commonly considered to have special magical or chemical properties which make them useful in the performance of magic, manufacture of spells, or performance of alchemical rites.

These items may, for the most part, only be used by Adepts of the College of Black Magics to create those amulets listed in T-3 (see rule 62.3), by Adepts of the College of Shaping Magics as vessels for their magic, by Astrologers to aid their arts, or by Alchemists in preparing potions, elixirs and the like. If a player character acquires any of these items and is not himself an Alchemist, Astrologer, or Adept of either of these Colleges, he may wish to seek out such individuals and sell the item to them. On the average, a player character will be able to sell to Adepts such items as have value to non-magic oriented consumers (gemstones and related items) at top value while the price such items will fetch in the marketplace will be more uncertain.

Usually, player characters will be able to dispose of most gemstones only to buyers interested in their magic properties.

Each of the following items is listed in alphabetical order by its common name. The characteristics of the item are then given as follows:

Market Value: A span of numbers indicating the value of the item in silver pennies if sold in the open market.

Magic Value: A span of numbers indicating the value of the item in silver pennies if sold to magic-oriented buyers.

Description: A short description of the item in terms of color, cut (if a gemstone), and other physical characteristics.

Use: A description of the magical properties and uses of the item.

Generally, the value of an item will be unrelated to its weight, and most of the stones on this list would have to have their weight measured in grams. Accordingly, it is suggested that the GM assign a 1-ounce weight to a small bag of gems (a dozen or so stones) and increase the weight by about an ounce for each additional dozen stones. For non-gemstones, weight should be measured in ounces per stone.

Aetites
Market Value: None
Magic Value: 100–200
Description: A small yellowish stone found in the head, neck, or stomach of an eagle.
Use: Aetites are used to make the Amulet of Aquilaeus, as described in T–3 of the College of Black Magics, a powerful amulet which brings good fortune and courage to the bearer.

Agate
Market Value: 1–100
Magic Value: 100–150
Description: A variety of Chalcedony characterized by colored bands cutting through the body of the stone. Usually cabochon–cut. Comes in six varieties characterized by color: Red (or Blood Agate), Brown (Tawny Agate), Green (Sea Agate), Black, Moss (Living Agate), and Grey (Dawn Agate).
Use: Agates are used to manufacture the Amulet of Chalcedony, as described in T-3 of the College of Black Magics. Three stones are required for this purpose, and they must be set in the shape of a triangle. In addition to the normal effects of this amulet, the wearer will be blessed, if the type of Chalcedony used is Agate, with the special eloquence and a general feeling of well-being. If a serpent is engraved on the Agate, the Base Chance of any poisonous insect or snake striking the bearer is reduced by 20%. If the amulet is placed on the breast of a sleeping woman, she will talk in her sleep, truthfully answering all questions put to her.

Alectorius
Market Value: None
Magic Value: 300–500
Description: Alectorius is a greenish stone found in black cockerels. The stone inside the cockerel will only be found, however, if the cockerel is killed and cured on an anthill for three days.
Use: The stone is used to manufacture the Amulet of Alectorius, as described in T-3 of the College of Black Magics. In addition to the wealth-increasing properties of this amulet, it will prevent thirst if held in the mouth and tends to promote amicable feelings toward the wearer, especially as regards to the opposite gender.

Amber
Market Value: 1–4
Magic Value: 1–4
Description: A translucent or cloudy yellow, green, or brownish fossil resin. Acquires a negative electrical charge when rubbed.
Use: Both Yellow Amber and Red Amber (the brownish variety) may be fashioned into amulets by an Adept of the College of Shaping Magics. Red Amber makes the wearer immune to the Evil Eye Spell (S-9 of the College of Black Magics) and decreases the Base Chance of the wearer contracting a disease or infection (natural, or via magic or minor curse) by 5%. Yellow Amber decreases the Base Chance of the wearer contracting a disease or infection by 10%. Green Amber may be held against any Type A (puncture) wound to stop the bleeding. The bleeding will begin immediately if the Green Amber is removed from the wound. A special variety of Amber (called Living Amber) contains fossilized insects or animals. This type of Amber may be used as the heart of any type of golem except the flesh golem. Golems with hearts of Living Amber remain active for twice as long as similar golems without such hearts (multiply the total period of activation by 2).

Amethyst
Market Value: 30–500
Magic Value: 300–600
Description: A purple gem-quartz. Usually faceted, but sometimes cabochon-cut.
Use: May be used by an Adept of the College of Black Magics to make an Amulet of Amethyst, as described in T-3 of the College of Black Magics. Amethyst may also be ground and used in antidotes to poisons. Used in this manner by an Alchemist, Amethyst doubles the efficiency of the potion versus magically created poisons. An Adept of the College of Shaping Magics may use Amethyst to fashion an Amulet of Sobriety, which makes it impossible for the wearer to become drunk. The Amethyst must be incised with the symbols for the sun and moon and fastened about the neck with a necklace of peacock feathers.

Antimony
Market Value: None
Magic Value: 100–700
Description: A white, metallic element usually found in powdered form or in small pebbles.
Use: Antimony may be fashioned into an amulet by an Adept of the College of Shaping Magics. The amulet increases the resistance of the wearer versus magic of the College of Black Magics, the College of Necromantic Conjurations, and the College of Ensorcelments and Enchantments by 5%. It increases the resistance of the wearer versus any spell cast by a demon by 10% (15% if the demon is a member of the College of Necromantic Conjurations, the College of Black Magics, or the College of Ensorcelments and Enchantments).

Beryl
Market Value: 3–2500
Magic Value: 400–2500
Description: There are seven distinct types of Beryl, ranging in color from a pale, almost colorless green, yellow, or pink through a vibrant dark green or blue. Beryls are almost always faceted (though the Goshenite Beryl may be cabochon-cut). The types of Beryl, their color and relative value follow:

Only those gems which have a Market Value of at least 400 may be used in magic, the others being too inferior in weight or quality to be of value.
Use: Beryls may be used to create an Amulet of Beryl, as described in T-3 of the College of Black Magics. The amulet has the side effect of making the wearer both impotent and totally uninterested in sexual activity. Beryl may be used by Alchemists to create more powerful antidotes to poison, salves, and antipyretics (increase the potency of such creations by increasing their Base Chance of working by 10%).

Bezoar
Market Value: None
Magic Value: 300–500
Description: This stone originates in the stomach of a stag.
Use: May be powdered and mixed in a poison antidote. An antidote created with Bezoar functions as if it was created by an Alchemist of 2 Ranks higher (see rule 93.7).

Bloodstone
Market Value: 5–100
Magic Value: 50–125
Description: A dark green Chalcedony with red spherule. Also called Heliotrope. The Jasper spherules in the stone resemble drops of blood, and it is from these that the gem takes its name.
Use: Bloodstones may be used to create an Amulet of Bloodstone, as described in T-3 of the College of Black Magics. Five such stones set at the points of a pentagon are necessary to manufacture the amulet successfully.

Chalcedony
Market Value: 1–100
Magic Value: 50–100
Description: A type of milky Quartz, generally white. Cabochon-cut or carved.
Use: This stone may be employed to form an Amulet of Chalcedony, as described in T-3 of the College of Black Magics. A minimum of three stones are necessary to form the amulet. An Alchemist may grind the stone up and dissolve it in water blessed by a servant of the Powers of Light. The decoction will break all fevers within one hour of drinking. One ounce is required per dose.

Carbuncle
Market Value: 1–60
Magic Value: 30–70
Description: A deep red gemstone, often classed as a type of Garnet. Cabochon-cut. Often smoky.
Use: May be used to create an Amulet of Carbuncle, as described in T-3 of the College of Black Magics. Often believed to hinder lust, sadness, and dreams. Half a dozen stones should be set in the amulet to form a hexagon. If all of the stone used are of the highest possible quality, the amulet will take on the additional attribute of monitoring the wearer’s life force, growing brighter as the wearer grows in strength and energy and dulling as he tires. It is often used by Healers to monitor seriously ill patients for this reason.

Carnelian
Market Value: 10–300
Magic Value: 100–350
Description: A deep red quartz often banded in white. Usually cabochon-cut, but sometimes carved.
Use: An Adept of the College of Shaping Magics may use this stone to manufacture an Amulet of Carnelian, which decreases the wearer’s chances of contracting a disease or infection by 5%. Any craftsman may fashion Carnelian into a necklace which halves the rate at which the wearer loses fatigue or endurance as a result of having his blood drained by a vampire.

Chelidonius
Market Value: None
Magic Value: 300–500
Description: A red or black stone taken from the craw of a swallow.
Use: The prime ingredient in all potions designed to cure madness or improve a failing memory. May be powdered and mixed by an Alchemist into an antidote for senility.

Chrysolite
Market Value: None
Magic Value: 100–200
Description: Greenish-yellow transparent type of magnesium iron silicate.
Use: Powdered and taken in large quantities, it is said to be a restorative and curative. An Alchemist can make a dose out of three stones sufficient to temporarily check the progress of most diseases in a patient, but the manufacture of the medicine is wearisome and time consuming. An Adept of the College of Shaping Magics can use a piece of the stone to manufacture an Amulet of Chrysolite which will increase the wearer’s resistance versus magic of the College of Sorceries of the Mind by 5%.

Chrysoprase
Market Value: 1–100
Magic Value: 30–100
Description: A bright green or greenish-yellow Quartz which is usually cabochon-cut.
Use: An Adept of the College of Shaping Magics may fashion this stone into an amulet which will increase the wearer’s range of vision in the dark by 50%.

Coral
Market Value: 1–250
Magic Value: 25–250
Description: A pink or red stone manufactured by the secretion of certain marine animals. Usually cabochon-cut or cut into polished sections.
Use: May be fashioned by a member of the College of Shaping Magics into an amulet which will increase the wearer’s resistance versus the Evil Eye Spell (S-9) of the College of Black Magics by 10%. This amulet may also be used in the same manner as an Amulet of Carbuncle to monitor patients under the care of Healers. The coral loses its color as the patient wanes and becomes more vibrant as he heals. If this amulet is dipped into a substance containing poison, it will permanently lose color, the coral becoming bone white. An Alchemist may grind Red Coral into a powder useful in curing impotence. One ounce is required per dose, and the powder must be consumed in solution.

Diamond
Market Value: 20–20,000
Magic Value: 100–20,000
Description: A brilliant, super-hard gem, usually clear with touches of color ranging from pink or green-yellow through blue. Always faceted, if faceting has been discovered in the culture in which adventure occurs. There are actually five distinct type of diamonds, all of which may be used in magic. However, such stones are extremely expensive and generally a maximum of one or two cheap or flawed diamonds will be used in an amulet or talisman. Following is a list of diamonds by type which also gives color and value for each stone.

Use: One or more diamonds can be fashioned into an Amulet of Diamonds, as described in T-3 of the College of Black Magics. In addition, Alchemists sometimes use water in which Diamonds have been washed as the solution in which other ingredients are dissolved when manufacturing medicines (increase the medicine’s effectiveness by 20%). Clear Diamonds worn in a ring may be used by the wearer to increase his Base Chance of casting any spell by 2%. The Diamond focuses mana and such rings may be made by any artisan.

Emerald
Market Value: 10–1500
Magic Value: 10–1500
Description: A small Beryl ranging in color from pale green to vibrant green and always faceted.
Use: This gemstone may be used to manufacture an Amulet of Beryl (see Beryl). It also repels insects when worn around the neck (10% chance that any insect landing on the wearer will fly away without attacking). Devils and Imps are also repelled by Emeralds, and there is a 5% chance that any Devil or Imp who approaches within 10 feet of anyone wearing an Emerald or bearing an object containing Emeralds (such as a jewel-studded sword hilt) will immediately retreat as far as possible from that individual and will have to roll on the Fright Table. Snakes are affected in the same way as Devils and Imps, but have a 20% chance of being repelled.

Feldspar
Market Value: 1–10
Magic Value: 1–10
Description: A milky-white green stone, highly brittle and characterized by a smooth texture.
Use: When worn an a necklace, adds 10% to the wearer’s resistance to all spells involving dazzling lights or blindness.

Flint
Market Value: 1–2
Magic Value: 1–5
Description: A hard black stone used in conjunction with steel to strike fires.
Use: Flint is a powerful ward against Incubi and Succubi. There is a 50% chance that no Incubus or Succubus will willingly approach within 5 feet of a piece of flint unless it is covered (e.g., secured in a bag or draped with cloth).

Galactite
Market Value: None
Magic Value: 50
Description: A stone composed of nitrate of lime and appearing chalky in composition.
Use: A prime ingredient in Love Philtres, as described in T-3 of the College of Black Magics. Should be powdered and dissolved in water along with other ingredients.

