TEXT:  
   
   
   
   
  ISSUE #3 ◆ SEPTEMBER 2020
  Dost
  thou
  seek
  Adventure,
   
   
   
   
  Excitement, Riches, &c.? 
   
  Join Crazy Piotr’s Expedition to the Island
  of
  of Cali
  Cali Fornia
  Fornia! Hesitate not! Sign your
   
   
   
   
   
  name (or make your mark) this very day on
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  the Gentleman’s Compact at Crazy
  Crazy Piotr’s
  Piotr’s
   
   
   
   
  Murder
  Murder Emporium
  orium
  Emporiumm! The ship departs with
  the next fair wind to the Neue Worlde! 
  
  The Kraken 
  by Alfred Lord Tennyson
   
  Below the thunders of the upper deep, 
  Far, far beneath in the abysmal sea, 
  His ancient, dreamless, uninvaded sleep 
  The Kraken sleepeth: faintest sunlights flee 
  About his shadowy sides; above him swell 
  Huge sponges of millennial growth and height; 
  And far away into the sickly light, 
  From many a wondrous grot and secret cell 
  Unnumbered and enormous polypi 
  Winnow with giant arms the slumbering green. 
  There hath he lain for ages, and will lie 
  Battening upon huge sea worms in his sleep, 
  Until the latter fire shall heat the deep; 
  Then once by man and angels to be seen, 
  In roaring he shall rise and on the surface die. 
   
   
   
  29 
  A Message from the Editor 
  Welcome to the third issue of Flame Prïncess Cult, a fanzine devoted to
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  James Edward Raggi IV’s Lamentations of the Flame Princess Weird Fantasy
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Role-Playing! Although not an official LotFP product, the online home for this
  zine is the official Lamentations facebook group
  If you’re reading this and
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  aren’t already a member, please join us! It’s a friendly bunch of people who
   
    
   
   
   
   
    
   
   
   
   
   
  will be happy for you come add to the fun. 
  As I write this message the world appears to be heading towards a
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  multi-disaster pile-up. The social contract, such as it was, seems to be
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  breaking down in the United States and other places. COVID-19 has killed
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  people in larger numbers than I can readily imagine, thanks in no small part
  to the indifference, cowardice, and stupidity of elected officials. The global
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  economy serves fewer and fewer grasping kleptocrats. Oh, and climate
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  change is going to kill us all. 
  Every time we are blasted by the latest catastrophe, some fool comes along
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  and declares the situation to now be the “new normal”. If this is normal,
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  count me the hell out; I’ll take weird any day of the week. Normal people
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  thinking normal thoughts got us into this mess. Why should we assume that
  a sense of normalcy will help us address these woes? 
   
  Now I’m not claiming that weird fantasy role-playing is going to cancel the
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  apocalypse. But more people thinking more divergent thoughts is maybe
  our only way out of this hole. In short, if anyone saves us, it will be the
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  weirdos. Every worn-out dogma and atrophied procedure was once some
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  dang weirdo's new solution to the problems of the day. We can no longer
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  afford to allow normalcy to tame that weirdness.
   
  Stay weird, friends. Stay weird. 
   
  Jeff Rients 
      North Wales, Pennsylvania 
  
   
  Table of Contents 
   
  Article 
  Author 
  Page 
  The Wretched Left Behind 
  Matthew House 
  2 
  Poculum Furoris Murum &c. 
  Jari Palviainen 
  3 
  What is in its guts? 
  Tim “Samwise7” Harper 
  6 
  The Anti-Spire 
  Matt Dudley 
  8 
  Nine Iron Mirrors of Immense Power 
  Łukasz Krupiński 
  12 
  Maiming 
  Craig “Lord Mhor” Dixon 
  16 
  Warlock Duvall 
  Vagabundörk & Yalaki 
  18 
  Strange Starting Items 
  Stefan “The Moth” 
  20 
  Early Modern Random Specialist 
  Jeff Rients 
  26 
   
   
   
   
  Art Credits 
  Cover art: Joel Clapp 
  Logo design: Etienne Ménard 
  Page 19: Yalaki 
  Additional assistance: Tim “Samwise7” Harper 
   
   
  85-87 Fight dirty: once per combat you make any attack other than
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  a standard attack with a normal weapon and gain +2 on the attack
   
   
   
    
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  roll. Subsequent rerolls add extra attacks at +2 per combat but each
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  must be a different tactic or trick. 
  88-90
  You
  gain
  +1
  to
  your
  lowest
  ability
  score.
  Randomly
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  determine which is more than one is tied for lowest. 
  91-92 When you lack specialist’s tools or other equipment usually
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  required for your skill usage, you can use improvised equipment at
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  only a -1 penalty. This ability does not work when absolutely bereft
    
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  of anything that can be used to jury-rig a solution. Reroll any
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  subsequent rolls of this item. 
  93-94 Follower: You gain either a competent 0-level dogsbody or a
   
   
   
   
    
   
   
   
    
  bumbling 1st level specialist apprentice (50/50 chance). 
  95-96
  You
  gain
  +1
  attack
  bonus
  in
  one
  of
  the
  four
  combat
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  categories. Roll d4: 1) melee, 2) firearms, 3) ranged, 4) guard. 
  97-98
  You
  get
  a
  lead
  on
  the
  location of your heart’s desire,
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  whatever it is. The referee must devise an adventure of no more
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  than 4 sessions in length that gives you the opportunity to win
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  whatever stupid thing your PC thinks will make them feel complete
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  inside. Reroll any subsequent rolls of this item. 
  99 You learn Alchemy as a skill, at 1 pip. Upon a successful skill
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
   
    
   
   
  check you can assist a magic-user with creating a potion. If you
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  obtain
  the
  formula
  for
  a
  potion,
  you
  can
  create
  them
  solo.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Generous/devious referees may allow you to research your own
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  potions. Rolling this item again increases the skill by one pip. This
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  skill may be increased normally by later rolls of 02-25 and 57-59. 
  00 You learn Read Magic as a skill, at 1 pip. You can cast spells from
   
   
   
   
   
    
   
    
   
   
   
   
   
   
  scrolls and spell books upon a successful skill roll. If the skill roll
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  fails, there is no spell effect but scrolls are erased. Casting straight
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  out of spell books is always risky (i.e. roll to miscast if the skill roll is
   
   
   
    
   
   
   
   
   
    
   
   
    
  successful). This skill does not allow for the memorization of spells.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Rolling this item again increases the skill by one pip. This skill may
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  be increased normally by later rolls of 02-25 and 57-59.  
   
