Plunder! Item Submissions

[Rick Meints]

Come one, come all. Please submit Plunder items on this thread. The best may very well end up in a future publication. Please try to follow the standard format of categories and information provided in Plunder:

Name

Description:
Cults:
Knowledge:
History:
Procedure:
Powers:
Value:

Edited September 26, 2016 by Rick Meints

[Pentallion]

Oh, this is gonna be fun!

 

Name  Fatecatcher
Description A silken web made of many silken knots
Cults Arachne Solara
Knowledge Cult Secret (Few)
History The first Fatecatcher was the web spun by Arachne Solara at the end of the Great Darkness and beginning of Time.  The only other known Fatecatcher is foretold at the end of the Hero Wars when Trickster catches the Gods in it and they are destroyed.  There may be other Fatecatchers or they may all be the same Fatecatcher.  Little is known of it.
Procedure  Have a Fatecatcher given to you by Arachne Solara.  This will consist of a single knot in which the recipients Fate has been captured.  The recipient can create other knots by capturing the Fate of others.  To do this requires a short journey into the Hero Plane with the target - who can only be another player character - wherein that PC plays the role of the person whose Fate most aligns with their own.  For example, taking an Orlanthi into the station of Orlanth Slays Yelm.  If the Orlanthi succeeds, he is Fated to slay a powerful leader of a  Light worshipping culture.  If he fails, he is Fated to die to same.  The Target may resist with their own magic points.
Powers The initial knot, which catches the recipients Fate grants the recipient Foresight.  Once per season, for each knot, the player possessing the Fatecatcher can foresee an event about to happen that affects the person whose Fate has been captured.   In game terms, they may stop the DM and say "let's try that again.", going back to the first possible moment where they could make another decision.  That moment is of the DM's discretion.  This could not be used to reroll a single dice roll, say a critical hit in melee, but it could be used to change the way the person approaches the situation, thus possibly avoiding the event that led to that dice roll to begin with.  The possessor of the Fatecatcher must either be able to communicate to the person whose Fate is being changed the nature of what was foreseen or else be able to affect the situation themselves in some way.  Otherwise, events will transpire as was foreseen.
Value  Cannot be resold.  Once given by Arachne Solara, only the recipient can activate its powers, though a Trickster tied to it may steal it and use it against any gods whose myths were used in its creation.  Recipients of a Fatecatcher need not be initiates of Arachne Solara but possession of one signifies to Initiates of the Cult that this person is marked by her as having a special purpose in her grand design and are treated accordingly.

 

(There is a strange entry found in a Godlearner journal in which the scholar had received a message somehow from the Outer Atomic Explorers saying they'd discovered what they called "Plot Armor" and the scholar surmised it might be a Fatecatcher they were referring to.)

Edited September 25, 2016 by Pentallion

[Yelm's Light]

Name  Heler Rod

Description  A thick, forked branch with a Heler rune inscribed at its junction, ranging in size from one foot to several feet in overall length.
Cults  Orlanth and associated
Knowledge  Open cult secret, though it could be gifted to non-cultists carrying out cult missions.
History  While they may be found in any region where Orlanth temples are known, Heler rods are primarily found in desert areas, and often in Prax.  They can be manufactured by Wind Voices when necessary, and are relatively common items.
Procedure  Simply aim the single end of the rod at the ground while holding the forks in each hand, concentrate, and allow the rod to orient itself.  Chanting an Orlanthi prayer might be appropriate, but is not necessary to its proper function.
Powers  The rod has two uses; first, direction and size of groundwater deposits can be detected within 100 m at no cost.  Secondly, at a cost of 1 temporary POW, it can detect the direction and strength of an oncoming storm within 50 miles.  The rod points in the proper direction, and the size of the water deposit or the storm's strength are indicated by the strength of its pull.  (It is also rumored that a rod can be used in a storm-summoning ritual by powerful Wind Voices, but there is no known evidence that this is the case.)
Value  100 to 250L, depending on size and quality.