Garnet
Market Value: 10–1300
Magic Value: 500–1300
Description: Small stone, usually milky. Faceted (though Almandite, Grossular, and Pyrope are often cabochon-cut). There are six distinct types of Garnet. They are listed along with their color and value. Only Andarite has magical properties.

Use: Powdered Garnet is used to cure skin diseases and an Alchemist may use it to make medicines for this purpose. Such medicines will, in addition, arrest (but not cure) leprosy (which is a Major Curse). Any figure wearing a piece of Andradite on his person will be immune to the effects of nightmares.

Gold Nuggets
Market Value: 5–60
Magic Value: 10–1000
Description: Gold nuggets are usually small (less than an ounce) rough stones of a greenish-black color with golden metallic flecks.
Use: Gold nuggets are greatly prized by magicians far above their numismatic worth. The same nugget which might fetch 10 silver pennies on the money market would fetch three or four times that from almost any Adept. The larger the nugget, the greater the discrepancy between numismatic and magical value. It is said that a gold nugget worn about the neck will reduce the rapidity of aging, but such nuggets are primarily used by Adepts of the College of Shaping Magics to manufacture Amulets of the Sun (Gold is governed by the Sun). Such an amulet increases the luck of the bearer as follows: in all D100 dice rolls directly affecting the wearer, the dice roll number is adjusted by 3 in the wearer’s favor. If the wearer is Sun-aspected, the die roll number is adjusted by 8.

Iron
Market Value: 1–5
Magic Value: 1–5
Description: Iron ore is found in large rocks (several pounds or more) of a reddish hue.
Use: Iron ore is primarily used to form objects of Cold Iron. The price of Iron Ore is governed by its quality (the actual iron contents in the ore) and the prices given are for a small wagon load. Iron may be fashioned, while in ore form, into an Amulet of Iron, as described in T-3 of the College of Black Magics. It may also be smelted and used by an Adept of the College of Shaping Magics to make magical vessels (weapons and the like).

Jacinth
Market Value: 200–400
Magic Value: 300–400
Description: A red-orange Zircon, ruled by the sun. Jacinth will change color to reflect the weather, becoming paler and more orange when storms approach and becoming a more vibrant red in bright sunlight. Always faceted.
Use: Jacinth may be fashioned by an Adept of the College of Shaping Magics into an Amulet of Jacinth which will protect the wearer from fascination (increases resistance against magic of the College of Sorceries of the Mind and against all spells of binding, controlling, or summoning by 20%).

Jade
Market Value: 40–750
Magic Value: 40–100
Description: Green or black mineral, frequently mottled with white. Cabochon-cut or carved.
Use: Jade may be powdered and used in medicines to cure diseases or illnesses of the digestion, to help ward infection (decrease the Infection Chance by 10%), and to increase stamina. It may also be fashioned into an Amulet of Jade, as described in T-3 of the College of Black Magics. Note that only small Jade stones (usually the less valuable Nephrite rather than Jadeite) will be purchased for magical purposes and only in relatively small amounts. Jade is also a popular material for use in the manufacture of ceremonial weapons. When Black Jade is used for this purpose, it forms a weapon which affects Demons, Imps, Incubi, and Succubi in the same manner as a magical weapon.

Jasper
Market Value: 1–1000
Magic Value: 1–1000
Description: An opaque Quartz tinted green. Cabochon-cut.
Use: Jasper may be fashioned by an Adept of the College of Shaping Magics into an Amulet of Jasper which increases the wearer’s ability to disbelieve illusions by 10%. Rare stones flecked with red have the side-effect of inflicting the wearer with lycanthropy if worn when the moon is full. The lycanthropy passes immediately when the Jasper is removed from the person of the wearer.

Jet
Market Value: 1–10,000
Magic Value: 1–10,000
Description: Jet usually refers to a type of Agate, a deep black stone superficially resembles coal (but much harder). Can be polished to a sheen like marble. Cabochon-cut.
Use: Breathing the vapors of Jet which has been powdered and burned in a censor increases the ability of an individual to disbelieve any illusion by 10 for eight hours thereafter. In addition, any Demon which breathes such vapors must make an immediate roll on the Fright Table. The stone can be fashioned into an Amulet of Jet, as described in T-3 of the College of Black Magics. This Amulet will contain an inverted cross on one side and a heart on the other and will be disk-shaped.

Lapis Lazuli
Market Value: 20–150
Magic Value: 20–30
Description: A deep blue stone veined with white or gold. May be cabochon-cut, but will usually be found as a form of inlay.
Use: Lapis Lazuli may be ground into a fine powder and burned in a censor. When breathed by an individual, the fumes will have a 20% chance of curing melancholia and a 3% chance of at least partially curing madness.

Lead
Market Value: 1–5
Magic Value: 1–5
Description: A dark dense, soft slate-colored stone found in small veins or rocks. May be made into a soft alloy.
Use: Lead may be used to form a shield against Demonic Presidents. It may also be powdered and used as an ingredient in slow-acting, long-term poisons. However, Lead is quite common and has very little real value to either magicians or Merchants. The values listed are for small wagon loads of the substance.

Lodestone
Market Value: 5–20
Magic Value: 5–10
Description: A natural Magnetite which attracts iron.
Use: Lodestone is used by Rangers and Navigators as an aid to plotting a course across the water or through low visibility areas (wilderness and the like). It may also be used by any character (not necessarily an Adept) to indicate the direction of some desired goal or item. The individual should hold the Lodestone in his mouth for a moment and then suspend it from a string so that it can move freely. If asked the direction of a place or object, there is a 20% chance that the Lodestone will seem to turn and point in the direction of that place or object, or 10% chance that it will seem to do so but will, in fact, be pointing in the wrong direction, and a 70% chance that nothing will happen.

Obsidian
Market Value: 5–1000
Magic Value: 500–1000
Description: A black, shiny volcanic glass. May have gold or white snowflake markings or a gold sheen. Sometimes used in jewellery in which case it is cabochon-cut, but it will be used to make stabbing or cutting tools or weapons.
Use: Obsidian is a favorite material for the manufacture of ceremonial and sacrificial knives. When Obsidian is used for this purpose, it is classed as a magical weapon, doing the same damage as a dagger, but having the capacity to wound or kill those entities normally harmed only by magical weapons. When used as a weapon outside of a ceremony, it is not classed a magical weapon. Only a designated sacrificial being which has been prepared for sacrifice may be harmed by the knife during a ritual of sacrifice. If an entity which can only be harmed by magical (or silvered) weapons and which has not been prepared for sacrifice during a ritual were to interrupt that ritual, for example, the Obsidian knife would not inflict any damage on that individual.

Olivine
Market Value: 10–25
Magic Value: 10–25
Description: A yellow-green, opaque stone, usually cabochon-cut.
Use: Olivine may be powdered and dissolved in liquid by an Alchemist as a (10% effective) cure for impotence.

Opal
Market Value: 5–10,000
Magic Value: 300–12,000
Description: Small, fairly dense stone which comes in four types, each distinguished by a different color and internal “fire.” Always cabochon-cut and highly polished. The four types include:

Use: All type of Opals, except Catseye, may be set and polished into seeing rings or crystals by a competent jeweller or artisan. They may then be used by an Astrologer of Rank 5 or higher to foretell the future with 5–25% greater accuracy. The Astrologer looks into the fire present within the Opal and sees there an image in answer to the question asked by him. The image will appear with various amounts of clarity depending upon the quality of the Opal used. There is a 2% chance that anyone using an Opal for this purpose will be cursed with Ill Luck as a result. See rule 160.4 for the operation of this curse.

Pearl
Market Value: 100–5000
Magic Value: 100–5000
Description: Small round or oval stones found inside shells. Characteristically, white or yellowish-white, with a minority of Black Pearls being highly prized. Never cut or formed by man.
Use: Pearls may set in an Amulet of Luck manufactured by an Adept of the College of Shaping Magics and will work just like the amulet of the same name of the College of Black Magics (see rule 62.3), except that Magical Resistance is increased by 5% instead of 3%.

Quartz
Market Value: 1–2000
Magic Value: 50–2000
Description: Usually translucent stone, geometrically shaped. There are a score of types of this material, of which only those discussed elsewhere are discussed herein. The following list does not include enchantments on stones mentioned elsewhere (including stones aged or heated to give a different texture or hue). Each stone is followed by a description by color and an estimate of Market Value. Almost invariably, Quartzes are cabochon-cut, though some types may be faceted. Stones which have been cabochon-cut or faceted have no magical value unless they are large enough to be carved.

Use: Quartz may be formed by an artisan into a clear polished seeing crystal for use in fortune telling by either Adepts or Astrologers. Only non-smoky Quartzes may be used for this purpose. In addition, Quartz may be shaped into ceremonial or sacrificial daggers which operate in the same manner as Obsidian daggers. Only large Quartzes may be used for this purpose, and those interested in such things will pay three or four times normal Market Value for an appropriate-sized piece of otherwise relatively valueless Quartz.

Ruby
Market Value: 50–6000
Magic Value: 50–6000
Description: A vivid crimson stone, faceted.
Use: May be fashioned by an Adept of the College of Shaping Magics into an Amulet of Protection, which will always glow more brightly as danger draws near.

Sapphire
Market Value: 10–15,000
Magic Value: 500–5000
Description: A (generally) bluish type of Corundum which may be cabochon-cut are faceted. There are seven varieties listed.

Use: Sapphires permanently fade to dead black when immersed in most poisons. Star Sapphires glow in the presence of treachery. Their brightness increases as such treachery approaches and dims as it recedes.

Topaz
Market Value: 1–1000
Magic Value: 1–20
Description: A gemstone composed of silicate of aluminum. Always faceted. May be purple, red, orange, bright yellow, blue, pale yellow, brown, or clear (in descending order of Market Value). Brown Topaz always fades with time, becoming almost eventually. All Topazes have the same Magic Value, which is more or less minuscule in comparison with Market Value.
Use: Topaz may be used in potions designed to stifle lust, make one generous, or cure insanity (5% chance). When used in potions, the Topaz is ground into powder and dissolved in liquid by the Alchemist. Topazes will increase the chance of a potion being created successfully by 10%.

Tourmaline
Market Value: 1–500
Magic Value: 1–500
Description: Tourmalines may be one of half a dozen colors or may be bi-colored or multi-colored. They are usually faceted, but may be cabochon-cut on occasion (especially Rubellites, Indicolites, and Tourmalines proper). There are five types of Tourmalines which are listed together with their color and Market Value.

Use: Tourmalines always shine with a brightness in direct proportion to perturbations in the flow of mana. The greater the concentration of mana in an area, the greater the flow of magical energy around the surface of the Tourmaline and the brighter it will shine. In Low Mana areas, the Tourmaline becomes dull and lifeless. When in the presence of potent spells (and always during the casting of a spell by the wearer), the Tourmaline also shines exceedingly bright. For this reason, it is a great and valuable indicator of magic, but is not altogether reliable in that it does not distinguish between the presence of powerful magical spells, magical (fantastical) beings, and concentrations of unused mana. The higher the quality of the Tourmaline (and the more expensive it is), the greater the likelihood (from 5% to 40%) that an individual will notice (or be able to differentiate and read) changes in the Tourmaline when not specifically searching for such changes by scrutinizing the stone.

Turquoise
Market Value: 10–600
Magic Value: 10–600
Description: A light, medium-blue stone spider-webbed with fine black lines. Cabochon-cut in all cases.
Use: Turquoise may be fashioned into an Amulet of Turquoise by an Adept of the College of Shaping Magics. This Amulet will make the wearer immune to the Evil Eye Spell (S-9) of the College of Black Magics.

Notes: Amulets prepared by a member of the College of Shaping Magics may be of any material, and the vessel prepared for use could conceivably be prepared to receive almost any spell. All such amulets have a Shaping Index of 50.

However, whenever a precious stone, rock, or gem from this list is used in an amulet for which it is specially suited, the Cost Factor for the ritual used to fashion the amulet is reduced by 30% (round up). This same percentage decrease is used whenever one of the items on this list is prepared for use as a vessel for a type of spell that is particularly appropriate to it, even when the stone’s use in the manufacture of such an item is not explicitly mentioned on this list. Amulets manufactured by Adepts of the College of Black Magics (and produced with infernal aid) are not subject to this benefit, but neither are they governed by the variations in cost which are built into the arts of Shaping Magics.

Items on this list which need not be made into amulets or potions, medicine, or other compositions in order to have a particular effect may be employed by anyone (including non-Adepts) to achieve that effect.

