Bottled Memories

I swear I have read about these on another blog or forum post, but cannot for the life of me determine which one.  Maybe I bottled that memory.

 Jeff Haynie

(I found the image HERE at Goblin Punch).

Bottled Memories are just one more odd item that can be found, either in abandoned wizard towers or a fey market.  Sometimes they are traded elsewhere for varying prices, depending on which memory is said to be within.

The bottles themselves are reminiscent of potion bottles, crystal or ceramic vials that pulse a bit with power, and depending on the memory within in, might be warm or cold to the touch.  Memories trapped in bottles utterly leave the mind of those the memories come from, and the process of bottling memories is lost to modern societies, although certain ancient texts, fey, dragons, extraplanar creatures, and liches may still know how to go about it.

This means that most bottled memories are old.  Terribly old, and perhaps not even from remotely human minds.  This also means that the memories within may be groundshaking revelations.

To use the bottled memory, one merely opens it and inhales the scintillating fumes that waft out of it.  Then the memory is in their mind, to do with as they please.  Sometimes, the memory is such that the new owner of it rightfully fears knowing the information.

Known memories that have been bottled include (according to opened memories and labels on unopened bottles):

Lost spells.

Maps to now-sunken cities, lost temples, hidden troves.

Answers to puzzles or riddles.

How to bypass and navigate trap-filled labyrinths.

Where certain beings are buried, dead or otherwise.

True names of extraplanar beings.

Secret formulae and processes.

National secrets.

Truth behind legends.

Now-dead languages.

Forgotten faiths.

The ability to manipulate magic.

Entire skillsets (a gnome became a master shipwright overnight after one particular bottled memory).

Living spells.

Personalities that dominate and replace the new possessor (the lich Joseph Curwen returned this way).

Recipes.

Personally traumatic events.

Personally satisfying events.

Family faces and names.

Seasons in the sun.

Country roads.

As can be seen, a bottled memory ranges from a precise single memory to a complex connected series of memories.  Yet there is no way to know what it actually is until the bottle or flask is uncorked and the memory inhaled.

For what it is worth, the process of bottling a memory involves a specially-prepared bottle or flask and an (un)willing memory donor.  Research suggests the spells Feeblemind, Modify Memory, Detect Thoughts, and Legend Lore are involved, and from ancient descriptions, the donor tends to end up suffering the effects of Feeblemind for some time after the memory is bottled.  Once bottled, the memory no longer can be recalled, nor can anything short of a Wish determine what it might have been.  Other requirements, such as how to prepare the bottle or flask, are unknown.

PC Backgrounds and the Frankengame

I am sorely tempted to implement this in my Frankengame ruleset, but it implies a system that doesn't provide regular feats and stat boosts with leveling, ala' 3.x and 5e.  I'm good with that, but it pushes my Frankengame closer to B/X than before.  

Something I am also good with.  

From Moldvay Basic, 1981, artist uncertain.

PC background – Roll on the Failed Careers table (from Ten Foot Polemic: 200 Failed Medieval Careers).   Each time you level, roll on the Retroactive Background Table (from Ten Foot Polemic: 1d100 Retroactive Backstory). As the game progresses, use of the I Know a Guy rule can expand character background, perhaps tied into the Retroactive Backstory. 

Tied to backgrounds is the PC's astrological sign, from New Big Dragon Games.  The linked post references a d12 with Zodiac signs on it, but a normal d12 would suffice.  As an aside, New Big Dragon Games has lots of great BX supplemental rules.

Then there is the matter of Faith.  For Clerics (and Paladins, if I include them), it is of utmost importance, but for other classes, not so much.  

I haven't decided upon a pantheon yet, and would be happy letting players choose/design their own deities on the fly.  

So I guess that is for another post.

DCC and the Frankengame

Compiling various houserules to run the game I want to run has led me to DCC, and it has lots to borrow: the mighty deeds, the entire magic system, the lovely random tables, and the flavor.  

Honestly, about the only thing I might dislike about DCC is the additional funny dice and that is because I feel I own enough dice - heresy, I know!

The cover of the comprehensive rules tome; the hardback holds a (large) place of pride on my bookshelf.

So the question I am asking myself, is why not run a full blown DCC game and be done with it?  I have the rules in pdf, so providing players with copies is trivial.  I have reams of adventures for DCC, initially for idea-mining, but I can run them as-is, as well.

Finding the players prove the issue.   Where I live are lots of gamers, but from what I can tell, most are 5e, which is the system they have grown used to.  Nothing wrong with that - my Frankengame certainly uses advantage/disadvantage from it, and the Ghosts of Saltmarsh book is a lovely addition to my shelf (but I am a Saltmarsh fanboy, so that may bias me).  I've run and played 5e, and it works, despite being too super-heroic for my tastes.

I can do a rough survey and find out.  

Then its a question of time.

Edit:  HERE is a fairly thorough review of DCC.

 

Mixed Feelings

A variety of things to write about, mostly focused on why I haven't posted much lately.  Regular readers may not care, but I do, so free therapy.

MekHQ and MegaMek have been eating lots of time.  I am running a full combined arms regiment at this point, so lots of minutiae and micromanaging in the name of entertainment.  It is still fun, but I keep increasing the optional rules, to self-moderate and make it more challenging.  In the name of 80% salvage, I fight through and crush all, not even bothered by potential salvage exploding from ammo and fuel tanks.

All the fights take time.  Thankfully, the latest release lets me shut off chase missions, which are ridiculous time sinks.  Even without chases, the battles take time.  

No guts, no galaxy and all that.