  28 
  
  54-56 You gain the ability to fluently speak one additional living
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  language of your choice, but you must make an Int roll every time
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  you attempt to read it. 
  57-59 You gain +2 to a skill of your choice. 
  60-62 You gain +1 AC in any situation where you can perceive the
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  incoming attack and move to avoid it. A second roll gives you +2
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  AC, but reroll subsequent rolls of this item. 
  63-65 You may designate a speciality for one of your skills, a subset
  of the activities involved, that you get a reroll once per session when
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
   
   
   
   
   
  employing.
  For example, you can designate Navigation as your
  speciality for Seamanship. If you reroll this item you must designate
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  a specialization for a different skill.
  66-68 Through your cleverness once per session you may turn any
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  one partial save you make into a full save. If you roll this again you
   
   
   
   
   
    
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  can apply this ability to a comrade instead. Reroll subsequent rolls of
   
   
   
   
    
   
   
   
   
   
  this item. 
  69-71 You gain +1 Wis. If your Wis is already 17 or 18, you gain
  nothing. Do not reroll. 
  72-74 When wielding a dagger or other minor weapon against a
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
  large monster or foe using a 2-handed weapon you may take the
   
   
   
   
    
   
   
   
   
   
   
  higher of two attack rolls. Reroll any subsequent rolls of this item. 
  75-77 Once per session you can advise others on the usage of any
  skill you possess at least 3 levels in. Up to 1d6 persons with 2 or
   
   
   
   
    
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
   
  less levels will get a +1 on their skill roll. A second roll of this item
  increases the total you can advise to d20. A third roll increases it to
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
   
   
    
   
  d100. Reroll subsequent rolls of this item.
  79-81 You gain +1 Cha. If your Cha is already 18, you gain nothing.
   
   
   
   
    
   
    
   
   
   
   
   
  Do not reroll. 
  82-84 Silver tongue: Once per session you can tell a lie that will
  convince up to d6 NPCs, no matter how preposterous. Any NPC with
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  levels will get a saving throw, but 0-level characters get no save. A
  second roll of this item increases the total you can bamboozle to
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  d20. A third roll increases it to d100. Reroll subsequent rolls of this
  item.  
  27 
  Monster: The Wretched Left Behind 
  by Matthew House 
   
  O, you who have wasted the sin of life 
   
  The aborted half goat half child
   
   
   
   
   
   
  fetus
  of
  the
  immaculate
   
   
   
   
  conception. Barely 3 feet tall,
   
   
   
   
   
  underdeveloped
  human
  torso
   
   
   
  with the head of a black goat.
   
   
   
    
   
   
  Still sticky with amniotic fluid.
   
   
   
   
   
  The child judges all who cross
   
   
   
   
   
   
  its path as sinners. Devouring
   
   
   
   
   
  the souls of the righteous and
   
   
   
   
   
   
  blasphemous
  alike.
  God
  will
   
   
   
   
  forgive
  those
  who
  commit
   
   
   
   
  suicide instead of facing this
   
   
   
   
   
  abomination 
   
  Armor:10 
  Move: Slow 
  HD: 66 
  HP: 666 
  Morale: 12 
  Experience
  Points:
  God
  will
   
   
   
   
  bless the victorious with as much experience as they desire 
  Damage: 1d12 Claw Swipe and Untether, or Devour 
   
  Special: Untether - on a successful Claw Swipe the Wretched Left
   
    
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Behind may choose to Untether the combatant. The PC must make a
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
  Poison save. On a failure the PC’s limb which was attacked untethers
   
   
    
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  from life and becomes permanently useless. 
   
  Devour: The Wretched Left Behind stares into the life of the PC.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Paralyzation save to not be totally hypnotized. On a failed save the
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
   
   
   
  beast walks to the PC and kisses their forehead. Poison save or the
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  soul of the PC escapes from the mortal shell and evacuates into the
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  mouth of the Wretched Left Behind. 
  2 
  
  Poculum Furoris Murum & Seena Hulus
  by Jari Palviainen 
   
  Poculum Furoris Murum (poison)
  Subject becomes obsessed with touching all the walls in the world. 
  Duration:
  Permanent
  on
  failed
  saving
  throw
  versus
  Poison,
  otherwise 2d6+10 hours 
  Damage: After 6 turns of insanity, 1-2hp per turn from exhaustion
  until unconcious 
  Seena Hulus (spell) 
  Magic-User Level 4
  Range: 10’ 
  Effect: Single subject becomes obsessed with touching all the walls
  in the world 
  Duration:
  2d6+10
  hours
  on
  failed
  saving
  throw
  versus
  Magic,
  otherwise canceled 
  Damage: 1-2hp per turn from exhaustion until unconcious
  Background 
  Poculum Furoris Murum is a potion mixed with extracts from three
  rare, black mosses. One of these grows on old, oaken beheading
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  blocks that have soaked up human blood for years; another is
  sometimes found under old bones in ancient tombs; third moss is
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  commonly found from undersides of old brothel beds.
   