83. Herbal Lore

See also the Herbal Catalog

Magical plants, trees, herbs, roots, leaves, nuts, fruits, and other magical plant products play an important role in DragonQuest magic just as they do in all mythologies and magical systems. In the following list are the most common such items.

Each entry is given according to the plant’s most common name, followed by any nicknames or synonyms in parentheses. The item’s most important characteristics are then given as follows:

Availability

There are four classes of Availability. These affect the relative value of the item as follows.

Common: Those herbs and plants which are common in most areas where humans and humanoids choose to dwell and classified as Common. They have a value from 1 to 5 silver pennies for a large basket or bag full of the substance and, in some cases where the magical value of the substance is particularly low, value will have to be measured in copper farthings. 100% chance to be found by a Ranger while in season.

Uncommon: Those herbs and plants which are not common to areas where humans and related species dwell, but which are still available at known sites within half a day’s walk of such habitations are classified as Uncommon. Uncommon plants and herbs will generally have a value of between 10 and 30 silver pennies for a small basketful of the substance. 50% chance to be found by a Ranger while in season.

Rare: Those herbs and plants which are not widely known or which are seldom readily available except by dint of many days walking and searching are classified as Rare. Rare plants and herbs will always fetch at least 50 silver pennies per sprig or handful from a local Healer or Alchemist if nobody else. Often such substances will fetch 10 times that amount if they must be brought from far away. 30% chance to be found by a Ranger while in season.

Very Rare: Those herbs and plants which are seldom recognizable to individuals other than Rangers specializing in their Habitat or Merchants who specialize in dealing in spices and the like, or which grow only in some one special place and are classified Very Rare. Such substances will range in price from 500 silver pennies per sprig, handful, or other appropriate small measure to 10,000 silver pennies for something which is Very Rare and blessed with nigh unto miraculous powers. However, characters may have some difficulty disposing of such substances since they will usually first have to educate potential buyers as to the wonderful and mystical properties of their merchandise. Also, the more powerful such an item is and the rarer it is, the more likely it will be that characters will have to travel to a major urban center in order to find a sophisticated (and wealthy enough) market for the substance. The larger the urban marketplace, the more likely that characters will experience a certain amount of interference in their affairs from the city fathers, the watch, or the local guilds who will often want a piece of the action or a right of first refusal on purchase of the item. 10% chance to be found by a Ranger while in season.

Habitat

The Habitats listed for plants are the same as those listed for monsters. Plants will almost universally be found only in the Habitat(s) listed in this entry

Potency Loss

The relative loss of potency (and, thus the Market Value) within hours, days, weeks, or months after the item has been picked (or uprooted for transplanting). The Market Value at any point in time will be a percentage of the value at the time the item was picked equal to the percentage of potency remaining. Any effects described to the herb are determined by reducing the effects of the percentage of potency since the herb was picked.

Description

A short physical description of the item, where appropriate, followed by a detailed outline of its uses and powers. Use of most items to manufacture amulets, potions, and medicines is generally restricted to Adepts of Colleges which specifically include the knowledge to manufacture such things or to individuals trained in the Skills appropriate to such manufacturing. These Skills are Alchemist, Healer, and Ranger.

In a campaign setting, herbs will be encountered in three forms: Distillations, Powders, and Fresh. Distillations are liquid extracts of the herbs produced only by an Alchemist in his laboratory. Powders are small granular mixtures of the herb produced only by an Alchemist in his lab using a mortar and pestle. Fresh herbs are found naturally in the wild and picked or uprooted. The form in which an herb is found affects the way in which it is applied and who may use it.

Herbs are applied in three general ways. An Infusion is made by placing a powdered or fresh herb into wine or hot water (commonly known as tea). A Poultice is made by mixing a powdered herb with a small amount of water, or finely chopping fresh herbs and then placing either on a wound or a patch of skin (commonly called a salve). The wound or patch of skin would then be bandaged. A Tincture is made by placing a powdered or fresh herb into a solvent (such as alcohol) and then coating a wound or patch of skin (known as an ointment).

Alchemists prepare herbs for use. They are the only individuals who can either distil or powder an herb. Their powders can be used as described in the preceding, but their distillations are used for the preparations of potions which do not need an Adept for completion. Distillations and powdering may be accomplished by Alchemists of Rank 1 or higher.

Distilling an herb prevents it from losing any further potency. It takes an Alchemist (11-Rank) hours to distil one vial (or dose). It takes one full handful of the fresh herb to produce one dose of distillation. The cost to the Alchemist is 5 times the cost of the handful, which he may commonly sell for twice that price on the open market. In its distilled form, the herb’s powers may be utilized by anyone. The distillation must be swallowed to take effect. Often the distillation is poured into wine or water, and this is commonly called a solution.

Assassins often use distillations in solution to poison their victims. Distilled herbs will keep so long as they are stored in a moisture-proof container.

Rangers are the only individuals who may use an herb immediately when picked fresh. They will often make an infusion, poultice, or tincture and use the herb in that fashion.

Many herbs can be used in only one manner, but a few have numerous uses. As a guide to players, the following index divides the herbs into four main groups. When a player wishes to find an herb used for healing, for example, he would investigate any of those listed under the Healing Herbs category. All herb descriptions should be examined, as there are herbs which fit into no particular category, and a use may be found for any.

Also detailed in the heading for each category are instructions for using the specified type of herb.

Alchemical Herbs

The following may all be distilled into potions which will have certain quasi-magical effects: Angelica, Bloodroot, Cowslip, Cyclamin, Fern, Ginseng, Henbane, Hemlock, Laurel, Marigold, Saint John’s Wort, Sunflower, Vetch.

Only an Alchemist may distil these and, once distilled, they may be used by anyone. All listed effects are for the quaffing of one dose (one vial).

Healing Herbs

The following all work to heal damage, cure disease, infection, fever, and salve skin: Agrimony, Amaranth, Anemone, Angelica, Basil, Betony, Black Hoarhound, Catgut, Catnip, Bryony, Chervil, Daffodil, Hellebore, Marjoram, Mistletoe, Mugwort, Sage, Saffron, Snakeroot, Satyr Orchid, Valerian.

Alchemists will produce distillations or powders from those. A Healer may make use of any powder produced by Alchemists to aid their own inherent powers. They expend 2 Fatigue Points when using a powder, in order to activate the powers of the herbs themselves. Rangers use these herbs freshly picked, to make infusions, poultices, or tinctures and heal and salve in that manner. The Healer will also make infusions and so forth, but will be using his powders to do so.

Magical Herbs

These herbs, when dried and then burned as incense or fashioned and worn as Amulets, produce a variety of magical effects: Anemone, Angelica, Asatoetide, Euporbia, Garlic, Jasmine, Jimson Weed, Laurel, Lotus, Marigold, Mistletoe, Moonwart, Myrrh, Saffron, Sandalwood, Sunflower, Sweetflag.

Their use differs greatly from herb to herb. Any Adept may use the incense, and anyone may use the Amulets.

Poisonous Herbs

Poisons may only be distilled or powdered by an Alchemist. Some poisons work in their raw state; these and any distilled or powdered may be used by any skilled individual. Anyone but an Assassin will find them hard to buy and even harder to successfully introduce into anyone’s food. All the poisons must be ingested to cause harm. Listed with each poison is a kill %. This is the Base Chance the poison will kill anyone who ingests it, whether in distilled, powdered, or solution form.

If in solution, and more than one person drinks that solution, divide the percentage by the number of people ingesting (round down) and the result is the kill % applied to each drinker. If a person survives a poisoning attempt, reduce his Fatigue to zero until he gets a good night’s sleep.

These herbs are poisonous: Aconite, Belladonna, Euphoria, Hellebore, Hemlock, Henbane, Holly, Mandrake, Mistletoe.

Herbs

Aconite

Also known as wolf’s bane, leopard’s bane, monk’s hood

Availability: Uncommon
Habitat: Field, Marsh, Woods
Potency Loss: Dried and powdered, Aconite retains potency almost indefinitely. Decrease potency by 10% within 24 hours of its being picked, but otherwise there should be no effect.
Description: (a.k.a. Wolf’s Bane, Leopard’s Bane, Monk’s Hood) A poisonous plant easily recognizable by its pale, hood–shaped flower. Aconite is often believed to have been the first commonly used poison, and it is extremely lethal. Alchemists may powder it and it may be sprinkled in food with a 95% chance that the eater will die. It takes about two hours for the poison to take effect and several more hours for a fatality to occur.

Agrimony

Habitats: field, woods, rough
Availability: common
Potentcy loss: Loses 20% of its potency within one day of being picked and 10% per day thereafter down to a level of 20% potency which it will retain for 4–5 months after picking.
Description: A variety of bright yellow-flowered plant of the genus Agrimonia. Agrimony will be an effective cure (100% BC) for poisoning as a result of snake bite when the leaves are freshly picked. An Alchemist can distil the anti-venom (see rule 93.7).

Amaranth (red)

Habitats: field, woods
Availability: uncommon
Potentcy loss: Loses 40% of potency within one hour of being picked and 10% of remaining potency per week thereafter until reduced to 10% of original potency.
Description: An herb with small red flowers often confused with a (seemingly) legendary plant of the same name. The legendary Amaranth is said never to fade and to be the prime ingredient in an amulet which causes the wearer never to age. The plant described herein has no such magical powers. Instead, the petals of the red variety may, when fresh, be made into a poultice, causing the blood to clot and the bleeding to stop within D10+2 Pulses. It will heal 1 Endurance Point per day for D10 days.

Amaranth (white)

Habitats: field, woods
Availability: uncommon
Potentcy loss: Loses 40% of potency within one hour of being picked and 10% of remaining potency per week thereafter until reduced to 10% of original potency.
Description: An herb with small white flowers often confused with a (seemingly) legendary plant of the same name. The legendary Amaranth is said never to fade and to be the prime ingredient in an amulet which causes the wearer never to age. The plant described herein has no such magical powers.

Anemone

Also known as: wind flower

Habitats: woods
Availability: uncommon
Potentcy loss: Loses 30% of potency in the first 24 hours after picking and a continued loss of 10% of potency per week.
Description: A tall, leafy stalk with large rich purple flowers having black centers. Anemone can grow literally overnight. Steam from the boiling petals may provide anyone who breathes it with a +10 on any Base Chance involving spells which predict the future. A poultice made of the petals has an 80% chance of curing any blindness except that due to a major curse or to loss of eyes.

Angelica

Habitats: field
Availability: uncommon
Potentcy loss: Loses 5% of potency within 24 hours of picking and 1% per week thereafter.
Description: A leafy green herb which may be worn about the body when fresh as a protection against the evil eye. When worn in this fashion, resistance to the Evil Eye Spell (S-9) of the College of Black Magics is increased by 5. An Alchemist may distil potions designed to cure colds, infections, and add 10 to the user's Magic Resistance for D5 hours. Tinctures of this herb brushed on a wound will decrease the chance of infection by 20.

Asatoetida

Habitats: woods
Availability: uncommon
Potentcy loss: Never loses any potency.
Description: A gum resin-bearing plant found in deep woods and sometimes cultivated as a house plant. The unpleasant odor of the resin (which may be smeared on the body) is only annoying to most occupants of this plane, but Demons heartily dislike it and Incubi, Succubi, Devils, and Imps will not normally approach within 5 feet of an individual carrying the smell of the resin. However, Hellhounds are maddened by the smell and will immediately attack the wearer of this resin.

Basil

Habitats: field
Availability: common
Potentcy loss: Loses 30% of potency within an hour, 50% within 24 hours, and 100% of potency within a week.
Description: A common herb characterized by green waxy brittle leaves. Basil can be used to make a poultice which will cure any type of insect, bee, or wasp bit or sting. The herb will cure 1 Endurance Point per day for D10 days.

Belladonna

Also known as: deadly nightshade

Habitats: marsh, woods
Availability: rare
Potentcy loss: Loses 10% potency within 24 hours of picking. Loses 1% of potency each week thereafter for all purposes except the manufacture of poison.
Description: An herb characterized by black berries and dark crimson leaves. An Alchemist may use Belladonna to distil flying potions (lasting D10 minutes). Both Alchemists and Adepts of the College of Black Magics may distil a powerful poison from Belladonna (100% kill chance). Anyone may feed the berries to a victim they desire to poison, though their bitter taste will probably make the victim unwilling to eat enough to do serious harm. Death is by heart and respiratory failure within several hours of ingestion.

Betony

Also known as: wood betony

Habitats: field, woods
Availability: uncommon
Potentcy loss: Loses 1% of potency per week.
Description: An herb of the mint family. Betony may be used by the College of Shaping Magics in any type of amulet involving an increase in the Physical Strength, Endurance, or Fatigue of the wearer. Anyone may brew it into a tea when freshly picked which will allow the drinker to recover Fatigue as if he had just eaten a hot meal.