Edited September 25, 2016 by Yelm's Light

[Noita]

Giant Tools

Description Carpentry tools for giants
Cults None
Knowledge If you can't use a hammer there's no hope for you. 
History Used by the Giants to make their Cradles. This have been scattered about the Rockwoods by forgetful owners, stolen or stored. Rarely a stone tool box may be encountered. It's sides carved with glyphs, runes and depictions of both the making and the journeys of the Cradles.
Procedure Grow to at least 6m, cut down a big tree and get building...
Powers Fills the user with Green age  building savy.
Value To horny big folk? Priceless. To others? That's what bargaining is for.

[Noita]

Shade cloth

Description A large animal hide.
Cults Darkness cults. Zong
Knowledge Cult secret
History Dont mix an annoying Dehori and a hot and bothered Zong shaman...
Procedure Kill a large animal. Skin it and bind a darkness spirit in to it. Cut some poles and make a shelter.
Powers Keeps you cool on a hot day.
Value In Prax? You'd better have some big bodyguards. Otherwise a whole shed load of bolgs... 

[Pentallion]

Name  Zed's Ded Box
Description A coffin that's chill to the touch
Cults Associated: Darkness cults, Chalana Arroy 
Knowledge Common
History Zed was a Dawn Age explorer who led many forays into unknown regions after the Great Darkness had ended.  During his many travels, he wandered far from any Chalana Arroy temples.  This required him to bring along a Chalana Arroy to heal him and his travelling companions.  One day, however, the Chalana Arroy was killed in an avalanche.  Zed knew that by the time they returned to the nearest temple she would be too far decomposed for resurrection.  So he built the first of the famous Zed's Ded Boxes to keep her body intact until he could get her resurrected.
Procedure  Bind a large shade into a coffin.  Put recently deceased into coffin.
Powers  The body of the person placed in the coffin is kept chilled and thus does not suffer the effects of decomposition.  The body will need to be thawed, however, before it can be resurrected.  Zed's Ded Box is also good for storing meats and other perishables for long journeys, though it is suggested that it be cleaned thoroughly before such use.
Value Varies, but usually less than 4000 Silvers for the cost of binding a Large Shade.  Geo's is known to make smaller boxes to hold their ales.

Edited September 26, 2016 by Pentallion

[Noita]

Yamsur's Eye

Description a crystal infused with an inner golden light.
Cults Sky Gazers
Knowledge Said to be the blood of the fallen god Yamsur
History Yamsur was struck down by chaos, his blood scattering about the Wastes. Unfortunately some are tainted by chaos.
Procedure Get a shovel.
Powers Extends light magic duration and distance. Can be used to replace a lost eye. Then it just looks cool. The owner is never in full darkness having a slight glow about their body which delights angry trolls looking for them
Value lots to the right person. 

[Runeblogger]

Polaris' Jewel

Description: A fist-sized white jewel that looks like a polished diamond shaped like an eight-pointed star if you look at it from above, or like a lotus if you look at it from the side. It twinkles with inner light. It weighs 4 ENC.
Cults: Polaris, Yelorna, Pole Star. Friendly: Yelmalio, Yelm. Enemy: Xentha, Argan Argar.
Knowledge: Cult secret (Few).
History: Some of this jewels are centuries old and are usually passed from one Star Lady to her successor. They represent the alliance bewteen Yelorna and the Star Captains, mainly Polaris/Pole Star. Some of them were gifted to friendly cults such as Yelmalio. And some of them ended in the treasure vaults of Yelorna's enemies, mainly trolls.
Procedure: This jewel can only be obtained through a Yelornan heroquest. The initiate follows the mythic path of Yelorna as she fought the children of Xentha and Argan Argar, and then travelled to the upper sky to fetch the help of the Star Captains and bring them to the surface to aid in the fight, although she had to receive Dayzatar's blessing first. Alternatively, a shaman following the path of Pole Star could also bring one of these back from the spiritual plane.
Powers: The Jewel provides 4 points of Polaris rune magic to any initiate of Yelorna or Polaris. A Praxian shaman can contact Pole Star through the Jewel. The jewel sheds a permanent dim light that lights the surroundings like a torch, although its light can always be seen from a 1000 km radius and it is specially visible at night. Shades will avoid getting less than 10 m close to the jewel, and trollkins are demoralized if they get closer to it than that.
Value: 10,000 silver coins, although it is invaluable to any Polaris or Yelorna cultists.

