Pharasma's Blessing


Open Call: Design a wondrous item

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RPG Superstar 2010 Top 32, 2011 Top 4 , Marathon Voter Season 6, Marathon Voter Season 7, Marathon Voter Season 8, Marathon Voter Season 9 aka DankeSean

So I'm just going to be echoing everyone else here when I say that the near death experience is definitely the coolest part of this. It's a funky way to add some new spark to the whole concept of being at negative hit points. Now, that said, the 'main' powers of the item are more than fine. The major functionality depends on what undead you're fighting at the time, of course- Vampire's create spawn ability is more of a plot device than a wraith or spectre's more immediate abilities, for instance, but definitely something that, when you need it, is completely invaluable. And since there's nothing else in the game, really, to help out in that circumstance, this fills an unforseen niche. This would have been a neatly designed item even without the speak with dead ability, but that just kicked it into a new realm entirely.

RPG Superstar 2010 Top 32 aka Madgael

This item is just an awesome idea all over. And not just cause I have a cleric of Pharasma. This is total outside the box/body thinking.

There was something else I couldn't put my finger on at first. Thinking about it now, I wonder if such a cleric might not - when needing guidance, ask an ally to beat the crap out of him, then revive him a couple of rounds after he goes down, just to get some extra exposition out of a nearby spirit. Which is crazy, but I think a cleric of Pharasma is already usually half there anyway (crazy). And it also very much reminds me of that 80's movie Flatliners which I vaguely recall going to see originally just for Julia Roberts' bra, but which turned out to be a pretty neat creepy movie in the end. Need to revise my Netflix queue now...

Congrats, and I can't wait to see your monster...

The Exchange Contributor, RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16

Brian Hoffman wrote:

This item is just an awesome idea all over. And not just cause I have a cleric of Pharasma. This is total outside the box/body thinking.

There was something else I couldn't put my finger on at first. Thinking about it now, I wonder if such a cleric might not - when needing guidance, ask an ally to beat the crap out of him, then revive him a couple of rounds after he goes down, just to get some extra exposition out of a nearby spirit. Which is crazy, but I think a cleric of Pharasma is already usually half there anyway (crazy). And it also very much reminds me of that 80's movie Flatliners which I vaguely recall going to see originally just for Julia Roberts' bra, but which turned out to be a pretty neat creepy movie in the end. Need to revise my Netflix queue now...

Congrats, and I can't wait to see your monster...

It may be that Flatliners was a sort of subconscious inspiration. I saw that movie also, I might have to revisit it. Maybe if I revisit this item I'll have to have the possibility that the PC finds something in the realm of the dead that they don't like :)


Awesome Ogre! Congrats! :)

The Exchange Contributor, RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16

I didn't redo the item fully but I think if I were to it would be two items. The necklace which offers protection and this one which isn't fully fleshed out (quite rough)

Black Lantern of Pharasma
Aura moderate abjuration and divination; CL 7th
Slot --; Price XXXX gp; Weight 2 lbs
Description

Crafted of filigreed blackened steel with a finely etched bone pattern, these lanterns emit a dull glow when lit. If you lose consciousness due to injury while in the light of this lantern, you may take advantage of your near death state to commune with the dead. Once per day, while unconscious and bleeding you may speak with any single dead creature as if you had cast speak with dead.

If you have the corpse this works just like the spell. If the corpse is not available the lantern bearer must send her spirit into Pharasma's domain to seek out the soul of the deceased. It takes 1d6 rounds for the soul to reach Pharasma's realm and then the bearer must make a DC 25 search check to locate the spirit of the deceased she seeks. *** insert more rules on searching here ***

While speaking with the dead you continue bleeding as normal and voluntarily forego any saving throw to stop bleeding. Once the effect has ended you make your constitution checks to stabilize as normal. Should you be stabilized due to an external effect such as magical healing or a heal check, the speak with dead ability ends immediately. Should the bearer receive any magical healing while her soul is in Pharasma's domain her soul is wrenched back into her body traumatically and she take 1d6 wisdom damage.

Construction
Requirements death ward, hide from undead, speak with dead; Cost XXXX gp

RPG Superstar 2010 Top 32 aka Hydro

Oh, very nice. I'm probably going to use this as a model for similar faith-based items in future games. I briefly get this feeling of "faith for sale" (what with the usual magic item economy)- ensuring that your soul reaches your god on death should be a priceless effect- but I can always throw in unique creation requirements or otherwise have the items under the church's control. I'm blathering, though. Point is it's a cool item.

I would personally keep the original item and change "speak with dead" to "commune". You do have a cool thing going with the imagery of the 'black lantern', though. The main reason I don't like it as much as the old item is that searching for a soul is ALL it does- people will light it, ritually stab themselves, and have someone on hand to heal them shortly thereafter. And that's all they'll do with it.

That's not necessarily a bad image (in fact, it's pretty groovy in an occult sort of way), but personally, I think that the "battlefield revelation" is an even better image.

The Exchange Contributor, RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16

Nicolas Quimby wrote:

Oh, very nice. I'm probably going to use this as a model for similar faith-based items in future games. I briefly get this feeling of "faith for sale" (what with the usual magic item economy)- ensuring that your soul reaches your god on death should be a priceless effect- but I can always throw in unique creation requirements or otherwise have the items under the church's control. I'm blathering, though. Point is it's a cool item.

I would personally keep the original item and change "speak with dead" to "commune". You do have a cool thing going with the imagery of the 'black lantern', though. The main reason I don't like it as much as the old item is that searching for a soul is ALL it does- people will light it, ritually stab themselves, and have someone on hand to heal them shortly thereafter. And that's all they'll do with it.

That's not necessarily a bad image (in fact, it's pretty groovy in an occult sort of way), but personally, I think that the "battlefield revelation" is an even better image.

This is why I was hesitant to put a revised version up. Probably should have left well enough alone. Commune would really crank the price up of the original item and I like fun items that are affordable for mid-level parties because it is so hard for this sort of item to compete with headband of mental XXX or belt of XXX, amulet of natural armor, ring of protection...


I love the speak with death ability the most, thou it does need more definition. Great item Dennis!

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