Black hoarhound

Habitats: marsh
Availability: uncommon
Potentcy loss: Never loses any potency.
Description: An herb which can be brewed into a tea which will allow the drinker to recover Fatigue as if he had just eaten a hot meal. It can also be fashioned by an Adept of the College of Shaping Magics into an Amulet of Calmness which decreases all of the wearer's rolls on the Fright Table by 10 (see rule 60.8).

Bloodroot

Habitats: field, woods
Availability: uncommon
Potentcy loss: Loses 1% potency per week.
Description: A weed characterized by fibrous, liquid-bearing roots, the juice from which can be used by an Alchemist to distil a potion which will act like a control spell on whoever ingests it, causing him to obey the first sentient being he meets as if that being were the caster of the spell.

Bryony

Also known as: snake grape

Habitats: field, woods
Availability: uncommon
Potentcy loss: Never loses any potency.
Description: (a.k.a. Snake Grape) A flowering vine with grape-like fruit and tendrils which can be distilled by an Alchemist into a potion which will heal broken bones if drunk three times a day for seven days.

Caper

Habitats: field, rough
Availability: uncommon
Potentcy loss: Loses 1% potency per day.
Description: Capers are the fruit of a small shrub which in bud form may be picked and used by an Alchemist to manufacture a potion which will serve as an antidote to impotence (whether naturally or magically occurring). Capers are also a prime ingredient in Love Philtres and Potions of Fertility (see rule 62.3).

Catgut

Also known as: devil's shoestring, goat's rue, turkey pea

Habitats: woods, rough
Availability: uncommon
Potentcy loss: Loses 10% of potency an hour after picking and 1% per hour thereafter.
Description: (a.k.a. Turkey Pea, Goat's Rue, Devil's Shoestring) An herb whose tough roots may be ground and brewed into a tea which will allow the drinker to recover Fatigue as if he had just eaten a hot meal.

Catnip

Habitats: field
Availability: common
Potentcy loss: Loses 1% potency per week.
Description: An herb of the mint family, often domestically grown. Catnip can be distilled by an Alchemist into a potion which will promote healing. Distilled by an Alchemist, it will heal 3 Endurance Points.

Chervil

Habitats: field
Availability: common
Potentcy loss: Loses 20% of potency within one hour and 1% thereafter until distilled.
Description: An herb of the parsley family which can be made into an infusion and used to bathe wounds decreasing the chance of infection by 10 and increasing the chance of the body healing itself if it does become infected by 10. An Alchemist can use it to distil a healing potion, working in the same fashion.

Cowslip

Habitats: field, woods
Availability: common
Potentcy loss: Loses 5% potency per week.
Description: A yellow wildflower which often grows in pastures. Cowslip is sometimes used by Alchemists to distil Sleeping Potions and has from time to time been substituted for more potent ingredients in Sleep Dust by Adepts of the College of Ensorcelments and Enchantments (with a 90% loss in the effectiveness of the dust). See rule 52.5 (Q-3). The pollen of the flowers is the active ingredient.

Cyclamen

Habitats: marsh, woods
Availability: uncommon
Potentcy loss: Loses 40% of potency an hour after picking and 1% per hour thereafter until distilled.
Description: A flowering herb which may be distilled by an Alchemist into a Sleeping Potion or a Love Potion (both lasting D10 hours) or by an Adept of the College of Black Magics into a Love Philtre (see rule 62.3).

Daffodil

Habitats: woods, rough
Availability: common
Potentcy loss: Loses 20% of potency after one hour and 5% of potency per hour thereafter until distilled.
Description: A yellow flower which may be made into a poultice and applied to wounds to heal 1 Endurance Point per day for D10 days. Daffodils may also be mashed and their juices distilled into a Love Philtre by an Adept of the College of Black Magics (see rule 62.3).

Damiana

Habitats: woods, rough
Availability: uncommon
Potentcy loss: Loses 10% potency per month.
Description: A leafy herb often used in teas designed to have a slight euphoric effect. An Adept of the College of Black Magics may use it in a Love Philtre (see rule 62.3), but the Philtre will last only a couple of months.

Euphorbia

Habitats: woods
Availability: rare
Potentcy loss: Never loses any potency.
Description: A poisonous plant (35% kill chance) often used by Alchemists in distilling synthetic poisons and by Adepts of most Colleges for use along with various forms of incense and precious oils to burn in censers while performing ritual magic.

Fennel

Habitats: field
Availability: common
Potentcy loss: Loses 10% of potency per month.
Description: A feathery green flowering herb whose seeds may be used by an Adept of the College of Shaping Magics to manufacture an amulet designed to repel Spectres. Used in this manner it will repel all Spectres who fail to resist its effect (by rolling twice Willpower or less on D100) and will have a Shaping Index of 40.

Fern (female)

Habitats: marsh, woods, cavern
Availability: uncommon
Potentcy loss: Loses 5% of potency per day once picked.
Description: A delicate, feathery plant usually found in dimly lighted areas (wooded glens, cave entrances, etc.). The female plant may be distilled by an Alchemist into a Potion of Invisibility, the effect of which lasts for D10 hours.

Fern (male)

Habitats: marsh, woods, cavern
Availability: uncommon
Potentcy loss: Loses 5% of potency per day once picked.
Description: A delicate, feathery plant usually found in dimly lighted areas (wooded glens, cave entrances, etc.). The male plant can be dried and powdered and used by Adepts of the College of Black Magics to make Love Philtres (see rule 62.3).

Garlic

Habitats: field
Availability: common
Potentcy loss: Never loses any potency for most purposes.
Description: A purple-flowered member of the lily family. The flowers may be used as a protection against Vampires, but they are not nearly as effective as the plant's root which forms bud-like rhizomes that may be eaten or strung into garlands that offer the best protection against the attentions of such beings. See rule 142.2 for details. Sailors consider the eating or wearing of Garlic of use in preventing shipwrecks; but this is only a mere myth. The substance does have a slight repellent effect on Greater Undead other than Vampires, and no one wearing Garlic can ever be affected by the Evil Eye spell (S-9) of the College of Black Magics. Further, the resistance of the wearer versus all spells of the College of Black Magics is increased by 5.

Ginseng

Habitats: woods
Availability: uncommon
Potentcy loss: Never loses any potency.
Description: A variety of plant, the root of which can be ground and used by an Alchemist in the manufacture of Love Potions (lasting D10 days). May also be brewed into a tea which has minor aphrodisiac qualities.

Hellebore (green)

Habitats: marsh, woods
Availability: rare
Potentcy loss: Loses 2% potency per week once picked.
Description: A generally poisonous plant which comes in two varieties; Green and Black. The green variety is used by Alchemists to distil potions designed to cure madness (60% chance).

Hellebore (black)

Habitats: marsh, woods
Availability: rare
Potentcy loss: Loses 2% potency per week once picked.
Description: A generally poisonous plant which comes in two varieties; Green and Black. The Black variety is used by Alchemists to distil a number of different types of poison (60% kill chance).

Hemlock

Habitats: marsh, woods
Availability: rare
Potentcy loss: Loses 2% potency per week.
Description: A variety of evergreen whose bark is useable by Alchemists to create Flying Potions (lasting D10 minutes) or a powerful poison (100% kill chance) which causes slow paralysis eventually causing cardiovascular failure.

Hendane

Habitats: field
Availability: rare
Potentcy loss: Loses 5% potency per week for most purposes.
Description: A poisonous herb often used by Alchemists in distilling poisons (50% kill chance) and Love Potions (lasting D5 days). Ingestion of the untreated herb raw or cooked in food usually results in extreme hallucinations followed within hours by death.

Holly

Habitats: field, marsh, woods
Availability: uncommon
Potentcy loss: Loses 5% potency per day. Immediately loses all remaining potency if touched by Cold Iron.
Description: A flowering, fruit-bearing plant held sacred by Druids. The berries are a bright red, very attractive, but bitter. They are also extremely poisonous, killing within hours (70% kill chance). The leaves may be made into an Amulet of Luck by an Adept of the College of Shaping Magics similar to the Amulet of the same name of the College of Black Magics.

Jasmine

Habitats: field
Availability: uncommon
Potentcy loss: Loses 20% potency an hour after being picked and 10% per week thereafter.
Description: A flowering shrub said to make a powerful ingredient for use in manufacturing Love Philtres. In actuality, it has no value at all except to make such liquids sweet smelling. However, Jasmine incense has some magical value in the performance of certain magical rituals, especially those having to do with summoning and purifications (+2 to Base Chance).

Jimson weed

Habitats: rough, waste
Availability: uncommon
Potentcy loss: Loses 5% of potency per month.
Description: A narcotic plant whose seeds and roots are often ingested as part of mystical ceremonies. An Alchemist may use Jimson Weed to distil potions that create hallucinations or make the drinker susceptible to control or mental manipulation. It may also be fashioned by an Adept of the College of Shaping Magics into an Amulet of protection against spells of the College of Black Magics and the College of Ensorcelments and Enchantments (+5 to Magic Resistance).

Laurel

Habitats: marsh, woods, rough
Availability: uncommon
Potentcy loss: Loses 10% potency an hour after picking and 5% per week thereafter.
Description: A small evergreen whose leaves may be burned as a protection against Incubi and Succubi (they will not willingly enter a room in which the substance is being burned). The leaves may also be distilled by an Alchemist to create a potion which increases the drinker's ability to disbelieve illusions (+25 to success percentage).

Lotus (yellow)

Habitats: marsh, woods
Availability: uncommon
Potentcy loss: Never loses any potency.
Description: A type of five-petalled flower which appears in several distinct varieties. The Yellow Lotus is sometimes dried and used by Adepts of the College of Shaping Magics in the manufacture of Amulets of Luck similar to the Amulet of the same name of the College of Black Magics.

Lotus (white)

Habitats: marsh, woods
Availability: uncommon
Potentcy loss: Never loses any potency.
Description: A type of five-petalled flower which appears in several distinct varieties. The White Lotus may be used in the production of Love Philtres by Adepts of the College of Black Magics.

Lotus (pink)

Habitats: marsh, woods
Availability: common
Potentcy loss: Never loses any potency.
Description: A type of five-petalled flower which appears in several distinct varieties. The Pink Lotus is the most common type, but has no magical properties.

Lotus (purple)

Habitats: marsh, woods
Availability: rare
Potentcy loss: Never loses any potency.
Description: A type of five-petalled flower which appears in several distinct varieties. The Purple Lotus is Rare and is often used in potions which increase the resistance of the drinker versus magic of the College of Sorceries of the Mind (+5 to Magic Resistance).

Lotus (black)

Habitats: marsh, woods
Availability: very rare
Potentcy loss: Never loses any potency.
Description: A type of five-petalled flower which appears in several distinct varieties. The Black Lotus is very rare and is the most powerful of the five. The pollen from this flower is the active ingredient in both Sleep Dust and (in larger quantities) Poison Dust, the manufacture of both substances being part of the General Knowledge of the College of Ensorcelments and Enchantments (and such a closely-guarded secret that none except an Adept of this College has ever been able to duplicate either). The Black Lotus is also a powerful ingredient in Alchemists' Aphrodisiacs, Love Potions, and Potions used to cause hallucinations or gain control over the drinker.

Mandrake

Habitats: rough, waste
Availability: rare
Potentcy loss: Never loses any potency.
Description: A narcotic herb whose root forms the shape of a human figure. The berries can be used as either an aphrodisiac, a narcotic, or a poison (30% kill chance), depending on the dosage. the same applies to the root. In addition, the root is often used by Adepts of the College of Black Magics in Love Philtres (lasting D10 days) and Fertility Potions.

Marigold

Habitats: field
Availability: common
Potentcy loss: Loses 5% of potency per month.
Description: A yellow-flowered plant whose seeds are often powdered and made into incense for use in magic rituals. They may also be used by an Alchemist to distil Potions designed to cause the drinker to speak only the truth and answer all questions asked.

Marijuana

Also known as: cannabis

Habitats: field
Availability: uncommon
Potentcy loss: Loses 3% of potency per month.
Description: A flowering plant readily identifiable by the distinctive shape and arrangement of its leaves. May be used by anyone as a mild pain-killer (with euphoric side effects) and is often ingested (via smoking) for this purpose. An Alchemist can distil the raw plant into a compact mash which is sometimes used in religious ceremonies. In this form, the drug is extremely powerful and causes hallucinations, disorientation, and a reduction in resistance to all magic (−5), and especially to magic of the College of Sorceries of the Mind (−10 to Magic Resistance).