[pachristian]

Kale's Token

Description: A bronze token, about 3 cm across. The token is shaped like a movement rune, surrounded by a ring. The outer side of the ring is engraved with a hymn of praise to Heler, in his role as god of loyalty and friendship. The font is tiny, and difficult to read. The inner side is engraved with an equally tiny hymn in praise of Kolat, in his role as guardian of the spirit.

Cults: Mastakos, Heler, Kolat.

Knowledge: Known to some members of the cults referenced above, particularly those who live near Boldhome, or in the Stormwalk Mountains.

History: Kale, an adventuring shaman of Kolat, realized at one point that one of his companions had, without being asked, been present to watch over his body, and to help take care of him while he was learning to be a shaman. A little ashamed of himself, he realized that she had always been present to watch over him, and he had hardly noticed. The opportunity to rectify this came when on heroquest, and he was able to bargain with the god of travel. He asked his god, and Mastakos, for the ability to be summoned by his friend. The gods refused initially, but Heler stepped in, and persuaded them to support the shaman. 

Once created, and used, the token remained, and possessed the power to be 'recharged' by someone who understood its powers and reason. It has passed beyond the hands to the original creators, and may be found somewhere in or around western Prax, or Heortland.

Procedure: The original token was created on heroquest. Empowering it for use requires the person to be summoned (the "summoned") to visit temples of Heler, Kolat, and Mastakos, in that order, and offer up prayers and sacrifice in each temple. They must identify who will receive the token. The summoned must feel a strong sense of personal loyalty to the individual to whom they will give the token. 

At the end of the procedure, the token holds a tiny piece of the summoned's soul. This piece of soul contains some of the knowledge of where in the world they are, and their memories of the person. The token can only be used once by any given pair of individuals.

Powers: The person with the token can summon the individual who empowered it to their presence, once. The individual summoned has a couple of seconds to grab personal items, before they are transported. They appear next to the summoner at the start of the next combat round. The token will only work for the identified summoner.

In a game setting, this is a "use don't abuse" item. It is intended to allow one character to come to the aid of another, regardless of distance between them. It is for an "I need you now" scenario. The Gamemaster is encouraged to have the token fail if it is used cynically, to make money, steal stuff, or in a calculated way to bypass security. The token, after all, is based on movement, but is allowed to work because of loyalty.

The summoned has a tiny piece of their soul in the hands of the summoner. There are side effects. If the two are a long ways apart (hundreds of miles or more) the summoned will suffer a disquieting sense of not being in the right place. If the ring is on a different plane of existence as the summoned, that individual will find their memory of the summoner disrupted; "uh, your name is Lorena, uh, right?".  Soul-affecting spells targeting the summoner, may strike the summoned instead (GM's discretion). Finally, death does not break the bond between summoned and summoner. Should the summoned die, and then be called, their spirit will appear to aid the summoner. Treat the summoned as an ancestor spirit, with appropriate skills and abilities.

If the summoner ever willfully and knowingly discards the token, that will break the enchantment. The summoned will feel great pain (broken loyalty hurts!) but the bond between summoner and summoned is broken.

Value: About the same as a Guided Teleport matrix. 

Edited September 26, 2016 by pachristian
minor tweaks

[Pentallion]

Name  The Adventurer's Staff
Description a nondescript brown staff made of hardy wood.
Cults Chalana Arroy, Orlanth
Knowledge Automatic, Famous
History Zed the Explorer was rewarded with the first Adventurer's Staff in the Dawn Age by a Chalana Arroy temple for saving the life of one of their priestesses.
Procedure Do something - or swear an oath to - above and beyond for a Chalana Arroy temple and be rewarded with an Adventurer's Staff.
Powers  Each staff varies, but a standard staff carries matrixes for one Resurrection, two Regrow Limb and three Heal Body.  The staff can only be recharged at a Chalana Arroy temple, but need not be the same temple that created it.  The staff must be returned upon demand and will not function for anyone who refuses to return it.
Value 1000 silver pieces per point of Rune magic the staff possesses.  300 silver pieces per point to recharge it.

Edited September 26, 2016 by Pentallion

[Noita]

Quick question are Rune magic matrixes a thing? 

[Rick Meints]

In terms of ENC(cumbrance). No.

[Yelm's Light]

I don't think that's what he meant.  I was thinking of something similar, like a one-use item that can be recharged by a priest of the appropriate cult.