  In the tiniest amounts the potion is believed to grant its user an
  ability
  to
  detect
  hidden
  messages
  and
  secret
  doors
  in
  wall
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  structures. However, there is no real evidence that would confirm
  this belief to be true. Instead, the rare sources that mention the
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  potion at all, describe it as a poison with vey peculiar symptoms.
   
  In his late papers an infamous, convicted and executed necromancer
  claims that he was able to replicate potion’s effects through magical
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  3 
  5. The previous owner was killed and the item taken from their dead
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  hands. 
  6. It is an heirloom. 
  7. It is an heirloom, but is tied to a feud between multiple family
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
   
   
   
   
  members. 
  8. Stolen in an organized heist of an estate of a wealthy politician. 
  9. Found it buried in the ground close to home. 
  10. Bought it for cheap from a traveling merchant, it was a bargain. 
  11. It was left on your doorstep. 
  12. You won it in a bet. 
   
   
  Early Modern Random Advancement 
  Classes, Part II: The Specialist
  by Jeff Rients 
  The following chart is based upon the random advancement system
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  pioneered by Zak S., but modified to fit Early Modern play using the
  3-class “Playtest Notes” found on pages 52-53 of James Raggi’s
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Eldritch Cock. To use this chart, build first level PCs as described in
  Eldritch Cock. Each time a Specialist advances a level they receive
   
   
   
    
   
    
   
   
   
  class benefits in the form of two d100 rolls on the chart below and
  nothing else. 
  01 You get nothing. Do not reroll. Life is hard. 
  02-25 You get one skill point to spend on any skill of your choice.
  26-30 You gain +1 to all saves against non-magical effects. 
  31-33 You gain +1 to all saves against magical effects.  
  34-50 You gain an additional hit die. Reroll all hit dice. Keep the
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  total as your new max hit points if it is higher than your previous
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
   
   
   
   
   
   
  max. 
  51-53 You gain +1 Dex. If your Dex is already 18, you gain
  nothing. Do not reroll. 
  26 
  
  28.
  Cat's Eye marble
  Mundane, but
  probably worth a 
  lot. 
  Somewhere in the far
  corners of the world 
  there lives an ancient 
  Rakshasa, searching 
  for his stolen eye.
  29.  
  A sword with a 
  splintered blade  
  A relic said to have 
  been shattered 
  when it was used to 
  slay an angel.
  True. Also, when used 
  against angelic and 
  demonic creatures, the 
  blade is whole,
  although still 
  nonexistent. Ignores 
  armor of said 
  creatures.
  30.
  A letter closed by
  wax with the royal 
  seal 
  Obviously for the
  royal family to be 
  read. If opened, in 
  beautiful 
  handwriting it
  reads: "The choir 
  did it!" 
  When delivered,
  should drastically 
  change the political 
  landscape of the 
  campaign (kingdoms
  go to war, dynasties 
  fall, kings are toppled, 
  etc.) If delivered, yet 
  previously opened, the
  royal family will 
  demand the execution 
  of the messenger. 
   
  If your players are stumped as to where their level 0 or level 1
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  character got such an item or you as the GM want to randomize
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  everything about these, here are a few ideas. Flesh out/edit/add as
   
   
   
   
    
   
   
   
   
   
  needed. 
   
  How you acquired the item. Roll d12: 
  1. Not sure, you had it your entire life. 
  2. Gambled and won, fair and square. 
  3. Gambled, cheated and won. The previous owner is aware of being
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
   
   
   
  tricked and is now vengeful. 
  4. It was a gift from a dying friend. 
  25 
  means. For this, he refers to a spell or process called Seena Hulus
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  which seems to be missing its complete description in his notes. 
  Symptoms 
  Initial symptoms begin a few minutes after the poison has entered
   
   
    
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  the victim’s body. These last last for 1d6 turns (10-60 minutes).
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  First the victim begins to feel strong interest towards any nearby
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  walls and wants to study and touch them very carefully. At this point
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  there’s a +2 increased base chance for the victim to notice any
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  secret door or hidden message on the wall he’s touching (normal
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  search
  durations
  apply).
  When
  all
  the
  visible
  walls
  have been
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  touched - or if the effect takes place in wilderness - the victim
    
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
   
   
  becomes increasingly anxious and desperately tries to find walls
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  from the proximity. Natural walls are not taken into account unless
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  they deceivingly look as man-made. 
   
  After initial symptoms - or immediately if the victim was affected by
   
   
    
   
    
   
   
   
   
   
  the spell - the effect reaches its full potential and the victim goes
   
    
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  insane. He begins to rush in any direction where he sees or thinks
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  he can find walls he hasn’t touched yet. When the victim finds a
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
  wall, he quickly touches it and rushes forward to find another one.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  At this point there is a zero chance of finding anything unusual from
   
   
   
   
    
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  the walls.
   
  In wilderness the victim starts running towards the closest known
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  settlement or other construction as fast as possible in hopes of
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  finding walls. If the direction is unclear, the victim takes a random
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
   
  direction from a d8 roll where 1 is north, 2 is north-east, and so on.  
   
  In a settlement, the victim first runs around buildings and touches
    
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  their outer walls. At some point, the victim will begin to try to force
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  his way into buildings to be able to reach and touch their inner
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  walls. 
   
  During the insanity the victim will get rid of any gear that hampers
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  his movement and moves as fast as he can. He is violent towards
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  anyone who tries to stop him but usually only fights as long as it
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  takes it for him to be able to continue his obsessive behavior. 
   
  4 
  
  The effect itself is not lethal but the mindless rushing can lead to
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  severe consequences. Insane victim doesn’t mind anything else than
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  finding the next wall to touch i.e. making noise, breaking things,
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  running into enemies or traps, pushing people over or breaking laws
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  do not matter anything to him. The victim may try to do even
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  desperate things while he tries to reach an untouched wall e.g. he
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  may try to leap over a ridiculously wide chasm if there is no bridge
   
   
   
   
    
   
   
    
   
   
   
   
  in sight - in these cases a successful saving throw (versus Poison or
   
    
   
   
    
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Magic) means that some remnant of self-preservation still remains
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  and the victim changes his mind. 
   