Marjoram

Habitats: field, woods
Availability: uncommon
Potentcy loss: Loses 10% of potency per hour.
Description: An herb often used to brew teas having calmative and restorative powers. Drinking a cup of this tea will decrease subsequent die rolls on the Fright Table (se rule 60.8) by 5 and will allow the drinker to recover Fatigue exactly as if he had just eaten a hot meal.

Mistletoe

Habitats: woods, forest
Availability: uncommon
Potentcy loss: Loses 5% of potency per hour.
Description: A parasitic shrub-like plant whose white berries are often used by Adepts of the College of Black Magics in the creation of Love Philtres. Untreated, the berries are slightly poisonous (5% kill chance). The entire plant except the berries may be made into an infusion which is used to wash fresh wounds, causing the subject to regain 2 points the Fatigue and increasing the chances of the body recovering from any non-magical infection by 15. As a side-effect of this healing phenomenon, the subject will for the next several weeks undergo an increase of several hundred percent in fertility or potency. A sprig of mistletoe used to make a set of lock picks will increase by 10 the chance of anyone picking a lock with those picks.

Moonwort

Habitats: woods
Availability: rare
Potentcy loss: Loses 5% of potency per day.
Description: A fern known for its crescent-shaped leaves. It is often used by Adepts of the College of Black Magics as an ingredient in Love Philtres. Its greatest value, however, is as a material for use in fashioning lock picks. The chances of anyone picking a lock are increased by 15 if the picks they are using are made of dried Moonwort stems. Moonwort should, however, be kept out of close proximity with Cold Iron on which it exercises an extremely rapid oxidizing effect (loses 1% of the metal's strength for each hour that it is in contact with Moonwort).

Mullein

Habitats: field, woods
Availability: rare
Potentcy loss: Never loses any potency.
Description: A course-leafed weed. The leaves may be used and fashioned by an Adept of the College of Shaping Magics into an Amulet designed to protect the wearer from enchanted monsters, who will not approach the wearer closer than 20 feet.

Myrrh

Habitats: field
Availability: rare
Potentcy loss: Never loses any potency.
Description: A resinous plant often tapped for the sweet-smelling gum which is one of the most important ingredients in perfumes and in the incense used in magical rituals (especially those having to do with summoning beings from other dimensions +2 to Base Chance).

Opium poppy

Habitats: field
Availability: uncommon
Potentcy loss: Loses 2% of potency per month.
Description: A type of poppy characterized by bright red flowers. The buds yield a gum used by Alchemists in the manufacture of opium, a powerful narcotic ingested by smoking or by drinking while in suspension of tea. Healers use the drug to kill pain. It can, however, kill if ingested in large quantities. Frequent use leads to addiction and progressive mental and physical deterioration. Ingestion of the herb produces mild and reoccurring hallucinations which develop into horrible fantasies in habitual users.

Rue

Habitats: woods
Availability: uncommon
Potentcy loss: Loses 5% of potency per hour.
Description: A yellow-flowered herb which may be brewed into a tea which allows the drinker to recover Fatigue exactly as if he had just eaten a hot meal. Has the side effect of making the drinker impotent for the ensuing 24 hours.

Saffron

Habitats: woods
Availability: uncommon
Potentcy loss: Loses 1% of potency per week.
Description: A variety of Crocus whose stamens may be powdered and used by Alchemists to distil Potions designed to cure blindness (75% chance) or disease (70% chance). Saffron stamens may also be used in the manufacture of incense for use in magic rituals.

Sage

Habitats: field
Availability: uncommon
Potentcy loss: Loses 2% of potency per week.
Description: A leafy herb whose juices are sometimes used by Alchemists in the manufacture of Potions designed to cure disease. The plant may also be brewed into a calmative tea which will reduce die rolls on the Fright Table (60.8) that day by 3.

Saint john's wort

Also known as: hypericum

Habitats: marsh, woods
Availability: uncommon
Potentcy loss: Never loses any potency.
Description: (a.k.a. Hypericum) An orange-flowered plant which may be distilled in an Alchemists Potion designed to increase the resistance of the drinker to magic of the College of Black Magics and the College of Necromantic Conjurations (+10 for D10 hours).

Sandalwood

Habitats: woods, forest
Availability: rare
Potentcy loss: Never loses any potency.
Description: A tree whose bark is valuable as an ingredient in most incense used in magic rituals.

Satyr orchid

Habitats: woods, forest
Availability: very rare
Potentcy loss: Loses 50% of potency after an hour and 10% per hour thereafter.
Description: A green-flowered Orchid which may be eaten as an aphrodisiac or stimulant. One flower will allow the eater to recover 4 Fatigue immediately. Any number of flowers may be eaten, but there is a 10% chance (+20% for each flower above one) that eating the flower(s) will cause the eater to gradually (in D10 weeks, +1 day per Endurance Point currently possessed by the victim) turn into a Satyr. Treat this latter effect as a major curse.

Snakeroot

Habitats: woods, rough
Availability: uncommon
Potentcy loss: Loses 50% of potency one hour after picking and 10% potency per day thereafter.
Description: An herb whose root can be chewed and spat into a snakebite neutralizing the poison of the snake within D−5 minutes. Alchemists distil it into a variety of Antidotes and Potions for healing diseases.

Sunflower

Also known as: heliotrope

Habitats: field
Availability: common
Potentcy loss: Never loses any potency.
Description: (a.k.a. Heliotrope) A tall, bright-yellow flower (often growing to above man height). Incubi, Succubi, Devils, Imps, and Hellhounds will not enter a stand of Sunflowers, though individual flowers have no effect on them. The seeds may be eaten for food, but in large quantities they produce hallucinations and visions of the future, some of which (about 5%) will be accurate and valuable to the seer providing he can decipher them. The juice from the seeds is sometimes used by Alchemists to distil Potions which have as their object the controlling of the drinker, as Bloodroot.

Sweet flag

Habitats: field
Availability: uncommon
Potentcy loss: Loses 30% of potency per day.
Description: A tall, bright flower which is unpleasant to Wights, Wraiths, and Night-Gaunts. Each of these types of Undead must roll their Willpower or less in order to approach a character draped in Sweet Flag or cross a threshold draped in Sweet Flag.

Teasel

Also known as: venus' basin

Habitats: field
Availability: uncommon
Potentcy loss: Loses 5% of potency per week.
Description: (a.k.a. Venus's Basin) Actually the plant, itself is of no value. However, water which collect at the base of this tall, burred, red plant is an ingredient in Toad Sweat Potions designed to remove blemishes (see rule 62.3). Alchemists also sometimes use the water in beauty potions.

Thyme

Habitats: field
Availability: uncommon
Potentcy loss: Loses 5% of potency per week.
Description: An herb of the mint family which may be brewed into a tea that will decrease the drinker's subsequent rolls of the Fright table within the next 6 hours by 3.

Valerian

Habitats: woods
Availability: uncommon
Potentcy loss: Loses 20% of potency after one hour and 10% potency per day thereafter.
Description: A flowering herb used by Alchemists to distil Sleeping Potions (lasting D5 hours). May be brewed into a tea which will allow the drinker to recover 2 Fatigue exactly as if he had just eaten a hot meal. An Alchemist's distillation will heal 4 Endurance Points immediately and also cure diseases. The tea has the side effect of making the drinker extremely attractive to members of the opposite effect for a period of two hours after drinking.

Vetch

Habitats: field, rough
Availability: uncommon
Potentcy loss: Loses 10% of potency per month.
Description: A purple-flowered clover often found in hilly or even mountainous regions. Used by Alchemists to distil Potions designed to increase the Physical Strength or Endurance of the drinker by 1 per Rank for D10 minutes.

84. Magic Items

This section lists a number of magical items which have been designed for use with DragonQuest. All are based on mythological or literary magical items or on historical objects supposed to have had supernatural powers in addition to their more prosaic characteristics. Each entry on the list is followed by four descriptive phrases, sentences, or paragraphs giving its characteristics as follows:

Description: A description of the physical appearance and/or characteristics of the item.

Abilities: A discussion of the powers of the item and its manner of use.

Limits: A discussion of the practical limitations of the item’s power or the drawbacks on its use where appropriate.

Notes: A discussion of the body of thought or mythology from which the item is drawn and of any special attributes the item might possess or any significant implications surrounding its use.

The items representing herein are suggested as guidelines for structuring the role of magical treasure in DragonQuest campaigns. In general, the actual manufacture of magical items is left up to the players using the rules for the College of Shaping Magics herein. However, the items on this list have been developed and balanced using the DragonQuest rules and may be injected directly into a campaign without modification if the players to desire. The entries are divided are divided into a number of general types describing a particular class of item as outlined in the Investment Rituals of the College of Shaping Magics (Q-5 through Q-11). These classes include:

• Amulets
• Arms and Armor
• Enchanted Clothing
• Enchanted Furniture
• Talismans and Minor Artifacts
• Staves and Wands
• Greater Artifacts

Each class is described in general terms prior to the listing of the items belonging to that class.

Amulets

---

Amulets may have almost any spell designed to protect the wearer incorporated into them and may sometimes contain other magic as well. Such items should be small (capable of being worn on the body) and will usually take the form of a medallion or necklace of some sort. Examples include:

The Scarab

Description: These are small carved stones (usually gemstones) representing the dung beetle and containing an inscription carved on their bottom.

Abilities: Scarabs were generally used to hold defensive charms carved onto the bottom of them, and Scarabs worn as Amulets would all be of this type. Scarabs with curses or non-defensive spells carved into them would be classed as Minor Artifacts instead of Amulets. Usually, Scarabs are designed to ward bad luck.

Limitations: Each Scarab is considered to have both a good and a bad nature, so it is possible for the owner to be brought good luck or protected from bad luck on the one hand and for him to be led into bad luck by the workings of the same Scarab on the other.

Notes: Scarabs are considered in Egyptian mythology to be incarnations of Ra.

The Thet of Ptah

Description: A golden medallion.

Abilities: The Amulet allows the wearer to enter another dimension once per week in addition to increasing his resistance to spells of the College of Ensorcelments and Enchantments by 20.

Limitations: Each time the Amulet is used to enter another dimension, the bearer expends 10 Fatigue.

Notes: Ptah is the Egyptian god of the unnamed Void and this Amulet is traditionally supposed to have been given by Ptah as a reward for services rendered.

Arms and Armor

---

Magical arms and armor are of several distinct types, as follows.

Magic Armor

Generally, magic armor will absorb an increased number of Damage Points (from 1–3 more DP’s) than non-magical armor of the same type. In addition to this primary characteristic, magic armor will often be lighter (1–3 fewer points subtracted from Agility) and will almost always be silvered, gilded, or otherwise have the Cold Iron content of the armor neutralized. Examples include:

Warshirt

Description: A breastplate formed of laced animal bones.

Abilities: Treat as leather armor (but at zero modification to Agility). In addition, the wearer will never be struck by non-magical Missile Weapons.

Limitations: The warshirt has no effect upon non-Missile Weapons or on magical Missile Weapons.

Notes: Some American Indian tribes equipped their bravest and most powerful warriors with this shirt with the stipulation that the wearer must always be the last warrior to leave a battle.

Magic Shields

Usually magic shields increase their Defense per Rank by 1–2%. They rarely have special powers, but some may be charmed to increase the chance of breaking a weapon used against them and a small number may have truly extraordinary powers, as outline in the following:

Shield of Perseus

Description: A small round shield of very reflective material which can be polished to a glossy sheen.

Abilities: The shield is never broken or damaged even when the user suffers a Grievous Injury (and the user may not employ the option of having the shield cloven in lieu of suffering armor protection loss). In addition, any spell which is hurled at the user may be diverted by the shield (increase the user’s chance of Resistance by 10) and turned back on the caster (Base Chance of 20%) if directed by the user to do so.

Notes: The shield was given to Perseus by Athena to aid him in slaying the Gorgon (Medusa).

The Celtic Raven Shield

Description: A small round shield circular in shape reinforced by a rim of iron and painted with a black raven with wings spread.

Abilities: Increases the user’s Defense by 10 (not including Defense per Rank) and increases the chance of any weapon used against it breaking by 5. In addition, if the shield is hurled into the air it will black out the sun (making it as dark as midnight during the new moon) within a radius of 21 miles. The enchantment lasts 11 hours, after which the shield returns to the person who cast it into the air providing he is within the radius affected by the spell. Otherwise, it will simply fall to earth.

Limitations: It costs 3 Fatigue to cast the shield into the air, and the shield can only be used once every 33 hours.

Notes: The Raven Shield was used in the first battle of Moy-Tura by the Tuatha de Dannan.

Magic Crowns, Helms and Helmets

These items are quite versatile, acting as part of normal armor usually while casting one or another sort of enchantment on the wearer. Accordingly, a number of examples are provided.