[Noita]

I didn't know that you could have rune magic matrixes, I thought it was just battle magic. Cool!

[Pentallion]

3 hours ago, Iskallor said:

Quick question are Rune magic matrixes a thing? 

In RQ 3 they were.  In RQ 2 one could only create battle magic matrixes.  I guess the OP would have to clarify which edition we are to draw from because I don't think anyone knows if the new RQ will allow Rune matrixes like in RQ 3 or not, as in RQ 2.  I sincerely hope the former as plenty of fun items can be made.

[Mankcam]

It makes sense to have Divine/Rune Magic in matrixes, it allows you to have 'blessed' or 'god-touched' items and such. It sounds very Gloranthan if the matrixes have to be in items of function and relevance to a specific cult. For example, a Babeestor Gor Rune Spell must be placed in a battle axe. 

Although I started with RQ2, I ended up playing most of my Gloranthan games with RQ3, and later with BGB and RQ6. I would find it a very different setting if Rune Magic is not able to be put into matrixes.

Edited September 26, 2016 by Mankcam

[Pentallion]

Name  Dwarven Battle Suit
Description  Large iron exoskeleton, humanoid in shape.
Cults Mostal
Knowledge Cult Secret, Few
History  During the Great Darkness troll incursions into dwarven strongholds were fairly commonplace.  Dwarven defenses being what they were, such incursions rarely met with much success.  On occasion, the dwarves would launch a counter attack.  The True Mostali realized that without their defense grid to protect them, an iron dwarf was at a disadvantage in melee vs the much larger Uz.  They therefore invented the Dwarven Battle Suit.  The secret of constructing one of these suits was known only to the True Mostali.  No new suits have been built since the Great Darkness. Over the ages, they have become exceedingly rare.
Procedure  A suit can only be worn by someone roughly the size of a dwarf.  To do so, they must first know how to command iron.  If they do, the suit will squat down and allow the wearer to climb up through a sphincter door in the rear abdomen area.  Once inside, they can control the Battle Suit as if it were their own body.
Powers  The Dwarven Battle Suit possesses the AP of enchanted iron and a size of 2d6+18 which is used to determine the wearers new damage bonus.  It also confers upon the wearer a 50% increase in strength while wearing it.  Furthermore, while the Battle Suit has the normal humanoid hit locations, only hits that penetrate the suits armor in the abdomen or chest will strike the wearer.  Loss of the suits limbs will cause no physical harm to the wearer, but loss of the suits head will render the wearer unable to see his surroundings. There is no known means to repair a Dwarven Battle Suit so once one of its hit locations is reduced to zero AP it is destroyed. A simple lever inside the suit allows for emergency evacuation.  Rumors exist that there was an even larger version which was entered through a head orifice and could fire large missiles from a device in the rear known as the Backwards Unloading Trebuchet Trajectile.  However, it is unknown if these ever truly existed or were the drunken imaginings of a Trickster named Spath.
Value Such a rare item is nearly priceless to anyone able to use it.  However, Mostali will generally send a small army to reclaim it and would rather convert the current owner into waste matter than pay for the item.

Edited September 26, 2016 by Pentallion

[Yelm's Light]

In that case...

Name  Sun Medallion

Description  A golden medal in the form of a stylized sun several inches in diameter on a thick chain.  On the back of the medallion are inscribed the Fire/Sky and Truth runes.
Cults  Yelmalio
Knowledge  Not commonly known except to upper echelons.  One of a Kind.
History  This symbol of the Sun County Sun Dome Temple's sponsorship is occasionally used by important diplomatic missions; it would likely be carried only by the leader of the delegation for identification, and returned to the temple after the mission is completed.  Owing to its obvious value, it's not ostentatiously displayed, usually worn under clothes until needed.  The bearer would have to be a trusted figure within the cult in order to carry it, but then so would someone tasked with leading a delegation.
Procedure  The medal is a spell matrix in addition to its mundane use.
Powers  The matrix contains a single-use Sunbright spell, which can be recharged by a Light Priest, and also the reusable spells Detect Enemies, Detection Blank, and Glamour.
Value  10,000L, if the bearer tried to sell it (an unlikely event).

