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Rob Kuntz's The Three Artifacts of the Demon Senders |
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Posted on Fri, October 26, 2001 by Dogadmin |
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grodog writes "First published in Wargaming #2 in 1977, Rob Kuntz has given permission to repost the text of this long-lost Greyhawk article on Canonfire.
Author: Robert J. Kuntz
The Three Artifacts of the Demon Senders
by Robert J. Kuntz. Reprinted with permission. Do not repost without obtaining prior permission from the author. Copyright 2001 Robert J. Kuntz.
Transcribed and posted by Allan T. Grohe, Jr.
Ages ago, beyond reckoning, there were brought in the bowels of the earth deep beneath what is now the ancient Great Kingdom, nearly 400 miles north of the castle Greyhawk, a set of powerful artifacts dealing with the demons and the elements. These items were the sum of 20 years of study, hardships, strains, and perils by the wizards Xylarthen, Zaln and Blyzze. From then on, their strenght and dominions increased and they were forever known as the Demon Senders. These relics were lost with passing time and, Kings now inhabit the lands where once only mighty wizards dared to tread. These items, found again, lost again are still as powerful as they once were.
THE FOUR STONES OF XYLARTHEN:
These gems appear as ordinary rocks that cannot be detected as magical in any way. When grasped, the illusion is lifted, revealing four peals---black, blue, red, and white, each having an intrinsic value of 2,000 gp. A command word (DM’s choice) is inscribed upon the surface of each separate gem, and when spoken aloud an elemental will be summoned forth (according to the statistics below).
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Black (Earth) |
Blue (Water) |
Red (Fire) |
White (Air) |
Armor Class |
0 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
Movement |
6" |
9" |
12" |
24" |
Hit Points |
96 |
80 |
64 |
48 |
Level |
12 |
10 |
8 |
6 |
Spell Resistance |
12th level Magic-User |
9th level Lord |
8th level Cleric |
7th level Magic-User |
Hit By |
+3 or better |
+2 or better |
+1 or better |
Normal weapons only |
Attacks |
1/4-48 |
1/3-24 |
1/2-20 |
1/2-16 |
# of Times Summonable |
8 |
10 |
12 |
16 |
They are summonable once per day, even if some other magic-user or being has summoned a like elemental. When summoned to their limit, the stone disappears to some nether void, never to return. These elementals are very intelligent and will bargain for
their release (i.e., performing their duties with increased alacrity and added intelligence. As an example: the "elemental did not have to warn you of the green slime on the ceiling he saw but you didn't see"). Unless some sort of agreement can be worked out, they will impassively perform as any one of their wizard summoned cousins would. An agreement could be performing two less summons, etc. The gems are their soul objects and this keeps the elemental from attacking its master, for pearls are easily crushed, thus doing away (for good) with the elemental. If killed in any other way, excepting this fashion, they will return to the gem to be called forth again, complete with hit points. As a special addition to these magical stones, when all four of them are brought together they form a ring with these additional powers:
Black Pearl: |
Move earth (as spell) twice a day. |
Blue Pearl: |
Water breathing spell twice a day. |
Red Pearl: |
Create a wall of fire twice a day. |
White Pearl: |
Fly (as the spell) twice a day. |
Summon All Four Elementals: All of the elementals appear and fight. Due to the combined mental strain of summoning and controlling all four elementals, there is a 25% chance of instant insanity. This function is usable once a month and the respective elementals cannot be summoned normally within that waiting period. These artifacts are usable by fighters, clerics, magic-users, and thieves.