Battlehelm of the Tuatha de Dannan

Description: An iron war helm with inlaid bronze and festooned with red horsehair plumes and ivory horns.

Abilities: The wearer is treated as a Military Scientist 5 Ranks higher than his usual Rank (Rank 4 if unranked). The wearer is also immune to Grievous Injury about the face and neck, and any such injury specified when it occurs (treat as no effect and do not roll again on the Grievous Injury Table until a new grievous injury occurs).

Notes: Traditionally, this helm was always worn by the Warleader of the Tuatha de Dannan.

The Coronet of Isis

Description: A thin circlet of beaten gold inscribed with charms and decorated with Lapis Lazuli cabochons.

Abilities: The wearer may summon non-demonic beings from other dimensions to his aid once per day.

Limitations: The Coronet of Isis may never be worn by Adepts of any College of Magic. It is connected to the Powers of Light and may not be used to summon those beings from other dimensions which may be summoned via the College of Greater Summoning. It may be used to summon Undead from the world of shades. The user must have a Physical Beauty of at least 18 or the Coronet will not work. Does not increase armor protection.

Notes: Isis is the Egyptian goddess of Love and Beauty.

The Crown of Osiris

Description: A finely wrought gold crown decorated with the life symbol, Ankh.

Abilities: The wearer may look into another dimension once per day. In addition, the wearer increases his chance of disbelieving any illusion by +30%. Does not increase armor protection.

Limitations: The Crown is consecrated to the Powers of Light and may not be worn by Adepts of any College of Magic. If an Adept attempts to wear it, he will receive no benefit from it.

Joukahainen’s Helm

Description: A gilded war helm inscribed with arcane symbols.

Abilities: The helm warns the wearer whenever a spell is directed at him or the area he occupies by beating a martial tune on his brow. The faster and stronger the beat, the more powerful the spell.

Limitations: Does not increase armor protection since it is easily cloven.

Notes: The helm was worn by the Finnish hero, Joukahainen.

Athena’s Helm

Description: A bronze war helm embossed with images of Athena in heroic poses.

Abilities: Increases the number of Damage Points absorbed by the wearer’s armor by 1. Also increases the wearer’s resistance versus spells of the College of Ensorcelments and Enchantments and the College of Illusion by +20%.

Notes: Worn buy the Greek goddess, Athena.

Manannan’s Helm

Description: A bronze helm encrusted with gems.

Abilities: The wearer is invisible. In addition, the number of Damage Points absorbed by the wearer’s armor is increased by 1. Once per day, the wearer may place his fingers on the gems inset in the helmet and thereby heal D10+5 Fatigue and/or Endurance.

Notes: Worn by the Celtic hero Manannan Mac Lyr.

Magic Missiles

Included in this category are magic arrows, bolts, quarrels, darts, and shot which will normally work by (1) increasing accuracy, (2) increasing Damage, or (3) placing an enchantment on the target once he is struck. Missile Weapons which are wholly or partially magical usually operate by increasing accuracy whether they are firing magical or non-magical missiles. Other types of Missile Weapons (spears and hammers) usually work by increasing accuracy or returning to their owner. Generally, Missile Weapons will not be endowed with personalities or special enchantments (other than as specified in 3 above). Examples of such weapons include:

Hayk’s Arrows

Description: Look like normal high quality hunting arrows. They are drawn from a self-replenishing leather case.

Abilities: The Base Chance of striking a target is increased by 30 when these arrows are used.

Limitations: The quiver holds only 16 arrows. When they are exhausted, the user must wait 24 hours before they will be replenished. Each arrow is replenished individually 24 hours after it was shot, so arrows may appear at varying times.

Notes: Hayk employed these arrows during the Indo-European Battle of the Plain of Shinar, killing his rival, Bel, from the opposite end of the field with a single arrow.

Lightning Bow

Description: A hardwood longbow with accompanying quiver of 20 lightning bolt shaped arrows.

Abilities: The special arrows may be fired into the sky to bring rain (takes D10+10 minutes for clouds to gather and rain to start). The special arrows may also be fired at an enemy in battle. If they strike the target, it will be consumed by Whitefire within D10+10 Pulses.

Limitations: Only the special arrows fired by the lightning bow will cause its special powers to be invoked. Use of the arrows in another bow will not do so, and use of normal arrows in the lightning bow will have no special magical effect. Further, the use of the bow costs 3 Fatigue, and any miss the bow is treated as if the spell has missed (with the possibility of Backfire).

Agni’s Sarnge

Description: A carved wood shortbow accompanied by a quiver of red-tipped arrows.

Abilities: Each of the special arrows contains a spell of the College of the Sorceries of the Mind (selected by the GM). They may be fired into the same or another dimension where the spells will take effect on the target if the arrow successfully strikes him. Only Angi’s bow may be used to fire these arrows for their specified effect.

Limitations: The 20 arrows may be recovered and reinvested with a new spell of the College of Sorceries of the Mind once used. When all 20 arrows have been lost, however, it will be impossible to obtain new ones.

Notes: The bow was used by the Indo-European god, Agni, to cast his curses onto his enemies.

Crann Buidhe

Description: A yellow-hafted spear with a bronze head.

Abilities: The user’s Base Chance of striking a target is increased by 10 whenever he uses this spear to strike. The spear may never be broken by a non-magical weapon.

Limitations: The user of this spear must subtract 20 (net subtraction of 10) from his Base Chance if he opposes a character using the spear Gai Dearg.

Notes: The Celtic warrior, Diarmaid, was slain by a boar because he carried Crann Buidhe instead of Gai Dearg.

Gai Dearg

Description: A red-hafted spear with a bronze head.

Abilities: The user’s Base Chance of striking a target is increased by 15 whenever he uses this spear to strike. When facing an enemy armed with Crann Buidhe, the users chance of inflicting a Grievous Injury on his opponent is doubled.

Notes: Diarmaid possessed both the Crann Buidhe and the Gai Dearg, but favored the former, bringing about his death.

Spear of Arshag

Description: A large, heavy iron-tipped spear.

Abilities: The spear can cut through armor like flesh. In addition, it inflicts wounds which bleed profusely, bleeding can not be stopped except by magical means. The wounds inflicted by this spear always become infected.

Limitations: Any character with a Physical Strength of 18 or less will be unable to Hurl this spear (though he will be able to use it in Melee).

Notes: This spear was given to the Indo-European King Arshag by his father and was used by the great warrior to slay a huge serpent.

Gungnir

Description: A 20 foot long spear with a shaft and a head of forged iron. The spear weighs 50 pounds.

Abilities: The Gungnir has an unlimited Range within sight. The spear has a Base Chance of 90% when thrown, does 4D10 damage, and automatically causes a Grievous Injury. Gungnir has a Base Chance of 70% in Melee Combat and does 3D10 damage with no automatic Grievous Injury.

Limitations: Gungnir is only useable by individuals with a Physical Strength of 29 or greater and a Manual Dexterity of 25 or greater.

Notes: Gungnir was made for the Norse god Odin by the Dwarves.

Gai Bolg

Description: A large, heavy spear carved from the beak of a Kraken.

Abilities: The spear does D10+6 damage. In addition, the spear will begin to throb and hum whenever danger draws near, warning of ambushes and the like.

Notes: Traditionally, the Gai Bolg was used by Cuchulain, the Celtic god of war.

Magic Swords

The most important magic weapon in almost every culture is the magic sword. Usually, magic swords do from 1 to 4 extra points of damage above and beyond the damage done by non-magical specimens of the same class. In addition, swords will have a variety of enchantments cast upon them which may cause them to sing, talk, warn of danger, dominate their user, inflict special damage, lead their owner to constant battle, danger, treasure, luck, act as an amulet against almost anything…and so on. Many magical swords will have a personality as strong as or stronger than a character. They may be aligned with either Light or Darkness (usually one or the other). Accordingly, the GM should carefully detail the personality of each magical sword in the game and should play it himself as a non-player character. A number of ideas for the powers of magical swords are offered in the selection of weapons described in the following, but some of the best ideas will arise out of the characteristics of the GM’s own world.

Sword of Naisi

Description: A bronze hand and a half sword with a bejeweled pommel.

Abilities: The wounds inflicted by the sword leave no mark on the victim, making them difficult to treat.

Notes: Given by the God Manannan to the Celtic hero Naisi.

Sword of Nuada

Description: A ruby-like hilted claymore of unknown metal.

Abilities: The sword’s blade can be made by the wielder to flame upon command (treat as a sword with a Weapon of Flame Spell of Rank 15 cast upon it). Once it flames, all except the user must immediately roll their Willpower or less in order to take any Action during the remainder of the Pulse.

Limitations: It costs 5 Fatigue to ignite the sword.

Notes: Traditionally, this sword was used by the King of the Tuatha de Dannan, Nuada, at the First Battle of Moy Tura, when he slew the Collector of Souls.

The Sword of Horus

Description: A bronze shortsword with a worked hilt inscribed with charms and hieroglyphs.

Abilities: The Sword of Horus does quadruple damage against all lesser Undead and double damage against all greater Undead. Its Base Chance is 75% and it does +8 damage. The chance of a Grievous Injury is doubled when employing this weapon against the Undead.

Limitations: It requires a minimum Physical Strength of 20 to effectively use this sword.

Notes: Horus is the son of Osiris in Egyptian mythology and is sometimes called the Avenger. The GM may wish to endow this weapon with a personality and make it eager to avenge wrongs done the user, increasing its effectiveness when involved in combat against sworn enemies.

Mandaka

Description: A silver embossed and jeweled bronze shortsword.

Abilities: Mandaka can be used only against enemies from other dimensions. If the user attempts to use it against an entity from his own dimension, the sword will fall from his hand.

Limitations: The use must have a Physical Strength of 23 or greater and a Manual Dexterity of 21 or greater to use this sword.

Notes: Mandaka is the sword of the Hindu god of Fire, Agni.

Freyr’s Sword

Description: A five-foot long hand and a half sword of faintly luminescent steel. The hilt is of ivory, and the entire is inscribed with powerful deathrunes.

Abilities: The sword has a Base Chance of 70% and does D10+8 damage. It will never be broken, except by another magical weapon. In addition, the chances of a Grievous Injury being inflicted on one’s target are doubled when using Freyr’s sword.

Limitations: Freyr’s sword may be used only by a character possessed of a Physical Strength of 23 or greater and a Manual Dexterity of 20 or better.

Notes: Freyr lost his sword while attempting to kill Gerd, and Surt used the blade to kill him at Ragnorok.

Durendel

Description: A simple cross-hilted hand and a half sword.

Abilities: Durendel is consecrated to the Powers of Light and may never be used by an Adept of any College of Magic (it will burn the hand of such and individual and make it impossible for him to hold the sword). If the sword is ever used for an evil purpose, the user will be cursed with ill luck (see 158.4) until he rights the wrong he has done.

Notes: Durendel was used by Roland until his death fighting the Paynim at Roncevalles.

Dainslef

Description: A finely crafted iron broadsword.

Abilities: The user’s Base Chance is increased by 10 whenever he is using Dainslef to strike. The chances of infection are increased by 50% if any wound is inflicted by Dainslef (even if the wound is to Fatigue only).

Limitations: The sword is charmed so once drawn it will always claim a life, no matter what the wishes of the owner. If an enemy is not present, the sword will claim the life of an ally or a friend of the user. If no one else is present, the sword will attack the user himself, magically leaping into the air and striking at the user until he is dead or the sword is broken.

Notes: Dwarves made the sword for the Teutonic hero Hogez.

Kvedulf

Description: A great sword (treat as two-handed) with a Rune carved blade.

Abilities: The user’s Base Chance is increased by 5 during the day and 15 at night when striking with this sword. In addition, the sword automatically slays an opponent if a Grievous Injury is scored using the sword at night. The user’s stealth is increased by 10.

Limitations: The sword is cursed, and anyone who uses it will come under a Curse of Lycanthropy, changing into a wolf at irregular times for random periods.

Notes: The name of the sword means evening wolf. It’s Teutonic in origin.

Magic Hammers

Another class of weapon popular in some cultures as a candidate for magical endowment is the Warhammer. Warhammers, Picks, and similar weapons are usually characterized by greater than normal Range, Damage, Base Chance, and Weight. They also will almost invariably return to their user if thrown. One example of this class should suffice.

Mjollnir

Description: An iron Warhammer about four feet long, weighing 40 pounds. The haft is shorter than normal and gives a small appearance.

Abilities: The hammer has unlimited Range and will automatically return to the user’s hand if thrown. The hammer has a Base Chance of 100%, does D10+7 damage, and has a chance of inflicting a Grievous Injury three times that of a normal Warhammer.