I got to play DnD this past week.  A buddy is running the Candlekeep Mysteries adventures, on a first-come, first-serve basis.  I was able to join for the second session.  From the way it played out, I suspect the intent was not needing to kill anything, but the random PC I chose (my buddy provided a handful for late/lazy players) was the Evil Bugbear Rogue, so death was a member of the party.  Murdering critters in their sleep made me feel a touch bad, but as a bugbear, that is kinda what they do.  

Anyhow, we had fun and solved the mystery (I think).  If I can join next session (schedules dictate yes or no), I will continue playing as Tumble the Bugbear Rogue.  Despite his murderous tendencies (he also likes to eat, or at least taste, everything he kills), I am enjoying the murderous bastard.

Other than that, I am solidifying my comprehensive house rules, reading, mapping, watching movies, and drinking too much.  The urge to write more is there, but peters out once I'm in front of a computer.  If it is laziness or apathy or true writer's block, I have no clue.

Watery Magic Items

These are inspired by a Facebook post I responded to.  The poster asked for aquatic magic items, and these were some of my suggestions.

Shark-Tooth Necklace

This large black shark's tooth hangs from a stout silver cord, with several beads and smaller teeth to either side.  In addition to providing the wearer with a +1 bonus towards Charisma-based checks with sea folk and sailors and such, it also curses the wearer with becoming a wereshark.  Before the first change, the wearer develops a massive appetite, preferably for raw flesh.

While transformed, the wereshark becomes a temporary NPC and performs one of these actions (or something similar, but aquatic).  

Remove Curse at DC 12 allows the wearer to remove the necklace, but the DC increases by 1 for each sentient being slain.  Upon killing a full score of beings, the curse cannot be removed except by slaying the wereshark, whereupon slayers tend to claim the necklace as loot and the cycle begins anew.

Figuring of Wondrous Power: Driftwood Dolphin

When activated (it must be submerged in salt water and the command word Flipper is uttered), a full size playful and intelligent dolphin grows and splashes in the water, awaiting its command.   This dolphin will carry you to shore, scout out a location, fetch something underwater (or carry something under), and attack on your behalf.  

Should the dolphin die, it remembers you when it returns and is not amused.   Dead or dismissed, the dolphin shrinks back into the driftwood carving and may be carried away by the waves if the controller is not quick. 

In fact, this is how the statue changes hands - it is often found washed up on a beach.

Coral Helm

Amy Weber, Coral Helm, 1994

This pink coral helm was obviously grown, but its odd symmetry suggests guidance in its growth, perhaps from sea elves, perhaps from tritons, perhaps from a bored sea god.  Regardless of how it was formed, the Coral Helm is a wondrously useful tool for land dwellers.  Most importantly, it allows whomever dons it to breathe saltwater as if it were oxygen, and to see through the dim ocean waters as if it were normal lighting.  In addition, it allows the wearer to swim as if a sea elf and the ability to speak and summon sea life (although not control it, but the wearer doesn't know that).

The longer one wears the Coral Helm (either cumulatively or straight in a row), the more at home they become in the ocean, and the more they prefer to remain.  Webbing grows between the fingers and toes, gills open on the neck, and the wearer becomes incapable of breathing air.  After three months of use, the wearer feels an unavoidable urge to dive down to the ocean floor, where she curls up and becomes the seed of a new coral reef.  Regardless of how long submerged, the Coral Helm always remains at the top of the reef, easily harvested by those curious.  Digging into the roots of reef, directly below the Coral Helm may reveal the remains (or at least some of the magical and metal bits) of its last wearer. 

What effects potions carried have on the growth of the reef are uncertain, but makes for fascinating debates among half-drunk water wizards.

Conch of the Tritons

There are several versions of this Conch Horn.  

1. Basically a Horn of Valhalla (DMG p175), but only works underwater, and the warriors summoned are tritons, sea elves, or sahaugin, depending on the Conch's alignment.  

2. Formerly belonged to a Triton Princeling, and like all such horns, has a unique sound tied directly to that Princeling.  Tritons that respond will not be amused to find a non-Triton sounding the horn, but will not immediately attack.  They will demand to know how the PCs gained the Conch Horn and what became of the Princeling. 

3. Stormcalling.  When blown, a storm begins brewing around the caster (see the spell Control Weather), quickly spinning up into a hurricane.  Once sounded, the storm begins to brew, until the equivalent of a Cat 5 Hurricane strikes the land, centered upon wherever the horn was blown.  While the storm takes a day or two to hit full destructive potential, it blows itself out by the end of day three.  Note that the supernatural nature of the storms summoned make them excellent breeding grounds for lightning elementals.

4. Summoning.  Sounding this horn is dangerous, as one of the following hears, responds, and wants a damn good reason for why it was summoned.  If it doesn't like the reason, it attacks.  1: Kraken  2: Dragon Turtle  3: Leviathan  4: Sea Giant  5: Elemental Water Dragon   6:  Charybdis   Note that this Conch Horn is the real reason behind several coastal legends of apocalyptic city-sinkings and terrible storms.  Edit: Then again, the Conch Horn of Summoning might call up a whale, instead.

Lanyard of Flotation

Anything this lanyard is properly attached to floats, incapable of sinking entirely.  Heavier objects float along just under the surface, the ball of the lanyard remaining visible (and strangely dry) above the water.  As might be imagined, these Lanyards are actively sought and well-protected by pirates, marines, and others who spend too much time on the water.

Attaching a Lanyard of Flotation to a body does not prevent drowning nor even the body being eaten.  It merely keeps it afloat.  Rumor has it that bodies kept afloat too long become a terrible form of undead.

Edit: Wow! I stumbled across this d100 list at Elfmaids & Octopi, and it puts my work to shame.