  Depending on the terrain type, after 6 turns of rushing mindlessly
   
   
   
   
   
    
   
   
   
   
  the
  victim
  begins
  to
  lose
  1-2hp
  per
  turn
  from
  exhaustion.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Eventually,
  when
  he
  reaches
  1hp,
  he
  will
  drop
  unconscious.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  However, unless the unconsciousness lasts longer than the effect's
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  remaining duration, erratic and obsessive behavior will continue
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  after the victim wakes up and is back at 3hp or more. 
  Remedy 
  To remedy the situation, the victim should be first caught and tied
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  up.
  In
  addition,
  covering his eyes calms him down eventually.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Unless the effect is permanent, the insanity vanes away when the
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  poison naturally leaves the body. Otherwise, Cleric’s Cure Disease or
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Neutralize Poison spell is required to heal a poisoned victim. With
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
   
   
   
  Cleric’s Delay Poison spell it’s also possible to change the duration of
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  the poison from permanent into fixed-duration. Cleric’s Cure Disease
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  and Magic-User’s Dispel Magic are both suitable for removing the
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  effect originating from a spell. 
   
   
  5 
  21.  
  A worn-out chess 
  figurine of a King 
  Worthless, 
  mundane item. 
  The soul of the most 
  just king the lands 
  have ever known is 
  trapped inside.  
  22.  
  Leather-bound 
  book, 2.000 pages 
  of just random 
  words.  
  Gibberish, probably 
  worth something to 
  a desperate enough 
  collector.  
  If read in its entirety, 
  the reader becomes a 
  person of interest for 
  the followers of the 
  Amber King.  
  23.  
  A tightly sheathed 
  sword  
  The sword should 
  never be 
  unsheathed, for it 
  will bring the 
  apocalypse upon 
  the world.  
  There is no blade, it's 
  just a hilt and it is 
  mundane. Well crafted 
  though.  
  24.  
  A necklace with a 
  spiral made of 
  black stone 
  The wearer begins 
  seeing spiral 
  patterns 
  everywhere 
  Does the exact thing 
  as described. There 
  has to be some 
  meaning behind all 
  these... 
  25.  
  A rustic hourglass  
  Mundane.  
  Freezes time for 
  everyone outside of a 
  one mile radius.  
  26.  
  Purple candle 
  Once lit, nothing 
  can extinguish its 
  flame unless the 
  owner desires. 
  Does the exact thing 
  as described. 
  27.  
  A rabbit's foot, 
  somewhat twisted 
  and wrong 
  Brings good luck to 
  the owner.  
  True, in a sense that it 
  brings misfortune to 
  everyone else around 
  the owner.  
  24 
  
  15.  
  Ebony mask of a 
  human with no 
  eyes 
  Mundane. Might 
  fetch a good price 
  with a proper 
  collector. 
  If worn in certain 
  mystical areas, the 
  wearer may travel 
  between worlds.  
  16.  
  Ring made of 
  human bone in the 
  shape of a skull 
  When worn, the 
  wearer will be able 
  to communicate 
  with a recently 
  deceased corpse. 
  Conversation can 
  last up to five 
  minutes, after 
  which the corpse is 
  "dead". 
  Does the exact thing 
  as described. 
  17.  
  Earrings with 
  purple hanging 
  stones 
  They make any 
  wearer attractive. 
  Mundane item, you're 
  already attractive, you 
  sexy bastard. 
  18.  
  Small vial filled 
  with moss  
  Vicious species of 
  moss, currently in 
  hibernation.  
  Cuddly moss species 
  that makes an 
  extremely comfortable 
  sleeping mattress for 
  the owner.  
  19.  
  An exotically 
  crafted and 
  perfectly balanced 
  spinning top  
  Mundane, but 
  probably valuable.  
  If the owner spins it 
  while drinking tea, it 
  won't stop spinning 
  until they drink the 
  last drop. This ritual 
  heals the owner 
  completely.  
  20.  
  Beautifully crafted 
  golden torq in the 
  shape of a snake 
  with two heads 
  Invokes magical 
  hate and envy in 
  other sentient 
  creatures. 
  Nothing is magical and 
  nobody hates you, 
  they just want your 
  pretty looking torq.  
  23 
  What Is In Its Guts?  
  by Tim “Samwise7” Harper  
   
  1D20 Random Table 
  1. An ancient game played by a forgotten local culture comprised of
   
   
   
   
   
    
   
   
   
   
   
  1D100 intricately carved alabaster pieces.
  The creature ate it along
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
   
  with the game's owner. 
  2. A bag of rare vibrantly colored bird feathers, and a vial of magical
    
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
   
   
   
  tattooing ink.  
  3. 1D4 Gems that pulsate along with the notes to a silent song
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  trapped within them.
  If one of these gems are broken the closest
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  intelligent being will be able to perform the song (singing and
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  playing instruments) perfectly for the rest of her life. 
  4. 1D100 Tiny marbled fairy bones and skulls that are roughly the
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  size of toothpicks and marbles. The bones have been sharpened to
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  be used with a dart gun.  
  5. A moderately sized ball of half-digested hair that will mentally
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  bond with the person that removed it from the stomach. It will
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  animate to grapple foes and protect the person it is bonded to. 
  6. 1D20 Fragments of a cursed scroll.
  Once per day a player can
   
   
   
    
   
   
   
   
    
   
   
  roll an intelligence modified D20 roll to place them in the correct
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  arrangement with a target number of 18.
  When that happens the
   