Limitations: Mjollnir may only be used to full effect by a character with a Physical Strength of 26 or greater and a Manual Dexterity of 21 or greater who is wearing Thor’s Iron Gloves.

Notes: Mjollnir is famed as the main weapon used by Thor in the wars against the Frost Giants.

Enchanted Clothing

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Enchanted clothing includes any non-armor, non-jewellery items that may be worn. Cloaks, Girdles, and Sandals are the most popular candidates in mythology for endowment with magical properties as indicated below.

Thor’s Iron Gloves

Description: A pair of cast-iron gauntlets weighing 20 pounds apiece.

Abilities: The wearer’s Physical Strength is increased by 10 and he is able to wield the Warhammer Mjollnir. He may never drop or break a weapon while wearing the gloves. The gloves may be used to strike for D10+5 damage and have a Base Chance of 40%.

Limitations: The gloves may not be worn while using a Missile Weapon.

Notes: Thor wore the gloves to handle Mjollnir properly.

Dwarf Girdle

Description: A man-sized belt of woven gold chains with a jewelled buckle worth 1000 gold shillings.

Abilities: Adds 20 to the wearer’s Physical Strength.

Limitations: If the buckle is ever broken, the girdle becomes permanently useless.

Notes: The Dwarves gave a belt of this description to William of Scherfenburg to pay for his silence about their intrigues.

Girdle of Strength

Description: A belt woven of iron bands. It covers the lower half of the body when worn.

Abilities: The wearer’s Physical Strength is increased by 15. The girdle absorbs 2 Damage Points and be removed only by the wearer, so long as he is alive. Anyone can remove the girdle if the wearer is dead.

Limitations: The Agility of the wearer is reduced by 2.

Notes: Traditionally, this girdle was worn by Thor during the wars with the Frost Giants.

The Persean Sandals

Description: A pair of golden sandals with tiny wings growing from the heels.

Abilities: The wearer runs at the rate of 400 yards per minute and may fly (at the same rate) for up to 20 minutes at a stretch.

Limitations: Each time the sandals are used to run or fly, the wearer expends 5 Fatigue per 10-minute increment (or fraction) of time employed.

Notes: Perseus used the sandals to transport himself to the land of the Gorgons to kill the Medusa.

Shadow Cloak

Description: A mantle appearing to be made of cobwebs.

Abilities: The wearer is treated as if he had a Rank 10 invisibility spell cast over him. He reappears only when the mantle is removed or its effects are temporarily dispelled. Each dispellation lasts for 1 minute.

Notes: The cloak was worn in the Land of Promise and was given to Cachulainn by Manannan.

Freyja’s Magic Cloak

Description: A cloak of Eagle feathers.

Abilities: A character wearing the cloak possesses the flying abilities of an Eagle.

Limitations: Each time the cloak is used to fly, there is a 1% chance that it will slip off and plunge the former wearer to the ground.

Notes: Loki used the cloak in his search for Mjollnir when that weapon was stolen by Thrym.

Helkappe

Description: A hooded Dwarf-sized cape which seems to expand up to Human-sized to fit the dimensions of the wearer.

Abilities: Treat the wearer as if he had a Rank 10 invisibility spell cast over him. He reappears only when the cloak is removed.

Limitations: The wearer must obey the (non-self-destructive) desires of the cloak’s rightful owner.

Notes: Such cloaks were often used by Dwarves in Teutonic myths.

Ulflamnr

Description: A wolf-skin cloak with a bone-clasp.

Abilities: The wearer of the cloak has the power to change into a Dire Wolf at any time between sunset and sunrise. The change will last until the light of day and cannot be reversed by the wearer until that time. While in Dire Wolf form, treat as a Shapechanger in animal form.

Limitations: In order to effect each transformation, the wearer must take a human or humanoid life.

Notes: A rare bit of Teutonic mythology.

Enchanted Furniture

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Enchanted furniture most often takes the form of enchanted musical instruments or thrones. Usually, the music produced by the instrument or the act of sitting on the throne will trigger some sort of geas or enchantment, often affecting the player, listeners, or the individual sitting on the throne by altering their perceptions. The examples which follow present exceptions to this rule:

Vainamoinen’s Harp

Description: A wood and bone harp.

Abilities: When played, the Harp casts a calling spell over the surrounding area within a radius of 300 yards (plus an additional 300 yards per Rank of the user with the Troubadour Skill). All entities the user desires to call within that Range may be summoned by him. However, any entities which desire to cause him harm will fall asleep for 1 day (plus 6 additional hours per user’s Rank with the Troubadour Skill) instead of heeding his call.

Limitations: Only a character who has acquired the Troubadour’s Skill and who has learned to play the harp may use Vainamoinen’s Harp to cast an enchantment of this type.

Notes: Traditionally, this object was used by the Finnish God of the Wind.

Daghdha’s Harp

Description: A gilded harp of fine craftsmanship.

Abilities: The harp speaks the Common Tongue and can be played normally as a musical instrument or once per day may be used to control the weather in the same manner as R-1 of the College of Air Magics at Rank 15.

Limitations: The user must possess the Troubadour Skill and be able to play the harp to control the weather in this manner.

Notes: The harp was the possession of Daghda, the King of the Celtic gods.

Talismans and Minor Artifacts

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There are a wide variety of such items usually enchanted with a single spell which will have some bizarre effect when triggered. All forms of jewellery not used as Amulets can be included in this classification, as can statues, most small containers, magical utensils, and tools of every variety. A few samples will have to suffice since the field is so large.

Magic Fetter

Description: A fine white rope said to be composed of a cat’s meow, a woman’s beard, mountain roots, bear’s sinews, fish’s breath, and the saliva of a bird.

Abilities: The magic fetter may be used to bind any unconscious, asleep, or subdued character or monster, and the victim will remain bound until the owner of the fetter (or someone else other than the victim) removes it.

Notes: The Aesir used the fetter to bind the Fenris Wolf. The binding lasted until the magic release of Fenris at the foretold moment so that he could participate in the Battle of Ragnarok.

Idols of the Baboons of Thout

Description: A group carving depicting ferocious baboons.

Abilities: May be placed to guard a temple and will then be activated whenever the priests of the temple pray for their release to destroy evil invaders. Once activated, the baboons pursue their victims (even through other planes) until they catch them and rend them with their fangs, ending their existence on all planes thereby. the baboons then return to the temple and resume their stone form.

Limitations: The baboons may only be used to defend the temple and attack those who would desecrate it. They will not be activated for any other purpose.

Notes: The Baboons as described guarded the Temple of Thout in ancient Egypt.

Idol of Shadow

Description: A small ceramic statue of a Monkey with a Jackal’s head.

Abilities: Whenever an Adept of any College enters the presence of this idol, there is a chance equal to 10% (plus 5 per Rank of the highest Ranked spell the Adept knows) that this idol will be activated and assume life-size shape. The extra-dimensional being thus activated will be a Spectre that will pursue and haunt the Adept who activated it until it is able to destroy him. Generally, the Spectre will have maximum characteristics for his class and will be the same shape as the statue. He kills by eating the head of the victim while strangling him with his tail.

Limitations: The companions of the Adept will be pursued as well, and there is a 5% chance that anyone in the room (including the owner of the statue) will be mistaken for a companion of the Adept and be haunted as well.

Notes: Statues of this type were placed in the tombs of dead considered unfit for the afterlife. They are associated with Anubis, the Egyptian God of the Underground.

Idol of the Bone Breaker

Description: A small ceramic statuette of a Demon with enormous arms and legs, the head of a jackal and body of a reptile.

Abilities: The statue may be activated by the owner’s command. It will then hunt down a victim of the owner’s choice before returning to its own plane of existence. During its period of activation, the demon will act as a Spectre with maximum characteristics for that type of entity but will have a human sized form similar to the statue’s. It will kill its victim by breaking his bones and sucking out the marrow, saving the skull (and brains) for last.

Limitations: There is a 5% chance that after destroying the designated target, the Bone Breaker will then turn on its master instead of returning to its own plane. Once in its own plane, the statue will be useless and the Bone Breaker will never again be summonable by activating the statue.

Notes: The Bone Breaker is a member of the judgment council of Anurian-Egyptian mythology.

Wind Bags

Description: Small hide bags etched with pictures of great destructive winds.

Abilities: The bag containing the wind may be opened on a hilltop (preferably a barren hilltop) and will then blow out of the neck of the bag, turning around in a clockwise direction blowing enemies out of its way, along with friends, trees, and anything else it happens to touch until it returns to the mouth of the bag.

Limitations: The longer the bag remains open, the stronger the winds will become until it will become impossible after several minutes to close the neck of the bag and a great storm will begin to rage over the surrounding area lasting D−1 days and destroying the power of the bag.

Notes: Magic items of this type were common among American Indians.

Andvari’s Ring

Description: A small white gold ring inscribed with Runes.

Abilities: The ring will produce four gold rings worth 1000 gold shillings each every twelfth night while in the possession of any owner.

Limitations: Whoever claims the ring or wears it (even to keep for another) will suffer a doom that he will die violently in battle. Treat as a major curse.

Notes: The Norse god Loki forced the Dwarf Andvari to create the ring on which the Dwarf placed the curse secretly. Loki later died at Ragnarok.

Draupnir

Description: A yellow-gold ring inscribed with Runes.

Abilities: Draupnir will produce eight gold rings worth 200 gold shillings each every ninth night.

Notes: Draupnir was created by the Dwarves for the use of the Aesir gods.

Silvanus’ Drinking Cup

Description: A horn cup studded with brass.

Abilities: Any desired liquid will flow into the drinker’s mouth unendingly so long as he holds the upended horn to his mouth.

Notes: The cup was the property of the Celtic God Silvanus.

Staves and Wands

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Generally, staves and wands will be as described in the section dealing with the College of Rune Magics, though it is possible for a Shaper to make a Staff or Wand for an Adept of another College. A non-Adept will never be able to employ any magical staff or wand for any magical purpose. No examples are given herein since such items are discussed in some detail in both the College of Rune Magics and the College of Shaping Magics.

Greater Artifacts

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Usually, greater artifacts will be some form of transportation or warding device such as a chariot, ship, iron room, or the like. The uses and construction of such items will be highly variable, but transportation devices will usually be 25–50% faster than similar devices of the same type which are non-magical. Two representative examples of transportation devices are listed below.

Agni’s Red Chariot

Description: A large chariot of gilded bronze pulled by two red Warhorses.

Abilities: The chariot travels 450 yards per minute on the ground and flies through the air at the rate of 500 yards per minute. At the driver’s command, a circle of fire will appear around it which will do D10+10 damage to anyone touching it while trying to approach the chariot. The chariot and horses may move while surrounded by this circle.

Limitations: The horses can only be telepathically controlled by the Hindu god Agni or by an Adept of a magical College who casts some type of control spell over them.

Skidbiadnir

Description: A small leather pouch which folds out into a 50-foot galley with sail that will hold up to 20 people.

Abilities: When folded, the vessel weighs only 10 pounds. When afloat, it will travel at 35 yards per minute toward any destination without the need for navigation. It can never be sunk except by magical means.

Limitations: The ship must be immersed in at least five feet of water to move.

Notes: The ship was fashioned by the Dwarves for the god, Freyr.

Notes on Shaping Magic Items

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As an astute reader will notice, many of the items listed in this section cannot be easily created by the shaping system as presented. Some of the abilities imbued in those items cannot be represented with a precisely determined shaping index, and many of the other abilities have no hard and fast equivalent in a DragonQuest world. Players and GM’s may wish to use these abilities in items of their own design, and the GM should not be intimidated by the limitations of the system.

The shaping system as stated can be used as a guide for the shaping and creation of these items or items like them. The easiest (for the GM) and most direct alternative would be to discern exactly what kind of ability or characteristic the player wishes to put into the item, weigh that ability versus spells or overall impact on an adventure or campaign, and extrapolate the shaping index from these parameters.

If, for example, a character wished to recreate Daghda’s Harp in his world, the GM will have to extrapolate the shaping index, because the abilities are not easily quantified. First, the Harp can speak Common (fluently, one could presume) and once per day can function as a ritual of Controlling Weather. So, if calculated normally, this item would have a shaping index of 675 (225 for language at Rank 8, 450 for the experience multiple of the ritual). But, since it speaks Common (and harps, as a rule, cannot talk at all, let alone enunciate Common), the GM could multiply that index by 5, yielding 1125. Since the magic ability of Air Magics is equal to a ritual (which cannot be imbued in an item), but may only be used once per day, doubling the experience multiple would be enough (900). Thus, a valid shaping index for Daghda’s Harp would be (1125+900)=2025. It would take one full year to shape and cost seven Endurance Points to be lost, which seems a fair price to pay for the Harp belonging to the King of the Celtic Gods.