Edited October 9, 2016 by Yelm's Light

[Darius West]

Name: Sir Dagobert's Tail Coat
Description:  A flowing fur cloak made of white and black tufts of fur, dusty but in surprisingly good condition.  A successful beast lore roll will reveal that it is made from a series of impala tails sewn together.  The inside is lined with green Kralorelan silk embroidered with beautiful illustrations of horses at the gallop, and tastefully integrated runes of illusion, beast, mobility and stasis.  It detects as strongly magical.
Cults:  ASSOCIATED - Hwarosian Mysteries  FRIENDLY - Malkioni, Pure Horse, Chaos  ENEMY - Prax Nomads
Knowledge:  Forgotten save to perhaps the most avid scholars of God Learnerism
History:  Sir Dagobert was a Jrustelan hero of the Second Age who came from a long lineage of horse breeders.  He was posted to Prax, a land known for its absurd mounts, and so he invested in a cargo of fine Brevan coursers that he assumed he could sell to the locals at a good return. Imagine his surprise when the ungrateful Praxian pygmie wretches slaughtered his horses.  Sir Dagobert made it a point of honor to assert Jrustelan cavalry supremacy in Prax, challenging all comers to joust, but routinely simply slaughtering the locals.  His particular hatred was meted out to the pygmies, whom his sorcerously fast warhorse "Short Shrift" trampled without mercy. Ultimately he discovered the secret of the ball of tails, and had this God Learner travesty constructed to firmly demonstrate his contempt for Prax and its people.  It is said that Sir Dagobert died during the stomping of Robcradle, but mention of his coat is subsequently linked to one Rhegus the Blurry who is said to have died in the fall of Zistorwall.
Procedure:  Steal the secrets of the Praxians, take the tails of many impalas, and pervert them through the foul rites of the Hwarosian Sorcery, and then proudly wear the obscenely ostentatious monstrosity
Powers: The tail coat subtracts 25% from all missile attacks against the wearer.  It has 222 points of magic point storage.  It has been enchanted to provide the wearer with 12AP and immunity to suffocation.  It is estimated there are 18 impala tails in the coat.  It has one more power which is  not obvious;  it makes flies avoid the cloak wearer and his mount.
Value:  Some would pay of an order of 250,000L for this item.  Praxians who realize what it is will almost certainly attack without warning.

Edited September 26, 2016 by Darius West

[Mankcam]

I love the above entry. A variation of the original Praxian Ball Of Tails, an arrogant perversion in keeping with the imperialistic times it came from.

Nice 

Edited September 26, 2016 by Mankcam

[Darius West]

Thanks.  Yes, I think we can assume that Sir Dagobert was a jingoistic chauvanist, and a man typical of his age. I'm sure I would poison his sherry.

[Zit]

There is an old French song about King Dagobert wearing his trousers the wrong way (the song does not tell it it was back to front or in side out). An inspiration for another plunder item?

[Darius West]

Name:  The Hump of the Blessed
Description:  A foul smelling hairy lump of fur and skin.  If cut open it reveals blood and fat.  It detects as magical and Praxians can sense its holiness.
Cults: ASSOCIATED - Eiritha.  FRIENDLY - Waha, Storm Bull.  Enemy - Chaos
Knowledge:  Cult Secret, sadly also known to Praxian broos.
History:  With the terrible events of the God's War in Prax, Eiritha took steps to protect certain of her children with extra physical powers to improve their chances of survival in the harsh wastes that had taken the place of the verdant lands of Genert.
Procedure:  Perform an Eiritha hero quest in the Paps, and win the favor of the Goddess such that she gifts you with a piece of herself.
Powers:  The item must be grafted onto a living beast with a successful use of the Peaceful Cut.  This will not slay the beast, but will make the implanting of the item less painful and distressing.  The item merges with the animal and allows them to extend the period which they can go without water by 3 weeks.  The beast is also able to regenerate 1hp per combat round (but not after death).  The item may subsequently removed after the beast's death with another peaceful cut.  If one possesses the hump it is possible to cut it open and subsist on the fat and blood within indefinitely if it is healed 3hp after each meal, as each meal does around 3hp damage.  It can take 15hp damage before the item is destroyed, as it doesn't regenerate on its own.  If this item is grafted onto a human they gain the powers but have their intelligence fixed as a herd man.  Broos are particularly enamored of the item as they can graft them onto themselves without issue, while gaining the water and regenerative powers.
Value: 10,000L.  More to Praxians who will probably pay in livestock (or treachery).

