Classic Dungeons and Dragons and Old School Gaming

D&D etc.


"Heir to a crumbling summit: to a sea of nettles: to an empire of rust: to rituals' footprints ankle-deep in stone."

-Mervyn Peake

"...and that, my liege, is how we know the Earth to be banana shaped."

-Sir Bedevere in Monty Python and the Holy Grail



Thursday, March 27, 2014

What Happens When a Wizard Dies


When a Magic-User croaks roll a d6:


WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A WIZARD DIES
1
The Magic-User's spirit may take one action per level as if a 20 were rolled for each action. Possible actions are anything a human could be able to perform including speak. Spell casting is not possible. The spirit of the Magic-User appears ghostly and is as intangible as desired.
2
The place of the Magic-User's death is imbued with Mana* equal to the M-U's level x d6. This Mana will manifest gradually over d6X weeks. Manifestations may include:  
(d6X=exploding d6, reroll and add if a 6 is rolled)
1
fungi
2
crystals
3
stones
4
man-made objects left in the area
5
slime
6
animals in the area
3
The killers hand warps, atrophies and falls off causing d4 damage per level of the M-U. The hand, if not destroyed with a ritual will:
1
Turn to stone and in d6 hours will grow into a:
1
Troll
2
Gargoyle
3
Gorgon
4
Basilisk
5
Demon
6
Earth Elemental
2
Come alive imbued with the M-U's spirit
3
Fall to the earth and sprout a Creep Tree**
4
Crystallize, and crystals spread in all directions 100' per day. Max days=M-U's level
5
Turn into an Imp and serve the nearest evil M-U.
6
Fall to the earth and spread an undead plague in all directions 100' per day. Max days=M-U's level
4
Every one within 10' per level of the M-U are consumed in ghostly fire. (d6 damage per M-U's level. Save for half damage.)
5
The M-U remains linked to one of his personal possessions the way a Demon is linked to a Cursed Blade.
6
The place of the M-U's death is haunted by their spirit forever.


* Mana can be used in the following ways:
1  Burned up by a M-U to cast a spell.  One Mana is equivalent to a spell slot of the highest level spell the M-U may cast.
2  It can be burned when researching a new spell, one Mana is equal to d12x1000 GP for this purpose.
3  If a Magic-User gives it to a non-Magic-User to consume, the non-Magic-User can cast a single spell of the Magic-User's choice that is in the Magic-Users spell book.

** A Creep Tree is like an evil Ent with twisty ropey roots.  They are really sneaky, surprising 4/6, and they can move really fast in short bursts. They are intelligent and obsessed with ruining cities and civilization.  They will find the biggest and best city and climb the highest building like King Kong or the tree in the courthouse roof in Greensburg Indiana and from there whisper evil things into the dreams of everyone who sleeps in the city.