In this manner, almost any item can be shaped within the GM’s world. Whenever in doubt, he should carefully check the Magic Item Creation Chart for an index which yields time and cost figures that match his gut reaction to the value of an item in his world. The figures which come closest will determine the index of the item.

85. Magic System Design Notes

When the Magic Book of DragonQuest was planned, each College was to be introduced in a short essay, providing a brief background for the College and general instructions as to the individual behaviour of Adepts of the College. These introductory essays have been included for the new Colleges in Arcane Wisdom, but due to space limitations, the majority were left out of the original books (only Naming Incantations, Earth Magics, Black Magics, and Greater Summoning retain some of this information).

Those original notes are summarized below for the entertainment of all DragonQuest players and GMs.

Ensorcelments and Enchantments

E&E deals with the stuff of fairy tales, legend and lore, and the kind of magic we all thought of when we were children. It mainly deals with the use of magic to change people’s viewpoints.

To ensorcel someone is to place him under a long term charm, to gradually alter his attitude or beliefs. To a member of this College, the amount of magic in an area would be more critical than for other Colleges. GM’s may give Adepts of this College greater advantages in a high-mana area and greater disadvantages in a low-mana area (adding or subtracting from his Base Chance is recommended, in addition to the Fatigue cost adjustments).

Places of Power are important to this College, as these locations would contain much pent-up magical energy. Enchanters would always be searching for bits of arcane lore to aid them in their endeavours. They are knowledgeable in the use of True Names as Namers are, and could be able to use then to aid their power, but not to the degree that Namers can. These Names would be learned through research or from a Namer.

This type of magic would be reminiscent of the King Arthur stories, with their special places (the Lady of the Lake, for example). These Adepts would know a great deal about these legendary places and would be great sources of information.

A suggestion for an additional ritual would be a rather unusual one. The ritual would be designed to ensorcel someone, and would be performed over a long period of time, being activated only when the Adept was actually in the presence of the person ensorcelled. GM’s could experiment in this area to increase the specialness of this College.

Sorceries of the Mind

This College deals with the imposition of will by one individual over another. The power of the mind is the primary interest of these Adepts, and they strive through discipline to achieve their goals. The source for this College was the Deryni series of books by Katherine Kurtz. Players familiar with those books will find many parallels, and using them as guides for interpretation would not lead them astray. The amount of mana in an area would not affect Adepts of the mind as much as the other Colleges; the effect of mana level should be lessened. Their minds act as foci for the mana, and they therefore require less to perform their spells.

An important point to remember is that their Talents are always on, and never need to be activated. This is a College which attempts to quantify psionics into a magic system, and should not be filled with those props and trappings traditionally associated with magicians, such as wands and staffs. These Adept would find such finery distracting.

Illusions

This is closely allied in spirit and philosophy with Sorceries of the Mind, except it needs much more mana to make the spells work. Amounts of mana should affect these Adepts in the same manner it does Enchanters. Discipline is again important, as the essence of their work is the imposition of their will over the will of the viewer, making them believe in what is not. No specific work was the inspiration for this College. In answer to the ever present theoretical question, the illusions do actually exist; they are not simply inside the viewer’s mind.

Naming Incantations

The essay in the original mentions just about all, except for a few things. GM’s and Namers must establish a very close relationship in any campaign for this College may be the focal point of magical knowledge around which the other Colleges revolve. Their power resides in their knowledge. That is their single most valuable weapon, and they will guard it fiercely. If a character developed a new spell within a campaign, the local Namer would strain every sinew to ascertain all the information about it he could, so he may be able to find the proper method of disarming it. The establishment of this College would in all likelihood be tied very closely to the creation time in any world, due to this nature of being a guardian of sorts. While appearing disarmingly simple, this College may be the most powerful College in the game if played properly. Mana level would affect these Adepts normally. The inspiration for this College is the Earthsea Trilogy, by Ursula K. LeGuinn.

Air Magics, Water Magics, and Fire Magics

These Adepts use mana to penetrate their respective elemental planes releasing power stored there and altering their element on this plane. Mana level would affect them all normally. To them, the elements are living entities to be respected and used. In their normal states, elements are things of wild natural beauty.

What is unnatural is an Adept controlling that element, shaping it in a way nature did not intend (the thunderstorm is a natural thing; the Air magician summoning it to a new location is unnatural). Therefore, elemental magicians have more than just a healthy respect for their own element and would not use it in a frivolous fashion under any circumstances. This is not to say they all would behave in this manner; simply that this could be the philosophy of the majority.

All elemental manifestations on this plane (a campfire, a windstorm, a lake) contain elemental creatures with which these Adepts would be familiar. Knowledge of these creatures allows the Adept to bind that element into shapes and purposes that are of the Adept’s own desire. The same creatures inhabit any stable manifestation, and an Adept would come to know these creatures on an individual basis. Thus, when summoning a water elemental while standing on the shores of the Southern Sea (for example), the Water Adept knows (or certainly should know) the identity of the elemental he is summoning, for the Southern Sea would certainly have no more than one or two such large elementals, and their Generic and Individual True Names may even be known to the Adept. The GM is encouraged to treat these powerful elemental manifestations as NPCs, and establish interchange in a meaningful way between the creatures and elemental Adepts. On the other hand, a bucket of water (again for example) would certainly have no more than a few water sprites inhabiting it, and while these elemental creatures could be bound, their powers would be limited. Generic and Individual True Names of all powerful elemental creatures within an Adept’s element would be of great aid to these Adepts, and GM’s should encourage these avenues of thought.

These Colleges were inspired by classic myth.

Earth Magics

All of the preceding on the elemental Colleges equally concerns this College, with the following additions. Pacifistic Earth mages are patterned after Rhadagast the Brown from Tolkien’s work, and receive their power as described above.

Druidic Earth mages augment their elemental power by the sacrifice of human life, for they have discovered the secret of the spilling of human blood. The constant spilling of human blood over a long period of time in an area increases the level of Mana in that area. Druids use this fact to increase their power. GM’s should carefully judge the role-play of characters joining this branch, for the thought patterns necessary for the Druid may be difficult to integrate into a campaign without causing unrest (to say the least).

Celestial Magics

While only one College, these three divisions should be treated as entirely separate entities by the GM, since members of different branches might not be overly fond of one another, since each would feel the members of the other branches were perverting the source of their power, the elements of Night and the Stars.

Mana is used by all these Adepts to control and bind this power into forms which they may use. Levels of mana would affect these mages normally. Props and costumes would be especially important to these Adepts, and they take great pride in their magic items, ceremonial robes, and so forth. The Star Mages are patterned after the Elven magic appearing in the Lord of the Rings. Dark Mages use those elements in Night which all being naturally fear, using this natural fear to augment their own power. Shadow Mages, patterned after Shadow Jack created by Roger Zelazny, walk the thin line between the powers of light and dark, using the advantages of both.

When not specifically stated, GM’s may interpret Star Mages as being on the side of Light, Dark Mages as being on the side of Darkness, and Shadow Mages as being on neither side. This would not be an incorrect assumption, but it is entirely up to each GM in his world to implement this division in a way that suits his tastes. One recommended method is to carefully divide which spells may be used by each division, and this allotment may align these mages by itself.

Necromancy

These Adepts gain their power by the study of death, which also instructs them about the living. Sauron in the Lord of the Rings would have to be considered the ultimate Necromancer, and these mages - while not necessarily aligned with the Powers of Darkness - are usually on the side of it for no other reason than that evil usually kills more people than good. Mana levels affect these Adepts normally.

Necromancers feel very calm about death and do not fear it. Rather, they feel it is an ally, for the fear of death augments their power and allows them to work with greater freedom. Long-lived sentients such as Elves annoy them, for they feel such creatures are cheating the inevitable. It may be incongruous, depending on a GM’s world, to have an Elf choose to be of this College. To rationalize that anomaly may take some doing. The greatest wish of a Necromancer is to become Undead and thereby to live on. In this manner he will have both eternal life and eternal death. Necromancers will establish communications with the planes where the dead reside through their talents and their rituals. They will gain much information concerning the living through this interchange, which will aid in augmenting their earthly power.

Black Magics and Greater Summoning

These Colleges both have lengthy essays to convey their essential intent, except to say that Black magicians are normally affected by mana level, while Greater Summoners would be affected by mana supply in the same way as Enchanters are.

Shaping Magics

The guidelines provided for the Shapers assume fairly conventional magics will be most common. The GM must carefully adjudicate the more unusual items, particularly those that seem to defy standard classifications. As such items are conceived and brought to term by the Adept, we recommend they cost additional Endurance from the Adept and any assistants, in any amount decided by the GM. An Adept who thoroughly investigates the feasibility of the Shaping should have a general idea of the cost.

Any object enchanted for a specific short-or long-term purpose (e.g. driving the snakes out of Ireland, slaying the dragon Fafnir, etc.) should have its own Individual True Name. The enchantment of an item to be the bane of a particular entity must involve that entity’s Individual True Name when it is created. Other limits can be set for purposes of campaign balance: restricting the possible shaping to certain celestial conjunctions; requiring the participation of fantastical or extra-dimensional entities inimicable to the target entity; requiring a token of some sort from the target entity (e.g. a scale from the dragon a sword is forged to defeat); etc.

Rune Magics

Remember that the efficacy of the Rune depends on centuries of use; thus, few new Runes will be found; this is an important limit of this College. If the GM wishes, Runes can be differentiated by culture. If so, the Runes of each culture should be considered a different College, and Rune magicians of one cannot learn the Runes of another without paying the standard penalties for changing Colleges. Additional totem spirits for different cultures can be added by the GM. Although the original inspiration for this college is Norse and Celtic, the same basic structure can be adapted to African, Amerind, Oceanic, and other cultures as well.

Magic System Reminders

The following explanations and definitions are meant to provide quick access to cogent in the DragonQuest magic system that may be susceptible to misunderstanding.

Talent Magic

Whenever the workings of a talent require a percentile dice roll to determine the results of the talent’s use, only one attempt will usually be allowed per situation. For example, if an Adept who attempts to Detect the Aura of an entity fails, he may not attempt to continue to detect the entity’s aura again during that encounter. GM’s will have to judge for themselves parameters whereby the Adept may try again. Some suggestions include Time (waiting until 24 hours have passed), Rank (waiting until the Adept has raised his Rank in the talent), and Lunar Phase. Careful examination of each specific talent will yield inspiration as to how to limit its use. The stricture of attempts must be implemented because a talent takes effectively no time to activate and, thus, a player could continually roll dice until he receives a favorable result and, with full justification, state that as the previous activity had taken no time to accomplish. Whenever a talent such as those of Sorceries of the Mind (which require no dice roll to activate) are used, the GM should assume that they are on at the time and the player need not activate them in order to use them.

Spell Magic

The modifiers found in 43.7 apply only to spells. They do not apply to talents or rituals.

Ritual Magic

If a ritual backfires (a roll normally 40 or more over the Base Chance), the Backfire Table is not consulted unless it is specified by the individual ritual. In most circumstances, rituals will state any particular backfires associated with them; if not, the GM is free to invent an appropriate backfire result.

General Knowledge

An Adept entering any College except Naming Incantations must have a Magic Aptitude equal to the number of General Knowledge Spells and Rituals plus the two Counterspells of his College (e.g., to join Water Magics, a character must have an MA of 17, 14 for the spells, 1 for the ritual, and 2 for the Counterspells). Ritual Cleansing and Ritual Spell Preparation do not count toward this total. Any additional spells or rituals added must comply with rule 50.6.

Active Resistance

If the entity which is actively resisting the workings of a spell is one of the targets of the spell (or the only one), the entities Magic Resistance is subtracted from the Cast Chance of the Adept casting the spell. If a number of entities are the targets, only the highest MR in the group is subtracted. If the entity is not a target, his active resistance has no effect whatsoever.

Passive Resistance

Any conscious entity in possession of all its faculties may choose not to passively resist the workings of a spell.

Ritual Spell Preparation

This cannot be used to prepare rituals, only spells.

Investment Ritual

For an invested object to be activated, it must normally be held in one hand. It takes only one Pulse for the spell stored in the object to be activated and released. When being used, a Cast Check is again made, and a backfire may result, affecting the entity using the item.

Rank Gain

A character must have attempted a talent, spell, or ritual during the immediately preceding adventure to use Experience Points to advance in Rank with the specific talent, spell, or ritual. Any GM who ignores this rule takes game balance into his own hands, and the designer disavows any knowledge of his actions.