Help on a New Artifact

[147]

Hello All,

New to En World and am very impressed. I want to introduce an artifact into my mid-leve magic fantasy d20 game. The PC's have just crested 6th level, and I'm looking for feed-back as to how this item may affect the game (both from and individual character level and the bigger picture). The characters find a ring (yes, I know - cliche) on the banks of the River Styxx (I'll get them there somehow). The ring as it is right now is a blank slate, but, it absorbs other rings - magical and/or mundane - and assumes the properties of that ring (ie: protection, of the ram, shooting stars, etc). The potency of the ring is such that the powers stack. To give the PC's something to worry about, each time another ability is absorbed, the ring becomes more conscious, that is, it acquires more INT and EGO.
I see this as having the players debate the merits of the lack of the "wearing only two rings at a time" versus keeping the sentience of the ring taking over one the players. The reason for the River Styxx location, the previous bearer ditched the ring because of the memory wipe.
Any comments or suggestions?

 

[Crothian]

I like that idea. What is the ring's conscious going to be like? Is the ring going to have a specific mission or goal? Is it going to have an abrasive personality or manipulative?

The ring obviously has the potential to be powerful, but luckily rings are not the most powerful items in the game. Also, since only one person can wear it at a time you might have one character with power while the rest have less since they might be sacrificng rings they can use to this uber ring.

 

[Funeris]

I agree with Crothian this is an excellent idea. And I think, as long as you make sure your players don't come across any uber-powerful rings early on, it shouldn't affect balance too much (unlike many other artifacts). I'd be interested in more info about the ring as well.

How exactly is the stacking going to work?? If the ring absorbs both protection and ram, will the player be able to use both...abilities...at the same time? Or is it just one at a time and the character must choose? Then a move action or somesuch to change the current ability?

If the ring uses an ability, does it then lose that ability? Or does it keep the ability "permanently"??

If the ring is malicious...it may steal more than just other ring powers. For example, memories...perhaps wizards begin to lose so many slots after so many uses of the ring...or maybe it absorbs the cleave feat and whoever wears the ring gains the cleave feat...while the original wearer loses the feat until the ring is memory wiped.

It could be very malicious. I like it...I like it a lot.

 

[grodog]

You may find the following article helpful: http://www.canonfire.com/cfhtml/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=268

It contains material cut from my contributions to "Artifacts of Oerth" (about Greyhawk artifacts and relics) from Dragon 294 (April 2002), in particular ideas on introducing artifacts into your campaign.

 

[Maldin]

You might also find a read of my own musings on the subject of Artifacts helpful. You can jump to it directly by going to my website's sitemap and clicking on "Artifacts" on the map (under the "Arcane Magics" heading).

Denis, aka "Maldin"
===========================
Maldin's Greyhawk http://melkot.com

 

[arwink]

The reason for the River Styxx location, the previous bearer ditched the ring because of the memory wipe.
Any comments or suggestions?

Since the waters of the styx only needs to touch a sentient creature, and the ring was intelligent in its own right, perhaps the former wasn't the only thing to loose their memory to the black waters

The original owner had sacraficed their own memories in the hopes of ridding the multiverse of the rings evil forever. Wipe the rings memory, and with it the ability to use the magic it has absorbed (just as if it was a wizard with memorized spells). When it starts to display signs of sentience after the first few items are absorbed, it's relatively restrained and friendly. Then it starts catching glimpses of its former life as it grows in power, occasionally letting loose with outbursts of evil that willl set the players on edge. As time goes on and it scambles for more power, the ring becomes truly evil and any trace of its more peacable personality is gone.

Eventually it should all come down to the PC's on the edge of the Styx again, preparing to make the necessary sacrafice.

 

[147]

Thanks for the quick response and suggestions all.
Okay, as an ending to a story arc, the players found themselves on the shores of the River Styxx (albeit breifly). The dwarven fighter found the Ring and as GM I told him that when he put it on he heard a contented sigh - "Aaaahhhh". I also informed the player that once the Ring was on, he essientally forgot it was there. Much to my the delight, the player role-played the episode quite well, the other players/PC's didn't even notice the event. Over the next few sessions, the dwarf realized that the Ring was invisible to everyone but himself, it didn't even register on any detection spells (magic, good, law or curse). I had the player think he was going nuts because no one would believe that there was a ring on his finger. Eventually, through some fun one-on-one role playing, he started experimenting on the Ring and found that when he put another ring on the same finger, it would be absorbed into the Ring. He eventually did it with a ring of levitation, and low and behold, it acted as just that. However, when he put the ring on, he heard a deeper, more contented "sigh" and that spooked him.
From a game mechanics view, the Ring can absorb the powers of any magical ring that it comes into contact with. At this point, its powers include levitation, protection +1 and shield. Its consciousness is still vague and in the background. As GM, I haven't decided what alignment or ultimate goal it has (this is where all you EN Worlder's come into play!)

Some possibilities down the road:
1)the dwarf PC will shake hands with somebody important (ie: nobility, wizard) who happens to be wearing a magical ring and.....poof
2)the dwarf's friends catch him sleep walking and pilfering their magic rings (the Ring is taking active control of the PC)

 

[147]

Crothian - hope you like the background info
Funeris - nice idea on stealing other powers / that may come into effect down the road
grodog and Maldin - thanks for the read (and I'll be raiding your sites in the future for inspiration)
arwink - I've been thinking about the progression of the rings consciousness, and it seems like we have the same idea. Your musings did have me thinking though, perhaps the previous wearer is still alive - maybe centuries old, maybe beginning to have vague memories of the Ring now that someone else has it. I'll have to think on this

Again, thanks to all your input
147

 

[Funeris]

Ok...well if you're going to play it that the ring has to absorb many powers before becoming as aware as it once was....

Maybe the progression proceeds in a manner similar to the evolution of any life form. When the ring has very low EGO, it sends just pure urges to the wearer (be they conscious or unconscious) to find/steal more rings. This would lead to the sleep walking you mentioned.

As the ring grows in power EGO, it can send images to its wearer....the image of a hand snatching & pocketing the ring of an opponent or friend. There may have to be a will save.

Eventually, the ring will speak (although I suggest empathy/telepathy to avoid other party members from learning of the existence of the ring) in full phrases or orders/commands.

Obviously, as the ring evolves, the DC for any will save against helping the ring amass power will increase. The character will choose rings from booty instead of a better weapon...this could be a puzzle piece for the other players trying to figure out what's up. And then of course, the rings just disappear.

If the bearer does not help the ring amass power, at some point in its evolution of sentience, the ring will deny the user access to its abilities. So now, the character is lacking a great weapon she could have had and on top of that, the ring won't offer its aide, without promises of more power.

I think there is something in the connotation of 'Devour' that just lends the ring an evil personality. I would go evil...of course when the ring is just beginning out it wouldn't register as evil because its mind isn't that complex yet. (Not that it registers anyway). So, I'm suggesting probably Neutral Evil for eventual alignment.

I also think (if you have money set aside) that you may want to look into Magic of Incarnum that comes out in September. Perhaps an evil spirit has been binded into the ring...maybe a once powerful spellcaster that was slain and his soul binded to the ring to prevent his returning from the grave....and that could explain its sentience.

Just a few more thoughts.

~Fune

 

[Funeris]

Oh yeah...and I really really like this idea...I'll have to use it in my next campaign