    
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  character loses -1D4 from one random ability score, and adds +1D4
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  to another random ability score. 
  7. A magical sword that can be folded 10 times in on itself to make
    
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  it very small (the size of a penny). It apologizes in a metallic voice
   
   
   
   
   
    
   
   
   
    
   
   
  whenever it harms a living thing. 
  8.
  Deck of blank playing cards sealed in a water proof goat’s
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  bladder. If a person looks at a blank card their likeness will be
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  engraved upon it and given a suit and card number. This effect only
   
    
   
    
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  happens once per person for only a single card.
  If the card is
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  destroyed
  they
  need
  to
  make
  a
  saving
  throw
  or
  suffer
  2D20
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  damage.  
  9. A complex holy symbol that took a master craftsman 100 years to
    
   
   
   
   
    
   
   
   
   
   
  make. It hurts the eyes to look upon it and those that try to
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  describe it or state too long at it pass out. Inside the holy symbol a
    
   
   
   
   
    
   
   
   
   
   
    
  forgotten trapped god awaits to be released. The god swims in the
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  craftsman’s blood. 
  6 
  
  10. 1D10 Frog-like humanoid creatures swim around inside of a
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  translucent egg sack.  
  11. A pair of matching blood-stained bracelets with five attached
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  nails.
  If nailed in to the wrists of two people they can speak
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  telepathically with each other with a range up to 60 feet. Once a
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
  month the users must make a saving throw or contract an illness
   
   
   
   
    
   
   
   
   
   
   
  that will wither that hand. 
  12. A preserved skinned face mask that smiles when a person looks
    
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
   
   
  at it.
  It has no teeth and it makes a hissing sound when it is worn.
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
    
   
   
     
   
  Once a week in the middle of the night it will mutter the name
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Salandra 1D20 times in a row, increasing in volume each time the
   
   
   
    
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  name is uttered.  
  13. A bottle filled with a weak oral poison that refills itself once per
    
   
   
    
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  week. 
  14. 1D10 Silver coins from a distant country/kingdom. One of the
   
   
   
   
    
   
   
   
   
   
  coins is cut in half. All of the coins have a hole drilled into them, but
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
   
   
   
   
   
  the necklace they were once on has dissolved in the stomach acid. 
  15. Bones of a squirrel that once was a potent wizard's familiar.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Once freed from the stomach it will form itself into a magically
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  connected skeleton and befriend the closest magic-user for 1D100
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  days. 
  16. A small stone idol that depicts heinous acts being performed at
    
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  a dark ritual. Those that touch the idol know how to perform this
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  act, and in 1D6 days they will perform this ritual in a twilight
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  sleepwalking state. 
  17.
  2D12
  Barbed
  silver arrows that will reform after they are
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  broken, burned, melted, etc. The arrow heads deal 1d2 damage
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  when they hit a target and deal 1D12 damage when the arrows are
   
   
    
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  removed from a creature. 
  18. A skull lantern that emits pale green extraplanar light in a 10
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
   
  foot radius. Anyone that breaks the lantern will open a sucking
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  portal that will drag everything in a 100 foot radius to a random
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
   
  parallel dimension. 
  19. Roll again and double the result. 
  20. Player’s choice of any of the items on this table. 
   
  7 
  9.
  A belt buckle made
  out of a carved 
  human vertebra 
  If worn, wearer will
  die upon entering 
  any holy place 
  (monastery, 
  church...)
  If worn, the wearer is
  completely invisible to 
  any undead creature. 
  10.
  An old, yet well
  preserved, chess 
  figurine of a Rook 
  Mundane item of
  good craftsmanship. 
  Worth 1000sp.  
  Knock with the bottom
  side of the figurine on 
  any object three times 
  to completely 
  obliterate both.
  11.  
  Rosary beads, but 
  the bottom half of 
  the cross is missing 
  The monk who was 
  the original owner 
  was a heretic and 
  thus the beads are
  cursed in an 
  unknown way.  
  Boosts will-related 
  saves of the PC (which 
  should be altered by 
  the GM, secretly)
  12.  
  A polished silver 
  coin 
  It's just a coin, but 
  exceptionally shiny.  
  Even if thrown away or 
  used for payment, the 
  coin will always
  reappear in the PC's 
  pocket.  
  13.  
  A black pocket bell 
  with white sigils  
  If "hit" with the 
  right set of sticks, it 
  will produce the
  divine melody of the 
  Angels. 
  No matter what you 
  hit it with, it will 
  produce a pain
  inducing sound for 
  everyone. Literally. 
  Roll for damage. 
  14.  
  Small dog whistle 
  made out of ivory
  Mundane, only dogs 
  can hear it.
  The sound is heard by 
  a rain goddess and
  thus if it is blown 
  during a storm, she 
  will disperse all clouds. 
  However, she will, at
  some point, desire the 
  PC to repay the favor.  
  22 
  
  2.
  20 meter rope
  made out of silk 
  It can withstand
  any amount of 
  weight. 
  If a person is hung
  from an oak tree using 
  this rope, the body will 
  disappear upon death. 
  3. 
  Small pouch with 
  three seeds inside 
  The seeds will make 
  the owner rich. 
  If an animal eats a 
  seed, it turns to 
  copper.
  If another humanoid 
  eats a seed, their nails
  become silver. 
  If the PC eats a seed,
  their teeth turn to 
  gold.  
  4. 
  A silver tooth with 
  many scratches  
  The person with the 
  tooth in their mouth 
  is compelled to tell
  the truth.  
  Does the exact thing 
  as described. 
  5. 
  An ancient map 
  made on tattered 
  parchment, the 
  names of locations
  faded, but with one 
  circled spot 
  Leads to a location 
  of a family crypt, 
  sadly raided and left 
  derelict long ago.
  Leads to a location of 
  a negadungeon, but 
  with an item of 
  campaign importance
  at its heart.  
  6. 
  Small wooden 
  cross, "St. Actias" 
  engraved at the
  bottom 
  Brings the mind at 
  ease during times of 
  great distress.
  If used in any kind of 
  pitch darkness, 
  summons a swarm of
  tiny moths carrying 
  lanterns.  
  7. 
  The Blessed Spear 
  of Lungheen 
  Destined to kill the 
  greatest foe of its 
  owner.
  Nothing, it's just a 
  finely ornamented 
  spear. Worth 500sp.
  8. 
  A pair of wooden 
  dice with carved
  pips, sides being: 
  3, 4, 4, 5, 5, 6 
  Nothing, badly 
  crafted mundane
  item for obvious 
  cheating. 
  To everyone else, but 
  the owner, the dice
  look like normal 1-6
  dice.  
  21 
  The Anti-Spire 
  by Matt Dudley 
   