Edited September 26, 2016 by Darius West

[Darius West]

Name:  The Truthful Toe
Description: An ovoid and abrasive leathery pad about an inch and a half in diameter at its longest and about half an inch at its shortest.  It is about a quarter of an inch thick.  It is marked with a truth rune and detects as magical.
Cults:  ASSOCIATED - Buserian  FRIENDLY - Issaries, Eiritha  UNFRIENDLY - Lhankor Mhy, Trickster.
Knowledge:  Known and valued among knowledge deities and truth rune cults.
History:  In the days before the Spike was destroyed Llama was widely appreciated for his profound wisdom.  He watched the stars with a natural mysticism that allowed his neck to grow so he could see further, and he never ever told a lie.  His kindness, honesty and devotion won him the affection and admiration of the Lady of the Light of Wisdom.  Given his gregarious and affable nature, Llama was popular with deities of harmony and communication as well, and became great friends with Issaries.  During the darkness Llama conducted himself with stoicism, and fortitude, and did what he could to help people survive, particularly by teaching them what canny young Waha had learned.  He also traveled far and wide and had great discussions with Buserian about the stars.  Llama was so popular that he was well on his way towards becoming a god in his own right, but he had an enemy and rival of whom he was unaware; the jealous Lhankor Mhy, who resented the competition for his lady's affections and his friendship with Issaries.  So it was that when it came time for the lottery to decide which of Waha's followers would become herd beasts and which would remain sentient, Lhankor Mhy enlisted Eurmal the trickster to find a way to insure that Llama lost his wits.  As Llama had often seen through Eurmal's methods in the past, Trickster was overjoyed to be involved, and the lottery saw the sage-like Llama turned into a beast through Trickster's chicanery.  Of those times and the wisdom of Llama little is left except the Truthful Toe.
Procedure:  Take the toe pad of a High Llama and consecrate it in the name of the Goddess of the Light of Wisdom in a temple of Buserian.  Expend 2POW and carve into it the truth rune which is then consecrated with one's own blood (1hp).  Thereafter the item is completed, and may be used.
Powers:  The Truthful Toe has the power to remove falsehood and errors.  If it is run over letters, whether on parchment, papyrus, paper, clay or stone, even tattoos, it will erase all falsehood and any mistakes, leaving a clear surface ready for corrections.  It can also be used to destroy illusions.  Despite the item's potential usefulness, Lhankor Mhy cultists who come into possession of a Truthful Toe are required to burn it on an altar to their god, so the Goddess of the Light of Wisdom will not remember her old flame.  Tricksters and Chaos creatures who touch the Truthful toe will take 2hp worth of acid damage per round as it erases them.  It may only be used 50 times before it abrades away into the mere dust of the prairie, but it can generally be used to erase 10 pages per use.
Value:  5000L.

[Baelor]

Name: Giant’s Knife
Description: A massive sword, seven or more feet in length, of magically hardened bronze blade, and an anthropomorphic hilt studded with garnets. An age ago, this was a slender poniard crafted by, and for, a giant. Both blade and hilt are green with verdigris, but can be cleaned by anyone with sufficient time and materials.

Cults: Any, Those who know and respect Grandfather Mortal. Humakti respect these blades, considering them to represent an older understanding of the Death Rune.

Knowledge: The anthropomorphic hilt is certainly a Man Rune.

History: Giant’s Knives were literally that – small and slender by giant standards, they were often finely made, decorated and embellished. The ones most useful to human-sized creatures are those that had been intended to grace the belt of a young giant, or as gifts to giant ladies. These are sufficiently gracile to be wielded by men. 

Procedure: Many Giant Knives have been produced. Their size and hardness make them good weapons for those strong enough to wield them. 

Powers: A Giant’s Knife functions as a Great Sword, doing +3 non-magical Damage in the hands of someone of ST 16 or higher. Its magically hardened Bronze has 50% greater AP and HP of a normal Great Sword.

Value: Though not greatly magical, these blades are valuable to those who can use them. They are also generally are well-made and embellished, and quite rare. 1500L. Some giant’s consider them treasures of their race, and may barter, or attack, to regain them.