Mortal Remains [The Vault #6]
Cursed and enchanted items are a staple of folklore and fantasy gaming. This week twenty remnants of mortality are offered to bedevil your nightmares and quests. Give them as "Loot" to your players or outfit their foes. We've provided a brief description and put the > arrow so you can copy and paste the mechanic straight into the Quest Creator.
_The Indescribable Organ_ Putrescent and unidentifiable. > -2 to :Melee: and :music: ability rolls while upwind of it.
_The Everburning Heart_ It's not figuratively on fire. > Take 1 point of damage to upgrade an ability with "fire" in the description to a critical hit. A successful first roll is required.
_Necklace of Ears_ The better to hear you with. > +3 to listen checks and to avoid surprise.
_Scalper's Cloak_ Made of a score of humanoid scalps. > +3 to all attempts to intimidate or coerce NPCs.
_Hand of Glory_ Cut from a hanged man, dried, then set afire to enact the magic. > Become invisible for 1 round (take no damage) or on a skill check to avoid notice.
_Tyrant's Tongue_ Not as rare as you might think. > When placed in one's mouth, lends a +2 bonus to social rolls or the use of the "Charm" ability once per combat. Roll a :roll: after use to avoid retching. If the roll was below 10, suffer -2 on the next check.
_Death's Head Mask_ It comes for us all. > Scare away one Tier I enemy when donning the mask (once per quest).
_Brain Bowl_ A pulsing brain lies pickling in this ornate golden bowl. > Roll a :roll:. On a 10 or above increase Persona by 1. On 9 or below decrease Persona by 1.
_Screaming Skull_ The watchdog of choice for necromancers everywhere. When it sees you, it calls the (undead) help. > On a failed stealth :roll: draw 2 Tier I or II :Undead: encounter cards at random and initiate combat.
_The Covetous Eye_ An eye on a necklace, ever-peering toward the thing of greatest worth. > Once per quest can be dangled to point towards the most valuable item in a room.
_A Hangman's Noose_ The fibers of the rope are greased in taken lives. > Can be used once per quest to make an additional attack. Roll a :roll: at the risk rating of the previous Ability played. On success 1 point of damage is done, or 3 on a "20". On a "1" the owner takes 2 points of damage.
_Damnation Sack_ The bones of a man condemned to punishment beyond death. > Unleashed, the bones compose themselves into a Skeleton, which attacks those directed to by its bearer. The Skeleton deals 1 damage per round or can take up to a total of 6 damage in place of an adventurer. When 6 damage is taken the bones collapse.
_Zombie Hand Charm_Throw it at a foe and watch it go! > Draw the Zombie Hand Encounter Card and roll a :roll:. On 8 or above the hand strikes and attacks a foe (1 damage per round), 7 or below it misses and scuttles to assault the thrower. Only roll for activation once per combat, not each round.
_Liar's Lips_ Lips ripped from a face and stitched shut. > When chewed gives a +3 bonus to deceptive speech. The next honest statement is automatically disbelieved.
_Rat Charm_ Once salted as a snack, now useful as bait. > Once thrown, the salted rat springs to life and runs away (single use). Undead of Tier I or II chase the rat for one round (remove their Tier level for a single round).
_Mummy's Shroud_ Let's play dress up! > When worn allows one adventurer to impersonate the undead (success on stealth against mindless undead or 1 round of surprise [takes no damage] against any undead).
_Executioner's Hood_ Being faceless makes it easier to kill. > +2 to :Melee: rolls. -1 to :Ranged: rolls.
_Coffin Charm_ Soaked in the terror of one buried alive. > +2 to :Music: and :Influence: rolls.
_Sorrow Skin_ Taken from the flayed. > -3 to checks involving goodly folk while worn. It protects the wearer from 4 points of damage before being destroyed.
_Torturer's Tongs_ Plied in flesh and fire. > Play after using a melee or magic ability. Draw a random ability of the opposite to the one played (melee if magic was used, or vice versa) and resolve it this round. The tongs shatter afterword.
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