  This
  is
  basically
  a
  chase
  sequence
  down
  a
  helically
  shaped
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  upside-down spire. The Anti-Spire is located beneath the gardens of
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  an evil fairy-Queen, within the oubliette (Jim Henson’s The Labyrinth
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  was
  a
  huge
  inspiration
  for
  this
  campaign.
  It’s
  probably
  an
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  unnecessary detail though). The goal is for the PC’s to reach 300ft.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  before being murdered by a spiked roller on a track spiraling down
   
   
   
    
   
   
    
   
   
   
  the pathway to the bottom of the cistern while different trap triggers
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  go off. My player’s wizard cast “Deep-well” to create a well for him
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
   
   
   
  and the ranger to stand in while the roller passed overhead, leaving
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  the paladin and the barbarian to fend for themselves against it. 
   
  What’s at the bottom of the cistern you ask? It doesn’t matter 
  really, but in my game it was a giant telepathic lobster-god, the 
  ex-husband to the gardens’ fairy-queen. 
   
   
  8 
  
   
  9 
  Strange Starting Items  
  and How You Got Them
  by Stefan “The Moth” 
   
  Summary: A random table featuring thirty peculiar items to be
  given to characters during creation, as well as a list of ways the
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  characters may have acquired the said items. Weirdness abound.
   
  The main source of inspiration has been the starting items and
  oddities list over at the blog Tomb of the Wandering Millennial. I
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
  used it to great effect last week when a new group of players was
  creating characters for an upcoming game. Everyone enjoyed the
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  list of oddities, since there are some interesting items on it and
  some of the results fit the characters perfectly.  
  However, I felt that the said items needed an extra something to
    
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  make the randomness even more effective, thus I wrote the list
  below. Some items are useful, some are horrible and some are
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  mundane, but all of them strange. As I said, this was made to be
  used during character creation, but I guess that it can be used just
   
   
   
   
    
   
    
   
   
   
   
  as easily as a random table of magical items in an ongoing game.
   
  No specific instructions needed for this, since I tried to make it
  straight forward. A single d30 roll tells you everything, which item
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  the PC gets, what they think/believe the item does and the final
  column is what the item actually does. Completely up to the GM
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  how/when/if they reveal the true potential of the item to the player.
   
  Roll d30 
   
  Item gained 
  What the PC 
  thinks it does
  What it actually 
  does
  1.
  Tarnished urn full
  of ashes 
  Ashes of a long
  dead relative, might 
  have sentimental 
  value, but otherwise
  worthless.
  Magical urn holding
  the ashes of the first 
  witch. Make of this 
  what you will.  
  20 
  
  If Warlock Duvall casts
   
   
   
   
  Summon, don't follow
   
   
   
  the rules, just roll 1d4
   
   
   
   
   
  to
  see the result (or
   
   
   
   
   
  follow
  the
  rules,
  it's
   
   
   
   
  your game): 
   
  1.
  Eyeball
  Demon,
   
   
   
  Icy Wrapping 
  AC 12, MV 120, ML 10,
   
   
   
   
   
   
  26 HD (108hp), #AT 1
   
   
   
    
  (1d6) 
   
  2. Shadow Demon 
  AC 12, MV 120, ML 10,
   
   
   
   
   
   
  20 HD (72hp), #AT 1
   
   
   
   
   
  (1d6) 
   
  3.
  Brain
  Demon,
   
   
   
  Smoking
  Foliage,
   
   
  Immaterial Stinger 
  AC 12, MV 120, ML 10,
   
   
   
   
   
   
  16 HD (58hp), #AT 1
   
   
   
   
   
  (1d6),
  Fire
  Attack
   
   
   
  (Ranged, 16d6) 
   
  4.
  Orb
  of
  Light
   
   
   
   
  Demon 
  AC 12, MV 120, ML 10,
   
   
   
   
   
   
  13 HD (51hp), #AT 1
   
   
   
   
   
  (1d6),
  Immune
  to
   
   
   
  Normal Attacks. 
   
  Roll another d4 for the reaction: 
  1. Controlled for 9 rounds, obeys, then disappears. 
  2. Uncontrolled for 75 rounds, wants to kill her, then disappears. 
  3. Controlled for 4 rounds, obeys, then disappears. 
  4. Uncontrolled for 13 rounds, wants to kill her, then disappears. 
   
   
  19 
   
  10 
  
   
  11 
   
  Warlock Duvall 
  text by Vagabundörk, art by Yalaki
   
  AC 12, MV 120, ML 8, 13th Level Magic-User (39hp), unarmed 
   
  Spells: 4 1st level 3 2nd level, 2 3rd level, 2 4th level, 1 5th level,
    
   
    
   
    
   
    
   
    
   
   
  1 6th level 
   
  So you want to give Tower of the Stargazer a twist? Simply add
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Shelley Duvall. 
   
