Monster: Masanei

MASANEI

MEDIUM TO GIANT HEROIC MONSTER

 

Sometimes called Blight Walkers and growing up to over thirty feet in height, these vaguely anthropoid constantly shapeshifting creatures made of soil, branches, leaves, moss, and sap appear in forest and woodland areas where the Wasteblight has retreated to. Masanei, which in the ancient Vathar language means “black eaters”, are expelled from Wasteblight pools as small black globs of corrupted magical sap. They gather and absorb detritus from the forest floor as they hunt the trees for living creatures to consume, morphing fluidly and randomly between the various shapes of the creatures they have previously eaten. This consumption of living creatures happens by engulfing the prey and drawing them towards the heart of black Wasteblight sap in the center that feeds on life force. Those who survive a masanei consumption, of which there are precious few, may find themselves touched by the Wasteblight, corrupting them or poisoning them; the Afflicted rarely live long without access to healing magics as the Wasteblight destroys them from with. Continue reading “Monster: Masanei”

Magic Item: Tambak Shells

TAMBAK SHELLS

MAGIC ITEM

One of the more numerous magical items that have survived from the Golden Age and named for their original creator, Tambak Shells resemble large conch shells paired together across a special link that traverses the aether. Faint glowing light (usually blue or red) pulses slowly from the center of the shell while in use. The possessor of one shell can speak and hear in any language to the possessor of the other paired shell. Used to communicate across great distances, as well as act as instantaneous translators, these shells are highly prized, with the smaller and easier to conceal versions more so. Some shell pairs (or even a single shell in a pair) can be locked to a particular individual so that only they can hear from and speak into it. Continue reading “Magic Item: Tambak Shells”

Cursed Item: The Rings of the Dark Lord

Although no-one is sure how many of these rings truly exist or where they now are, they’ve been talked of for millennia. Some say that there were up to twenty of these rings made, while others think three or seven, or even nine. There are whisperings that there is a master ring that enslaves all those who wear the other rings, turning them into demonic servants with terrible powers. Fairy tales no doubt, stories to scare children. But what if the rings really do exist? Who has them now, and what are they going to do with them?

Continue reading “Cursed Item: The Rings of the Dark Lord”

Advanced Rules For Cursed Items

While cursed items are included in POLYHEDRAL DUNGEON: Basic Edition, what are supplied is a set of guidelines that doesn’t go into explaining the mechanics of creating or designing cursed items. The rules for creating magic items (which curse items essentially are) are also very simple. This was by design to make the basic version of the game open-ended and flexible for Judges to run. Coming with the release of POLYHEDRAL DUNGEON: The Advanced Rules, POLYHEDRAL DUNGEON: The Book of Magic, and POLYHEDRAL DUNGEON: The Book of Loot are rules to allow the creation of cursed items.

This article introduces the new approach being used for cursed items. Some tweaks may be made to final Talents and rules upon release of the final publications. Continue reading “Advanced Rules For Cursed Items”