THE SKULL STAFF OF ZALN:
This is a 4' high staff of ebony having atop it a skull of ivory. Below the skull is a tassle of red and a tassle of green. Constructed into the staff, inches below the tassles, is the
ancient sign for warding off or controlling demons, a pentagram made of gold. The powers are varied depending upon the person wielding it. They are described below:
In the hands of:
Lama or Patriarch |
Skull turns in direction of danger (eyes glowing green), direction of metal (eyes glowing purple) and direction of gems (eyes glowing orange). Range is 100' including through obstructions. |
Tassles (red) gives an automatic protection from evil (20' radius) and (green) adds +3 to the dexterity of the wielder |
Pentagram dispels any elemental or (1st - 6th order) demon upon touch (successful hit) and does 4-40 points of damage to those above the 6th order. It glows white when there are demons within 200'. |
Necromancer or Wizard |
Skull (AS ABOVE) |
Tassles (red) create a wall of demon fire (count as X 2 strength wall of fire) that lasts for 2-20 full turns and (green) adds +2 to the dexterity of the wielder |
Pentagram summons all elementals as a staff of wizardry, dispels 1st-4th order demons upon touch, deals 2-24 points of damage to all others and glows gray if demons are within 100' of the user. |
Evil Lama or EHP |
Skull (AS ABOVE) |
Tassles (red) creates 3 blade barriers per day and (green) adds +1 to the dexterity of the user. |
Pentagram dispels demons of the 1st-6th order, elementals, invisible stalkers, and all enchanted (including charmed) monsters, deals 5-50 points of damage to all other demons. It also serves to summon 3 class I, 2 class II, and 1 class III demons. It glows a blackish hue if demons are within 50'. |
THE COPPER HOOP OF BLYZZE:
This magical hoop is large enough for a dwarf to step through without bowing. When set and spun it will do the things listed below, according to the speed with which it was spun. One merely tries to reach into the hoop whilst it is spinning. There are varying degrees of success (also according to the speed it was spinning when it was reached
into). Of course, the faster it is spinning, the harder it is to reach within and the greater the power, etc., acquired. The user controls the speed and is the only one allowed to reach within.
Speed 1 --- Chance of failing is a 2 on two six-sided dice |
01-55 |
2-20 1st level monsters/beings are drawn forth for 3 turns. |
56-90 |
A wand of magic or enemy detection is brought forth. It will function 3 times and then disappears. |
91-99 |
1-10 2nd level monsters/beings come forth for 6 full turns. |
00 |
A 1st order demon comes forth and serves for 10 melee rounds. |
Speed 2 --- Chance of failing is a 2, 3, 11, 12 on two six-sided dice |
01-40 |
2-12 4th level monsters/beings are drawn forth for 2 full turns. |
41-55 |
A wand of cold or fireballs is drawn forth. They have 10 charges each and when expended disappear. |
56-75 |
2-8 6th level monsters/beings are summoned forth for 2 full turns. |
76-90 |
A sword (with 12 intelligence and 1 ego) of the summoner's alignment appears. It disappears after slaying anything above 7th level (including combined levels). |
91-99 |
3 1st order demons appear for 20 melee rounds. |
00 |
A 3rd order demon appears for 10 melee rounds. |
Speed 3 --- Chance of failing is 2-8 on two six-sided dice. |
01-50 |
2-5 7th level monsters/beings appear and serve for 1 full turn. |
51-70 |
A rod of cancellation or staff of commanding apears. The rod, of course, contains 1 charge, and the staff contains 10. They disappear after the expenditure of their alloted charges. |
71-85 |
4 1st order demons appear and serve for 20 melee rounds. |
86-90 |
3 2nd order demons appear and server
for 15 melee rounds. |
91-99 |
2 3rd order demons appear and server for 10 melee rounds. |
00 |
A 4th order demon appears and servers for 5 melee rounds. |
Speed 4 --- Chance of failing is 2-10 on two six-sided dice. |
01-50 |
1-4 9th level monsters/beings appear and serve for 5 melee rounds. |
51-70 |
A rod of lordly might or a staff of power appear for 2-20 days for the rod and 2-12 days for the staff. They will disappear after this time and have full powers and charges. |
71-99 |
2 5th order demons appear for 5 melee rounds. |
00 |
A God or Demon Prince appears for 3 melee rounds. |
If the user fails to reach within he must wait for 1, 2, 3, or 4 weeks (according to the respective speeds) to try once again.
==== END OF FILE ====
Note: Kuntz, Demon, OD&D"
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Average Score: 3.25 Votes: 4
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Re: Rob Kuntz's The Three Artifacts of the Demon Senders (Score: 1) by Man-of-the-Cranes on Tue, November 13, 2001 (User Info | Send a Message) http://www.ManoftheCranes.com | Many thanks to Rob for contributing these for those few of us not lucky enough to have read a copy of 'Wargaming 2' ;)
It is good to know that such GH worthies as Mr Kuntz are a part of our online community. All three items are very interesting, and it is easy to see how these are the sort of items that campaigns or at the very least plot hooks be based around, rather than items that are simply added to a list and used.
My personal favourite here would be the copper hoop - I can imagine my players having a lot of fun with this one.
Cheers
Man of the Cranes |
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Re: Rob Kuntz's The Three Artifacts of the Demon Senders (Score: 1) by Calstaff on Mon, September 27, 2021 (User Info | Send a Message | Journal) | Much thanks to you grodog for posting this treasure from the past.
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