  When the party reaches Tower Level 3, instead of old Sir Uravulon,
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  they meet a woman dressed in gaudy colors who is a little crazy. 
   
  She greets the party with exaggerated joy: "Thank you for coming! I
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
  am... Uh... Oh, yeah! I am Avelina Calcidius". 
   
  She goes on, never losing her smile (unless provoked or attacked):
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  "You must find it weird to see me in this, uh, in this situation, unable
   
   
    
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  to
  welcome
  you
  properly.
  You
  see,
  I
  was
  experimenting
  with
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  demonic
  control
  and
  I
  got
  distracted
  just
  a
  second
  and
  was
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  trapped... Uh... Trapped for the last 50 years, I think. If you release
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
    
   
   
  me, I can reward you 100 silver coins each". 
   
  If the party asks for more money, if they interrogate her, or if they
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
   
   
   
    
   
  take long to free her, she starts to show her sadist nature: "Free me
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  now, or I will scatter your souls across the cosmos and feed the
   
    
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  dogs of hell your flesh". If at this point they free her, she will let
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  them leave but without any rewards, if the party insists on the
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  money, she will kill them (she sure will try). 
   
  If the party still doesn't free her, she completely loses her mind. She
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  describes in detail how she will defile their bodies and souls, and the
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  bodies and souls of their families, friends and every single person
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  (or elf) they have ever talked to. Obviously if someone is such an
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
   
   
   
   
  idiot to free her now, they are dead. 
   
  Spells prepared: 
  Level
  1:
  Spider
  Climb,
  Summon
  (see
  below),
  Comprehend
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Languages, Faerie Fire. Level 2: Magic Mouth, Magic Mouth, 
  Audible Glamour. Level 3: Strange Waters II, Haste (inverse). Level
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  4: Dig, Wizard Eye. Level 5: Creation, Major. 
  Level 6: Glass Eye. 
  18 
  
  reaches level 5. Shnog eventually comes out of his coma when
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  restored to at least 1 hit point, then limps along for the rest of the
   
   
   
    
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  game
  session
  with
  these
  lowered
  traits
  and
  modifiers.
  At
  the
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  beginning of the next game session, Shnog regains 1 each of CHA,
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
   
   
   
  CON, INT, and WIS. That means Shnog will limp along maimed at -1
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  CHA and -2 INT throughout that following session. On it goes,
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  hopefully without further maiming. 
   
  If you want to be *nice* as a referee, you can substitute one week
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
   
   
   
   
   
   
  of in-game total rest to trigger that one point per trait recovery
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  cycle, at least for an extended adventure or campaign that has that
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  kind of time frame: 
   
  “Shnog the Withering rests and suffers through three weeks of
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  painful recovery, while the other adventurers party and dissipate
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  their ill-gotten wealth at the Farting Fop Inn. He is now mostly
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  recovered
  from
   
   
  the
  blow
  that
   
   
   
  flattened
  part of
   
   
   
  his
  head,
  What
   
   
   
  does he do now?” 
   
  Enjoy! 
   
  17 
   
  Nine Iron Mirrors of Immense Power�
  by Łukasz Krupiński 
   
  "The other item [...] is the mirror. Five examples are known from
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Eastern Yorkshire [...] All five are made of iron. [...] All of the
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  mirrors [...] pre-date the majority of the magnificently decorated
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  bronze examples known from elsewhere in the British Isles, being
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  made
  some
  time
  between
  the late 4th and late 2nd/early 1st
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  centuries BC. [...] inhumations are exclusively female [...] This
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  12 
  
  association with women has often led to the dismissal of these items
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  as
  mere
  accoutrements
  or
  'attractive
  vanities'
  of
  high
  status
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  females.
  In
  both
  popular
  accounts
  and
  illustrations,
  they
  are
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  depicted as a means of beautification or self-admiration. Yet [...] the
   
    
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  mirror might have been part of a broader repertoire of objects
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  designed
  to
  prepare
  and
  present
  the
  body
  during a period of
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  changing concepts of personhood. As 'equivalents' for the weapons
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  which were interred with men in the chariot burials, they may also
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  have had a more powerful role. Ethnographic parallels suggest that
   
    
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  in
  small-scale
  societies,
  mirrors
  are
  used
  as
  implements
  for
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  divination, contact with ancestors and spirits, as well as insights into
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  the past. Their shine, brilliance or luminescence is often seen as a
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
  manifestation of spiritual essence or sacred potency, through which
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  a shimmering vision world is experienced by the diviner. The iron
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  plate may never have accurately reflected the face held up for
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  scrutiny, but it is possible that its shadowy, broad features were
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  seen by the viewer as an indication of some presence 'beyond' the
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  plate.  
   
  Mirrors are held in awe, as objects of intrinsic power, but to be
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  wielded effectively, they must be allied with a skilled seer or ritual
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
   
   
   
   
  specialist capable of interpreting what is seen. The implication of
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  such analogies is that Iron Age mirrors were not only symbols of
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  wealth, made of significant quantities of iron, wrought and polished
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  by skilled craftspeople. They may have been seen as awesome,
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  intimidating artefacts – weapons of a kind – which enabled particular
   
    
   
    
    
   
   
   
  women
  to
  wield
  both
  aesthetic
  power
  and
  perhaps
  spiritual
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  authority, in life and death.  
   
  Iron mirrors certainly made demands upon their users, requiring
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  particular care to avoid tarnish from grease and rust, as well as
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  polishing on a regular basis [...] there were traces of mineralised
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  wood
  adhering
  to
  the
  Garton
  Slack
  mirror
  plate,
  which
  might
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  suggest it had been placed in a casket. [...] In mirror burials and
   
   
   
   
   
    
   
   
   
   
   
   
  finds from the late Iron Age [...] there is often a parallel treatment
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
   
   
  of human body and artefact. It is possible that like its human
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  counterpart, these mirrors had been placed in a 'coffin' like box [...]
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
   
   
   
   
  dressed or 'wrapped' with decorative textiles. The Wetwang Village
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  mirror may have been interred with the equivalent of a shroud,
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  brooch and miniature necklace. Mirrors may thus have been of the
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  special objects which were perceived as having an identity and
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  biography of their own."  
   
