I am making some small weathered looking scrolls as gifts for my players. Each player will receive one as a little Christmas bonus gift. I am not a terribly crafty individual, so this is mostly going to be done digitally, printed, and cut out. I have some stock designs and all that selected.
My trouble is I am not sure what to write on these scrolls. I want them to be traded back to me as a one time, get out of any trouble/bad rolls/near death situation, with a GM Fiat. Something more substantial than a token on their character sheet.
EG: Player is about to be gored to death by a minotaur crit charge, hey play the scroll to save their character, and the minotaur falls through a flaw in the floor.
or, the party failed a dozen checks in a row and the kings guards are pissed and coming for them. Play the scroll and the King reveals it was all a big joke after all. etc.
I was hoping to make the text on these sound like in universe items. Reality altering fate/luck/divine artifacts created by some long forgotten deity for their most valuable worshipful.
"May the bearer of this scroll be blessed by the fates. Offer this scroll as sacrifice and let reality be altered to suit your desires". "Tradeth away this scroll to lady luck, and receive her gifts". "The gods shall imbue their power upon sacrifice of this scroll upon the bearer." type of thing. Obviously these are rubbish lines, and I cannot seem to make something that sounds convincing.
What short phrasing can I put on these things that might appear on a similar in game item the characters and players could share. I appreciate any help you can offer.
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Use real world inspiration. Look at the book of Proverbs in the Bible. Use the King James Version for archaic language.
Some of them may be directly usable. Proverbs 26:4-5 has the riddle-like contradiction, "Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him. Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit." You could apply that in a social situation where characters are caught between a rock and a hard place.
If they're a little cryptic, it might be even better, because you can interpret it many ways. Like if there were a rambling story about a bull angering a king, you could interpret that to mean help when attacked by a bull, or aid when a king is angry at you.
I have something, not sure if it is better in Latin or English. Or if it doesn't sound terribly mystical.
"Water washes, Earth protects, fire cleanses, air refreshes;
Let this scroll become the price of sacrifice;
Fate and luck held hand in hand, grace from foul unto fair;
Blessing of hazards bane, save me from this rabid plight;
Turn fortunes eye, let ruin transform to riches true;
Part the veil, guide divines to deliver destiny renewed;
Deliver the bearer of this mark, from torment unto health;
Twist the realm to suit these whims, await in defiance until fair favour whirls."
"Alluit Terra tuentur igne purgandum aerem reficit;
Hic liber est pretium immolatis
Sors et fortuna tenuit unà, conspirant, ad gratiam ex turpi aequum;
Benedictio discrimina uirus rabidi salvifica me ex necessitate;
Turn fortunae oculo exitium transform et divitiae verae sunt,
Pars intra velum dux de fide eripere Fatum renovatum est;
Libera latorem hujus marcam de supremos cruciatus et ad salutem;
His realm pervertere ad favorem cupiditatum, velit expecto donec pulchra volucri tortus gratiam."