  – "A Forged Glamour: Landscape, Identity and Material Culture in
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  the Iron Age" by Melanie Giles   
   
  13 
  Maiming�
  a Variant for Even More Suffering in Lamentations of the Flame Princess 
  by Craig “Lord Mhor” Dixon�
  �
  As a fun variation, characters don't automatically die if they are
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  damaged below -3 hit points; they might painfully linger instead.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  When a character drops below zero hit points, roll a d20 versus
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  death. The final result required to survive is "10" plus the number of
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
   
   
   
   
   
  hit points below zero. Add the character’s current level as a positive
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
   
  modifier, plus or minus the current Constitution modifier. If this roll
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  is failed, the character dies right there. A survivor is maimed. Toss a
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
    
   
    
  d6 for each hit point under zero. Map the results of each die rolled to
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  the traits below. Each die mapped to a trait drops that trait by one
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
   
   
   
   
   
   
  point:  
   
  1) CHA 
  2) CON 
  3) DEX 
  4) INT 
  5) STR 
  6) WIS 
   
  Any maimed trait reduced to zero this way results in instant death.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Maimed traits can't normally be restored in-game. At the beginning
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  of each *game session*, characters regain one point from each and
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  every trait that has been reduced. Recovery from maiming is slow
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  and painful. 
   
  Here’s the really nasty bit: With each maiming, a character must
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  circle the trait on the character sheet that has taken the most
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  damage. If several traits have lost one or the same number of
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  points, the player chooses which trait is circled. This trait can *not*
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  recover the final lost point until the character gains a new level.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Several maiming events can leave a character with multiple circled
   
   
   
   
    
   
   
   
   
  traits, causing them to be quite diminished for the remainder of that
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  level. 
   
  Example: Shnog the Withering, a 4th level magic-user, has been
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  smashed to -7 hit points and somehow survived. 7d6 are rolled and
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  are mapped to Shnog’s traits. Two map to CHA, one maps to CON,
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  three map to INT, and one maps to WIS. Shnog immediately loses 2
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
  CHA, 1 CON, 3 INT, and 1 WIS. The Intelligence trait is circled on
    
    
   
    
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  the character sheet, and the final point of INT won't recover until he
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  16 
  
  one's pretty powerful so I would give the victim(s) the chance to
   
   
   
    
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  avert
  eyes
  and
  other such tactics like if they were subject to
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  petrifying
  gaze.
  Also
  – obstructing the view, causing darkness,
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  destroying the mirror etc. frees the victim(s).  
   
  Mirror #9. If you look into the mirror you see your ancestor's spirit.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  The
  spirit
  can
  communicate
  and
  will
  do
  so
  according
  to their
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  character and most of the time will try to help you "continue their
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  legacy".
  So
  if
  your
  great-grandfather
  was
  a
  necromancer
  his
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  mirror-spirit will try to sell you on how awesome necromancy is. And
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  if your great-great-grandfather was a cobbler he will explain to you
   
   
    
   
   
   
   
   
   
  the best techniques of shoe repair. The ancestor is: 
  roll d6 
  1-3. male 
  4-6. female 
  roll d20 
  1-9. most recently expired ancestor 
  10-14. +1 generation 
  15-16. +2 generations 
  17. +3 generations 
  18. +5 generations 
  19. old ancestor from hundreds of years ago 
  20. ancient ancestor from thousands of years ago 
   
  15 
  Okay, let's do this: 
   
  Mirror #1. If you point this mirror at a dead body its reflection
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  appears alive and is able to communicate. The reflection has all the
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  knowledge the deceased person had right before the moment of
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  death. Its eagerness to answer and cooperate depends on questions
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  asked,
  relationship
  to
  the
  seer
  (if
  any)
  and
  seer's power and
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  experience.  
   
  Mirror #2. The mirror reflects everything as it was in the past: 
  roll d6:  
  1. 5d10 minutes ago 
  2. 2d12 hours ago 
  3. 1d12 months ago 
  4. 1d30 years ago 
  5. 1d100 years ago 
  6. 1d1000 years ago  
   
  Mirror #3. As above, but reflects the future.  
  roll d8:  
  1-3. as the seer hopes it will be 
  4-7. as the seer fears it will be 
  8. as it will be if no major changes to the timeline occur 
   
  Mirror #4. If you point a mirror at a person its reflection must
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  answer any questions of the seer, and answer truthfully. It may
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  however use half-truths, omissions and manipulations if the seer
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  isn't experienced enough.  
   
  Mirror #5. Any person reflected in the mirror disappears and is
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  trapped in the mirror itself. Can only be freed by trapping another
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  person.  
   
  Mirror #6. This one works similarly to the one above but with one
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  major difference – the trapped person doesn't disappear but is
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  replaced by its reverse-twin. The reverse-twin is a polar opposite of
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
   
   
  the original both in terms of personality and abilities. The original
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  gets
  trapped
  in
  the
  mirror.
  Can
  only
  be
  freed
  by
  killing
  the
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  reverse-twin.  
   
  Mirror #7. Any text reflected by the mirror can be read by the seer
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  as if a comprehend languages/read magic spell was cast.  
   
  Mirror #8. Freezes reflected victim(s) in time. As long as the mirror
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  is able to reflect someone, that someone is frozen in time. That
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  14 
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Lamentations of the Flame Princess/LotFP Periodicals/Flame Prïncess Cult (LotFP)/Flame Prïncess Cult 03 [booklet] (LotFP).pdf